WO2022073657A1

WO2022073657A1 - Mechanism for pump

Info

Publication number: WO2022073657A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/064774
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yunus BAYKARA
Original assignee: Husqvarna Ab
Priority date: 2020-10-07
Filing date: 2021-06-02
Publication date: 2022-04-14
Also published as: EP3981989A1; EP4226046A1; EP4226046B1; CN116324184A

Abstract

A mechanism (150) for a pump (100) which includes a pump body (120) having protrusions (122). The mechanism (150) includes a movable basket (130) movable between a first position and a second position. The one or more protrusions (122) bias the movable basket (130) in one of the first position and the second position. The mechanism (150) includes a switch bar (140) which allows selective locking of the protrusions (122). The switch bar (140) moves between a locking position (P1) and an unlocking position (P2). The mechanism (150) is characterized in that the actuation of a trigger (160) moves the switch bar (140) between the locking position (P1) and the unlocking position (P2). And, in the unlocking position (P2) of the switch bar (140), the protrusions (122) is unloaded such that the movable basket (130) is movable between the first position and the second position.

Description

MECHANISM FOR PUMP

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to pumps. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a submersible pump which allows vertical level adjustment of the pump.

BACKGROUND

A pump such as a submersible pump (or sub pump, or electric submersible pump (ESP)) is a device which is submerged in a fluid to be pumped. Typically, submersible pumps are generally used in different applications such as clear and dirty water operations. These applications may involve change in adjustment of size of a suction inlet of the submersible pump to cater to different applications. The change in adjustment of the size of the suction inlet may involve level adjustment of the submersible pump.

However, there may be instances where the level adjustment of the submersible pump may be typical and a high skill-oriented job. Moreover, conventional submersible pump finds it challenging to provide a user-friendly and efficient arrangement for the level adjustment of the submersible pump.

An example of a submersible pump is provided in PCT Application 2020,098,965 (herein referred to as ‘965 reference). The ‘965 reference discloses a submersible pump that includes a housing defining a longitudinal axis. The submersible pump also includes a base adapted to be movably coupled to the housing. The base is adapted to move relative to the housing along the longitudinal axis between at least a first position and a second position. The housing further includes a locking element movably coupled to the housing. The locking element defines a first structural feature. The base defines a second structural feature. The first structural feature and the second structural feature together define a first relative configuration and a second relative configuration. The housing and the base are fixed relative to each other in the first relative configuration. The housing and the base are adapted to move relative to each other in the second relative configuration. In the ‘965 reference, the locking element is adapted to rotate about the longitudinal axis within the housing and thus rotatably transitions from first relative configuration to the second relative configuration with the base. This involvement of rotatable transition may make such arrangement of the fluid pump susceptible to high wear and tear, frequent service replacement of parts and thereby high downtime. Further, the locking element maintains its position while the base portions exhibit up and down movement to attain the first relative configuration and the second relative configuration, which seems to involve a complex, cumbersome and multi-part arrangement.

Thus, there is a need for an improved submersible pump which allows desired level adjustment of the submersible pump. Further, the submersible pump shall provide a user-friendly and convenient action to perform the level adjustment.

