PUMP ASSEMBLY WITH PIVOTABLE DEFLECTOR, IN PARTICULAR FOR FILTERS, TANKS AND AQUARIA

Abstract: A pump assembly with pivotable deflector, in particular for circulation of liquids in filters, tanks and aquaria, including a centrifuge blade propeller (7) operated by an electrical motor (3) and located in a pressure chamber (8) having an inlet duct (9) and an outlet duct (10), a deflector (17) placed downstream of the outlet duct (10) with variable orientation to direct the outlet flow in a predetermined direction. Actuator means (26-37) are provided to impart to the deflector (17) a continuous and automatic oscillation imparted by the outlet flow of the liquid. The deflector (17) includes a nozzle swinging about an axis (21) offset with respect to the rotation axis of the propeller (7). The actuator means include hydraulic motor means (26-32) operated by the liquid flowing out of the propeller (7) and mechanically coupled to the swinging nozzle (17).

Description: PUMP ASSEMBLY WITH PIVOTABLE DEFLECTOR, IN PARTICULAR FOR FILTERS, TANKS AND AQUARIA. Technical field The present invention relates to the technical field of pumps and filters for aquaria and tanks of various types, and particularly for a pump assembly with a pivotable deflector. Background art The known pumps for tanks and aquaria of the "under sand " type or mounted on filters comprise essentially a pressure chamber where a bladed propeller is located which is moved by an electrical motor. The pressure chamber is provided with an inlet and an outlet aperture. Generally, downstream of the outlet aperture, there is provided a device which is commonly called a deflector and which is sometimes misnamed as a diffuser, which is used to orientate the outgoing flow towards a preferential direction, possibly associated to a tap or a flow reducer. The known deflectors can normally be orientated manually by pivoting the same about an axis of the inlet aperture. A problem of such known pump and deflector assemblies resides in the stagnation phenomena of the liquid in specific zones of the tank, caused by the reduction or lack of local circulation. A consequence of the above- mentioned phenomena is the insufficient or inadequate water oxygenation or lack of filtration of the stagnant liquid. The traditional deflectors of the pivotable type which can be orientated do not provide a solution for such problems if the orientation of the assembly or of the deflector is not manually varied. Obviously, such solution depends on the will of the user and therefore it is unreliable and unsafe. Moreover, it is not possible to eliminate completely the stagnation phenomena in some particular zone where obstacles are present which could be overcome only by a various or undulatory motion. A problem associated to the known pump assemblies, mainly related to aquaria, is the steadiness of the circulation inside the tank that differs remarkably from the condition of typical variability of a natural environment. In fact, the well-known pump assemblies cannot reproduce the randomness of the flow of the streams present in a real environment. Presentation of the invention A primary aim of the present invention is that of overcoming, or at least of reducing, the above mentioned drawbacks by means of a pump assembly of the type disclosed in the preamble that allows to vary the orientation of the inlet flow in a substantially continuous and automatic manner without any outside intervention of the user. A particular aim is that of providing a pump assembly allowing the variation of the inlet flow orientation depending on the liquid flow rate. A further aim is that of providing a pump assembly enabling the reduction of the stagnation phenomena and improvement of liquid filtration. Another aim is that of creating an inlet flow which reproduces conditions closer to those of the natural habitat. 2 In accordance with one preferred aspect of the invention, there is provided a pump assembly with pivotable deflector, particularly for circulation of liquid in filters, tanks and aquaria, comprising a centrifuge blade propeller operated by an electrical motor and placed in a pressure chamber having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, a deflector placed downstream of said outlet aperture with variable orientation to direct the outlet flow in a predetermined direction, and actuator means to impart to said deflector a continuous and automatic swinging produced by the flow of the outflowing liquid. Preferably, the deflector is constituted by a nozzle swinging about an axis different from the propeller rotation axis. This embodiment provides the advantage of a more uniform and varied distribution of the liquid in the tank, thus avoiding the creation of stagnation zones and stationary flow inside. Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a pump assembly hereafter shown by way of a non-limitative example by means of the accompanying drawings, in which: the FIG. 1 shows a partially sectioned lateral view of a pump assembly in accordance with the invention; the FIG. 2 shows a top view of the device of Fig. 1 ; the FIG. 3 represents a perspective and partially exploded view of the device of Fig. 1 . Description of a preferred embodiment With reference to the cited figures, a pump assembly for filters, tanks and 3 aquaria, globally referenced with the numeral 1 , comprises a watertight cover 2 containing an electromotor 3, of a known type, with a stator 4 and a rotor 5, encapsulated with resins. The rotor 5 is fixed on an axis 6 to which a bladed centrifuge propeller 7 is rigidly coupled. The propeller 7 is located in a pressing chamber 8 having an aspiration gate or aperture 9 in substantially axial position, adapted to be connected with a filter or immersed in the tank or in the sand, and a gate or outlet aperture 10 in substantially radial position. Downstream of the pressing chamber 8, an outlet chamber 1 1 is located and provided with an outflow aperture 1 2 at the opposite extremity to the propeller 7. The outlet chamber 1 1 is provided with sides 1 3, 14 gradually convergent toward the outflow aperture 1 2, a bottom wall 1 5 defining also the inflow aperture 9 and a closing wall 1 6. In the vicinity of the outflow aperture 1 2 there is located a deflector, generally referenced with the numeral 1 7, and destined to orientate the flow in a predetermined direction. According to the invention, there is provided actuator means fit to impart to the deflector 1 7 a continuous and automatic oscillation produced by the flow of the outgoing liquid. In particular, the deflector 1 7 is an oscillating nozzle made by a disc 18 from which lateral walls 1 9, 20 and a central axis 21 extend. In the attached drawings, the nozzle oscillation axis 21 is fixed and substantially parallel to the axis of the propeller 7. The lateral walls 1 9, 20 of the oscillating nozzle 1 7 have a height slightly lower than the minimum distance between the bottom wall 1 5 and the cover wall 1 6 of the outlet chamber 1 1 so as to guide the outlet flow through the 4 outflow aperture 1 2. The oscillation axis 21 is hollow and its lower extremity is accommodated in a seating 22 of the bottom wall 1 5 of the outlet chamber 1 1 and the upper extremity in a seating 23 made inside a connection 24 made in the closing wall 1 6 of the outlet chamber 1 1 for connecting a small pipe 25 for air feeding. The axis 21 is provided with a slot 26 through which the air flowing through the pipe 25 is conveyed to the oscillating nozzle 1 3. Advantageously, the actuator means comprise hydraulic motor means operated by the flow going out from the propeller 7 and mechanically coupled to the oscillating nozzle 1 7. Particularly, the cited hydraulic motor means can be constituted by at least one, or preferably two bladed wheels 26, 27, fixed on a common axis 28 mounted on end supports 29, 30 downstream of the outlet aperture 10. Each wheel 26, 27 is provided with a respective series of blades 31 , 32 substantially radial or slightly curved that result aligned to the outlet aperture of the pressing chamber 8 so as to determine respective turbines with tangential action. Advantageously, the hydraulic motor means is mechanically coupled to the oscillating nozzle 1 7 by motion reducer and transformer means for transforming motion from continuous rotating into alternating. In particular, the reducing means can be constituted by a gear drive of a worm gear 33 and cogwheel 34 type . The worm shaft 33 is fixed to the wheels 26, 27 and to the common axis 28, while the cogwheel 34 is mounted on an axle 35 anchored in the bottom wall 1 5 of the outlet chamber 1 1 . 5 The motion transformation means can be constituted by a crank and slotted mechanism made of a pin 35 fixed in eccentric position on the cogwheel 34 and slidably engaging a guide slot 36 made in a radial extension 37 of disc 1 8 of the oscillating nozzle 1 7. Alternatively, the motion transformation means will be such to produce an oscillation of the nozzle 1 7 on reciprocally perpendicular planes. To this end, besides the crank and slotted mechanism, cam means can be provided, not shown in the drawings, constituted for example by an inclined or shaped surface formed on the upper surface of the cogwheel 34. To allow the oscillation of the nozzle 1 7 in two orthogonal planes, the latter can be bound to the bottom wall 1 5 by means of a ball pin, also not shown in the drawings. In correspondence of the inflow channel 9 of the pressing chamber 8 there is provided a shutter 38 to regulate the ingoing flow. Operatively, the fluid entering through the admission channel 9 in the pressing chamber 8 is accelerated by the radial blade propeller 7. The liquid leaves the pressing chamber 