Patent Publication Number: US-2005118022-A1

Title: Portable and movable fan device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a fan device, and more particularly to a portable and movable fan device having a stable support.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Various kinds of typical fan devices have been developed and comprise a fan housing stably or rotatably supported on a stationary base. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,597,871 to Reynders discloses one of the typical fan devices including a bolt to secure the fan housing to the stationary base. However, the motor is exposed and may have a good chance to be damaged by outer or other objects.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 2,652,974 to Fettel discloses another typical fan device including a clock spring to resiliently support or position the fan housing to the stationary base. However, the motor is also exposed and may have a good chance to be damaged by outer or other objects.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,539 to Shin-Chin discloses a further typical fan device including a tilt limiting or regulating clip to position the fan housing to the stationary base. However, the motor is also exposed and may have a good chance to be damaged by outer or other objects.  
      U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,551 to Coup et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,755 to Fu disclose two still further typical fan devices including a fan housing attached to or rotatably supported on a stationary base. However, the motor is also exposed and may have a good chance to be damaged by outer or other objects.  
      In addition, in the typical fan devices, the stationary base should include a heavy weight to stably support the fan devices in place when the fan devices are actuated or operated. However, the typical fan devices may not be easily moved or transported due to the heavy stationary bases.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,453 to Peng discloses a still further typical fan device including a base portion having four rollers attached to the bottom, for allowing the fan housing to be easily moved or transported by users. However, the base portion may be easily slip or moved everywhere by the rollers when the fan devices are actuated or operated.  
      The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional fan devices.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a portable and movable fan device including a stable support to allow the fan device to be stably positioned in place, and to be easily moved or transported to the other places or positions.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a fan device comprising a net housing including a front cover and a rear casing secured together, the casing including a concaved chamber formed therein, a motor received in the concaved chamber of the casing, and including a spindle extended into the net housing, and a fan member attached to the spindle, and to be driven by the motor. The motor is received within the concaved chamber of the casing of the housing, and protected by the casing of the housing, and may thus be prevented from being damaged by other or outer objects inadvertently.  
      The casing of the housing includes a hub provided therein, the motor includes at least one ear extended therefrom and secured to the hub of the housing. A switch device may further be provided and received in the concaved chamber of the casing, and secured to the casing.  
      The cover and the casing include inner peripheral portions contacted with each other, and the housing includes a peripheral frame engaged onto the inner peripheral portions of the cover and the casing, to secure the cover and the casing together.  
      The peripheral frame includes a peripheral recess formed therein and defined between two flaps, to receive and secure the inner peripheral portions of the cover and the casing together.  
      A carrier may further be provided to support the net housing. The carrier includes a front portion and a rear portion each having an arm extended therefrom, to secure the net housing between the arms of the carrier.  
      Each of the arms includes a pad attached thereto and engaged with the net housing, to protect the housing. Each of the arms includes a bar attached thereto to support the pad.  
      The carrier includes at least one wheel attached thereto to allow the carrier to be easily moved. The carrier includes at least one leveling screw attached thereto to level the carrier. The carrier includes a bracket attached thereto to support the leveling screw.  
      Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portable and movable fan device in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the portable and movable fan device;  
       FIG. 3  is a partial cross sectional view of the portable and movable fan device; and  
       FIGS. 4, 5  are enlarged partial cross sectional views of the portable and movable fan device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , a portable and movable fan device in accordance with the present invention comprises a carrier  10  including one or more wheels  11  attached to one side or rear portion  12  thereof, and one or more brackets  13  attached to the other side or front portion  14  thereof, and a leveling screw  15  attached to each of the brackets  13 , for leveling the carrier  10  relative to the supporting ground or surfaces.  
      The carrier  10  includes two arms  16  extended upwardly from the front and the rear portions  14 ,  12  thereof, and each having a bar  17  laterally extended therein. Each of the bars  17  includes a hole  18  formed therein for attaching or securing a resilient pad  19  thereto with such as fasteners  171 . It is preferable that the resilient pads  19  are directed or faced toward each other.  
      The fan device further includes a net housing  20  having a front cover  21  and a rear casing  22  to be secured together. For example, the cover  21  and the casing  22  include inner peripheral portions  23 ,  24  engaged or contacted with each other, and secured or coupled together with a ring-shaped or peripheral frame  25  which includes a peripheral recess  27  formed therein and defined between two flaps  26 , for receiving and securing the inner peripheral portions  23 ,  24  of the cover  21  and the casing  22  together, best shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 .  
      The net housing  20  is secured between the arms  16  of the carrier  10  with such as bolts or fasteners  171 , and engaged with the resilient pads  19  which may protect or cushion the net housing  20 , to resiliently support the net housing  20  in the carrier  10 . The net housing  20  includes a depression or a concaved chamber  28  formed in the rear portion of the casing  22 , for receiving a motor  30 . It is preferable that the depth of the concaved chamber  28  is about two thirds (⅔) of the depth of the casing  22 .  
      The motor  30  includes one or more ears  31  extended therefrom and secured to the hub  29  of the casing  22  of the housing  20 , with such as fasteners  32  ( FIGS. 1, 3 ,  5 ), and includes a spindle  33  extended into the housing  20  for attaching or securing a fan member  40  thereto, and for rotating or driving the fan member  40 . The motor  30  may thus be received within the concaved chamber  28  of the casing  22  of the housing  20 , and protected by the casing  22  and the housing  20 . The cover  21  and the casing  22  are arranged to suitably receive the fan member  40  therein, to protect the fan member  40 .  
      A control or switch device  50  may also be received and protected within the concaved chamber  28  of the casing  22  of the housing  20 , and secured to the casing  22  of the housing  20 , for operating or controlling the fan member  40 . The switch device  50  may be coupled to various electric power suppliers with cables  60  which may also be received and protected within the concaved chamber  28  of the casing  22  of the housing  20  ( FIGS. 1, 3 ).  
      The fan member  40  and the net housing  20  may be stably secured and retained between the arms  16  of the carrier  10 , and may be cushioned by or with the pads  19 , which may reduce the noises that may be generated by the typical fan devices. In addition, the motor  30  and/or the switch device  50  and/or the cables  60  may be received and protected within the concaved chamber  28  of the casing  22  of the housing  20  and may be prevented from being damaged by other or outer objects inadvertently.  
      In addition, when one of the arms  16  of the carrier  10  is lifted to space the brackets  13  or the leveling screws  15  from the supporting ground or surfaces, the fan device may be easily moved or transported to various positions with the wheels  11 . The fan device may also be stably supported on the supporting ground or surfaces when the leveling screws  15  are engaged with the supporting ground or surfaces.  
      Accordingly, the fan device includes a stable support to allow the fan device to be stably positioned in place, and to be easily moved or transported to the other places or positions.  
      Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.