US20150316067A1

US20150316067A1 - Rotary adjustment controller of an air pump

Info

Publication number: US20150316067A1
Application number: US14/269,735
Authority: US
Inventors: Chun-Chung Tsai
Original assignee: Dongguan Tiger Point Metal and Plastic Products Co Ltd
Current assignee: Dongguan Tiger Point Metal and Plastic Products Co Ltd
Priority date: 2014-05-05
Filing date: 2014-05-05
Publication date: 2015-11-05

Abstract

A rotary adjustment controller of an air pump has a casing, a micro switch, an air pressure sensing film, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism has a bolt, a nut, and a turning button. The nut is screwed on the bolt. The micro switch is securely mounted on and moves along with the nut. The turning button selectively drives the bolt to rotate. With turning the turning button to rotate the bolt, the micro switch selectively departs from or approaches the air pressure sensing film. Positions of the micro switch are adjusted steplessly, so an inflatable article can be inflated to a desired hardness. The rotary adjustment controller has simplified structure and can be operated conveniently and rapidly.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air pump, especially to a rotary adjustment controller of an air pump.
2. Description of the Prior Art(s)
Air pumps are critical to all kinds of inflatable articles, such as airbeds, inflatable bouncers, inflatable sofas, inflatable toys, and the like. The air pump is mounted on an inner surface of the inflatable article, inflates the inflatable article and holds air inside the inflatable article at a constant pressure for use, and deflates the inflatable article for storage. Currently, some conventional air pumps can inflate and deflate the inflatable articles, and hold the air inside the inflatable articles at a constant pressure. Meanwhile, other conventional air pumps further have auto-stop controllers that stop the air pumps automatically. The auto-stop controller is mounted in a housing of the conventional air pump, and has a sensing film, a micro switch, a driving rod, a button, and a compression spring. The button is operated in a single stage, which means that when the button is pressed, the driving rod is driven to move upwardly to push the sensing film. Accordingly, the sensing film deforms upward to switch on the micro switch. When the button is released, the compression spring pushes the driving rod to move downwardly. Accordingly, the sensing film deforms downward to switch off the micro switch. The micro switch controls an operation of the conventional air pump.
The auto-stop controller allows the conventional air pump to stop working automatically, which is a great convenience to users; however, performance of the conventional air pump is still inadequate to achieve a best usage effect and a best working performance. The shortcomings of the conventional air pump are described as follows. Since the conventional air pump is only operated in a single stage and can only inflate the inflatable article to a specific hardness, the hardness of the inflatable article cannot be adjusted according to the user's need. Thus, the conventional air pump is inconvenient for use and operation.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a rotary adjustment controller of an air pump to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a rotary adjustment controller of an air pump. The rotary adjustment controller has a casing, a micro switch, an air pressure sensing film, and a control mechanism. The micro switch faces and is disposed above the air pressure sensing film. The control mechanism has a bolt, a nut, and a turning button. The bolt is rotatably mounted outside the casing. The nut is screwed on the bolt and is rotatable to move along an axial direction of the bolt. The micro switch is securely mounted on and moves along with the nut. The turning button is connected to and selectively drives the bolt to rotate.
By turning the turning button to rotate the bolt, the nut can move along the bolt back and forth, and the micro switch selectively departs from or approaches the air pressure sensing film. Positions of the micro switch are adjusted steplessly, so an inflatable article can be inflated to a hardness that is most suitable for user's need. The rotary adjustment controller has simplified structure and can be operated conveniently and rapidly, which is a great convenience to the users.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an air pump having a rotary adjustment controller in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear lower perspective view of the air pump in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the air pump in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another exploded perspective view of the air pump in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the air pump in FIG. 1, shown with a housing omitted;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a low-pressure blower of the air pump in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the low-pressure blower in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a first one-way valve of the air pump in FIG. 1, shown closed;

FIG. 9 is an operational perspective view of the first one-way valve in FIG. 8, shown open;

FIG. 10 is a side view in partial section of a high-pressure blower of the air pump in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an auto-stop controller of the air pump in FIG. 1, shown disposed upside down;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the auto-stop controller in FIG. 11, shown disposed upside down;

FIG. 13 is another perspective view of the auto-stop controller in FIG. 11, shown disposed upside down;

FIG. 14 is another exploded perspective view of the auto-stop controller in FIG. 11, shown disposed upside down;

