Concealed portable fan

Abstract

A stable portable fan capable of generating an exhaust air stream elevated above a support surface allowing the exhaust air stream to be directed as desired by the user is provided. The device includes an air generator assembly located within a polygonal column generating an exhaust air stream that exiting the polygonal column. The polygonal column of the device is used to disguise/conceal the fan.

1 . A portable fan comprising: 
 base for engaging a mounting surface;    a plurality of walls connected to said base and extending substantially vertically upward, wherein said plurality of walls form a polygonal column;    a top connected to a top end of said polygonal column;    an interior space defined by said plurality of walls and said top;    at least one air inlet in said polygonal column;    at least one air outlet located in an upper portion of said polygonal column;    an air generator disposed within said interior space and in fluid communication with said at least one air inlet and said at least one air outlet;    an intake air stream induced by said air generator, wherein said intake air stream enters said interior space via said at least one air inlet; and    an exhaust air stream generated by said air generator, wherein said exhaust air stream exits said interior space via said at least one air outlet;    wherein said plurality of walls forming said polygonal column are utilized to substantially cover and protect said air generator when viewed from a location exterior to said interior space, and wherein said vertical orientation of said polygonal column raises said exhaust air stream to an elevation above said support surface.    
   
   
       2 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of walls forming said polygonal column further comprise at least a first pair of substantially flat walls that are oriented substantially parallel relative to one another.  
   
   
       3 . The portable fan of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of walls forming said polygonal column further comprise at least a second pair of substantially flat walls that are substantially parallel relative to one another and oriented substantially orthogonal to said first pair of parallel walls.  
   
   
       4 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of walls forming said polygonal column further comprise: 
 a front wall having said at least one air outlet;    a rear wall located opposite said front wall; and    side walls disposed between said front wall and said rear wall, wherein said side walls are substantially orthogonal to said front wall and said rear wall.    
   
   
       5 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of walls forming said polygonal column further comprise separate walls that are formed as individual, substantially flat pieces, wherein said separate walls are shipped disconnected from one another, and wherein said separate walls are connected together to form said polygonal column during operation of said portable fan.  
   
   
       6 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , further comprising corner connecting pieces for connecting adjacent walls together.  
   
   
       7 . The portable fan of  claim 6 , wherein corner pieces further comprise slots, wherein side edges of said separate walls are inserted into said slots in said corner connecting pieces, and wherein said connection of said separate walls to said corner connecting pieces does not use separate fasteners.  
   
   
       8 . The portable fan of  claim 6 , wherein said separate walls are connected to said corner connecting pieces by a snap-fit connection, and wherein said connection of said separate walls to said corner connecting pieces does not use separate fasteners.  
   
   
       9 . The portable fan of  claim 6 , further comprising fasteners for connecting said walls to said corner connecting pieces, wherein each of said separate walls include one or more holes along vertical edges of said walls for receiving one of said fasteners, and wherein said corner connecting pieces comprise corresponding holes for receiving said fasteners to connect said walls and said corner connecting pieces.  
   
   
       10 . The portable fan of  claim 6 , wherein said corner connecting pieces are formed along one edge of said walls and wherein said walls further comprise a mating edge, wherein said corner connecting piece and said mating edge of adjacent walls are coupled together to connect said walls.  
   
   
       11 . The portable fan of  claim 6 , wherein said corner connecting pieces extend along a length of said side edge of said walls.  
   
   
       12 . The portable fan of  claim 6 , wherein said corner connecting pieces further comprise L-shaped brackets, wherein an angle of said L-shaped bracket is determined by dividing about 360 degrees by the number of sides of said polygonal column.  
   
   
       13 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said plurality of walls further comprises two distinct surfaces, wherein at least one of said walls is reversible to selectively expose one of said distinct surfaces as an exterior surface of said polygonal column.  
   
   
       14 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of said plurality of walls are identical and interchangeable with one another in an assembly of said portable fan.  
   
   
       15 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of walls are at least partially constructed of one or more of: wood, plastic, metal, and/or fabric.  
   
