Fan assembly

• US 8,967,980 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Fitton, Nicholas Gerald, Thorn, James John, Stickney, Timothy Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): LETTMAN, BRYAN MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US13/275,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20120093630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 239/265.17, 239/434.5, 239/561, 239/568, 239/DIG.7, 239/565, 417/76, 417/79, 417/84, 417/155, 417/177, 417/179, 417/182, 417/188, 417/198, 417/349, 417/423.14, 417/424.1, 417/157, 417/277, 417/178, 415/51, 415/119, 415/126, 415/127, 416/9, 416/13, 416/16, 416/117, 416/118, 416/119
• US Class Current: 417/178
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/00 Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 5/16 displacing elastic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 5/46 Arrangements of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 5/461 Adjustable nozzles

Abstract

A fan assembly includes a nozzle and a system for creating a primary air flow through the nozzle. The nozzle includes an outlet for emitting the primary air flow, and defines an opening through which a secondary air flow from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the primary air flow emitted from the outlet. To allow a parameter of an air flow, formed from the combination of the primary and secondary air flows, to be adjusted by a user, the nozzle has an adjustable configuration.

Claims

1. A fan assembly comprising a nozzle and a system for creating a primary air flow through the nozzle, the nozzle comprising at least one outlet for emitting the primary air flow directly into a secondary air flow from outside the fan assembly, the nozzle defining an opening through which the secondary air flow from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the primary air flow emitted from said at least one outlet, wherein the nozzle has an adjustable configuration, wherein the nozzle comprises a first part and a second part which is moveable relative to the first part, and wherein the first part and the second part of the nozzle are located downstream from the at least one outlet.

2. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the nozzle is adjustable between a number of settings.

3. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle is moveable relative to the opening.

4. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle is moveable relative to the at least one outlet.

5. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle is located downstream of the at least one outlet.

6. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle is rotatable relative to the first part of the nozzle.

7. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle is slidably moveable relative to the first part of the nozzle.

8. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle is mounted on an external surface of the nozzle.

9. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle is moveable relative to the first part of the nozzle between a stowed position and a deployed position.

10. The fan assembly of claim 9, wherein, in the stowed position, the second part of the nozzle is shielded from the primary air flow.

11. The fan assembly of claim 9, wherein the first part of the nozzle is maintained in a fixed position relative to the at least one outlet as the second part of the nozzle is moved between the stowed position and the deployed position.

12. The fan assembly of claim 9, wherein, in the deployed position, the second part of the nozzle is located downstream from the first part of the nozzle.

13. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle comprises a flow guiding member.

14. The fan assembly of claim 13, wherein at least one of the position and the orientation of the flow guiding member relative to the at least one air outlet is adjustable.

15. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the first part of the nozzle comprises a surface over which the at least one outlet is arranged to direct the primary air flow.

16. The fan assembly of claim 15, wherein said surface comprises a cutaway portion, and wherein the second part of the nozzle is moveable relative to said surface to at least partially cover said cutaway portion.

17. The fan assembly of claim 16, wherein said surface comprises a plurality of cutaway portions, and wherein the second part of the nozzle is moveable relative to said surface to at least partially cover at least one of the cutaway portions.

18. The fan assembly of claim 17, wherein the second part of the nozzle is moveable relative to said surface to at least partially cover simultaneously each of the cutaway portions.

19. The fan assembly of claim 17, wherein the cutaway portions are regularly spaced about the nozzle.

20. The fan assembly of claim 16, wherein the, or each, cutaway portion is located at or towards a front edge of the nozzle.

21. The fan assembly of claim 15, wherein the second part of the nozzle is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the second part of the nozzle is located downstream from said surface.

22. The fan assembly of claim 21, wherein, in the stowed position, the second part of the nozzle extends about said surface.

23. The fan assembly of claim 21, wherein, in the stowed position, at least part of the second part of the nozzle is located within the nozzle.

24. The fan assembly of claim 21, wherein the second part of the nozzle tapers inwardly relative to the surface over which the at least one outlet is arranged to direct the air flow.

25. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the second part of the nozzle is generally annular in shape.

26. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the size and the shape of the opening is fixed.

27. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the size, the shape and the position of the at least one outlet is fixed.

28. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is in the form of a loop extending about the opening.

29. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one outlet extends about the opening.

30. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one outlet is substantially annular in shape.

31. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is mounted on a base housing said system for creating a primary air flow.