DUAL-CHAMBER DUAL-ACTION AIR PUMP AND GLASS-WIPING ROBOT HAVING THE AIR PUMP
A dual-chamber dual-action air pump and a glass-wiping robot having the air pump. The air pump comprises a cylinder and, connected to the cylinder, a drive apparatus and a piston. The drive apparatus drives the piston via a transmission apparatus to perform reciprocating movement in the cylinder. A sealing element fixedly connected to the piston rod is arranged within the cylinder. The sealing element partitions the cylinder into a first chamber (A1) and a second chamber (A2). Both the first chamber and the second chamber respectively are provided with a first one-way valve and a second one-way valve. When the piston rod drives the sealing element to perform reciprocating movement, the first chamber and the second chamber simultaneously inhale air and exhaust air. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump is compact in structure, and provides doubled air flow rate and doubled efficiency. The glass-wiping robot having the air pump provides a suction cup with a vacuum suction force via the air pump, and allows for great air evacuation to be ensured for the suction cups even if the suction cup comes in contact with a crack or bump on a glass surface, thus reducing the risks of the damage of the glass-wiping robot due to falling, and eliminating possible security hazards.
This application is the national stage entry of PCT Application No. PCT/CN2014/072973 filed Mar. 6, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an air pump and a glass-wiping robot having the air pump, and more particularly to a dual-chamber dual-action air pump and a glass-wiping robot having the air pump, which belongs to the technical field of mechanical manufacturing.
BACKGROUNDWith respect to the deficiencies in the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a dual-chamber dual-action air pump that is compact in structure and provide doubled operation efficiency of the vacuum air pump.
The object of the present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions.
A dual-chamber dual-action air pump comprises a cylinder and a drive apparatus and a piston that are connected with the cylinder, the drive apparatus drives the piston via a transmission apparatus to perform reciprocating movement in the cylinder, a sealing element fixedly connected with the piston rod is provided in the cylinder, the sealing element partitions the cylinder into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber and the second chamber are respectively provided with a first one-way valve and a second one-way valve, and when the piston rod drives the sealing element to perform reciprocating movement, the first chamber and the second chamber simultaneously inhale air and exhaust air.
To be specific, the air pump comprises an air pump body, the drive apparatus is connected with the air pump body, and two cylinders are provided on both sides of the air pump body in a sealed manner; the cylinders comprise an air pump end cover, an air pump middle frame cover and an air pump middle frame connected in a sealed manner from the inside out, the air pump middle frame is connected with the air pump body in a sealed manner, the sealing element is provided between the air pump middle frame and the air pump middle frame cover, the sealing element and the air pump middle frame cover form the first chamber, the air pump middle frame cover and the air bump end cover form the first one-way valve, a soft gum membrane and the air pump middle frame form the second chamber, and the air pump middle frame and the air pump body form the second one-way valve.
The sealing element is a soft gum membrane, and the soft gum membrane is connected with the piston rod in a sealed manner.
To be specific, the soft gum membrane comprises a support and a membrane part, the membrane part consists of inner sealing rings and outer sealing rings provided on both sides of the support and connected via a retractable middle portion, the inner sealing rings and the outer sealing rings are attached to both sides of the air pump middle frame respectively, the outer sealing rings are fixed connected with the support, and the support is fixed connected with the piston rod.
The first one-way valve comprises an inlet room and an outlet room provided on the air pump end cover and an inlet room and an outlet room provided on the air pump middle frame cover; when the air pump end cover and the air pump middle frame cover are engaged, their inlet rooms and the outlet rooms form closed spaces in each of which sealing pads are provided; inlet holes are provided in the inlet rooms, outlet holes are provided in the outlet rooms, and the sealing pads perform reciprocating movement in the closed spaces under the action of airflow of the inlet holes and the outlet holes; the inlet holes and the outlet holes are arranged symmetrically in an intersecting manner on both sides of the closed spaces, and when the sealing pads are attached on one of the air pump end cover side and the air pump middle frame cover side, air flows through one of the inlet holes or the outlet holes; the second one-way valve comprises an inlet room and an outlet room provided on the air pump middle frame and an inlet room and an outlet room provided on the air pump body; when the air pump middle frame and the air pump body are engaged, their inlet rooms and outlet room form closed spaces in each of which sealing pads are provided; inlet holes are provided on the inlet rooms, outlet holes are provided on the outlet rooms, and the sealing pads perform reciprocating movement in the closed spaces under the action of airflow of the inlet holes and the outlet holes; the inlet holes and the outlet holes are arranged symmetrically in an intersecting manner on both sides of the closed spaces, and when the sealing pads are attached on one of the air pump middle frame side and the air pump body side, air flows through one of the inlet holes or the outlet holes.
