Title of Invention

"MISTING FAN"

Abstract

A misting fan mainly contains a fan device (10) and a mist generation member (20). The fan device (10) has an eccentric wheel (14) mounted on the axle (12) of the fan motor (11). The mist generation member (20), positioned at a side to the axle (12) of the fan motor (11), has a piston (231) against the rim of the eccentric wheel (14). As the fan motor (11) spins, the eccentric wheel (14) drives the piston (231) into reciprocal motion which draws water into the mist generation member (20) and pressurizes the water through a nozzle (24) to produce water vapor. The water vapor is then blown into the air by the fan device so as to reduce the room temperature.

Full Text

(a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to misting fans, and more particularly to a misting fan which drives a mist generation member by the motor of the fan. (b) Description of the Prior Art Conventionally, the temperature of a room is cooled down either by the use of an air conditioner or by an electric fan. The air conditioner is a costly appliance in terms of its costs of ownership and power consumption. Additionally, the cooling agent and the expelled exhaust are not environmentally friendly. In contrast, the electronic fan is much cheaper and more power-conservative, and presents no threat to the environment. However, the cooling effect of the electric fan is achieved by propelling the fan blade to drive the air into circulation. This is a much less effective cooling measure, especially when the room temperature is already high. US5667732 relates to a compact portable misting fan. It describes a handheld misting fan which includes a reservoir below electric fan mounted in a housing, electric switch, atomizer and push button US5338495 relates to portable misting fan. The fan described is an integral electric fan and liquid atomizer unit - can be fitted to fluid reservoir; fan blades further atomizes spray produced by atomizer US4839106 relates to a portable misting fan for use by sun-bather. It has fan and atomizer operated simultaneously by user US3997115 relates to a portable atomizer for liquids. It uses meshing sector gears to drive vacuum pump to dispense liquids into path of fan US3522806 relates to an aerosol apparatus for inhalation therapy US5837167 relates to a compact portable handheld misting fan which has a fan switch and an atomizer push button that can be activated by a finger or thumb of the same hand None of the above disclose, teach or suggest a fan with a moisture generator attached thereto, wherein water is sucked into the moisture generator by the reciprocal movement of plug that moves against an eccentric wheel surrounding the drive shaft of the fan. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A misting fan is therefore provided, which blows the water vapors produced by a mist generation member into the air for effective cooling. The misting fan of the present invention mainly contains a fan device and a mist generation member. The fan device has an eccentric wheel mounted on the axle of the tan motor. The mist generation member, positioned at a side to the axle of the fan motor, has a piston against the rim of the eccentric wheel. As the fan motor spins, the eccentric wheel drives the piston into reciprocal motions which draws water into the mist generation member and pressurizes the water through a nozzle to produced water vapors. The water vapors are then blown into the air by the fan device so as to reduce the room temperature. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG 1 is a perspective exploded view showing the various components of a misting fan according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG 2 is a profile view showing the misting fan of FIG 1. FIG 3 is a sectional view showing the mist generation member of the misting fan of FIG 1. FIG 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the mist generation member along the I-I cross-section of FIG 3. FIG 5 is a sectional view showing the mist generation member of FIG 1 as the piston is pushed inward by the eccentric wheel. FIG 6 is a sectional view showing the mist generation member of FIG 1 as the piston is extended outward by the third resilient element. FIG 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the mist generation member along the I-I cross-section of FIG 3 when the ball valve is pushed opened by the larger pressure inside the outgoing chamber. FIG 8 is a sectional view showing the mist generation member of FIG 1 as the first adjustment screw is loosed so as to prevent the piston being engaged by the eccentric wheel. FIG 9 is a profile view showing the water vapors are blown into the air by the fan device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG 1, a misting fan according to an embodiment of the present invention mainly contains a fan device 10 and a mist generation member 20. As also shown in FIG2, the fan device 10 contains fan blades 13 mounted at an end of the axle 12 of the fan motor 11 and housed inside a protection frame 15. An eccentric wheel 14 is mounted at an appropriate location along the axle 12 between the fan blades 13 and the motor fan 11. As also shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mist generation member 20 is positioned to a side of the axle 12 of the fan motor 11. The interior of the mist generation member 20 is partitioned into an incoming chamber 21, an outgoing chamber 22, and a piston chamber 23. The incoming and outgoing chambers 21 and 22 are vertically aligned and connected to a bottom side and a top side of the piston chamber 23 respectively, thereby forming a vertical through channel via the piston chamber 23. The incoming chamber 21 has a water inlet 213 at the bottom end for joining to an intake pipe 214. The outgoing chamber 22 has a water outlet 223 at the top end for joining to a discharge pipe 224. The outgoing chamber 22 is shut by a first back-pressure valve 221 which is pressed against by a first resilient element 222 (e.g., a helix spring) inside the outgoing chamber 22 exerting downward pressure. As such, the water in the outgoing chamber 22 and the discharge pipe 224 will not flow back into the piston chamber 23. Similarly, the incoming chamber 21 is shut by a second back pressure valve 211 which is pressed against by a second resilient element 212 (e.g., a helix spring) inside the incoming chamber 21 exerting downward pressure. As such, the water in the piston chamber 23 and the incoming chamber 21 will not flow back into the intake pipe 214. A nozzle 24 is provided at the other end of the discharge pipe 224, and the nozzle 24 is positioned on the protection frame 15 in front of the fan device 10. A piston 231 and a third resilient element 232 (e.g., a helix spring) is laterally positioned inside the piston chamber 