FIELD OF INVENTION:
[001] The present subject matter described herein, relates to the technical field of
speed adjustment in ceiling fan. The present subject matter, in particularly, relates
to an 8+1 steps fan regulator for ceiling fan which provides more speed options to
the user.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART AND PROBLEM IN PRIOR ART:
[002] Background description includes information that may be useful in
understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the
10 information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed
invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[003] Ceiling fans are extensively used in homes and offices for air circulation.
Especially, in tropical countries like India ceiling fans are widely used by people
as they are cheap and affordable. Further, regulators are provided in the ceiling
15 fan to control speed of the fan in accordance with the temperature of the
atmosphere. User can change the speed of the fan by rotating the knob of the
regulator. The speed option of the regulators depends upon the circuitry used in
the regulator. For ex- maximum speed option in a regulator follow relation:
N= 2n +1 wherein n = number of capacitors used in the assembly.
20 [004] Conventional regulators use series resistors and a rotary switch or series
chokes and a rotary switch. Resistors in such regulators dissipate energy when the
fan runs at lower than normal speed as the difference between the supply voltage
and the voltage required to run the fan at required speed bas to be absorbed by the
series resistors. Chokes used in conventional regulators also dissipate substantial
25 amount of energy and moreover reduce the power factor that is not desirable from
the point of view of efficient use of electricity.
[005] Electronic type regulators currently available in the market use either a
Triac (an electronic switch) that changes the voltage applied to the fan or series
capacitors. The Triac based regulators generate audible noise in the fan, when the
2
fan is run at lower speeds. The currently available series capacitor based
regulators although are energy efficient and noise-less, they suffer from short life
time because of the type of switch and type of capacitors used and surge currents
flowing through the capacitors whenever the fan speed is changed and whenever
5 voltage surges occur in the supply network.
[006] A typical regulator comprises a circuitry to optimize voltage given to the
fan motor, a regulator housing to accommodate the circuitry and a knob to provide
an input to the circuitry, to set the fan at desired speed.
[007] Today, the common types of fan regulators are a) Resistive type, b)
10 Inductive type, 3) Electronic solid state type, 4) Electronic capacitive type. Of
these Resistive and Inductive type are now outdated and solid state type is used
only for light dimming option. Capacitive type fan regulators are more popular
and used because of their compact size, power saving capability and noise free
operation.
15 [008] Currently, there are several fan regulators which are available in the
market. However, these regulators do not optimize the use of the capacitors and
also do not provide a desired levels of speed.
[009] The existing fan regulators in use today are mainly of capacitive type and
are in 4+OFF or 5+OFF number of variable speed steps. The speed steps are
20 achieved by a specific value of electrical capacitance applied electrically in series
with the ceiling fan electrical motor load. The existing fan regulators have certain
limitation to give good speed regulation for the user. The limitations being, the
speed of fan at different steps will not be the same for different makes/models due
to the internal fan motor design characteristics, fan blade design, fan weight etc.,
25 of the fan. This leads to improper speed regulation of the ceiling fan and user
dissatisfaction, as he is not able to control the speed of fan at desired level. Due to
this limitation the existing fan regulators fail to achieve complete user satisfaction.
3
[0010] IN229012 discloses a two pole 4+1 step regulator which uses 3 capacitors.
It does not disclose the optimized use of the capacitors and lacks more speed
options.
[0011] IN201721024720 discloses a 9 step rotary fan regulator which uses 4
5 capacitors 13 fixed contacts with 3 wipers. Due to the use of 13 fixed contacts and
4 capacitors, the limited size of the PCB is which results in limited area for heat
dissipation. This results in small life of the fan regulator.
[0012] None of the cited speed regulators disclose an 8+1 Step fan regulator
which uses 3 capacitors and is full rotary in nature.
10 [0013] The information disclosed in this background of the disclosure section is
only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention
and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that
this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
15 [0014] It is therefore the object of the present subject matter to overcome the
aforementioned and other drawbacks in prior method/product/apparatus.
