Patent ID: 11920607
Assignee: SPECTRUM BRANDS, INC.
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  A | IPC A  F

Claim 10:
11. A method of pumping water for an aquarium filter; the method comprising:
(a) providing a shaft with a longitudinal axis and a rotor mounted on the shaft;
(b) rotating an impeller in an aquarium to draw water into the filter; and
(c) wherein the step of rotating the impeller includes rotating at least 3 blades radially extending from the shaft, each blade:
(i) being along a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the shaft;
(ii) having an opposite blade face; a free edge remote from the shaft; and first and second opposite edges extending from the shaft to the free edge; the blade faces being bordered by the first and second edges and the free edge;
(iii) having a thickness defined between the opposite blade faces; the thickness being non-constant and including a region of smallest thickness and one or more regions of maximum thickness;
(A) the region of smallest thickness being along the second edge halfway between the free edge and the shaft; the thickness increasing along the blade from said second edge; and
(B) remaining ones of the free edge and first edge having the maximum thickness.