Abstract:
Devices, apparatus, mechanisms, systems and methods for flush mounted fans such as hugger fans for easy mounting by pre-attaching a bracket on a motor to a ceiling mounted plate by a hook, the plate having noise isolation pads. Raised alignment tabs and female receptacles on the ceiling plate and motor bracket for easily aligning the bracket to the ceiling plate, along with captive fasteners to attach the motor bracket to the ceiling plate. The alignment tabs allow the installer to position the bracket to the plate by sliding the bracket against the plate so that captive fasteners on the bracket adjacent to the alignment tabs are aligned with fastener holes on the plate. Finally, the installer can easily screw the captive fasteners into the holes for an easy to install, secure and wobble free installation between the motor bracket and the ceiling plate.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation of PCT Application PCT/US2015/032211 filed May 22, 2015, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/002,320 filed May 23, 2014. The entire disclosure of each of the applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to ceiling fans, and in particular to devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods for mounting flush mount fans to ceilings using captive fasteners, alignment tabs and rubber isolation pads to reduce noise. 
       BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    Ceiling fan installations is often difficult since installers will need to have their hands raised above their head while supporting heavy components such as the ceiling fan blades, motor, motor housing, and the like. Installations often will take place with the installer being perched on a ladder which also adds to the requirement of the installer having to maintain their balance while doing the installation. 
         [0004]    For flush mounted fans, such as hugger fans, the housings covering the ceiling fan motor must be fastened often by fasteners, such as but not limited screws, and the like, into a ceiling mounted plate. The combination of having to hold a screw driver over one&#39;s head with loose screw fasteners while supporting a motor housing with or without a heavy motor is tedious and time consuming. Furthermore, it is potentially dangerous if the housing with or without the motor happens to fall. 
         [0005]    Furthermore, the screw type fasteners will tend to fall out during installation which causes the installer to have to repeat the attempts to mount the fan. Falling screws will often become lost so that additional screw type fasteners must be used, which adds additional time and material expense to the installation of the fan. 
         [0006]    Additionally, the current screw type fasteners being used between the motor bracket and ceiling plate are often not secure connections which can loosen and result in a fan that can wobble during operation. 
         [0007]    Still furthermore, the traditional practice of directly attaching metal plates with metal screw type fasteners, can create undesirable noise effects, when the ceiling fan is running in both forward and rearward directions. 
         [0008]    Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A primary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods for mounting flush mount fans to ceilings using captive fasteners, alignment tabs and rubber isolation pads to reduce noise. 
         [0010]    A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods of mounting a ceiling fan motor housing to a ceiling attached plate that eliminates using loose fasteners such as screws, and the like. 
         [0011]    A third objective of the present invention is to provide devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods of mounting a ceiling fan motor housing to a ceiling attached plate that substantially reduces the installation time of mounting a ceiling fan motor. 
         [0012]    A fourth objective of the present invention is to devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods of mounting a ceiling fan motor housing to a ceiling attached plate that is easier, quicker and more safe to install than traditional methods of using fasteners to mount a ceiling fan motor. 
         [0013]    A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods of mounting a ceiling fan motor housing to a ceiling attached plate by easily aligning ceiling fan motor mount plate onto the ceiling attached plate and screwing the captive fasteners in place. 
         [0014]    A seventh objective of the present invention is to provide devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods of mounting a ceiling fan motor housing to a ceiling attached plate that allows for an easier and more secure installation. 
         [0015]    An eighth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods of mounting a ceiling fan motor housing to a ceiling attached plate having alignment tabs that align with the motor bracket to create a secure, wobble free connection. 
         [0016]    A ninth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, mechanisms, apparatus, systems, and methods of mounting a ceiling fan motor housing to a ceiling attached plate having pre-installed captive fasteners, such as screws in the motor bracket for easier installation. 
         [0017]    An embodiment system for flush mounting a ceiling fan motor to a ceiling plate, can include a plate mounted to a ceiling having a plurality of fastener holes, and a bracket attached to a ceiling fan motor, the bracket having a plurality of captive fasteners, wherein aligning the captive fasteners with the fastener holes, allows for attaching the bracket to the plate by rotating the captive fasteners into the fastener holes. 
