Rotary fan base

Some fans lack an oscillation function, but you'd still like them to oscillate. All fans lack remote aiming ability [link], but you'd still like them to have it. Enter the new product line from Approximate Industries: rotary fan bases! They come in various models, of different sizes and with different features, but they all take the form of a flat disc. Simply place it on the floor or table, place your non-oscillating fan on top, strap the fan down with the integral hook-and- loop straps (which are arranged so as to work with the greatest variety of fans), and turn on the fan and the base. The base will turn from side to side to provide an oscillation function for the fan.

The base models of fan base work the same way the oscillation function in a tower fan does: a small motor turns a crank which pushes and pulls a lever, turning the top half of the base first one way and then the other. However, unlike in tower fans, the oscillation amplitude (angle) is adjustable by means of opening up the fan base and moving the pin connecting the crank and lever into a different hole in each. These are made of durable and low-friction materials, so that they can be unlubricated and therefore clean to touch.

The midrange models have continuous rotation servo motors instead, enabling such behaviors as non-sinusoidal oscillation, continuous rotation or oscillation past 360°, and manual aiming by remote control. Collisions between the fan and surrounding obstacles and tangling/winding-up of the fan's cord are sensed as increased torque, causing the base to stop trying to turn so far in that direction. Some of these models have infrared remote controls, and some have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi control. In the fancier ones, there is also an outlet on top of the disc, connected via a slip ring, so that the fan can rotate continuously in one direction without winding up the cord.

The high-end models add another servo motor, this one actuating an arm that sticks up vertically. Also included in the package is a flexible rectangular plastic attachment with a reusable adhesive (micro-suction) pad on one side and a socket on the other, to which the end of the arm connects. Attach the attachment to the side of your fan, assuming it's a fan that can be aimed up and down, and connect the arm to it. Now the base can aim the fan both horizontally and vertically, and make it oscillate or perform other motions in both axes. In these models, the outlet on top of the disc is also switched, so that the fan can be turned on and off remotely, and even have its speed controlled.

The very highest-end models also include motorized wheels on the bottom, to allow you drive your fan around, or program it to move around the room based on various conditions. (All models with Wi-Fi can be integrated with the common home automation systems.)

68/470 [2019-08-26] (470? that can't be right…)