If necessary, the inlet hole is provided at the center of the inlet room and its number is one, and the outlet holes are provided symmetrically on both sides of the central line of the outlet room and are oppositely located on both sides of the inlet hole.
Or, the inlet holes are provided symmetrically on both sides of the central line of the inlet room and are oppositely located on both sides of the inlet hole, and the outlet hole is provided at the center of the outlet room and its number is one.
The diameter of the inlet holes and the outlet holes is the same as the width of the sealing pads.
An inlet pipe and an outlet pipe of the first chamber are provided on the air pump end cover, and an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe of the second chamber are provided on the air pump body.
The transmission apparatus is an eccentric shaft fitted over the output shaft, and an end of the piston rod is fitted over on the eccentric shaft.
The transmission apparatus is a crankshaft mechanism connected with the output shaft of the transmission apparatus. The crankshaft mechanism comprises lower and upper eccentric wheels and a crankshaft, the crankshaft comprises a crankshaft body and two shaft portions, the two shaft portions extend upward and downward on the left and right sides of the crankshaft body respectively; the shaft portions of the crankshaft comprise connection portions for the piston rods and connection portions for the eccentric wheels, the piston rods are fitted over the connection portions for the piston rods via bearings, and the connection portions for the eccentric wheels are inserted into eccentric holes of the eccentric wheels so as to be fixed.
The transmission apparatus is an eccentric wheel mechanism, the eccentric wheel mechanism comprises an eccentric wheel fixed on an output shaft, and a ring-shaped limitation groove is provided on one side surface of the eccentric wheel; the end of the piston rod of each piston air pump assembly is provided with a roller wheel, the roller wheel is embedded in the ring-shaped limitation groove, the output shaft drives the eccentric wheel to rotate, the roller wheel rolls along the circumference direction of the output shaft in the ring-shaped limitation groove and drives the piston rod to perform reciprocating movement.
The present invention also provides a glass-wiping robot comprising a machine body and a suction cup provided on the machine boy, characterized in that, the suction cup is connected with the dual-chamber dual-action air pump as described above, and the inlet pipe of the first chamber and the inlet pipe of the second chamber are connected with the suction cup respectively.
In sum, the dual-chamber dual-action air pump of the present invention is compact in structure and provide doubled operation efficiency of the vacuum air pump; the glass-wiping robot using such dual-chamber dual-action air pump can provide a greater air pumping efficiency for the suction cup and reduce the risks of the damage of the glass-wiping robot due to falling or possible security hazards.
Hereinafter, the detailed description of the technical solutions of the present invention are provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments.
First embodiment. The present invention provides a dual-chamber dual-action air pump, in general, comprising a cylinder and a drive apparatus and a piston that are connected to the cylinder. The drive apparatus drives the piston via a transmission apparatus to perform reciprocating movement in the cylinder. A sealing element fixedly connected to the piston rod is arranged within the cylinder. The sealing element partitions the cylinder into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber and the second chamber are provided with a first one-way valve and a second one-way valve respectively. When the piston rod drives the sealing element to perform reciprocating movement, the first chamber and the second chamber simultaneously inhale air and exhaust air.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in combination with
Referring to
The motor 20 rotates, and its output shaft drives the piston rods 33 to move toward the right side via the eccentric wheels 41 and the crankshaft 43. The piston rod 33 pulls the outer sealing rings 36 to move toward the right side via the support 34, and the volume of the first chamber A1 increases and the pressure reduces. The formed pressure difference pushes the sealing pads 38 between the air pump end cover 31 and the air pump middle frame cover 32 to move toward the right side. The outlet holes 312 and the inlet hole 311 are opened. The sealing pads 38 blocks between the two inlet holes 321, and the outlet hole 322 is closed. The first chamber A1 inhales air through the inlet pipe 313 of the air pump end cover 31. Meanwhile, the volume of the second chamber A2 decreases and the pressure increases, and the formed pressure difference pushes the sealing pads 38 between the air pump middle frame 37 and the air pump body 10 to move toward the right side. The inlet hole and the outlet holes on the air pump middle frame 37 are opened, and the outlet hole on the air pump body 10 is opened and the inlet hole on the air pump body 10 is closed. The second chamber A2 exhausts air through the outlet pipe 104 of the air pump body.
