Combination of ceiling fan and light unit

Abstract

A ceiling fan includes a bottom hood with a tube which has a passage defined axially therethrough and a fixing device is connected to the tube and includes a compartment in which a first connection member is received. A first end of the first connection member extends through a radial through hole in the tube and enters the passage. A first pushing member biases the first connection member away from the tube. A light unit has a connection protrusion which extends through the bottom hood and is inserted into the tube. A second connection member is connected to the connection protrusion and is engaged with the first end of the first connection member to combine the ceiling fan and the light unit.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a combination of ceiling fan and light unit and more particularly, to a quick engaging device for connecting the ceiling fan and the light assembly within a short period of time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional combination of a ceiling fan 7 and a light unit 8, wherein the ceiling fan 7 includes a wire connection disk 65 extending from an underside thereof and a bottom hood 6 is connected to the ceiling fan 7 so as to accommodate the wire connection disk 65 in the bottom hood 6. A tube 61 extends from a top of the hood 6 and includes a passage 62 defined axially through the tube 61. Two L-shaped grooves 63 are defined in an inner periphery of the passage 62 and each groove 63 is composed of a vertical groove and a horizontal groove. The light unit 8 includes a connection protrusion 81 which has two pins 82 extending radially therefrom and the connection protrusion 81 is inserted in the passage 62 and the two pins 82 are engaged with the two L-shaped grooves 63 by rotating the connection protrusion 81. A biasing member 64 pushes the wire connection disk 65 downward so as to electrically contact the terminal end 811 on the connection protrusion 81. However, the L-shaped grooves 63 are located at lower position so that when the light unit 8 is connected to the ceiling fan 7, there will be a visible seam at outside of the combination. Dust and insets could enter the connection area between the bottom hood 6 and the light unit 8.

The present invention intends to provide a quick engaging device for easily and conveniently connecting the ceiling fan and the light unit without a visible seam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a combination of ceiling fan and a light unit, wherein the ceiling fan comprises a bottom hood with a tube extending upward from a top thereof and a passage is defined axially through the tube. A fixing device is connected to the tube and has a compartment for receiving a first connection member therein. A first end of the first connection member extends through a radial through hole of the tube and enters the passage. A first pushing member biases the first connection member away from the tube. The light unit has a connection protrusion which extends through the bottom hood and is inserted into the tube. A second connection member is connected to the connection protrusion and engaged with the first end of the first connection member.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a quick connection device that provides a convenient way to combine the light unit and the ceiling fan without an obvious seam therebetween.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view to show the combination of the ceiling fan and the light unit of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows that the light unit is to be connected with the ceiling fan of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view to show the fixing device for connecting the ceiling fan and the light unit of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view to show the engagement of the first end of the first connection member and second connection member on the connection protrusion;

FIG. 5 shows the first connection member is disengaged from the second connection member on the connection protrusion by pushing the stop member upward;

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the fixing device;

FIG. 7 shows the connection of the ceiling fan and the light unit of the embodiment in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a conventional combination of ceiling fan and light unit, and

FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of the conventional combination of ceiling fan and light unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the ceiling fan of the present invention comprises a bottom hood 1 which has a hollow tube 11 extending upward from a top thereof and a passage 13 is defined axially through the tube 11. A groove 14 is defined axially in an inner periphery of the passage 13 and a through hole 15 is defined radially through the tube 11. A fixing device 2 is connected to the tube 11 and includes a first compartment 21 and a second compartment 22 which is in communication with the first compartment 21. A Z-shaped first connection member 23 is received in the first compartment 21 and a first end of the first connection member 23 extends through the through hole 15 and enters the passage 13. A rack including a plurality of teeth 231 are defined in the first end of the first connection member 23 and a first pushing member 27 is located raidally relative to the tube 11 so as to push the first connection member 23 toward the stop member 25. An inclined guide surface 232 is defined in a top surface thereof. A stop member 25 is received in the second compartment 22 and a second pushing member 24 is located axially on a top of the stop member 25 to push the stop member 25 at a lower position where a second end of the first connection member 23 is stopped by the stop member 25. The stop member 25 includes a shank 251 which extends through a hole 26 defined through the bottom hood 1.

A light unit 3 has a connection protrusion 31 which extends through the bottom hood 1 and is inserted into the tube 11. A second connection member 33 is connected to the connection protrusion 31 and has a second connection member 33 connected thereto which is inserted in the groove 14 in the tube 11. The second connection member 33 is engaged with the teeth 231 of the first end of the first connection member 23 to combine the ceiling fan and the light unit 3. A length of the second connection member 33 is longer than that of the teeth of the first end of the first connection member 23 so that the distance between the light unit 3 and the ceiling fan can be decided by engaging the teeth 231 with the second connection member 33 at different positions.

As shown in FIG. 5, when disengaging the ceiling fan and the light unit 3, the user simply pushes the shank 251 upward to remove the large block end of the stop member 25 from the second end of the first connection member 23, the first connection member 23 is pushed by the first pushing member 27 to disengage the teeth 231 from the second connection member 33. The spring force of the second pushing member 24 is larger than that of the first pushing member 27 so that when releasing the stop member 25, the large block end of the stop member 25 moves over the inclined guide surface 232 and pushes the first connection member 23 toward the tube 11.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the combination wherein the fixing device 51 includes a chamber 52 in which a third connection member 53 is received. A first end of the third connection member 53 extends through the tube and enters the passage 56 of the tube, and a second end of the third connection member 53 is a pull rod 54 which extends through a hole defined through a wall of the bottom hood 5. A biasing member 55 is mounted to the pull rod 54 and located radially relative to the tube so as to bias the third connection member 53 toward the tube. The third connection member 53 includes teeth so as to be engaged with the second connection member on the connection protrusion 31. The user may pull the pull rod 54 to disengage the teeth on the third connection member 53 from the second connection member on the connection protrusion 31.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A combination of ceiling fan and a light unit, wherein the ceiling fan comprises a bottom hood having a tube extending upward from a top thereof and a passage is defined axially through the tube, a groove is defined axially in an inner periphery of the passage and a through hole is defined radially through the tube;

a fixing device is connected to the tube and has at least one compartment in which a first connection member is received, a first end of the first connection member extends through the through hole and enters the passage, a first pushing member biasing the first connection member, and

the light unit has a connection protrusion which extends through the bottom hood and is inserted into the tube, a second connection member is connected to the connection protrusion and engaged with the first end of the first connection member.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing device includes a first compartment and a second compartment which is in communication with the first compartment, the first connection member is received in the first compartment and includes an inclined guide surface, a stop member is received in the second compartment and a second pushing member located on a top of the stop member to push the stop member at a lower position where a second end of the first connection member is stopped by the stop member.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein a length of the second connection member is longer than that of the first end of the first connection member.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein a rack is connected to the first end of the first connection member.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stop member includes a shank which extends through a hole defined through the bottom hood.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first pushing member is located in an axial direction of the stop member so as to push the stop member downwardly, the second pushing member is located raidally relative to the tube so as to push the first connection member toward the stop member.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing device includes a chamber in which a second connection member is received, a first end of the second connection member extends through the tube and enters the passage of the tube, a second end of the second connection member is a pull rod which extends through a wall of the bottom hood, a biasing member is mounted to the pull rod.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein the biasing member is located radially relative to the tube and biases the second connection member toward the tube.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pull rod extends through a hole defined through the wall of the bottom hood.