Ceiling fan, blade, and blade connector
AssigneeHunter Fan Company
InventorsCharles William Botkin, Douglas Troy Mason, Bobby Neal Norwood, Matthew McPherson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. A connector can be used to connect the blade to a blade iron to mount the blade to the motor. The connector can include a set of receptacles configured to insert into openings on the blade, with the set of receptacles connected by a set of arms. A set of mount posts on the blade iron can seat within the receptacles to mount the blade to the blade iron.
Claims22
A ceiling fan comprising:
- a motor;
- a blade having an upper surface and an opposing lower surface, with a set of openings passing through at least one of the upper surface or lower surface, and the blade extending between a root and a tip;
- a blade iron including a set of mount posts arranged complementary to the set of openings and a first post from the set of mount posts terminates, within a corresponding opening, between the upper surface and lower surface;
- a connector comprising:
- a set of receptacles received within the set of openings, wherein a first receptacle in the set of receptacles has a seat, located between the upper surface and lower surface, and the first post is received within the seat,
- a frame connecting the set of receptacles, and
- a locking tab moveable between a locked position, where the locking tab blocks the removal of the first post from the seat, and an unlocked position, where the locking tab does not block the removal of the first post from the seat.
A connector assembly for connecting a ceiling fan blade to a set of mount posts, with the ceiling fan blade having a set of openings, the connector comprising:
- a set of receptacles connected by a frame having a set of arms extending between the receptacles and the set of receptacles received within the set of openings, wherein a first receptacle in the set of receptacles has a seat, located between the upper surface and lower surface, and a first post from the set of posts is received within the seat, and
- a locking tab moveable between a locked position, where the locking tab blocks the removal of the first post from the seat, and an unlocked position, where the locking tab does not block the removal of the first post from the seat.
A ceiling fan comprising:
- a motor;
- a blade having an upper surface and an opposing lower surface, with a set of openings passing through at least one of the upper surface or lower surface, and the blade extending between a root and a tip;
- a blade iron including a set of mount posts arranged complementary to the set of openings and a first post from the set of mount posts terminates, within a corresponding opening, between the upper surface and lower surface;
- a connector comprising:
- a set of receptacles received within the set of openings, wherein a first receptacle in the set of receptacles has a seat, located between the upper surface and lower surface, and the first post is received within the seat, and
- a locking tab moveable between a locked position, where the locking tab blocks the removal of the first post from the seat, and an unlocked position, where the locking tab does not block the removal of the first post from the seat, wherein the locking tab comprises a catch that is located between the first post and the receptacle in the locked position, and the catch comprises spaced walls defining a gap that receives the first post in the locked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.