Fan

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fan which is swung by hand creating a cooling current of air.

Although there have been proposed various fans of the above described type, each of these fans has disadvantages that emitted light is defective in delicacy and elegance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a fan which has beautiful radiation of light and various light emission effects, and may be manufactured at low cost.

According to the present invention, there is provided a fan comprising a fan body made of a transparent sheet, a gripping member provided at a base portion of the fan body so as to be gripped by a hand of a user for swinging the fan body, an LED for illuminating the fan body, and a source for operating the LED.

The fan body is made of resin.

The gripping member is a handle secured to the fan body.

The source is at least one battery.

The source may be a generator generating electric current by motion of the fan body.

The fan further comprising a skeleton provided in the fan body.

The fan body has irregular portions and a pattern to be illuminated by light emitted from the LED.

A shield member is provided for shielding leaking light of the LED.

The LED is disposed at the base portion of the fan body.

A motion sensor is provided in the handle for detecting the motion of the fan body to control light emitting condition of the LED.

The source is provided in the handle.

The generator may be provided in the fan body.

The generator comprises a coil and a permanent magnet which is provided to be moved with respect to the coil

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a plan view showing a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2

is a sectional view;

FIG. 3

is a sectional view of a handle;

FIG. 4

is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5

is a sectional view thereof;

FIGS. 6

to

8

are illustrations for explaining the method for making the pattern on the fan body;

FIG. 9

is a plan view of a fan of the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10

is a side view of the fan of the third embodiment;

FIG. 11

is a sectional view of a handle of the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12

is a plan view showing a part of a skeleton according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 13

is a sectional view of a base portion of a fan according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14

is a plan view showing a fan of the seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15

is a side view;

FIG. 16

is a plan view showing a skeleton;

FIG. 17

is a side view of the skeleton;

FIG. 18

is a plan view showing a sheet.

FIG. 19

is a development of a cam groove;

FIG. 20

is a sectional plan view showing a generator as a source for the LED according to a first example;

FIG. 21

is a sectional side view thereof;

FIG. 22

is a sectional plan view of a second example of the generator;

FIG. 23

is a sectional side view;

FIG. 24

is a sectional plan view of a third example;

FIG. 25

is a sectional side view;

FIG. 26

is a sectional plan view of a fourth example of the generator;

FIG. 27

is a sectional side view;

FIG. 28

is a sectional side view showing a fifth example of the generator.

FIG. 29

is a sectional plan view of a sixth example of the generator;

FIG. 30

is a sectional plan view showing a seventh example of the generator;

FIG. 31

shows an eighth example;

FIG. 32

is a sectional plan view of a ninth example;

FIG. 33

is a sectional view of a toroidal coil;

FIG. 34

is a sectional plan view of a tenth embodiment;

FIG. 35

is a sectional view;

FIG. 36

is a sectional plan view of an eleventh example.

FIG. 37

is a sectional plan view of a twelfth example;

FIG. 38

is a plan view of a thirteenth example;

FIG. 39

is a perspective view of a fourteenth example; and

FIGS. 40

,

41

and

42

show different kinds of the electric circuit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to

FIGS. 1 through 3

, a fan according to a first embodiment of the preset invention comprises a fan body

1

and a handle

2

formed at a side of the fan body as a gripping member for swinging the fan body.

The fan body

1

comprises a skeleton

3

made of colorless transparent plastic and a pair of sheets

4

made of transparent plastic film and adhered on both sides of the skeleton

3

with adhesive. In

FIG. 1

, the sheet

4

is removed.

The skeleton

3

comprises an annular frame

5

, a plurality of radial ribs

6

integral with the frame

5

and radially extending from a base portion

7

, and arcuated lateral ribs

8

and

9

. Both side surfaces of the skeleton

3

are flat. The sheet

4

covers the whole area of the skeleton

3

.

There is formed a space between sheets

4

at a portion adjacent ribs

6

.

The handle

2

is made of plastic and has a cylindrical shape. There are formed recesses

10

and

11

in the base portion

7

and the end of the handle

2

. A LED (light emitting diode)

12

is mounted in the recesses

10

and

11

. In the handle

2

, a circuit

13

for operating the LED, a switch

14

for closing the circuit

13

to emit light, and a source

15

comprising batteries are mounted.

The handle

2

has a pair of recesses

16

in which the base portion

7

of the fan body

1

is inserted and secured thereto with adhesive. A light shielding layer

17

made of opaque resin is provided around the base portion

7

for preventing the light of the LED

12

from leaking at the base portion

7

.

