Portable air moving device

• US 7,699,580 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lasko Operation Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lasko Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Lasko, William E., Orr, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US10/944,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20050031448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 415/53.1, 415/53.2, 415/53.3, 415/98, 415/102, 415/121.3, 415125-128, 415/204, 415/206, 415/211.2, 415/213.1, 416/100, 416/146.R, 416/246, 416/247.R
• US Class Current: 415/98
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0417 portable or mobile

Abstract

A stable portable air moving device capable of generating an air stream elevated above a support surface allowing the air stream to be directed as desired by the user is provided. The device includes an air blower assembly located within an elongate housing generating an exhaust air stream that exits the elongate housing at an elevation above the air blower assembly.

Claims

1. A portable air moving device that is free standing on a support surface, said device comprising:

a base for engaging said support surface;

an elongate housing having a longitudinal length extending substantially upward from said base;

an interior space defined by said elongate housing;

an overall vertical length of said portable air moving device comprising;

an upper portion defined by the upper half of said overall vertical length;

a lower portion defined by a lower half of said overall vertical length;

at least one air inlet in said elongate housing allowing intake air to enter said interior space;

an air blower assembly disposed substantially within said lower portion of said overall vertical length and within said interior space, said air blower assembly comprising;

an air impeller;

a motor for rotating said air impeller about an axis of rotation;

a center of gravity of said portable air moving device located within said lower half of said overall vertical length;

a vertically oriented elongate air outlet located within said upper portion of said elongate housing;

a high velocity exhaust air stream generated by said air blower assembly, wherein substantially all of said exhaust air stream exits said interior space via said vertically elongate air outlet as said high velocity exhaust air stream at an elevation above said air blower assembly; and

an air passageway directly connecting an exhaust port of said blower assembly to said vertically oriented elongate air outlet, wherein said air passageway comprises an air directing component comprising an elongate curved member that directs said high velocity exhaust air stream from said blower assembly toward said vertically oriented elongate air outlet.

2. A portable air moving device that is free standing on a support surface, said device comprising:

a base for engaging said support surface;

an elongate housing coupled to said base having a longitudinal length extending substantially upward from said support surface;

said elongate housing defining an interior space;

an overall vertical length of said portable air moving device comprising;

an upper portion defined by the upper half of said overall vertical length;

a lower portion defined by a lower half of said overall vertical length;

at least one air inlet in said elongate housing allowing intake air to enter said interior space;

an air blower assembly disposed substantially within said lower portion of said overall vertical length and within said interior space, said air blower assembly comprising;

a motor;

an air impeller rotated about an axis of rotation by said motor;

a high velocity exhaust air stream generated by said air blower assembly;

a vertically oriented elongate air outlet located within said upper portion of said elongate housing allowing said high velocity exhaust air stream to exit said interior space;

an air directing component that directs said high velocity exhaust air stream from said blower assembly toward said vertically oriented elongate air outlet;

a maximum velocity of said high velocity exhaust air stream when measured about 8 feet from said air outlet;

a maximum thrust generated by said maximum velocity of said high velocity exhaust air stream in a direction substantially opposite to a direction of a flow of said high velocity exhaust air stream as said high velocity exhaust air stream exits said air outlet; and

a velocity to thrust ratio, said velocity to thrust ratio being said maximum velocity of said exhaust air stream divided by said maximum thrust generated by said exhaust air stream, wherein said ratio is about 500;

1 or greater.

3. The portable air moving device of claim 2, wherein said maximum thrust is about 1.0 pound of force or less.

4. The portable air moving device of claim 2, wherein said maximum velocity is about 500 feet per minute or greater.

5. The portable air moving device of claim 2, wherein said maximum velocity is within a range of about 750 feet per minute to about 2000 feet per minute.

6. The portable air moving device according to claim 2, wherein said exhaust air stream exits said air blower assembly through an exhaust port of said air blower assembly and enters an upper portion of said interior space of said elongate housing along a second flow path and exits said interior space through said air outlet along a third flow path.

