Built-In Air Pump with Selective Venting to Prevent Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing built-in air pumps for inflatable products, such as air mattresses, are complicated and costly, and their vents are exposed to the environment during inflation and deflation, leading to contamination by water or dirt.
Innovation Solution
A pump unit with a housing, valve assembly, and air control assembly that includes an impeller section, motor housing, and venting system, allowing the air control assembly to align with the valve assembly for either inflation or deflation modes, while being stored inside the housing to prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the air control assembly is exposed to the environment during inflation and deflation, then the ventilation function is improved, but the pump interior becomes contaminated by water or dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a selectively permeable membrane as an intermediary between the pump interior and the external environment. This membrane allows air molecules to pass through during inflation and deflation while blocking water and dirt particles, thus maintaining ventilation functionality while preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible thin film membrane that can deform to accommodate air flow during pump operation. This thin film structure provides selective permeability, allowing gas molecules to pass while preventing liquid and solid contaminants from entering the pump interior.
2Reliability
If the pump construction is made more complex to prevent contamination, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a relatively simple thin film membrane structure to achieve contamination protection, avoiding complex multi-component systems. This thin film can be integrated into the existing pump housing with minimal additional manufacturing steps, maintaining cost-effectiveness while providing reliable protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the permeability parameter of the pump housing by incorporating a selectively permeable membrane. This single parameter change provides contamination protection without requiring complex structural modifications, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while improving reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the pump construction is simplified, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the ability to protect from contamination is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a simple thin film membrane solution that provides effective contamination protection without adding significant structural complexity. This thin film can be manufactured and integrated using standard production techniques, maintaining cost-effectiveness while solving the contamination protection problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the permeability characteristic of the pump housing by adding a selectively permeable membrane. This single modification provides contamination protection with minimal impact on manufacturing complexity, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while reducing exposure to harmful factors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution simplifies the construction and operation of the pump unit, ensuring it remains protected from external contaminants and efficiently performs both inflation and deflation functions without exposing internal components to the environment.
Implementation Method 1
The air control assembly includes an impeller section that houses an impeller, and has an air inlet and an air outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A pump unit includes a pump housing having a valve assembly positioned on a wall thereof and adapted to be coupled to an inflatable device, and an air control assembly that is housed inside the pump housing. The air control assembly includes an impeller section that houses an impeller, and has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air control assembly further includes a motor housing that houses a motor, the motor housing having an air vent that communicates the interior of the motor housing with the air inlet and the air outlet, and a vent opening that communicates the interior of the motor housing to the environment. The air outlet is aligned with the valve assembly when the pump unit is operated in the inflation mode, and the air inlet is aligned with the valve assembly when the pump unit is operated in the deflation mode.