Fan

Abstract

A fan is provided that includes a housing defining an internal cavity and having an air inlet and an air outlet, and a blower assembly disposed in the internal cavity. The blower assembly includes a motor and one or more blades rotatable to draw air into the housing through the air inlet and expel air through the housing through the air outlet. The fan further includes a base having a support surface configured to support a lower exterior surface region of the housing in an operating position such that the housing is freely supported by the base and is manually repositionable in orientation relative to the base between a plurality of orientations to direct airflow.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fan comprising:
 a housing defining an internal cavity, the housing including an outlet region through which air is expelled and an intake region through which air is received;   a blower assembly positioned within the internal cavity, the blower assembly comprising a motor and one or more blades rotatable about a rotational axis to draw air into the intake region and expel air through the outlet region; and   a base comprising a top support surface configured to freely support the housing in an operating position on the base such that, while the housing is supported by the base, the housing is manually repositionable in orientation relative to the base.   
     
     
         2 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the base defines an open center configured to receive a lower portion of the housing solely by gravity and by surface contact between the lower portion of the housing and the top support surface, without a latch, lock, hinge, or pivot joint coupling the housing to the base. 
     
     
         3 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the housing is substantially spherical. 
     
     
         4 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is manually tiltable and manually rotatable relative to the base. 
     
     
         5 . The fan of  claim 2 , wherein the lower portion of the housing includes a convex outer bearing surface having a curvature to engage the top support surface of the base such that the housing contacts the base along an annular contact band. 
     
     
         6 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis passes through the geometric center of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The fan of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a mechanical stop positioned on the housing and configured, during tilting of the housing relative to the base, to mechanically interfere with the base to define a maximum tilt angle of the housing relative to the base. 
     
     
         8 . A fan comprising:
 a housing defining an internal cavity and having an air inlet and an air outlet;   a motor drivingly coupled to one or more blades disposed in the internal cavity, the motor being operable to rotate the one or more blades to move air through the housing from the air inlet toward the air outlet;   a base having a support surface configured to freely support a lower exterior region of the housing in an operating position such that, while the housing is supported by the base, the housing is manually repositionable between a plurality of orientations relative to the base.   
     
     
         9 . The fan of  claim 8 , wherein the housing is supported by the base without being fixedly secured to the base. 
     
     
         10 . The fan of  claim 8 , wherein the base defines an open center configured to receive the lower exterior surface region of the housing solely by gravity and by surface contact between the lower exterior surface region of the housing and the support surface, without a latch, lock, hinge, or pivot joint coupling the housing to the base. 
     
     
         11 . The fan of  claim 8 , wherein the shape of the housing is substantially spherical. 
     
     
         12 . The fan of  claim 8 , wherein the housing is manually tiltable and manually rotatable relative to the base. 
     
     
         13 . The fan of  claim 8 , wherein the lower exterior region of the housing that engages the support surface is convexly curved. 
     
     
         14 . The fan of  claim 8 , wherein the housing includes a protrusion extending outwardly from the housing and configured to mechanically interfere with the base to define a maximum tilt angle of the housing relative to the base. 
     
     
         15 . A method of operating a fan, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning a housing on a base such that a lower exterior surface region of the housing is freely supported by a support surface of the base in an operating position;   while the housing remains freely supported by the base, manually repositioning the housing relative to the base between a plurality of orientations; and   operating a motor within an internal cavity of the housing to rotate one or more blades disposed in the internal cavity to draw air into the housing through an air inlet and expel air from the housing through an air outlet while the housing is in at least one of the plurality of orientations.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the base comprises a ring-shaped body defining an open center and the lower exterior surface region of the housing is positioned at least partially within the open center. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the lower exterior surface region of the housing is convexly curved. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the open center has a maximum transverse dimension smaller than a maximum transverse dimension of the housing such that the housing is inhibited from passing through the open center when freely supported by the base. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the housing is manually tiltable and manually rotatable relative to the base. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising actuating a controller located on a rear portion of the fan housing to select a plurality of motor speed states.