US20060013714A1

US20060013714A1 - Magnetic axleless liquid circulator

Info

Publication number: US20060013714A1
Application number: US10/895,201
Authority: US
Inventors: Jung-Te Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-07-19
Filing date: 2004-07-19
Publication date: 2006-01-19

Abstract

A magnetic axleless liquid circulator comprises a circulating base being a hollow base fixed onto a sidewall of a tank and having a hollow accommodating chamber protruded from the bottom of the circulating base; a vane set comprising a vane base disposed in the accommodating chamber and having a circulating vane; wherein the vane base comprises a rotary magnetic core; a circulating lid, being wrapped and fixed around an open end of the circulating base and having a water outlet hole disposed at the center of the circulating lid; a motor being coupled to the bottom of the circulating base and having a hollow rotary magnetic base disposed at an axle end, and the rotary magnetic base being capable of magnetically attracting and driving the rotary magnetic core of the vane set to rotate and producing a water circulation by the circulating vane.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid circulator for a bathtub or a foot dipping tank, more particularly a liquid circulator structure that does not require a liquid circulation pipeline.
2. Description of the Related Art
A traditional messaging bath tub or foot dipping tank as shown in FIG. 1 usually comes with a liquid circulating structure for producing a water circulation, and the liquid circulator structure has at least one water incoming pipeline 1, and the water incoming pipeline 1 is interconnected to a compressed motor 2, and the compressed motor 2 interconnects at least one water outgoing pipe 3 to a tank, and the water incoming pipeline 1 guides the water of the tank into the compressed motor 2. After the motor 2 is compressed, the water flows from the water outgoing pipeline 3 into the tank, so that the liquid circulating structure can produce a whirl of water circulation in the tank. The impact produced by the whirl has a messaging effect on human bodies. Further, various medical agents can be added to the water for a bath for the medical treatment. After the use of a messaging bathtub or a foot dipping tank is completed, it is necessary to drain out the water and medical agents in the tank or refill the tank to facilitate the next use or storage. However, some liquid may remain on the water incoming pipeline 1 and the water outgoing pipeline 3 of the prior-art liquid circulating structure, and thus it will cause hygienic problems. Therefore, it is necessary for users to clean up the internal pipelines of the traditional liquid circulating structure, which is very inconvenient to users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid circulating structure, and the present invention does not require an internal pipeline disposed in the liquid circulating structure as needed in the prior art, and thus can avoid the cleaning job of the internal pipelines and also avoid the hygienic problem caused by the liquid remained on the pipelines. Furthermore, the present invention is easy and simple to install and does not need to install the internal pipelines, and thus can be used in a horizontal position or a vertical position according to the user's need.
The technical measure taken by the present invention to overcome the aforementioned problems is described as follows.
A magnetic axleless liquid circulator comprises:

a circulating base, being a hollow base fixed onto a sidewall of a tank and having a hollow accommodating chamber protruded from the bottom of the circulating base;
a vane set, comprising a vane base disposed in the accommodating chamber and having a circulating vane; wherein the vane base comprises a rotary magnetic core;
a circulating lid, being wrapped and fixed around an open end of the circulating base and having a water outlet hole disposed at the center of the circulating lid;
a motor being coupled to the bottom of the circulating base and having a hollow rotary magnetic base disposed at an axle end, and the rotary magnetic base being capable of magnetically attracting and driving the rotary magnetic core of the vane set to rotate and producing a water circulation by the circulating vane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of a prior-art liquid circulating structure.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the liquid circulating structure according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the liquid circulating structure according to the present invention.
FIG. 4A is an illustrative view of the liquid circulating structure being in use according to the present invention.
FIG. 4B is another illustrative view of the liquid circulating structure being in use according to the present invention.
FIG. 5A is an illustrative view of the actions of the liquid circulating structure according to the present invention.
FIG. 5B is another illustrative view of the actions of the liquid circulating structure according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3 for a magnetic axleless liquid circulator according to the present invention, which comprises:

- a circulating base 10, being a hollow base, and the main body of the circulating base 10 comprising a connecting section 11 with external screw threads and a fixing section 12 with external screw threads; wherein the bottom of the connecting section 11 has a water stop washer 111 and a screw nut 121 being coupled to the exterior of the fixing section 12 for being fixed onto a wall of a tank, and the circulating base 10 having a hollow accommodating chamber 13 and the center of the accommodating chamber 13 has a lower fixing axle center 131, and a bearing 132 being disposed between the lower fixing axle center 131 and the wall of the accommodating chamber 13, such that the lower fixing axle center 131 can be rotated successfully at the center of the accommodating base 131;
- a vane set 20, comprising a cylindrical vane base 21, a lower fixing axle center 131 being embedded into the axle center at the lower end of the vane set 21, a corresponding upper fixing axle center 211 being embedded into the axle center at the upper end of the vane base 21, a bearing 212 being disposed between the upper fixing axle center 211 and the vane set 21, and a plurality of circulating vanes 22 extended from the vane base 21; wherein the vane base 21 comprises a rotary magnetic core 23 therein;
- wherein, the upper fixing axle center 211, the vane base 20 and the lower fixing axle center 131 have an air incoming hole 24 passing the central position of their axle centers, and an air passage 14 passing through the circulating base 10 and the wall of the accommodating chamber 13, and one end of the air passage 14 being interconnected with the air incoming hole 24 and the other end of the air passage 14 being interconnected with an air pipe 141 exposed on the circulating base 10;
- a circulating lid 30, having its internal wall corresponding to an internal thread disposed on the connecting section 11 for being wrapped and fixed around an open end of the circulating base 10 and having a water outlet hole 301 disposed at the center of the circulating lid 30 and a plurality of water inlet holes 32 disposed around the periphery of the water outlet hole 301; wherein a hollow fixed frame 311 being disposed at and inwardly extended towards the water outlet hole 31 for mounting the upper fixing axle center 211, and a plurality of through holes being disposed on the fixed frame 311;
- a motor 40, being coupled to the bottom of the fixing section 12 of the circulating base 10 and having a hollow rotary magnetic base 42 disposed at an axle end 41 of the motor 40, and the rotary magnetic base 42 being capable of receiving the accommodating chamber 13.

