Patent Publication Number: US-10774840-B2

Title: Fan blades, fans, and a method of cooling a room

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/504,499, filed May 10, 2017, entitled “FAN BLADES, FANS, AND A METHOD OF COOLING A ROOM,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure generally relates to fan blades, and more particularly, to fan blades in a ceiling fan for cooling a room. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Fans are typically placed in rooms to help circulate air around the space. This movement can help create a breeze in the room, causing it to feel like the room is at a lower temperature without actually causing any change to the temperature of the room. Instead, it is the movement of the air across the sweat present on the skin that increases the rate of evaporation, causing the skin to feel colder, rather than actually causing a decrease in temperature. 
     In order to cool the temperature in a room, typically central air conditioning units are used. Central air conditioning units consume much higher levels of power than a fan, causing higher energy costs for a typical household. Billions of dollars are spent every year on the electricity costs of central air conditioning. Central air conditioning typically cools multiple rooms, which sometimes is more cooling than needed, for example, when a room is unoccupied. 
     Accordingly, improved systems and methods for facilitating decreases of temperature in enclosed spaces at lower energy costs are desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with various example embodiments, a fan blade capable of cooling an enclosed space is disclosed, comprising: a leading edge; a trailing edge; a top side; a bottom side; and a plurality of passageways wherein each of the passageways narrows within the fan blade. The plurality of passageways may narrow at any point within the interior of the fan blade and may be shaped in any way to ensure that a narrowing occurs. The plurality of passageways may also be in thermal communication with the rest of the fan blade. 
     The fan blades may also be used in a fan, in accordance with various example embodiments, comprising: a hub and a plurality of fan blades, each fan blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a top side, a bottom side, an attachment mechanism, and a plurality of passageways wherein each of the passageways narrows within the fan blade and wherein the attachment mechanism couples to the hub. The fan may further comprise a motor that causes the plurality of fan blades to rotate about the hub. 
     Also disclosed in accordance with various example embodiments, is a method for cooling a room comprising: rotating a fan, the fan comprising: a motor, a hub, and a plurality of fan blades, each fan blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a top side, a bottom side, an attachment mechanism, and a plurality of passageways, wherein each of the plurality of passageways narrows within the fan blade and wherein the attachment mechanism couples to the hub. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       This patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. 
       Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. 
       A more complete understanding of principles of the present disclosure may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the Figures, and where: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a fan having a plurality of fan blades each with multiple passageways and an attachment mechanism, a motor, and a hub, in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an example of a fan blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, an attachment mechanism, and a plurality of passageways, in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an internal view of an example fan blade showing a narrowing of the passageways from the leading edge to the trailing edge, in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of an example fan blade having a plurality of passageways, a top side, a bottom side, and an attachment mechanism, in accordance with various embodiments; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a back view of an example fan blade having a top side, a bottom side, a leading edge, a trailing edge, an attachment mechanism, and an angled portion, in accordance with various embodiments; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a thermal view of an example fan blade as air passes through a plurality of passageways from a leading edge to a trailing edge showing the cooled air as it exits the passageways near the trailing edge. 
     
    
    
     It should be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that, while principles of the present disclosure are described with reference to the figures described above, such principles may also include a variety of embodiments consistent with the description herein. It should also be understood that, where consistent with the description, there may be additional components not shown in the system diagrams, and that such components may be arranged or ordered in different ways. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The detailed description shows embodiments by way of illustration, including the best mode. While these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the principles of the present disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of principles of the present disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method descriptions may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented. 
     Moreover, for the sake of brevity, certain sub-components of individual components and other aspects of the system may not be described in detail herein. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical couplings may be present in a practical system. Such functional blocks may be realized by any number of components configured to perform specified functions. 
     The disclosure includes a fan blade that has a plurality of passageways that allow air to travel through the blade. The passageways narrow, forcing the volume of air moving through the passageways to compress. The air that passes through the fan blade comes out at a lower temperature than it went in, causing the room to cool. By using a fan blade to cool the temperature in a room rather than to just create air movement in a space, overall energy costs associated with cooling a local space are decreased. In some example embodiments, the fan assembly can be used in conjunction with a central air conditioning unit so that the central air conditioning unit does not need to run as often, leading to a decrease in energy costs. 
