Patents by Inventor Bobby Neal Norwood

Bobby Neal Norwood has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11967883
    Abstract: Ceiling fans suspended from a structure have a motor to drive blades for moving a volume of air about an area. The motor, with a rotor and stator, can be electrically coupled to the structure. Blades mount to the rotor such that the blades are rotatably driven by the motor. A motor case can mount to the rotor and encase the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood, Douglas Troy Mason
  • Patent number: 11959490
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. A blade iron can couple the blades to the motor. A connection assembly provides for connecting the ceiling fan blade to the blade iron. The connection assembly provides for aligning the blade with a set of fingers and can slide from a first position to a second position to secure the blade to a blade iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Patent number: 11939989
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. A connector can be used to connect the blade to a blade iron to mount the blade to the motor. The connector can include a set of receptacles configured to insert into openings on the blade, with the set of receptacles connected by a set of arms. A set of mount posts on the blade iron can seat within the receptacles to mount the blade to the blade iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Douglas Troy Mason, Bobby Neal Norwood, Matthew McPherson
  • Publication number: 20240097734
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. A connector can be used to connect the blade to a blade iron to mount the blade to the motor. The connector can include a set of receptacles configured to insert into openings on the blade, with the set of receptacles connected by a set of arms. A set of mount posts on the blade iron can seat within the receptacles to mount the blade to the blade iron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Douglas Troy Mason, Bobby Neal Norwood, Matthew McPherson
  • Publication number: 20240093690
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or ceiling fan includes a body defining an interior passage having an inlet and an outlet provided on the body. The inlet, outlet, and interior passage can be annular. An impeller is mounted within the interior passage and driven by a motor mounted within the body to draw a volume of air through the interior passage from the inlet to the outlet. A movable deflector including an inner angled surface and a lower angled surface is provided at the outlet to direct the airflow in a generally outward or generally downward direction, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood, Jason Matthew McPherson
  • Patent number: 11927196
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or blade thereof can include a fan motor for rotating the blade. The blade can include an airfoil body having an outer surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a root and a tip. The blade can be separated into three distinct cross sections including a first cross section as a lifting cross section, a second cross section as a flat cross section, and a third cross section as a transition section between the first and second cross sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Bobby Neal Norwood, Charles William Botkin
  • Patent number: 11927194
    Abstract: Ceiling fans typically include a motor including a rotor and a stator, blades, a downrod, and a mounting assembly for suspending the fan from a structure. The mounting assembly includes fasteners and brackets to secure the ceiling fan to the structure. The bracket receiving the downrod is fastened to a plate that is secured to the ceiling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Patent number: 11913475
    Abstract: A blade for a ceiling fan can include a first half and a second half formed from a pulp material. The first half is attachable to the second half to form the blade. Additionally, a blade can include a skeleton with an over molding made from a pulp forming the blade. Furthermore, a blade can be formed using a blade base with a pulp topper added to the blade to form an aerodynamic shape for the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood, James Walter Longmire, Douglas Troy Mason, Seth Aaron Wood
  • Patent number: 11892008
    Abstract: A ceiling fan blade moves air about a space, driven by the ceiling fan. The ceiling fan blade can include an upper surface and a lower surface spanning a root and a tip, and a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blade can include a first curved portion along the leading edge and a second curved portion along the trailing edge. The first and second curved portions can include convex upper surfaces and concave lower surfaces, with a flat portion spacing the first and second curved portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Publication number: 20230407879
    Abstract: A ceiling fan blade moves air about a space, driven by the ceiling fan. The ceiling fan blade can include an upper surface and a lower surface spanning a root and a tip, and a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blade can include a first curved portion along the leading edge and a second curved portion along the trailing edge. The first and second curved portions can include convex upper surfaces and concave lower surfaces, with a flat portion spacing the first and second curved portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Patent number: 11815101
