Connecting device for connecting a fan blade to a rotor of a motor of a ceiling fan

Abstract

A connecting device includes a bottom member with a periphery for attaching on a rotor of a motor, a circumferential wall which extends upwardly from the periphery, and a mounting arm which has an anchored end adapted for mounting the fan blade thereon and an anchoring end for anchoring on the bottom member such that the mounting arm is oriented in a radial direction relative to the bottom member by guidance of a guiding member. A tightening member is disposed to tighten the anchoring end relative to the bottom member through a clamping force generated in a circumferential direction of the bottom member when the anchoring end is pulled away from the bottom member in the radial direction. A retaining member is disposed between the tightening member and the anchored end in the radial direction, and has an engaging spring member that abuts against the circumferential wall once the anchoring end is moved away from the bottom member.

1. A connecting device for connecting a fan blade to a rotor of a motor of a ceiling fan, the motor including a stator and the rotor which is concentrically surrounded by the stator and which is rotated about an axial direction,  said connecting device comprising:
 a bottom member with a periphery adapted to be attached adjacent on  the rotor and spaced apart from the stator in the axial direction, said bottom member being disposed transverse to and being rotatable about the axial direction;  
 a circumferential wall extending upwardly from said periphery toward the stator and diverging away from said bottom member so as to form an annular slanting wall;  
 a mounting arm including an anchored end adapted for mounting the fan blade thereon, and an anchoring end disposed to be brought to anchor adjacent on said bottom member such that said mounting arm is oriented in one a  radial outward direction relative to said bottom member;  
 means for tightening said anchoring end relative to said bottom member through a damping force generated in a circumferential direction of said bottom member when said anchoring end is pulled away from said bottom member in said radial direction, said tightening means being disposed between said mounting arm and said bottom member; 
 a guiding member adjacent disposed between  said anchoring end and adjacent said bottom member to guide said anchoring end to move in said one radial outward direction to said bottom member, wherein said guiding member locks the mounting arm to said bottom member by said mounting arm being pulled in the one radial outward direction without twisting between the mounting arm and the bottom member, wherein said guiding member includes a groove on said bottom member and sliding member on said anchoring end of the mounting arm so as to fit slidably in said groove; and  
   a retaining member having an engaging spring member that abuts against a portion of the guiding member for locking said sliding member to the groove  ; and  
 a retaining member disposed between said tightening means and said anchored end in said radial direction, and including an engaging spring member mounted on said mounting arm, said engaging spring member abutting against said annular slanting wall and providing an upward biasing force to said annular wall once said anchoring end is moved away from said bottom member in said radial direction .  
 
     
     
       2. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said guiding member includes two elongate grooves formed in said bottom member, and two elongate rails disposed on said anchoring end and respectively corresponding to said elongate grooves so as to fit slidably in said elongate grooves. 
     
     
       3. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 1   2  , wherein a each of said elongate grooves extends in said radial direction such that the  clamping force is generated to tighten the sliding member in each of said elongate rails in a respective one of  said elongate  grooves when said anchoring end is pulled away from said bottom member in said one radial outward direction. 
     
     
       4. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said tightening means includes:
 an inner peripheral wall formed on said anchoring end between said elongate rails, said inner peripheral wall confining a mounting hole, and having a constricted portion to divide said mounting hole into a notch portion and a bore portion, said bore portion being distal to said bottom member in said radial direction and having a dimension larger than that of said notch portion; and    a coupling member disposed on said bottom member between said elongate grooves, and including a shank having an upper end which is mounted on said bottom member and a lower end which extends downwardly from said upper end, and a peripheral flange projecting radially and outwardly from said lower end of said shank end of a dimension larger than that of said notch portion and smaller than that of said bore portion such that said coupling member is fitted snugly in said notch portion by passing said shank thereinto after said peripheral flange has been brought to pass through said bore portion.    
     
     
       5. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said retaining member has an end disposed on said mounting arm adjacent to said anchoring end, and an opposite end extending toward said tightening means in said radial direction and formed with said engaging spring member that abuts against said annular slanting wall. 
     
     
       6. A connecting device for connecting a fan blade to a rotor of a motor of a ceiling fan , the motor including a stator and the rotor which is concentrically surrounded by the stator and which is rotated about an axial direction, said connecting device comprising:
 a bottom member with a periphery adapted to be attached adjacent on  the rotor and spaced apart from the stator in the axial direction, said bottom member being disposed transverse to and being rotated about the axial direction;  
 a circumferential wall extending upwardly from said periphery towards the stator and diverging away from said bottom member so as to form an annular slanting wall;  
 a mounting arm including an anchored end adapted for mounting the fan blade thereon, and an anchoring end disposed to be brought to anchor on said bottom member such that said mounting arm is oriented in a single radial outward direction relative to said bottom member;  
 means for tightening said anchoring end relative to said bottom member through a clamping force generated in a circumferential direction of said bottom member when said anchoring end is pulled away from said bottom member in said radial direction, said tightening means being disposed between said mounting arm and said bottom member;  
 a guiding member disposed between said anchoring end and said bottom member to guide said anchoring end to move in said single radial outward direction relative to said bottom member, without twisting said anchoring end relative to said bottom member; and  
 biasing member having an engaging spring tongue to provide a biasing force for biasing said anchoring end away from said bottom member disposed to bias and anchoring end away from said bottom member in said radial direction once said anchoring end has been brought toward said bottom member in said radial direction .  
 
