Portable fan device

• US 6,109,874 A
• Filed: 10/07/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GLJ LLC
• Original Assignee: Gregory A. Steiner, Terry Arnieri
• Inventors: Steiner, Gregory A., Arnieri, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryznic, John E.
• Application Number:
  US09/167,274
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 416/63, 416/146 R, 416/223 R, 416/229 R, 416/230, 416/231 R, 416/240, 416/241 R
• US Class Current: 416/63
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/122 comprising a fan
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/084 hand fans

Abstract

There is disclosed an elongate style portable fan device having an elongate body portion including a fan device mounted on the top end of the body portion. The elongate body portion is designed to lay flat on an underlying flat surface in a manner which maintains the fan device portion at an angle of approximately 30 degrees from the central horizontal axis of the elongate body portion such that the fan blades of the fan device are free to rotate above the underlying flat surface when in the fan activated mode. The elongate body portion includes stop means for providing a resting stop position for the elongate body portion in order to permit the fan blades of the fan device to rotate freely when in the resting position and in the fan activation mode while laying on a flat underlying surface. Switch means is provided to the device for alternating between a fan activation and a fan deactivation mode. A scented pad may be added to the device and positioned so that rotating fan blades will disseminate the scent emanating from the scent pad. A further embodiment contemplates that the fan blades may be impregnated with water soluble granules of a scented material such that in use, as the fan blades rotate and misting water traverses the path of the fan blades, the scented granules will disintegrate and scent the mist thereby producing a scent emanating from the fan device.

Claims

1. A portable fan device adapted for seatment on an underlying flat surface comprising,

an elongate body portion having a top end and a bottom end and having a central horizontal axis along the length of said elongate body portion,

said elongate body portion forming an elongate chamber,

a fan device mounted on the top end of said elongate body portion,

said fan device having an off position and a fan activation position associated therewith,

stop means associated with said elongate body portion, said stop means adapted to maintain said elongate body portion in a rest position when said body portion is positioned on an underlying flat surface, along the horizontal axis of said elongate body portion,

said fan device including a central hub and at least a pair of fan blades mounted to said hub and adapted for rotational movement when in the fan activation position, said fan blades being formed with a porous foam material, the porous foam material being impregnated with a water soluble granulated scented material capable of dissolving when contacted by water,

said fan device being positioned at an angle spaced from said central horizontal axis a distance sufficient to allow fan blade rotation when said elongate body portion is maintained by said stop means in a rest position on an underlying flat support surface,

said elongate chamber accommodating electrical power means for providing energy to said fan device,

and on/off switch means interposed between said fan device and said electrical power means to accommodate a fan off position and a fan activation position.

2. The portable fan device as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said fan device includes a fan motor having a motor shaft extending outwardly therefrom, and having a fan hub mounted on said motor shaft, said fan hub including at least two fan blades carried thereon,

and said fan device adapted to be positioned at an angle spaced from the horizontal axis of said elongate body position when said fan device is in a resting stop position on an underlying flat surface to accommodate the free rotation of said fan blades when said fan device is in a fan activation position.

3. The portable fan device as set forth in claim 2 above, wherein said elongate body portion is provided with a fastening clip secured thereto along the horizontal axis thereof, said fastening clip being positioned in cooperating relationship with said elongate body portion thereby to provide a resting stop position when said elongate body portion is lying horizontally on an underlying flat surface along its horizontal axis, and further arranged to maintain said fan blades above said underlying support surface in a freely rotable position when in the resting stop position and in the fan activation position.

4. The portable fan device as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein said elongate body portion has a geometric shape include at least one flat surface formed along the horizontal axis thereof,

said flat surface cooperating with said fastening clip thereby to provide a resting stop position for said fan device when lying on an underlying flat surface along its horizontal axis,

said resting stop position being adapted to accommodate the fan blades being in a freely rotatable position when in the resting stop position and in the fan activation mode.

