U.S. patent application number 11/622307 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-19 for temperature displaying fan.
Invention is credited to William G. Hones, Harold G. Middleton.
Application Number | 20070166148 11/622307 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38263343 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070166148 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Middleton; Harold G. ; et
al. |
July 19, 2007 |
TEMPERATURE DISPLAYING FAN
Abstract
An electric fan assembly has a rotating fan blade mounted with
an array of light emitting devices; a thermistor mounted on the fan
blade and providing an analog signal corresponding to a sensed
temperature, a fan blade position synchronizing switch and a
microcontroller and display driver having an analog to digital
converter. The microcontroller and display driver is connected to
receive the signals from the thermistor and synchronizing switch
and programmed to selectively power the light emitting devices when
the fan blade is in a synchronized position to provide an alpha
numeric display of the ambient temperature by a
persistence-of-vision effect.
Inventors: |
Middleton; Harold G.;
(Seattle, WA) ; Hones; William G.; (Seattle,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROBERT W. J. USHER;PATENT AGENT
1133 BROADWAY, #1515
NEW YORK
NY
10010
US
|
Family ID: |
38263343 |
Appl. No.: |
11/622307 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60759184 |
Jan 13, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/118 ;
374/210 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 29/38 20130101;
F04D 29/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/118 ;
374/210 |
International
Class: |
F04D 29/00 20060101
F04D029/00; E21B 47/06 20060101 E21B047/06 |
Claims
1. A rotary electric fan assembly for sensing and displaying
ambient environmental temperature by a persistence-of-vision effect
comprising: a housing; an electric motor mounted in said housing;
means for connection to a power supply; a fan blade assembly
connected for rotation by the motor; a temperature sensor mounted
on the fan blade assembly for providing an analog electrical output
signal corresponding to a temperature sensed; an LED array mounted
on a fan blade so as to be swept by fan blade rotation through an
area in view of a spectator; synchronizing means for providing a
synchronizing signal indicating a rotational position of the fan
blade assembly; means for receiving the analog electrical output
signal from the temperature sensor and for converting the analog
signal to a corresponding digital output signal; and, a
microcontroller and display driver connected to receive the digital
output signal and the synchronizing signal and for providing a
output selectively lighting LEDs of the array in accordance with
the sensed temperature and rotational position of the fan blade
assembly, so that the temperature of ambient air will be sensed and
displayed in the area swept by the fan blade by the
persistence-of-vision effect.
2. A rotary electric fan assembly according to claim 1 wherein the
means for receiving the analog electrical output signal from the
temperature sensor and for converting the analog signal to a
corresponding digital output signal is combined as a package with
the microcontroller.
3. A rotary electric fan assembly according to claim 1 wherein the
temperature sensor is mounted on a fan blade of the fan blade
assembly so that the temperature of ambient air will be sensed
while passing through the fan blade assembly.
4. A rotary electric fan assembly according to claim 3 wherein the
LED array, the microcontroller and display driver; and the
temperature sensor are mounted on a common circuit board attached
to a common fan blade.
5. A rotary electric fan assembly according to claim 4 wherein the
synchronizing means comprises a phototransistor mounted on the
common circuit board and a LED mounted on the housing and aligned
for momentary registration with each other during each rotation of
the fan blade assembly to provide the synchronizing signal.
6. A rotary electric fan assembly for sensing and displaying
ambient environmental temperature by a persistence-of-vision effect
comprising: a housing; an electric motor mounted in said housing;
means for connection to a power supply; a fan blade assembly
connected for rotation by the motor; a temperature sensor mounted
on a portion of the fan assembly at a location remote from a heat
generating region for providing an analog electrical output signal
corresponding to a sensed temperature; an LED array mounted on the
a fan blade so as to be swept through an area in view of a
spectator by fan blade rotation; synchronizing means for providing
a signal indicating a rotational position of the fan blade
assembly; an analog to digital converter for converting the analog
electric output signal from the temperature sensor into a
corresponding digital output signal, and, a microcontroller and
display driver connected to receive the signals from the analog to
digital converter and the synchronizing means and programmed to
provide a output signal to selectively light LEDs of the array in
accordance with the sensed temperature and rotational position of
the fan blade assembly, so that the temperature of ambient air will
be sensed and displayed in the area through which the LED array
rotates by the persistence-of-vision effect.
7. A rotary electric fan assembly according to claim 1 wherein the
analog to digital converter is combined as a package with the
microcontroller.
8. A rotary electric fan assembly for displaying information/data
by a persistence-of-vision effect of a type comprising: a housing;
an electric motor mounted in said housing; means for connection to
a power supply; a fan blade assembly mounted for rotation by the
motor; an LED array mounted on the fan blade so as to be swept
through an area in view of a spectator by fan blade rotation;
synchronizing means for providing a signal indicating a rotational
position of the fan blade assembly; a microcontroller and display
driver connected to LEDs of the array and supplied with data to be
displayed and programmed to provide a digital output to selectively
light LEDs in conjunction with signals from the synchronizing means
to display the supplied data by the persistence-of-vision effect,
the improvement residing in that means for supplying display data
to the microcontroller and display driver comprises a temperature
sensor provided on a portion of the fan assembly remote from a heat
generating region thereof so that the data displayed corresponds to
the ambient temperature sensed by the temperature sensor.
