FLUID FLOW PUMP This invention relates to a fluid flow pump which makes use of the flow of one liquid
to ensure the flow of a second liquid which second liquid may incorporate paniculate matter
or other material. The invention can particularly make use of a venturi fluid flow. It is known to use venturi flow in movement of a second liquid such as shown in US
5, 179,969 for removal of free standing water from a roof. However, generally such systems
use a solid heavy duty metal venturi system which is connected to a flexible light weight
siphon system. In this way the siphon head can be placed at the position of the pool of water
on the roof and connects back by an extended pipe to the flow centre having the venturi flow means mounted fixedly on the side wall of the building to enable a suction of the water from
the roof into the recovery system.
In another US patent document 4.332,044 there is shown a means of emptying a water
bed by use of a siphon pump attached directly to the mattress outlet and can be secured to an
integrally formed storage chamber in the mattress whereby flow through the venturi pump
forms a decrease in pressure to allow outlet of the water from the water bed through an
outlet tube to a drain. Such apparatus is primarily fixed or able to be fixed to this particular connection.
Clearly from the above the particular venturi system needs to be specifically made and
have specific connections for the particular application. Further they are generally formed
from heavy duty metal and because of their specific requirements are expensive to make and
difficult to move.
Also in US 5,695,654, there is disclosed an apparatus and method for draining,
cleaning and filling a fish aquarium. The venturi means has three connecting points with one
connecting directly to a faucet and having an outlet feeding directly to the normal water
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outlet of the faucet and an intermediate connection point for an extended hose extending
from the position of the faucet to the aquarium For the outlet material to be collected or
discarded at a different point from the normal water faucet outlet, a further connection must be made to the outlet of the venturi means This three connection venturi system, therefore, requires specific connections for the three mounts and requires specific hoses connecting the
venturi meter to the aquarium Clearly there are limits on its use and position of use
It is an object of the invention, to provide a fluid flow pump that is particularly
versatile in its use and particularly cost effective in its form of manufacture due to its
construction
In accordance with the invention there is provided a fluid flow pump having a pump
body with an input enclosed channel leading to an output enclosed channel with an
interruption between the input and output channels formed by an opening fluidly connected
to the exterior surrounds; the input channel having a constricting outlet at the interruption
and able to feed fluid from the inlet channel to an opening of the outlet channel at the
interniption. and a venturi-shaped formation made at least partially of a substantially
non-eroding material and able to be connected at or near the output channel at the
interruption wherein a venturi effect is formed at the interruption so that fluid flow from the
inlet channel into the outlet channel draws fluid and any suspended paniculate matter from outside the pump into the opening and into the outlet channel
The fluid flow pump can have the venturi-shaped formation attached to the end of the
outlet channel at the interniption, or the venturi-shaped formation could be an insert received
within the end of the outlet channel at the interruption
A fluid flow pump in accordance with the invention can have the venturi-shaped
formation with an internal channel with a first frusto-conical restricting diameter portion and
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a second fnisto-conical enlarging diameter portion so as to provide the venturi effect It mav
further have an intermediary tubular constant diameter portion between the first and second
portion In one form the venturi-shaped formation is internally shaped to provide a venturi
effect when the inlet channel and the outlet channel have the same cross-sectional flow area 5 The relative lengths of the first intermediary and second portions can be approximately in
the ratio 2 1 4 with the first portion having an angle of the frusto-conical shape of between
10° and 25° and preferably 18° and the second portion having an angle at the fnisto-conical
shape of between 2" and 8° and preferably 3°
Preferably the fluid flow pump of the invention has the external connection inlet and
10 outlet at the beginning of the inlet channel and end of the outlet channel respectively are able
to be connected to hoses for ready supply of fluid source and removal of the fluid combining
the fluid source and fluid and material drawn into the fluid flow pump The external
connection inlet and outlet can be substantially ad)acent with the inlet and outlet channels
substantially forming a U-shape
I T he fluid flow pump can be used with domestic mams pressure water supply and able
to be readily connected and disconnected to domestic garden hoses such as by snaplocks for
ready suction of domestic sumps such as swimming pools, garden or garage puddles etc
In one form of the invention there is provided a moulded plastic body with an internal interrupted channel connected between respective external connection inlet and outlet, able
0 to be formed into a single integral body with the channel being interrupted by an opening
fluidly connected to the exterior surrounds and an insert formed at least partially of a harder
material than the moulded plastic body and able to be received in the channel on the exit side
of the opening to form a venturi effect structure at the opening wherein a constricting outlet
at the interruption of the channel is able to feed fluid from the external connection inlet into
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the opening and directly across to a relatively enlarged inlet holding the insert and feeding to the continuation of the channel the insert being internally shaped such that flow along the
interrupted channel and across the opening draws fluid and any suspended particulate matter
from the exterior surrounds into the insert and to the external connection outlet of the channel The moulded plastic body can be elongated and shaped and the channel constructed
such that the external connection inlet and outlet are at or near a first end of the moulded
plastics bodv and the opening forming the channel interruption is at or near the opposite end
and wherein a substantial portion of the interrupted channel before and after the interniption
of the channel are of similar dimensions and coextend substantially adjacently and formed
integrally and wherein the insert is formed of metal
The invention also provides a method of forming a fluid flow pump comprising the
steps of
(a) forming a pump body with enclosed inlet and outlet channels with an
interruption therebetween forming a fluid connection to the exterior surrounds,
(b) forming a venturi-shaped formation from a substantially non-eroding material.
