Patent Application
20080302432
Embodiments of the present invention are related to an apparatus that discharges or propels a liquid. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for propelling water in a spiral spray or stream.
There are a number of water-dispersion devices available for children's recreational purposes, such as water slides, water-spraying devices, sprinkler hoops, etc. However, none combine the features of an apparatus for propelling water in a spiral fashion or motion onto a slick, smooth, non-porous mat which enables a person to slide along the surface of the mat.
Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for propelling a fluid in a spiral stream. The apparatus includes a housing and a cap member coupled to the housing. The cap member has an opening where through a fluid passes in a spiral stream when the cap member rotates. A large gear member is coupled to the cap member for causing the cap member to rotate when the large gear member rotates. The apparatus also comprises an impeller support having an opening where through the fluid may pass. A generally U-shaped block is supported by the impeller support and over the opening. An impeller is rotatably supported by the support block for rotating when fluid passes through the opening. A gear assembly is engaged to the large gear member and is coupled to the impeller for transferring impeller rotation to the large gear member to cause the cap member to rotate, as well as the housing.
Embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for propelling a fluid in a spiral stream. The method comprises passing a fluid through a pair of tubes slidably engaged to each other. The impeller is caused to rotate by passing the fluid through an opening in a support member and subsequently contacting the impeller. The method further includes transferring the rotation of the impeller to a rotating cap member from which the fluid is propelled as a spiral stream.
These provisions, together with the various ancillary provisions and features which will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the following description proceeds, are attained by the methods and assemblies of the present invention.
In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.
Referring in detail now to the drawings, wherein similar parts of the invention are identified by like reference numerals, there are seen in
The apparatus 10 includes a cap 60 having a threaded section 62 and an opening 68 through which the fluid is discharged in a spiral stream 14 as the cap 60 rotates in accordance with the procedure set forth hereafter. The cap 60 has an oval (downwardly tapering) surface in which the opening is off set from the center of the cap 60. A gear 64 is a ring-like member which is coupled to cap 60 for rotating simultaneously or in unison with the cap 60. The internal perimeter of the gear 64 has a geared surface 74 with a plurality of teeth. Coupling of the gear 64 to the cap 60 may be by any suitable means, such as by screwing a suitable surface of gear 64 with a suitable surface of cap 60. In an embodiment of the invention, gear 64 has upstanding pegs 78 which pass into recesses 82 of the cap 60 for coupling and/or engaging cap 60 to or with the gear 64, as best shown in
The apparatus 10 also includes a gear assembly, generally illustrated as 99 and engaged to the gear 64 and coupled to an impeller (identified as “100” below) for transferring rotation of the impeller to gear 64 to cause the cap 60 to rotate along with gear 64, and to further cause a housing (identified as “150” below) to rotate in response to cap 60 rotating. The coupled combination of cap 60, gear 64 and the housing rotate together and in unison.
The gear assembly 99 comprises gear 90 bound to gear 94 for rotating therewith (see
The apparatus 10 further includes an impeller assembly, generally illustrated as 110. Impeller assembly 110 comprises a support 116 which is disposed in a housing 150 as best shown in
Coupled to and extending downwardly from the housing 150 is collar 154 (see
The apparatus 10 further includes a connector assembly, generally illustrated as 170 and best shown in
Impeller assembly 110 further comprises a generally U-shaped support member 128 which is disposed over and around the opening 124. The U-shaped support member 128 has a pair of arms 128a and 128b. Any liquid discharged from the conduit 120 passes through the opening 124 and into the U-shaped support member 128 between its associated arms 128a and 128b. Each of the arms 128a and 128b has a recess 24 for providing a seat for shaft 20 to rotate therein. In addition to having recesses 24, each of the arms 128a and 128b supports pegs 16.
A clamp member 46 is shown as having apertures 12. The clamp member 46 is disposed over the arms 128a and 128b such that pegs 16 pass into the apertures 12 (as best shown in
Each arm 128a and 128b has a recess 24 (see
The shaft 20 extends beyond arm 128b of the U-shaped support member 128 and has an end which rotatably seats in a recess 198 in an end of the upright support member 30. The shaft 20 extends through a worm gear 130 which is located between the upright support member 30 and arm 128b of the U-shaped support member 128, as illustrated in
Continuing to refer to the drawings for operation of the invention, liquid (i.e. water) passes out of hose 190 and into the hollow body 82 of the connector assembly 170. From the hollow body 82 the liquid passes into the lower section 123 of conduit 120 and then into the upper section 121. As previously indicated, the lower section 123 of conduit 120 is bound to the internal cylindrical surface of conduit 174 and/or shoulder conduit 178 such that as section 151 of the bottom 164 of housing 150 rotates against the underside of the shoulder 168, conduit 120 will remain stationary and not rotate since the connector assembly 170 (along with its associated conduits 174 and 178) does not rotate. When housing 150 rotates, the end 155 of collar 154 (depending from the bottom 164 of housing 150) rotates against the stationary end 175 of the conduit 174 upstanding from the shoulder conduit 178.
As further indicated, any liquid discharged from the conduit 120 passes through the opening 124 and into the U-shaped support member 128 between its associated arms 128a and 128b. As the liquid contacts the impeller 100, which is connected to shaft 20 that is transversely situated across the 128a and 128b, impeller 100 rotates. The rotational movement of the impeller 100 bound to shaft 20 causes the worm gear 130 to rotate. As previously mentioned, worm gear 130 is bound to shaft 20 such that when shaft 20 is caused to be rotated by the impeller 100, worm gear 130 rotates and imparts rotation to gear 94. Rotation of gear 94 rotates gear 90 which is bound to gear 94.
Gears 90 and 94 may be either bound to or unbound to shaft 98. If gears 90 and 94 are bound to shaft 98, as gears 90 and 94 rotate, shaft 98 rotates while its end is rotatably seated in recess 104 of a cylinder 50. If gears 90 and 94 are not bound to shaft 98, gears 90 and 94 rotate around shaft 98 while its end is steadfastly seated or affixed within recess 104 of a cylinder 50. When gear 90 rotates, gear 64 rotates, causing the cap 60 which further causes the housing 150 to rotate. The coupled combination of cap 60, gear 64 and housing 150 rotate together and in unison.
After liquid finishes contacting and rotating impeller 100, the liquid passes through the internal opening of the ring-like gear 64, and subsequently through the opening of the cap 60 to leave the cap 60 as a propelled spiral stream or spay of liquid which in an embodiment of the invention, lands on the slip and slide mat 22 to provide a wet surface for a person to slide longitudinally thereon.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all its embodiments. Therefore, the respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Additionally, any arrows in the drawings/figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein is generally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear.
As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a”, “an” and “the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Therefore, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to the particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of the embodiments of the invention will be employed without the corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.