   
       16 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , further comprises an oscillation mechanism wherein said oscillation mechanism moves said exhaust air stream horizontally side to side as it exits said polygonal column via said at least one air outlet opening.  
   
   
       17 . The portable fan of  claim 16 , further comprising a rotatable air transfer plenum disposed within said interior space of said polygonal column, wherein said rotational movement of said exhaust air stream is absent a movement of said polygonal column.  
   
   
       18 . The portable fan of  claim 17 , wherein said rotational movement of said air transfer plenum is substantially concealed by said plurality of walls of said polygonal column.  
   
   
       19 . The portable fan according to  claim 17 , further comprising electrical wires and electrical connections, wherein said electrical wires and/or said electrical connections are substantially stationary during said rotation of said air transfer plenum and said movement of said exhaust air stream.  
   
   
       20 . The portable fan of  claim 17 , further comprising air alignment elements disposed between said air transfer plenum and said air outlet, wherein said air alignment elements extend in a direction substantially radial from an axis of rotation of said air transfer plenum.  
   
   
       21 . The portable fan of  claim 20 , wherein said air alignment elements define an oscillation angle, wherein said air transfer plenum rotates side to side to provide a cooling effect on a user located within an area covered by oscillation of exhaust air stream through said oscillation angle.  
   
   
       22 . The portable fan of  claim 20 , further comprising a grill located proximate said at least one air outlet, wherein said air alignment elements further comprise front edges that forms said grill.  
   
   
       23 . The portable fan of  claim 20 , further comprising a grill located proximate said at least one air outlet, wherein said air alignment elements further comprise a rear edge of said grill, wherein said rear edge comprises a concave shape corresponds to an arc defined by an outlet of said air transfer plenum as said air transfer plenum rotates about said axis of rotation.  
   
   
       24 . The portable fan of  claim 20 , wherein said air alignment elements disposed between said air transfer plenum and said air outlet are formed as part of said polygonal column.  
   
   
       25 . The portable fan according to claims  1 , further comprising a weather proof construction comprising one or more of: a rain sensor, water proof materials, a sealed housing, sealed motors, and/or sealed switches.  
   
   
       26 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , further comprising a light source.  
   
   
       27 . The portable fan of  claim 26 , wherein said light source comprises a light emitting diode.  
   
   
       28 . The portable fan of  claim 27 , wherein said light source further comprises a polymer plate used to distribute light emitted from said light emitting diode.  
   
   
       29 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical receptacle.  
   
   
       30 . The portable fan according to claims  1 , further comprising an air filtration element disposed proximate said at least one air inlet.  
   
   
       31 . The portable fan of  claim 30 , wherein said air filtration element further comprises a photo catalyst substance and an ultraviolet ray generator used to excite said photo catalyst substance.  
   
   
       32 . The portable fan of  claim 30 , wherein inlet air is drawn into said internal space through said air filtration element.  
   
   
       33 . The portable fan according to claims  1 , further comprising a non-operating configuration wherein said plurality of walls are disassembled from one another and disassembled from said base and said top and disposed within a shipping package.  
   
   
       34 . The portable fan of  claim 33 , wherein in said shipping package said plurality of walls are one of: stacked beside one another and/or stacked on top of one other to further conserve space in said shipping package.  
   
   
       35 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of walls are readily disassembled from one another, and wherein one or more of said plurality of walls are: (i) replaceable with one or more different walls; (ii) interchangeable with another of said plurality of walls; (iii) reverseable to have another surface of said plurality of walls showing to an exterior of said portable fan, wherein said plurality of walls are disassembled and reassembled in order to change an appearance of said portable fan.  
   
   
       36 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , further comprising a maximum velocity of said exhaust air stream measured about 8 feet from said air outlet wherein said maximum velocity of about 500 feet per minute or greater.  
   
   
       37 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , further comprising a maximum thrust in a direction substantially opposite to a direction of the flow of said exhaust air stream as said exhaust air stream exits said air outlet, wherein said maximum thrust of about 1.0 pound of force or less.  
   