8 through the outlet channel 10 and transfers part of its energy to the bladed wheel 26, 27, The rotation of the axis 28 is transmitted to the cogwheel 34 by the worm shaft 33 and is transformed into oscillation of the nozzle 1 7 by means of the crank and slotted mechanism 35 constituted by the wheel 34 and the slot 36 of the radial extension 37. Therefore, the oscillation of the nozzle 1 7 is produced by the flow outgoing from the pump assembly. It is observed that the passage section between the front end of the lateral 6 walls 1 9, 20 of the nozzle 1 7 is partially occluded by the flanks 1 3, 14 of the outlet chamber in correspondence of the side end positions. Thus, in such positions the average pressure of the fluid will be lower than that of the central position of the nozzle, corresponding to the maximum flow position. Regulating the ingoing flow rate through the shutter 38 it is possible to vary the momentum transferred to the bladed wheel 26, 27 and then the oscillation frequency of the nozzle 1 7 about the axis 21 . The contents of Italian Patent Application No. VI98A000097, for which priority is claimed, are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims: CLAIMS 1 . Pump assembly with pivotable deflector, particularly for circulation of liquid in filters, tanks and aquaria, comprising a centrifuge blade propeller (7) operated by an electrical motor (3) and placed in a pressure chamber (8) having an inlet aperture (9) and an outlet aperture ( 10), a deflector ( 1 7) placed downstream of said outlet ( 10) aperture with variable orientation to direct the outlet flow in a predetermined direction, characterised by actuator means (26-37) adapted to impart to said deflector ( 1 7) a continuous and automatic swinging motion produced by the flow of the outgoing liquid. 2. Pump assembly according to claim 1 , characterised in that said deflector ( 1 7) comprises a nozzle oscillating about an axis (21 ) staggered with respect to the rotation axis of the propeller (7) . 3. Pump assembly according to claim 1 , characterised in that said actuator[s] means comprise hydraulic motor means (26-32) operated by the outlet flow from the propeller(7) and mechanically coupled to said oscillating nozzle (1 7) . 4. Pump assembly according to claim 3, characterised in that said hydraulic motor means (26-33) comprise at least a wheel (26, 27) with substantially radial blades (31 , 32) fixed on an axis (28) placed downstream of said outlet channel (10) . 5. Pump assembly according to the claim 4, characterised in that said hydraulic motor means (26-32) is mechanically coupled to said oscillating nozzle (1 7) by reduction means (33, 34) and means (35-37) for the transformation of the motion from continuous rotating to oscillating. 8 6. Pump assembly according to claim 5, characterised in that said reduction means comprises a gear torque of the worm gear type (33) (34). 7. Pump assembly according to the claim 2, characterised in that the oscillation axis (21 ) of said nozzle (1 7) is substantially fixed and parallel to the axis of the propeller. 8. Pump assembly according to the claim 2, characterised in that said oscillation axis (21 ) is connected to the bottom of said outlet chamber by means of a spheric articulation. 9. Pump assembly according to claim 7, characterised in that said motion (35-37) transformation means comprise a crank and slotted mechanism (35) connected to said cogwheel (34) and engaged in a slot of a radial guide (36) of said oscillating nozzle ( 1 7). 10. Pump assembly according to claim 8, characterised in that said motion (35-37) transformation means comprise cam means to impart an oscillation to said nozzle in planes reciprocally perpendicular around said spheric articulation. 1 1 . Pump assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that said oscillating nozzle ( 1 7) and said actuators means (26-37) are located in an outlet chamber (1 1 ) located downstream and communicating with said pressing chamber (8) . 1 2. Pump assembly according to the claim 1 1 , characterised in that said outlet chamber ( 1 1 ) presents an outflow aperture (1 2) in correspondence of which said oscillating nozzle ( 1 7) is located. 9 1 3. Pump assembly according to the claim 1 2, characterised in that said oscillating nozzle ( 1 7) is provided with lateral walls ( 1 9, 20) adapted to cooperate with said outflow aperture ( 1 2) to reduce the outlet flow in correspondence of its angular end run position. 14. Pump assembly according to the claim 6, characterised by the fact of providing a wheel (26, 27) with substantially radial blades fixed on a common axis (28) with the interposition of said worm (33) gear. 10

Inventors: LOLATO SAMUELE, LOLATO, SAMUELE
Applicants: EDEN S R L, LOLATO SAMUELE, EDEN S.R.L., LOLATO, SAMUELE
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A01K63
IPC codes: A01K63