MINIATURE PUMP DEVICE

Abstract

An air pump includes a driving unit and an airflow control unit. A piston base has a first intake through hole. A piston unit has an intake valve and a bladder portion, and the intake valve is located over the first intake through hole. A first valve base is located over the piston unit. A flow guide groove of the first valve base crosses over the paired intake valve and bladder portion. The first valve base has a first output through hole. The first valve base has a circular wall surrounding the first output through hole. A first output valve is located over the first output through hole. A second valve base is coupled to the circular wall to define a compression chamber. The second valve base has a second output through hole communicating with the compression chamber. A second output valve is located over the second output through hole.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 102108483 filed Mar. 11, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a miniature pump device.

2. Description of Related Art

A miniature pump is a smaller size pump. Because the miniature pump's volume is reduced, only a motor of a lower power can be installed in the miniature pump. Therefore, the efficiency of miniature pump depends on its valve or chamber design.

One shortcoming of a conventional miniature pump is the output airflows with lower pressure, more effort is thus needed to enhance the output pressure based upon the same power motor and same size volume.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide as miniature air pump to deal with the problems as discussed in the prior art.

In accordance with the foregoing and other objectives of the present invention, a miniature air pump includes a driving unit and an airflow control unit, which is driven by the driving unit to input or output airflows. The airflow control unit includes a piston base, a piston unit, a first valve base, a first output valve, a second valve base, and a second output valve. The piston base has at least one first intake through hole. The piston unit has at least one intake valve and at least one bladder portion, wherein the intake valve is covered over the first intake through hole. The first valve base is located over the piston unit, a bottom surface of the first valve base has at least one flow guide groove, which crosses the intake valve and the bladder portion, the first valve base has at least one first output through hole corresponding to the bladder portion, the first valve base further includes a circular wall surrounding the first output through hole. The first output valve is located over the first output through hole. The second valve base is coupled to the circular wall to collectively define a compression chamber, and the second valve base has at least one second output through hole communicating with the compression chamber. The second output valve is covered over the second output through hole. When the bladder portion is being compressed, airflows inside the bladder portion are output through the first output through hole, the first output valve, the compression chamber, the second output through hole and the second output valve sequentially. When the bladder portion is being decompressed, airflows are introduced into the bladder portion through the first intake through hole, the intake valve and the flow guide groove sequentially.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the first output valve includes a four-petal-flower-shaped valve.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the second output valve includes an umbrella-shaped valve.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the first output valve has a greater covering area than the second output valve has.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the miniature air pump further includes an upper cover disposed over the first valve base and the second valve base, wherein the piston base, the piston unit, the first valve base and the upper cover commonly share a second intake through hole.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the second valve base has a double-circular wall surrounding the second output through hole.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the upper cover has an air outlet, which communicates with an area surrounded by the double-circular wall.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the miniature air pump further includes a seal ring filled into a seal groove of the double-circular wall.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the driving unit includes a motor and an oblique linkage, and the oblique linkage is coupled with a rotation axis of the motor.

According to another embodiment disclosed herein, the oblique linkage has a plurality of connection ports, and each connection port is coupled with a bottom end of the bladder portion.

Thus, when the miniature air pump operates, the bladder portion of the piston unit is compressed and airflows are forced by the first output valve for the first time, and then forced by the second output valve for the second time. Therefore, the airflows of the miniature air pump can be output with a higher pressure. When airflows are reversed, two one-way valves, i.e., the first output valve and the second output valve, are able to stop the reversed-airflows and enhance the output pressure.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed. description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a miniature air pump according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the miniature air pump in FIG. 1, which all components are assembled;

FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of partial components of the miniature air pump in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged view of the first valve base in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged view of the second valve base in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the second valve taken along a cross-sectional line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged view of the first output valve in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the first output valve, taken along a cross-sectional line 8-8′ in FIGS. 7; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the first output valve taken along a cross-sectional line 9-9′ in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a miniature air pump according to one embodiment of this invention. A miniature air pump 200 basically includes a driving unit and an airflow control unit. The airflow control unit is driven by the driving unit to input or output airflows so as to perform the major functions of the miniature air pump.

