Fan assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9797414-B2
Application number	US-201414324896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A fan assembly includes a base, a body including an air inlet, impeller and motor driving the impeller to draw an air flow through the air inlet, an air outlet and an interior passage conveying air to the air outlet and extending about an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by air emitted from the air outlet. A motorized oscillation mechanism housed within the base oscillates the body relative to the base about an axis and includes a second motor, a drive member driven by the second motor, and a driven member which is driven by the drive member to rotate relative to the base about the axis. The body is mounted on the driven member for rotation therewith. Interlocking members retain the body on the driven member and serve to guide tilting movement of the body relative to the base about a tilt axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fan assembly comprising:
a base;
a body comprising at least one air inlet, an impeller and a first motor for driving the impeller to draw an air flow through said at least one air inlet;
at least one air outlet;
an interior passage for conveying air to said at least one air outlet, the interior passage extending about a bore through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by air emitted from said at least one air outlet;
a motorized oscillation mechanism housed within the base for oscillating the body relative to the base about an oscillation axis, the oscillation mechanism comprising a second motor, a drive member driven by the second motor, and a driven member which is driven by the drive member to rotate relative to the base about the oscillation axis, wherein the body is mounted on the driven member for rotation therewith; and
interlocking members for retaining the body on the driven member, the interlocking members being arranged to guide tilting movement of the body relative to the base about a tilt axis, different from the oscillation axis, between a untilted position and a tilted position, wherein a tilting interface between the body and the base is the same as an oscillation interface between the body and the base.

2. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive member is arranged to engage a peripheral portion of the driven member.

3. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the drive member and the driven member is in the form of a gear.

4. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the drive member and the driven member is in the form of a spur gear.

5. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein each interlocking member comprises a curved flange.

6. The fan assembly of claim 1 , comprising a motorized drive mechanism for actuating movement of the body relative to the base about the tilt axis.

7. The fan assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a user interface for controlling operations of the fan assembly.

8. The fan assembly of claim 6 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a third motor, and a second drive member driven by the third motor, and wherein the second drive member engages the driven member.

9. The fan assembly of claim 8 , wherein the third motor is connected to the body.

10. The fan assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second drive member comprises a gear, and wherein the driven member comprises a set of teeth for engaging with teeth of the second drive member.

11. The fan assembly of claim 9 , wherein the body comprises a tilt plate to which the second interlocking member is connected, and wherein the third motor is mounted on the tilt plate.

12. The fan assembly of claim 10 , wherein the interlocking members comprise a first interlocking member located on the driven member and a second interlocking member located on the body and which is retained by the first interlocking member.

13. A stand for a fan assembly, the stand comprising:
a base;
a body comprising at least one air inlet, an impeller, a first motor for driving the impeller to draw an air flow through said at least one air inlet, and an air outlet;
a motorized oscillation mechanism housed within the base for oscillating the body relative to the base about an oscillation axis, the oscillation mechanism comprising a second motor, a drive member driven by the second motor, and a driven member which is driven by the drive member to rotate relative to the base about the oscillation axis, wherein the body is mounted on the driven member for rotation therewith; and
interlocking members for retaining the body on the driven member, the interlocking members being arranged to guide tilting movement of the body relative to the base about a tilt axis, different from the oscillation axis, between a untilted position and a tilted position, wherein a tilting interface between the body and the base is the same as an oscillation interface between the body and the base.

14. The stand of claim 13 , wherein the drive member is arranged to engage a peripheral portion of the driven member.

15. The stand of claim 13 , wherein each of the drive member and the driven member is in the form of a gear.

16. The stand of claim 13 , wherein each of the drive member and the driven member is in the form of a spur gear.

17. The stand of claim 13 , wherein each interlocking member comprises a curved flange.

18. The stand of claim 13 , comprising a motorized drive mechanism for actuating movement of the body relative to the base about the tilt axis.

19. The stand of claim 13 , wherein the interlocking members comprise a first interlocking member located on the driven member and a second interlocking member located on the body and which is retained by the first interlocking member.

20. The stand of claim 13 , wherein the base comprises a user interface for controlling operations of the fan assembly.

21. A fan assembly comprising the stand of claim 13 and a nozzle mounted on the stand, the nozzle comprising an interior passage for receiving an air flow from the air outlet of the body, and at least one air outlet, the interior passage extending about a bore through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by air emitted from said at least one air outlet of the nozzle.

22. The stand of claim 18 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a third motor, and a second drive member driven by the third motor, and wherein the second drive member engages the driven member.

23. The stand of claim 22 , wherein the third motor is connected to the body.

24. The stand of claim 22 , wherein the second drive member comprises a gear, and wherein the driven member comprises a set of teeth for engaging with teeth of the second drive member.

25. The stand of claim 23 , wherein the body comprises a tilt plate to which the second interlocking member is connected, and wherein the third motor is mounted on the tilt plate.

26. A stand for a fan assembly, the stand comprising:
a base comprising a user interface for controlling operations of the fan assembly;
a body mounted on the base, the body comprising at least one air inlet, an impeller, a motor for driving the impeller to draw an air flow through said at least one air inlet, and an air outlet;
a first motorized drive mechanism for oscillating the body relative to the base about a first axis; and
a second motorized drive mechanism for moving the body relative to the base about a second axis, different from the first axis, and between an untilted position and a tilted position, wherein a tilting interface between the body and the base is the same as an oscillation interface between the body and the base.

27. The stand of claim 26 , wherein the drive mechanisms comprise a common member for transmitting to the body a first torque which moves the body about the first axis, and a second torque which moves the body about the second axis.

28. The stand of claim 26 , wherein the first axis is substantially orthogonal to the second axis.

29. The stand of claim 27 , wherein the common member comprises a gear.

30. The stand of claim 27 , wherein the common member is a driven member of the first drive mechanism.

31. The stand of claim 27 , wherein the body is mounted on the common member.

32. The stand of claim 27 , wherein each of the drive mech

Assignees

• Dyson Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Hodgson Christopher Steven
• Lewis Darren Matthew
• Elsdon India Shaw

Classifications

• F04F5/48 Primary

  Control · CPC title

• F04D25/08

  the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation · CPC title

• F04D29/681 Primary

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F24F7/007

  with forced flow (using ducting systems F24F7/06) · CPC title

• F24F13/26

  Arrangements for air-circulation by means of induction, e.g. by fluid coupling or thermal effect · CPC title