23. An inner end of the piston 231 is pressed against by an end of the third resilient element 232 while an outer end of the piston 231 is extended outside of the piston chamber 23 and touches the rim of the eccentric wheel 14. The other end of the third resilient element 232 is configured with a first adjustment screw 233. When the fan motor 11 is activated, the eccentric wheel 14 spins along with the axle 12 and thereby drives the piston 231 into laterally reciprocal motions inside the piston chamber 23, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Therefore, water is drawn into the incoming chamber 21 through the intake pipe 214, pressurized by the piston 231, and ejected into the discharge pipe 224 via the outgoing chamber 22. Water vapors are then sprayed out by the nozzle 24. As shown in FIG 4, a feedback channel 25 connecting the incoming and outgoing chambers 21 and 22 is provided inside the mist generation member 20. A back-pressure ball valve 251 is provided inside the feedback channel 25, which is pressed against by a fourth resilient element 252 (e.g., a helix spring) exerting upward pressure. A bottom end of the fourth resilient element 252 is configured with a second adjustment screw 253. When the pressure inside the outgoing chamber 22 is greater than that exerted by the fourth resilient element 252, the ball valve 251 is opened as shown in FIG 7. Some of the water in the outgoing chamber 22 is therefore directed back to the incoming chamber 21, thereby reducing the pressure of the outgoing chamber 22. As such, by using the second adjustment screw 253 to adjust the pressure against the ball valve 251, the pressure of the outgoing chamber 22 and in turn the amount of water vapors produced by the nozzle 24 can therefore be fine-tuned. As described above, when the fan device 10 is turned on, the mist generation member 20 is engaged by the eccentric wheel 14 and the produced water vapors are blown into the air by the fan device 10, as shown in FIG 9. To stop producing water vapors, the first adjustment screw 233 is loosed so as to release the pressure exerted by the third resilient element 232 on the piston 231. The piston 231 is therefore not in contact with the eccentric wheel 14 and will not be engaged into reciprocal motions. The mist generation member 20 as such will not produce any water vapors while the fan device 10 remains in operation. We Claim: 1. A misting fan comprising a mist generation member (20) and a fan device (10) wherein said fan device (10) has a fan motor (11), a protection frame (15), a plurality of fan blades (13) mounted at an end of the axle (12) of said fan motor (11) and housed inside said protection frame (15), and an eccentric wheel (14) mounted at an appropriate location along the axle (12) between said fan blades (13) and said fan motor (11); said mist generation member (20) is positioned at a side to the axle (12) of said fan motor (11); characterized in that said mist generation member (20) has a piston chamber (23) and a piston (231) housed inside said piston chamber (23) and extended out against the rim of said eccentric wheel (14) so that, when said eccentric wheel (14) is rotated by the axle (12) of said fan motor (11), said piston (231) is engaged into reciprocal motions inside said piston chamber (23) to draw water into and then pressurize water out of a nozzle (24) of said mist generation member (20) into water vapors; and said water vapors are blown into the air by said fan device (10). 2. The misting fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said nozzle (24) of said mist generation member (20) is positioned on said protection frame (15) in front of said fan device (10). 3. The misting fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piston (231) is pressed against and extended outward by an end of a third resilient element (232) housed inside said piston chamber (23); the pressure exerted by said third resilient element (232) is adjusted by a first adjustment screw (233) positioned at the other end of said third resilient element (232); and said piston (231) is disengaged with said eccentric wheel (14) by loosing said adjustment screw (233). 4. The misting fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mist generation member (20) has an incoming chamber (21) and an outgoing chamber (22) positioned at opposing sides of said piston chamber (23) and aligned to form a channel through said piston chamber (23); said outgoing chamber (22) is shut by a first back-pressure valve which is pressed against by a first resilient element (222) inside said outgoing chamber (22) so that water cannot not flow from said outgoing chamber (22) back into said piston chamber (23); said incoming chamber (21) is shut by a second back pressure valve (211) which is pressed against by a second resilient element (212) inside said incoming chamber (21) so that water cannot flow back out of said incoming chamber (21). 5. The misting fan as claimed in claim 4, wherein a feedback channel (25) is provided connecting said incoming (21) and outgoing chambers (22); a ball valve is provided inside said feedback channel (25) and is pressed against by an end of a fourth resilient element (252) so that said feedback channel (25) is shut if the pressure of said outgoing chamber (22) is less than the pressure of said fourth resilient element (252); and the pressure exerted by said fourth resilient element (252) is adjusted by a second adjustment screw (253) positioned at the other end of said fourth resilient element (252).

Documents:

1848-DEL-2006-Abstract-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-abstract.pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Claims (06-11-2009).pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Claims-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-claims.pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Correspondence-Others (06-11-2009).pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Correspondence-Others-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-correspondence-others.pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Description (Complete)-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-description (complete).pdf

1848-del-2006-drawings.pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Form-1-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-form-1.pdf

1848-del-2006-form-13-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-form-18.pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Form-2-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-form-2.pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Form-3-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-form-3.pdf

1848-del-2006-form-5.pdf

1848-DEL-2006-GPA-(25-03-2009).pdf

1848-del-2006-gpa.pdf

1848-DEL-2006-Others-Document-(25-03-2009).pdf