Silent Fan

Abstract

A fan comprises a body section including a casing and a plurality of propellers; and a damping element configured for reduction of noise and including a plurality of bristles connected to the body section, wherein the plurality of bristles include at least one of a serration and a velvet bristles. In some embodiments, the plurality of bristles are integral to the body section. In some other embodiments, the plurality of bristles are a plurality of attachments attached to the body section. In some embodiments, the plurality of bristles are flexible. In some embodiments, the plurality of bristles include the serration; and the serration includes a plurality of curved serrations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fan comprising:
 a body section including a casing and at least one propeller, and   a damping element coupled to the body section,   wherein the damping element includes a plurality of noise-reducing bristles.   
     
     
         2 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the bristles are structured as any of serrations and velvet bristles. 
     
     
         3 . The fan of  claim 2 , wherein said noise-reducing bristles are distributed in one or more damping patches. 
     
     
         4 . The fan of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the damping patches includes a first set of bristles structured as serrations and a second set of bristles structured as velvet bristles. 
     
     
         5 . The fan of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more damping patches include only bristles structured as serrations. 
     
     
         6 . The fan of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more damping patches include only bristles structured as velvet bristles. 
     
     
         7 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one propeller includes a propeller edge and the plurality of bristles are coupled to the propeller edge. 
     
     
         8 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one propeller includes a propeller surface and the plurality of bristles are coupled to the propeller surface. 
     
     
         9 . The fan of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more damping patches are integral to the body section. 
     
     
         10 . The fan of  claim 3 , wherein the body section and the damping element include separate units attached to one another. 
     
     
         11 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the damping element is attached to the casing. 
     
     
         12 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the damping element is attached to the propeller. 
     
     
         13 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles includes any of silicone, a metal, a plastic, a carbon fiber, a bioorganic fiber, a monomer or polymer, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles have a flexible structure. 
     
     
         15 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles includes a plurality of curved serrations. 
     
     
         16 . The fan of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of curved serrations have a length in a range of about 1 millimeter to about 25 millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one propeller is configured to generate audible noise with one or more wavelengths between a first wavelength and a second wavelength and the bristles include a plurality of protrusions with lengths between the first wavelength and the second wavelength. 
     
     
         18 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bristles includes a stem and a first plurality of branches extending from the stem. 
     
     
         19 . The fan of  claim 18 , wherein each of said first plurality of branches forms a first non-zero angle with a longitudinal axis of the stem. 
     
     
         20 . The fan of  claim 18 , wherein said first non-zero angle is in a range of about 5 degrees to about 175 degrees. 
     
     
         21 . The fan of  claim 18 , wherein said non-zero angle is substantially 90 degrees. 
     
     
         22 . The fan of  claim 18 , wherein said at least one of the bristles includes a second plurality of branches extending from at least one of first plurality of branches. 
     
     
         23 . The fan of  claim 22 , wherein each of said second plurality of branches forms a second non-zero angle relative to a respective one of the first plurality of branches from which it extends. 
     
     
         24 . The fan of  claim 23 , wherein said second non-zero angle is in a range of about 5 degrees to about 175 degrees. 
     
     
         25 . The fan of  claim 24 , wherein said second non-zero angle is substantially 90 degrees. 
     
     
         26 . The fan of  claim 22 , wherein each of said second plurality of branches has a length that is in a range of about 0.1% to about 50% of a length of a respective one of the first plurality of branches from which it extends. 
     
     
         27 . The fan of  claim 22 , wherein each of said second plurality of branches has a diameter that is in a range of about 0.1% to about 50% of a diameter of a respective one of the first plurality of branches from which it extends. 
     
     
         28 . The fan of  claim 18 , wherein said first plurality of branches is disposed on a single side of the stem. 
     
     
         29 . The fan of  claim 18 , wherein said first plurality of branches is disposed on at least two sides of the stem. 
     
     
         30 . The fan of  claim 18 , where the stem has a tapered profile extending from a base to a tip. 
     
