Patent Application
20250163931
This application is related to Chinese Application No. CN202221546119.5, filed Jun. 20, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to an air inlet structure pump, and in particular to an air inlet structure for an air pump.
Inflatable products such as inflatable toys and inflatable pillows are widely used due to their comfort and convenience in storage. The air inlet valves of these products are usually check valves, and, during inflation, air can enter the interior of the product through the check valve. During the operation of the air pump, the impeller of the motor rotates at high speed, creating a negative pressure to suck in external air before sending it into the product to be inflated. When air passes through the impeller, it collides with the impeller and generates a large amount of noise. Moreover, prolonged use of the motor will generate a large amount of heat that needs to be discharged. Failure to discharge the heat may cause the motor to overheat and stop running.
Improvements on the foregoing are desired.
The present disclosure provides an air inlet structure of an air pump that enhances the heat dissipation effect of the air pump.
The present disclosure provides an air inlet structure of an air pump comprising a pump body and a housing. An air passage may be formed between the housing and the pump body, and one end of the air passage may connect to an inlet end of the pump body, and the other end may pass through a side wall of the pump body to form an air inlet. External air may enter the pump body through the air inlet end after entering the air passage from the air inlet and undergo heat exchange with the pump body when it passes through the side wall of the pump body.
In another form thereof, a sponge may be arranged at the inlet end of the pump body.
In another form thereof, an outlet end of the pump body may connect to an elbow of the air pump through an air pump upper cover and a check valve.
In another form thereof, the air inlet structure may further comprise an air nozzle adapted to connect the air inlet and a product to be deflated so as to deflate the product to be deflated by the suction generated by the pump body at the air inlet.
In another form thereof, the air inlet may be disposed with a connecting plate extending along a suction direction of the air inlet, the connecting plate may be used to connect the air inlet to the air nozzle.
In another form thereof, the air nozzle may have an extension portion for inserting into the air inlet, and a hook may be arranged on the extension portion. The air nozzle may move around an axis between a first position and a second position. When the air nozzle is in the first position, the hook may separate from the connecting plate, and the air nozzle may translate along the axial direction within the air inlet. When the air nozzle is in the second position, the hook may connect to the connecting plate, and the air nozzle may be held in place within the air inlet.
In another form thereof, a side of the air nozzle away from the air inlet may be provided with a threaded interface for connecting to the product to be deflated.
The present disclosure further provides an air pump comprising the air inlet structure as described above.
In another form thereof, the present disclosure provides an air pump. The air pump may comprise a housing, a pump body, an air passageway, and a nozzle. The housing may comprise an inlet and an outlet. The pump body may be disposed in the housing. The pump body may have an inlet end in fluid communication with the inlet and an outlet end in fluid communication with the inlet end and the outlet. The air passageway may extend between the inlet and the inlet end, and the air passageway may extend adjacent to the pump body. The nozzle may be removably coupled to the housing at the inlet.
In another form thereof, the inlet may comprise a connecting plate extending along a suction direction of the inlet.
In another form thereof, the nozzle may comprise a lock member which may cooperate with the connecting plate of the air inlet to couple the nozzle to the inlet.
In another form thereof, the nozzle may be rotatable within the inlet to rotate from a first position to a second position.
In another form thereof, in the first position, the lock member may be spaced apart from the connecting plate such that the nozzle may be translatable within the inlet.
In another form thereof, in the second position, the lock member may be positioned behind the connecting plate such that the nozzle may be held in place within the inlet.
In another form thereof, the connecting plate may extend from one side of the inlet to a second side of the inlet to define a plurality of openings through the inlet.
In another form thereof, the nozzle may include an extension portion and a hook, the hook may be formed on the extension portion and may cooperate with the connecting plate to couple the nozzle to the inlet.
In another form thereof, the nozzle may be rotatable within the air inlet to rotate from a first position to a second position.
In another form thereof, in the first position, the hook may extend through one of the plurality of openings and may be spaced apart from the connecting plate such that the nozzle may be translatable within the inlet.