7. The portable air moving device of claim 6, wherein said air blower assembly is oriented within said interior space of said elongate housing to position and direct said exhaust port substantially toward said air outlet directing said second flow path of said exhaust air stream substantially toward said air outlet.

8. The portable air moving device of claim 6, wherein said second flow path is substantially orthogonal to said third flow path.

9. The portable air moving device of claim 8, wherein said air directing component efficiently directs said exhaust air stream between said second flow path and said third flow path.

10. The portable air moving device of claim 9, wherein said air directing component further comprises a gradual and elongate curved surface that creates a substantially smooth transition between said second flow path and said third flow path of said exhaust air stream.

11. The portable air moving device of claim 9, wherein said air directing component is at least one of i) separate components disposed within said interior space, ii) an integral part of said elongate housing, or iii) an integral part of said air blower assembly.

12. The portable air moving device of claim 6, further comprising at least one air segregation wall dividing said interior space of said elongate housing into an intake portion and an exhaust portion to substantially prevent said exhaust air stream from mixing with said intake air within said interior space of said elongate housing, wherein said air segregation wall diverges outward and upward from said exhaust port toward said elongate housing.

13. The portable air moving device of claim 12, wherein said at least one air segregation wall is at least one of i) a separate component disposed within said interior space, ii) an integral part of said elongate housing, or iii) an integral part of said air blower assembly.

14. The portable air moving device of claim 6, wherein said intake air passes between said air inlet and said air blower assembly along a first flow path.

15. The portable air moving device of claim 14, wherein said first flow path is substantially orthogonal to said second flow path.

16. The portable air moving device of claim 14, wherein said first flow path is substantially orthogonal to said third flow path.

59. The portable air moving device of claim 2, further comprising:

an inlet opening area of said air inlet;

an outlet opening area of said vertically oriented elongate air outlet; and

a ratio of said outlet area to said inlet area, wherein said outlet opening area is less than said inlet opening area.

17. A portable air moving device that is free standing, said device comprising:

a base for engaging a support surface;

an elongate housing coupled to said base having a longitudinal length extending substantially upward from said base;

an interior space defined by said elongate housing;

an overall vertical length of said portable air moving device comprising;

an upper portion defined by the upper half of said overall vertical length;

a lower portion defined by a lower half of said overall vertical length;

at least one air inlet in said lower portion of said elongate housing allowing intake air to enter said interior space of said elongate housing;

an air blower assembly disposed within said interior space of said elongate housing, said air blower assembly comprising;

an impeller casing comprising;

an intake port;

an exhaust port, wherein said exhaust port comprises an exhaust port area defined by a major dimension oriented side to side and a minor dimension oriented front to back relative to said elongate housing;

an air impeller disposed in said impeller casing;

a motor for rotating said impeller about an axis of rotation;

wherein said air blower assembly generates a high velocity exhaust air stream;

a vertically oriented elongate air outlet in said elongate housing located within said upper portion allowing said exhaust air stream to exit said interior space of said elongate housing, wherein said air outlet comprises an air outlet area defined by a major dimension oriented top to bottom and a minor dimension oriented side to side relative to said elongate housing; and

a first flow path of ambient air, wherein a rotating motion of said air impeller acts to draw said ambient air along said first flow path, through said air inlet and into said interior space of said elongate housing, said ambient air subsequently passing through said intake port and into said air blower assembly along said first flow path;

a second flow path comprising a high velocity exhaust air stream generated by rotating motion of said impeller, which accelerates said inlet air in said air blower assembly thereby generating said high velocity exhaust air stream, wherein said high velocity exhaust air stream exits said air blower assembly through said exhaust port of said impeller casing along said second flow path;

a transition area within said interior space of said elongate housing fluidly connecting said exhaust port of said air blower assembly in said lower portion of said elongate housing to said vertically oriented elongate air outlet in said upper portion of said elongate housing, wherein said transition area allows said high velocity exhaust air stream to change direction and orientation as said high velocity exhaust air stream flows from said exhaust port of said air blower assembly to said vertically oriented elongate air outlet in said elongate housing; and

a third flow path comprising said high velocity exhaust air stream, said third flow path resultant of said change of direction and orientation of said high velocity exhaust air stream in said transition area, wherein substantially all of said high velocity exhaust air stream exits said interior space through said vertically oriented elongate air outlet along said third flow path;

wherein said transition area provides a smooth transition between said second flow path and said third flow path to effectively maintain said air flow velocity of said high velocity exhaust air stream.

