U.S. patent application number 11/544171 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-20 for motorized fan with whimsical figure appearance.
This patent application is currently assigned to Exhart Environmental Systems, Inc.. Invention is credited to Margaret Weiser.
Application Number | 20090208353 11/544171 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40955294 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090208353 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Weiser; Margaret |
August 20, 2009 |
Motorized fan with whimsical figure appearance
Abstract
A motorized fan with a whimsical figure appearance that has an
electric fan and a body member, and it may also have appendages and
a support base. The body member is connected to the electric fan
such that the electric fan is generally located within the body
member. The appendage may represent the arm, leg, tail, neck, wing,
head, tongue, quill, antenna, or other body part that is connected
to the body of the whimsical figure. There may be a plurality of
appendages. An appendage may further contain additional
embellishments to represent other features of the whimsical
figure's body, such as the brush at the end of a tail, feet,
hooves, the figure's head, fins, flippers, hands, ears, horns,
feathers, or whiskers. Preferably, the whimsical figure is the
characterization of an animal.
Inventors: |
Weiser; Margaret; (Tarzana,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Cislo & Thomas LLP
1333 2nd Street, Suite #500
Santa Monica
CA
90401-4110
US
|
Assignee: |
Exhart Environmental Systems,
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
40955294 |
Appl. No.: |
11/544171 |
Filed: |
October 5, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/410.1 ;
416/247R; 446/268; 446/484 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 25/08 20130101;
A63H 3/003 20130101; F04D 29/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/410.1 ;
446/484; 446/268; 416/247.R |
International
Class: |
F04B 35/04 20060101
F04B035/04; A63H 29/22 20060101 A63H029/22; A63H 33/00 20060101
A63H033/00; F04D 29/70 20060101 F04D029/70 |
Claims
1. A motorized fan having a whimsical animal appearance,
comprising: (a) an electric fan, the electric fan comprising an
electric motor having an output shaft, a plurality of fan blades
connected to the output shaft of the electric motor, a protective
guard surrounding the electric motor and the plurality of fan
blades, and a power cord to provide electric power to the electric
motor; (b) a body member, the body member being connected to the
electric fan such that the electric fan is generally centered
within the body member, the body member being shaped and
dimensioned to represent a body portion of a whimsical animal, the
body member having at least one side to reveal the electric fan for
drawing air into the body member, and the body member having
another side configured to allow airflow therethrough; (c) at least
one appendage, the at least one appendage comprising a helical
spring and being positioned on the body member to represent the
arm, leg, tail, or neck of an animal; and (d) a support base
connected to the body member for supporting the motorized fan
wherein the combination of the electric fan, the body member, the
at least one appendage, and the support base provide the appearance
of a whimsical animal.
2. A novelty incorporating a powered fan, comprising: (a) a
cowling, shaped and dimensioned to represent a body portion of a
whimsical figure; (b) an electric fan connected to the cowling; and
(c) at least one appendage attached to the cowling; wherein the
combination of the cowling and the at least one appendage provide
the general appearance of the whimsical figure.
3. The novelty fan of claim 2, the electric fan comprising an
electric motor having an output shaft, a plurality of fan blades
connected to the output shaft of the electric motor, a protective
guard surrounding the electric motor and the plurality of fan
blades, and a power cord to provide electric power to the electric
motor.
4. The novelty fan of claim 2, the electric fan being generally
within the cowling.
5. The novelty fan of claim 4, the cowling further having an inlet
side for drawing air into the electric fan and an outlet side for
expelling air from the electric fan.
6. The novelty fan of claim 2, the at least one appendage
comprising a helical spring.
7. The novelty fan of claim 2, the at least one appendage further
comprising an embellishment, the embellishment being shaped and
dimensioned to represent a part of the whimsical figure's body
selected from the group consisting of: a brush at the end of a
tail, a foot, a hoof, a hand, a head, a fin, a flipper, an ear, a
horn, a feather, and a whisker.
8. The novelty fan of claim 2, further having an on-off switch.
9. The novelty fan of claim 2, the electric fan being generally
outside of the cowling.
10. The novelty fan of claim 2, the whimsical figure being a
whimsical animal.