[0015] The principal objective of the present subject matter is to develop an 8+1
steps fan regulator.
[0016] Another object of the present subject matter is to develop an 8+1 steps fan
20 regulator which provides more speed options to the user.
[0017] Another object of the present subject matter is to develop an 8+1 steps fan
regulator which use three capacitors to achieve the combination of 8+1 speed
options.
[0018] Another object of the present subject matter is to develop an 8+1 steps fan
25 regulator having speed adjusting circuitry which utilize space and provide better
heat dissipation that enhance life of the fan regulator.
[0019] Yet another object of the present subject matter is to develop an 8+1 steps
fan regulator which uses less number of contacts to adjust the speed of the fan.
4
[0020] Yet another object of the present subject matter is to develop an 8+1 steps
fan regulator which has less soldering points on the PCB and provide proper
spacing to individual contacts.
[0021] Yet another object of the present subject matter is to develop an 8+1 steps
5 fan regulator which emanate less noise while changing the speed of the fan.
[0022] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop an 8+1 steps fan
regulator which uses same number of components but provide more steps
compared to the available fan regulators.
[0023] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop an 8+1 steps fan
10 regulator which has less production cost.
[0024] These and other objects and advantages of the present subject matter will
be apparent to a person skilled in the art after consideration of the following
detailed description taken into consideration with accompanying drawings in
which preferred embodiments of the present subject matter are illustrated.
15 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
[0025] Solution to one or more drawbacks of existing ceiling fan speed regulator,
and additional advantages are provided through the present air distributor as
disclosed in the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are
realized through the technicalities of the present disclosure. Other embodiments
20 and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered to
be a part of the claimed disclosure.
[0026] According to one of the embodiment, the present subject matter relates to
an 8+1 steps fan regulator for adjusting speed of a fan. The 8+1 steps fan regulator
includes a regulator housing, a speed adjusting circuitry placed inside the
25 regulator housing, a regulator housing cover to cover the regulator housing
accommodating the speed adjusting circuitry, and a knob to provide input to the
speed adjusting circuitry. The speed adjusting circuitry includes a PCB to support
and connect electronic components of the speed adjusting circuitry, three
capacitors of different values provided on the PCB to adjust the voltage given to
5
motor of the fan, a rotary switch with ten circular contacts and one fixed contact,
three contact wipers provided below the rotary switch to select a combination of
the capacitors to adjust the voltage given to the motor of the fan, three carbon film
resistors to avoid shock hazard, and three wire wound resistors to regulate the
5 current in the regulator.
[0027] In an aspect, each capacitor of the three capacitors is connected in series
with a wire wound resistor and in parallel with a carbon film resistor forming
three similar circuits with different capacitances.
[0028] In an aspect, the three similar circuits of different capacitances are
10 connected in parallel with each other.
[0029] In an aspect, the three contact wipers are connected to the rotary switch, in
a manner, that three contact wipers maintain equal distance from each other and
rotates along with the rotary switch.
[0030] In an aspect, each of the ten circular contacts are connected to one
15 capacitor among the three capacitors.
[0031] In an aspect, when all the three contact wipers are linked with the fixed
contact the voltage across the motor of the fan drops to zero and fan stops
working.
[0032] In an aspect, one of the 8 steps of speed regulation is selected by rotating
20 the rotary switch via. knob which subsequently link at least one contact wiper of
the three contact wipers with a single or a combination of capacitors among the
three capacitors via. circular contacts.
[0033] In an aspect, the combination of capacitor is chosen in a manner that
regulation of speed of the fan is linear.
25 [0034] In an aspect, the angular distance between two adjacent steps is 40 Degree
[0035] In an aspect, the fan regulator is full rotary regulator.
