Columnar air moving devices, systems and methods

• US 9,335,061 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airius Ip Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Airius Ip Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Avedon, Raymond B.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JONG SUK
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, William N
• Application Number:
  US13/517,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20130027950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 362/368, 362/404, 362/408, 362/147, 362/96, 362/149, 362/373, 362/364
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/06 the pump being electrically driven F04D25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/088 Ceiling fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/002 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/325 for axial flow fans blade mountings F04D29/34, blades F04D29/38
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/522 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/542 Bladed diffusers fixing blades to stators F01D9/042
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/545 Ducts
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/547 having a special shape in order to influence fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/673 the fans being used for intake
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0088 Ventilating systems lighting fixtures combined with outlets for air treatment systems F24F13/078
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/078 combined with lighting fixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/065 fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct

Abstract

An air moving device includes a housing member, a rotary fan assembly, and a nozzle. The air moving device further includes a light source member mounted within the nozzle. The light source member can be placed within a flow of air moving out the end of the nozzle in a generally columnar pattern. The flow of air can be used to cool the light source member. A portion of the nozzle can be transparent, allowing the light from the light source member to emanate radially, as well as longitudinally.

Claims

1. An air moving device comprising:

a housing member forming an interior space within the air moving device, the housing member comprising at least one opening for directing a volume of air into the interior space;

a rotary fan assembly mounted within the interior space, the rotary fan assembly comprising an impeller and a plurality of blades for directing a volume of air in a first direction toward a target space to be de-stratified;

an elongate nozzle communicating with and extending substantially in said first direction from the rotary fan assembly, the elongate nozzle comprising at least one structure for directing the volume of air substantially in said first direction out of a bottom of the air moving device in a generally columnar manner;

a light source member positioned at least partially within the nozzle, the light source member configured to direct light out of the air moving device to at least partially illuminate said target space, the light source member having a light housing and an inside chamber positioned within a flow of the volume of air being directed downwardly through the nozzle and out of the air moving device, the inside chamber of the light housing separated from a surrounding portion of the interior space by a light housing wall; and

at least one opening in the light housing wall between the interior space of the housing member and the inside chamber of the light source member, the at least one opening located between the rotary fan assembly and the bottom of the air moving device;

wherein the light source member comprises a light engine, the chamber configured to direct a first portion of the volume of air inside the light housing wall and over the light engine so as to cool the light engine, wherein a second portion of the volume of air is directed around an outside of the light housing wall; and

wherein the second portion of the volume of air does not enter the light housing.

2. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises at least one stator vane for directing the volume of air in said first direction in a generally columnar manner out of the air moving device.

3. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the light source member comprises an LED light engine.

4. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the light source member comprises a bulb, and wherein the flow of the volume of air in the nozzle is directly alongside a surface of the bulb.

5. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the housing member comprises an outer housing having a generally cylindrical shape.

6. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the light source member is attached to the nozzle.

7. The air moving device of claim 6, wherein the light source member is connected to a power source.

8. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises an inwardly recessed portion forming a venturi through the nozzle.

9. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises at least one joint portion, wherein two portions of the nozzle are joined together.

10. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the nozzle is transparent.

11. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the air moving device comprises a support member, the air moving device being suspended from a structure by the support member.

12. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the air moving device is mounted within a ceiling structure.

14. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the inside chamber of the light source member is positioned radially within and surrounded by a primary flow path of the volume of air being directed downwardly through the nozzle and out of the air moving device.

15. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the inside chamber narrows between the one or more openings and the bottom of the air moving device.

19. The air moving device of claim 1, wherein the chamber has an hour-glass shape.

13. An air moving device comprising:

a housing member forming an interior space within the air moving device, the housing member comprising at least one opening at a top end for directing a volume of air into the interior space, the housing member comprising a top of the air moving device;

a rotary fan assembly mounted within the interior space, the rotary fan assembly comprising an impeller and a plurality of blades for directing a volume of air out of the air moving device;

an elongate nozzle communicating with and extending from the rotary fan assembly, the elongate nozzle comprising at least one structure for directing the volume of air out of the air moving device at a bottom end of the elongate nozzle in a generally columnar manner, the elongate nozzle comprising a bottom of the air moving device;

a light source member positioned at least partially within the nozzle at the bottom end of the elongate nozzle, the light source member configured to direct light out of the air moving device, the light source member positioned within a secondary flow path of the volume of air being directed through the nozzle and out of the air moving device, the secondary flow path separated from a primary flow path of the volume of air by an internal wall; and

one or more openings through the internal wall within the elongate nozzle between the interior space of the housing member and the secondary flow path, the one or more openings permitting a portion of the volume of air being directed through the nozzle to be directed into the secondary flow path;

wherein the primary flow path does not extend inside the internal wall.

16. The air moving device of claim 13, wherein the secondary flow path is positioned radially within a primary flow path of the volume of air being directed downwardly through the nozzle and out of the air moving device.

17. The air moving device of claim 13, wherein the secondary flow path narrows between the one or more openings.

18. An air moving device comprising:

an outer housing having an interior volume with an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end;

a rotary fan assembly positioned at least partially within the interior volume of the outer housing, the rotary fan including an impeller configured to direct air from the inlet of the outer housing toward the outlet of the outer housing;

a primary flow path within the interior volume of the outer housing;

a light housing positioned at least partially within the interior volume of the outer housing, the light housing having a light housing wall defining an inner chamber positioned at least partially radially within the primary flow path of the outer housing with respect to a longitudinal axis of the air moving device;

one or more openings through the light housing wall providing fluid communication between the inner chamber of the light housing and the primary flow path within the outer housing, the one or more openings configured to direct a portion of the air exiting the impeller into a secondary flow path through the inner chamber of the light housing, the one or more openings positioned between the impeller and the outlet of the outer housing; and

a light unit positioned at least partially in the secondary flow path;

wherein the primary flow path does not extend inside the light housing wall.