Patent ID: 8142156

Claim:
An overhead fan system including an overhead fan, the overhead fan system comprising: a motor; and a plurality of fan blades extending radially outward from the motor and being rotatable thereby to define a fan blade outer diameter, a fan blade inner diameter, and a cumulative blade projection area, the plurality of fan blades rotatable about their longitudinal axes between an operational position and a non-use position, the longitudinal axes extending from proximal ends to distal ends of the fan blades, wherein the cumulative blade projection area is an area obstructed by the plurality of fan blades as viewed in a direction parallel to an axis about which the plurality of fan blades are rotated by the motor, the overhead fan has a fan solidity defined as a solidity ratio times a diameter adjustment factor, the solidity ratio is the cumulative blade projection area divided by a circular area defined by the fan blade outer diameter, the diameter adjustment factor is the fan blade outer diameter divided by the fan blade inner diameter, the fan solidity is a dimensionless value of less than 0.7.