Air pump control system and method

• US 10,502,218 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bestway Inflatables & Material Corporation (Bestway Global Holding Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bestway Inflatables & Material Corporation (Bestway Global Holding Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liu, Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Application Number:
  US15/269,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20170130728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/022 by means of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/084 hand fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/007 Conjoint control of two or more different functions
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/008 Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/2066 using controlling means acting on the pressure source

Abstract

An air pump control system includes an air pump for inflating or deflating an inflatable body; a switching driving device connected to the air pump for driving the switching between two or more air passages; and an air pressure sensor for detecting an internal air pressure value of the inflatable body, and sending an internal pressure signal to a central control unit, which is connected to the air pump, the switching driving device, and the air pressure sensor. The central control unit sends a driving signal to the switching driving device to activate the switching between the air passages, and sends an activation or deactivation signal to the air pump according to the detected internal air pressure value and a pre-set inflating air pressure value, to control the activation or deactivation of the air pump. An air pump control method adapted to the above air pump control system is provided.

Claims

1. An air pump control system comprising:

an air pump for inflating or deflating an inflatable body;

a switching driving device connected to said air pump and adapted to drive a switching between two or more air passages; and

an air pressure sensor for detecting an internal air pressure value of said inflatable body and adapted to generate an internal pressure signal associated with said internal air pressure value and send said internal pressure signal to a central control unit;

a position signal generating device connected to said central control unit and

a first input unit connected to said central control unit and at least provided with at least one of an inflating signal input, a deflating signal input, and a deactivation signal input, said first input unit being adapted to send an inflating signal, a deflating signal or a deactivation signal to said central control unit respectively via said inflating signal input, deflating signal input or deactivation signal input;

wherein said central control unit is connected to said air pump, said switching driving device and said air pressure sensor, and said central control unit is adapted to send a driving signal to drive said switching driving device so as to activate the switching between said air passages, and to send an activation signal or a deactivation signal to said air pump according to the internal air pressure value of said inflatable body detected by said air pressure sensor and a pre-set inflating air pressure value so as to activate or deactivate said air pump;

wherein said position signal generating device, when triggered by said switching driving device, generates a position feedback signal and send said position feedback signal to said central control unit, and said central control unit is adapted to send a deactivation signal to said switching driving device to deactivate the switching driving device after said central control unit receives said position feedback signal from said position signal generating device;

wherein said first input unit is further provided with a first inflating signal input, a second inflating signal input, and a third inflating signal input respectively corresponding to three different pre-set inflating air pressure values; and

wherein when said central control unit receives an inflating signal sent by one of said first inflating signal input, second inflating signal input, third inflating signal input, and said manual inflating air pressure input and the internal air pressure value of said inflatable body detected by said air pressure sensor is less than the corresponding pre-set inflating air pressure value, said central control unit sends said driving signal to said motor driving unit to drive the air passage switching device to switch to said inflating air passage and sends said activation signal to said air pump to activate said air pump;

when the internal air pressure value of said inflatable body detected by said air pressure sensor is greater than the corresponding pre-set inflating air pressure value, said central control unit sends said driving signal to said motor driving unit to drive the air passage switching device to switch to said deflating air passage, so as to deflate the air in the inflatable body to reach the corresponding pre-set inflating air pressure value; and

when said central control unit receives said deactivation signal from said deactivation signal input, said central control unit sends said deactivation signal to said motor driving unit to drive the air passage switching device to switch to said closed air passage.

2. The air pump control system of claim 1, wherein said switching driving device further comprises:

a motor driving unit connected to said central control unit; and

an air passage switching device connected to said air pump,

wherein said central control unit is adapted to send an activation signal to said motor driving unit according to the inflating signal, the deflating signal or the deactivation signal respectively sent by said first input unit, so as to activate the switching between said air passages.

3. The air pump control system of claim 2, wherein said air passages comprise an inflating air passage, a deflating air passage and a closed air passage.

