Electromagnetic Piston Pump Assembly for Stable Oral Irrigator Pulses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Piston pump drive mechanisms in personal care tools like oral irrigators suffer from sealing failures due to dynamic sealing fatigue, noise from mechanical wear, and fluctuations in water pulses caused by voltage changes, affecting cleaning efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A piston pump drive assembly using an electromagnetic drive device with a magnet and coil system, coupled with elastic elements, ensures non-contact movement of the piston, maintaining consistent water pulses and reducing noise, while eliminating the need for dynamic sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a micro DC motor with gear set and connecting rod is used to drive the piston, then the piston pump can generate fluid jets for cleaning, but dynamic sealing between the connecting rod and piston cylinder is prone to fatigue yielding and sealing failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical drive system (micro DC motor, gear set, connecting rod) with an electromagnetic drive system. The piston is directly driven by electromagnetic forces acting on a magnet or ferromagnetic element attached to the piston, eliminating the need for connecting rods and dynamic sealing mechanisms. This substitution resolves the sealing reliability issue while reducing mechanical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the connecting rod from the drive mechanism, eliminating the source of dynamic sealing problems. By directly coupling the electromagnetic driver to the piston, the system eliminates the intermediate mechanical components that caused sealing fatigue and failure.
2Productivity
If a micro DC motor is used as the drive source, then the piston pump can operate, but the rotational speed decreases with battery voltage decrease, causing fluctuations in water pulses per minute
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the speed-sensitive micro DC motor with an electromagnetic drive system where the piston movement frequency is determined by the alternating current frequency applied to the coil, not by battery voltage. This substitution decouples the water pulse frequency from voltage fluctuations, ensuring stable productivity regardless of battery state.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnetic drive system uses periodic alternating current to drive the piston at a consistent frequency. The alternating current reverses direction periodically, creating consistent reciprocating motion of the piston that maintains stable water pulse frequency independent of voltage variations.
3Ease of operation
If a mechanical fit between the gear set and the connecting rod is used, then the drive mechanism can transmit motion, but wear and tear and excessive clearance cause noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the mechanical fit between gear set and connecting rod by replacing the entire mechanical transmission system with a direct electromagnetic drive. The magnet or ferromagnetic element on the piston responds directly to the alternating current in the coil, eliminating gear meshes and mechanical connections that generate noise through wear and clearance.
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 provides reliable sealing, steady piston movement, and fixed water pulse frequency, enhancing cleaning effectiveness and reducing noise, thus improving the performance of oral irrigators.
Implementation Method 1
the electromagnetic drive device includes at least one coil fixed relative to the piston cylinder, and further includes at least one magnet or at least one ferromagnetic element, the magnet or the at least one being located inside the cavity of the piston cylinder and fixedly attached to the piston
Implementation Method 2
the elastic element is arranged between the piston cylinder and the piston, so as to exert an elastic force on the piston during movement of the piston
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a piston pump drive assembly for a cleaning and care tool. The drive assembly includes a piston cylinder (8) and a piston (21). The piston is provided with a head sealing portion (211) capable of sealingly moving relative to an inner wall face of the piston cylinder, and a liquid inlet (23) and a liquid spray port (22) are provided in a head cavity (V2). The piston pump drive assembly further includes an electromagnetic drive device and at least one elastic element, where the electromagnetic drive device includes a coil and a magnet, the coil is fixed relative to the piston cylinder, and the magnet is located inside the cavity and fixedly attached to the piston. The elastic element is arranged between the piston cylinder and the piston, so as to exert an elastic force on the piston during movement of the piston, and a direction of the elastic force is substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction.