Field of the invention

[001 ] The present invention belongs to the field of cooling or alternatively room air heating devices and, more particularly, to cooling or heating devices for room air which employ an electric fan to circulate room air around a cold or hot material in order to cool or, alternatively, warm the room air.

Introduction

[002] The present invention refers to cooling or heating of air circulating within a chamber such as a room. More specifically, the invention provides a compact and efficient apparatus to transfer heat to or from air being circulated in a room, and in association with effecting fluid dynamics related to this circulation.

Background of the invention

[003] Fans are usually used as means for cooling a room in the absence or in combination with air conditioning.

[004] Manufacturers and inventors from around the world have dedicated themselves to the improved use of fans, providing them with supplementary elements capable of enhancing or even performing additional thermal changes by taking advantage of the pressure differential provided by the moving propeller (fan) blades.

[005] Such supplementary elements include devices for providing the addition or withdrawal of heat from the moving air, aiming to increase the comfort and to improve the thermal sensation of its users.

[006] The related prior art shows several patents, in which it is considered that the warm air of a room can be cooled when the air is circulated over a cold material. In this regard, over the years a large number of innovations and patents have been developed in relation to the use of electric ians to circulate the warm air of the room to a cool material so that the heat exchange causes the warm air to be cooled and the following patents are representative of some of those innovations: US 7,305,848, US 5,860,293, US 4,612,774, US 4,751 ,827, and US 6,401 ,483.

[007] The patents US 5,860,293 and US 4,612,774 disclose an ice cooled fan screen apparatus in which an ice-containing unit for an electric fan is placed, respectively, directly in the rear of the fan or in front of the fan. By placing the ice-containing unit direct in front or the rear of the fan, and as a flat frontal surface, the pattern of air distribution from the fan is interfered due to negative turbulences, compromising efficient and complete heat exchange. To avoid this interference with the air distribution from the fan, it would be desirable if a cooling fan apparatus were provided with a cooling or heating- container unit located behind the fan device but at a certain distance from the fan device’s low-pressure or depression system (usually fan blades).

[008] US 4,751 ,827 discloses a fan air cooler, which includes a complex grid of spaced apart strips filled with a frozen fluid material as a radiator. The grid is secured to the top edge of the fan housing. To avoid the effort and expense of this solution, it would be desirable for a cooling fan apparatus not employing a complex grid of spaced apart strips filled with a frozen fluid material.

[009] As stated above, it would be desirable to provide a container with a cooling or heating material, for a cooling and heating device fan apparatus that employs ice or heating container and an electric fan device, and it would be further desirable if the container is disposed within a free flow of external air using the low-pressure of the fan device to circulate between the containers, and if the container could be easily removed and replaced by a new, to permit the continuous cooling or heating.

[010] Still other features would be desirable in a cooling fan apparatus. For example, with the earlier art devices discussed above, the devices appear to be backed up on a floor at a low height with respect to the floor. As a result, the air that is cooled will tend to stay close to the ground. This may not be desirable because colder air sinks naturally towards the region of warmer air. Thus, it would be preferable if the media were to cause the cooling air to be circulated at a higher height with respect to the floor, to allow the cooling air to cool the warm air at a height substantially far from the level of the floor.

[01 1 ] Many of the prior art devices discussed above employ pieces of ice that are relatively small. More specifically, conventional ice cubes are often employed. However, rather than only using conventional ice cubes, it would be desirable to employ a relatively large single block of ice, for example, placed within a container, due to the fact that the ice’s enthalpy would greatly enhance. In this regard, it would be desirable to employ a relatively large single block of ice, which could, depending on the size of the block, eventually be subdivided in two or more inner containers within the warm air circulating.

[012] Thus, while the previous art indicates that it is well known to use devices to cool the room air with an electric fan and pieces of ice, the prior art does neither teach nor suggest a single fan apparatus capable of cooling or heating with the following combination of desirable features:

i. one or more ice-container units located behind and spaced from an generic electric fan device;

ii. one or more shelves to contain the water accumulated from melting ice that can be easily separated from the thermal fan device unit;

iii. a simple grid of spaced apart strips filled with a frozen fluid material;

iv. being able to be used to cool or heat the environment of a room; v. causing cooled air to be circulated at a higher height with respect to the floor, permitting the cooled air to cool warm air at a height substantially distant from the floor level; vi. employing a relatively large single container block for the cooling or heating medium;

vii. possessing characteristics of fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and thermodynamic capable of efficiently exchange thermal energy with the cold or heat supplied by the container(s). [013] The desired features above are complemented and largely amplified by the single cooling or heating fan thermal apparatus of the present invention, as will be made apparent from the following description. Other advantages of the present invention on the prior art will also become evident. Summary of the invention

[014] As already discussed during the evaluation of the related prior art, there is a need for compact and efficient apparatuses in or in association with generic fan devices with rotating blades generating air flow in chambers or rooms, to produce cooling or heating in conjunction with the air circulation effected by the generic fan device operation.

[015] Fans are usually used as means for cooling a room in the absence or in combination with air conditioning. The present invention provides a thermal device mounted on common generic fan devices with greater versatility that allows heating or cooling domestic, commercial or even small industrial room environments.

[016] Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skilled in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims.

[017] It is a major object of the invention to provide novel apparatus and methods for meeting the above needs.

[018] Basically, the apparatus of the invention is incorporated to an generic air circulating electric ian assembly, such apparatus including:

a) a fan motor and fan blades rotated by the motor;

b) a generic tubular base connected to the fan motor by means of a fan assembling mounting bolt that allows to change de directional flux of air high and down; c) an oscillating control with a clutch handle that allows to change the air flux direction alternatively and continuously to left and right;

d) connected to the generic tubular inferior base a generic fan electric device. There are basic types of axial fans propeller devices as axial fans propeller, tube axial, and vane axial - these fans are often mounted in a wall, table or pedestal generic fan device.

e) mounted on the generic fan device motor housing the thermal fan device of the present invention provides a longitudinal tunnel base may be generally inverted“U” shaped format, each comprising an inner cavity, containing two lateral interior cavities to fit the replaceable container units enclosed by a front and other posterior grille;

f) two inverted J replaceable plastic container units shaped as aerodynamics serpentine and for cooling or alternatively heating the environment air;

g) the inverted U-shaped tunnel contains in its inferior flat bottom base two drawers to collect excess water exuded from the thermal container units as larger drops;

h) the inverted U-shaped tunnel can contain interiorly longitudinal fins to swing the air aspirated by the propellers of the fan normally rotating in the direction of the propellers and making the helical flow vortex redirect to the container units.

Brief description of the drawings

[019] For better understanding and visualization of the object of the present invention, it will now be described with reference to the appended drawings, with the technical effect obtained being represented by means of exemplary embodiments, which is not limiting to the scope of the present invention, wherein: FIG. 1 : is the front view of the thermal fan device mounted over a generic electric fan device;

FIG. 2: is a lateral perspective view of the thermal fan device of the present invention mounted over a generic electric fan device;

FIG. 3: is an exploded perspective view of the thermal fan device of the present invention mounted over a generic electric fan device;

FIG. 3a: is a perspective view of the support frame of the present invention;

FIG. 4: is an exploded lateral view of the present invention of the present invention mounted over a generic electric fan device;

FIG. 5: is a cross section view of the thermal fan device of the present invention, showing the airflow inside the tunnel and involving the thermal container unit, leaving the generic fan device as colder air plus vapor;

FIG. 6a: is a perspective view of the thermal container unit as inverted J-shaped vertical serpentine of the present invention, narrowing in the longitudinal direction towards the air outlet;

FIG. 6b: is a perspective view of the thermal container unit as inverted J-shaped vertical serpentine of the present invention narrowing in the longitudinal direction towards the air outlet;

FIG. 7: is a perspective view of the thermal container unit as inverted J smooth longitudinal serpentine shape, narrowing in the longitudinal direction towards the air outlet; FIG. 8a: is a perspective view of the thermal container unit as inverted J-shaped longitudinal serpentine, narrowing in the longitudinal direction towards the air outlet;

FIG. 8b: is a perspective view of the thermal container unit as inverted J-shaped longitudinal serpentine, narrowing in the longitudinal direction towards the air outlet;

FIG. 9: is a perspective view of the thermal container unit as inverted U-shaped longitudinal serpentine, narrowing in the longitudinal direction towards the air outlet; and FIG. 10: is a perspective view of the thermal container unit as oval-shaped or round-shaped longitudinal serpentine, narrowing in the longitudinal direction towards the air outlet.

Detailed description of the invention

[020] The detailed description of the invention is in accordance with the above figures, but should not be construed as limiting to them

[021 ] The fan thermal device 1000 of the present invention is to be mounted on a generic fan device V with blades B, placed in a room and/or near an air source (e.g., including but not limited to an air vent of a HVAC system, a space heater, a window, etc.) and the thermal fan device 1000 is positioned on the generic fan device V such that the back side of the thermal fan device 1000 is near the air source.

[022] A generic fan device V, according to the present invention, is any device that causes air to move, more especially devices using blades B or the like.

[023] The thermal fan device 1000 comprises at least one support frame 100, at least one front grille 1 10, at least one rear grille 120, optionally at least one thermal insulation cushion 200, one or more thermal container units 300 and optionally one or more drawers 400. [024] The support frame 100 is a frame that can be mounted on a generic fan device V, preferably over a thermal insulation cushion 200 placed between the generic fan device V and the support frame 100, to reduce heat exchange between the thermal fan device 1000 and the generic fan device V.

[025] The inner part of the support frame 100 forms a receptacle to receive one or more thermal container units 300 and forms a tunnel to guide the airflow to pass through the thermal fan device 1000 over the surfaces of the thermal container units 300.

[026] Front grille 1 10 and rear grille 120 cover the support frame 100 and are constructed in a way to allow the airflow to pass through the thermal fan device 1000.

[027] The drawers 400 are placed under the support frame 100, more specifically under the respective container units 300 to collect humidity or water drops that may be formed at the surface of the container units 300.

[028] The support frame 100 forms an open inner tunnel to allow the air to flow through the container units and towards the container units 300.

[029] The generic fan device V may draw the air by depression or low- pressure from the back-air source and out in the generic fan device V front side originated by the propellers rotating creating a vortex. The back grille 120, the tunnel 100 and the thermal container units 300 are designed according to advanced aerodynamics concepts to make the airflow efficiently from the backside of the thermal fan device 1000 to the front and will twist due to the vortex into the serpentine-shaped thermal container units 300 surfaces and by the advanced fluid dynamics design maintain elevated thermo dynamical exchange.

[030] Additionally, as the surfaces of the thermal container units 300 exude and due to the effect of the blow and rapid passage of the air, this exuded liquid evaporates adding ideal cooled water gas moisture to the airflow. When evaporation occurs, the energy removed from the vaporized liquid will reduce the temperature of the liquid, resulting in evaporative cooling and ideal environment humidity. This provides increased circulation of the air coming from the room air source and an effective fast air circulating changes in temperature and humidity that provides ideal room thermal comfort. The present invention may use but not be limited to the use with an HVAC system or a space heater.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

[031 ] Referring now to FIG 1 and FIG. 2, the present invention features a thermal fan device 1000 mounted over generic electric propeller fan devices V. There are basic types of axial fans propellers, these fans being often mounted in a wall, table or pedestal. They are most commonly used for dilution ventilation or circulating cooled (or heated) air from an air source (e.g., including but not limited to a room, heating-ventilating-air conditioning HVAC system).

[032] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the thermal fan device 1000 of the present invention is to be mounted on a generic fan device V and comprises a support frame 100 mounted over a thermal insulation cushion 200 (cushion support component) extending in the longitudinal sense along the support frame 100. The support frame 100 forms a tunnel with an inner cavity and may have any suitable shape and construction to fit the generic fan device V to be mounted on, while a preferred embodiment may present a generally inverted“U” shaped format.

[033] The thermal fan device 1000 has a front grille 1 10 that partially covers the open fan hole of the generic fan device V.

[034] The thermal fan device 1000 mounted on electric fan devices V is composed mainly of a support frame 100 that bears at least two thermal container units 300 in its interior. Said thermal container unit 300 may be constructed integrally as an inverted U-shaped container (FIG. 9) or as two inverted J-shaped halves (FIG. 6a, 6b, 7, 8a, 8b) or as an oval-shaped or round-shaped container (FIG. 10) or any suitable format and configuration, but always as an aerodynamic serpentine for the heat exchange with the passing airflow.

[035] The grille-shaped front grillel 10 and rear grille 120 cover the support frame 100 and in the flat bottom of the tunnel there is placed at least one sliding drawer 400 to collect the larger water drops drained of the thermal container units 300.

[036] The grilles 1 10,120 are preferably but not exclusively designed to provide a deflection of the airflow by means of one or more obstacles placed transversally to the flowing air. An angular deflection according to the invention is achieved through deflection angles between 0 and 60 degrees, preferably of 30 degrees, which can be achieved by flaps 1 1 1 or ribs or fins or any other deflection means suitable for properly deflecting an airflow.

[037] The grilles 110, 120 have a few narrow bars to give structural resistance to the cover and is preferentially but not exclusively designed with aerodynamically concepts to create within the air flow small turbulences to make the air spin and touch the surface of the thermal container units 300.

[038] The grilles 1 10,120 are perfectly embedded in the tunnel formed by the support frame 100, being one in front side closed to the generic fan device V propellers and the other on the back. Its external flaps 11 1 allow reducing the speed of the external air (back and frontside airflow) by deflection and thus reducing the inner pressure of the tunnel increasing the angle of the output air flow and improving the air mixture (alternatively cooled or heated).