In another form thereof, in the second position, the hook may extend through one of the plurality of openings and may be positioned behind the connecting plate such that the nozzle may be held in place in the inlet.
In another form thereof, the pump body may comprise an upper cover and a lower cover couplable to the upper pump cover.
In another form thereof, the inlet end is formed in the lower cover and the outlet end is formed in the upper cover.
In another form thereof, the present disclosure provides an air pump for an inflatable product. The air pump may comprise a pump body, a housing, and a passageway. The pump body may comprise an inlet end and an outlet end in fluid communication with the inlet end. The housing may partially surround the pump body, and the housing may comprise an inlet in fluid communication with the inlet end and an outlet in fluid communication with the outlet end. The passageway may be defined by an exterior of the pump body and the housing, the passageway may extend between the inlet and the inlet end such that air enters the inlet of the housing, flows through the passageway to the inlet end, enters the pump body through the inlet end, exits the pump body through the outlet end, and exits the housing through the outlet into the inflatable product.
In another form thereof, the pump body may comprise an upper cover and a lower cover. The inlet end may be formed in the lower cover, and the outlet end may be formed in the upper cover.
In another form thereof, air may exit the housing into the inlet end of the pump body.
In another form thereof, air may enter the housing from the outlet end of the pump body.
The present disclosure has the following beneficial effects, among others:
The present disclosure provides an air inlet structure for an air pump that forms an air passage between the air inlet and the pump body that passes through the side of the pump body. When external cold air passes through the air passage, it will undergo heat exchange with the pump body, thereby achieving heat dissipation while the pump motor works, thus greatly increasing the heat dissipation effect of the pump body.
The present disclosure provides an air inlet structure for an air pump that due to the presence of an air passage, the delivery passage of air before passing through the pump body is strengthened, thereby reducing the noise generated by air hitting the impeller. At the same time, as there is an air passage between the pump body and the housing, noise can only be transmitted to the outside world after passing through the air passage and housing, which also reduces noise.
Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of various features and components according to the present disclosure, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present disclosure.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principals of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described below. The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. It will be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. The disclosure includes any alterations and further modifications in the illustrative devices and described methods and further applications of the principles of the disclosure which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.
In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that the terms “up”, “down”, “inside”, “outside”, “top/bottom”, etc. indicate the orientation or position relationship based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the attached drawings, only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation on the present disclosure. In addition, the terms “first” and “second” are only used to describe and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.
In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that unless otherwise specified and limited, the terms “installation”, “set with”, “set/connected”, “connected”, etc. should be understood broadly. For example, “connected” can be a wall mounted connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection, can be a mechanical connection, can be an electrical connection, can be directly connected, or can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, can be the internal connection between two components, and for ordinary technical personnel in this field, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood in a specific situation.
The terms “couples”, “coupled”, “coupler”, and variations thereof are used to include both arrangements wherein two or more components are in direct physical contact and arrangements wherein the two or more components are not in direct contact with each other (e.g., the components are “coupled” via at least a third component, but yet still cooperates or interact with each other).
As shown in
To allow the air inlet 11 to be connected to the air nozzle 2, there is a connecting plate 12 inside the air inlet 11 extending along the suction direction of the air inlet 11. In embodiments, connecting plate 12 may extend from a first side of the air inlet 11 to a second side of the air inlet 11. For example, a portion of the air inlet 11 may include a connecting plate 12 that extends substantially vertically within a portion of the air inlet 11 to create two openings through a portion of the air inlet 11. In embodiments, connecting plate 12 may extend horizontally within a portion of the air inlet 11 or at an angle between horizontal and vertical.
In embodiments, air nozzle 2 may carry a locking member 20 which cooperates with connecting plate 12 of the air inlet 11 to secure the air nozzle 2 in relation the air inlet 11. In the illustrated embodiment the locking member 20 of the air nozzle 2 has an extension portion 21 for inserting into the air inlet 11, and the extension portion 21 is provided with a hook 22. Air nozzle 2 is inserted into air inlet 11 along a translational direction as indicated by arrow A in
To enhance the connection strength between the hook 22 and the connecting plate 12, there are two extension portions 21, and a space is formed between the two extension portions 21 for the connecting plate 12 to pass through. In this way, as long as the space is aligned with the connecting plate 12, the air nozzle 2 can be inserted into the air inlet 11, and then when the air nozzle 2 is rotated to a certain angle, the hook 22 and the connecting plate 12 cooperate to hold the nozzle in place within the air inlet 11.
