Patent Publication Number: US-7210902-B2

Title: Two-way air pump

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to an air pump, more particularly to a two-way air pump capable of inflating and deflating articles via a single valve hole. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A conventional two-way air pump is suitable for use when inflating and deflating large-sized inflatable articles. However, the known two-way air pumps are usually designed to have different routes for air inflation and deflation, and are required to be reassembled when changing from an inflating mode to a deflating mode and vice versa, thereby arising in inconvenience during frequent use of the air pump. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a two-way air pump that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art. 
   Accordingly, the two-way air pump of this invention comprises a housing, an air flow controller, a check valve, a valve actuator, an air impeller, and a drive unit. 
   The housing confines an air control chamber, and is formed with a valve hole, an air outlet and an air inlet. 
   The air flow controller confines an air impeller chamber, is formed with a hole set, is mounted rotatably in the air control chamber, and is rotatable between inflating and deflating portions. When the air flow controller is at the inflating position, the hole set is disposed such that the air inlet and the valve hole are in fluid communication with the air impeller chamber, and such that the air outlet is fluidly isolated from the air impeller chamber. When the air flow controller is at the deflating position, the hole set is disposed such that the air outlet and the valve hole are in fluid communication with the air impeller chamber, and such that the air inlet is fluidly isolated from the air impeller chamber. 
   The check valve is mounted in the valve hole, and is movable between control-enabled and control-disabled positions. When the check valve is at the control-enabled position, the check valve blocks ambient air flow into the air control chamber via the valve hole, and permits air flow from the air control chamber out of the housing through the valve hole. When the check valve is at the control-disabled position, the check valve permits ambient air flow into the air control chamber via the valve hole. 
   The valve actuator is provided on the air flow controller, and drives the check valve to the control-disabled position when the air flow controller is rotated to the deflating position. 
   The air impeller is mounted rotatably in the air impeller chamber. 
   The drive unit is coupled to the air impeller, and drives rotation of the air impeller in the air impeller chamber. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
       FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a two-way air pump according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view illustrating the preferred embodiment when operated in an inflating mode; and 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view illustrating the preferred embodiment when operated in a deflating mode. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the preferred embodiment of a two-way air pump according to the present invention is shown to comprise a housing  1 , an air flow controller  3 , a check valve  4 , a valve actuator  37 , an air impeller  2 , and a drive unit  5 . In this embodiment, the drive unit  5  includes a motor with a drive shaft  51 . 
   The housing  1  confines an air control chamber  100 , and is formed with a valve hole  103 , an air outlet  104  and a pair of air inlets  105 . In this embodiment, the housing  1  includes complementary first and second housing parts  101 ,  102  that are coupled to each other via a plurality of fasteners. 
   The first housing part  101  has a first base wall  11  with an outer periphery, a first peripheral wall  12  extending transversely from the outer periphery of the first base wall  11 , a first notch  121  formed in the first peripheral wall  12 , and a first semi-tubular part  13  extending transversely from and outwardly of the first peripheral wall  12  at a periphery of the first notch  121 . 
   The second housing part  102  has a second base wall  14  configured with an inner periphery and an outer periphery that is connected to the first peripheral wall  12  of the first housing part  101 , a second peripheral wall  15  extending transversely from the inner periphery of the second base wall  14  away from the first housing part  101 , a third base wall  16  connected to one end of the second peripheral wall  15  that is remote from the second base wall  14 , a second notch  151  formed in the second peripheral wall  15 , and a second semi-tubular part  17  extending transversely from and outwardly of the second peripheral wall  15  at a periphery of the second notch  151 . 
   The first base wall  11  and the first peripheral wall  12  of the first housing part  101  cooperate with the second base wall  14 , the second peripheral wall  15  and the third base wall  16  of the second housing part  102  to confine the air control chamber  100 . The first and second semi-tubular parts  13 ,  17  of the first and second housing parts  101 ,  102  cooperate to define the valve hole  103 . The air outlet  104  is formed in the first peripheral wall  12  of the first housing part  101 . The air inlets  105  are formed in the third base wall  16  of the second housing part  102 . The third base wall  106  is further formed with a shaft hole  106 . 