When the push button of the switch

14

is depressed to close the circuit, the LED

12

is operated to emit light. The emitted light passes through the radial ribs

6

. If there is not provided irregular portions such as illuminated foreign things or parts in the ribs, the surface of the fan does not brighten. The light illuminates the end face

6

a

of each rib

6

, thereby brightening the end face. If the LED emits a color light, for example blue light, the end face brightens in blue.

If there is provided irregular parts different in sectional area of the rib

6

, engraved patterns on the rib, or particles in the rib, these parts are illuminated to brighten.

FIG. 4

is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 5

is a sectional view thereof.

A fan body

20

is made of acrylic resin in uniform thickness without ribs. A pattern

21

is formed in the fan body

20

by laser processing. The pattern is provided by a plurality of fine cracks.

Thus, each crack is illuminated by the light from the LED

12

to be brightened, thereby the pattern

21

is embossed. More particularly, the cracks diffusely reflect the light so that the pattern brightens beautifully.

The other parts are the same as that of the first embodiment and identified by the same reference numerals as

FIGS. 1

to

3

.

FIGS. 6

to

8

are illustrations for explaining the method for making the pattern on the fan body.

There is provided a transparent plate

22

made of acrylic resin and a laser emitting device

24

opposite to the plate

22

. The laser emitting device

24

emits YAG laser (yttrium aluminum garnet laser)

24

a

. The laser emitting device

24

is moved along patterns

21

a

, so that the patterns are formed by a plurality of cracks. The frequency of the laser beam has a large effect on the accuracy of the pattern formation. If the frequency is lower than 20 KHz, the pattern blurs. It is preferable that the frequency of the laser beam is between 40 and 50 KHz.

Referring to

FIGS. 6 and 8

, an illuminating light source

23

emits illuminating light beams

23

a

against the left side of the plate

22

. The light beams

23

a

are diffusely reflected from the cracks, thereby beautifully embossing the patterns

21

a.

FIG. 9

is a plan view of a fan of the third embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 10

is a side view.

The fan comprises a thin fan plate

25

and ribs

26

integral with the fan plate

25

. The rib

26

is formed on both sides of the fan plate

25

by plastic molding. The rib

26

comprises radial ribs

26

a

and lateral ribs

26

b

and

26

c

. The end of each of the ribs

26

a

and

26

b

has an inclined surface

27

, thereby outwardly emitting light. The base portion of each radial rib

26

a

has a larger thickness so as to increase the strength of the base portion.

FIG. 11

is a sectional view of a handle of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. A motion sensor

28

is mounted in a handle

30

. The motion sensor

28

is provided for detecting the acceleration of the motion of the fan by a vibrating body made of piezoelectric element, or detecting the angular velocity of the motion of the fan by Coriolis force of the vibration gyro sensor.

In accordance with the output of the motion sensor

28

, a control circuit

31

controls the condition of emitted light of the LED

12

including luminous intensity.

FIG. 12

is a plan view showing a part of a skeleton according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

The skeleton comprises thick radial base ribs

33

and radial thin ribs

34

projected from the top of each of the thick radial base ribs

33

. In a recess

36

at the base portion of the skeleton three LEDs

35

are provided. The LEDs

35

are different in color, for example divided into the three primary colors.

The three colors are mixed in the base ribs

33

, and the mixed color is divided into thin ribs

34

. Thus, the skeleton brightens in various colors.

FIG. 13

is a sectional view of a base portion of a fan according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

The fan comprises a base portion

37

of a skeleton, an LED

38

mounted on one of the sides of the base portion

37

, a light leading member

39

having a slant light leading plane

40

and fixed to the base portion

37

with a transparent adhesive

41

, opposite to the LED

38

, and a light shielding layer

42

covering an area around the LED

38

and light leading member

39

.

Light emitted from the LED

38

is guided by the light leading plane

40

and directed to the skeleton, passing through the transparent adhesive

41

. There is not provided a recess for mounting the LED.

FIG. 14

is a plan view showing a fan of the seventh embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 15

is a side view,

FIG. 16

is a plan view showing a skeleton,

FIG. 17

is a side view of the skeleton,

FIG. 18

is a plan view showing a sheet.

Referring to

FIGS. 14 and 16

, a fan body

42

has a skeleton

43

and a base portion

44

integral with the skeleton

43

, which are made of transparent plastic sheets

58

adhered to both sides of the skeleton

43

, and a handle

45

. The skeleton

43

comprises a circular frame

46

and a plurality of radial ribs

47

extending from the base portion

44

to the frame

46

.