     
         31 . A fan, comprising.
 at least one propeller disposed within a casing,   a plurality of noise-reducing elements coupled to the at least one propeller and the casing,   wherein at least one of said plurality of noise-reducing elements comprises a bristle having a stem and a plurality of multi-tiered branches extending from the stem.   
     
     
         32 . The fan of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of said multi-tiered branches includes a main branch and at least one sub-branch extending from the main branch and forming a non-zero angle relative to the main branch. 
     
     
         33 . A noise-reducing element for use with a fan, comprising:
 a base configured for attachment to any of a propeller and a casing of the fan,   a plurality of bristles coupled to the base,   wherein each of said plurality of bristles includes a stem and a plurality of multi-tiered branches extending from the stem.   
     
     
         34 . The noise-reducing element of  claim 33 , wherein any of said base and said plurality of bristles include any of silicone, a metal, a plastic, a monomer or polymer, or a carbon fiber, bioorganic fiber, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The noise-reducing element of  claim 33 , further comprising a coupling mechanism configured for attaching the noise-reducing element to any of the propeller and the casing. 
     
     
         36 . The noise-reducing element of  claim 33 , wherein said coupling mechanism is configured to attach the noise-reducing element to any of the propeller and the casing via at least one of an adhesive, soldering, locking or fusion. 
     
     
         37 . A fan comprising:
 a body section including a casing and a plurality of propellers; and   at least one damping element configured for reduction of noise and including one or more damping patches connected to the body section, wherein the plurality of damping patches includes a plurality of bristles structured as serrations or as velvet bristles.   
     
     
         37 . The fan of claim  37 , wherein the one or more damping patches include a first set of bristles structured as serrations and a second set of bristles structured as velvet bristles. 
     
     
         39 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the plurality of propellers include a plurality of propeller edges; and   the plurality of damping patches are connected to one or more of the plurality of propeller edges.   
     
     
         40 . The fan of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of damping patches include the velvet bristles. 
     
     
         41 . The fan of  claim 39 , wherein the plurality of damping patches include the serration. 
     
     
         42 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the plurality of propellers includes a plurality of propeller surfaces; and   the plurality of damping patches is connected to one or more of the plurality of propeller surfaces.   
     
     
         43 . The fan of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of damping patches include the velvet bristles. 
     
     
         44 . The fan of  claim 42 , wherein the plurality of damping patches include the serration. 
     
     
         45 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of damping patches are integral to the body section. 
     
     
         46 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of damping patches are a plurality of attachments attached to the body section. 
     
     
         47 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of damping patches are connected to the casing. 
     
     
         48 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of bristles include silicone. 
     
     
         49 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of bristles are flexible. 
     
     
         50 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the plurality of bristles include the serration; and   the serration includes a plurality of curved serrations.   
     
     
         51 . The fan of  claim 50 , wherein the plurality of curved serrations have a plurality of lengths between 1 millimeter and 25 millimeters. 
     
     
         52 . The fan of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the plurality of propellers is configured to generate audible noise with wavelength between a first wavelength and a second wavelength; and   the plurality of bristles include a plurality of protrusions with lengths between the first wavelength and the second wavelength.   
     
     
         53 . A noise reduction attachment comprising one or more damping patches each including a plurality of bristles, wherein the plurality of bristles are structured as a serration or as velvet bristles. 
     
     
         54 . The noise reduction attachment of  claim 53 , further comprising a coupling section configured to attach to a part of a fan. 
     
     
         55 . The noise reduction attachment of  claim 54 , wherein the coupling section is configured to attach to the part of the fan by adhesive, soldering, locking, or fusion. 
     
     
         56 . The noise reduction attachment of  claim 53 , wherein the plurality of bristles include silicone. 
     
     
         57 . The noise reduction attachment of  claim 53 , wherein the plurality of bristles are flexible. 
     
     
         58 . The noise reduction attachment of  claim 53 , wherein:
 the plurality of bristles includes the serration; and   the serration includes a plurality of curved serrations.   
     
     
         59 . The noise reduction attachment of  claim 58 , wherein the plurality of curved serrations have a plurality of lengths between about 1 to about 50% of the longest dimension of the propeller.