Tower fan assembly with telescopic support column

Abstract

A vertical axis tower fan apparatus having an adjustable support column. The tower fan apparatus is comprised of a support base, a telescopic support column adjustable between fixed, retracted and extended positions, a vertical axis propeller encased within a housing, and a motor. The vertical axis propeller is contained within the cylindrical housing, wherein the housing is rotatably coupled to one end of the support column. The fan is rotatably connected to the top of the support column and is adapted to rotate freely thereon, when activated. The opposing end of the column is insertable into the support base. The telescopic column is comprised of a hollow pillar and an extendable member removably inserted within the hollow pillar. The column is manually adjustable to a variety of heights to provide cooling air to different target heights via the use of an adjustable locking sleeve. The sleeve may be loosened, to allow the extendable member to be extracted from within the hollow pillar and raised until the fan reaches a desirable height. Conversely, the extendable member may be retracted until the fan reaches another target height. When the desired height is reached, the sleeve is tightened thereby preventing the member from moving within the pillar. A keypad located in the housing cover, or a remote control unit allows the user to program the fan, via the use of a microcontroller within the fan housing, to achieve a variety of speeds and wind patterns, as well as activating an oscillation mode and a timer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] n / a STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] n / a FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates to a tower fan apparatus and more specifically to a vertical axis tower fan assembly having a telescopic support column. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Typical fixed-height floor fans are comprised of a base, support column, and a large, circular grill that encloses revolving fan blades. The fan is therefore at a fixed height, and though it usually provides an oscillation mechanism to allow the grill and fan blades to rotate thereby cooling an area in a region substantially in front of the fan, the height of the column is fixed. This limitation prevents a user from raising or lowering the column in order to cool a wider target region. [0005] Floor fans of the type described above are also heavy and cumbersome, due to the large circumference of their grill. This is to contain the large fan blades t...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This limitation prevents a user from raising or lowering the column in order to cool a wider target region.

Floor fans of the type described above are also heavy and cumbersome, due to the large circumference of their grill.

If a fan is manufactured with a smaller circumference grill, in order to provide a fan that is easier to maneuver and transport, the fan blades must be smaller, leading to a fan that may not sufficiently cool a larger area.

If the fan blades are larger, a larger cooling region might be obtained, but the result is a fan that is large, unsightly and difficult to maneuver and / or transport.

Finally, no matter how one may tilt the grill of the typical floor fan, there is an inherent limitation based upon the fixed height of the column supporting the grill.

A non-adjustable column results in a fan that has a limited cooling range.

A floor fan with a very long fixed column may cool a wider area but is ineffective for small target regions, i.e. cooling a person sitting at a desk.

On the other hand, a floor fan with a short, fixed support column may be effective when targeting a small region and when it is placed on a desk or table, but is ineffective in cooling off a larger, or higher target area when placed directly on the floor.

Height-adjustable grill fans have limitations due to fact that grill fans do not direct the flow of cooled air in a specific, narrow region.

Even though some grill fans may be manually raised or lowered, they lack the general effectiveness of tower fans, which provide a direct stream of cooled air to a specific, targeted region.

However, tower fans possess the same limitation as circular grill fans in that their height is restricted due to the fixed height of its support column.

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