SUMMARY

In view of the above, it is an objective of the present invention to solve or at least reduce the drawbacks discussed above. The objective is at least partially achieved by a mechanism for a pump. The mechanism includes a pump body having one or more protrusions. The mechanism includes a movable basket which moves between a first position and a second position. The one or more protrusions bias the movable basket in one of the first position and the second position. The mechanism includes a switch bar which allows selective locking of the one or more protrusions. The switch bar moves between a locking position and an unlocking position to load and unload the one or more protrusions, respectively. Further, the mechanism includes a trigger to actuate the switch bar. The mechanism is characterized in that the actuation of the trigger moves the switch bar between the locking position and the unlocking position. In the unlocking position of the switch bar, the one or more protrusions is unloaded such that the movable basket is movable between the first position and the second position. Thus, the present disclosure provides a simple, efficient, and user-friendly mechanism which actuates by a user action on the trigger to adjust the level (between the first position and the second position) of the movable basket of the pump.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first position and the second position of the movable basket are an extended position and a retracted position, respectively. This allows to setup the pump for different application by size adjustment of a suction inlet of the pump, based on switching of the movable basket between the first position and the second position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the extended position and the retracted position of the movable basket correspond to a dirty water mode and a clean water mode, respectively. The extended position and the retracted position adjust the suction inlet of the pump to setup for the dirty water and clean water mode.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the protrusions include one or more angled surfaces which engage with linear elements of the movable basket. The protrusions having the angled surfaces bias the movable basket in one of the first position and the second position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more angled surfaces keep the movable basket in the first position or the second position, when the protrusions are loaded by a hammer of the switch bar. The switch bar loads the protrusions so as to keep the movable basket locked in the first position or the second position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the trigger is provided with a handle of the pump. This allows actuation of the switch bar of the mechanism by a simple user action with the handle of the pump.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, for the movable basket in the extended position with the switch bar in the locking position, an external force moves the movable basket from the extended position to the retracted position. Further, the external force is a force acting on the movable basket due to free fall of the pump. This may protect the movable basket and the pump from any damage such as during inadvertent fall of the pump.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pump is a submersible pump. The submersible pump finds applications in the clean water and dirty water modes, although the pump may be any pump as used or known in the art. Other features and aspects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows perspective views of a submersible pump having a movable basket in an extended position, respectively, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows perspective views of a submersible pump having a movable basket in a retracted position, respectively, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3 A, 3B show perspective views of a mechanism for a submersible pump, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 4A, 4B show perspective views of a mechanism for a submersible pump for switching of a movable basket, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 5 A, 5B show perspective views of a mechanism for a submersible pump for switching of a movable basket, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the invention incorporating one or more aspects of the present invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. For example, one or more aspects of the present invention may be utilized in other embodiments and even other types of structures and/or methods. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements. Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the invention. For example, "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "side", "longitudinal", "lateral", "transverse", "upwards", "downwards", "forward", "backward", "sideward", "left," "right," "horizontal," "vertical," "upward", "inner", "outer", "inward", "outward", "top", "bottom", "higher", "above", "below", "central", "middle", "intermediate", "between", "end", "adjacent", "proximate", "near", "distal", "remote", "radial", "circumferential", or the like, merely describe the configuration shown in the Figures. Indeed, the components may be oriented in any direction and the terminology, therefore, should be understood as encompassing such variations unless specified otherwise.

FIGS. 1, 2 illustrate different views of a pump 100. The present disclosure illustrates and refers to the pump 100 as a submersible pump 100, however the present disclosure may be readily implemented with any pump as used or known in the art. The submersible pump 100 includes a pump housing 102. The pump housing 102 has an inlet 104 and an outlet 106 for a liquid. The liquid is pumped up from the inlet 104 and pumped out from the outlet 106. The outlet 106 is connected with a hose connector 108 which may allow connection of a hose (not shown) for pumping of the liquid. FIG. 1 illustrates a movable basket 130 in an extended position (alternatively, a first position hereinafter). The extended position of the movable basket 130 allows to increase overall height of the submersible pump 100. This increase in the overall height may allow level adjustment between the inlet 104 and the ground (not shown) on which the submersible pump 100 is placed.

The extended position of the movable basket 130 allows exposure of one or more inlet openings 132 provided on the movable basket 130. The present disclosure illustrates inverted “U” shaped inlet openings 132, however the inlet openings may be provided with any shape, size, number, dimensions, and the like, without any limitations. During working of the submersible pump 100 with the movable basket 130 in the extended position, the inlet openings 132 allow ease of operation with dirty water such as water having different and significant size of particles. Referring to FIG. 2, the movable basket 130 is illustrated in a retracted position (alternatively, a second position hereinafter). In the retracted position, the movable basket 130 moves substantially within the pump housing 102. The retracted position of the movable basket 130 allows to decrease overall height of the submersible pump 100. This decrease in the overall height may allow level adjustment between the inlet 104 and the ground (not shown). Moreover, in the retracted position of the movable basket 130, the inlet openings 132 (shown in FIG. 1) towards side of the movable basket 130 are covered by the pump housing 102. In this arrangement, clean water may enter the submersible pump 100 from around the inlet 104 which may have few, and significantly smaller sized inlet opening (not shown) which may restrict any large sided particles (i.e. for dirty water). So, this allows applicability of the submersible pump 100 in the retracted position of the submersible basket 130 for clean water operations.