The driving unit basically includes a motor 226, a motor base 224 and an oblique linkage 218. The motor 226 is secured to the motor base 224 by a plurality of screws 224a. The oblique linkage 218 is coupled with a rotation axis 226a of the motor 226 by a steel rod 219 and an eccentric shaft. 220. Therefore, the motor 226 is able to drive the oblique linkage 218 to rotate.

The airflow control unit basically includes a piston base 216, a piston unit 214, a first valve base 212, a first output valve 210, a second valve base 208, a second output valve 206 and an upper cover 204. The piston base 216 has several receiving holes 216c for bladder portions 214a of the piston unit 214 to be accommodated within. The amount of the bladder portion 214a may be varied according, to actual demands. The piston base 216 should have receiving holes 216c to accommodate bladder portions 214a, and each receiving. hole 216c is used to accommodate a corresponding bladder portion 214a. When the piston base 216 and the piston unit 214 are assembled, the first valve base 212 is mounted over the piston base 216 and the piston unit 214. in order to increase an output pressure of the miniature air pump, the miniature air pump 200 is equipped with an anti-reverse-flow double-stage structure, which includes a first valve base 212, a first output valve 210, a second valve base 208 and a second output valve 206. Several bolts 202 are led through corresponding holes at four corners of the upper cover 204, the first valve base 212 and the piston base 216, and then screwed into four corners of the motor base 224 so as to secure the airflow control unit of the miniature air pump 200. One or more seal rings may be installed between the upper cover 204 and the first valve base 212 to increase the airtight level. In this embodiment, the first output valve 210 may be a four-petal-flower-shaped valve, but not being limited to, while the second output valve 206 may be an umbrella-shaped valve, but not being, limited to.

In addition, the oblique linkage 218 has a plurality of connection ports 248a at its end portions. Each connection port 218a is coupled with a bottom end of the bladder portion 214a. When the motor 226 drives the oblique linkage 218 to rotate, the bladder portion 214a is compressed or decompressed so as to perform the major functions of the miniature air pump.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the miniature air pump in FIG. 1, which all components are assembled, while FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of partial components of the miniature air pump in FIG. 1. The miniature air pump is used to supply pressured airflows, and needs to input airflows before supplying or outputting airflows. When the miniature air pump 200 introduces airflows, the bladder portion 214a is being decompressed. The airflows are routed through the communicated second intake through holes (204b, 212a, 214b, 216b) on the upper cover 204, the first valve base 212, the piston unit 214 and the piston base 216 along a direction 100a, routed into a hollow chamber, which is collectively defined by the piston base 216 and the motor base 224, along a direction 100b, and then routed through a second intake through hole 216a and an intake valve 214c of the piston unit 214 along a direction 100c, and routed into the bladder portion 214a through a flow guide groove 212b on a bottom surface of the first valve base 212. The flow guide groove 212b crosses the paired intake valve 214c and the bladder portion 214a. When the miniature air pump 200 supplies airflows, the bladder portion 214a is being compressed. The airflows are routed into a compression chamber 212d via a first output through hole 212e, the first valve base 212 and the first output valve 210 along a direction 100d, routed through the second output through hole 208d, the second valve base 208 and the second output valve 206 along a direction 100e, and then output via an air outlet 204a along a direction 100f. In this embodiment, the first output valve 210 has a greater covering area (the area which the first output valve 210 covers over the first valve base) than the second output valve 206 has (the area which the first output valve 206 covers over the second valve base). In addition, the upper cover 204 has an air outlet 204a, which communicates with an area surrounded by the double-circular wall 208b, to output airflows.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged view of the first valve base in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged view of the second valve base in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the second valve taken along a cross-sectional line 6-6′ in FIG. 5. The second valve base 208 in FIGS. 5 & 6 is secured to a circular wall 212c of the first valve base 212 in FIG. 4 such that the second valve base 208 and the circular wall 212c of the first valve base 212 collectively form a compression chamber 212d. The circular wall 212c is used to surround the first output through hole 212e (one or more first output through holes). When the circular wall 212c of the first valve base 212 is assembled with the second valve base 208, the second valve base 208 has at least one second output through hole 208d communicated with the compression chamber 212d. The second valve base 208 has a double-circular wall 208b surrounding the second output through hole 208d (one or more second output through holes). The double-circular wall 208b has a circular seal groove 208c into which a seal ring, i.e., the seal ring 205 as illustrated in FIG. 1, may be installed. In order to precisely position the second valve base 208 on the circular wall 212c, a disc body 208a of the second valve base 208 is equipped with a position rib 208g to be inserted into a position hole 212h of the circular wall 212c. In addition, a central position hole 208e of the second valve base 208 is used to be inserted by a shaft portion of the second output valve 206. A bottom protruding rib 208f of the second valve base 208 is used to contact a top surface of the first output valve 210 so as to secure the first output valve 210 within the compression chamber 212d (referring to FIG. 7).