4. The air pump control system of claim 2, wherein said position signal generating device is adapted to send a position feedback signal to said central control unit when said switching driving device is switched to an inflating air passage, a deflating air passage or a closed air passage, respectively, and said central control unit is adapted to send a deactivation signal to said switching driving device according to the received position feedback signal.

5. The air pump control system of claim 1, wherein said switching driving device is an electromagnetic valve, and said central control unit is adapted to send a driving signal to said electromagnetic valve according to said inflating signal, deflating signal or deactivation signal so as to switch said electromagnetic valve to the respective inflating air passage, deflating air passage or closed air passage.

6. The air pump control system of claim 1, wherein said first input unit is further provided with a manual inflating air pressure input for manually setting an inflating air pressure value.

7. The air pump control system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first display unit connected to said central control unit and adapted to receive a display signal generated by said central control unit.

8. The air pump control system of claim 7, wherein said display signal comprises at least one operating state of said air pump control system, said at least one operating state including one or more of an inflating state, a deflating state, a pre-set inflating air pressure value, a pre-set deflating air pressure value, a current air pressure value, a normal operating state, and an abnormal operating state.

9. The air pump control system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first wireless communication module in communication with said central control unit.

10. The air pump control system of claim 9, further comprising:

a mobile terminal provided with a second input unit and a second wireless communication module in communication with said first wireless communication module, said second input unit being adapted to communicate with said central control unit via said second wireless communication module and said first wireless communication module, said second input unit being at least provided with at least one of an inflating signal input, a deflating signal input and a deactivation signal input, and said second input unit being adapted to send an inflating signal, a deflating signal or a deactivation signal to said central control unit respectively via said inflating signal input, deflating signal input or deactivation signal input.

11. The air pump control system of claim 10, wherein said second input unit is further provided with a first inflating signal input, a second inflating signal input, and a third inflating signal input respectively corresponding to three different pre-set inflating air pressure values.

12. The air pump control system of claim 10, wherein said second input unit is further provided with a manual inflating air pressure input for manually setting an inflating air pressure value by said mobile terminal and sending the same to said central control unit.

13. The air pump control system of claim 10, wherein said mobile terminal further comprises a second display unit, which is adapted to communicate with said central control unit via said second wireless communication module and said first wireless communication module and to receive a display signal generated by said central control unit.

14. The air pump control system of claim 10, wherein said first wireless communication module and said second wireless communication module are WIFI modules, Bluetooth modules, infrared modules, second-generation mobile communication modules, third-generation mobile communication modules or fourth-generation mobile communication modules.

15. The air pump control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a functional apparatus connected to said central control unit and adapted to receive a signal for controlling said functional apparatus from said central control unit, wherein said first input unit further comprises a functional apparatus signal input for inputting a functional apparatus signal, and said first input unit is adapted to send the signal for controlling said functional apparatus inputted through said functional apparatus signal input to said central control unit.

16. The air pump control system of claim 13, wherein said second input unit further comprises a functional apparatus signal input.

17. The air pump control system of claim 15, wherein said functional apparatus comprises:

a temperature controller and a heating device which are adapted to be mounted on said inflatable body, an external audio apparatus, an external illumination apparatus and/or an external interface.

18. An air pump control method, comprising:

sending an inflating input signal, a deflating input signal or a deactivation input signal to a central control unit;

sending a driving signal to a switching driving device by said central control unit according to said inflating input signal, deflating input signal or deactivation input signal so that said switching driving device drives a switching between two or more air passages;

driving the switching between two or more air passages by said switching driving device, and

sending an activation signal or a deactivation signal to said air pump according to an internal air pressure value of said inflatable body detected by an air pressure sensor and a pre-set inflating air pressure value;

wherein, when said central control unit receives an inflating signal sent by said inflating signal input and when the internal air pressure value of said inflatable body detected by said air pressure sensor is less than the pre-set inflating air pressure value, said central control unit sends said driving signal to said switching driving device so as to drive the air passage switching device to switch to said inflating air passage, and said central control unit also sends said activation signal to said air pump to active said air pump;

when the internal air pressure value of said inflatable body detected by said air pressure sensor is greater than the pre-set inflating air pressure value, said central control unit sends said driving signal to said switching driving device to drive the air passage switching device to switch to said deflating air passage, so as to deflate the air in the inflatable body to reach the pre-set inflating air pressure value; and

when said central control unit receives said deactivation signal from said deactivation signal input, said central control unit sends said deactivation signal to said motor driving unit to drive the air passage switching device to switch to said closed air passage.