[0036] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any
way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features
6
described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent
by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only
5 typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be
considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally
effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the
accompanying figures. In the figures, a reference number identifies the figure in
which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout
10 the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of
system or methods or structure in accordance with embodiments of the present
subject matter are now described, by way of example, and with reference to the
accompanying figures, in which:
[0038] Fig. 1 illustrates exploded view of the present 8+1 steps fan regulator
15 according to one of the embodiment of present subject matter;
[0039] Fig. 2 illustrates isometric view of the speed regulating circuitry according
to one of the embodiment of present subject matter;
[0040] Fig. 3 illustrates arrangement of capacitors in the speed regulating circuitry
of the 8+1 steps fan regulator according to one of the embodiment of present
20 subject matter;
[0041] Fig. 4 illustrates combination of capacitors used in the 8 steps of the fan
regulator according to one of the embodiment of present subject matter; and
[0042] Fig. 5 illustrates comparison between 4-step fan regulator and 8-step fan
regulator.
25 [0043] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the
purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from
the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and
methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles
of the disclosure described herein.
7
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
[0044] While the embodiments of the disclosure are subject to various
modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof have been
shown by way of example in the figures and will be described below. It should be
5 understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular
forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications,
equivalents, and alternative falling within the scope of the disclosure.
[0045] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof used
in the disclosure, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a
10 device, system, assembly that comprises a list of components does not include
only those components but may include other components not expressly listed or
inherent to such system, or assembly, or device. In other words, one or more
elements in a system or device proceeded by “comprises… a” does not, without
more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements
15 in the system or device.
[0046] Referring to Figure 1 illustrating exploded view of the present 8+1 steps
fan regulator 100 according to one of the embodiment of present subject matter.
The 8+1 steps fan regulator 100 includes a regulator housing 101, a speed
adjusting circuitry 200, a regulator housing cover 103, and a knob 104. The speed
20 adjusting circuitry 200 is accommodated inside the regulator housing 101 and it is
covered with regulator housing cover 103. The 8+1 step fan regulator 100 is full
rotary regulator.
[0047] Referring to Figure 2 illustrating isometric view of the speed regulating
circuitry 200 according to one of the embodiment of present subject matter. The
25 speed regulating circuitry 200 includes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 105, three
capacitors C1, C2, C3, a rotary switch 102 with ten circular contacts 301 and one
fixed contact 302, three contact wipers 303, three carbon film resistors r1, r2, r3,
and three wire wound resistors R1, R2, R3. The PCB 105 is provided in the speed
adjusting circuitry 200 to mechanically support and electrically connect the
30 electrical component used in the fan regulator 100. Three capacitors C1, C2, C3 of
8
different values are used in the speed regulating circuitry 200 to adjust the voltage
given to the motor of the fan. The values of the capacitors C1, C2, C3 are
selected, such that, the adjustment of speed of the fan is linear i.e. each step of the
8 steps increase or reduce the speed of the fan with equal variation. The rotary
5 switch 102 has ten circular contacts 301 each of which are always in connection
with one capacitor C1 or C2 or C3 among the three capacitors C1, C2, C3 and one
fixed contact 302 which is never in connection with any of the three capacitors
C1, C2, C3. The three contact wipers 303 are provided in between the rotary
switch 102 and the contacts (both circular contacts and free contacts) 301, 302 to
10 select the capacitors C1, C2, C3 according to the speed required by the user. The
three wiper contacts 303 maintain equal distance from each other and rotates
along with the rotary switch 102.
[0048] Referring to Figure 3 illustrating arrangement of capacitors C1, C2, C3 in
the speed regulating circuitry 200 of the 8+1 steps fan regulator 100 according to
15 one of the embodiment of present subject matter. Each capacitor C1 or C2 or C3
of the three capacitors C1, C2, C3 used in the speed regulating circuitry 200 is
connected in series with a wire wound resistor R1 or R2 or R3 and in parallel with
a carbon film resistor r1 or r2 or r3, respectively. This result in formation of three
similar circuits with different capacitances. The wire wound resistors R1, R2, R3
20 limit the current to permitted value and regulate the current in the regulator 100.