(c) connecting the venturi-shaped formation at or near the output channel at the interruption to form a venturi effect at the interniption so that fluid flow from the inlet
channel into the outlet channel draws fluid and any suspended particulate material into the
opening and into the outlet channel
The method can have the step of forming inlet and outlet channels comprising
moulding two parts each with one inlet groove and one outlet groove such that combining
the two parts in respective alignment forms enclosed inlet and outlet channels Also the
method can have the step of connecting the venturi-shaped formation comprises forming
location shapes in or adjacent the outlet grooves adjacent the interruption and locating the
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venturi-shaped formation in one outlet by the location shapes prior to placing the other moulded part having the other outlet groove in relative position to form the enclosed outlet
channel and at least substantially encapsulate the venturi-shaped formation. The body with the inlet and outlet channels can be moulded from plastic and the venturi-shaped formation is
made from metal able to withstand corrosive or eroding effects of fluid and material being
drawn into the outlet channel.
It can be seen that the construction of the invention provides a substantial advantage in
its manufacture Instead of being a large fixed bulky construction or made from copper or
brass as other venturi type pumps this can be easily constructed substantially from plastics Precisely shaped flow stnictures to provide a venturi constricting opening are extremely
difficult and costly to make from plastics. As normal plastic will generally be eroded over a
short time by contact with particulate matter such as sand, it is generally not feasible to make
such an item from plastic However, the apparatus of the invention is able to use harder
plastics only for the insert which are able to withstand sand erosion and therefore be useable
in more circumstances The apparatus of the invention is also able to make use of metal
characteristics and strength and shaping flexibility in combination with the benefits of plastics The particular structure of the invention including the insert construction allows
these advantages to be used which have not previously been able to be effectively used
The invention in one particularly advantageous form provides a fluid flow pump
further having the moulded plastic body being elongated and shaped and the channel
constructed such that the external connection inlet and outlet are at or near a first end of the moulded plastics body and the opening forming the channel interniption is at or near the
opposite end and wherein a substantial portion of the interrupted channel before and after the
interruption of the channel coextend substantially adjacently
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This particular structure provides the dual benefit of allowing minimal plastic use in the moulding process and a stronger structure while providing a useful structure that can
have its external connections at one end connected to required hoses and allow the other end
to be inserted into the pool of liquid to be transported away.
