Portable fan device

• US 5,725,356 A
• Filed: 12/23/1996
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carter C. Michael
• Original Assignee: Carter C. Michael
• Inventors: Carter, C. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US08/779,975
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 416/63, 416/240, 416/244 R, 416/246, 416/247 R, 417/234, 417/411, D23/378, D23/381, D23/382, D23/412
• US Class Current: 416/240
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/601 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/40 by means of coilable or bendable legs or spiral shaped legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable

Abstract

A portable fan for use on a child '"'"'s stroller. The fan has a housing, an electric motor in the housing powered by a source such as a battery so that the motor does not require any physical connection to a fixed location, a mechanism for moving air including a shaft connected to the motor, a hub on the shaft and a plurality of blades, made of a resiliently flexible material, projecting radially outwardly from the hub, a shroud having an animal face depicted thereon connected to the housing and substantially enclosing said air moving mechanism, a clamp for releasably clamping the fan onto the stroller being shaped in the form of an animal foot and a bendable support interconnecting the housing and the fan.

Claims

1. A fan device for use in proximity to children and pets, the fan device comprising:

a housing;

an electric motor in the housing;

a self-contained power source associated with the housing for selectively powering the motor;

means for moving air comprising a shaft connected to the motor for rotation by the motor, a hub on the shaft and a plurality of blades projecting radially outwardly from the hub, said blades being made of a resiliently flexible material which will not cut human skin when brought into contact with the blades when rotating; and

a shroud connected to the housing and substantially enclosing said air moving means while permitting air movement through the shroud, the shroud having openings sized to prevent children from inserting their fingers through the openings.

2. A fan device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a face depicted on the shroud;

a clamp for releasably clamping onto a stroller, the clamp having the shape of a foot whereby the face and foot cooperate to form a character;

a support extending between and interconnecting the housing and the clamp.

3. A fan device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the clamp comprises first and second clamping members having opposed clamping surfaces, the first and second clamping members being pivotally connected together for movement between an open position in which the clamping surfaces are spaced apart and a closed position in which the clamping surfaces are closer together, means for biasing the clamping members toward the closed position, a sheet of frictionalizing material on each clamping surface, and an elongated recess in each clamping surface in which a portion of the frictionalizing material is received, the elongated recesses being shaped to conform with portions of the stroller and cooperating in the closed position of the clamp to receive the portions of the stroller to which they conform for firmly securing the fan device on the stroller.

4. A fan device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the support comprises a connector for releasably connecting the fan to the support, the connector being constructed for receiving a portion of the housing therein, the connector comprising elastic means for bearing against the housing to hold the fan in the connector, said elastic means bearing against the housing with a force selected to hold the fan from sliding out of the connector because of its own weight, but which may be overcome by application of a manual force to remove the fan from the connector.

5. A fan device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a hanger pivotally connected to the fan for movement between a stowed position and a use position.

6. A portable character fan device for use on a child'"'"'s stroller, the fan device comprising:

a fan including;

(a) a housing;

(b) an electric motor in the housing;

(c) a self-contained power source associated with the housing for selectively powering the motor;

(d) means for moving air comprising a shaft connected to the motor for rotation by the motor, a hub on the shaft and a plurality of blades projecting radially outwardly from the hub;

(e) a shroud connected to the housing and substantially enclosing said air moving means while permitting air movement through the shroud; and

a face depicted on the shroud;

a clamp for releasably clamping onto the stroller, the clamp having the shape of a foot whereby the face and foot cooperate to form a character; and

a support extending between and interconnecting the housing and the clamp.

7. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 6 wherein the clamp comprises a pair of clamping members, each member having a clamping surface, the clamping members being pivotally connected to each other for movement between an open position in which the clamping surfaces are spaced apart and a closed position in which the clamping surfaces are closer together, and means for biasing the clamping members toward the closed position, each clamping member including a toe portion formed with one or more toes and a heel portion, the toe portion generally being wider than the heel portion and including the clamping surfaces, and wherein the face comprises a pair of eyes and a nose constructed for making a noise when squeezed.

8. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 6 wherein the clamp comprises first and second clamping members having opposed clamping surfaces, the first and second clamping members being pivotally connected together for movement between an open position in which the clamping surfaces are spaced apart and a closed position in which the clamping surfaces are closer together, means for biasing the clamping members toward the closed position, a sheet of frictionalizing material on each clamping surface, and an elongated recess in each clamping surface in which a portion of the frictionalizing material is received, the elongated recesses being shaped to conform with portions of the stroller and cooperating in the closed position of the clamp to receive the portions of the stroller to which they conform for firmly securing the fan device on the stroller.

9. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the recesses on the opposing clamping surfaces of the first and second clamping members extend transversely of the clamping members and are generally arcuate in cross section.

10. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 6 wherein the support comprises a connector for releasably connecting the fan to the support.

11. A portable character fan as set forth in claim 10 wherein the connector is constructed for receiving a portion of the housing therein, the connector comprising elastic means for bearing against the housing to hold the fan in the connector, said elastic means bearing against the housing with a force selected to hold the fan from sliding out of the connector because of its own weight, but which may be overcome by application of a manual force to remove the fan from the connector.

12. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said elastic means has at least one opening therein, and wherein the housing has at least one nub receivable in the opening.

13. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said elastic means comprises a pair of spaced apart spring leaf members capable of receiving a portion of the housing therebetween, each spring leaf member having a plurality of openings therein, and wherein the housing has a plurality of hubs thereon receivable in corresponding openings in the spring leaf members.

14. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a hanger pivotally connected to the fan for movement between a stowed position and a use position.

15. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 14 wherein the hanger is constructed for releasably locking engagement with the shroud.

16. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 15 wherein the hanger is connected to the shroud at one end and is formed in a hook shape generally at the opposite end for hooking onto a structure from which the fan is to be hung, the hanger having a protruding formation positioned along the length of the hanger and shaped for engagement with the shroud in the stowed position to releasably lock the hanger on the shroud in the stowed position.

17. A portable character fan device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said blades are made of a resiliently flexible material which will not cut human skin when brought into contact with the blades when rotating.

18. A portable fan device mountable on a structure, the fan device comprising:

a fan including;

(a) a housing;

(b) an electric motor in the housing;

(c) a self-contained power source associated with the housing for selectively powering the motor;

(d) means for moving air comprising a shaft connected to the motor for rotation by the motor, a hub on the shaft and a plurality of blades projecting radially outwardly from the hub; and

(e) a shroud connected to the housing and substantially enclosing said air moving means while permitting air movement through the shroud;

a clamp for releasably clamping onto a structure; and

a support extending between and interconnecting the fan and the clamp, the support including a connector for releasably connecting the fan to the support, wherein the connector is constructed for receiving a portion of the housing, the connector comprising elastic means for bearing against the housing to hold the fan in engagement with the connector, said elastic means bearing against the housing with a force selected to hold the fan from moving out of engagement with the connector because of its own weight, but which may be overcome by application of a manual force to remove the fan from the connector.

19. A portable fan device as set forth in claim 18 wherein said elastic means has at least one opening therein, and wherein the housing has at least one hub receivable in the opening.

20. A portable fan device as set forth in claim 19 wherein said elastic means comprises a pair of spaced apart spring leaf members capable of receiving a portion of the housing therebetween, each spring leaf member having a plurality of openings therein, and wherein the housing has a plurality of nubs thereon receivable in corresponding openings in the spring leaf members.

21. A portable fan device mountable on a structure, the fan device comprising:

fan including,

a housing;

an electric motor in the housing;

a self-contained power source associated with the housing for selectively powering the motor;

means for moving air comprising a shaft connected to the motor for rotation by the motor, a hub on the shaft and a plurality of blades projecting radially outwardly from the hub;

a shroud connected to the housing and substantially enclosing said air moving means while permitting air movement through the shroud, the shroud having a back side through which air is drawn by said air moving means into the shroud, and a front side through which said air moving means pushes air out of the shroud; and

a hanger pivotally connected to the fan for movement between a stowed position and a use position, the hanger having a hook-shaped free end and being disposed for projecting forwardly of the front side of the shroud in the use position for hooking onto the structure forward of the front side of the shroud with the hook-shaped free end.

22. A portable fan device mountable on a structure, the fan device comprising:

a fan including;

(a) a housing;

(b) an electric motor in the housing;

(c) a self-contained power source associated with the housing for selectively powering the motor;

(d) means for moving air comprising a shaft connected to the motor for rotation by the motor, a hub on the shaft and a plurality of blades projecting radially outwardly from the hub; and

(e) a shroud connected to the housing and substantially enclosing said air moving means while permitting air movement through the shroud; and

a hanger pivotally connected to the fan for movement between a stowed position and a use position, wherein the hanger is constructed for releasably locking engagement with the shroud in the stowed position.

23. A portable fan device as set forth in claim 22 wherein the hanger is connected to the shroud at one end and is formed in a hook shape generally at the opposite end for hooking onto a structure from which the fan is to be hung, the hanger having a protruding formation positioned along the length of the hanger and shaped for engagement with the shroud in the stowed position to releasably lock the hanger in the stowed position.