Patent Application
20210102541
The present invention relates to pumps and other systems used to circulate fluid within a container. More particularly, the present invention provides a system for circulating water in an aquarium and the like that uses wireless energy transfer to provide power to drive the pump.
Aquariums are a popular and widespread means of keeping and displaying fish and other aquatic plants and creatures, whether as pets, as an engaging hobby, or as colorful art. Aquariums can range in size from small glass bowls to complex structures holding millions of gallons of water, and can feature either fresh or salt water to support a wide variety of aquatic life. One common requirement of all aquariums is the need to clean and oxygenate the water if the fish or other aquatic organisms are to survive for an extended period of time. The most efficient method of accomplishing this requirement is to circulate the water by means of a pump assembly. Water movement and circulation serves to oxygenate the water, and cleaning can be accomplished by circulating the water over or through either a natural or synthetic filter medium.
An inherent problem faced by aquarists is the need to connect such pumps to a power source. Safety concerns typically prohibit the use of fully submersible electrical pumps, often resulting in an exposed pump or complex and unsightly plumbing, detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the aquarium. Even pumps that are sealed to allow full submersion require some sort of power cord, which is typically draped over the side of the aquarium.
Wireless pumps are known in the art, but they generally consist of a motor on the outside of the tank, driving a magnet on the outside of the tank, which is magnetically coupled with a magnet inside of the tank, which then turns an impeller or propeller in order to circulate the water. For example:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,077,775 and 9,551,343, by Marks, et al., disclose a fluid pump assembly with a pair of magnetically coupled units, wherein the first unit contains a drive motor and a magnetic assembly, the second unit contains a magnetic assembly and a propeller/impeller for imparting movement to a fluid, and as the first unit is activated by the drive motor, the resulting magnetic flux rotates the magnetic assembly in the second unit, thereby driving the propeller/impeller; and,
U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,047,750, 9,140,264, 8,734,134, 8,197,232, 7,785,081, and 7,393,188, by Lawyer, et al., disclose a fluid pump kit that includes a magnetic driven member for coupling with and rotating a propeller, a magnetic driver for magnetically coupling with and driving the magnetic driven member, and a motor to operate the magnetic driver;
However, there are multiple drawbacks inherent in these designs, such as the need for a multiplicity of moving parts, the need to precisely align the inner and outer assemblies, and the need for a bulky and relatively heavy electric motor assembly.
Wireless power transmission technology is also known in the art. For example:
U.S. Patent Application No. 2019/0230906, by Choi, et al., discloses an aquarium with wireless lighting that uses wireless power transmission technology to provide power to devices such as underwater lights, a repeater, a thermostat, a bubble generator, a pump, or a controller.
In the Choi invention, however, the power transmitter occupies the entire bottom or lateral side of the aquarium, which is bulky, interferes with plants, decorations, or other objects that may be located within the aquarium, and restricts the ease of relocating the described devices to other areas of the aquarium.
Therefore, a need exists in the field for a fluid circulation system that is compact, lightweight, and easy to install, with minimal internal moving parts, that can be powered without the need for an electrical motor or additional external moving parts, and can easily be relocated within the aquarium without affecting plants, decorations, or other objects within the aquarium.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention solves the aforementioned problems in a straightforward and simple manner by providing a novel system for circulating a fluid, such as water in an aquarium, through the use of a transmitter located on the outside of an aquarium to wirelessly transmit electrical energy to a receiver located inside of the tank. The receiver then supplies power to a drive mechanism to turn a shaft which is connected to a propeller, which in turn circulates the water in the aquarium. The drive unit and propeller assembly are housed together in an assembly having a rounded base that is magnetically attached to the receiver unit, which has a concave face to accept the base of the drive assembly to facilitate directing the circulation of water throughout the tank. The receiver unit is likewise held in place against a side of the aquarium by the attraction between magnets integrally located around the perimeter of the receiver housing on the inside of the tank and magnets integrally located around the perimeter of the transmitter housing on the outside of the tank. Thus, the system can be mounted to the aquarium without brackets or other mechanical means, and it can be easily located at any position on the aquarium.
An additional embodiment of the wireless circulation system incorporates the same means of wirelessly transmitting electrical energy from a transmitter located outside of the aquarium to a receiver located inside of the aquarium, which then powers a drive unit to turn linearly situated impellers, which in turn circulate water throughout the tank.
For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which like parts are given like reference numerals, and wherein:
Referring now to the drawing, and in particular
Referring now to
Receiver assembly 30 further comprises receiver 31, receiver coil 32, magnets 35, housing 36, and power cord 37. Receiver 31, receiver coil 32, and magnets 35 are contained within housing 36. Housing 36 is cylindrical, having one flat face, adapted to be placed against aquarium glass 100, and one concave face 38, which is adapted to receive the rounded base 48 of drive housing 46. Concave face 38 and rounded base 48 are constructed of magnetic material to facilitate a magnetic attraction between concave face 38 and rounded base 48 so that rounded base 48 is magnetically attached to concave face 38. Receiver coil 32 is situated on said flat face of housing 36 and magnets 35 are situated around the perimeter of housing 36. Power cord 37 is internally connected to receiver 31, extending out of housing 36 through the center of concave face 38 by means of a watertight connection, and into the bottom of drive housing 46 by means of a watertight connection, where it is internally connected to drive unit 43. Recessed channel 39 is incorporated into receiver housing 36 to accommodate storage of power cord 37.
Referring now to
Wireless fluid circulation system 10 is installed on an aquarium or other fluid container having a maximum wall thickness of twenty-five and four tenths millimeters by placing the flat face of transmitter housing 26 against the outside of the container wall 100, placing the flat face of receiver housing 36 against the inside of the container wall 100, and aligning transmitter assembly 20 with receiver assembly 30 so that magnets 25 magnetically engage with magnets 35. Wireless fluid circulation system 10 is held in place by the magnetic force between magnets 25 and magnets 35.
Operation of the system is achieved by applying electrical power to control unit 23 through power cord 27. Power output of control unit 23 is adjusted through control input 24, which can be actuated through manual means or remotely through infrared, radio frequency, cellular signal, wireless networking, or other remote control technology as is known in the art. Control unit 23 then transmits the adjusted power output to transmitter 21 and transmitter coil 22. Transmitter coil 22 wirelessly transmits the desired electrical energy through magnetic inductance to receiver coil 32, which is directed by receiver 31 to driver 43 by means of power cord 37. Driver 43 is of a type known in the art, which turns shaft 42, thereby turning propeller 41, causing the fluid to circulate.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Because many varying and differing embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