In some embodiments, the first position and the second position of the movable basket 130 are the extended position and the retracted position, respectively. This allows to setup the pump 100 for different application by size adjustment of the suction inlet 104 of the pump 100, based on switching of the movable basket 130 between the first position/extended position and the second position/retracted position. Further, the extended position, and the retracted position of the movable basket 130 correspond to a dirty water mode and a clean water mode, respectively. As the dirty water mode requires larger inlet area of the suction inlet 104 to ensure efficient functioning of the pump 100, compared to the clean water mode, the pump 100, the extended position and the retracted position accordingly provide the necessary change in the inlet area of the suction inlet 104.

The extended position and the retracted position adjust the suction inlet 104 of the pump 100 to setup for the dirty water and clean water mode. The present disclosure illustrates two positions i.e. the first position and the second position however actual implementation of the present disclosure may have multiple (generally more) number of positions of the movable basket 130 of the pump 100. Moreover, the multiple positions may then allow multiple modes apparat from and additional to the dirty water and clean water mode of the pump 100. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, the submersible pump 100 includes a handle 160, which for the present disclosure is referred to as a trigger 160. The handle 160 works as a “trigger” to allow to change the position of the movable basket 130. As used herein, the “trigger” by the handle 160 of the submersible pump 100 may activate based on a user action (such as touch, push, push and hold, among others) with the handle 160. When a user presser the trigger 160, the trigger 160 allows to change the position of the movable basket 130, by working of a mechanism 150 illustrated in FIG. 3.

The handle 160 of the submersible pump 100 include an upper part 162 and a lower part 164. The upper part 162 is movable relative to the lower part 164. The lower part 164 may be fixedly attached with the pump housing 102. Movement of the upper part 162 (as best illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, and 5B) relative to the lower part 164 allows actuation of the trigger 160 , such as based on user action on the upper part 162 of the handle 160.

In some embodiments, the trigger 160 may be provided with the handle 160 of the pump 100. However, the trigger 160 may be provided with any other part or component of the pump 100, and the present disclosure is not to be limited by the trigger 160. This allows actuation of the switch bar 140 of the mechanism 150 by the user action with the handle 160 of the pump 100.

FIGS. 3A, 3B illustrate the mechanism 150 for the pump 100, with the switch bar 140 in a locking position “Pl” and an unlocking position “P2”.

The mechanism 150 includes the pump body 120 exhibiting an element 131 having one or more protrusions 122. The protrusions 122 may be snap-fit like arrangements which allow biasing or loading, such as of one or more linear elements 134 of the movable basket 130. The present disclosure illustrates two protrusions 122, however actual implementation of the mechanism 150 may have any number of protrusions 122. The mechanism 150 includes the linear elements 134 of the movable basket 130. The linear elements 134 engage with the protrusions 122 when the movable basket 130 moves between the first position and the second position, as illustrated best in FIGS. 1, 2. The one or more protrusions 122 bias the linear elements 134 such that the movable basket 130 remains in one of the first position and the second position. In some embodiments, the protrusions 122 include one or more angled surfaces 124 which engage with the linear elements 134 of the movable basket 130. The angled surfaces 124 load or unload the movable basket 130, based on the switch bar 140 being in the locking position “Pl” (shown in FIG. 3A) and the unlocking position “P2” (shown in FIG. 3B)

The mechanism 150 includes the switch bar 140 which allows selective locking of the protrusions 122, and thereby the angled surfaces 124. The switch bar 140 includes a hammer 142 around a lower end of the switch bar 140. The hammer 142 of the switch bar 140 moves between the locking position “Pl” and the unlocking position “P2” to load and unload the protrusions 122, respectively. Further, the mechanism 150 includes the trigger 160 (shown in FIGS. 1, 2) to actuate the switch bar 140. The present disclosure provides the trigger 160 with the handle 160 (shown in FIGS. 1, 2). The mechanism 150 is such that the actuation of the trigger 160 moves the switch bar 140 (i.e. the hammer 142) between the locking position “Pl” and the unlocking position “P2”. And in the unlocking position “P2” of the switch bar 140, as shown in FIG. 3B, the one or more protrusions 122 is unloaded such that the movable basket 130 is movable between the first position and the second position. Thus, the present disclosure provides a simple, efficient, and user-friendly mechanism 150 which actuates by the user action on the trigger 160 such as to adjust level of the movable basket 130 of the pump 100.

Referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B, the pump 100 is illustrated with the movable basket 130 in the extended position. FIG. 4A illustrates the trigger 160 in an “inactive state”, and the switch bar 140 which engages and loads the protrusions 122 with the movable basket 130. This inactive state of the trigger 160 keeps the switch bar 140 in the locking position “Pl”, to bias the protrusions 122. The protrusions 122, in turn, load or bias the movable basket 130 in the extended position.

FIG. 4B illustrates the trigger 160 in an “active state”, due to the user action. The user action may be a single press, long press, press and hold, and the like of the trigger 160. The present disclosure is not limited by choice of user action to activate the trigger 160. This active state of the trigger 160 moves the switch bar 140 from the locking position “Pl” to the unlocking position “P2”. This movement of the switch bar 140 to the unlocking position “P2”, unbiases the protrusions 122. Then, the movable basket 130 is free to move from the extended position to the retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 5A. In some embodiments, the user may provide a push with the handle 160 to move the movable basket 130 (when unloaded from the protrusions 122) from the extended position to the retracted position. Alternatively, the movable basket 130 (when unloaded from the protrusions 122) may move from the extended position to the retracted position under its own weight (under the action of gravity of the pump 100).

FIG. 5A illustrates the movable basket 130 in the retracted position. Here, the movable basket 130 has moved to the retracted position. As illustrated, the switch bar 140 allows movement of the linear elements 134 of the movable basket 130 above the protrusions 122. In this arrangement, the trigger 160 is still in the “active state” and thereby the switch bar 140 is still at the unlocking position “P2”. FIG. 5B illustrates locking of the movable basket 130 in the retracted position. Here, with the movable basket 130 in the retracted position, the user action is removed as indicated by the “inactive state” of the trigger 160. This allows the switch bar 140 to move back to the locking position “Pl”. In the locking position “Pl”, the switch bar 140 loads the protrusions 122. The protrusions 122 then bias (or load) the linear element 134 of the movable basket 130 in the retracted position.

In some embodiments, the protrusions 122 having the angled surfaces 124 bias the movable basket 130 in one of the first position (shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B) and the second position (shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B). Further, the one or more angled surfaces 124 keep the movable basket 130 in the first position or the second position, when the protrusions 122 are loaded by the hammer 142 of the switch bar 140, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 5B, respectively. When the pump 100 is setup for working, the switch bar 140 loads the protrusions 122 so as to keep the movable basket 130 locked in the first position or the second position.

In some embodiments, the movable basket 130 may be spring-loaded to keep the movable basket 130 in the extended position, in absence of any external load or action. During implementation, the movable basket 130 may move from the retracted position to the extended position being spring loaded, provided the switch bar 140 is in the unlocking position “P2”. The movable basket 130 may be spring-loaded such that it take care of any gravity action acting on the movable basket 130, such during movement from the retracted position to the extended position.

In some embodiments, the switch bar 140 is spring-biased to generally remain in the locking position “Pl”. In the active state of the trigger 160, the switch bar 140 moves from the unlocking position “P2” to the locking position “Pl”, as shown in FIGS. 4B, 5A. Then, the switch bar 140 moves under springaction back to the locking position “Pl” when the trigger 160 is the “inactive state”, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 5B. The inactive state of the trigger 160 allows the switch bar 140 to lock the movable basket 130 in the extended state and the retracted state as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 5B, respectively.