     In various embodiments, an example of a fan comprises a motor, a hub, and multiple fan blades. Each fan blade has a top side, a bottom side, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a plurality of passageways. The fan blade may also have an attachment mechanism that couples the fan blade to the hub. The motor may spin the hub, causing the fan blades to rotate through the air in the room. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 1 , in various example embodiments, a fan  100  comprises a hub  150 , a motor  140 , and a plurality of fan blades  110 . The fan blades  110  comprise a plurality of passageways  120 . The fan blades  110  extend outward from the hub  150  and are coupled to the hub  150  by an attachment mechanism  130 . The hub  150  is coupled to the motor  140  in such a way that the motor  140  is capable of moving the hub  150 . When the motor  140  moves the hub  150  the fan blades  110  are also moved. This movement causes air to flow over the fan blade  110  (like a typical fan blade) and also through the fan blade, as described further herein. The fan  100  causes the blades to move relative to a fixed point of reference, for example, the room, the point of attachment of the fan  100  to the ceiling, or the stator of the motor  140 , including any fixed point of reference desired. The fan  100  causes the fan blades  110  to move, radially, in a plane about the hub  150 . The hub  150  may be static. The hub  150  may oscillate between left and right positions. The hub  150  may oscillate between up and down positions. The hub  150  may move in any pattern desired. 
     In various embodiments, each fan blade  110  may have an attachment mechanism  130  that permanently couples the fan blade  110  to the hub  150 . In various embodiments, the attachment mechanism  130  may removably couple the fan blade  110  to the hub  150 . In various embodiments, the attachment mechanism  130  may be a support with a first end and a second end wherein the first end couples to the fan blade  110  and the second end couples to the hub  150 . In various embodiments, the attachment mechanism  130  may be an end piece of the fan blade  110  that fits into an opening in the hub  150 . In various embodiments, the attachment mechanism  130  may be a screw, a bolt, a clip, a clamp, or an adhesive that couples the fan blade  110  to the hub  150 . It will be appreciated by those in the art that the attachment mechanism  130  may be any piece that is known in the art for coupling a fan blade  110  to a hub  150 . Moreover, in various example embodiments, there is no attachment mechanism  130 , and the fan blades are coupled directly to the hub  150  or motor  140 . 
     In various embodiments, the fan blades  110  may be attached to the fan  100  with a desired pitch. In various embodiments, the fan blades  110  may be attached to the fan  100  level to the plane of the rotation. In various embodiments, the fan blades  110  may be attached to the fan  100  at an incline between −45° and 45° relative to the plane of the rotation. In various embodiments, the fan blades  110  may be attached to the fan  100  at an incline between −30° and 30° relative to the plane of the rotation. In various embodiments, the fan blades  110  may be attached to the fan  100  at an incline between −15° and 15° relative to the plane of the rotation. In various embodiments, the fan blades  110  may be attached to the fan  100  at an incline between −10° and 10° relative to the plane of the rotation. In various embodiments, the fan blades  110  may be attached to the fan  100  at an incline between −5° and 5° relative to the plane of the rotation. It should be appreciated that the fan blades  110  may be attached to the fan  100  at any desired pitch that allows for air to flow through the passageways  120 . 
     In various embodiments, the motor  140  may be contained within the hub  150 . In various embodiments, the motor  140  may be a separate piece that is coupled to the hub  150 . In various embodiments, the motor  140  may be contained within a motor housing to shield it from view. In various embodiments, the motor  140  may cause the plurality of fan blades  110  to spin in a clockwise rotation. In various embodiments, the motor  140  may cause the plurality of fan blades  110  to spin in a counterclockwise rotation. In various embodiments, the motor  140  may cause the plurality of fan blades  110  to rotate at between 109 revolutions per minute and 509 revolutions per minute. In other embodiments, the motor  140  may cause the plurality of fan blades  110  to rotate at any suitable revolutions per minute for cooling the air. 
     In various embodiments, a fan  100  may use one fan blade  110 . In various embodiments, a fan  100  may use two fan blades  110 . In various embodiments a fan  100  may use three fan blades  110 . In various embodiments, a fan  100  may use between four and six fan blades  110 . It should be appreciated that any number of fan blades  110  may be used in a fan  100  in accordance with various embodiments. In various embodiments, a fan  100  may have all of the blades be of the type of fan blades  110 . In various embodiments, a fan  100  may use a combination of prior art fan blades and fan blades  110  as disclosed herein. In various embodiments, a fan  100  may comprise a configuration of fan blades that alternates between typical fan blades and pass-through fan blades  110  of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, a fan  100  may comprise a configuration of fan blades that has two typical fan blades between each pass-through fan blade  110 . In various embodiments, a fan  100  may comprise a configuration of fan blades that groups typical fan blades on one portion of the fan  100  and pass-through fan blades  110  together. It is contemplated that a fan  100  may comprise any configuration of fan blades that incorporates typical fan blades and the pass-through fan blades  110  as described herein. 
