초록 ▼

Conventional large area fans generally create a cylinder of air having a diameter that is essentially equal to the diameter of the fan. Larger diameter fans require heavier-duty motors and gearboxes to drive the longer fan blades and are heavier, and thus are more difficult to mount, require heavier

Conventional large area fans generally create a cylinder of air having a diameter that is essentially equal to the diameter of the fan. Larger diameter fans require heavier-duty motors and gearboxes to drive the longer fan blades and are heavier, and thus are more difficult to mount, require heavier-duty mounting fixtures, and are more likely to fall. One large area fan according to this invention forms a cone of air. Some fan blades according to this invention have a relatively straight leading edge portion attached to the fan and a generally curved trailing portion extending downwardly from the relatively straight leading edge portion that interacts with the air to create a conical or cone-shaped flow of air from the fan. Other fan blades have a curved segment and are attached to the fan at theirs leading edges. In some such fan blades, one end is offset from the other end.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A large area fan, comprising: a drive assembly connected to a power source and having an output shaft; a fan blade hub connected to the output shaft of the drive assembly; and a plurality of fan blades each at least 4 feet in length, approximately up to 6 inches in width and

What is claimed is: 1. A large area fan, comprising: a drive assembly connected to a power source and having an output shaft; a fan blade hub connected to the output shaft of the drive assembly; and a plurality of fan blades each at least 4 feet in length, approximately up to 6 inches in width and approximately up to 0.16 inches in thickness connected to the fan blade hub, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion in a concave shape that when rotated, redirects a gas, within a large area in which the large area fan is located, both in a vector flow radially along the fan blade and in a vector flow downward from the fan blade. 2. The large area fan of claim 1, wherein at least one fan blade comprises a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface. 3. The large area fan of claim 2, wherein at least the concave inner surface has a radius of curvature of at least about 4 inches. 4. The large area fan of claim 2, wherein at least the concave inner surface has a radius of curvature of at most about 4.5 inches. 5. The large area fan of claim 2, wherein at least one of the concave inner surface and the convex outer surface has an arc length of at least about 55 degrees. 6. The large area fan of claim 1, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 45 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 7. The large area fan of claim 1, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends at least 3.5 inches away from the plane of the fan blade hub. 8. The large area fan of claim 1, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends at least 5.5 inches away from the plane of the fan blade hub. 9. The large area fan of claim 1, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 60 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 10. The large area fan of claim 1, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 75 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 11. A large area fan, comprising: a drive assembly connectable to a power source and having an output shaft; a fan blade hub connected to the output shaft of the drive assembly; and a plurality of fan blades each at least 4 feet in length, approximately up to 6 inches in width and approximately up to 0.16 inches in thickness connected to the fan blade hub, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion in a concave shape that when rotated creates a generally conical flow of a gas within a large area in which the large area fan is located, away from a plane of rotation of the plurality of fan blades, wherein: each fan blade has a first end near the fan blade hub and a second end spaced from the fan blade hub such that each fan blade, as it extends from the fan blade hub, remains substantially in the plane of rotation. 12. The large area fan of claim 11, wherein the drive assembly comprises: an electric motor having an output shaft; and a gearbox connected to the output shaft of the electric motor and having an output shaft; wherein the output shaft of the drive assembly is the output shaft of the gearbox. 13. The large area fan of claim 11, wherein each fan blade extends at least 4 feet from the fan blade hub. 14. The large area fan of claim 11, wherein each fan blade is a single piece. 15. The large area fan of claim 11, wherein at least one fan blade comprises: a first relatively flat portion having a leading edge and a rear edge; and a second relatively curved portion extending from the rear edge of the first relatively flat portion, wherein: the first relatively flat portion is connected to one surface of the fan blade hub such that the second relatively curved portion extends away from the fan blade hub; and the first relatively flat portion is substantially parallel to a plane of the fan blade hub. 16. The large area fan of claim 15, wherein each fan blade comprises the first relatively flat portion and the second relatively curved portion. 17. The large area fan of claim 15, wherein the large area fan further comprises, for at least one fan blade, a support member adjacent to the first relatively flat portion and extending along that fan blade from the fan blade hub. 18. The large area fan of claim 17, wherein the large area fan comprises at least one support member for each fan blade. 19. The large area fan of claim 17, wherein the support member extends about one-third of a length of that fan blade along that fan blade from the fan blade hub. 20. The large area fan of claim 17, wherein the second relatively curved portion comprises a curved outer surface and a curved inner surface, each of the curved inner and outer surfaces having a radius of curvature of between about 4 inches and about 4.5 inches. 