FIG. 15 is a side view in partial section of the auto-stop controller in FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the rotary adjustment controller in the air pump in FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary adjustment controller in FIG. 16; and

FIG. 18 is a side view in partial section of the rotary adjustment controller in FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, an air pump comprises a housing 10, and a low-pressure blower 20, a high-pressure blower 30, an auto-stop controller 40, and a rotary adjustment controller 50 in accordance with the present invention mounted in the housing 10.
With further reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 has a base 11, a cover 12, and a mounting chamber. The cover 12 is mounted on the base 11 and has multiple slots. The mounting chamber is defined in the housing 10, is surrounded by the base 11 and the cover 12, and communicates with an exterior of the housing 10 via the slots of the cover 12. The mounting chamber is used for receiving the low-pressure blower 20, the high-pressure blower 30, the auto-stop controller 40, and the rotary adjustment controller 50.
The housing 10 further has a first air port 101, a second air port 102, a third air port 103, a first one-way valve 13 and a second one-way valve. The first air port 101, the second air port 102, and the third air port 103 are used for communicating with an interior of an inflatable article. The first one-way valve 13 is mounted to the first air port 101. The second one-way valve is mounted to the second air port 102.
With further reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the first one-way valve 13 has a driving rod 131, a valve blade 133, and a spring 132. The valve blade 133 is mounted on an outer end of the driving rod 131 and selectively seals the first air port 101 of the housing 10. The spring 132 is mounted around the driving rod 131 and has two opposite ends respectively abutting the housing 10 and an inner end of the driving rod 131. Thus, the spring 132 pushes the driving rod 131 to move toward the mounting chamber of the housing 10. Accordingly the valve blade 133 seals the first air port 101 of the housing 10. The second one-way valve has the same structure as the first one-way valve 13 and description about the second one-way valve is omitted.
With further reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the low-pressure blower 20 is mounted in the mounting chamber of the housing 10 and has a fourth air port 201. The fourth air port 201 communicates with the first air port 101 of the housing 10.
With reference to FIGS. 4 and 10, the high-pressure blower 30 is mounted in the mounting chamber of the housing 10 and has a fifth air port 301. The fifth air port 301 communicates with the second air port 102 of the housing 10.
With reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 and 11 to 15, the auto-stop controller 40 is mounted in the mounting chamber of the housing 10 and has a first casing 41, a first air pressure sensing film 48, a one-way valve blade 403, a pushing element 42, a swing rod 43, a connecting rod 44, a rotation restricting element 45, at least one restoring spring 404, a first micro switch 49, a rotational pressing rod 46, and a first turning button 47. The first casing 41 is formed by attaching a lid 412 onto a seat 411.
As shown in FIG. 15, the first air pressure sensing film 48 is securely mounted in the first casing 41 and divides an interior of the first casing 41 into a first chamber 401 and a second chamber 402. The first chamber 401 communicates with an exterior of the first casing 41. The second chamber 402 communicates with the third air port 103. The one-way valve blade 403 is mounted to an inlet of the second chamber 402.
The pushing element 42 is mounted in the first chamber 401 and has a driven end 421 protruding out of the first casing 41. The swing rod 43 is pivotally disposed outside the first casing 41 and has a first end and a second end. The first end of the swing rod 43 faces the driven end 421 of the pushing element 42. The connecting rod 44 has two ends. One of the ends of the connecting rod 44 is pivotally connected to the second end of the swing rod 43. The rotation restricting element 45 is pivotally disposed outside the first casing 41, and has a first end, a second end, and at least one limit portion 451. The first end of the rotation restricting element 45 is pivotally connected to the other end of the connecting rod 44. The at least one limit portion 451 is formed on the second end of the rotation restricting element 45. The at least one restoring spring 404 is mounted on the at least one limit portion 451 of the rotation restricting element 45.
The first micro switch 49 is disposed outside the first casing 41. The rotational pressing rod 46 is rotatably disposed outside the first casing 41 and has a pressing portion 461 and a positioning portion 462. The pressing portion 461 corresponds in position to and presses against the first micro switch 49. The positioning portion 462 operates in coordination with the at least one limit portion 451 of the rotation restricting element 45. The first turning button 47 is mounted on the housing 10 via a torsion spring and is disposed outside the housing 10. The first turning button 47 is connected to the rotational pressing rod 46 and selectively drives the rotational pressing rod 46 to rotate.
With reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 and 16 to 18, the rotary adjustment controller 50 is mounted in the mounting chamber of the housing 10 and has a second casing 51, a switching switch 52, a second micro switch 53, a second air pressure sensing film 54, a third chamber 501, and a first control mechanism 55.
The second casing 51 has an inner surface. The switching switch 52 is electrically connected to the high-pressure blower 30 and selectively switches the high-pressure blower 30 on or off. The second micro switch 53 is electrically connected to the high-pressure blower 30 and selectively switches the high-pressure blower 30 on or off. The second air pressure sensing film 54 is mounted in the second casing 51, selectively triggers the second micro switch 53, and has an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface of the second air pressure sensing film 54 faces and is separated from the second micro switch 53. The third chamber 501 is surrounded by the inner surface of the second air pressure sensing film 54 and the inner surface of the second casing 51, and communicates with the third air port 103 of the housing 10. The first control mechanism 55 selectively triggers the switching switch 52, and drives the second micro switch 53 to move toward or away from the second air pressure sensing film 54.
Specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the first control mechanism 55 has a bolt 551, a nut 552, and a second turning button 553. The bolt 551 is rotatably mounted outside the second casing 51, is disposed beside the switching switch 52, and has a triggering protrusion 502. The triggering protrusion 502 selectively triggers the switching switch 52. The nut 552 is screwed on the bolt 551 and is rotatable to move along an axial direction of the bolt 551. The second micro switch 53 is securely mounted on the nut 552 and moves along with the nut 552. The second turning button 553 is disposed outside the housing 10, and is connected to and selectively drives the bolt 551 to rotate.
In the preferred embodiment, the second casing 51 further has two guiding portions 511. Each of the guiding portions 511 has a guiding slot 503. The nut 552 has a positioning panel 504. The positioning panel 504 has two opposite side edges respectively engaging in the guiding slots 503 of the guiding portions 511, such that the positioning panel 504 can slide along the guiding slots 503. The second micro switch 53 is securely mounted on the positioning panel 504.
With reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the low-pressure blower 20 further has a third casing 21, a dividing panel 25, an impeller 22, a switching casing 23, a motor 24, and a second control mechanism 26.
The third casing 21 has an inlet port 205 and an outlet port 206. The dividing panel 25 is mounted in the third casing 21 and divides an interior of the third casing 21 into an inlet chamber 202 and an outlet chamber 203. The inlet chamber 202 communicates with the inlet port 205. The outlet chamber 203 communicates with the outlet port 206. The dividing panel 25 has a through hole 204. The impeller 22 is mounted in the outlet chamber 203 and has an air-inlet portion and an air-outlet portion. The air-inlet portion of the impeller 22 corresponds in position to the through hole 204 of the dividing panel 25. The air-outlet portion of the impeller 22 corresponds in position to the outlet port 206 of the third casing 21. The switching casing 23 is mounted between the first air port 101 of the housing 10 and the third casing 21 and has an air channel 207. The second chamber 402 of the first casing 41 communicates with the air channel 207. The air channel 207 selectively communicates with the inlet port 205 of the third casing 21 or the outlet port 206 of the third casing 21. The motor 24 drives the impeller 22 to rotate. The second control mechanism 26 drives the switching casing 23 to allow the air channel 207 of the switching casing 23 to selectively communicate with the inlet port 205 or the outlet port 206.
With reference to FIGS. 5 and 11 to 14, in the preferred embodiment, the second control mechanism 26 is a screw and is rotatably mounted on the third casing 21. The second control mechanism 26 has a distal end, a peripheral surface, multiple first gear teeth 261, and a spiral rib 262. The first gear teeth 261 are arranged around the distal end of the second control mechanism 26. The rotational pressing rod 46 further has multiple second gear teeth 463 engaged with the first gear teeth 261 of the second control mechanism 26. The spiral rib 262 is formed on the peripheral surface of the second control mechanism 26. The switching casing 23 further has an engaging portion 231 engaged with the spiral rib 262 of the second control mechanism 26.
Moreover, the switching casing 23 further has a pressing protrusion 232 selectively opening the first one-way valve 13. When the pressing protrusion 232 of the switching casing 23 presses against the first one-way valve 13, the first one-way valve 13 is open and the air channel 207 communicates with the inlet port 205 of the third casing 21. When the pressing protrusion 232 of the switching casing 23 departs from the first one-way valve 13, the first one-way valve 13 is closed and the air channel 207 communicates with the outlet port 206 of the third casing 21.