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged view of the first output valve of the miniature air pump in FIG. 1, FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the first output valve taken along a cross-sectional line 8-8′ in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the first output valve taken along a cross-sectional line 9-9′ in FIG. 7. The first output valve 210 is used to cover the first output through hole 212e of the first valve base 212, which is surrounded by the circular wall 212c. The first output valve 210 includes a cross-shaped fastener 210b and multiple valve portions 210c. The cross-shaped fastener 210b is used to engage a cross-shaped groove 212fof the first valve base 212 (referring to FIG. 4) such that multiple valve portions 210c (e.g., four valve portions) of the first output valve 210 are covered over multiple first output through holes 212e, respectively. In this embodiment, the first output valve 210 may be a four-petal-flower-shaped valve, which has four valve portions 210c to cover four corresponding first output through holes 212e, but not being limited to the four-petal-flower-shaped valve.

According to the above-discussed embodiments, when the miniature air pump operates, the bladder portion of the piston unit is compressed and airflows are forced by the first output valve for the first time, and then forced by the second output valve for the second time. Therefore, the airflows of the miniature air pump can be output with a higher pressure. When airflows are reversed, two one-way valves, i.e., the first output valve and the second output valve, are able to stop the reversed-airflows and enhance the output pressure.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, in view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A miniature air pump comprising: a driving unit; andan airflow control unit driven by the driving unit to input or output airflows, wherein the airflow control unit comprises: a piston base having at least one first intake through hole;a piston unit having at least one intake valve and at least one bladder portion, wherein the intake valve is covered over the first intake through hole;a first valve base disposed over the piston unit, a bottom surface of the first valve base having at least one flow guide groove, which crosses the intake valve and the bladder portion, the first valve base having at least one first output through hole corresponding to the bladder portion, the first valve base further comprising a circular wall surrounding the first output through hole;a first output valve disposed over the first output through hole;a second valve base coupled to the circular wall to collectively define a compression chamber, the second valve base having at least one second output through hole communicating with the compression chamber; anda second output valve covered over the second output through hole,when the bladder portion is being compressed, airflows inside the bladder portion are output through the first output through hole, the first output valve, the compression chamber, the second output through hole and the second output valve sequentially,when the bladder portion is being decompressed, airflows are introduced into the bladder portion through the first intake through hole, the intake valve and the flow guide groove sequentially.

2. The miniature air pump of claim 1, wherein the first output valve comprises a four-petal-flower-shaped valve.

3. The miniature air pump of claim 2, wherein the second output valve comprises an umbrella-shaped valve.

4. The miniature air pump of claim 3, wherein the first output valve has a greater covering area than the second output valve has.

5. The miniature air pump of claim 1, wherein the second output valve comprises an umbrella-shaped valve.

6. The miniature air pump of claim 1, wherein the first output valve has a greater covering area than the second output valve has.

7. The miniature air pump of claim 1 further comprising an upper cover disposed over the first valve base and the second valve base, wherein the piston base, the piston unit, the first valve base and the upper cover commonly share to second intake through hole.

8. The miniature air pump of claim 7, wherein the second valve base has a double-circular wall surrounding the second output through hole.

9. The miniature air pump of claim 8, wherein the upper cover has an air outlet, which communicates with an area surrounded by the double-circular wall.

10. The miniature air pump of claim 9 further comprising a seal ring disposed into a seal groove of the double-circular wall.

11. The miniature air pump of claim 8 further comprising a seal ring disposed into a seal groove of the double-circular wall.

12. The miniature air pump of claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises a motor and an oblique linkage, the oblique linkage is coupled with a rotation axis of the motor.

13. The miniature air pump of claim 12, wherein the oblique linkage has a plurality of connection ports, each connection port is coupled with a bottom end of the bladder portion.