Tension-Suspended Pump Housing for Vibration and Noise Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pumps used in beds, particularly those for inflating air chambers in air mattresses, generate significant noise and vibration during operation, which can disturb users, especially when they are sleeping.
Innovation Solution
The pump is suspended within a housing using resilient connectors that extend in tension, reducing vibration transmission to the housing and incorporating stops to limit excessive movement, thereby minimizing noise and preventing damage to electronic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the pump is rigidly mounted to the housing, then structural stability is improved, but vibration transmission to the housing increases
Solution Approach 1:
Resilient connectors are introduced as intermediary elements between the pump and housing. These connectors serve as mediators that transmit necessary mechanical support while filtering out harmful vibrations, allowing the pump to remain stable without directly coupling vibration to the housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system transitions from rigid fixed parameters to resilient variable parameters. The resilient connectors allow for controlled movement and deformation, changing the mechanical parameters from fixed to flexible, thereby absorbing vibration while maintaining structural integrity.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the pump is suspended with resilient connectors, then vibration transmission is reduced, but pump stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump mounting system is segmented into multiple resilient connectors rather than a single rigid mount. This segmentation distributes the pump's weight and vibration across multiple connection points, maintaining stability while allowing individual connectors to absorb vibration independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient connectors appear to be made from composite or elastomeric materials that combine damping properties with structural strength. These composite materials provide both the resilience needed for vibration isolation and the strength required to maintain pump stability during operation.
3Reliability
If stops are added to limit pump movement, then protection of electronic components is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Stops are pre-positioned within the housing to limit the range of motion of the pump. These stops provide beforehand protection by preventing the pump from moving far enough to damage electronic components, cushioning against potential harm before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient connectors function as flexible mounting elements that allow controlled pump movement while the stops provide hard limits. This combination creates a flexible yet protected system where the pump can move within safe boundaries without risking damage to sensitive electronics.
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 effectively reduces noise and vibration, ensuring a quieter operation of the pump while protecting sensitive electronic components from damage.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of resilient connectors connecting the air pump to the housing with the resilient connectors in tension so as to reduce transmission of vibration from the air pump to the housing during operation of the air pump
Implementation Method 2
reduce transmission of vibration from the air pump to the housing
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus can include a housing defining a housing interior, an air pump positioned in the housing interior, and a plurality of resilient connectors connecting the air pump to the housing with the resilient connectors in tension so as to reduce transmission of vibration from the air pump to the housing during operation of the air pump.