Furthermore, specifically, the rotation restricting element 45 has two limit portions 451 separately formed on the second end of the rotation restricting element 45. The auto-stop controller 40 has two restoring springs 404 respectively mounted on the two limit portions 451 of the rotation restricting element 45. A support bracket 14 is mounted in the housing 10. The first casing 41, the swing rod 43, and the rotation restricting element 45 are assembled on the support bracket 14. Two opposite ends of each of the restoring springs 404 respectively abut the support bracket 14 and the rotation restricting element 45.
With reference to FIG. 10, the high-pressure blower 30 further has a fourth casing 31, an electromagnetic assembly 32, and two open-close mechanisms 33. The electromagnetic assembly 32 and the open-close mechanisms 33 are mounted in the fourth casing 31. The open-close mechanisms 33 are connected to the electromagnetic assembly 32 and are driven to open or to close relative to each other by the electromagnetic assembly 32. When the open-close mechanisms 33 are open relative to each other, an air chamber 302 is formed between the open-close mechanisms 33 and communicates with the fifth air port 301 of the high-pressure blower 30.
The air pump works as follows.
For inflation, a position of the second micro switch 53 can be adjusted according to a demand for hardness of the inflatable article. Specifically, the second turning button 553 is turned to rotate the bolt 551 and to allow the nut 552 to move along the bolt 551 to a proper position. Accordingly, the second micro switch 53 moves along with the nut 552 to the proper position. As the distance defined between the second micro switch 53 and the second air pressure sensing film 54 is longer, the inflatable article is harder after inflating. As the distance defined between the second micro switch 53 and the second air pressure sensing film 54 is shorter, the inflatable article is softer after inflating. As the second turning button 553 is turned, the triggering protrusion 502 triggers the switching switch 52.
Then, the first turning button 47 is turned to sequentially drive the rotational pressing rod 46 and the second control mechanism 26 to rotate. As the second control mechanism 26 rotates, the switching casing 23 is driven to move downward to allow the air channel 207 of the switching casing 23 to communicate with the outlet port 206 of the third casing 21 and the fourth air port 201 of the low-pressure blower 20. Thus, the inlet port 205 of the third casing 21 communicates with the exterior of the housing 10.
Meanwhile, the pressing portion 461 of the rotational pressing rod 46 presses against the first micro switch 49, and the positioning portion 462 of the rotational pressing rod 46 is held in position by one of the limit portions 451 of the rotation restricting element 45. Accordingly, the low-pressure blower 20 begins working. The motor 24 drives the impeller 22 to rotate, thereby forming an air current. The air current pushes and opens the first one-way valve 13 and inflates the inflatable article. With an air pressure inside the inflatable article increases, an air pressure inside the second chamber 402 of the first casing 41 increases accordingly, and the first air pressure sensing film 48 deforms upward. When the air pressure inside the inflatable article achieves a pre-set low pressure, the first air pressure sensing film 48 pushes the pushing element 42, such that the driven end 421 of the pushing element 42 pushes the swing rod 43 to pivot and the rotation restricting element 45 is driven to rotate via the connecting rod 44. Consequently, the limit portions 451 of the rotation restricting element 45 depart from the positioning portion 462 of the rotational pressing rod 46. The rotational pressing rod 46 is restored to its original position, the pressing portion 461 of the rotational pressing rod 46 departs from the first micro switch 49, and the low-pressure blower 20 stops working.
Meanwhile, as the switching switch 52 is triggered and is switched on, the high-pressure blower 30 begins working. The electromagnetic assembly 32 drives the open-close mechanisms 33 to open or to close relative to each other and to compress air into the inflatable article. Thus, the air pressure inside the inflatable article increases continuously, an air pressure inside the third chamber 501 of the second casing 51 increases accordingly, and the second air pressure sensing film 54 deforms upward. When the air pressure inside the inflatable article achieves a pre-set high pressure, the second micro switch 53 is triggered by the second air pressure sensing film 54, and the high-pressure blower 30 stops working.
