Patent ID: 8235684
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: A47C,F04D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An air pump comprising: a hollow housing formed with an opening and a first vent unit, and provided with an air nozzle thereon, said air nozzle being adapted to be connected to an inflatable product; a partition casing disposed fixedly in said housing, cooperating with said housing to define an air impeller chamber therebetween, and formed with an air inlet and an air outlet that are in spatial communication with said air impeller chamber; a sliding member disposed movably in said housing and operable to move relative to said housing between an inflation position and a deflation position, said sliding member having an operating plate exposed partly from said housing via said opening and formed with a second vent unit, a partitioning plate connected to said operating plate, and an air pipe connected to said operating plate and said partitioning plate, in spatial communication with said second vent unit in said operating plate and having an open end, said partitioning plate of said sliding member cooperating with said housing and said partition casing to define thereamong a first chamber that receives said air pipe and is in spatial communication with said air nozzle, and a second chamber that is in spatial communication with said first vent unit in said housing; a motor disposed in said second chamber and having a drive shaft extending into said air impeller chamber in said partition casing; and an air impeller disposed in said air impeller chamber in said partition casing, and coupled to said drive shaft of said motor such that said air impeller is driven by said motor to rotate; wherein, when said sliding member is in the inflation position, said second vent unit in said operating plate of said sliding member is exposed from said housing via said opening, said air outlet in said partition casing is in spatial communication with said first chamber, and said open end of said air pipe of said sliding member is connected to said air inlet in said partition casing such that said air pipe of said sliding member is in spatial communication with said air impeller chamber in said partition casing; wherein, when said sliding member is in the deflation position, said second vent unit in said operating plate of said sliding member is covered by said housing, said air outlet in said partition casing is in spatial communication with said second chamber, and said open end of said air pipe of said sliding member is spaced apart from said air inlet in said partition casing such that said air impeller chamber in said partition casing is in spatial communication with said first chamber via said air inlet; and wherein said air pump is operable between an inflating mode, where said sliding member is moved to the inflation position such that air flowing from the outside into said air impeller chamber in said partition casing through said second vent unit in said operating plate of said sliding member, through said air pipe of said sliding member and through said air inlet in said partition casing is driven in response to rotation of said air impeller driven by said motor to flow into the inflatable product through said air outlet in said partition casing, through said first chamber and through said air nozzle, thereby injecting air into the inflatable product, and a deflating mode, where said sliding member is moved to the deflation position such that air flowing from the inflatable product into said air impeller chamber in said partition casing through said air nozzle, through said first chamber and through said air inlet in said partition casing is driven in response to rotation of said air impeller driven by said motor to flow outside said air pump through said air outlet in said partition casing, through said second chamber and through said first vent unit in said housing, thereby expelling the air from the inflatable product.