US3010645A - Portable electrically operated fan and light - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 28, 1961 A. MANDELSTAM PORTABLE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED FAN AND LIGHT Filed Nov. 27, 1959 .INVENTOR.

A MANDELSTAM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,010,645 PORTABLE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED FAN AND LIGHT Abraham Mandelstam, 40 W. 72nd St., New York, N.Y. Filed Nov. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 855,794 Claims. (Cl. 230-2495) This invention relates primarily to a combined portable electrically operated fan and light, wherein the electrical energy is supplied from dry batteries or cells of the type commonly used in flashlights.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of the above type that may be used in the manner of the conventional flashlight for illumination or as a portable fan for movement of air.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a device having a casing somewhat similar to that of the conventional flashlight for containing the dry cell batteries and electric motor for operating the fan, with the light bulb located at one end of the casing as in the conventional manner, combined with a folding fan which when not in use may be folded into a compact unit along the side of the casing.

Thus the unit when not in use as a fan can be folded up and take up little more space than an ordinary flashlight.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the folded fan may be opened toextend in a radial direction from the casing and be operated back and forth from the motor contained in the casing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that may be easily and cheaply manufactured and which contains a minimum number of operating parts.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred form thereof wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in the latter of which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an'elevational view partly in section with the fan in an open operative position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an electrical circuit diagram.

Referring first to FIG. 2, the casing 11 of the device has a hollow tubular shape similar to that of a conventional flashlight and has a cap 12 at its lower end. The cap \1 2, as is the usual arrangement, may be threaded to the lower end of the casing and permits the batteries or dry cells 13 contained within the casing to be replaced when necessary. The casing 11 is of sufficient length to contain a number of dry cells 13, as for example, two, three, or more.

Located within the casing 11 and suitably supported adjacent the upper end thereof is a small electric motor indicated generally by reference numeral 14. The motor 14 has an armature 16 with a vertical shaft 17 journaled at its upper end in a bushing 15 supported in a fixed circular plate 18. Secured for rotation therewith to the upper end of the shaft 17 is a disk 19 which has a pin 21 extending upwardly from its upper face. The pin 21 is off center in the disk 19 so that its path described a circle as the disk rotates.

To the left of the center of the plate 18, as shown in FIG. 2, is located a shoulder screw 22 upon which is pivoted the left hand end of a channel shaped unit 23. A spacing collar 24 on the screw 22 holds the channel shaped unit adjacent the screw head. The web or central "ice section of the channel shaped unit 23, as best shown in FIG. 3, has an elongated slot 25 therein through which the pin 21 extends, and since the pin is offset from the center of the disk 19, the unit 23 will rock or oscillate back and forth on the shoulder screw 22 through a considerable angle as the motor shaft 17 rotates. This rocking of the unit 23 is in a horizontal plane when the casing 11 is held upright, as shown in FIG. 2. It will be noted that the unit 23 rocks or oscillates with a simple harmonic motion through the described arrangement which gives a smooth and quiet operating device.

A shoulder screw 26 is threaded from the underside into the central web section of the unit 23 and extends through an arcuate slot 27, FIG. 2, in an arcuate member 28. The central portion of arcuate member 28 is raised to provide clearance spaced between its underside and the upper surface of the plate 18 for the head of screw 26. The arcuate member is secured to the upper face of the disk 18 by screws 29, and its arcuate slot 27 cooperates with the shoulder screw 26 to assist in guiding the channel shaped unit 23 in its back and forth movements.

The vertical side sections of the channel shaped unit ,23 extend somewhat higher at the free or right end, and

mounted therein is a pivot pin 31. The web section of the unit 23 is cut away below the pin 31 for purposes hereinafter apparent, and indentations 32 and 33 are formedin each of these sides which serve to detent the fan as will be described in both its operating and closed positions.

Pivotally mounted at its inner end on the pin 31 between the ends of the channel unit 23 is an elongated channel shaped member 34. The member 34 is provided with a pair of tabs 36 adjacent its inner end, each of which have an indentation therein adapted to cooperate with the indentations 32 and 33 to detent the member 34 in either its horizontal position as shown by the full outline thereof in FIG. 2 or in its vertical position alongside the casing 11, as shown by the dashed outline.

Pivotally attached by pins 37 and links 38 to the free end of the member 34 is a slightly shorter second channel member 39.