The carbon film resistors r1, r2, r3 avoid shock hazard. The three similar circuits
of different capacitances are connected in parallel with each other.
[0049] Referring to Figure 4 illustrating combination of capacitors C1, C2, C3
used in the 8 steps of the fan regulator 100 according to one of the embodiment of
25 present subject matter. As disclosed earlier that fixed contacts 302 is never in
connection with the capacitors C1, C2, C3, when all the three wipers 303 are in
contact with the fixed contact 302 the fan voltage across motor of the fan drops to
zero and the fan stops working. This is depicted as 0 in referred figure. Further,
when user wants to use the fan at one of the 8 steps of the fan regulator 100, he
30 rotates the fan which subsequently link at least one of the contact wipers of the
9
three contact wipers 303 with a single or a combination of capacitors among the
three capacitors C1, C2, C3 via. circular contacts 301.
[0050] Table 1 shows selection of capacitor at each step of the 8+1 steps fan
regulator 100:
Table 1
Step
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
C1 C2 C3
Off
•/
X
X
•/
s
X
s
X
•/
X
•/
X
s
s
X
X
•/
X
,/
,/
s
Direct
5
[0051] At step 1: The capacitance of the fan regulator 100 is equal to C1 as only
one of the three contact wipers 303 are in contact with a circular contact 301
connected to the capacitor C1.
[0052] At step 2: The capacitance of the fan regulator 100 is equal to C2 as only
10 one of the three contact wipers 303 are in contact with a circular contact 301
connected to the capacitor C2.
10
[0053] At step 3: The capacitance of the fan regulator 100 is equal to C3 as only
one of the three contact wipers 303 are in contact with a circular contact 301
connected to the capacitor C3.
[0054] At step 4: The capacitance of the fan regulator 100 is equal to C1+C2 as
5 two of the three contact wipers 303 are in contact with the circular contacts 301
connected to the capacitors C1 and C2 (both C1 and C2 are parallel to each other
(Figure 3)).
[0055] At step 5: The capacitance of the fan regulator 100 is equal to C1+C3 as
two of the three contact wipers 303 are in contact with the circular contacts 301
10 connected to the capacitors C1 and C3 (both C1 and C3 are parallel to each other
(Figure 3)).
[0056] At step 6: The capacitance of the fan regulator 100 is equal to C2+C3 as
two of the three contact wipers 303 are in contact with the circular contacts 301
connected to the capacitors C2 and C3 (both C2 and C3 are parallel to each other
15 (Figure 3)).
[0057] At step 7: The capacitance of the fan regulator 100 is equal to C1+C2+C3
as all the three contact wipers 303 are in contact with the circular contacts 301
connected to the capacitors C1, C2 and C3 (C1, C2 and C3 are parallel to each
other (Figure 3)).
20 [0058] At step 8: The fan regulator 100 stops acting as a regulator and all the
voltage is provided to the motor of the fan.
[0059] Referring to Figure 5 illustrating comparison between 4-step fan regulator
and 8-step fan regulator 100. As can be inferred from the graphs 8-step fan
regulator has more speed options than 4-step fan regulator. Further, the variations
25 between the two steps are equal.
[0060] The 8+1 steps fan regulator 100 uses optimized number of capacitors
resulting in low-space utilization in housing which makes circuit more compact.
Further, the heat dissipation is enhanced due to availability of more space to the
PCB 105, which enhance the life of the product.
11
[0061] Furthermore, the 8+1 steps fan regulator 100 uses less number of circular
contacts 301 and fixed contacts 302 then available 8-steps fan regulator resulting
in less soldering points on the PCB 105 and further provide proper spacing
between the contacts 301, 302. This also reduces the chances of contacts 301, 302
5 getting shorted.