         [0018]    The plate can include the plurality of the fastener holes adjacent to a perimeter edge of the plate, and the plurality of captive fasteners is adjacent to a perimeter of the bracket. 
         [0019]    The system can include alignment tabs and receptacles for aligning the bracket with the plate so that the captive fasteners are aligned with the fastener holes. 
         [0020]    The alignment tabs can include raised portions adjacent to the captive fasteners on an upper surface of the bracket, which are mateable with indentation portions underneath the plate. 
         [0021]    The alignment tabs can be underneath the plate, which are mateable with the female receptacles are on the upper surface of the bracket, 
         [0022]    The system can include a hook on the plate and a hanging slot on the bracket for allowing the bracket to hang from the ceiling mounted plate. 
         [0023]    The system can include a hook on the bracket and a hanging slot on the plate for allowing the bracket to hang from the ceiling mounted plate. 
         [0024]    The captive fasteners can include screws. The captive fasteners can be bolts. 
         [0025]    The system can include an isolation pad on the ceiling mounted plate for providing noise isolation between the plate and a ceiling attachment point for decreasing noise when operating the ceiling fan. 
         [0026]    The plate can include keyhole slots for mounting the plate to the ceiling attachment point, with the isolation pad about the keyhole slots. 
         [0027]    A method of flush mounting a ceiling fan motor to a ceiling mounted plate, can include the steps of providing a plate mounted to a ceiling having a plurality of fastener holes, providing a motor bracket with a plurality of captive fasteners, aligning the motor bracket to the plate so that the captive fasteners are aligned to the fastener holes, and attaching the motor bracket to the ceiling mounted plate by rotating the captive fasteners into the fastener holes. 
         [0028]    The method can include the step of hooking the motor bracket to the ceiling mounted plate with a hook and a slot. 
         [0029]    The step of providing the motor bracket with the plurality of captive fasteners, can include the step of providing screws as the captive fasteners. 
         [0030]    The step of providing the motor bracket with the plurality of captive fasteners, can include the step of providing bolts as the captive fasteners. 
         [0031]    The aligning step can include the steps of providing alignment tabs an upper surface of the motor bracket, and providing mateable alignment receptacles underneath the ceiling mounted plate; and aligning the tabs into respective receptacles. 
         [0032]    The aligning step can include the step of sliding the bracket against the plate to align the bracket captive fasteners with the fastener holes. 
         [0033]    The aligning step can include the steps of providing alignment tabs on a lower surface of the ceiling plate, and providing mateable alignment receptacles on the bracket. 
         [0034]    The aligning step can include the step of sliding the bracket against the plate to align the bracket captive fasteners with the fastener holes. 
         [0035]    The method can include the steps of providing keyhole slots in the ceiling plate and providing an isolation pads about the keyhole slots to decrease nose when the ceiling mounted plate is attached to a ceiling attachment fastener. 
         [0036]    Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0037]      FIG. 1A  is a bottom view of a novel ceiling mount plate. 
           [0038]      FIG. 1B  is a top view of the ceiling mount plate of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0039]      FIG. 2A  is an upper perspective view of a novel bracket with motor mounted thereon. 
           [0040]      FIG. 2B  is a top view of the motor mount bracket of  FIG. 2A . 
           [0041]      FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the ceiling mount plate of  FIGS. 1A-1B , attached to a ceiling by fasteners extending below a junction box. 
           [0042]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the motor bracket of  FIGS. 2A-2B  hooked to the ceiling plate of  FIG. 3  to start the attachment process. 
           [0043]      FIG. 5A  is an upper perspective view of the ceiling mount plate of the preceding figures with motor bracket attached underneath. 
           [0044]      FIG. 5B  is a bottom perspective view of the ceiling mount plate with attached motor bracket of  FIG. 5A . 
           [0045]      FIG. 5C  is another bottom perspective view of the ceiling mount plate with attached motor bracket of  FIG. 5B . 
           [0046]      FIG. 5D  is an enlarged view of a captive fastener in the motor bracket attached to the ceiling mount plate of  FIG. 5D . 
           [0047]      FIG. 6A  is a bottom view of the ceiling mount plate with attached motor bracket of  FIGS. 5A-5C . 