To connect the air nozzle 2 to other products to be deflated, a threaded interface for connecting the products to be deflated is set on the side of the air nozzle 2 away from the air inlet 11. As stated, the air pump body may be directly coupled to the product to be deflated, or the air pump may be indirectly coupled to the product to be deflated, such as through an intermediate conduit, which may be rigid or flexible.
The air pump 1 comprises a pump body 13 and a housing 14. Housing 14 may be formed of separate components coupled together through one or more fasteners. Pump body 13 may include an upper cover 131 and a lower cover 133. The upper cover 131 and the lower cover 133 may be coupled to each other through one or more fasteners and may also be coupled to the housing 14 through one or more fasteners. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the housing 14, the upper cover 131, and the lower cover 133 are formed with screw boxes for receiving fasteners, such as screws, therethrough.
An air passage 19 is formed between the housing 14 and the pump body 13 with one end of the air passage 19 connected to the inlet end of the pump body 13 and the other end forming the air inlet 11. In this way, the air passage 19 passes alongside the pump body 13 so that the air sucked in from the air inlet 11 can undergo heat exchange between the side wall of the pump body 13 when passing through the air passage 19, thereby achieving heat dissipation of the pump body 13 during pump operation. Additionally, because the air passage 19 is formed between the pump body 13 and the housing 14, the noise generated by the air passing around the pump body 13 can be transmitted to the outside through the air passage 19, which can also reduce noise generated when the pump is operating.
Additionally, the inlet end of the pump body 13 is equipped with a sponge 15. In the illustrated embodiment, sponge 15 may act as both a damper to reduce the noise produced by the pump during operation and as a filter for dust and debris as air passes from the air inlet 11 into the pump body 13. In alternative embodiments, distinct components may serve as a damper and a filter, respectively. The outlet end 132 of the pump body 13 is connected to the air pump elbow 17 through a check valve 16. This achieves the basic inflation function of the air pump. When the pump is not working, the check valve 16 seals the outlet end 132 of the pump body 13. The air outlet 132 is arranged on the upper cover 131 of the pump body 13.
In embodiments, an outlet of air pump elbow 17 may be the input for a valve structure. An exemplary valve structure is disclosed in PCT/IB2023/056391, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Example 1: An air inlet structure of an air pump may comprise a pump body and a housing. An air passage may be formed between the housing and the pump body. One end of the air passage may be connected to an inlet end of the pump body, and the other end may pass through a side wall of the pump body to form an air inlet such that external air may enter the pump body through the air inlet end after entering the air passage from the air inlet and may undergo heat exchange with the pump body when it passes along the side wall of the pump body.
Example 2: The air inlet structure according to Example 1 may further comprise a sponge arranged at the inlet end of the pump body.
Example 3: The air inlet structure according to Example 2, wherein an outlet end of the pump body may connect to an elbow of the air pump through an air pump upper cover and a check valve.
Example 4: The air inlet structure according to any one of Examples 1-3 may further comprise an air nozzle adapted to connect the air inlet and a product to be deflated so as to deflate the product to be deflated by the suction generated by the pump body at the air inlet.
Example 5: The air inlet structure according to Example 4, wherein the air inlet may be disposed with a connecting plate extending along a suction direction of the air inlet, and the connecting plate may be used to connect the air inlet to the air nozzle.
Example 6: The air inlet structure according to Example 5, wherein the air nozzle may have an extension portion for inserting into the air inlet, and a hook may be arranged on the extension portion. The air nozzle may move around an axis between a first position and a second position. When the air nozzle is in the first position, the hook may separate from the connecting plate, and the air nozzle may translate along the axial direction with the air inlet. When the air nozzle is in the second position, the hook may connect to the connecting plate, and the air nozzle may be held in place within the air inlet.