     In various embodiments, a fan  100  may be a ceiling fan. In various embodiments a fan  100  may be a standing fan. In various embodiments a fan  100  may be a tabletop fan. In various embodiments a fan  100  may be a warehouse fan. It should be appreciated that the fan blades  110  described herein may be incorporated into any type of fan  100  known to those in the art. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , in accordance with various example embodiments, a fan blade  110  is shown having a leading edge  160 , a trailing edge  170 , a top side  180 , a bottom side  190 , and a plurality of passageways  120 . Fan blade  110  may also have an attachment mechanism  130 . The plurality of passageways  120  are formed by walls  410  that extend between the top side  180  and the bottom side  190  of the fan blade  110 . More precisely, the walls  410  may extend from a bottom face of the top side  180  to a top face of the bottom side  190 . In an example embodiment each passageway of the plurality of passageways passes between the top side and the bottom side from the leading edge to the trailing edge. 
     In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may extend from the leading edge  160  to the trailing edge  170 . In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may begin at any point between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170  in the interior of the fan blade  110 . In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may end at any point between the beginning point and the trailing edge  170  in the interior of the fan blade  110 . In various embodiments, the walls  410  may extend perpendicular from the top side  180  and the bottom side  190 . In various embodiments, the walls  410  may extend at a desired angle from the top side  180  and the bottom side  190 . 
     In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be in thermal communication with the top side  180  and the bottom side  190  of the fan blade  110 . In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be made of a heat sink material. In various embodiments, the heat sink material may be made of an aluminum alloy. In various embodiments, the heat sink material may be made of copper. In various embodiments, the heat sink material may be made of a copper-tungsten pseudo-alloy. In various embodiments, the heat sink material may be made of AlSiC (silicon carbide in aluminum matrix). In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may not be in thermal communication with the top side  180  and the bottom side  190  of the fan blade  110 . It is contemplated that the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be made from any material capable of forming a barrier between two spaces. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , a top view of a fan blade  110 , in accordance with various example embodiments, is depicted having an attachment mechanism  130 , a leading edge  160 , a trailing edge  170 , and a plurality of passageways  120  that narrow at a point  310  between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . The plurality of passageways  120  are formed with walls  410 . The walls  410  forming the plurality of passageways  120  are configured to narrow the passageways  120  at a point  310  between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . 
     In various embodiments, the walls  410  may start at a point near the leading edge  160  and taper away from one another toward the trailing edge  170 . In various embodiments, the walls  410  may start at a point near the leading edge  160  and form a straight line away from one another toward the trailing edge  170 . It is conceived that the walls  410  could form any shape desired so long as there is a narrowing point  310  between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may immediately expand after the narrowing point  310 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may remain narrow after the narrowing point  310 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may be configured to maximize the amount of time the air stays compressed within the passageways  120 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may remain narrow for a distance after the narrowing point  310  before expanding. In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may remain narrow for a fraction of the distance between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may remain narrow for 6/8 of the distance between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may remain narrow for ⅝ of the distance between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may remain narrow for ½ of the distance between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may remain narrow for ⅜ of the distance between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . In various embodiments, the passageways  120  may remain narrow for ¼ of the distance between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170 . 
     In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be airfoils. In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be symmetrical airfoils. In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be semi-symmetrical airfoils. In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be flat bottom airfoils. In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be airfoils in the shape of a wing. In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be airfoils in the shape of a blade. For example, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be in the shape of a propeller blade, a rotor blade, or a turbine blade. In various embodiments, the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be airfoils in the shape of a sail. In an example embodiment, a first airfoil  330  is next to a second airfoil  331 . In between the two is the passageway  120  which narrows between the leading edge  160  and the trailing edge  170  due to the shape of the passageway  120  created when the first airfoil  330  is placed next to the second airfoil  331 . It is contemplated that the walls  410  forming the passageways  120  may be in any shape that creates a constriction in a passageway when the walls  410  are placed near one another. 
