Multi-Piston Wobble Plate Pump for Low-Flow Pressure Washers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional three piston water pumps in low flow gas and electric pressure washers face issues such as low working efficiency, high vibration, noise, short life, and high starting torque, especially in regions with low-voltage power supplies, making improvements through single element alterations impractical.
Innovation Solution
A wobble plate piston water pump with four or more pistons, including a five or six piston configuration, where pistons are biased towards a wobble plate with thrust ball bearings, and a power-off subassembly to manage water pressure and motor power, optimizing the pump design to reduce torque, vibration, and enhance reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional three piston water pumps are used, then the pump structure is simple, but the working efficiency is low and vibration is high
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is divided into multiple independent piston units (four or more pistons instead of three), each operating in separate channels. This segmentation allows for more frequent and consistent fluid discharge, improving working efficiency and reducing vibration through better distribution of pumping actions across multiple cylinders.
2Power
If motor strength is increased to improve power, then the pressure washer becomes more powerful, but the pump becomes impractical and overly expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes key parameters of the pump system, specifically increasing the number of pistons from three to four or more, and optimizing the wobble plate angle between 5-10 degrees. These parameter changes enable the pump to achieve higher power output and efficiency without requiring proportionally larger or more expensive motor strength, maintaining practicality and cost-effectiveness.
3Reliability
If single element alterations are made to improve pump performance, then certain performance aspects may improve, but the alterations generally result in impairments that make the pressure washer impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The wobble plate mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it converts rotational motion to reciprocating motion for all pistons, provides the necessary inclination angle for piston movement, and acts as a structural connector between the drive shaft and pistons. This multi-functionality achieves improved reliability without adding separate components that would compromise practicality.
4Stability of the object's composition
If three piston configuration is used, then the design is conventional and simple, but the fluid output consistency is poor and vibration is high
Solution Approach 1:
The pumping action is segmented into four or more separate piston channels instead of three, creating more frequent and evenly distributed discharge cycles. This segmentation improves fluid output consistency by ensuring more continuous flow and reduces vibration through better balancing of reciprocating forces across the additional cylinders.
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 multi-piston design achieves a more efficient, consistent fluid output, reduced manufacturing complexity, increased reliability, and minimal cost impact, with performance improvements of 20-25% over conventional three piston pumps.
Implementation Method 1
each having a thrust ball bearing located on the proximate end, the thrust ball bearing of each piston being biased to contact the front side of the wobble plate
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a wobble plate piston water pump for use in a pressure washer and driven by a driving source, the water pump includes a pump body, a wobble plate, four or more pistons and a water passage defined by a water inlet and a water outlet. The driving source being electric powered and having a power consumption of less than or equal to a 15 ampere draw at 120 volts or 220 volts or the driving source being gas powered and having an engine displacement of less than or equal to 250 cubic centimetres.