Compact Hand Pump With Retractable Plunger and Storage Compartment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hand pumps for inflating enclosures, such as bicycle tires and inflatable watercraft, are often bulky and heavy, making them unsuitable for outdoor recreational use where weight and space are limited.
Innovation Solution
A compact hand pump made of lightweight Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) with a retractable plunger and removable cap, featuring a storage compartment within the pump to optimize space usage, allowing additional items to be carried without increasing the overall size or weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional hand pumps are used for inflating enclosures, then pumping function is achieved, but weight and bulk increase making them unsuitable for outdoor recreational use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional heavy materials to lightweight PVC (polyvinyl chloride), achieving a significant weight reduction while maintaining the structural integrity and pumping efficiency of the hand pump
Solution Approach 2:
The hand pump is divided into separable components including a removable cap and a body with storage compartment. This segmentation allows the pump to be disassembled for compact storage and enables the storage compartment to be utilized, reducing the need for separate storage space
2Volume of moving object
If hand pump size is reduced for compact storage, then space occupancy decreases, but pumping efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The plunger is designed to retract into the body of the pump, and the cap can be removed to access the storage compartment. This nested structure allows the pump to occupy minimal space when not in use while maintaining full pumping capability when deployed
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger is made retractable rather than fixed, allowing the pump to dynamically change its occupied volume. When the plunger is retracted and the cap is removed, the pump occupies less space, but when assembled for pumping, it maintains full functionality
3Quantity of substance
If additional storage space is added to the pump, then carrying capacity increases, but the pump occupies more space in limited storage compartments
Solution Approach 1:
The storage compartment is merged with the body of the hand pump, creating a combined structure that serves dual purposes: pumping air and storing small items. This eliminates the need for separate storage containers, effectively increasing carrying capacity without requiring additional external storage space
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 compact design efficiently uses available space while maintaining pumping efficiency and providing a watertight storage solution, ensuring that the pump does not occupy additional space in limited storage compartments, thus enhancing carrying capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a retractable plunger that fits inside the cylinder. The outer end of the plunger has a cap forming an a bottom flanged surface
Data Source
AI summary
A watertight pump having a plunger used to causing air to be expelled from a nozzle of the pump. The plunger forms an interior compartment accessible by removal of a cap of the pump.