IP Library Granted Patent US 10,498,099
Granted Patent B2
US 10,498,099 · App. 15/583,433 · Granted Dec 3, 2019

Ceiling fan kit and electrical connector with mounting method

Inventors: William Walter Walker (Walls, MS); Benjamin David Stout (Cordova, TN); Rickey Thomas Jones (Memphis, TN); Douglas Troy Mason (Horn Lake, MS)
Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
H01R43/20F04D25/0693F04D25/088F04D29/601H01R13/26H01R13/701H01R29/00H01R31/08H01R4/4827
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,498,099
App. No.
15/583,433
Granted
Dec 3, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plurality ceiling fan kits comprising one or more pre-wired downrods or a set of pre-wired downrods having internal wiring terminating on one or more ends in wire leads made of electrically conductive materials. Different electrical connectors, for use with the ceiling fan kits and pre-wired downrods, are adapted to electrically couple one or more sets of wiring by pushing in the electrically conductive wire leads into a plurality of ports disposed on the electrical connectors. The electrical connectors may include a jumper for switching between a single- and dual-power supply switch configuration and indicia for identifying the insertion of a wire into a corresponding port. A method of mounting a ceiling fan to a structure having an electrical supply, utilizing the pre-wired downrods and the electrical connectors.

Claims (27)

1. A method for mounting a ceiling fan to a structure having an electrical supply, the method comprising:

providing a pre-wired downrod with a set of wires extending through the pre-wired downrod and having a first set of wire leads protruding from a first end of the pre-wired downrod and a second set of wire leads protruding from a second end of the downrod opposite of the first end;

electrically coupling the first set of wire leads for the pre-wired downrod to a motor for the ceiling fan;

electrically coupling the second set of wire leads for the pre-wired downrod to the electrical supply; and

mechanically coupling the pre-wired downrod to the structure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mechanically coupling occurs prior to the electrically coupling of the second set of wire leads.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the electrically coupling of the second set of wire leads occurs prior to the electrically coupling of the first set of wire leads.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing the pre-wired downrod comprises selecting the pre-wired downrod from a set of multiple pre-wired downrods having wiring passing through an interior of each pre-wired downrod of the set of multiple pre-wired downrods and terminating in at least one exteriorly located electrical connector coupled to the set of wires extending through the pre-wired downrod.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically coupling at least one of the first set of wire leads or the second set of wire leads comprises electrically connecting a first electrical connector coupled to the first set of wire leads to a first complementary electrical connector of the motor or electrically connecting a second electrical connector coupled to the second set of wire leads to a second complementary electrical connector of the electrical supply, respectively.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the electrically coupling the second set of wire leads occurs prior to the electrically coupling the first set of wire leads.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein electrically connecting one of the first electrical connector to the first set of wire leads or the second electrical connector to the second set of wire leads further comprises one of:

pushing in the first set of wire leads into the first electrical connector and electrically coupling the motor to the first complementary electrical connector, or

pushing the second set of wire leads into the second electrical connector and electrically coupling the electrical supply to the second complementary electrical connector.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein mechanically coupling further comprises mechanically coupling the pre-wired downrod to a hanger bracket mounted to the structure.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein mechanically coupling the pre-wired downrod to the hanger bracket comprises mounting a trilobular mount to the pre-wired downrod and securing the trilobular mount to the hanger bracket.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising mechanically coupling the pre-wired downrod to the ceiling fan.

11. A method for mounting a ceiling fan to a structure having an electrical supply, the method comprising:

providing a pre-wired downrod with a first end and a second end opposite of the first end, and having set of wires extending through the pre-wired downrod and a first set of wire leads terminating exterior of the pre-wired downrod at the first end;

providing a motor for the ceiling fan, the motor having a second set of wire leads complementary to the first set of wire leads; and

providing a bracket mechanically coupling the second end of the pre-wired downrod to the structure;

whereby the pre-wired downrod electrically couples the motor to the electrical supply.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the providing the pre-wired downrod includes providing a set of multiple pre-wired downrods having wiring passing through an interior of each pre-wired downrod of the set of multiple pre-wired downrods and terminating in at least one exteriorly located electrical connector.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising electrically connecting a first electrical connector coupled to the first set of wire leads to a second electrical connector coupled to the second set of wire leads.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first electrical connector connects to the first set of wire leads by pushing in the first set of wire leads into the first electrical connector.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein mechanically coupling includes coupling the pre-wired downrod to a hanger bracket.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein mechanically coupling further includes providing a trilobular mount to couple the pre-wired downrod and configured to mount to the hanger bracket.

17. The method of claim 11 whereby the pre-wired downrod mechanically couples the ceiling fan to the structure.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2022
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: HUNTER FAN COMPANY
Reel/Frame 058871/0271 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 24, 2022
From: CORNELLCOOKSON, LLC; TELEPHONICS CORPORATION; THE AMES COMPANIES, INC.; HUNTER FAN COMPANY
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058886/0438 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2021
From: HUNTER FAN COMPANY
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056198/0753 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2017
From: WALKER, WILLIAM WALTER; STOUT, BENJAMIN DAVID; JONES, RICKEY THOMAS; MASON, DOUGLAS TROY
To: HUNTER FAN COMPANY
Reel/Frame 042196/0251 →
Continuity (4)
Division 14883975 · Oct 15, 2015
Provisional Application 62165338 · May 22, 2015
Provisional Application 62064606 · Oct 16, 2014
Related Publication 20170237219A1 · Aug 17, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,474,044