Unitary fluid flow apparatus for inflating and deflating a device
First Claim
1. A fluid flow apparatus for transporting a fluid to inflate and deflate a device, said fluid flow apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber and further defining an inlet port, a fill port, and an exhaust port spaced from each other with each of said inlet, fill, and exhaust ports fluidly coupled with said chamber;
a pumping device disposed in said housing and fluidly coupled to said inlet port for delivering the fluid through said inlet port into said chamber;
a seal member disposed in said housing and movable between a seated position in which said seal member closes said exhaust port and an unseated position in which said exhaust port is open;
a motor coupled to said housing and having a shaft defining a shaft axis and coupled to said pumping device with said motor capable of rotating said shaft in each of a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction;
a clutch adjacent to said shaft with said clutch disengaged from said shaft and remaining stationary relative to said shaft through the entirety of the rotation of said shaft in said first rotational direction and said clutch engaged with said shaft and rotating with said shaft through the entirety of the rotation of said shaft in said second rotational direction; and
a centrifugal member disposed about said shaft and mounted to said clutch with said centrifugal member and said clutch continuously rotating as a unit with said shaft when said shaft rotates in said second rotational direction, said centrifugal member engaging said seal member when said centrifugal member rotates with said shaft in said second rotational direction to move said seal member to said unseated position for permitting the fluid within said chamber to escape through said exhaust port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The subject invention provides a fluid flow apparatus for transporting a fluid to inflate and deflate a device including a pumping device and a housing defining a chamber, an inlet port, a fill port, and an exhaust port. A seal member is movable between a seated position closing the exhaust port and an unseated position. A motor has a shaft rotating in each of a first and second rotational direction. A clutch is disengaged from the shaft as the shaft rotates in the first rotational direction and is engaged with and rotates with the shaft as the shaft rotates in the second rotational direction. A centrifugal member is mounted and rotates with the clutch when the shaft rotates in the second rotational direction and engages the seal member to move the seal member to the unseated position for permitting the fluid within the chamber to escape through the exhaust port.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A fluid flow apparatus for transporting a fluid to inflate and deflate a device, said fluid flow apparatus comprising:
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a housing defining a chamber and further defining an inlet port, a fill port, and an exhaust port spaced from each other with each of said inlet, fill, and exhaust ports fluidly coupled with said chamber; a pumping device disposed in said housing and fluidly coupled to said inlet port for delivering the fluid through said inlet port into said chamber; a seal member disposed in said housing and movable between a seated position in which said seal member closes said exhaust port and an unseated position in which said exhaust port is open; a motor coupled to said housing and having a shaft defining a shaft axis and coupled to said pumping device with said motor capable of rotating said shaft in each of a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction; a clutch adjacent to said shaft with said clutch disengaged from said shaft and remaining stationary relative to said shaft through the entirety of the rotation of said shaft in said first rotational direction and said clutch engaged with said shaft and rotating with said shaft through the entirety of the rotation of said shaft in said second rotational direction; and a centrifugal member disposed about said shaft and mounted to said clutch with said centrifugal member and said clutch continuously rotating as a unit with said shaft when said shaft rotates in said second rotational direction, said centrifugal member engaging said seal member when said centrifugal member rotates with said shaft in said second rotational direction to move said seal member to said unseated position for permitting the fluid within said chamber to escape through said exhaust port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of inflating and deflating a device utilizing a fluid flow apparatus including a housing defining a chamber and further defining an inlet port, a fill port, and an exhaust port, a pumping device fluidly coupled to the inlet port, a seal member, a motor having a shaft coupled to the pumping device, a clutch, and a centrifugal member mounted to the clutch;
- said method comprising the steps of;
rotating the shaft of the motor in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction; activating the pumping device through the rotation of the shaft to move the fluid from the inlet port, as defined by the housing, into the chamber; disengaging the clutch from the shaft and the clutch remaining stationary relative to the shaft through the entirety of the rotation of the shaft in the first rotational direction; engaging the clutch with the shaft during the entire rotation of the shaft in the second rotational direction; continuously rotating the clutch and the centrifugal member as a unit with the shaft rotating in the second rotational direction; engaging the centrifugal member with the seal member as the centrifugal member rotates with the shaft in the second rotational direction; and moving the seal member from the seated position to the unseated position as the centrifugal member rotates with the shaft in the second rotational direction to permit movement of the fluid from the fill port into the chamber and permit movement of the fluid from the chamber through the exhaust port.
- said method comprising the steps of;
Specification