The base portion

44

comprises an eye shaped frame

48

, a plurality of quasi-ribs

50

, a plurality of recesses

51

between the quasi-ribs

50

, and a pair of windows

49

formed at both end portions. A pair of connecting projections

52

are formed on the underside of the base portion

44

, forming a U-shaped injection portion

53

.

The handle

45

is formed by a pair of elongated shells

55

and has holding portions

56

at an end portion. In the injection portion

53

, an LED

54

is mounted. Fixing pins (not shown) projected from the inside wall of the holding portion

56

are engaged with holes

57

of the base portion

44

, thereby fixing the holding portions

56

to the base portion.

In the handle, a resistor

60

is provided to connect one of terminals of the LED

54

to positive pole of an uppermost battery

61

.

On a bottom of the handle

45

, a pendant

59

is rotatably mounted, and a switch

63

is provided in a cap

62

. On the bottom plate of the cap

62

, a base member

64

is secured, and a coil spring

65

is fixed on the base member

64

. The upper end of the spring

65

is pressed against a negative pole of a lower most battery

66

, and a lower portion of the spring

65

is radially extended to form a switch contact blade

67

. The switch contact blade

67

is adapted to be contacted with a lower end portion of a lead

68

extending from the other terminal of the LED

44

as described hereinafter.

The cap

62

has a pair of projections

69

projected from an inside wall thereof. The projections

69

engage with a cam groove

70

formed on the outside wall of the handle

45

in the circumferential direction.

FIG. 19

is a development of the cam groove

70

. The cam groove

70

has a lobe

71

. In the open condition of the switch

63

, one of the projections

69

is positioned at a position A. When the cap

62

is rotated in the clockwise direction, the projection

69

gets over a wall B and enters a recess gets over the lobe

71

(D position) and drops to a recess E. At the E position, the projection

69

presses the contact blade

67

of the spring

65

against the end portion of the lead

68

, thereby closing the switch

63

to operate the LED

44

.

The sheet

58

made of plastic is adhered to both sides of the skeleton

43

. There is formed a plurality of patterns

74

on the surface of the sheet

58

. It is preferable to make the sheet

58

by a hologram sheet.

The hologram sheet comprises a resin sheet made of colorless transparent soft resin such as PET (polyethylene terephtalate), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), OPP (oriented polypropylene) and others, fine bosses formed on the underside of the sheet by embossing process for interfering reflected light, and a thin aluminum film formed on the embossed surface by vacuum deposition. When illuminated, the hologram sheet radiates in various colors at the patterns

74

.

Referring to

FIG. 16

, there is a plurality of brightening points

75

a

,

75

b

,

75

c

. Thus, whole surface of the fan brightens. Although the holding portion

56

shields leaking light, it is preferable to slightly leak the light, thereby increasing brightening points.

FIG. 20

is a sectional plan view showing a generator as a source for the LED according to a first example, and

FIG. 21

is a sectional side view thereof.

The fan comprises a fan body

80

, a generator case

81

made of opaque resin and secured to the fan body

80

, and a handle

82

.

There is provided in the generator case

81

, a generator

83

, an LED

84

, an electric current for operating the LED

84

and a rectifier

85

a

for rectifying the alternating current generated by the generator

83

and for supplying the rectified current to the LED

84

. The generator

83

comprises an annular coil

86

secured to the inside wall of the generator case

81

, and a permanent magnet

87

disposed inside the coil

86

and supported by a pair of spring plates

88

so as to be incorporated in the axial direction. When the fan is swung for creating a an airflow, the permanent magnet

87

is reciprocated, thereby generating alternating current. The alternating current is a rectified by the rectifier

85

to generate direct current which is fed to the LED

84

to radiate light.

FIG. 22

is a sectional plan view of a second example of the generator, and

FIG. 23

is a sectional side view.

A generator

88

is provided in a generator case

90

which is formed by adhering a pair of dish like plastic plates. There is provided in the generator case

90

, a small LED

91

mounted on a substrate

92

, a coil

93

, a permanent magnet

94

supported by a pair of coil springs

95

, and an opening

96

for discharging the light emitted from the LED

91

.

Since the case

90

is small in size, the case can be engaged in a hole formed in the fan body (not shown). When the case is mounted in the hole, a flange

97

of the case contacts with the surface of the fan body, and the opening is positioned at a central position of the thickness of the fan body.