     
     
       7. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 6 , herein said guiding member includes a two elongate  grooves  on formed in  said bottom member and a sliding member on said anchoring end of the mounting arm, and two elongate rails disposed on said anchoring end and respectively corresponding to said elongate  grooves  so as to fit slidably in said elongate  grooves . 
     
     
       8. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein each of said elongate grooves extends in said radial direction such that  the clamping force is generated to tighten said sliding member in each of said elongate rails in a respective one of  said elongate  grooves  when said anchoring end is pulled away from said bottom member in said single radial outward direction. 
     
     
       9. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said tightening means includes:
 an inner peripheral wall formed on said anchoring end between said elongate rails, said inner peripheral wall confining a mounting hole, and having a constricted portion to divide said mounting hole into a notch portion and a bore portion, said bore portion being distal to said bottom member in said radial direction and having a dimension larger than that of said notch portion, and    a coupling member disposed on said bottom member between said elongate grooves, and including a shank having an upper end which is mounted on said bottom member and a lower end which extends downwardly, from said upper end, and a peripheral flange projecting radially and outwardly from said lower end of said shank and of a dimension larger than that of said notch portion and smaller than that of said bore portion such that said coupling member is fitted snugly in said notch portion by passing said shank thereinto after said peripheral flange has been brought to pass through said bore portion.    
     
     
       10. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said biasing member has an inner end secured to said bottom member, an outer end extending outwardly in said radial direction toward said anchoring end of said mounting arm and having an engaging spring tongue to provide a biasing force for biasing said anchoring end away from said bottom member, and a middle portion between said inner and outer ends, said bottom member having a concavity adjacent to said guiding member for receiving said middle portion of said biasing member when said biasing member is bent against said biasing force thereof so as to permit said engaging spring tongue to be steered away from said anchoring end. 
     
     
       11. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said groove includes two grooves, and said sliding member includes two sliding members, wherein each of said sliding members slides in the one radial outward direction within each of said grooves. 
     
     
       12. The connecting device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
   a tightening member for tightening said anchoring end relative to said bottom end, said tightening member includes a capped member for fitting into a bore opening end    snugly being fit to slide into a notch portion next to the bore opening which is smaller than the bore opening.   
 
     
     
       13. The connecting device of  claim 6 , wherein the tightening means is formed by the groove on said bottom member end of the sliding member on the anchoring end of said mounting arm fitting together. 
     
     
       14. The connecting device of  claim 6 , wherein said groove includes two grooves on said bottom member, and said sliding member includes two sliding members on said anchoring end of said mounting arm, wherein each of said sliding members slides within each of said grooves. 
     
     
       15. The connecting device of  claim 6 , wherein the tightening means includes a capped member for fitting into a bore opening to slide and snugly being fit into a notch portion next to the bore opening which is smaller than the bore opening. 
     
     
       16. A method of attaching a fan blade in a rotor on a ceiling fan motor, comprising the steps of:
   selecting a mounting arm having an anchoring end and a blade attached to a second end of the mounting arm opposite to the anchoring end;    
   positioning the anchoring end of the mounting arm about a mounting portion of the rotor;    
   pulling the blade in a single radial direction away from the rotor to attach the    blade to the rotor, wherein the blade is attached to the anchor without twisting the blade relative in the motor, and    
   guiding a sliding member on the anchoring end of the mounting arm within a groove on the mounting portion of the rotor, wherein the step of guiding includes:    
   simultaneously guiding two sliding members on the anchoring end of the mounting arm within two grooves on the mounting portion of the rotor.   
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of positioning includes:
   positioning the anchoring end of the mounting arm behind the mounting portion of the rotor.   
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
   forming a tight fit between the sliding member and the groove without twisting one relative to another.   
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
   retaining the anchoring end of the mounting arm to the mounting portion of the rotor with a spring member.   
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
   retaining the anchoring end of the mounting arm to an underside of the mounting portion of the rotor with a capped member that fits within a bore opening end which slides into a notch portion next to the bore opening, while the anchoring arm is being pulled in the single radial direction outward from the rotor, without twisting the anchoring arm relative to the rotor.   
 