Example 7: The air inlet structure according to Example 4, wherein a side of the nozzle away from the air inlet may be provided with a threaded interface for connecting to the product to be deflated.
Example 8: An air pump may comprise the air inlet structure according to any one of Examples 1-7.
Example 9: An air pump may comprise a housing, a pump body, an air passageway, and a nozzle. The housing may comprise an inlet and an outlet. The pump body may be disposed in the housing. The pump body may have an inlet end in fluid communication with the inlet and an outlet end in fluid communication with the inlet end and the outlet. The air passageway may extend between the inlet and the inlet end, and the air passageway may extend adjacent to the pump body. The nozzle may be removably coupled to the housing at the inlet.
Example 10: The air pump according to Example 9, wherein the inlet may comprise a connecting plate extending along a suction direction of the inlet.
Example 11: The air pump according to Example 10, wherein the nozzle may comprise a lock member which may cooperate with the connecting plate of the air inlet to couple the nozzle to the inlet.
Example 12: The air pump according to Example 11, wherein the nozzle may be rotatable within the inlet to rotate from a first position to a second position.
Example 13: The air pump according to Example 12, wherein, in the first position, the lock member may be spaced apart from the connecting plate such that the nozzle may be translatable within the inlet.
Example 14: The air pump according to Example 12, wherein, in the second position, the lock member may be positioned behind the connecting plate such that the nozzle may be held in place within the inlet.
Example 15: The air pump according to Example 10, wherein the connecting plate may extend from one side of the inlet to a second side of the inlet to define a plurality of openings through the inlet.
Example 16: The air pump according to Example 15, wherein the nozzle may include an extension portion and a hook, and the hook may be formed on the extension portion and may cooperate with the connecting plate to couple the nozzle to the inlet.
Example 17: The air pump according to Example 16, wherein the nozzle may be rotatable within the air inlet to rotate from a first position to a second position.
Example 18: The air pump according to Example 17, wherein, in the first position, the hook may extend through one of the plurality of openings and may be spaced apart from the connecting plate such that the nozzle may be translatable within the inlet.
Example 19: The air pump according to Example 17, wherein, in the second position, the hook may extend through one of the plurality of openings and may be positioned behind the connecting plate such that the nozzle may be held in place in the inlet.
Example 20: The air pump according to Example 9, wherein the pump body may comprise an upper cover and a lower cover couplable to the upper pump cover.
Example 21: The air pump according to Example 20, wherein the inlet end may be formed in the lower cover and the outlet end is formed in the upper cover.
Example 22. An air pump for an inflatable product may comprise a pump body, a housing, and a passageway. The pump body may comprise an inlet end and an outlet end in fluid communication with the inlet end. The housing may partially surround the pump body, and the housing may comprise an inlet in fluid communication with the inlet end and an outlet in fluid communication with the outlet end. The passageway may be defined by an exterior of the pump body and the housing, the passageway may extend between the inlet and the inlet end such that air enters the inlet of the housing, flows through the passageway to the inlet end, enters the pump body through the inlet end, exits the pump body through the outlet end, and exits the housing through the outlet into the inflatable product. In embodiments, air may exit the outlet and enter an air cavity of an inflatable product. In alternative embodiments, air may exit the outlet and enter a water cavity of an inflatable product. In alternative embodiments, air may exit the outlet and a portion of the air may enter an air cavity of an inflatable product and a portion of the air may enter a water cavity of an inflatable product.
Example 23: The air pump according to Example 22, wherein the pump body may comprise an upper cover and a lower cover, the inlet end may be formed in the lower cover, and the outlet end may be formed in the upper cover.
Example 24: The air pump according to Example 22, wherein air may exit the housing into the inlet end of the pump body.
Example 25: The air pump according to Example 22, wherein air may enter the housing from the outlet end of the pump body.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover the modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202221546119.5 | Jun 2022 | CN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2023/056395 | 6/20/2023 | WO |