9. A rotary electric fan assembly according to claim 7 wherein data
supplied by the temperature sensor is in analog form and the
microcontroller and display driver includes an analog to digital
converter.
10. An electric fan assembly for displaying information/data by a
persistence-of-vision effect of a type having a rotating fan blade
mounted with an array of light emitting devices; a data supply; a
fan blade position synchronizing switch; and, a microcontroller and
display driver connected to the data supply and to the
synchronizing switch so as to selectively power the light emitting
devices to display the data in an area swept by the fan blade
during rotation by a persistence-of-vision effect, wherein the data
is supplied by a temperature sensor mounted on a portion of the
electric fan assembly remote from a heat generating region thereof
so that the ambient air temperature is displayed.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Priority is claimed from application No. 60/759,184 filed
Jan. 13, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a rotary electric fan assembly that
senses the ambient temperature and displays the ambient temperature
by the persistence-of-vision effect.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] There are numerous devices of the prior art, including
electric fan assemblies, that provide rotating LED arrays to
produce images displaying information/data by the
persistence-of-vision or after-image effect.
[0004] For example, US 2002/0135541 published Sep. 26, 2002, issued
as U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,303 to Kowalewski teaches a rotating display
system in which a series of individually powered LED's are swept in
a cylindrical plane to display externally generated text and
graphics, including, possibly, stock quotes; and, U.S. Pat. No.
6,037,876 issued March 2000 to Crouch teaches a lighted message fan
assembly having a row of individually powered, fan blade mounted
light sources for displaying internally generated or externally
communicated images. The disclosures of the above two publications
are incorporated herein by reference.
[0005] However, none of the prior art teaches a rotary electric fan
assembly which both senses the ambient temperature and displays the
sensed temperature by a persistence-of-vision effect, or senses and
displays any other ambient environmental state, by a
persistence-of-vision effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An object of the invention is to provide a rotary electric
fan assembly which both senses the ambient temperature and displays
the ambient temperature by the persistence-of-vision effect.
[0007] An additional object of the invention is to provide such fan
assembly which senses the temperature of the air as it actually
passes through the fan blade assembly.
[0008] A further object of the invention is to provide such fan
wherein a temperature sensor is mounted on the fan blade, remote
from parts of the fan assembly subject to heating by the fan
mechanism so that the temperature of the ambient air is measured
accurately.
[0009] According to one aspect, the invention provides an electric
fan assembly of a type having a rotating fan blade mounted with an
array of light emitting devices; a data supply, a fan blade
position synchronizing switch and, a microcontroller and display
driver for selectively powering the light emitting devices when the
fan blade is in a synchronized position for displaying the data by
a persistence-of-vision effect, wherein the data is supplied by a
temperature sensor mounted on a portion of the electric fan
assembly remote from a heat generating region thereof so that the
ambient air temperature is displayed in an area swept by the fan
blade during rotation.
[0010] The resulting fan display is both amusing and informative to
users in displaying the ambient environmental air temperature.
[0011] As temperature is an analog quantity, an analog to digital
converter is in practice necessary to provide digital signals to
drive the LED array. Such analog to digital converter may be
provided as a separate unit, combined as a package with the
temperature sensor itself, or combined as a package with the
microcontroller.
[0012] The temperature sensor may be mounted on the fan blade
assembly, preferably on the fan blade, so that the temperature of
ambient air will be sensed while passing through the fan blade
assembly permitting an extremely accurate result corresponding to
the temperature of the air steam actually being blown towards the
user.
[0013] It is further preferred that the LED array, the
microcontroller and display driver; and the temperature sensor are
mounted on a common circuit board attached to a common fan
blade.
[0014] This provides a compact structure which can be assembled by
conventional mass production techniques enabling economic high
volume production.
[0015] It is additionally preferred that the synchronizing means
comprises a phototransistor mounted on the common circuit board on
the fan blade and aligned for momentary registration with a LED
mounted in the fan housing during each rotation of the fan blade
assembly to provide the synchronizing signal.
[0016] This enables all three active elements to be assembled with
the fan blade as a single unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In order that the invention may be readily understood a
specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example
only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a temperature
sensing and displaying fan according to the invention with the fan
guard omitted for clarity;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line
2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic front elevation of the fan in
operation displaying a sensed temperature;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the main elements of the
temperature sensing and displaying circuit of the fan;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the power supplying elements
shown in FIG. 4; and,
[0023] FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the temperature sensing and
displaying element shown in FIG. 4.
PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION
[0024] As shown in FIG. 1-3, the temperature sensing and displaying
fan 1 comprises a pedestal base 2 supporting a housing 3 for a fan
motor 4 having a stator winding 5 surrounding a rotor winding 6
fixed on one end of drive shaft 7. The other end of the drive shaft
protrudes out from the motor housing 3 and is fixed to hub 8 which
is molded in one piece with fan blades 9 to form fan blade assembly
10. The drive shaft 7 also carries a secondary winding 11 of a 1:1
rotary transformer 12.
[0025] A circuit board mounted rectifier/filter and high frequency
inverter unit 13 is mounted in the motor housing 3 and has a low
voltage power input tap 14 from the motor stator winding 5 and
power output leads 15 and 17, respectively, connected to an
infra-red LED 16 of a synchronizing switch on a front of the motor
housing 3, behind the fan blades, and to the primary winding 18 of
the rotary transformer 12, respectively.
[0026] A circuit board mounted rectifier/filter and voltage
regulator unit 19 is fixed in a rear cavity 20 in the hub 8. An IR
phototransistor 22, microcontroller 23 and thermistor 24 are
mounted on the display circuit board 25 and a single row LED array
27 is mounted displaced therefrom on a front face. The circuit
board is fastened to the rear face of one of the fan blades so that
the LED array 27 is aligned with a radially extending window 27 in
the blade and the phototransistor is radially aligned with the LED
16 for momentary switching registration therewith during each
rotation of the fan blade to provide the synchronization
switch.
[0027] Mains power is supplied to the motor via power cord 29 by
operation of power switch 30 mounted on the motor housing 3 so that
the LED array is lit during each blade rotation to display a
numerical indication 31 of ambient temperature sensed by the
thermistor 24 at the top of the swept area and the unit of
measurement 32 at the bottom, as shown in FIG. 3.
[0028] In summary, as shown in FIG. 4, the main circuit elements
comprise a rectifier/filter and high frequency inverter 13
connected to a winding to tap at reduced voltage from the stator of
fan motor 4. The high frequency inverter 13 provides a low voltage
dc to the IR LED 16 and a high frequency square wave (e.g 18 KHz)
to the primary 18 of the rotary transformer 12. The
rectifier/filter and voltage regulator 19 is connected to the
transformer secondary 11 to receive the high frequency square wave
induced therein and to provide a rectified and regulated dc output
to power thermistor 24, photo transistor 22, the
microcontroller/analog to digital converter/display driver 23 and
the LED array 26.
[0029] As shown in detail in FIG. 5, a rectifying stage 35 of the
rectifier/filter and high frequency inverter 13 is constituted by a
set of rectifying diodes D21-D24 in parallel with filter capacitor
C21 connected to provide a smoothed low voltage dc to IR LED D25
(16), biased by resistor R21, for continuous operation and to the
high frequency inverter stage 36 comprising IC U21, (part TL494
manufactured by Texas instruments of Dallas Tex. with the pulse
width modulating facility inoperative). Resistors R22 and C22
determine the oscillating frequency. IC U21 is connected to drive a
push-pull H-bridge in which pairs of transistors Q21,Q24 and Q22,
Q23 are respectively driven alternately by IC ports C1,E1 and C2,
E2 to provide a square wave to the primary 18 of the rotary
transformer 12. Diodes D26-D29 clamp high voltage transients that
develop across the primary 18 of rotary transformer 12.
[0030] In rectifier/filter and voltage regulator 19, the square
wave induced in the secondary 11 is rectified and smoothed by a set
of rectifying diodes D11-D14 in parallel with smoothing filter
capacitor C11 and output to voltage regulator U11, (part LM317
manufactured by National Semiconductor of Santa Clara, Calif.).
Resistors R11 and R12 set up the correct regulatory response of the
voltage regulator. The output from voltage regulator U11 in
conjunction with transient response improving capacitor C12,
supplies low voltage dc (e.g 3 v) for operation of the thermistor
24, phototransistor 22 of the synchronization switch, the
microcontroller, analog to digital converter and display driver 23
and, to the LED array 26, shown in FIG. 6.
[0031] The microcontroller, analog to digital converter, and
display driver 23 (U1) are parts of a C8051F334 manufactured by
Silicon Laboratories of Austin, Tex. C2CK and C2D are program
loading inputs to respective ports Rst/C2CK and P2.0/C2D of the
microcontroller. Capacitor C1 holds the microprocessor in reset
mode initially when turned on, until fully operational. The
thermistor 24 provides an analog voltage signal corresponding to
the sensed ambient temperature which is sampled by the analog to
digital converter of the microcontroller via port PO.3 and is
converted to a digital signal which selectively lights the arrayed
LEDs D1-D12 (26) at intervals during each rotation of the fan blade
in accordance with the rotational position as determined by the
programming of the microcontroller, synchronism being provided by
signals from the switching phototransistor 22 connected to port
PO.1. C2 is a by-pass capacitor.
[0032] Although synchronization is obtained by a LED and
phototransistor combination, other types of synchronizing switches
utilizing magnetic means such as reed switches and other
electromagnet devices or optical devices may be used.
[0033] The low voltage ac could be provided by a transformer
instead of from the motor winding tap
* * * * *