21. The large area fan of claim 15, wherein the second relatively curved portion comprises a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface, at least the concave inner surface having a radius of curvature of at least about 4 inches. 22. The large area fan of claim 15, wherein the second relatively curved portion comprises a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface, at least the concave inner surface having a radius of curvature of at most about 4.5 inches. 23. The large area fan of claim 15, wherein the second relatively curved portion comprises a curved outer surface and a curved inner surface. 24. The large area fan of claim 23, wherein at least the curved inner surface is concave and has a radius of curvature of at least about 4 inches. 25. The large area fan of claim 23, wherein at least the curved inner surface is concave and has a radius of curvature of at most about 4.5 inches. 26. The large area fan of claim 23, wherein at least one of the curved inner and outer surfaces has an arc length of at least about 55 degrees. 27. The large area fan of claim 15, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 45 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 28. The large area fan of claim 27, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 60 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 29. The large area fan of claim 27, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 75 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 30. The large area fan of claim 11, wherein: at least one fan blade comprises a curved outer surface and a curved inner surface and has a leading edge and a trailing edge and an inner end and an outer end, the leading edge of a portion of the fan blade at the inner end is attached to the fan blade hub; and the outer end is offset circumferentially away from the fan hub plate relative to the inner end such that the outer end is at a greater angle of attack than the inner end. 31. The large area fan of claim 30, wherein each of the curved inner and outer surfaces have a radius of curvature of about 4 inches to about 4.5 inches. 32. The large area fan of claim 30, wherein each of the curved inner and outer surfaces have arc lengths of about 55 degrees to about 65 degrees. 33. The large area fan of claim 30, wherein the outer end is offset circumferentially away from the fan hub plate relative to the inner end by about ⅛ inch per foot of length of the fan blade. 34. The large area fan of claim 30, wherein the outer end is offset circumferentially away from the fan hub plate relative to the inner end by twisting the fan blade. 35. The large area fan of claim 1, further comprising: a mounting pole that extends from a portion of a structure enclosing a large area in which the large area fan is located, the portion of the structure able to support a weight of the large area fan; and a mounting plate connected to one end of the mounting pole, the drive assembly detachably connected to the mounting plate. 36. The large area fan of claim 11, wherein at least one fan blade comprises a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface. 37. The large area fan of claim 36, wherein at least the concave inner surface has a radius of curvature of at least about 4 inches. 38. The large area fan of claim 37, wherein at least the concave inner surface has a radius of curvature of at most about 4.5 inches. 39. The large area fan of claim 37, wherein at least one of the concave inner surface and the convex outer surface has an arc length of at least about 55 degrees. 40. The large area fan of claim 37, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 45 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 41. The large area fan of claim 40, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 60 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 42. The large area fan of claim 40, wherein each fan blade has at least a portion that extends away from a plane of the fan blade hub at least about an angle of 75 degrees from the plane of the fan blade hub. 43. A large area fan comprising: a drive assembly connectable to a power source and having an output shaft; a fan blade hub connected to the output shaft of the drive assembly; a plurality of fan blades connected to the fan blade hub; a mounting pole that extends from a portion of a structure enclosing a large area in which the large area fan is located, the portion of the structure able to support a weight of the large area fan; a mounting plate connected to one end of the mounting pole, the drive assembly detachably connected to the mounting plate; a plurality of safety catches attached to the fan blade hub, each safety catch comprising: a first portion extending away from the plane of the fan blade hub and having a first end spaced from the fan blade hub; and a second portion connected to the first end of the first portion, the second portion extending generally parallel to the fan blade hub and toward an axis of the fan blade hub; and a catch plate located axially between the plurality of safety catches and the fan blade hub and radially inwardly of the plurality of safety catches, the catch plate having a central hole through which the output shaft of the drive assembly extends, the catch plate attached to the mounting plate. 44. A large area fan comprising: a drive assembly connectable to a power source and having an output shaft; a fan blade hub connected to the output shaft of the drive assembly; a plurality of fan blades connected to the fan blade hub; a mounting pole that extends from a portion of a structure enclosing a large area in which the large area fan is located, the portion of the structure able to support a weight of the large area fan; a mounting plate connected to one end of the mounting pole, the drive assembly detachably connected to the mounting plate; a first sleeve fixed to a portion of the mounting pole above the mounting plate; a second sleeve surrounding the first sleeve, the first and second sleeves able to rotate relative to each other; a third sleeve surrounding and attached to the first sleeve, the second sleeve located below the third sleeve; and a plurality of attachment structures attached to the second sleeve, wherein a plurality of support devices can be attached to the plurality of attachment structures.