11. The novelty fan of claim 2, the at least one appendage being
shaped and dimensioned to represent a part of the whimsical
figure's body selected from the group consisting of: an arm, a leg,
a tail, a neck, a wing, a head, a tongue, a quill, and an
antenna.
12. The novelty fan of claim 2, further comprising a support base
connected to the cowling.
13. The novelty fan of claim 12, the support base being decorated
to signify grass, water, dirt, or clouds.
14. A motorized fan having a whimsical figure appearance,
comprising (a) a central fan member defining a body representative
in contour of a main body portion of an animal and having at least
one support to mount a electric fan; the electric fan supported
from the at least one support; and (b) an at least one appendage
member peripherally disposed relative to the central fan member,
the at least one appendage member being representative of a
secondary body portion of the figure in whimsical configuration,
wherein the combination of the central fan member and the at least
one appendage member provides an appearance of a whimsical
figure.
15. The motorized fan of claim 14, the central fan member further
having a first side and a second side, the first side being shaped
and dimensioned to permit air to be drawn into the electric fan,
the second side being shaped and dimensioned to permit air to be
exhausted from the electric fan.
16. The motorized fan of claim 14, the at least one appendage
member being shaped and dimensioned to represent a part of the
whimsical figure's body selected from the group consisting of: an
arm, a leg, a tail, a neck, a wing, a head, a tongue, a quill, and
an antenna.
17. The motorized fan of claim 14, the at least one appendage
member comprising a spring.
18. A novelty of an animal having a body, the novelty comprising a
fan member representative of a main body portion of the animal in
contour and defining an enclosure and a head member peripherally
disposed relative to the body representative of a secondary body
portion of the animal, the fan member having coupled thereto at
least one support to mount an electric fan; an electric fan
supported from the at least one support, the electric fan being
configured to draw in air from a rear side of the electric fan and
expel air from a front side of the electric fan, the fan member
being fabricated of a see-through material and including a support
for the novelty.
19. The novelty of claim 18, the see-through material being a
reticulated material.
20. The novelty of claim 18 further comprising appendages
representative of the animal.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to a motorized fan incorporated into
the whimsical form of a figure, particularly an animal.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Various apparatuses exist to provide novelty devices having
fan mechanisms. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,331 to Weiser
shows a novelty with an incorporated fan. However, the existing
devices do not teach a motorized fan coupled to a whimsical figure,
particularly of an animal.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0003] The present invention is directed to a motorized fan with a
whimsical figure appearance that has an electric fan and a body
member, and it may also have appendages and a support base. The
body member is connected to the electric fan such that the electric
fan is generally located within the body member. The appendage may
represent the arm, leg, tail, neck, wing, head, tongue, quill,
antenna, or other body part that is connected to the body of the
whimsical figure. There may be a plurality of appendages. An
appendage may further contain additional embellishments to
represent other features of the whimsical figure's body, such as
the brush at the end of a tail, feet, hooves, a head, fins,
flippers, hands, ears, horns, feathers, or whiskers. Preferably,
the whimsical figure is the characterization of an animal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a motorized
fan with whimsical figure appearance.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a front side plan view of an embodiment of a
motorized fan with whimsical figure appearance.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a rear side plan view of an embodiment of a
motorized fan with whimsical figure appearance.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of the top of an embodiment of a
motorized fan with whimsical figure appearance.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0008] The detailed description set forth below in connection with
the appended drawings is intended as a description of
presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not
intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention
may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the
functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating
the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments.
However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent
functions and sequences may be accomplished by different
embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the
spirit and scope of the invention.
[0009] Referring to the figures, the present invention is directed
to a motorized fan with a whimsical figure appearance 10 that has
an electric fan 12, a body member 14, and at least one appendage
16. The motorized fan with a whimsical figure appearance 10 may
also have a support base 18. The whimsical figure is preferably the
characterization of a whimsical animal.
[0010] The electric fan 12 may have an electric motor 20 having an
output shaft 21, a plurality of fan blades 22 connected to the
output shaft 21 of the electric motor 20, a protective guard 24
surrounding the electric motor 20 and the plurality of fan blades
22, and a power cord 26 to provide electric power to the electric
motor 20.