           [0048]      FIG. 6B  is a side view of the ceiling mount plate with attached motor bracket of  FIG. 6A . 
           [0049]      FIG. 6C  is an enlarged view of a captive fastener in the motor bracket about to be attached to the ceiling mount plate of  FIG. 6A . 
           [0050]      FIG. 7  is another side view of the ceiling mount plate with attached motor bracket of  FIG. 6B  with a motor attached to the mount bracket. 
           [0051]      FIG. 8  is a side cross-sectional view of the ceiling mount plate with attached motor bracket and motor of  FIG. 7  with a canopy motor housing thereon. 
           [0052]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of another motor bracket flush mounted to a ceiling plate. 
           [0053]      FIG. 10  is a side cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 9  showing the motor bracket mounted to the ceiling plate. 
           [0054]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of a captive fastener in the motor bracket about to be attached to the ceiling mount plate of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0055]    Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
         [0056]    In the Summary above and in the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification does not include all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. 
         [0057]    In this section, some embodiments of the invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments. 
         [0058]    A list of the components will now be described.
     2  ceiling     5  downwardly protruding fasteners from ceiling junction box     10  ceiling mount plate     12  alignment receptacles(indentations) for raised tabs     13  through-hole(s) for captive fastener(s)     14  downwardly protruding rim edge     15  hook     16  keyhole slot(s) to attach to heads of fasteners in a ceiling mount     17  noise isolation pads     18  central opening for power lines(electrical conductors)     20  motor bracket     21  horizontal rim     22  raised alignment tabs to fit into receptacles(indentions)     23  captive fastener(s)(such as pre-installed screws, bolts, and the like)     25 . slot for hanging hook     30  remote receiver control in motor bracket     40  motor extending below motor bracket     50  motor housing   
 
         [0077]      FIG. 1A  is a bottom view of a novel ceiling mount plate  10 .  FIG. 1B  is a top view of the ceiling mount plate  10  of  FIG. 1A . 
         [0078]      FIG. 2A  is an upper perspective view of a novel bracket  20  with remote control receiver  30  and a motor  40  mounted thereon.  FIG. 2B  is a top view of the motor mount bracket  20  inside remote control receiver of  FIG. 2A . 
         [0079]      FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the ceiling mount plate  10  of  FIGS. 1A-1B , attached to a ceiling  2  by fasteners  5  extending below a conventional junction box in the ceiling. 
         [0080]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the motor bracket  20  of  FIGS. 2A-2B  hooked to the ceiling plate  10  of  FIG. 3  to start the attachment process. 
         [0081]      FIG. 5A  is an upper perspective view of the ceiling mount plate  10  of the preceding figures with motor bracket  20  attached underneath.  FIG. 5B  is a bottom perspective view of the ceiling mount plate  10  with attached motor bracket  20  of  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5C  is another bottom perspective view of the ceiling mount plate  10  with attached motor bracket  20  of  FIG. 5B .  FIG. 5D  is an enlarged view of a captive fastener  23  in the motor bracket  20  attached to the ceiling mount plate  10  of  FIG. 5D . 
         [0082]      FIG. 6A  is a bottom view of the ceiling mount plate  10  with attached motor bracket  20  of  FIGS. 5A-5C .  FIG. 6B  is a side view of the ceiling mount plate  10  with attached motor bracket  20  of  FIG. 6A .  FIG. 6C  is an enlarged view of a captive fastener  23  in the motor bracket  20  about to be attached to the ceiling mount plate  10  of  FIG. 6A . 
         [0083]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A-6C , the invention can include a ceiling mount plate  10 , and a motor bracket  20  for flush mounting a ceiling fan, such as a hugger fan to a ceiling. 
         [0084]    The ceiling mount plate  10  can be generally rectangular with curved outer edges with downwardly extending rim edges  14 , or disc shape with a raised mid-portion having noise isolation pads  17  on top of and/or below the mid-portion of the plate  10 . Noise isolation pads  17  can be attached to keyhole slots  16 . 
