Ceiling fan

Abstract

A ceiling fan design incorporates a plurality of air-moving blades having a generally vertical orientation. Curvature of the blades causes air to be moved in a generally downward direction. Large blade surface areas are provided to generate desired volumes of air movement at slow speeds.

1 . A ceiling fan, comprising: 
 a fan stator portion adapted for connection to a ceiling;    a fan rotor portion rotatably connected the stator portion, and adapted to rotate about a substantially vertical axis; and    a plurality of blades connected to and carried by the rotor portion, wherein the blades each have a vertical dimension greater than a horizontal dimension.    
   
   
       2 . The ceiling fan of  claim 1 , wherein each blade is curved so as to have an upper region thereof that is oriented more vertically than a lower region thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein an inner edge of each blade connects the blade to the rotor portion, and wherein the inner edge is at an angle more than 45 degrees above horizontal.  
   
   
       4 . The fan of  claim 3 , wherein an outer region of each blade is more horizontally oriented than the inner edge.  
   
   
       5 . A ceiling fan, comprising: 
 a fan stator portion adapted for connection to a ceiling;    a fan rotor portion rotatably connected the stator portion, and adapted to rotate about a substantially vertical axis; and    a plurality of blades connected to and carried by the rotor portion, wherein the blades each have a majority of their surface oriented closer to a vertical axis direction than to a horizontal direction.    
   
   
       6 . The ceiling fan of  claim 5 , wherein an angle between a leading edge of each blade and a trailing edge of each blade is greater than 45 degrees above a horizontal plane.  
   
   
       7 . The ceiling fan of  claim 5 , wherein each blade has a vertical dimension greater than a horizontal dimension.  
   
   
       8 . The ceiling fan of  claim 5 , wherein each blade is curved to provide a constantly varying angle to the vertical across the entire surface of the blade.  
   
   
       9 . The ceiling fan of  claim 5 , wherein a lower edge of each blade is more horizontally oriented than an upper edge.