Safety guard and light fixture attachment for ceiling fans

• US 4,064,427 A
• Filed: 08/12/1975
• Issued: 12/20/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hansen Manufacturing Company of Florida Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hansen Manufacturing Company of Florida Incorporated
• Inventors: Pouchert, Walter P., Hansen, Ray W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hix, L. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan
• Application Number:
  US05/603,950
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 240/2 R, 240/2 V, 240/78 R, 240/78 F, 240/78 E, 415/121 G, 417/423, 417/424
• US Class Current: 362/96
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/065 multi-branched, e.g. a chandelier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0096 Fans, e.g. ceiling fans forced cooling of lighting devices characterised by the arrangement of fans F21V29/67
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 416/03 Sheet metal

Abstract

A safety guard and light fixture attachment for ceiling fans in the form of an annular ring encircling the ceiling fan in alignment with and guarding relation to the fan blade tips with the ring having a plurality of light fixtures mounted thereon in order to convert a ceiling fan to an attractive and unique light fixture and provide a safety guard for the fan blades. The ring is supported from an adapter oriented on top of the ceiling fan motor with a plurality of radial tubular supporting members interconnecting the adapter and ring with the tubular supporting members and the ring having passageways for electrical wiring. Downwardly diverging flexible supporting elements interconnect the ring and a supporting member at the ceiling to stabilize the ring and further add to the unique attractive appearance of the attachment.

Claims

1. A safety guard and light fixture attachment for ceiling fans comprising an annular ring adapted to concentrically encircle a ceiling fan to prevent accidental contact with the tips of the blades of the fan, means supporting said ring in concentric aligned relation with the tips of the blades of the ceiling fan, and light fixture means supported on said ring for illuminating an area peripherally of the fan, said annular ring having a vertical height slightly greater than the pitch of the fan blades at the tips thereof, said supporting means including a plurality of rigid members extending radially inwardly from said ring, and a central adapter connected with the said radial members, said adapter including means adapted for supporting engagement with a ceiling fan support, said radial members being tubular for receiving electric wires for supplying electrical energy to the light fixture means, said annular ring including an annular raceway on the inner surface thereof in communication with the radial support members for receiving electrical wiring, said light fixture means including a plurality of light fixtures secured to the annular ring and including a tubular support member receiving electrical wiring from the raceway.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means also includes a plurality of upwardly extending and inwardly converging flexible supporting chains having the upper ends thereof secured to a ceiling and the lower ends adjustably secured to the radial support members adjacent the annular ring to enable supporting stabilization of the annular ring from an overhead ceiling supporting structure.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said annular ring is provided with a dimmer switch mounted thereon for controlling electrical energy supplied to the light fixtures.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said annular ring is generally cylindrical in configuration and provided with an exterior decorative finish, said tubular radial members including upwardly offset inner end portions connected with the adapter for positioning the radial members above the fan blades to enable rotation thereof without interference.

5. In combination with a ceiling fan having a motor suspended in spaced relation below an overhead ceiling and a plurality of radial, axial flow fan blades driven thereby and terminating in unguarded tips, said blades extending radially from a central hub with each blade having a longitudinal dimension substantially greater than the transverse dimension, and annular generally cylindrical ring disposed in concentric, aligned relation to the blade tips, said ring having a vertical dimension approximately equal to the pitch of the blades to prevent movement of an object radially into engagement with the blade tips, light fixture means supported on said ring and means supporting said ring in close, concentric, outwardly spaced relation to the blade tips, said means supporting said ring including a plurality of radially disposed support members, each of said support members having the outer end thereof rigidly connected with the annular ring, an adapter rigidly interconnecting the inner ends of said radial support members, said adapter being supported above the suspended fan motor with the radial support members having a portion thereof inwardly of the outer ends upwardly offset to enable rotation of the fan blades without interference.

6. In combination with a ceiling fan having a motor suspended in spaced relation below an overhead ceiling and a plurality of radial, axial flow fan blades driven thereby and terminating in unguarded tips, said blades extending radially from a central hub with each blade having a longitudinal dimension substantially greater than the transverse dimension, an annular ring disposed in concentric, aligned relation to the blade tips to prevent movement of an object radially into engagement with the blade tips, and means supporting said ring in close, concentric, outwardly spaced relation to the blade tips, said means supporting said ring including a plurality of radially disposed support members, each of said support members having the outer end thereof rigidly connected with the annular ring, an adapter rigidly interconnecting the inner ends of said radial support members, said adapter being supported above the suspended fan motor with the radial support members having a portion thereof inwardly of the outer ends upwardly offset to enable rotation of the fan blades without interference, said support means also including a plurality of flexible tension members having the lower ends thereof adjustably secured to the radial support members adjacent the outer ends thereof, said flexible tension members converging upwardly and inwardly with the upper ends thereof being supported from an overhead ceiling for stabilizing and supporting the fan, fan motor and annular ring.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 together with at least one light fixture supported from said ring, said radial support members being tubular for receiving electrical wiring extending to said light fixture, said adapter being in the form of a tubular member providing a junction box for connecting the electrical wiring to the light fixture with the electrical wiring for the ceiling fan motor.

8. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein said annular ring is substantially cylindrical in configuration and having a vertical height slightly greater than the pitch of the blade tips, said light fixture including a tubular support arm projecting radially outwardly from the annular ring and rigidly secured thereto for receiving electrical wiring therethrough.

9. The structure as defined in claim 8 wherein said annular ring includes an inner raceway defining an interior passageway for electrical wiring, and a plurality of reinforcing brackets interconnecting the raceway and annular ring for rigidifying the raceway and annular ring with said brackets including apertures therethrough receiving electrical wiring.