18. The portable air moving device of claim 17, wherein said third flow path is oriented substantially parallel to said support surface and said second flow path is oriented substantially orthogonal to said third flow path and said first flow path is oriented substantially orthogonal to said second flow path.

19. The portable air moving device of claim 18, wherein said first flow path is substantially orthogonal to said third flow path.

20. The portable air moving device of claim 17, further comprising an air directing component disposed within said transition area of said elongate housing, wherein said air directing component comprises a gradual and elongate curved surface that creates said smooth transition between said second flow path and said third flow path.

21. The portable air moving device of claim 20, wherein said air directing component is at least one of i) separate components disposed within said housing, ii) an integral part of said elongate housing or iii) an integral part of said air blower assembly.

22. The portable air moving device of claim 17, further comprising one or more air segregation walls separating said interior space of said elongate housing into an intake portion and an exhaust portion to substantially prevent said exhaust air stream from mixing with said intake air within said elongate housing, said air segregation walls further comprising divergent walls extending upward and outward from said exhaust port of said air blower assembly to said elongate housing.

23. The portable air moving device of claim 22, wherein said one or more air segregation walls are at least one of i) separate components disposed within said housing, ii) an integral part of said elongate housing or iii) an integral part of said air blower assembly.

24. The portable air moving device of claim 17, wherein said air blower assembly is disposed substantially within said lower portion of said elongate housing.

25. The portable air moving device of claim 24, wherein said air blower assembly is located to orient said exhaust port substantially toward said air outlet and to direct said second flow path toward said air outlet.

26. The portable air moving device according to claim 17, further comprising a maximum velocity of said exhaust air stream measured about 8 feet from said air outlet wherein said maximum velocity is about 500 feet per minute or greater.

27. The portable air moving device according to claim 17, further comprising a maximum velocity of said exhaust air stream measured about 8 feet from said air outlet wherein said maximum velocity is within a range of about 750 feet per minute to about 2000 feet per minute.

28. The portable air moving device according to claim 17, further comprising a maximum thrust in a direction substantially opposite to a direction of the flow of said exhaust air stream as said exhaust air stream exits said air outlet, wherein said maximum thrust is about 1.0 pound of force or less.

29. The portable air moving device according to claim 17, further comprising a velocity to thrust ratio, wherein a maximum velocity of said exhaust air stream measured about 8 feet from said air outlet divided by a maximum thrust generated by said exhaust air stream in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the flow of said exhaust air stream as it exits said air outlet is about 500:

1 or greater.

30. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, wherein a longitudinal length of said elongate housing is substantially orthogonal to said axis of rotation of said impeller of said air blower assembly.

31. The portable air moving device of claim 30, further comprising an elongated aspect ratio of said elongate housing, wherein said elongate aspect ratio is defined by said longitudinal length being greater than a width of said elongate housing and said elongate aspect ratio is about 2 to 1 or greater.

32. The portable air moving device of claim 2 or 17, further comprising:

a front wall of said elongate housing;

said air outlet located in said front wall, wherein a height of said vertically elongated air outlet to a width of said vertically elongated air outlet is at least 1.5 to 1;

two sidewalls of said elongate housing;

said air inlet being two air inlets, one air inlet in each of said sidewalls;

wherein said vertically elongated air outlet is located at an elevation above each of said two air inlets such that a lower end of said vertically elongated air outlet is vertically above an upper end of each of said two air inlets and above said axis of rotation of said air impeller of said air blower assembly.