     In various embodiments, the walls  410  may further comprise notch points  320 . In various embodiments, the notch points  320  may be located at any point along the walls  410  forming the passageways  120 . In various embodiments, the notch points  320  may serve to reduce the weight of the fan blade  110 . 
       FIG. 4  depicts a side view of a fan blade  110 , in accordance with various example embodiments. The fan blade  110  has a top side  180  and a bottom side  190  and a plurality of passageways  120  formed by walls  410 . The walls  410  extend from the top side  180  to the bottom side  190 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts a back view of a fan blade  110 , in accordance with various example embodiments. The fan blade  110  has a top side  180 , a bottom side  190 , a leading edge  160 , a trailing edge  170 , and an attachment mechanism  130 . In various embodiments, the fan blade  110  may further comprise an angled portion  510  extending from the top side  180  configured to push the air leaving the trailing edge  170  downward toward the bottom side  190 . In various embodiments, the angled portion  510  may be triangular in shape. In various embodiments, the angled portion  510  may be rectangular in shape. It should be appreciated that the angled portion  510  may be in any shape desired. In various embodiments, the angled portion  510  may be straight. In various embodiments, the angled portion  510  may be curvilinear. For example, in one example embodiment, the angled portion may comprise a scoop shape of any suitable radius of curvature. It should be appreciated that the angled portion  510  may be in any shape or configuration and slope at any angle that allows air pushing through the pass-through fan blade  110  to be directed downward toward the bottom side  190 . 
       FIG. 6  depicts a thermal representation of an example cooling effect of the fan blade. In the representation, the number  1  (blue color) represents the coldest temperature followed by  2  (light blue), and then  3  (green). The numbers  4  (yellow) and  5  (red) depict the warmest areas in the air. In various embodiments, the temperature of air at the leading edge  160  is warmer (greater) than the temperature of air at the trailing edge  170  near the outlets of the passageways  120 . In various embodiments, the temperature of air at the leading edge  160  is between 1 degree Fahrenheit and 20 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air at the trailing edge  170  near the outlets of the passageways  120 . In various embodiments, the temperature of air at the leading edge  160  is between 1 degree Fahrenheit and 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air at the trailing edge  170  near the outlets of the passageways  120 . In various embodiments, the temperature of air at the leading edge  160  is between 1 degree Fahrenheit and 7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air at the trailing edge  170  near the outlets of the passageways  120 . In various embodiments, the temperature of air at the leading edge  160  is between 2 degrees Fahrenheit and 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air at the trailing edge  170  near the outlets of the passageways  120 . Thus, the red/yellow air depicted at the leading edge  160  and the blue air trailing from the trailing edge  170  illustrate that the fan moving through the air and the air compressing in the fan blade cools the air exiting the passageways. 
     A fan blade  110  may be utilized for cooling enclosed spaces. Use of pass-through fan blade  110  reduces the temperature of the space in which it is used. As air travels through the pass-through fan blade  110 , it is compressed by the narrowing passageways  120 . After it exists the passageway at the trailing edge  170 , the air is able to expand again. Furthermore, when the walls forming the passageways  120  are made of certain types of materials, for example heat sink materials, the air passing through the passageways  120  may cool the materials, which in turn will cool the next volume of air to move through the cooled passageways (or cool other portions of the fan blade including the top and/or bottom of the fan blade), adding to the cooling effect of the pass-through fan blade  110 . This leads to decreased use of air conditioners, and overall energy savings for a household. 
     While the steps outlined herein represent embodiments of principles of the present disclosure, practitioners will appreciate that there are a variety of physical structures and interrelated components that may be applied to create similar results. The steps are presented for the sake of explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all of the claims. 
     Exemplary systems and methods are disclosed. In the detailed description herein, references to “various embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement principles of the disclosure in alternative embodiments. 
     It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, indicating embodiments, are given for purposes of illustration only and not as limitations. Many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and principles of the present disclosure include all such modifications. Corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all elements are intended to include any structure, material, or acts for performing the functions in combination with other elements. Reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” Moreover, when a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” or “at least one of A, B, and C” is used in the claims or the specification, the phrase is intended to mean any of the following: (1) at least one of A; (2) at least one of B; (3) at least one of C; (4) at least one of A and at least one of B; (5) at least one of B and at least one of C; (6) at least one of A and at least one of C; or (7) at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.