As the inflatable article is deflated slightly, the second air pressure sensing film 54 departs from the second micro switch 53, the high-pressure blower 30 is switched on automatically to inflate the inflatable article with high pressure air. When the air pressure inside the inflatable article achieves the pre-set high pressure again, the second micro switch 53 is triggered by the second air pressure sensing film 54, such that the high-pressure blower 30 stops working. Consequently, the air pressure inside the inflatable article is kept at the pre-set high pressure.
As for deflation, the second turning button 553 is turned to rotate the bolt 551 and to allow the triggering protrusion 502 of the bolt 551 to depart from the switching switch 52. Then the first turning button 47 is turned reversely to sequentially drive the rotational pressing rod 46 and the second control mechanism 26 to rotate. As the second control mechanism 26 rotates, the switching casing 23 is driven to move upward to allow the air channel 207 of the switching casing 23 to communicate with the inlet port 205 of the third casing 21 and the fourth air port 201 of the low-pressure blower 20. Thus, the outlet port 206 of the third casing 21 communicates with the exterior of the housing 10.
Meanwhile, the pressing protrusion 232 of the switching casing 23 presses against the driving rod 131 of the first one-way valve 13 to open the first one-way valve 13. Thus, air inside the inflatable article discharges through the first air port 101 of the housing 10, the fourth air port 201 of the low-pressure blower 20, the air channel 207 of the switching casing 23, the inlet port 205 of the third casing 21, the inlet chamber 202 of the third casing 21, the outlet chamber 203 of the third casing 21, and the outlet port 206 of the third casing 21 in sequence.
Meanwhile, the pressing portion 461 of the rotational pressing rod 46 presses against the first micro switch 49, and the positioning portion 462 of the rotational pressing rod 46 is held in position by the other one of the limit portions 451 of the rotation restricting element 45. Accordingly, the low-pressure blower 20 begins working. The motor 24 drives the impeller 22 to rotate to accelerate a speed of discharging the air inside the inflatable article. With the air pressure inside the inflatable article decreases, the one-way valve blade 403 seals the inlet of the second chamber 402, such that the air pressure inside the second chamber 402 remains steady. Meanwhile, the air pressure inside the first chamber 401 decreases accordingly, and the first air pressure sensing film 48 deforms upward. When the air inside the inflatable article is discharged completely, the first air pressure sensing film 48 pushes the pushing element 42, such that the driven end 421 of the pushing element 42 pushes the swing rod 43 to pivot and the rotation restricting element 45 is driven to rotate via the connecting rod 44. Consequently, the limit portions 451 of the rotation restricting element 45 depart from the positioning portion 462 of the rotational pressing rod 46. The rotational pressing rod 46 is restored to its original position, the pressing portion 461 of the rotational pressing rod 46 departs from the first micro switch 49, and the low-pressure blower 20 stops working.
The air pump as described has the main technical features as follows. With turning the second turning button 553 to rotate the bolt 551, the nut 552 can move along the bolt 551 back and forth, and the second micro switch 53 selectively departs from or approaches the second air pressure sensing film 54. Positions of the second micro switch 53 are adjusted without stage, so the inflatable article can be inflated to the hardness that is most suitable for the user's need. The second auto-stop controller 50 has simplified structure and can be operated conveniently and rapidly, which is a great convenience to the users.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary adjustment controller of an air pump comprising:

a casing having an inner surface;

a micro switch selectively switching a blower on or off;

an air pressure sensing film mounted in the casing, selectively triggering the micro switch, and having

an inner surface; and

an outer surface facing and separated from the micro switch;

a chamber surrounded by the inner surface of the air pressure sensing film and the inner surface of the casing;

a control mechanism driving the micro switch to move toward or away from the air pressure sensing film, and the control mechanism having

a bolt rotatably mounted outside the casing;

a nut screwed on the bolt and being rotatable to move along an axial direction of the bolt; and

a turning button connected to and selectively driving the bolt to rotate.

2. The rotary adjustment controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the rotary adjustment controller further comprises a switching switch disposed beside the bolt; and

the bolt of the control mechanism has a triggering protrusion selectively triggering the switching switch.

3. The rotary adjustment controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the casing further has two guiding portions, and each of the guiding portions has a guiding slot;

the nut of the control mechanism has a positioning panel, and the positioning panel has two opposite side edges respectively engaging in the guiding slots of the guiding portions to slide along the guiding slots; and

the micro switch is securely mounted on the positioning panel.