Integrated Air Pump Switching Between High and Low Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inflatable products require separate high-pressure and low-pressure air pumps, leading to inefficiencies, increased cost, and reduced portability due to the need for multiple pumps, and existing pumps are inefficient at varying pressure requirements.
Innovation Solution
A single integrated air pump housing both high-pressure and low-pressure pumps, with a pressure valve and control circuit to switch between them based on pressure needs, ensuring efficient operation across different inflatable products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate high-pressure and low-pressure air pumps are used, then each pump can be optimized for its specific pressure range, but the device complexity and quantity of equipment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a high-pressure pump and a low-pressure pump into a single integrated air pump device. The housing contains both pump units with separate motor assemblies, allowing the device to function as both a high-pressure pump and a low-pressure pump, thereby eliminating the need for multiple separate pumps while maintaining optimized performance for each pressure range
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated air pump is designed to perform multiple functions by incorporating both high-pressure and low-pressure pumping capabilities in one device. The system can automatically or manually switch between high-pressure mode (for balls and inflatable products) and low-pressure mode (for large inflatable products), making it a universal pump suitable for various inflation needs
2Reliability
If multiple separate pumps are required, then each pump can be specialized, but portability and cost increase due to carrying and maintaining multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the high-pressure pump and low-pressure pump into a single integrated unit with shared housing and control systems, the device becomes portable while maintaining specialized performance. Users only need to carry one pump instead of two separate devices, yet both specialized pumping functions are preserved
3Ease of operation
If a single pump is used for both high and low pressure, then portability improves, but the device complexity increases due to integration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated pump is segmented into distinct functional modules: a first motor assembly driving a high-pressure pump, and a second motor assembly driving a low-pressure pump. Each module operates independently with its own drive mechanism, allowing complex functionality to be achieved through modular design that manages overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The high-pressure pump and low-pressure pump are nested within a common housing structure, with both pump units and motor assemblies integrated into the same device envelope. This nesting approach allows multiple functions to be combined in a compact form factor, improving portability while managing integration complexity through shared structural components
4Adaptability or versatility
If high-pressure pumps operate at low pressure, then they can inflate large products, but efficiency drops significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between high-pressure pump mode and low-pressure pump mode based on the inflation requirements. When inflating large products requiring low pressure, the low-pressure pump is activated; when inflating products requiring high pressure, the high-pressure pump is activated. This dynamic selection ensures optimal efficiency for each operating condition
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by selecting different pump units based on the required pressure level. The control system monitors pressure requirements and adjusts which pump unit operates, thereby maintaining high efficiency across the full pressure range from low-pressure large product inflation to high-pressure ball inflation
Data Source
AI summary
A high and low-pressure integrated air pump includes a single housing including an air inlet and an air outlet. A high-pressure pump is disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the air inlet, and uses a first outlet passage to discharge to the air outlet. A low-pressure pump is also disposed within the housing and in fluid communication with the air inlet, and uses a second outlet passage to discharge to the air outlet.