[0062] Use of less number of capacitors and circular contacts make the design
more compact and reduce the cost of production.
[0063] The 8+1 steps fan regulator 100 creates less noise while rotation of the
knob 104 as the angular distance between two contact points are reduced in
10 comparison to 4-steps fan regulator.
[0064] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used
herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended
claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should
be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be
15 interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as
“includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within
the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such
an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such
recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the
20 following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least
one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such
phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation
by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such
introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even
25 when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least
one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should
typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds
true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition,
even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited,
30 those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be
12
interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two
recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or
two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention
analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a
5 construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand
the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include
but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B
together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.).
In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C,
10 etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having
skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least
one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone,
B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A,
B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that
15 virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative
terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to
contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or
both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the
possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
20 [0065] It will be further appreciated that functions or structures of a plurality of
components or steps may be combined into a single component or step, or the
functions or structures of one-step or component may be split among plural steps
or components. The present invention contemplates all of these combinations.
Unless stated otherwise, dimensions and geometries of the various structures
25 depicted herein are not intended to be restrictive of the invention, and other
dimensions or geometries are possible. In addition, while a feature of the present
invention may have been described in the context of only one of the illustrated
embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of
other embodiments, for any given application. It will also be appreciated from the
30 above that the fabrication of the unique structures herein and the operation thereof
also constitute methods in accordance with the present invention. The present
13
invention also encompasses intermediate and end products resulting from the
practice of the methods herein. The use of “comprising” or “including” also
contemplates embodiments that “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the recited
feature.

We claim:
1. An 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) for adjusting speed of a fan, the fan
regulator (100) comprises:
a regulator housing (101);
a speed adjusting circuitry (200) placed inside the regulator
housing (101);
a regulator housing cover (103), to cover the regulator housing
(101) accommodating the speed adjusting circuitry (200); and
a knob (104) to provide input to the speed adjusting circuitry (200)
wherein the speed adjusting circuitry (200) comprises:
a PCB (105) to support and connect electronic components
of the speed adjusting circuitry (200);
three capacitors (C1, C2, C3) of different values provided
on the PCB (105) to adjust the voltage given to motor of the fan;
a rotary switch (102) with ten circular contacts (301) and
one fixed contact (302);
three contact wipers (303) provided below the rotary switch
(102) to select a combination of the capacitors (C1, C2, C3) to
adjust the voltage given to the motor of the fan;
three carbon film resistors (r1, r2, r3) to avoid shock
hazard; and
three wire wound resistors (R1, R2, R3) to regulate the
current in the regulator (100).
2. The 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each
capacitor (C1or C2 or C3) of the three capacitors (C1, C2, C3) is
connected in series with a wire wound resistor (R1or R2 or R3) and in
parallel with a carbon film resistor (r1 or r2 or r3), respectively, forming
three similar circuits with different capacitances.
3. The 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the three
similar circuits of different capacitances are connected in parallel with
each other.
4. The 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the three
contact wipers (303) are connected to the rotary switch (102), in a manner,
that three contact wipers (303) maintain equal distance from each other
and rotates along with the rotary switch (102).
5. The 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of
the ten circular contacts (301) are connected to one capacitor among the
three capacitors (C1, C2, C3).
6. The 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein when all
the three contact wipers (303) are linked with the fixed contact (302) the
voltage across the motor of the fan drops to zero and fan stops working.
7. The 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of
25 the 8 steps of speed regulation is selected by rotating the rotary switch
(102) via. knob (104) which subsequently link at least one contact wiper of
the three contact wipers (303) with a single or a combination of capacitors
among the three capacitors (C1, C2, C3) via. circular contacts (301).
8. The 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
combination of capacitor (C1 or C2 or C3) is chosen in a manner that
regulation of speed of the fan is linear.
9. The 8+1 steps fan regulator (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fan
regulator (100) is full rotary regulator.