19. The air pump control method of claim 18, wherein at least one position signal generating device is provided on said switching driving device,

wherein the step of driving the switching between two or more air passages by said switching driving device further comprises:

triggering said position signal generating device by said switching driving device to generate a position feedback signal, and sending a deactivation signal to said switching driving device by said central control unit to deactivate the switching driving device after said central control unit receives said position feedback signal from said position signal generating device.

20. The air pump control method of claim 18, wherein said switching driving device further comprises:

a motor driving unit connected to said central control unit, and an air passage switching device connected to said air pump.

21. The air pump control method of claim 19, wherein said air passages comprises an inflating air passage, a deflating air passage and a closed air passage,

wherein the step of driving the switching between two or more air passages by said switching driving device further comprises:

sending a position signal to said central control unit by said position signal generating device when said switching driving device is switched to said inflating air passage, deflating air passage or closed air passage, respectively.

22. The air pump control method of claim 18, wherein the step of sending an inflating input signal, a deflating input signal or a deactivation input signal to a central control unit further comprises:

sending the inflating input signal, the deflating input signal or the deactivation input signal to said central control unit via an inflating signal input, a deflating signal input or a deactivation signal input on an input unit.

23. An air pump control system comprising:

an air pump for inflating or deflating an inflatable body;

a switching driving device connected to said air pump and adapted to drive a switching between two or more air passages;

an air pressure sensor for detecting an internal air pressure value of said inflatable body and adapted to generate an internal pressure signal associated with said internal air pressure value and send said internal pressure signal to a central control unit;

a first wireless communication module in communication with said central control unit; and

a mobile terminal provided with a second input unit and a second wireless communication module in communication with said first wireless communication module, said second input unit being adapted to communicate with said central control unit via said second wireless communication module and said first wireless communication module, said second input unit being at least provided with at least one of an inflating signal input, a deflating signal input and a deactivation signal input, and said second input unit being adapted to send an inflating signal, a deflating signal or a deactivation signal to said central control unit respectively via said inflating signal input, deflating signal input or deactivation signal input;

wherein said central control unit is connected to said air pump, said switching driving device and said air pressure sensor, and said central control unit is adapted to send a driving signal to drive said switching driving device so as to activate the switching between said air passages, and to send an activation signal or a deactivation signal to said air pump according to the internal air pressure value of said inflatable body detected by said air pressure sensor and a pre-set inflating air pressure value so as to activate or deactivate said air pump.

24. The air pump control system of claim 23, wherein said second input unit is further provided with a first inflating signal input, a second inflating signal input, and a third inflating signal input respectively corresponding to three different pre-set inflating air pressure values.

25. The air pump control system of claim 23, wherein said second input unit is further provided with a manual inflating air pressure input for manually setting an inflating air pressure value by said mobile terminal and sending the same to said central control unit.

26. The air pump control system of claim 23, wherein said mobile terminal further comprises a second display unit, which is adapted to communicate with said central control unit via said second wireless communication module and said first wireless communication module and to receive a display signal generated by said central control unit.

27. The air pump control system of claim 23, wherein said first wireless communication module and said second wireless communication module are WIFI modules, Bluetooth modules, infrared modules, second-generation mobile communication modules, third-generation mobile communication modules or fourth-generation mobile communication modules.

28. The air pump control system of claim 26, wherein said second input unit further comprises a functional apparatus signal input.