Fan assembly

• US 8,714,937 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Fitton, Nicholas Gerald, Sutton, John Scott, Gammack, Peter David, Dyson, James, Wallace, John David, Smith, Arran George
• Primary Examiner(s): LETTMAN, BRYAN MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US13/481,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20120230658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 239/265.17, 239/434.5, 239/561, 239/568, 239/DIG.7, 417/76, 417/84, 417/155, 417/177, 417/198
• US Class Current: 417/84
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/441 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 5/16 displacing elastic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 5/46 Arrangements of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/01 in which secondary air is induced by injector action of the primary air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/26 Arrangements for air-circulation by means of induction, e.g. by fluid coupling or thermal effect
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/28 using the Coanda effect
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/06 with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/065 fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 3/0417 portable or mobile

Abstract

A bladeless fan assembly for creating an air current includes a nozzle mounted on a base housing a device for creating an air flow. The nozzle includes an interior passage for receiving the air flow and a mouth for emitting the air flow. The nozzle defines, and extends about, an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the air flow emitted from the mouth. The nozzle also includes a heater for heating the air flow upstream of the mouth.

Claims

1. A bladeless fan assembly for creating an air current, the fan assembly comprising:

a device for creating an air flow;

a nozzle comprising an inner casing section, an outer casing section extending about the inner casing section, an interior passage located between the outer casing section and the inner casing section for receiving the air flow, and a mouth for emitting the air flow, the inner casing section extending about an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the air flow emitted from the mouth, the inner casing section comprising a curved lower section, a curved upper section, and two side sections extending between the lower section and the upper section, each side section being located on a respective side of the opening; and

a plurality of heaters, each of the plurality of heaters being located at least partially within the nozzle and adjacent a respective side section of the inner casing section.

2. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior passage is annular.

3. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heaters comprises a ceramic heater.

4. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heaters comprises a plurality of heat radiating fins.

5. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is in thermal contact with the interior passage.

6. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is configured to heat the air drawn through the opening by the air flow emitted from the mouth.

7. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the mouth comprises an outlet located between the external surface of the inner casing section of the nozzle and an internal surface of the outer casing section of the nozzle.

8. The fan assembly of claim 7, wherein the outlet is in the form of a slot.

9. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the outlet has a width in the range from 0.5 to 5 mm.

10. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is arranged to heat the inner casing section of the nozzle.

11. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is located at least partially within the interior passage of the nozzle.

12. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is connected to the internal surface of the inner casing section of the nozzle.

13. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the mouth comprises a plurality of outlets spaced about the opening.

14. A nozzle for a fan assembly for creating an air current, the nozzle comprising an inner casing section, an outer casing section extending about the inner casing section, an interior passage located between the outer casing section and the inner casing section for receiving an air flow, and a mouth for emitting the air flow, the inner casing section extending about an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the air flow emitted from the mouth, the inner casing section comprising a curved lower section, a curved upper section, and two side sections extending between the lower section and the upper section, each side section being located on a respective side of the opening;

and

a plurality of heaters, each of the plurality of heaters being located at least partially within the nozzle and adjacent a respective side section of the inner casing section.

15. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein the interior passage is annular.

16. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of heaters comprises a ceramic heater.

17. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of heaters comprises a plurality of heat radiating fins.

18. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is in thermal contact with the interior passage.

19. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is configured to heat the air drawn through the opening by the air flow emitted from the mouth.

20. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein the mouth comprises an outlet located between the external surface of the inner casing section of the nozzle and an internal surface of the outer casing section of the nozzle.

21. The nozzle of claim 20, wherein the outlet is in the form of a slot.

22. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein the outlet has a width in the range from 0.5 to 5 mm.

23. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is arranged to heat the inner casing section of the nozzle.

24. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is located at least partially within the interior passage of the nozzle.

25. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is connected to the internal surface of the inner casing section of the nozzle.

26. The nozzle of claim 14, wherein the mouth comprises a plurality of outlets spaced about the opening.