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. The blade can include a body having an outer surface with a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface, and a side edge. A performance feature can be included in the body to improve efficiency. Due to manufacturing distortions, an offset can exist between the performance feature and other parts of the body. A transition portion can be formed at the offsets to remedy inefficiencies resultant of these distortions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Bobby Neal Norwood, Charles William Botkin
  • Publication number: 20230361650
    Abstract: Ceiling fans suspended from a structure have a motor to drive blades for moving a volume of air about an area. The motor, with a rotor and stator, can be electrically coupled to the structure. Blades mount to the rotor such that the blades are rotatably driven by the motor. A motor case can mount to the rotor and encase the stator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood, Douglas Troy Mason
  • Publication number: 20230340961
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or ceiling fan assembly can include a motor to rotatably drive a set of fan blades. The set of fan blades are attached to the motor via a blade iron, which mounts the blades to a rotating rotor of the motor. A grommet is provided within holes of the blades, between the blade and a fastener, to reduce vibration and improve dampening at the junction between the blades and the motor. Multiple flanges are formed at the end of each grommet. The multiple flanges provide for improved compressibility to improve ease of installation, which resisting sliding of the grommet from the holes in the blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Douglas Troy Mason, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Publication number: 20230323894
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. A connector can be used to connect the blade to a blade iron to mount the blade to the motor. The connector can include a set of receptacles configured to insert into openings on the blade, with the set of receptacles connected by a set of arms. A set of mount posts on the blade iron can seat within the receptacles to mount the blade to the blade iron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Douglas Troy Mason, Bobby Neal Norwood, Matthew McPherson
  • Publication number: 20230323895
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. The blade can include a body with an upper surface, a lower surface, and a side edge. A performance feature can be included in the body between the upper surface and the side edge, or the lower surface and the side edge to improve efficiency. The performance feature can be tailored to the particular blade edge, shape, or intended rotational direction to increase efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Publication number: 20230313813
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. A blade iron can couple the blades to the motor. A connection assembly provides for connecting the ceiling fan blade to the blade iron. The connection assembly provides for aligning the blade with a set of fingers and can slide from a first position to a second position to secure the blade to a blade iron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Publication number: 20230279869
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. The blade can include a body having an outer surface with a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface, and a side edge. A performance feature can be included in the body to improve efficiency. Due to manufacturing distortions, an offset can exist between the performance feature and other parts of the body. A transition portion can be formed at the offsets to remedy inefficiencies resultant of these distortions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Bobby Neal Norwood, Charles William Botkin
  • Publication number: 20230265856
    Abstract: A ceiling fan assembly or similar air-moving device can include a motor for rotating one or more blades to drive a volume of air about a space. The ceiling fan assembly can include a motor assembly and a light kit. The light kit can include a light frame and a light glass holder. The light frame can selectively couple to the light glass holder by a threaded connection. The light kit, motor assembly, or between the light kit and motor assembly can further include one or more sealing or deflecting components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood, Matthew McPherson, Douglas Troy Mason
  • Patent number: 11732724
    Abstract: A ceiling fan or ceiling fan assembly can include a motor to rotatably drive a set of fan blades. The set of fan blades are attached to the motor via a blade iron, which mounts the blades to a rotating rotor of the motor. A grommet is provided within holes of the blades, between the blade and a fastener, to reduce vibration and improve dampening at the junction between the blades and the motor. Multiple flanges are formed at the end of each grommet. The multiple flanges provide for improved compressibility to improve ease of installation, which resisting sliding of the grommet from the holes in the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Douglas Troy Mason, Bobby Neal Norwood
  • Patent number: 11725666
    Abstract: Ceiling fans typically include a motor including a rotor and a stator, blades, a downrod, and a mounting assembly for suspending the fan from a structure. The mounting assembly includes fasteners and brackets to secure the ceiling fan to the structure. The bracket receiving the downrod is fastened to a plate that is secured to the ceiling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Charles William Botkin, Bobby Neal Norwood