Fan

Abstract

A fan assembly for generating an air flow within a room includes a casing having a plurality of inlet sections and an outlet section for receiving air from the inlet sections. Each inlet section has an air inlet, an impeller and a motor for driving the impeller to draw an air flow through the air inlet section and into the air outlet section. The outlet section has an interior passage for receiving air from the inlet sections and an air outlet. The casing defines a bore about which the interior passage extends and through which a secondary air flow from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the air emitted the air outlet.

1 . A fan assembly for generating an air flow within a room, the fan assembly comprising a casing having a plurality of inlet sections, each inlet section comprising an air inlet, an impeller and a motor for driving the impeller to draw an air flow through the air inlet section, an interior passage for receiving air from the inlet sections and at least one air outlet, the casing defining a bore about which the inlet sections and the interior passage extend, and through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the air emitted from said at least one air outlet. 
     
     
         2 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each inlet section is arcuate in shape. 
     
     
         3 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet sections and the interior passage are concentric. 
     
     
         4 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet sections have the same curvature as the interior passage. 
     
     
         5 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inlet sections comprises a first inlet section and a second inlet section, and wherein the first inlet section is located opposite to the second inlet section. 
     
     
         6 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the air inlet of the first inlet section is co-planar with the air inlet of the second inlet section. 
     
     
         7 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the interior passage is located beneath each inlet section. 
     
     
         8 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the interior passage is continuous. 
     
     
         9 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the interior passage is annular. 
     
     
         10 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the interior passage has a cross-section which varies about the bore. 
     
     
         11 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the interior passage comprises a first section and a second section, each section having a first inlet port for receiving air from a respective inlet section, a second inlet port and an outlet port, and wherein the second inlet port of the first section is arranged to receive air from the outlet port of the second section. 
     
     
         12 . The fan assembly of  claim 11 , wherein, for each section of the interior passage, the first inlet port is located adjacent to the second inlet port. 
     
     
         13 . The fan assembly of  claim 12 , wherein, for each section of the interior passage, the first inlet port is co-planar with the second inlet port. 
     
     
         14 . The fan assembly of  claim 11 , wherein, for each section of the interior passage, the second inlet port is located diametrically opposite to the outlet port. 
     
     
         15 . The fan assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each section of the interior passage is semi-circular in shape. 
     
     
         16 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the interior passage has a generally rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
         17 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a first annular side wall defining the bore, a second side wall extending about the first side wall, an upper wall extending between the side walls and a lower wall located opposite to the upper wall. 
     
     
         18 . The fan assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the separation between the upper wall and the lower wall varies about the bore. 
     
     
         19 . The fan assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said at least one air outlet is located between the lower wall and the first side wall. 
     
     
         20 . The fan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one air outlet comprises a circular slot.