33. The portable air moving device of claim 32, wherein said air blower assembly further comprises two air intake ports and a center of said two air inlets and a center of said two air intake ports is located substantially concentric about opposing ends of said axis of rotation of said air impeller.

34. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, wherein said elongate housing rotates or oscillates about an axis of rotation with respect to said support surface.

35. The portable air moving device of claim 34, wherein said axis of said rotation of said elongate housing is substantially parallel to said longitudinal length of said elongate housing.

36. The portable air moving device of claim 34, further comprising a rotator mechanism for moving said elongate housing with respect to said support surface.

37. The portable air moving device of claim 36, wherein axis of rotation of said elongate housing is a substantially vertical axis of rotation.

38. The portable air moving device of claim 37, further comprising a rotatable coupling between said base and said elongate housing, wherein said elongate housing rotates with respect to said base.

39. The portable air moving device of claim 37, further comprising a pre-determined angular range of said rotating of said elongate housing, wherein said pre-determined angular range is between about 0 degrees and about 360 degrees.

40. The portable air moving device of claim 37, further comprising a pre-determined angular range of said rotating of said elongate housing, wherein said pre-determined angular range is between about 0 degrees and about 90 degrees.

41. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, wherein said base is a unitary part of said elongate housing.

42. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, wherein said base is rotatably coupled to said elongate housing.

43. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, wherein said base is detachably coupled to said elongate housing having an operating configuration in which said base is coupled to said elongate housing and a non-operating configuration in which said base is detached from said elongate housing.

44. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, further comprising a handle, wherein said handle is one of i) a separate part attached to said elongate housing or ii) an integral part of said elongate housing.

45. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, further comprising a control assembly for controlling a function of said device.

46. The portable air moving device of claim 45, wherein said motor further comprises a variable speed motor having one or more rotational speeds, and said control assembly controls said rotational speeds.

47. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, wherein said motor is a permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor.

48. The portable air moving device of claim 47, wherein said motor is a totally enclosed non-ventilated electric motor.

49. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, wherein said air blower assembly further comprises a centrifugal blower assembly.

50. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, wherein the distance from said impeller to a furthest extent of said air outlet is greater than a diameter of said air impeller.

51. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, further comprising a center of gravity of said portable air moving device wherein said center of gravity is within said lower portion of said portable air moving device.

52. The portable air moving device according to claim 2 or 17, further comprising an elongated aspect ratio of said elongate housing, wherein said elongate aspect ratio is defined by said longitudinal length being greater than a width of said elongate housing and said elongate aspect ratio is about 2 to 1 or greater.

56. The portable air moving device according to claim 17 or 53, wherein said exhaust air stream changes direction and orientation between said second flow path and said third flow path, said changes conforming to said major and said minor dimensions of said exhaust port and said air outlet.

57. The portable air moving device according to claim 17 or 53, wherein said impeller casing is unitary with said elongate housing.

58. The portable air moving device according to claim 2, 17 or 53, further comprising:

an inlet opening area defined by said air inlet in said elongate housing; and

an outlet opening area defined by said air outlet in said elongate housing;

wherein said outlet opening area is equal to or less than said inlet opening area.

60. The portable air moving device of claim 17, further comprising:

a dimensional twist of said high velocity exhaust air stream as said high velocity exhaust air stream transitions between said second flow path and said third flow path, said dimensional twist comprising;

a minor dimension of a flow area of said high velocity exhaust air stream in said second flow path proximate said exhaust port of said air blower assembly, said minor dimension oriented front to back relative to said elongate housing as said high velocity exhaust air stream exits said exhaust port of said impeller casing; and

a re-orienting of said minor dimension of said flow area of said high velocity exhaust air stream in said third flow path proximate said vertically oriented elongate air outlet, said re-oriented minor dimension oriented side to side relative to said elongate housing as said high velocity exhaust air stream exits said third flow path.