[039] The support frame 100 is preferably but not exclusively designed as a long inverted U-shaped structure, forming an inner cavity that narrows in the longitudinal direction by an angle between 0,1 and 10 degrees, preferably of1 degree.

[040] The support frame 100 has, preferably but not exclusively, its inner cavity designed with some longitudinal fins (101 ) serving as air bulkheads inducing the air to circulate through the blades of the fans device V and redirecting it towards the thermal container units 300. [041 ] The container units 300 are, in its longitudinal direction X (length), from one to five times, preferably three times greater than in the transverse direction Y (width), forming, preferably but not exclusively, transverse serpentines (FIG. 6a, 6b, 9, 10) to the direction of air flow, also narrowing from the back side to the front side by an angle between 0,1 and 10 degrees, preferably of 1 degree, creating with their cavities depressions that slow the air in contact with the surface of the thermal container units 300 and carrying out a more effective heat exchange. The construction of the transverse serpentines, especially the format and number of the serpentines will depend on the project, but must, unequivocally respect the ratio between length X and width Y.

[042] The thermal container units 300 may also form longitudinal serpentines (FIG. 7, 8a, 8b) to the direction of air flow, also narrowing from the back side to the front side by an angle between 0, 1 and 10 degrees, preferably of 1 degree, creating with their longitudinal cavities depressions that spin and slows the air in contact with the surface of the thermal container units 300 and carrying out a more effective heat exchange. The construction of the longitudinal serpentines, especially the format and number of the serpentines will depend on the project, but must, unequivocally respect the ratio between length X and width Y.

[043] It is to be noted that there can be also a mixed serpentine format, including a profile alternating transverse and longitudinal serpentines in the same thermal container unit 300, also respecting the ratio between length X and width Y.

[044] Any thermal container unit 300 model according to the invention defines a bigger cooling material block that improves the thermodynamics efficiency in view of the prior art of the same nature.

[045] The first object of the present invention is to provide a thermal fan device 1000 for the generation of a high and efficient thermal comfort in indoor environments, energy efficient and that offers effective solution to the continuous global warming that lasts and employs simple means of supplying thermal energy.

[046] The other object of the present invention is to provide a thermal fan device 1000 mounted on common market electric fans V, which are widely popular, exist in immense quantities around the world and are considered one of the longest design life cycles in modern history.

[047] The main object of the present invention is to provide a thermal fan device 1000 mounted on the electric motor cover of conventional electric fans V, behind the fan housing of the electric fan blades B, away from the grids of the fan housing and using all the efficiency of low pressure or depression provided by the fan blades B rotation.

[048] Another object of the present invention consists of a support frame 100 in form of a long tunnel with an inverted U shape with the open interior inner cavity where the replaceable thermal container units 300 are fitted. The tunnel is mounted on the electric ian V motor housing throughout its extension with a thermal insulation cushion 200 made of insulating and preferably flexible material.

[049] Both front and rear grilles 1 10, 120 hold the thermal container units in their position and act with aerodynamically effect differentially on the incoming and out coming air.

[050] The thermal fan device 1000 mounted on generic electric fan devices V of the present invention employs all the external and internal geometry of the support frame 100 (tunnel), grilles 1 10, 120 and for the use of the low- pressure or depression of the blades B of the generic fans V, increasing the effectiveness through improved fluid dynamics movement, causing a more efficient exchange of thermodynamic energy and offering long thermal exchange periods and, thus, providing ideal thermal comfort.

[051 ] The internal thermal container units 300 of the present invention in all its possible shapes may be alternatively hot or cold, and alternatively heating or cooling the interior environment as required. [052] The container units 300 of the present invention in all its possible forms may alternatively be filled with water or mixtures originated from special recognized formulations of Eutectic Mixtures or PCM - Phase Change Materials alternatively to generate heat or cold.

[053] By way of a non-limiting example, cold containers can be frozen for 12 hours or more generating at least 2 1/2 hours of cold thermal energy for the thermal devices on the ventilator and after what should be replaced.

[054] As another non-limiting example, the hot containers can be heated in a microwave for 5 to 10 minutes and employed for about 1 hour after what should be replaced.

[055] The cold containers exude creating gas from evaporated water that keeps the environment in perfect humidity and with a chilled fog, while the hot containers do not generate moisture.

[056] The thermal fan device 1000 offers optimal thermal comfort to the indoor environment in about 7 to 10 minutes and for a long duration, depending on the volume of the environment.

[057] Various modifications of the invention, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Each reference cited in the present application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[058] Although there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention is only to be limited by the following claims.