Bracketless magnetic pump

• US 20060210412A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecotech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ecotech Incorporated
• Inventors: Clasen, Patrick, Lawyer, Justin, Marks, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,393,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/420
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/047 Liquid pumps for aquaria air pumps for aquaria A01K63/042
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/024 a magnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/027 Details of the magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/06 the pump being electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/08 for submerged use
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/026 with a magnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/406 especially adapted for liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/605 specially adapted for liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/628 especially adapted for liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49236 Fluid pump or compressor making

Abstract

A fluid pump assembly is used in combination with a container having a wall. The pump assembly comprises a first casing disposed outside the container in contact with the wall, a first magnetic assembly mounted to the first casing and operatively associated with a drive motor, a second casing disposed inside the container in contact with the wall, and a second magnetic assembly mounted to the second casing and operatively associated with an propeller. The first magnetic assembly includes a rotatable magnetic drive member drivingly coupled to the drive motor. The magnetic drive member is magnetically coupled to the magnetic driven member through the wall for imparting a rotary driving force of the drive motor to the propeller. Furthermore, the second casing is detachably connected to the second side of the wall of the container solely by magnetic attraction force between the first and second magnetic assemblies.

Claims

1. A fluid pump kit, comprising:

a first magnetic assembly operatively associated with a drive motor;

a first casing supporting said first magnetic assembly;

a second magnetic assembly operatively associated with an propeller;

a second casing supporting said second magnetic assembly; and

a non-magnetic spacer separating said first and second magnetic assemblies; and

said drive motor and said propeller being magnetically coupled to each other by said first and second magnetic assemblies through said spacer for drivingly coupling said drive motor to said propeller.

2. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 1, wherein said first magnetic assembly includes a magnetic drive member coupled to said drive motor and spaced from said spacer on one side thereof and said second magnetic assembly includes a rotatable magnetic driven member drivingly coupled to said propeller and spaced from said spacer on another side thereof.

3. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 2, wherein said magnetic drive member is axially aligned with said magnetic driven member.

4. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 2, wherein said drive motor and said propeller are detachably held together and secured to said spacer solely by magnetic attraction between said magnetic drive member and said magnetic driven member.

5. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 2, wherein said first casing houses said magnetic drive member and said second casing houses said magnetic driven member.

6. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 5, wherein said first magnetic assembly further includes one of a first magnet member and a first ferromagnetic metal member secured to said first casing and said second magnetic assembly further includes a second magnet member secured to said second casing.

7. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 6, wherein one of said first magnet member and said first ferromagnetic metal member is embedded into said first casing and said second magnet member is embedded into said second casing.

8. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 5, wherein said first magnetic assembly further includes a first magnet member secured to said first casing and said second magnetic assembly further includes one of a second magnet member and a second ferromagnetic metal member secured to said second casing, and

wherein said first and second casings are detachably held together and secured to said spacer solely by magnetic attraction between said first magnet member and one of said second magnet member and said second ferromagnetic metal member.

9. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 8, wherein said first magnet member is embedded into said first casing and one of said second magnet member and said second ferromagnetic metal member is embedded into said second casing.

10. The fluid pump kit as defined in claim 1, wherein said drive motor is an electric motor.

11. The fluid pump kit of claim 1, wherein said first and second magnetic assemblies are discs.

12. The fluid pump kit of claim 11, wherein each of said magnetic assemblies includes a plurality of magnetic poles.

13. The fluid pump kit of claim 12, wherein the magnetic poles are arrayed in a two-dimensional array.

14. The fluid pump kit of claim 1, further comprising first and second clamping magnetic members, each of said first and second clamping magnetic members being disposed on a face of an associated one of said casings.

15. The fluid pump kit of claim 14, wherein each of said first and second clamping magnetic members includes a plurality of clamping magnets spaced about the periphery of the associated casing.

16. The fluid pump kit of claim 15, wherein each of said clamping magnets has an outer surface coplanar with an associated surface of the associated casing.

17. The fluid pump kit of claim 16, wherein each of said clamping magnets is embedded within the associated casing.

18. The fluid pump kit of claim 14, wherein a resilient friction member overlies the associated clamping magnetic members.

21. The combination as defined in claim 11, wherein said magnetic drive member is axially aligned with said magnetic driven member.

19. A combination of a fluid pump assembly and a container having a wall, said pump assembly comprising:

a first casing disposed exteriorly of said container on a first side of said wall;

a first magnetic assembly mounted to said first casing and operatively associated with a drive motor, said first magnetic assembly including a magnetic drive member coupled to said drive motor and spaced from said wall;

a second casing disposed interiorly of said container on a second side of said wall; and

a second magnetic assembly mounted to said second casing and operatively associated with an propeller, said second magnetic assembly including a rotatable magnetic driven member drivingly coupled to said propeller and spaced from said wall inside said container;

said magnetic drive member being magnetically coupled to said magnetic driven member through said wall for imparting a rotary driving force of said drive motor to said propeller

20. The combination as defined in claim 19, further including a bracket member suspended from said container supporting said first casing.

22. The combination as defined in claim 19, further comprising first and second magnetic clamping members, each of said magnetic clamping members disposed about a periphery of an associated one of said casings.

23. The combination defined in claim 22, wherein each of said magnetic clamping members includes a plurality of spaced clamping magnets.

24. The combination defined in claim 22, further comprising first and second resilient friction elements, each of said friction elements overlying an associated magnetic clamping member.

25. The combination as defined in claim 19, wherein said first magnetic assembly further includes one of a first magnet member and a first ferromagnetic metal member secured to said first casing and said second magnetic assembly further includes a second magnet member secured to said second casing.

26. The combination as defined in claim 19, wherein said one of said first magnet member and said first ferromagnetic metal member is embedded within said first casing and said second magnet member is embedded within said second casing.

27. The combination defined in claim 19, wherein a shroud is mounted about said propeller.

28. The combination as defined in claim 27, wherein said shroud includes a plurality of slots formed in a sidewall thereof and a plurality of openings in an end thereof proximate said propeller.

29. The method of circulating fluid within a container, comprising the steps of:

Providing a first casing having a first rotatable magnetic member coupled to a source of rotary motion;

Providing a second casing having an propeller coupled to a second rotatable magnetic member;

Providing a container having a fluid therein;

Positioning the first casing on an exterior wall of a container and positioning the second casing on an interior wall of the container within the fluid in coaxial alignment with the first casing and allowing the casings to remain in alignment as a result of magnetic attraction between the rotatable magnetic members;

Operating the source of rotary motion and thereby causing the first rotatable magnetic member to rotate for thereby causing cooperating rotation of the second rotatable magnetic member and of the propeller.