Patent Publication Number: US-2016231017-A1

Title: Air circulation unit

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to an air circulation unit that provides an alternative to a traditional ceiling fan. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Many individuals use ceiling fans in their homes and businesses to circulate air within a room. The traditional ceiling fan includes a fan that is mounted on the ceiling that hangs from the ceiling and consequently circulates at various speeds. A ceiling fan typically includes long multiple blades that force the circulation of the air as the fan propels. A ceiling fan can be a good for increasing circulation in an enclosed room. Further ceiling fans are effective in cooling a room due to the movement of air as a result of use of the ceiling fan. However a drawback to the use of ceiling fans includes the significant amount of dust that usually accumulates on the blades of the fan. Further one must have adequate space to install the ceiling fan. Further ceiling fans consume energy for operation and thus may increase cooling costs. In certain instances the ceiling fan may not be aesthetically appealing based upon the particular user&#39;s needs. As a consequence, it would be advantageous to have an air circulation system that&#39;s installable onto the ceiling of a room as a substitute for a ceiling fan. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an air circulation unit for ceiling placement that includes: a duct system; a plurality of vents positioned along the duct system; a plurality of lights along the duct system; a supply vent into the duct system; a variable volume air box, where the variable volume air box supplies air to the supply vent; and a return vent, where the return vent removes air from a room that includes the duct system. Preferably, plurality of lights may include LED lights. In alternative embodiments, the duct system is formed in either a circular or rectangular dimension. Preferably, the plurality of vents are evenly spaced over the circumference of the duct system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts an air circulation unit in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a topside view of the air circulation unit according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  depicts an alternative embodiment of the air circulation unit in accordance to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a top view of the alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  depicts covers used in conjunction with the air circulation unit in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to an air circulation unit that is installed and mounted on a ceiling of a room. The air circulation unit according to the present invention includes a duct system that has multiple vents provided along the circumference of the duct system. These vents supply air that is retrieved through a supply vent within the duct system. The duct system is ceiling mounted and may include a cover to cover the circulation unit when in operation. The system provides a ready supply of air circulation that is aesthetically mounted onto the ceiling of a room. 
     In reference to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of an air circulation unit  100  is depicted. The air circulation unit  100  includes a circular duct system  40 . This duct system  40  includes a plurality of vents  42  that are arranged around the circumference of the duct system  40 . Further the duct system  40  includes a series of LED lights  50  that are arranged between the vents  42 . Ceiling mounts  34 ( a ),  34 ( b ) are provided to mount the duct system  40  onto a ceiling  35  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Additional ceiling mounts  30 ,  32  are provided at a supply vent  20  and a return vent  22  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The air circulation unit  100  circulates air through the supply vent  20  and distributes the air through the duct system  40 . This air is released through vents  42  that are spaced over the circumference of the duct system  40 . The air is returned through the return vent  22  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2  depicts a top view of the duct system  40  in accordance with the present invention. This top view shows additional LED lights  50  along the top of the duct system  40 .  FIG. 3  depicts a second embodiment of the air circulation unit in accordance with the present invention. The air circulation unit  200  shown in  FIG. 3  is a rectangular-shaped system. This rectangular-shaped system includes a duct system  62  that has vents  60  on each side of the duct system  62 . Further along each side of the duct system are LED lights  55 . A supply vent  70  is depicted that receives air from a variable air volume box  72 . This variable air volume box  72  pushes air through the supply vent  70  that is released through the duct system  62 . A return vent  80  pulls air out of the room to complete the circulation process. The variable air volume box  72  may also include a controller  74  that helps to control the volume of air that is supplied through the air circulation unit  200 . A similar variable air volume box may be provided for the air circulation unit  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  depicts a top view of the duct  62  and air circulation unit  200 . As shown as  FIG. 4  additional filling mount  65  are placed on each side of the duct system  62  along with ceiling mounts  73 ,  77  shown on the inner portion of the duct system. Advantageously covers may be provided for either embodiment of the present invention as depicted in  FIG. 5 . A circular covered  90  may be used to help conceal the air circulation unit  100  from view. A further feature of the cover  90  is a digital readout  94  that is along the outer perimeter  91  of the cover  90 . This digital readout may be used simply for advertising purposes. A second cover  92  is shown that includes a rectangular shape for use with the air circulation unit  200  show in  FIG. 3 . This rectangular cover  92  also may include a digital readout  94  along an outer perimeter  93  of the cover  92 . The air circulation unit according to present invention provides a convenient and effective means to replace ceiling fans on a ceiling of a room. The instant invention has been shown and described in what it considers to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made there from within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.