   
       38 . The portable fan of  claim 1 , further comprising a velocity to thrust ratio, wherein a maximum velocity of said exhaust air stream measured about 8 feet from said air outlet divided by a maximum thrust generated by said exhaust air stream in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the flow of said exhaust air stream as it exits said air outlet is about 500:1 or greater.  
   
   
       39 . A concealed portable fan comprising: 
 a base;    side walls extending vertically upward from said base, said sidewalls each comprising a bottom edge, a top edge, and side edges;    a top proximate said top edges of said side walls forming a vertically oriented polygonal column;    at least a first pair of said side walls being substantially flat and substantially parallel relative to one another;    at least one air inlet;    at least one air outlet opening located in an upper portion of said vertically oriented polygonal column;    a first interior space defined by said a vertically oriented polygonal column;    an air generator disposed within a lower portion said first interior space comprising;    a housing;    an impeller disposed within said housing, wherein said air impeller has a substantially horizontal axis of rotation;    a motor for rotating said impeller;    an intake port;    an exit port;    a transfer plenum disposed within said first interior space and fluidly connected to said exit port of said air generator, said transfer plenum comprising;    a plenum wall defining a second interior space;    at least one plenum outlet in said plenum wall;    a flow of intake air induced by said air generator, wherein said flow of intake air enters said first interior space via said air inlet; and    an exhaust air stream generated by said air generator, wherein said exhaust air stream exits said first interior space via said air outlet opening;    wherein said vertically oriented polygonal column is utilized to substantially conceal and/or disguise said air generator when viewed from a location exterior to said first interior space.    
   
   
       40 . A concealed portable fan comprising: 
 a vertically oriented polygonal column comprising:    a base for engaging a mounting surface;    a top;    a vertically oriented cover comprising:    multiple walls extending vertically between said base and said top;    at least a first pair of said multiple walls being substantially flat and substantially parallel relative to one another;    at least one vertically elongate air inlet in an upper portion of said vertically oriented cover;    at least one vertically elongate air outlet opening in an upper portion of said vertically oriented cover;    a first interior space defined by said vertically oriented polygonal column;    an air generator disposed within said first interior space between and in fluid communication with said at least one vertically elongate air inlet and said at least one vertically elongate air outlet opening comprising;    a cross-flow air impeller having a substantially vertical axis of rotation;    a motor attached to said cross-flow air impeller, said motor rotating said impeller about said vertical axis of rotation;    a flow of intake air generated by said air generator entering said interior space via said at least one vertically elongate air inlet; and    an exhaust air stream generated by said air generator exiting said interior space via said at least one vertically elongate air outlet opening;    wherein said polygonal column is utilized to substantially conceal and/or disguise said air generator when viewed from a location exterior to said interior space.    
   
   
       41 . A disguised fan comprising: 
 a base;    a plurality of panels extending substantially vertically upward from said base, said panels adapted to look similar to a piece of furniture or room decor;    a top at an end of said panels opposite said base;    an interior space defined by said base, said panels, and said top;    an air inlet in at least one of said panels to allow air to enter said interior space;    an air outlet in at least one of said panels to allow an exhaust air stream to exit said interior space; and    an air blower disposed within said interior space between said air inlet and said air outlet;    wherein said panels further comprises material provided in numerous patterns and/or colors to match a decor style;    wherein said plurality of panels disguised said fan as a piece of furniture.    
   
   
       42 . The disguised fan of  claim 41 , wherein said materials of said panels further comprise at least one of wood, fabric, polymer and/or metals.  
   
   
       43 . The disguised fan of  claim 41 , further comprising a polygonal column formed by at least four panels, wherein at least two of said panels form a first pair of substantially flat walls that are oriented substantially parallel relative to one another.  
   
   
       44 . The disguised fan of  claim 43 , further comprising least a second pair of substantially flat walls formed by said panels that are substantially parallel relative to one another and oriented substantially orthogonal to said first pair of substantially parallel, flat walls.