The channels of the two members 34 and 39 face each other when alongside the casing 11 or in the position shown by their dashed outline, and contained therein is the folded fan 41. When it is desired to unfold the fan 41, the two channel members 34 and 39 which are latched together by latch 42 are pivoted outwardly on the pin 31 to a substantially horizontal position. The latch 42 is then unhooked and the second channel member 39 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction in a vertical plane with the pins 37 and links 38 serving as pivots through substantially a full circle or until its web section rests on the web section of member 34. Such a position of the two members 34 and 39 are shown in full in FIG. 2 and the two may be latched in this position by the latch 42.

The fan 41 contained within the channel members 34 and 39, when the two are closed, unfolds to form a substantially flat circular fan as the second channel member is pivoted in the counterclockwise direction. The fan 41 may include a plurality of small rods 43 pivotally mounted on the pins 37 to stiffen the same and facilitate the folding thereof back into the channel members 34 and 39.

With the fan 41 in its unfolded position, as shown, the switch 44 may be operated to complete the circuit to the motor 14 whereupon its rotation through the described elements causes the fan to oscillate back and forth about the screw 22. Such operation of the fan 41 will produce 49 in the manner of the conventional flashlight.

a movement of air in much the same manner as a. flat hand fan when used in the conventional manner.

When it is desired to close the fan, the latch 42 is operated to unlatch the two members 34 and 39 whereupon member 39 can be rotated in a clockwise direction and relatched against the under side of the member 34.

The two members 34 and '39 may then be folded down against the casing 11 to from a compact unit where they are held by the detenting action of the indentations adjacent the pivot pin 31.

The casing '11 has threaded to its upper end a cap 46 adapted to hold a lens 47, reflector 48, and light bulb A circuit is completed to the bulb 49 by switch 51, as indicated in the wiring diagram, FIG. 4, and the unit may thus be used as a regular flashlight. The casing 11 is provided with an extension 52 having sides 53 adjacent the free end of channel unit 23 which enclose the mechanism to a degree to prevent damage thereto.

From the above it will be apparent that the present invention provides an extremely useful and handy device that may be used both as a fan and a flashlight, and when the fan is folded up the device takes up little more space than a conventional flashlight.

While the invention has been shown and described in but a single embodiment thereof, it will be ovious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is desired therefore that only such limitations be placed thereon as are set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the type described, an elongated cylindrical casing having an electric motor and battery means for driving the motor contained therein, a pivot member pivotally mounted adjacent one end thereof within said casing and arranged for oscillating movement by said motor, a first channel member pivotally attached at one end thereof to the other end of said pivot member, a second channel member pivotally attached at one end thereof tothe other end of said first channel member, means including the pivotal attachments of said first and second channel members to enable said members to fold against the side of said casing and contain within the channels thereof a folded fan, the pivotal attachment between said first channel member and said pivot member enabling said first and second channel members to pivot about the end of said pivot member to extend substantially radially from said casing, the pivotal attachment between said two channel members enabling said second channel member in said extendedposition to pivot about the free end of said first channel member to unfold said fan into a. substantially circular disk to oscillate with said pivot member. I

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and includ ing detent means for detenting. said channel members in a folded up position along the side of said casing and also in a position extending radially in a fan operative position from said casing.

3. Thecombination as set forth in claim 1 and including means for oscillating said pivot member in a simple harmonic motion by power supplied from said motor.

4. A portable electric fan comprising a casing for containing an electric motor and'a battery for driving the motor, a substantially fiat and circular foldable fan, a pair of channel member associated with said fan, pivotal means associated with said channel members, means including said pivotal means and said channel members for supporting said fan in an unfolded position spaced away from said casing and in a folded up position alongside said casing, and means including said motor for operating said channel members with said fan unfolded in an oscillating motion with said fan surface substantially normal to the plane of motion of the channel members.

5. The combination of a cylindrical type flashlight having an illuminable light bulb at one end and a foldable fan driven by a motor contained within said casing, said motor and light bulb being supplied by electrical energy from batteries also contained within said casing, supporting means or said fan enabling the same in closed position to fold up along side of said casing, said supporting means also enabling said folded fan to extend substantially radially from said casing and to thereupon be unfolded to form a substantially fiat circular air moving surface, and means including said motor to oscillate said open fan in a path substantially normal to the surface thereof.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Prohaczka Oct. 20.

Images