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US 7,118,323 B2Granted
Vertical tower fan
AssigneeLasko Holdings, Inc.
InventorsVasanthi Iyer, Thomas J. Dooley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable, vertical tower fan capable of generating a vertically oriented exhaust air stream that conforms better to a user at an elevation above a support surface. The device includes an vertically elongated housing, an air blower assembly located within the elongated housing and a base provides a space saving design.
Claims66
A vertical tower fan that is portable and free standing on a support surface, said vertical tower fan comprising:
- an air blower assembly comprising;
- at least one motor;
- at least one air impeller rotated about an axis of rotation by said motor, said
- axis of rotation being oriented substantially vertically;
- an axial length of said air impeller, said axial length of said air impeller being greater than about 24 inches;
- a vertically oriented elongate housing having at least one sidewall having a longitudinal length extending substantially upward from said support surface;
- an interior space defined by said elongate housing, said air blower assembly being disposed within said interior space;
- at least one air inlet in said at least one sidewall allowing intake air to enter said interior space;
- an air guide disposed within said interior space;
- an exhaust air stream generated by said air blower assembly, wherein said exhaust air stream comprises a maximum velocity in the range of about 150 feet per minute to about 450 feet per minute at a distance of about 8 feet from the vertical tower fan, wherein said exhaust air stream also comprises a maximum exit elevation greater than about 36 inches, said maximum exit elevation defined by a distance from said support surface to a highest exit elevation of said exhaust air stream, and wherein the velocity of said exhaust air stream, the maximum exit elevation of said exhaust air stream, and the axial length of said air impeller enable said exhaust air stream to deliver a desired cooling effect at a predetermined distance from the vertical tower fan;
- an elongate air outlet located in said at least one sidewall allowing said exhaust air stream to exit said interior space above said support surface;
- an air cut-off disposed within said interior space;
- a base of said elongate housing for engaging said support surface;
- and
- an overall height of said device being defined as the distance from where said base engages said support surface to a maximum vertical extent of said device, wherein said overall height of said device is greater than about 44 inches.
12 more elements
A vertical tower fan that is portable and free standing on a support surface, said vertical tower fan comprising:
- a vertically oriented elongate housing having at least one sidewall having a longitudinal length extending substantially upward from a bottom to a top of said elongate housing;
- an interior space defined by said elongate housing;
- at least one air inlet in said at least one sidewall allowing intake air to enter said interior space;
- an elongate air outlet located in said at least one sidewall allowing an exhaust air stream to exit said interior space above said support surface, wherein said exhaust air stream comprises a maximum exit elevation greater than about 36 inches said maximum exit elevation defined by a distance from said support surface to a highest exit elevation of said exhaust air stream;
- an air blower assembly disposed within said interior space generating said exhaust air stream, said air blower assembly comprises;
- at least one air impeller, said air impeller being a transverse type air impeller;
- an axial length of said air impeller extending substantially upward, said length of said transverse air impeller being greater than about 24 inches;
- at least one motor for rotating said air impeller about a substantially vertical axis of rotation;
- an air guide disposed within said interior space and having a portion extending along said axial length of said air impeller;
- an air cut-off disposed within said interior space and having a portion extending along said axial length of said air impeller;
- a base coupled to said bottom of said elongate housing for maintaining said elongate housing in a vertical, upright position on said support;
- and
- a velocity to thrust ratio of about 800 to 1 or greater, wherein the velocity comprises a maximum measured velocity of said exhaust air stream in feet per minute at about 8 feet from the vertical tower fan and the thrust comprises a maximum measured thrust in pounds of force generated by said exhaust air stream in a direction substantially opposite to a direction of flow of said exhaust air stream, and wherein the velocity to thrust ratio optimizes the performance of the vertical tower fan by minimizing thrust and its destabilizing effect on the vertical tower fan while providing a desired cooling effect at a predetermined distance from the vertical tower fan.
10 more elements
A vertical tower fan that is portable and free standing on a support surface, said vertical tower fan comprising:
- an air blower assembly comprising;
- a motor having an output shaft;
- an air impeller having an axial length greater than about 24 inches, wherein said air impeller is coupled to said output shaft and located above said motor and rotated about an axis of rotation by said motor, said axis of rotation being oriented substantially vertically;
- an impeller shaft extending from an end of said air impeller opposite said motor;
- an upper impeller bearing assembly that supports said impeller shaft as said air impeller rotates about said axis of rotation;
- a vertically oriented elongate housing having at least one sidewall having a longitudinal length extending substantially upward from said support surface;
- an interior space defined by said elongate housing, said air blower assembly being disposed within said interior space;
- at least one air inlet in said at least one sidewall allowing intake air to enter said interior space;
- an exhaust air stream generated by said air blower assembly,
- a maximum exit elevation of said exhaust air stream being greater than about 36 inches, said maximum exit elevation defined by a distance from said support surface to a
- a maximum thrust of said exhaust air stream being about 0.5 pounds of force or less in a direction substantially opposite to a direction of flow of said exhaust air stream,
- wherein the maximum thrust minimizes destabilizing effects of said exhaust air stream on the vertical tower fan;
- an elongate air outlet located in said at least one sidewall allowing said exhaust air stream to exit said interior space above said support surface;
- and
- a base of said elongate housing for engaging said support surface.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.