Quick connect mounting system for a ceiling fan

• US 20050077446A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
• Inventors: Pearce, Richard A., Bacon, Ted
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/343
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/088 Ceiling fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/601 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Abstract

A mounting system (10) for supporting a ceiling fan assembly (11) of the type having a motor, motor housing (46), a plurality of blades (47) and a downrod (29) to a ceiling C. The mounting system includes a mounting plate (14) having a plurality of tab locks (21), a mounting bracket having a plurality of locking tabs (37) configured to mate with the tab locks (21). The mounting bracket also has an opening (40) therein configured to receive a ball joint (31) of the downrod (29).

Claims

1. A mounting system for supporting a ceiling fan assembly of the type having a motor, motor housing, a plurality of blades and a downrod to a support surface, the mounting system comprising;

(a) a mounting plate adapted to be coupled to a supporting surface, said mounting plate having at least one tab lock;

(b) a mounting bracket having one end with at least one locking tab configured to mate with said tab lock and an opposite end adapted to be coupled to the downrod; and

(c) a canopy coupled to the downrod of the ceiling fan assembly and adapted to be coupled to said mounting plate or said mounting bracket,

whereby an operator may couple the ceiling fan assembly to the support surface by mounting the mounting plate to the support surface and then simply coupling the mounting bracket to the mounting plate.

2. The mounting system of claim 1 wherein said mounting bracket opposite end has a beveled opening therein and said downrod has a ball joint configured to reside within said beveled opening.

3. The mounting system of claim 2 wherein said beveled opening is a trilobular opening and wherein said ball joint is trilobular.

4. The mounting system of claim 3 wherein said mounting bracket has three locking tabs and wherein each locking tab is radially aligned with one lobe of said trilobular ball joint.

5. A mounting system for supporting a ceiling fan assembly of the type having a motor, motor housing, a plurality of blades and a downrod to a support surface, comprising:

(a) a mounting plate coupled to the support surface;

(b) a mounting bracket having rotatable locking means for rotatably locking said mounting bracket to said mounting plate, said mounting bracket being coupled to the downrod; and

(c) a canopy overlaying said mounting bracket,

whereby an operator may connect the ceiling fan assembly to the ceiling through the rotatable locking of the mounting bracket to the mounting plate.

6. The mounting system of claim 5 wherein said mounting bracket has an end with a beveled opening therein and said downrod has a ball joint configured to reside within said beveled opening.

7. The mounting system of claim 6 wherein said beveled opening is a trilobular opening and wherein said ball joint is trilobular.

8. The mounting system of claim 5 wherein said rotatably locking means comprises at least one tab lock and at least one locking tab.

9. The mounting system of claim 8 wherein said tab lock extends from said mounting plate and wherein said locking tab extends from said mounting bracket.

10. The mounting system of claim 7 wherein said rotatably locking means comprises three tab locks and three locking tabs, and wherein each locking tab is radially aligned with one lobe of said trilobular ball joint.

11. The mounting system of claim 10 wherein said tab locks extend from said mounting plate and wherein said locking tabs extends from said mounting bracket.