Hanger assembly

• US 7,654,495 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broan-Nutone LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Broan-Nutone LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Adrian, John R., Jonas, Kenneth J., Karst, Daniel L., Penlesky, Robert G., McDonald, Richard G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marsh; Steven M
• Application Number:
  US11/330,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20080011928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 248/342, 248/343, 248/323, 248/200.1, 248/906
• US Class Current: 248/200.1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/088 Ceiling fans
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/20 Ceiling roses or other lighting sets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

A hanger assembly configured to mount a fan housing in a building including a first support having a lower surface and a second support. The hanger includes a body having a first end engageable with the first support and a second end engageable with the second support. The body is connectable to the fan housing to support the fan housing between the first and second supports and is adjustable to change a length defined between the first and second ends. The first end includes an outwardly extending flange, which is engageable with the first support to orient the body and the fan housing relative to the lower surface of the first support and to maintain a predetermined distance between the lower surface of the support and a lower surface of one of the fan housing and the hanger body.

Claims

1. A hanger assembly comprising:

a fan housing positioned between a first support and a second support, the first support having a lower surface; and

a body having a first end engageable with the first support and a second end engageable with the second support, the body being connectable to the fan housing to support the fan housing between the first support and the second support and being adjustable to change a length defined between the first end and the second end, the first end including an outwardly extending flange, which is engageable with the first support to orient the body and the fan housing relative to the lower surface of the first support and to maintain a predetermined distance between the lower surface of the first support and a lower surface of one of the fan housing and the hanger body, the body including

an inner surface extending between the first end and the second end, and

a spacer extending outwardly from the inner surface, the spacer being engageable with the fan housing to secure the fan housing to the hanger body and to form a separation space between the fan housing and the inner surface with the spacer extending through the separation space.

2. The hanger assembly of claim 1, wherein the body comprises

a first bracket having an inner end and an outer end;

a second bracket having an inner end and an outer end, the outer end of the first bracket at least partially defining the first end of the body and the outer end of the second bracket at least partially defining the second end of the body; and

a third bracket connectable to the fan housing and being slidingly connected to the inner end of the first bracket and the inner end of the second bracket to change the length of the hanger body.

3. The hanger assembly of claim 2, wherein the third bracket defines a channel. and wherein the inner end of the first bracket and the inner end of the second bracket are engageable with the third bracket along a length of the channel.

4. The hanger assembly of claim 1, wherein the first support includes a side surface substantially normal to the lower surface, and wherein the first end of the hanger body is engageable with the side surface of the first support to orient the hanger body and the fan housing relative to the first support.

5. The hanger assembly of claim 1, wherein the fan housing include an outwardly extending protrusion, and wherein the spacer engages the fan housing adjacent to the outwardly extending protrusion.

6. The hanger assembly of claim 1, wherein the flange supports a fastener in a retracted position, in which an outer end of the fastener is recessed with respect to the flange, and wherein the fastener is movable with respect to the flange toward an extended position, in which the fastener is engageable with the first support.

7. The hanger assembly of claim 1, wherein the support includes a side surface substantially normal to the lower surface, wherein the flange is a first flange, wherein the first end includes a second flange which is engageable with the side surface of the support.

8. A hanger assembly configured to connect to a support in a building the support having a first surface and a second surface substantially normal to the first surface, the hanger assembly comprising:

a fan housing; and

a body connectable to the fan housing and having a first flange and a second flange, the first flange being engageable with the first surface of the support and the second flange being engageable with the second surface of the support to secure the hanger body and the fan housing to the support, the body including

first bracket having an inner end and an outer end,

a second bracket having an inner end and an outer end, the outer end of the first bracket at least partially defining a first end of the body and the outer end of the second bracket at least partially defining a second end of the body, and

a third bracket connectable to the fan housing and being slidingly connected to the inner end of the first bracket and the inner end of the second bracket to change a length of the body between the first end of the body and the second end of the body, wherein the third bracket defines a channel, and wherein the inner end of the first bracket and the inner end of the second bracket are engageable with the third bracket along a length of the channel such that the inner end of the first bracket is engageable with the inner end of the second bracket at least partially within the channel.

9. The hanger assembly of claim 8, wherein the first flange is engageable with the first surface of the support to orient the body and the fan housing relative to a lower surface of the first support and to maintain a predetermined distance between the lower surface of the first support and a lower surface of one of the fan housing and the hanger body.

10. The hanger assembly of claim 8, wherein the second flange is substantially normal to the first flange.

11. The hanger assembly of claim 8, wherein the first surface of the support is a lower surface, and wherein the second flange is engageable with the lower surface of the support to orient the hanger body and the fan housing relative to the lower surface of the support.

12. The hanger assembly of claim 8, wherein the hanger body includes an inner surface and a spacer extending outwardly from the inner surface, the spacer being engageable with the fan housing to secure the fan housing to the hanger body.

13. The hanger assembly of claim 12, wherein the fan housing includes an outwardly extending protrusion, and wherein the spacer engages the fan housing adjacent to a base of the outwardly extending protrusion.

14. The hanger assembly of claim 8, wherein the first flange supports a fastener in a retracted position, in which an outer end of he fastener is recessed with respect to the first flange, and wherein the fastener is movable with respect to the first flange toward an extended position, in which the fastener is engageable with the first support.

15. The hanger assembly of claim 8, wherein the support is a first support,

wherein the building includes a second support spaced a distance from the first support, and

wherein the hanger body includes a first end engageable with the first support, a second end engageable with the second support, and is adjustable to change a length defined between the first end and the second end.