| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090097975 | Ceiling Fan with Concentric Stationary Tube and Power-Down Features - A fan system comprises a hub, a plurality of fan blades, a drive system, and a stationary tube. The hub is configured to rotate. The fan blades are mounted to the hub. The drive system comprises a rotatable hollow output shaft. The hollow output shaft is in communication with the hub, such that the drive system is operable to rotate the hub via the hollow output shaft. The stationary tube is inserted through the hollow output shaft. The stationary tube is configured to remain stationary as the hollow output shaft rotates. Wires and the like may be passed through the stationary tube, to reach an accessory mounted at the bottom of the stationary tube. The fan system may also include a detector, such as a heat detector, a smoke detector, or an accelerometer. The detector may power down the fan system in response to detecting certain conditions. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090208333 | Ceiling Fan System with Brushless Motor - A fan system includes a motor, a rotatable hub, and a plurality of fan blades. The motor is coupled with the hub by a hollow drive shaft, such that the drive system of the fan system is gearless. The motor is controlled by a PFC-based control module, which is in communication with sensors that are configured to sense parameters associated with operation of the fan system. The control module is configured to react in certain ways to certain conditions detected by the sensors, such that the fan system uses feedback-based control algorithms. A remote control panel is in communication with the control module. The remote control panel is operable to display fault conditions detected by the sensors. Blade retainers prevent fan blades from falling when a fan blade breaks free from the hub. Pins prevent the hub from falling when the hub breaks free from the rotor. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20100104461 | Multi-Part Modular Airfoil Section and Method of Attachment Between Parts - A fan system includes a motor, a rotatable hub, and a plurality of fan blades. Each of the fan blades includes a substantially rigid spine member, a resilient leading edge member, and a resilient trailing edge member. The leading edge member and trailing edge members are removably coupled with the spine member, such that different leading edge members and different trailing edge members may be chosen to customize the leading and trailing edges of the fan blades. Each fan blade may have more than one type of leading edge member or more than one type of trailing edge member. The leading edge member and trailing edge member may each be coupled with the spine member by urging the leading edge member and trailing edge member in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined by the spine member. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100278637 | Ceiling Fan with Variable Blade Pitch and Variable Speed Control - A fan comprises a hub, fan blades, and inserts. The hub comprises outwardly extending mounting tabs that lie along a common horizontal plane. The fan blades are hollow, such that each mounting tab is inserted in the hollow interior of a corresponding fan blade. Each insert is positioned in the hollow interior of each fan blade, between each mounting tab of the hub and the interior surface of the corresponding fan blade. Each insert is configured to position and maintain the chord line of each corresponding fan blade at an oblique angle relative to the horizontal plane of the hub. A kit may include several insert sets to choose from to provide adjustable angle of attack. A fan control system includes a dimmer switch and a control module, which allows the dimmer switch to be used to infinitely adjust the speed of a fan motor within a range. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20110262278 | FAN BLADE RETENTION SYSTEM - A fan comprises a rotatable hub assembly having an inner anchor assembly, a plurality of fan blades, a motor assembly, and a plurality of cables. The outer ends of the cables are coupled to the outer ends of the fan blades, and the inner ends of the cables are coupled to the inner anchor assembly. The inner anchor assembly may further include a disc-shaped plate and a plurality of inner anchor members to which the cables may be coupled. The inner anchor members may include a rear anchor portion and fore anchor portion, and these anchor portions may be angularly offset. A plurality of winglets and/or outer anchor members may be coupled to the outer ends of the fan blades to which the outer ends of the cables may be coupled. The outer ends of the cables may further comprise swaged tips outboard of the winglets and/or outer anchor members. | 10-27-2011 |
