Fan assembly

Abstract

A fan assembly includes a base and a body mounted on the base for movement relative thereto between an untilted position and a tilted position. The fan assembly also includes an air outlet and an interior passage for conveying air to the air outlet, and which extends about an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by air emitted from the air outlet. A brake and a stationary rail are disposed on the upper surface of the base, and a rail is connected to the lower surface of the body and located between the brake and the stationary rail. The brake is urged by a spring or other resilient member towards the stationary rail to urge the rail of the body against the stationary rail to maintain the body in a tilted position by means of friction between the rails.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A fan assembly comprising:
 a body comprising at least one air inlet, an impeller, and a motor for driving the impeller to draw an air flow through said at least one air inlet;   at least one air outlet;   an interior passage for conveying air to said at least one air outlet, wherein the interior passage extends about an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by air emitted from said at least one air outlet; and   a base comprising a brake, a stop member, and a resilient element that urges the brake towards the stop member,   wherein the body is mounted on the base for movement relative thereto and a portion of a bottom surface of the body is disposed between the brake and the stop member of the base such that the resilient element urges the brake against the portion of the bottom surface of the body which in turn urges the portion of the bottom surface of the body against the stop member.   
     
     
         3 . The fan assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the brake is on an upper surface of the base. 
     
     
         4 . The fan assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the brake is secured to a plurality of guide rails on the upper surface of the base for sliding movement along the plurality of guide rails. 
     
     
         5 . The fan assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the stop member is on the upper surface of the base. 
     
     
         6 . The fan assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the body comprises a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, and wherein the brake is configured to contact the first side surface and the stop member is configured to contact the second side surface. 
     
     
         7 . The fan assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the stop member extends parallel to the portion of the bottom surface of the body. 
     
     
         8 . The fan assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the stop member and the portion of the bottom surface of the body are curved. 
     
     
         9 . The fan assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the stop member and the portion of the bottom surface of the body extend in a direction that is parallel to a direction of movement of the body relative to the base. 
     
     
         10 . The fan assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the brake is movemeable relative to the base in a direction which is orthogonal to a direction of movement of the body relative to the base. 
     
     
         11 . The fan assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the brake is moveable relative to the base in a direction which is orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the impeller when the body is in an untilted position. 
     
     
         12 . The fan assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the base comprises a seat and the resilient element is located between the seat and the brake. 
     
     
         13 . The fan assembly of  claim 2 , wherein an upper surface of the base is concave and the bottom surface of the body is convex. 
     
     
         14 . The fan assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the base comprises a first plurality of interlocking members and the bottom surface of the body comprises a second plurality of interlocking members that are retained by the first plurality of interlocking members for retaining the body on the base. 
     
     
         15 . The fan assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the brake, the stop member, and the resilient element are located between the first plurality of interlocking members. 
     
     
         16 . A stand for a fan assembly comprising:
 a body comprising at least one air inlet, an impeller, and a motor for driving the impeller to draw an air flow through said at least one air inlet;   a base comprising a brake, a stop member, and a resilient element that urges the brake towards the stop member,   wherein the body is mounted on the base for movement relative thereto and a portion of a bottom surface of the body is disposed between the brake and the stop member of the base such that the resilient element urges the brake against the portion of the bottom surface of the body which in turn urges the portion of the bottom surface of the body against the stop member.   
     
     
         17 . The stand of  claim 16 , wherein the brake is on an upper surface of the base. 
     
     
         18 . The stand of  claim 17 , wherein the brake is secured to a plurality of guide rails on the upper surface of the base for sliding movement along the guide rails. 
     
     
         19 . The fan assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the stop member is on the upper surface of the base. 
     
     
         20 . The fan assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the portion of the bottom surface of the body comprises a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, and wherein the brake is configured to contact the first side surface and the stop member is configured to contact the second side surface. 
     
     
         21 . The stand of  claim 16 , wherein the stop member extends parallel to the portion of the bottom surface of the body.