Light fixture with air handler

• US 9,696,026 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2013
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Neal Hardgrave
• Original Assignee: Eric Neal Hardgrave
• Inventors: Hardgrave, Eric Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): Guharay, Karabi
• Application Number:
  US14/052,766
• Time in Patent Office: 1,360 Days
• Field of Search: 362147, 362 96, 362294, 362406
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/088 Ceiling fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/036 by means of a rigid support, e.g. bracket or arm
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/065 multi-branched, e.g. a chandelier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/104 Pendants
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0092 with heating or cooling devices
• 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: F21V 5/06 Hanging lustres for chandeliers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/30 Lighting for domestic or personal use
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/02 combined with lighting fixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/108 using dry filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/158 using active carbon

Abstract

A combination fan and light unit comprises a housing surrounding a coaxial fan disposed such that air impelled by the fan passes through the housing and is directed as desired by orienting the housing or by diffusers disposed across the air path. Disposed above and/or below the housing, a light optionally enclosed within a globe coupled to the housing also provides illumination from the fan light unit. Fan light units may be arrayed in various configurations, including single or multiple sconce arrays supported on walls, one or more pendant fan lights suspended from ceilings, satellite fan lights arrayed around a central body at the ends of radial arms to form a fan chandelier or in many other configurations to achieve both aesthetic lighting and directed air flow. The fan lights preferably have separate controls, and multiple units in a collective array such as a fan chandelier may be individually or collectively controllable. The fan light units may include heater strips to warm the air and filters to clean the air as it passes through the air handler.

Claims

1. A light fixture comprising:

a first body, the first body including a mounting bracket for attaching the light fixture to another object;

a second body, the second body including

an internal fan for producing an air stream, the fan having an axis of rotation, a light socket configured for coupling with a light source, such that the light socket and the light source are located along the axis of rotation when the light source is operably coupled with the light socket, and such that the light socket supports and provides electrical power to the light source when the light source is operably coupled with the light socket,

a fan shroud member coupled to the fan and the light socket, the fan shroud member being coaxial with the axis of rotation and the fan shroud member extending circumferentially about the axis of rotation and around the fan, such that at least part of the fan is concealed by the fan shroud member but the fan shroud member does not conceal the light source when the light source is operably coupled with the light socket, and

an outlet diffuser coupled to an outlet side of the fan shroud member, the outlet diffuser having numerous guide vanes, such that the outlet diffuser, the fan shroud member, and the internal fan are configured so that during operation of the internal fan when the light fixture is operably installed in a room, (i) the air stream generated by the internal fan exits the outlet side of the fan shroud member along the axis of rotation while entering the outlet diffuser, and (ii) the air stream is divided and segments of the air stream are redirected according to a respective angle of each of the guide vanes toward a targeted area in the room and outside of the light fixture, wherein the targeted area is limited to a partial region of the room; and

a first arm extending between and coupling the first body to the second body, such that the second body is supported by the first body via the first arm.

2. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the first arm has a curved shape.

3. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the first arm extends generally horizontally when the light fixture is operably attached to another object.

4. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the first arm is located above the fan and the fan is located between the light socket and the first arm.

5. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the first arm is located below the fan and the fan is located between the light socket and the first arm.

6. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the first arm is located horizontally adjacent to the fan, and the fan shroud member is located between the fan and the first arm.

7. The light fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a light globe coupled to the light socket, such that the light globe extends circumferentially about the axis of rotation and around the light source when the light source is operably coupled with the light socket.

8. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is generally disc-shaped.

9. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein at least one of the guide vanes is moveable.

10. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is removably coupled to the fan shroud member.

11. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is located between the fan and the light socket.

12. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the fan is located between the diffuser and the light socket.

13. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture has a chandelier light configuration.

14. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture has a pendant light configuration.

15. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture has a track light configuration.

16. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture has a sconce light configuration.

17. The light fixture of claim 1, comprising multiple internal fans, each of the internal fans being individually controllable for fan speed.

18. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the second body further comprises a light globe located along the axis of rotation, the light globe having a distal open mouth portion, such that the air stream is channeled at least partially through the light globe during operation of the fan.

19. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is generally disc-shaped.

20. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein each of the guide vanes has a generally flat planar shape.

21. A light fixture comprising:

a fan for producing an air stream, the fan having an axis of rotation;

a light socket located along the axis of rotation;

a fan shroud member being coaxial with the axis of rotation and extending circumferentially about the axis of rotation and around the fan, such that at least part of the fan is concealed by the fan shroud member but the fan shroud member is not concealing at least part of the light socket; and

an outlet diffuser coupled to an outlet side of the fan shroud member, the outlet diffuser having numerous guide vanes, such that the outlet diffuser, the fan shroud member, and the internal fan are configured so that during operation of the internal fan when the light fixture is operably installed in a room, (i) the air stream generated by the internal fan exits the outlet side of the fan shroud member along the axis of rotation while entering the outlet diffuser, and (ii) the air stream is divided and segments of the air stream are redirected according to a respective angle of each of the guide vanes toward a targeted area in the room and outside of the light fixture, wherein the targeted area is limited to a partial region of the room.

22. The light fixture of claim 21, wherein at least one of the guide vanes is moveable.

23. The light fixture of claim 21, wherein the diffuser is removably coupled to the fan shroud member.

24. The light fixture of claim 21, wherein the diffuser is located between the fan and the light socket.

25. The light fixture of claim 21, wherein the fan is located between the diffuser and the light socket.

26. The light fixture of claim 21, wherein the diffuser is generally disc-shaped.

27. The light fixture of claim 21, wherein each of the guide vanes has a generally flat planar shape.

28. A light fixture comprising:

a first body, the first body including a mounting bracket;

a second body, the second body including a fan located within the second body for producing an air stream, the fan having an axis of rotation, a light socket located along the axis of rotation,

a fan shroud member being coaxial with the axis of rotation and extending circumferentially about the axis of rotation and around the fan, such that at least part of the fan is concealed by the fan shroud member, and

an outlet diffuser coupled to the fan shroud member, wherein the outlet diffuser is generally disc-shaped;

the outlet diffuser having numerous guide vanes, such that the outlet diffuser, the fan shroud member, and the fan are configured so that during operation of the fan when the light fixture is operably installed in a room, (i) the air stream generated by the fan exits the fan shroud member while entering the outlet diffuser, and (ii) the air stream is redirected by the guide vanes toward a targeted area in the room and outside of the light fixture, wherein the targeted area is limited to a partial region of the room; and

a first arm extending between and coupling the first body to the second body, such that the second body is supported by the first body via the first arm.

29. The light fixture of claim 28, wherein the diffuser is located between the fan and the light socket.

30. The light fixture of claim 28, wherein the fan is located between the diffuser and the light socket.

31. The light fixture of claim 28, wherein the fan shroud member does not conceal at least part of the light socket.

32. The light fixture of claim 28, wherein the guide vanes causes the air stream to be divided and segments of the air stream are redirected according to a respective angle of each of the guide vanes when the air stream exits the fan shroud member via the diffuser.

33. The light fixture of claim 28, wherein each of the guide vanes has a generally flat planar shape.