   Furthermore, the drive unit  5  is secured to an outer side of the first base wall  11 . The first base wall  11  is formed with a shaft hole  107  to permit extension of the drive shaft  51  of the drive unit  5  into the air control chamber  100 . In this embodiment, a cap  19  is secured to the first housing part  101  for concealing the drive unit  5 . A switch device  6  is mounted on the cap  19 , and is operable to control operation of the drive unit  5  in a known manner. A power cord  7  is connected to the drive unit  5 , extends through the cap  19 , and is adapted for connection to a power source (not shown). 
   The air flow controller  3  confines an air impeller chamber  300 , is formed with a hole set, is mounted rotatably in the air control chamber  100 , and is rotatable between inflating and deflating portions. In this embodiment, the hole set includes a pair of first holes  301 , a second hole unit constituted by first and second apertures  303 ,  302 , and a third hole  304 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the air flow controller  3  is at the inflating position, the hole set is disposed such that the air inlets  105  and the valve hole  103  are in fluid communication with the air impeller chamber  300 , and such that the air outlet  104  is fluidly isolated from the air impeller chamber  300 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the air flow controller  3  is at the deflating position, the hole set is disposed such that the air outlet  104  and the valve hole  103  are in fluid communication with the air impeller chamber  300 , and such that the air inlets  105  are fluidly isolated from the air impeller chamber  300 . 
   In particular, when the air flow controller  3  is at the inflating position of  FIG. 3 , the first holes  301  are in fluid communication with the air inlets  105  to permit entry of ambient air into the air impeller chamber  300 , the first aperture  303  permits fluid communication between the air control chamber  100  and the air impeller chamber  300 , and the third hole  304  (see  FIG. 4 ) is blocked by the housing  1  to prevent air flow from the air impeller chamber  300  out of the housing  1  through the air outlet  104 . When the air flow controller  3  is at the deflating position of  FIG. 4 , the first holes  301  (see  FIG. 4 ) are blocked by the housing  1  to prevent entry of ambient air into the air impeller chamber  300  through the first holes  301 , the second aperture  302  permits fluid communication between the air control chamber  100  and the air impeller chamber  300 , and the third hole  304  is in fluid communication with the air outlet  104  to permit air flow from the air impeller chamber  300  out of the housing  1  through the air outlet  104 . 
   In this embodiment, the air flow controller  3  includes a first annular wall  31  surrounded by the first peripheral wall  12  of the first housing part  101 , an annular fourth base wall  32  that extends radially and inwardly from the first annular wall  31 , that is disposed to abut against the second base wall  14  of the second housing part  102 , and that has an inner periphery, a second annular wall  33  that extends transversely from the inner periphery of the fourth base wall  32  in a direction away from the first annular wall  31 , and that is surrounded by the second peripheral wall  15  of the second housing part  102 , and a fifth base wall  34  connected to one end of the second annular wall  33  that is remote from the fourth base wall  32  and disposed adjacent to the third base wall  16  of the second housing part  102 . The first holes  301  of the hole set are formed in the fifth base wall  34 , and are aligned respectively with the air inlets  105  when the air flow controller  3  is at the inflating position (see  FIG. 3 ). The third hole  304  of the hole set is formed in the first annular wall  31 , and is aligned with the air outlet  104  when the air flow controller  3  is at the deflating position (see  FIG. 4 ). The first aperture  303  is formed in the second annular wall  33 , and the second aperture  302  is formed in the first annular wall  31 . The first aperture  303  is angularly spaced apart from the second aperture  302  and the third hole  304 . 
   Moreover, the air flow controller  3  is provided with a shaft  35  that extends from the fifth base wall  34  and outwardly of the housing  1  through the shaft hole  106  in the third base wall  16  of the second housing part  102 . The shaft  35  defines a rotary axis of the air flow controller  3 . A control lever  8  is disposed outwardly of the housing  1 , is coupled to the shaft  35  of the air flow controller  3 , and is operable so as to rotate the air flow controller  3  between the inflating and deflating positions about the rotary axis. It should be noted herein that other known mechanisms may be employed for driving rotation of the air flow controller  3  between the inflating and deflating positions. The check valve  4  is mounted in the valve hole  103 , and is movable between control-enabled and control-disabled positions. As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the check valve  4  is at the control-enabled position, the check valve  4  blocks ambient air flow into the air control chamber  100  via the valve hole  103 , and permits air flow from the air control chamber  100  out of the housing  1  through the valve hole  103 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the check valve  4  is at the control-disabled position, the check valve  4  permits ambient air flow into the air control chamber  100  via the valve hole  103 . 