In order that the invention is more readily understood, a particular embodiment
thereof will be described by way of illustrations with reference to the drawings wherein
Figure 1 is a front view of a fluid flow pump in accordance with a first embodiment of
the invention
Figure 2 is a side view of the fluid flow pump of Figure 1
Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of preferred insert able to be used in the fluid
flow pump of Figure 1
Figure 4 is a front view of a fluid flow pump in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention
Figure 5 is a side view of the fluid flow pump of Figure 4
Referring to the drawings there is shown a fluid flow pump 10 having a substantially U
shaped internipted channel comprising inlet channel 17 and outlet channel 18 The fluid flow
pump 10 uses the venturi effect to draw external liquid into the outlet channel 18 at an opening 35 forming an interniption in the channels 17. 18 between an external connection inlet 3 1 and an external connection outlet 33
The fluid flow pump comprises a moulded plastic body 10 being substantially planar
and elongated with the integral internal interrupted U-shaped channel 17, 18 connected
between an external connection inlet 31 and outlet 32 at or near one end of the body 15
The inlet 3 1 and outlet 32 both have a snap-on structure for ready connection to snap-on
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structures used with domestic garden hoses or the like The channel 17, 18 is internipted by
the opening 35 near the distal end This allows the channel 17, 18 to be fluidly connected to
the exterior surrounds A substantial portion of the inlet channel 17 and outlet channel 18
before and after the interniption of the channel coextend substantially adjacently
The moulded body 10 is formed by two mirror body parts 1 1, 12 which each have
corresponding grooves such that joining the two parts in alignment the grooves form
enclosed tubular channels 17, 18
A venturi shaped formation, in the form of an insert 41 and made preferably of brass,
is received in the channel 17. 18 during manufacture and form a venturi effect stnicture at
the opening 35 The insert 41 has an internal shape of opposing frusto conical shapes and
feeding to and expanding to the internal dimensions of the outlet channel 18
The interruption of the channel 17, 18 begins at the end of the first continuous channel
part 1 7 shortly after negotiating the U-shape end bend with a frusto conical shaped
constricting outlet 45 The outlet 45 is able to feed liquid into the opening 35 and directly
across an inlet 47 of the insert 41 at the beginning of the linear extending outlet channel 18
In this way flow of a liquid along the inlet channel 17 and across the opening 35 to the venturi shaped formation insert draws liquid and any suspended particulate matter from the
exterior surrounds around the opening 35 into the enlarging inlet 47 and to the external
connection outlet 33 of the channel
Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a particularly preferred metal insert 41 having a
constant outside circular dimension except for an enlarged placement ring 51 near one end of
the metal insert 41 This placement ring 51 is sized to fit within a metal insert locating
groove 44 comprising an enlargement of the outlet channel 18 and a subsequent enlargement
of the external moulded structure The metal insert 41 has a continuous internal channel
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comprising three portions being a first opening portion 53 which is frusto conical in shape and has its largest opening leading from its inlet 47 leading from the opening 35 between the
two parts of the channel 17, 18. The first opening portion 53 feeds into a middle portion 54
having parallel tubular sides with the same dimension as the smallest dimension of the 5 opening portion 53 to allow smooth flow and leading to the third part being an exit portion
55 also being frusto conical extending from the smallest dimension equal to the dimension of
the middle portion 54 to a larger dimension just smaller than the internal dimension of the second channel part 18 The relative lengths of each portion are approximately in ratio of
2 1 4 from the opening portion 53 to the middle portion 54 to the exit portion 55
10 In operation the external connection inlet 1 will be connected to a main water
pressure hose connection feeding water down the first channel part 17 having an outer
circumference of about 18 mm and inner circumference of about 14 mm and extending around the U-bend to a constricting outlet 43 The outlet 43 size is about 3 mm feeding
water directly across the opening 35 of about 4 mm to the opening portion 53 of the insert
1 5 41 with an opening of just less than 13 mm circumference leading to the middle portion
having an internal circumference of about 10 mm which feeds to the exit portion having an
outlet size of about 15 mm and feeding back into the second channel part 1 8 having an
internal circumference of about 14 mm and external dimensions of about 18 mm The
opening portion 53 has an angle of the frusto conical shape of about 18° while the exit 0 portion 55 has an angle of about 3°
The shaping around the external part of the constricting outlet 43 is also substantially
frusto conical allowing ready access of the external liquid adjacent to the 3 mm outlet and in the opening 35 to the opening portion 53 of the metal insert 41
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By means of the increase of speed of the flow due to the constricting outlet 43 and the enlarging diameter of the exit portion 55 of the metal insert 41 to allow a lower pressure relative to the fluid around the opening 35, the fluid and any particulate matter around the
opening 35 is drawn into the metal insert 41 and into the second channel part 18 to exit the external connection outlet 33
Referring to Figures 4 and 5 there is shown a fluid flow pump 60 substantially the
same as the fluid flow pump at Figures 1 to 3 but with an add-on attachable venturi-shaped
formation 71 rather than an insert 41 This venturi-shaped formation 71 is able to be
connected to the shortened outlet channel 18 by internal or external screw thread or clip
means or the like Thereby the liquid is directed into the venturi-shaped formation from the
inlet channel 17 so as to have the ventuπ-shaped formation in linear alignment with an outlet
43 of the inlet channel 17 and an inlet 77 of the outlet channel 18
It should be noted that the above description of the embodiments are illustrative and
not restrictive of the scope of the invention which is defined by the following claims
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