[0011] The electric fan 12 may further have a switch for turning
the fan off and on. The switch may also select various speeds for
the fan ranging from a relatively high radial speed to a relatively
low radial speed. The switch may be located on the electric fan 12,
on the body member 14, on the power cord 26, on the support base 18
or in any other convenient location. In some embodiments, the
electric motor 20 may be powered by batteries rather than by the
power cord 26.
[0012] The body member 14, fan member, or cowling is connected to
the electric fan 12 such that the electric fan 12 is generally
located within the body member 14. The electric fan 12 may be
connected to the body member 14 by way of one or more fan mounts
15. In some embodiments, the electric fan 12 is generally centered
within the body member 14. The body member 14 may be semi-toroidal
in shape as depicted in the figures. Furthermore, the body member
14 may have a plurality of wire loops, with reticulate material,
such as mesh or screen, or spanning between the wire loops. The
wire loops may be generally parallel to each other to form a
generally rounded shape. Although the body member 14 is described
with reference to wire loops, it is also contemplated that the wire
forms can be various non-circular shapes, such as polygonal or
irregular shapes, to depict the body or portion of the body of the
whimsical figure to be characterized. Furthermore, the body member
14 may be formed without using wire forms, and in some embodiments
the body member 14 may have non-reticulate material. It is also
contemplated that the protective guard 24 may be the body member
14, and it is contemplated that the body member 14 might not
completely encircle or surround the electric fan 12. Furthermore,
although it is preferred that the electric fan 12 be generally
located within the body member 14, in some embodiments the electric
fan 12 may be located generally outside of the body member 14. In
embodiments where the electric fan 12 is generally located within
the body member 14, the body member 14 may have at least one side
to reveal the electric fan 12 and to permit air to be drawn into
the body member 14 by the electric fan 12. The body member 14 may
further have another side to allow airflow out of the body member
14.
[0013] The appendage 16 may represent the arm, leg, tail, neck,
wing, head, tongue, quill, antenna, or other secondary body portion
that is connected to the body of the whimsical figure. There may be
a plurality of appendages 16 connected to the body member 14. In
fact, a plurality of appendages 16 is preferred as that will
generally provide a better characterization of the whimsical figure
to be depicted. The appendage 16 may be a helical spring, a
straight or curved wire form, or various solid shapes to depict
body parts of the characterized figure. An appendage 16 may further
contain additional embellishments to represent other features, such
as the brush at the end of a tail, feet, hands, hooves, the
figure's head, fins, flippers, ears, horns, feathers, or
whiskers.
[0014] The support base 18 may be a flat plate or other supportive
surface. One or more appendages 16 may be connected to the support
base 18. In embodiments having appendages 16 that represent legs,
for example, the lower part of the leg, the foot, or the hoof
(where present) may be connected to the support base 18. Although
not required by all embodiments, the support base 18 provides
stability to the motorized fan with a whimsical figure appearance
10; it is useful to counter the forces exerted on the device by the
electric fan 12 and to provide structural integrity for the
appendage 16 or plurality of appendages 16, where necessary. The
support surface may further be decorated to represent or signify,
for example, grass, water, dirt, or clouds, as an appropriate
background for the characterized figure. While described as being a
supportive surface, it is also contemplated that the support base
18 need not be located underneath the remainder of the motorized
fan with a whimsical figure appearance 10. For example, the support
base 18 may be to the side of or above the remainder of the device.
Such alternative placements may be useful for, for example,
mounting the motorized fan with a whimsical figure appearance 10 on
a generally vertical surface or suspending it from a generally
horizontal surface.
[0015] While the present invention has been described with regard
to particular embodiments, it is recognized that additional
variations of the present invention may be devised without
departing from the inventive concept. Furthermore, it is understood
that the figure's features as described and depicted are whimsical.
As such, it is also understood that the various features may differ
from their counterparts on living figures, if any.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0016] This invention may be applied to the manufacture and use of
motorized fans incorporated into the whimsical form of a figure,
particularly an animal.
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