In some embodiments, the mechanism 150 allows to protect the movable basket 130 of the pump 100 during external force events such as accidental free fall and the like. During implementation, for the movable basket 130 in the extended position with the switch bar 140 in the locking position “Pl”, an external force may move the movable basket 130 from the extended position to the retracted position. Referring to FIGS. 3A, 4A, the hammer 142 of the switch bar 140 biases the protrusions 122 to keep the linear elements 134 and the movable basket 130 in the extended position. Now, in case the movable basket 130 experiences the external force (say due to falling of the pump 100 on the ground), the linear elements 134 may move around the protrusions 122, even when the hammer 142 is in the locking position “Pl”. It is worth noting that the hammer 142 is positioned below the angled surfaces 124 of the protrusions 122. This position of the hammer 142 may allow slight bending and room for desired movement of the protrusions 122 such the linear elements 134 move above the protrusion 122. This movement of the protrusion 122 may allow movement of the movable basket 130 from the extended position to the retracted position, as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 4A, 5B. Further, this bending of the protrusion 122 (or the angled surfaces 124) may be due to shape, size, material, type, position of the protrusions 122, and the angled surfaces 124. Further, the external force may be a force acting on the movable basket 130 due to free fall, or any other external contact, of the pump 100. This may protect the movable basket 130 and the pump 100 from any damage during such external force events on the pump 100.

The present disclosure provides the mechanism 150 for the pump 100, which is preferably a submersible pump. The mechanism 150 allows switching of the movable basket 130 of the pump 100 between the extended position and the retracted position. This allows benefits related to level adjustment of the pump 100. Further, the mechanism 150 with the level adjustment allows the submersible pump 100 to find different applications, such as in the clean water and dirty water modes.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation of the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

LIST OF ELEMENTS

100 Pump/Submersible Pump

102 Pump Housing

104 Inlet/Suction Inlet

106 Outlet

108 Hose Connector

120 Pump Body

122 Protrusion

124 Angled Surface

130 Movable Basket

131 Element

132 Inlet Opening

134 Linear Elements

140 Switch Bar

142 Hammer

150 Mechanism

160 Handle/Trigger

162 Upper Part

164 Lower Part

Pl Locking Position

P2 Unlocking Position

Claims

1. A mechanism (150) for a pump (100), the mechanism (150) comprising: a pump body (120) having one or more protrusions (122); a movable basket (130) adapted to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the one or more protrusions (122) is adapted to bias the movable basket (130) in one of the first position and the second position; a switch bar (140) adapted to allow selective locking of the one or more protrusions (122), wherein the switch bar (140) moves between a locking position (Pl) and an unlocking position (P2) to load and unload the one or more protrusions (122) respectively; and a trigger (160) configured to actuate the switch bar (140), the actuation of the trigger (160) moves the switch bar (140) between the locking position (Pl) and the unlocking position (P2); and in the unlocking position (P2) of the switch bar (140), the one or more protrusions (122) is unloaded such that the movable basket (130) is movable between the first position and the second position, characterized in that: the protrusions (122) include one or more angled surfaces (124) adapted to engage with linear elements (134) of the movable basket (130), wherein the one or more angled surfaces (124) are adapted to keep the movable basket (130) in the first position or the second position, when the protrusions (122) are loaded by a hammer (142) of the switch bar (140), wherein the switch bar (140) includes the hammer (142) around a lower end of the switch bar (140), and the hammer (142) of the switch bar (140) moves between the locking position (Pl) and the unlocking position (P2) to load and unload the protrusions (122).

2. The mechanism (150) of claim 1, wherein the first position and the second position of the movable basket (130) are an extended position and a retracted position, respectively.

3. The mechanism (150) of claim 2, wherein the extended position and the retracted position of the movable basket (130) correspond to a dirty water mode and a clean water mode, respectively.

4. The mechanism (150) of claim 1, wherein the trigger (160) is configured with a handle (160) of the pump (100).

5. The mechanism (150) of claim 2, wherein for the movable basket (130) in the extended position with the switch bar (140) in the locking position (Pl), an external force moves the movable basket (130) from the extended position to the retracted position, wherein the external force allows desired movement of the protrusions (122) such that the linear elements (134) move above the protrusions (122).

6. The mechanism (150) of claim 5, wherein the external force is a force acting on the movable basket (130) due to free fall of the pump (100).

7. The mechanism (150) of claim 1, wherein the pump (100) is a submersible pump (100).