5. The portable fan device as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein said elongate body portion is formed in a geometric shape comprising a hexagonal shaped elongate body portion having one flat surface positioned such that said fan device, when positioned in the resting stop position on an underlying support surface and in the fan activation mode is approximately 30 degrees from the horizontal axis of said elongate body portion and permits said fan blade to be freely rotatable when in the fan activation position.

6. The portable fan device as set forth in claim 2 above, wherein said fan device mounted on the top end of said elongate body portion comprises a head portion consisting of a housing, a fan motor contained within said housing, said fan motor having a motor shaft extending outwardly therefrom, and having a fan hub mounted on said motor shaft, said fan hub including at least two fan blades carried thereon,

said head portion being rotatable relative to said elongate body portion,

said head portion and the elongate body portion each including switch contacts such that upon rotation of said head portion throughout an angle of approximately 30 degrees, said switch contacts close to establish the fan activation mode and energize said fan blades to freely rotate,

said head portion in the fan activation mode being positioned a distance spaced from said horizontal axis of said elongate body portion when in the resting stop position to accommodate the free rotational movement of said fan blades when in the fan activation position.

7. The portable fan device as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said fan device further includes scent means affixed to the top end of said fan device,

said scent means providing scented air which may be transmitted to the user thereof via the rotation of the fan blades when in the fan activation mode.

8. The fan device as set forth in claim 7 above, wherein said scent means comprises a scented pad secured to the top end of said fan device by means of adhesive means,

said scent pad providing scented air which may be transmitted to the user by the rotation of the fan blades when in the fan activation position.

9. The portable fan device as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said fan device further includes a sloped cap positioned in opposed relation to said fan blades,

said sloped cap providing a resting stop position for said portable fan device when lying on an underlying flat support surface along its horizontal axis and maintaining the fan blades in a position spaced from the underlying flat support surface in order to accommodate the free rotational movement of said fan blades when in the fan activation position.

10. A portable fan device adapted for seatment on an underlying flat surface comprising,

an elongate body portion having a top end and a bottom end and having a central horizontal axis along the length of said elongate body portion,

said elongate body portion forming an elongate chamber,

a fan device mounted on the top end of said elongate body portion, said fan device having an off position and a fan activation position associated therewith,

said fan device including a fan motor, and having a motor shaft extending outwardly therefrom, and having a fan hub mounted on said fan shaft and said fan hub including at least two fan blades carried thereon at the front end of said fan device, said fan blades being impregnated with a water soluble granulated scented material capable of dissolving when contacted by water, and having a rear end in opposed relation to said fan carrying front end, said rear end forming a sloped cap,

said sloped cap cooperating with said elongate body portion thereby to provide a resting stop position for said elongate body portion when lying on an underlying flat support surface along the horizontal axis thereof and maintaining said fan blades in a freely rotatable position when in the fan activation position,

said elongate chamber accommodating electrical power means for providing energy to said fan device, and on/off switch means interposed between said fan device and

a said electrical power means to accommodate a fan off position and a fan activation position.

11. The portable fan device as set forth in claim 10 above, wherein said fan device is formed as a head portion including a housing, a fan motor contained within said housing and having motor shaft extending outwardly therefrom and having a fan hub mounted on said motor shaft, said fan hub including at least two fan blades carried thereon,

said head portion being rotatable relative to said elongate body portion,

said head portion and elongate body portion each including switch contacts such that upon rotation of said head portion through an angle of at least 30 degrees, said switch contacts close to establish a fan activation position and energize said fan blades to freely rotate said fan devices lying on an underlying support surface and in the resting stop position along the horizontal axis thereof.

12. The fan device as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein said fan device further includes scented means adapted to be secured to said fan device and in operational proximity to said fan blades, said scented means providing scented air which is transmitted to the user thereof when the fan blades are in the fan activation position and rotating.

13. The fan device as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein said scented means comprises a scented pad secured to the top end of said fan device and spaced rearwardly of said fan blades, said scented means providing scented air which is transmitted to the user thereof when the fan blades are in the fan activation position and rotating.

14. A portable fan device as set forth in claim 10 above, wherein said fan blade is formed with a porous foam material.