Medallion fan

Abstract

This invention relates to a ceiling mounted air circulating apparatus comprising, in combination: a motor; an essentially centrally located radial or axial air impeller; air guiding means; optional airflow enhancement by means of air amplification means; optional centrally located wiring path from an electrical power source to a wiring enclosure suitable for hanging a lighting fixture or chandelier; and decorative embellishments, ail of which are arranged to blend with the architectural style of a space in a manner similar to a decorative ceiling medallion, the plariform of which, when viewed from below may be circular, rectangular, or polygonal. Optionally, the apparatus of the present invention may embody any of the following; heating, cooling, filtration means, positive ion generation means, and / or air sterilization means.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A ceiling mounted air circulating device comprising:
 a ceiling plate with a top surface intended to be mounted coplanar to a ceiling;   an impeller with a central axis extending downward perpendicular to the ceiling, the impeller configured to draw air in through an air inlet;   a plenum chamber configured to receive air from the impeller, the plenum chamber comprising first and second fixed sections and a repositionable section;   wherein the repositionable section is configured to move from a first position adjacent to the first fixed section, to a second position adjacent to the second fixed section;   a flow guide located at a periphery of the air circulating device relative to the plenum chamber, the flow guide defining an airflow channel, the airflow channel comprising a first opening and a second opening;   wherein said air impeller pressurizes air within the plenum chamber, from which air is subsequently discharged to the airflow channel, as a primary airflow, tangent to a cambered surface, establishing a wall jet which is fluidly attached to said cambered surface and causes ambient air to be entrained in the airflow channel;   wherein, when the repositionable section is in the first position, the cambered surface is formed from the first fixed section and the repositionable section, and ambient air is entrained from the first opening of the airflow channel;   wherein, when the repositionable section is in the second position, the cambered surface is formed from the second fixed section and the repositionable section, and ambient air is entrained from the second opening of the airflow channel.   
     
     
       2. The ceiling mounted air circulating device of  claim 1 , wherein the air circulating device has an appearance of a ceiling medallion. 
     
     
       3. The ceiling mounted air circulating device of  claim 1 , further comprising peripherally mounted air deflection means which may be adapted to direct discharged air downward for summer cooling or parallel to the ceiling to improve heat distribution during the heating season. 
     
     
       4. The ceiling mounted air circulating device of  claim 1 , wherein filtration means are mounted at the air inlet such that air drawn into the air inlet must pass through said filtration means before entering the location of said air impeller. 
     
     
       5. The ceiling mounted air circulating device of  claim 1 , further comprising a wiring box for the optional mounting and electrical connection of a lighting fixture or chandelier. 
     
     
       6. The ceiling mounted air circulating device of  claim 1 , further comprising air heating or cooling means. 
     
     
       7. The ceiling mounted air circulating device of  claim 1 , further comprising, when viewed from the bottom, a rectangular, square, or polygonal outline, and wherein air discharged by the impeller is directed to a plurality of plenum chambers, from which the air is subsequently directed to be discharged through a plurality of air diverting devices which cause said discharged air to be better distributed about a room. 
     
     
       8. A method of moving air with an air circulating device having a housing mounted to a ceiling, the method comprising:
 drawing an airflow into a bottom of the housing of the air circulating device in a first direction toward the ceiling;   radially discharging the drawn in airflow from the air circulating device in a second direction, along the ceiling, through a sidewall of the housing below the ceiling, from the first direction; and   selectively directing the discharged airflow from along the ceiling to downward away from the ceiling by vertically moving a repositionable diverter guide relative to the housing.    
     
     
       9. The method of claim 8 wherein the discharging comprises discharging the drawn in airflow radially through a discharge outlet in the housing of the air circulating device, with the discharge outlet defining a vertical extent.  
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 wherein vertically moving the repositionable diverter guide comprises vertically moving the repositionable diverter guide within at least a portion of the vertical extent.  
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 wherein the repositionable diverter guide is movable between an upper position and a lower position, to define a vertical range, which overlaps with the vertical extent.  
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11 wherein the vertical range is coextensive with the vertical extent.  
     
     
       13. The method of claim 11 wherein the overlap is such that the repositionable diverter guide, in at least one of the upper position or the lower positions, abuts at least one of a shroud and a plate of the air circulating device.  
     
     
       14. The method of claim 8 wherein moving the repositionable diverter guide comprises moving a positioning device.  
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 wherein discharging the drawn in airflow comprises discharging the drawn in air through a discharge outlet and moving the positioning device comprises moving at least a portion of the positioning device within the discharge outlet.  
     
     
       16. A method of moving air with an air circulating device having a housing mounted to a ceiling, the method comprising:
 drawing air into an impeller space located within the housing by an impeller located within the impeller space and rotationally driven by a motor about a rotation axis;   discharging the drawn in air from the impeller space through a discharge outlet located in a sidewall of the housing and below the ceiling, with the discharged air flowing from the outlet in a radial direction relative to the rotation axis;   diverting the discharged air with a repositionable diverter guide that is repositionable between a first position and a second position;   wherein diverting the airflow with the repositionable diverter guide in the first position diverts the airflow from the impeller space along the ceiling; and   wherein diverting the airflow with the diverter guide in the second position diverts the airflow from the impeller space downward from the ceiling.    
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16 wherein the rotationally driven impeller defines a rotational axis, and the discharging the drawn in air is radial to the rotational axis.  
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17 wherein repositioning of the repositionable diverter guide between the first position and the second position comprises moving the repositionable diverter guide on a path exteriorly of the discharge outlet.  
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the repositionable diverter guide faces the discharge outlet in the first position and the second position.  
     
     
       20. The method of claim 16 wherein rotationally driving the impeller with the motor comprises rotating the impeller with a rotor of the motor about a stator of the motor.  
     
     
       21. The method of claim 16 wherein moving the repositionable diverter guide comprises moving a positioning device.  
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21 wherein moving the positioning device comprises moving at least a portion of the positioning device within the discharge outlet.