Fan blade assembly for use with a ceiling fan drive unit

A fan blade assembly for a ceiling fan, said fan blade assembly comprising:

• (1) a blade hub assembly having a central hub and a plurality of blade stems extending radially from said central hub;
• (2) a plurality of fan blades, each blade attached to a respective one of said blade stems;
• and
• (3) a lighting assembly for illuminating the fan blades;
• each of said fan blades further comprising a support frame and a blade covering material, wherein said support frame includes:
• (a) a plurality of spars including at least one center radial spar and a plurality of radial edge spars, (b) a plurality of ribs, and (c) a pair of end pieces including a proximal end piece and a distal end piece;
• wherein said blade covering material covers at least a portion of the support frame;
• wherein each said fan blade has a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of spars extend along the longitudinal axis of the fan blade from the distal end piece to the proximal end piece, the radial edge spars are disposed on opposite sides of the at least one center radial spar and spaced apart therefrom, the plurality of ribs extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the respective fan blade at spaced distances therealong, the radial edge spars being attached to each of said ribs at an edge thereof;
• and
• wherein said lighting assembly further comprises:
• (a) at least one light fixture attached to the proximal end piece, (b) a pivotal electrical hookup for providing power to said at least one light fixture, said pivotal electrical hookup further comprising a contact ring, an insulating sleeve disposed adjacent the contact ring, and a plurality of connecting wires extending between the contact ring and the at least one light fixture, and (c) a brush and wire assembly for providing a positive electrical current to the contact ring, wherein said positive electrical current from the brush and wire assembly flows to the contact ring through the connecting wires to the at least one light fixture.

A ceiling fan comprising:

• (1) a fan blade assembly which includes a central hub, a plurality of blade stems extending radially from said central hub, and a plurality of fan blades wherein each fan blade is attached to a respective one of said blade stems;
• (2) a lighting assembly which includes a lighting fixture and a pivotal electrical hookup;
• and
• (3) a motorized drive unit which includes a fan motor, a drive shaft with a drive pulley and a belt extending between the fan motor and the drive pulley, wherein said central hub is attached to and rotating with said drive shaft;
• said fan blades further including a support frame and a blade covering material;
• wherein said support frame comprises a plurality of spars having a longitudinal axis, a plurality of ribs spaced along the spars and extending generally transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof, a proximal end piece attached to one end of the spars, and a distal end piece attached to another end of the spars, said blade covering material covering at least a portion of said support frame;
• wherein said at least one light fixture attached to the support frame of a respective one of said fan blades to rotate therewith.