Device for minimizing room temperature gradients

• US 5,078,574 A
• Filed: 11/19/1990
• Issued: 01/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George D. Olsen
• Original Assignee: George D. Olsen
• Inventors: Olsen, George D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KWON, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US07/615,338
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 415/182.1, 415/203, 415/206, 415/208.1, 415/211.2, 98/31.5, 98/40.2
• US Class Current: 415/182.1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/002 Axial flow fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/526 Details of the casing section radially opposing blade tips ducts F04D29/545
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/065 fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct

Abstract

Floor to ceiling room temperature gradients are minimized by a portable floor mounted upstanding tubular unit having air intake ports adjacent the bottom, an open top with air directing louvers, and an electric motor driven fan having blades spanning the interior of the tube above the ports and substantially below the open top. The unit can be positioned on the floor of a room in an out of the way location and will circulate air throughout the room without causing a draft to minimize temperature variations between the floor and the ceiling of the room. The unit receives air adjacent the floor and projects it in a substantially confined upstanding column to the ceiling where it is dissipated throughout the room area to flow back to the intake ports of the unit.

Claims

1. A device adapted for minimizing temperature gradients in rooms which comprises an upstanding open top tubular canister adapted to be mounted on the floor of a room, air inlet ports in the canister adjacent the bottom thereof, a lid on the top of the canister having spaced louvers spanning the canister with upstanding vertical openings therebetween, an electric motor driven fan assembly mounted in the canister above the inlet ports and substantially below the lid having fan blades spanning the interior of the canister receiving air from the air inlet ports, and said device adapted to receive air from the floor area of a room, propel the air upwardly in a confined vertical path in the canister to exit through the openings between the louvers as a vertical column of air rising to the ceiling area of the room to mix with warmer ceiling air and dissipate downwardly to the occupied area of the room and thence flow back to the inlet ports.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the ports are small holes in the periphery of the canister.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the spaced louvers are composed of crossed upstanding vertical ribs with open ended vertical passageways therebetween.

4. The device of claim 1, including a closed bottom cover on the canister.

5. The device of claim 1, including a strap spanning the interior of the casing mounting the motor of the fan assembly without blocking air flow between the air intake ports and the lid.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the casing is a cylindrical tube about 10-16 inches high and about 6-12 inches in diameter.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the fan assembly has 6-12 blades radiating from a central hub driven by the motor.

8. A portable lightweight air circulating device for minimizing temperature variants in a room which comprises an upstanding open top tubular casing adapted to rest on the floor of the room at a convenient location, said casing having peripheral inlet ports adjacent the bottom thereof, a removable louvered lid spanning the open top of the casing and having upstanding vertical openings between the louvers, an electric motor fan assembly having an upstanding motor mounted in the axial center of the interior of the casing and fan blades communicating with the inlet ports driven by the motor spanning said interior above the motor and substantially below the open top of the casing, and said motor fan assembly adapted to draw air through the ports, propel the air upwardly through the casing beneath the louvered lid and force the air through the openings between the louvers.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the louvers of the lid are upstanding crossed ribs with vertically upright openings therebetween.