         [0085]    Along an outer perimeter of the plate  10  can be a plurality of through-holes  13  within alignment receptacles  12  for use with the captive fasteners  23  which will be discussed in more detail later. About each of the fastener through-holes  13  can be indentations  12  underneath the plate  10  which can form female tab receptacles  12  for the raised tabs  22  on the motor bracket  20 . Underneath the plate  10  can be a single downwardly protruding hook  15 . 
         [0086]    Noise isolation pads  17 , such as but not limited to rubber isolation pads, can be mounted to by sliding about keyhole slots  16  in the ceiling plate  10 . 
         [0087]    The motor bracket  20  can have an upper ring portion forming a horizontal rim  21  with a plurality of captive fasteners  23  supported within upwardly raised alignment type alignment tabs  22 , which can have raised dimple and/or washer shapes. The captive fasteners  23  can include but are not limited to screws and bolts, having threaded ends with the screw heads exposed underneath the rim  21  of the bracket  20 . The motor bracket  20  can be attached to a motor  40  on a flush mountable ceiling fan. 
         [0088]    For installation, the ceiling plate  10  can be pre-mounted to a ceiling  2  by sliding and locking the keyhole slots  16  to downwardly extending enlarged headed fasteners extending below an electrical junction type box. Central opening  18  can have wires that can protrude through the ceiling plate  10 . The noise isolation pads  17  can decrease any noise effects when the ceiling plate  10  is directly attached to metal such as screw or bolt heads  5  extending below the junction box. 
         [0089]    The installer can initially hang the motor bracket  20  by positioning a through-hole (slot)  25  on an edge of the bracket  20  to the end of a downwardly extending hook  15  which is attached to the ceiling plate  10 . The installer can then make the electrical connections between the hanging motor bracket  20  and junction box wires passing through the opening  18  in the ceiling plate  10 . 
         [0090]    Next, the installer can raise up the free end hanging portion of the motor bracket  20 , and slide the upper surface of the raised alignment tabs  22  of the bracket  20  over the bottom surface of the ceiling plate  10  until each of the alignment tabs  22  move into each of the female alignment receptacles  12  underneath the ceiling plate  10 . The alignment tabs  22  align the motor bracket  20  with the ceiling plate  10  to create a secure, wobble free connection. 
         [0091]    Next, the installer can easily use a manual or power screwdriver or other tool to drive the captive fasteners(screws or bolts) into the through-holes  13  from the motor bracket  20  into the ceiling plate  10  so that the bracket  20  is securely attached to the ceiling plate  10 . The noise isolation pads  17  on the ceiling plate  10  can also be used between the ceiling plate  10  and portions of the bracket  20  wherein these parts abut each other to further decrease undesirable noise effects when running the ceiling fan. 
         [0092]      FIG. 7  is another side view of the ceiling mount plate  10  with attached motor bracket  20  of  FIG. 6B  with a motor  40  attached to the mount bracket  20 . 
         [0093]      FIG. 8  is a side cross-sectional view of the ceiling mount plate  10  with attached motor bracket  20  and motor  40  of  FIG. 7  with a canopy motor housing  50  attached thereon. 
         [0094]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of another motor bracket  20 B flush mounted to a ceiling plate  10 .  FIG. 10  is a side cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 9  showing the motor bracket  20 B mounted to the ceiling plate  10 .  FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of a captive fastener  23  in the motor bracket  20  about to be attached to the ceiling mount plate  10  of  FIG. 9 . This embodiment can function and operate similar to the previously described ceiling plate  10  and motor mount bracket  20 . 
         [0095]    While the invention is shown with the female tab receptacles in the ceiling plate, and the raised alignment tabs on the motor bracket, the invention can be used with the female tab receptacles on the rim of the motor mount bracket and the raised alignment tabs extending below the ceiling mount plate. 
         [0096]    While the hook is shown on the ceiling plate, and hanging slot on the motor bracket, the hook can be on the motor bracket and the hanging slot on the ceiling plate. 
         [0097]    Although the preferred embodiments show captive fasteners and alignment tabs and receptacles used with a ceiling fan motor bracket and ceiling plate, the invention can be used with other applications. For example, other components, such as but not limited to ceiling fan motor housings and/or shades and/or other components can also be fastened to ceiling plates and/or ceiling brackets, and the like with the novel invention features. 
         [0098]    While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.