   In this embodiment, the check valve  4  includes a valve piece  41  for blocking and unblocking the valve hole  103 , a valve stem  42  coupled to the valve piece  41 , and a biasing member  43  for biasing the valve piece  41  so as to dispose the check valve  4  at the control-enabled position. The valve piece  41  includes a frame  411  and a resilient valve plate  412  having a central part secured to an underside of the frame  411 . When the check valve  4  is at the control-enabled position, air flow from the air control chamber  100  forces the valve plate  412  to yield such that the air can flow out of the housing  1  via the valve hole  103 , as best shown in  FIG. 3 . On the other hand, the valve plate  412  does not permit ambient air flow into the air control chamber  100  via the valve hole  103  when the check valve  4  is at the control-enabled position. 
   The valve actuator  37  is provided on the air flow controller  3 , and drives the check valve  4  to the control-disabled position when the air flow controller  3  is rotated to the deflating position, as best shown in  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, the first annular wall  31  of the air flow controller  3  abuts against the valve stem  42  to serve as the valve actuator  37 , and is formed with a control groove  36  that is aligned with the valve stem  42  when the air flow controller  3  is at the inflating position and that permits the valve stem  42  to extend therein, as best shown in  FIG. 3 , thereby enabling the valve piece  41  to block the valve hole  103  by virtue of biasing action of the biasing member  43 , and thereby disposing the check valve  4  at the control-enabled position when the air flow controller  3  is at the inflating position. 
   The air impeller  2  is mounted rotatably in the air impeller chamber, and includes a circular base portion  21 , an impeller shaft  22  extending from the base portion  21 , and a plurality of vanes  23  provided on the base portion  21  around the impeller shaft  22 . The impeller shaft  22  is coupled to the drive shaft  51  of the drive unit  5 , which is responsible for driving rotation of the air impeller  2  in the air impeller chamber  300 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , in this embodiment, an inner annular wall  18  extends from the first base wall  11 , and is spaced apart from and cooperates with the first peripheral wall  12  to form an annular groove for retaining and guiding rotation of the first annular wall  31  of the air flow controller  3 . The inner annular wall  18  is formed with a through hole  108  that is aligned with the air outlet  104 , and a notch  109  that is aligned with the valve hole  103 . It should be noted herein that the presence of the inner annular wall  18  is optional and is not mandatory to the practice of the air pump of this invention. 
   When it is desired to inflate an article (not shown), the article is connected to the air pump of this invention at the valve hole  103 . Thereafter, the control lever  8  is operated to rotate the air flow controller  3  to the inflating position (see  FIG. 3 ), in which the first holes  301  and the first aperture  303  permit fluid communication among the air inlets  105 , the valve hole  103  and the air impeller chamber  300 , and in which the air outlet  104  is fluidly isolated from the air impeller chamber  300 . At the same time, the check valve  4  is disposed at the control-enabled position due to alignment between the control groove  36  and the valve stem  42 . When the switch device  6  is turned on, the drive unit  5  drives the air impeller  2  to rotate, thus causing ambient air to pass through the air inlets  105 , the first holes  301 , the first aperture  303  and the valve hole  103  so as to be supplied into the article. 
   On the other hand, when it is desired to deflate the article, the control lever  8  is simply operated without disassembling the air pump to rotate the air flow controller  3  to the deflating position (see  FIG. 4 ), in which the third hole  304  and the second aperture  302  permit fluid communication among the air outlet  104 , the valve hole  103  and the air impeller chamber  300 , and in which the air inlets  105  are fluidly isolated from the air impeller chamber  300 . At the same time, the valve actuator  37  drives the check valve  4  to the control-disabled position. Therefore, when the switch device  6  is turned on, the drive unit  5  drives the air impeller  2  to rotate, thus causing air inside the article to pass through the valve hole  103 , the second aperture  302 , the third aperture  304  and the air outlet  104  so as to be expelled to the atmosphere. 
   While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.