53. A portable air moving device that is free standing, said device comprising:

an elongate housing having a longitudinal length extending substantially upward;

an upper portion defined by the upper half of said elongate housing;

a lower portion defined by a lower half of said elongate housing;

at least one air inlet in said lower portion of said elongate housing allowing intake air to enter said housing;

at least one air segregation wall within said elongate housing dividing an interior of said elongate housing into an intake portion and an exhaust portion;

an air blower assembly disposed within said lower portion of said elongate housing, said air blower assembly comprising;

an impeller casing having at least one intake port located within said intake portion of said interior of said housing and at least one exhaust port, wherein said exhaust port comprises an exhaust port area defined by a major dimension oriented substantially side to side and a minor dimension oriented substantially front to back of said elongate housing;

an air impeller rotatably disposed in said impeller casing;

a motor for rotating said impeller about an axis of rotation;

a high velocity exhaust air stream generated by said air blower assembly and passing through said exhaust port of said air blower assembly;

an expansion area in said exhaust portion of said interior of said elongate housing located downstream of and in fluid communication with said impeller casing exhaust port;

an elongate air outlet in said elongate housing located substantially within said upper portion of said elongate housing and in fluid communication with said expansion area, wherein said elongate air outlet comprises an air outlet area defined by a major dimension oriented substantially top to bottom and a minor dimension oriented substantially side to side of said elongate housing;

a second flow path defined by said high velocity exhaust air stream exiting said at least one exhaust port of said impeller casing, said second flow path comprising a major dimension oriented substantially side to side and a minor dimension oriented front to back of said elongate housing as said second flow path exits said exhaust port of said impeller casing; and

a third flow path defined by said high velocity exhaust air stream discharging from said elongate air outlet of said elongate housing, said third flow path comprising a major dimension oriented substantially top to bottom and a minor dimension oriented substantially side to side of said elongate housing as said third flow path exits said elongate air outlet of said elongate housing.

54. The portable air moving device of claim 53, further comprising a curved air directing component disposed within said expansion area in said interior of said housing for efficiently directing said exhaust air stream between said second flow path and said third flow path, wherein said curved air directing component creates a substantially smooth transition between said second flow path and said third flow path.

55. The portable air moving device of claim 53, further comprising:

a first column of high velocity exhaust air stream flowing through said exhaust port area of said impeller casing exhaust port and along said second flow path; and

a second column of high velocity exhaust air stream flowing through said elongate air outlet in said elongate housing and along said third flow path;

wherein said second column of high velocity exhaust air stream is substantially orthogonal to and twisted relative to said first column of high velocity exhaust air stream.

61. A portable air moving device that is free standing on a support surface, said device comprising:

a base for engaging said support surface;

an elongate housing having a longitudinal length extending substantially upward from said base;

an interior space defined by said elongate housing;

an overall vertical length of said portable air moving device comprising;

an upper portion defined by the upper half of said overall vertical length;

a lower portion defined by a lower half of said overall vertical length;

at least one air inlet in said elongate housing allowing intake air to enter said interior space;

an air blower assembly disposed substantially within said lower portion of said overall vertical length and within said interior space, said air blower assembly comprising;

an air impeller;

a motor for rotating said air impeller about an axis of rotation;

a center of gravity of said portable air moving device located within said lower half of said overall vertical length;

a vertically oriented elongate air outlet located within said upper portion of said elongate housing;

a high velocity exhaust air stream generated by said air blower assembly, wherein substantially all of said exhaust air stream exits said interior space via said vertically elongate air outlet as said high velocity exhaust air stream at an elevation above said air blower assembly;

an air passageway directly connecting an exhaust port of said blower assembly to said vertically oriented elongate air outlet, wherein said air passageway comprises an air directing component comprising an elongate curved member that directs said high velocity exhaust air stream from said blower assembly toward said vertically oriented elongate air outlet; and

a velocity to thrust ratio, wherein a maximum velocity of said exhaust air stream measured about 8 feet from said air outlet divided by a maximum thrust generated by said exhaust air stream in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the flow of said exhaust air stream as it exits said air outlet is about 500;

1 or greater.