Photo frame with mini-fan

• US 6,219,950 B1
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chin-Tien Hsu
• Original Assignee: Chin-Tien Hsu
• Inventors: Hsu, Chin-Tien
• Primary Examiner(s): GREEN, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US09/415,054
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 407/00, 407/14, 407/15, 407/25, 407/48, 407/81, 407/45, D 6/300
• US Class Current: 40/725
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/0616 Ornamental frames, e.g. with illumination, speakers or decorative features
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/601 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Abstract

A photo frame comprises a frame member, a mini-fan pivotably mounted on a side of the frame, and a battery case pivotably mounted on a position abutted against an opposite side of the frame for providing power to the mini-fan and supporting frame so as to enable pivotable adjustment of the mini-fan and battery case in response to a vertically or horizontally standing photo frame.

Claims

1. A photo frame comprising:

a frame member having a first opening formed in a space enclosed by the frame member for receiving one or more photographs;

a mini-fan having a projection extending downwardly therefrom, a first hole being provided in the projection; and

a battery case having a compartment for receiving one or more batteries, the battery case and frame member being pivotably secured together at an end of the battery case such that the battery case can serve as a stand for the frame member when the frame member is laid on a supporting plane,

wherein the battery case and the frame member can be positioned in a first operating position and a second operating position respectively.

2. The photo frame of claim 1, wherein the frame member comprises a first frame member and a second frame member, the first frame member having a releasable back cover for inserting photographs into the first opening, and the second frame member having a window thereon.

3. The photo frame of claim 2, wherein the mini-fan is pivotably mounted on a corner of the first frame member and wherein an arcuate groove is provided adjacent to a pivot axis between the mini-fan and the first frame member.

4. The photo frame of claim 3, wherein the arcuate groove has two recessed portions formed on two ends thereof.

5. The photo frame of claim 4, further comprising a resilient locking pin slidably movable along the groove and firmly secured to the first frame member when the locking pin is received in one of the recessed portions.

6. The photo frame of claim 2, wherein the second frame member has a hole receiving a shaft about which the mini-fan pivots.

7. The photo frame of claim 1, wherein the mini-fan comprises a plurality of blades and a motor for driving the blades.

8. The photo frame of claim 1, wherein the battery case comprises an on-off switch.