Ceiling fan with multiple motors

Abstract

A ceiling fan suspended from a mounting rod with multiple motors mounted to the mounting rod that drive more than one rotatable hub. A plurality of fan blades are coupled to the rotatable hubs and the blades rotate with the rotatable hubs.

1 . A fan comprising, 
 a mounting rod;    a plurality of motors mounted to the mounting rod each driving a rotatable hub; and    a set of fan blades coupled to each rotatable hub and rotatable with its rotatable hub.    
   
   
       2 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of motors are coupled in a stack-wise arrangement to the mounting rod.  
   
   
       3 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of motors drives a rotatable hub.  
   
   
       4 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of motors are enclosed by a motor housing.  
   
   
       5 . The fan of  claim 4 , wherein each set of fan blades extends radially from the motor housing.  
   
   
       6 . The fan of  claim 5 , wherein each fan blade is connected to its rotatable hub via a blade mounting arm.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus comprising, 
 a mounting rod;    a plurality of rotatable hubs rotatably mounted on the mounting rod; and    a set of fan blades coupled to each rotatable hub and rotatable with its rotatable hub.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said rotatable hubs are driven by a plurality of motors.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the motors are enclosed by a motor housing.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , comprising a light source mounted below the motor housing.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the light source receives power through the mounting rod.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the light source is rotationally fixed.  
   
   
       13 . A fan comprising, 
 a mounting rod;    a plurality of rotatable hubs rotatably mounted on the mounting rod, wherein each of the rotatable hubs is driven by an independent motor that causes its rotatable hub to rotate; and    a set of fan blades supported by each rotatable hub, wherein the set of fan blades rotates when its rotatable hub rotates.    
   
   
       14 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein the motors that drive the rotatable hubs are enclosed within a motor housing.  
   
   
       15 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein each set of fan blades is attached to its rotatable hub with a blade pitch of greater than 12 degrees.  
   
   
       16 . The fan of  claim 15 , wherein each set of fan blades is attached to its rotatable hub with a blade pitch of 20 degrees.  
   
   
       17 . A system comprising, 
 a mounting rod;    a plurality of rotatable hubs rotatably mounted on the mounting rod;    a plurality of motors fixedly mounted to the mounting rod and coupled to the rotatable hubs; and    a set of fan blades supported by and rotated with each rotatable hub.    
   
   
       18 . A method comprising, 
 spinning a first set of fan blades about an axis of rotation, wherein the first set of fan blades is attached to a first rotatable hub; and    spinning a second set of fan blades about the same axis of rotation, wherein the second set of fan blades is attached to a second rotatable hub.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first set of fan blades and second set of fan blades rotate in the same direction about the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first set of fan blades and second set of fan blades rotate in opposite directions about the axis of rotation.