     
     
       21. A connecting device for connecting a fan blade to a rotor of a motor of a ceiling fan, said connecting device comprising:
   a bottom member with a periphery adapted to be attached adjacent the rotor;    
   a mounting arm including an anchored end adapted for mounting the fan blade thereon, and an anchoring end disposed to be brought to anchor adjacent said bottom member such that said mounting arm is oriented in one radial outward direction relative the said bottom member; and    
   a guiding member adjacent said anchoring end and adjacent said bottom member to guide said anchoring end to move in said one radial outward direction relative to said bottom member, wherein said guiding member locks the mounting arm to said bottom member by said mounting arm being pulled in the one radial outward direction without    twisting between the mounting arm and the bottom member, said guiding member includes a groove on said bottom member and sliding member on said anchoring end of the mounting arm so as to fit slidably in said groove, wherein said groove includes two grooves and said sliding member includes two sliding members, wherein each of said sliding members slides in the one radial outward direction within each of said grooves.   
 
     
     
       22. A connecting device for connecting a fan blade to a rotor of a motor of a ceiling fan, said connecting device comprising:
   a bottom member with a periphery adapted to be attached adjacent the rotor;    
   a mounting arm including an anchored end adapted for mounting the fan blade thereon, and an anchoring end disposed to be brought to anchor adjacent said bottom member such that said mounting arm is oriented in one radial outward direction relative to said bottom member;    
   a guiding member adjacent said anchoring end and adjacent said bottom member to guide said anchoring end to move in said one radial outward direction relative to said bottom member, wherein said guiding member locks the mounting arm to said bottom member by said mounting arm being pulled in the one radial outward direction without twisting between the mounting arm and the bottom member; and    
   a tightening member for tightening said anchoring end relative to said bottom end, said tightening member includes a capped member for fitting into a bore opening end, said tightening member includes a capped member for fitting into a bore opening and snugly being fit to slide into a notch portion next to the bore opening which is smaller than the bore opening.   
 
     
     
       23. A connecting device for connecting a fan blade to a rotor of a motor of a ceiling fan, said connecting device connecting:
   a bottom member with a periphery adapted to be attached adjacent the rotor;    
   a mounting arm including an anchored end adapted for mounting the fan blade thereon, and an anchoring end disposed to be brought to anchor on said bottom member such that said mounting arm is oriented in a single radial outward direction relative to said bottom member;    
   means for tightening said anchoring end relative to said bottom member through a clamping force when said anchoring end is pulled away from said bottom member in said radial direction, said tightening means being disposed between said mounting arm and said bottom member; and    
   a guiding member disposed between said anchoring end and said bottom member to guide said anchoring end to move in said single radial outward direction relative to said bottom member, without twisting said anchoring end relative to said bottom member, said guiding member includes a groove on said bottom member and a sliding member on said anchoring end of the mounting arm, respectively corresponding to said groove so as to fit slidably in said groove, said groove includes two grooves in said bottom member, and said sliding member includes two sliding members on said anchoring end of said mounting arm, wherein each of said sliding members slides within each of said grooves.   
 
     
     
       24. A connecting device for connecting a fan blade to a rotor of a motor of a ceiling fan, said connecting device comprising:
   a bottom member with a periphery adapted to be attached adjacent the rotor;    
   a mounting arm including an anchored end adapted for mounting the fan blade thereon, and an anchoring end disposed to be brought to anchor on said bottom member such that said mounting arm is oriented in a single radial outward direction relative to said bottom member;    
   means for tightening said anchoring end relative to said bottom member through a clamping force when said anchoring end is pulled away from said bottom member in said radial direction, said tightening means being disposed between said mounting arm and said bottom member, wherein the tightening means includes a capped member for fitting into a bore opening to slide and snugly being fit into a notch portion next to the bore opening which is smaller than the bore opening; and    
   a guiding member disposed between said anchoring end and said bottom member to guide said anchoring end to move in said single radial outward direction relative to said bottom member, without twisting said anchoring end relative to said bottom member.   
 
     
     
       25. A method of attaching a fan blade to a rotor on a ceiling fan motor, comprising the steps of:
   selecting a mounting arm having an anchoring end and a blade attached to a second end of the mounting arm opposite the anchoring end;    
   positioning the anchoring end of the mounting arm about a mounting portion of the rotor;    
   pulling the blade in a single radial direction away from the rotor to attach the    blade to the rotor, wherein the blade is attached to the rotor without twisting the blade relative to the rotor; and    
   retaining the anchoring end of the mounting arm to the mounting portion of the rotor with a spring member.   
 
     
     
       26. A method of attaching a fan blade to a rotor on a ceiling fan motor, comprising the steps of:
   selecting a mounting arm having an anchoring end and a blade attached to a second end of the mounting arm opposite in the anchoring end;    
   positioning the anchoring end of the mounting arm about a mounting portion of the rotor;    
   pulling the blade in a single radial direction away from the rotor to attach the blade to the rotor, wherein the blade is attached to the rotor without twisting the blade relative to the rotor; and    
   retaining the anchoring end of the mounting arm to an underside of the mounting portion of the rotor with a capped member that fits within a bore opening and which slides into a notch portion next to the bore opening, while the anchoring arm is being pulled in the single radial direction outward from the rotor, without twisting the anchoring arm relative to the rotor.