Ventilation fan and light

• US 7,470,043 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Fan Company (Griffon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hunter Fan Company (Griffon Corporation)
• Inventors: Mehta, Vinay
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYET THI
• Application Number:
  US11/517,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20080062643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 362/373, 362/294, 362/295, 362/264, 362/362, 362/310, 362546-549
• US Class Current: 362/310
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0088 Ventilating systems lighting fixtures combined with outlets for air treatment systems F24F13/078
• 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: F24F 13/078 combined with lighting fixtures

Abstract

A ventilation fan and light (10) is disclosed which includes a housing (12) and a light kit (13). The housing (12) includes an air intake 15 adjacent the light kit and an air exhaust port (16) coupled to an exhaust duct (17). The light kit has one or more light sources (20). A motorized fan (19) is mounted within the housing. The motorized fan is operated at a low speed whenever the light source is illuminated and a high speed whenever ventilation is required. The operation of the fan at a low speed prevents the build-up of heat within the housing. The ventilation fan includes an electric circuit (22) which includes a capacitor mounted between a light source electrical branch (23) and a fan motor electrical branch (24).

Claims

1. A ventilation fan comprising:

a housing;

a motorized fan mounted within said housing, said motorized fan being adapted to exhaust air from said housing;

a light source coupled to said housing;

control means for controlling the operation of the motorized fan and the light source, said control means including manually operated light switch means having an on position causing the direct energizing of said light source and an off position preventing the direct energizing of said light source and manually operated fan switch means having an on position causing the direct energizing of said motorized fan and an off position preventing the direct energizing of said motorized fan, said control means operating said motorized fan at a first speed when said light switch means is positioned in an on position and said motor switch means is positioned in an off position and said control means operating said motorized fan at a second speed higher than said first speed when said light switch means is positioned in an off position or on position and said motor switch means is positioned in an on position,

whereby the operation of the motorized fan at the first speed exhausts air from the housing that is heated by the light source whenever the light source is illuminated.

2. The ventilation fan of claim 1 wherein said light switch means includes a light source electrical branch electrically coupled to said light source and including an on/off light switch, and wherein said fan switch means includes a fan motor electrical branch electrically coupled to said motorized fan and including an on/off fan switch, said light source electrical branch being in parallel circuit with said fan motor electrical branch, and a capacitor electrically coupled between said light source electrical branch and said fan motor electrical branch, said capacitor being coupled to said light source electrical branch between said light switch and said light source, and said capacitor being coupled to said fan motor electrical branch between said fan switch and said motorized fan,

whereby the capacitor provides an impedance to operate the motorized fan at a low voltage when the light switch is closed, yet does not allow the illumination of the light source if the fan switch is closed.