FIG. 24

is a sectional plan view of a third example, and

FIG. 25

is a sectional side view. In a generator case

100

, a large yoke

101

and a small yoke

102

are provided. The permanent magnet

94

is disposed in the small yoke

102

, and the coil

93

is mounted between the large and small yokes

101

and

102

, so that the magnetic flux is effectively applied to coil

93

. A coil spring

105

is mounted on a resilient resin member

106

so that the magnet

94

and yokes

101

and

102

are prevented from striking the case. There are provided two LEDs

91

.

FIG. 26

is a sectional plan view of a fourth example of the generator, and

FIG. 27

is a sectional side view.

In a generator case

110

, there are provided a U-shaped yoke

111

, a pair of flat permanent magnets

112

secured on the yoke

111

and a flat coil

113

opposite to the magnets. The yoke

111

is supported by a spring plate

114

to be vibrated in a direction parallel to the surface of the coil

113

. Other parts are identified by the same reference numerals of

FIGS. 20-23

.

The generator case

110

is embedded in the fan body. When the fan body is reciprocated in the direction parallel to the surface of the fan, the LED

91

produces light.

FIG. 28

is a sectional side view showing a fifth example of the generator.

The permanent magnet

94

has an annular shape, and the LED

91

is provided in the magnet

94

. A generator case

116

is adhered to the surface of the fan body

80

. The LED

91

is inserted in a hole

117

formed in the fan body. The hole

117

is closed by a light shielding plate

118

adhered to the opposite side of the fan body

80

.

FIG. 29

is a sectional plan view of a sixth example of the generator.

There is provided in the handle

82

, elongated cylindrical coil

93

, permanent magnet

94

having a pair of yokes

120

secured to both ends of the magnet and inserted in the coil

93

. The magnet

94

is held by a pair of coil springs

95

so as to be moved in the axial direction.

FIG. 30

is a sectional plan view showing a seventh example of the generator.

Cylindrical coil

93

comprises a plurality of unit coils

93

a

. Adjacent unit coils

93

a

are different in winding direction. The permanent magnet

94

has a length approximately equal to that of the unit coil

93

a

, and is inserted in the coil

93

to be moved in the axial direction. At both ends of the handle

82

, a pair of springs

95

are provided to return the magnet

94

.

FIG. 31

shows an eighth example. The generator comprises four cylindrical coils

93

a

removed from each other. The permanent magnet comprises four magnets

94

a

adhered to each other at the same pole.

FIG. 32

is a sectional plan view of a ninth example, and

FIG. 33

is a sectional view of a toroidal coil.

The toroidal coil

122

comprises a plurality of cylindrical coils

122

a

. An arcuated permanent magnet

123

is inserted in the coil

122

to be rotated in the coil. The generator generates an electric current by rotating the handle about the axis.

FIG. 34

is a sectional plan view of a tenth embodiment, and

FIG. 35

is a sectional view.

A cylindrical coil

125

comprising four coils is secured on the handle

82

. A cylindrical yoke

136

is rotatably mounted on the handle

82

. Four permanent magnets

94

a

are secured to the inside wall of the yoke

136

.

FIG. 36

is a sectional plan view of an eleventh example.

The generator is substantially the same as that of

FIG. 29. A

guide pipe

138

is provided in the fan body

80

, and a weight

140

is slidably provided in the guide pipe. The weight

140

is connected to the permanent magnet

94

by a rod

141

.

FIG. 37

is a sectional plan view of a twelfth example.

In the example, the weight

140

is connected to the permanent magnet

94

by a lever

142

and the rod

141

.

FIG. 38

is a plan view of a thirteenth example, and

FIG. 39

is a perspective view of a fourteenth example.

In the fan body

80

of

FIG. 38

, two generator cases

90

shown in

FIGS. 22 and 23

are embedded at a base portion

143

. Each generator case

90

has a light discharge opening

144

. A plurality of radial ribs

145

are provided in the fan body

80

from the opening

144

. The generators in the generator cases

90

emit different colors.

In the fan body

80

of

FIG. 39

, three generator cases

90

are embedded. A pattern

146

is provided in the fan body

80

. The generators in the cases

90

produce three primary colors which illuminate the pattern

146

.

FIGS. 40

,

41

and

42

show different kinds of the electric circuit

85

. The circuit of

FIG. 40

operates the LED

84

with a current of one of polarities of the alternating current.

Two LEDs

84

of the circuit of

FIG. 41

are alternately operated by a current of both polarity of the alternating current.

The circuit of

FIG. 42

is provided with the rectifier

85

a.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a fan which has beautiful radiation of light and various light emission effects, and may be manufactured at low cost.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with preferred specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.