After each section of the forgoing structure is described in details, the principle and method for the actions of the present invention are described as follows:
Please refer to FIGS. 4A and 4B for the illustrative views of the conventional foot dipping message tank according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. By the actions of the fixing section 12 and the screw nut 121 according to the present invention, we only need to drill a hole at an appropriate position of the tank in the manufacturing process as to mount the whole set of liquid circulator onto the wall of the tank by a screw nut 121. Such arrangement not only provides a simple and easy installation, but also allows user to install the liquid circulator horizontally or vertically according to the user's need. Further, since the bottom of the circulating base 10 is completely isolated and sealed from the outside and the water stop washer 111 at the bottom surface of the connecting section 11 can be secured by a screw nut 121 and the wall of the tank can stop the action of the water circulation as shown in FIG. 5A to prevent the liquid from leaking and relieve your worry about electric leakage of the motor 40 caused by moisture.
Further, with the installation of the upper fixing axle center 211 and the lower fixing axle center 131, the vane set 20 not only secures the rotary axle center of the vane base 21, but also rotates the vane base 21 smoother by installing the bearings 132, 212.
When the motor 40 is driven to rotate by electric power, the axle 41 can drive the rotary magnetic base 42 to rotate outside the accommodating chamber 13. The rotary magnetic base 42 can drive the vane base 21 to rotate with the accommodating chamber in between due to the magnetic force between the rotary magnetic base 42 and the rotary magnetic core 23. Further, if the vane base 21 is rotated counterclockwise by the action of the circulating vanes 22 as shown in FIG. 5B, the circulating vanes 22 can drive the water to flow towards the center of the vane base 21 and pass through the through hole 312 of the fixed frame 311 and then flow out from the water outlet hole 31 to produce a whirl of water current.
When the vanes 22 are rotating, the pressure difference produced by the speeds of fluid will drive the water to produce a sucking force and suck the air from the air incoming hole 24 to produce an air exposure action with the water current and enhance the water circulating massage effect. Further, a stop valve can be installed to the air pipe 141 to prevent the water in the tank from refluxing and leaking, and the air pipe 141 can also be connected to an air pump to produce high-pressure air and the air is pumped into the water current through the air incoming hole 24.
The present invention does not require the internal pipeline disposed in the liquid circulating structure as needed in the prior art, and thus can avoid the cleaning of the internal pipelines and also can avoid the hygienic problem caused by the liquid remained on the pipelines. Furthermore, the present invention is easy and simple to install and does not need to install the internal pipelines, and thus can be used in a horizontal position or a vertical position according to the user's need to increase the flexibility of the manufacture of the massaging tank and effectively simplify the manufacturing process.
In summation of the above description, the present invention herein enhances the performance than the conventional structure and further complies with the patent application requirements and is submitted to the Patent and Trademark Office for review and granting of the commensurate patent rights.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

Claims

1. A magnetic axleless liquid circulator, comprising:

a circulating base, being a hollow base fixed onto a sidewall of a tank and having a hollow accommodating chamber protruded from the bottom of said circulating base;

a vane set, comprising a vane base disposed in said accommodating chamber and having a circulating vane; wherein said vane base comprising a rotary magnetic core; a circulating lid, being wrapped and fixed around an open end of said circulating base and having a water outlet hole disposed at the center of said circulating lid and a plurality of water inlet hole disposed around the periphery of said water outlet hole; and

a motor, being coupled to the bottom of said circulating base and having a hollow rotary magnetic base disposed at an axle end, and said rotary magnetic base being disposed in said accommodating chamber;

thereby said rotary magnetic base of said motor being capable of magnetically attracting and driving said rotary magnetic core of said vane set to rotate and producing a water circulation by said circulating vane.

2. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 1, wherein said circulating base comprises a connecting section and a fixing section, and said fixing section is for fixing a screw nut onto a wall of a tank.

3. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 2, wherein said connecting section comprises a stop water washer disposed at a bottom surface and a wall of said tank.

4. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 1, wherein said water outlet hole comprises a hollow fixed frame therein.

5. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 4, wherein said fixed frame comprises a plurality of through holes.

6. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 1, wherein said vane base comprises an upper fixing axle center disposed at an upper axle center of said vane base, and the other end of said upper fixing axle center is embedded and fixed into said fixed frame.

7. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 6, wherein said vane base and said upper fixing axle center comprises a bearing in between.

8. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 1, wherein said vane base comprises a lower fixing axle center disposed at a lower axle center, and the other end of said lower fixing axle center is embedded and fixed into said accommodating chamber.

9. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 8, wherein said accommodating chamber and said lower fixing axle center comprises a bearing in between.

10. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 1, wherein said upper fixing axle center, said vane base and said lower fixing axle center comprise an air inlet hole passing through the center axle center of said upper fixing axle center, said vane base and said lower fixing axle center.

11. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 10, wherein said circulating base and the wall of said accommodating chamber comprise an air passage, and one end of said air passage is interconnected to said air inlet hole.

12. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 11, wherein said air passage at the other end is coupled to an air pipe of said circulating base.

13. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 10, wherein said air pipe comprises a stop valve.

14. The magnetic axleless liquid circulator of claim 10, wherein said air pipe is coupled to an air pump.