Fan with engagement structure

Abstract

A ceiling fan includes a hub with a plurality of sockets and a plurality of blades. Each of the blades can be received in and attached to one of the sockets, which connects the blades to the hub without use of external fasteners. The structure of the blades and/or engagement structure reduce the likelihood that the fan blades will move from side-to-side in the slot or disengage from the slot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ceiling fan having a hub with a plurality of sockets, wherein each socket has an open end and is configured to receive a first end of a fan blade, wherein the ceiling fan further comprises:
 (a) an engagement structure positioned at least partially in each socket, the engagement structure having a first position in which it does not engage the first end of the fan blade and a second position in which the engagement structure engages the first end of the fan blade; and   (b) the first end of the fan blade has a first side and a second side, wherein the first side has a first recess and the second side has a second recess and the engagement structure has a first leg that engages the first recess when the engagement structure is in its first position, and a second leg that engages the second recess when the engagement structure is in its first position.   
     
     
         2 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the fan further comprises one or more surface features. 
     
     
         3 . The ceiling fan of  claim 2 , wherein the engagement structure further comprises one or more surface features that engage the one or more surface features on the first end of the fan blade when the engagement structure is in its first position. 
     
     
         4 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the fan blade further comprises a tacky surface. 
     
     
         5 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement structure further comprises a tacky surface that is configured to be pressed against the first end of the fan blade when the engagement structure is in its first position. 
     
     
         6 . The ceiling fan of  claim 4 , wherein the engagement structure comprises a tacky surface that is configured to be pressed against the first end of the fan blade when the engagement structure is in its first position. 
     
     
         7 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein the fan blade has a top surface and a bottom surface and a tacky coating on one or both of the top surface and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         8 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement structure has a front portion with height H 1  and the first leg and the second leg each have a height H 2 , wherein H 2  is greater than H 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The ceiling fan of  claim 6 , wherein the socket has an interior height and the first end of the fan has a thickness that is less than the combined interior height of the socket and H 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein the first leg and second leg each have a side that is curved or angled. 
     
     
         11 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1  that includes a plurality of sockets and a plurality of fan blades, wherein one of the plurality of fan blades is received in one of the plurality of sockets. 
     
     
         12 . The ceiling fan of  claim 10  that comprises four sockets one fan blade in each socket. 
     
     
         13 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement structure is biased to the first position. 
     
     
         14 . The ceiling fan of  claim 12 , wherein the engagement structure is biased to the first position by a spring. 
     
     
         15 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein each leg has a proximal side configured to engage the end of the fan blade and move the engagement structure into the second position in response to pressure from the first end of the fan. 
     
     
         16 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement structure is moved between its first position and its second position by a manual switch. 
     
     
         17 . The ceiling fan of  claim 16 , wherein the switch is directly or indirectly connected to the engagement structure. 
     
     
         18 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1  that further incudes a pivot rod around which the engagement structure pivots. 
     
     
         19 . The ceiling fan of  claim 16  that further incudes a pivot rod in the hub around which the engagement structure and the manual switch pivot. 
     
     
         20 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1  that further includes a first biasing member for biasing the first leg to the first position and a second biasing member for biasing the second leg to the first position.