The motor keeps on rotating, and the motor output shaft drives the piston rod 33 to move toward the left side. The piston rod 33 pulls the outer sealing rings 36 to move toward the left side via the support 34. The formed pressure difference pushes the sealing pads 38 between the air pump end cover 31 and the air pump middle frame cover 32 to move toward the left side. The inlet hole 311 is blocked, the outlet holes 312 are opened, the inlet holes 321 and the outlet hole 322 are opened, and the first chamber A1 exhausts air through the outlet pipe 314 of the air pump end cover 31. Meanwhile, the volume of the second chamber A2 increases and the pressure reduces, and the formed pressure difference drives the sealing pads 38 between the air pump middle frame 37 and the air pump body 10 to move toward the left side. The inlet hole of the air pump middle frame 37 is opened and the outlet holes on the air pump middle frame 37 are blocked, both the inlet holes and the outlet hole of the air pump body 10 are opened, and the second chamber A2 inhales air through the inlet pipe 103 of the air pump body 10. That is to say, in the one-way valves formed by the air pump end cover 31 and the air pump middle frame cover 32 and by the air pump middle frame 37 and the air pump body 10, the inlet holes merely inhale air, and the other outlet holes merely exhaust air, so as to maintain the vacuum degree within the vacuum inner spaces.
As shown in
The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to this embodiment has substantially the same structure as that according to the first embodiment, and their difference lies in the structure of the transmission apparatus.
Other features in this embodiment can be consulted from the first embodiment, and will not be described herein.
Third EmbodimentThe dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to this embodiment has substantially the same structure as that according to the first embodiment, and their difference lies in the structure of the transmission apparatus.
Other features in this embodiment can be consulted from the first embodiment, and will not be described herein.
Obviously, in the above three embodiments, since the structures of the transmission apparatuses differ from each other, the description focuses on the main structure features of the transmission apparatuses themselves. In order to obtain the stable connection between the transmission apparatuses having different structures and air pump housing, piston rod and other components, some conventional mechanical connection parts are needed, and are adjusted adaptively according to the different structures of the transmission apparatuses. For persons skilled in the art, the selection of these conventional mechanical connection parts can be easily conceived of, and will be described herein. In addition, it should be pointed out that the main operation principle of the present invention lies in that the first chamber and the second chamber of the cylinder operate to inhale air and exhaust air respectively so as to enhance the pumping efficiency of the air pump, and the air pump, one-way valve, drive structure, transmission structure and the like may be implemented using various other structures in the prior art.
As shown in
In sum, the dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to the present invention is compact in structure, can increase the flow rate of the vacuum air pump, and provide doubled operation efficiency of the vacuum air pump. Meanwhile, the glass-wiping robot using such dual-chamber dual-action air pump can have a stable and safe operation state.
Claims
1. A dual-chamber dual-action air pump comprising a cylinder, and a drive apparatus and a piston that are connected with the cylinder, the drive apparatus drives the piston via a transmission apparatus to perform reciprocating movement in the cylinder, characterized in that: a sealing element fixedly connected with the piston rod is provided in the cylinder, the sealing element partitions the cylinder into a first chamber (A1) and a second chamber (A2), the first chamber (A1) and the second chamber (A2) are respectively provided with a first one-way valve and a second one-way valve, and when the piston rod drives the sealing element to perform reciprocating movement, the first chamber (A1) and the second chamber (A2) simultaneously inhale air and exhaust air.
2. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, the air pump comprises an air pump body (10), the drive apparatus is connected with the air pump body (10), and two said cylinders are provided on both sides of the air pump body (10) in a sealed manner, the cylinders each comprise an air pump end cover (31), an air pump middle frame cover (32) and an air pump middle frame (37) connected in a sealed manner from the outside to inside, the air pump middle frame (37) is connected with the air pump body (10) in a sealed manner, the sealing element is provided between the air pump middle frame (37) and the air pump middle frame cover (32), the sealing element and the air pump middle frame cover (32) form the first chamber (A1), the air pump middle frame cover (32) and the air bump end cover (31) form the first one-way valve, a soft gum membrane and the air pump middle frame form the second chamber (A2), and the air pump middle frame (37) and the air pump body (10) form the second one-way valve.
3. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, the sealing element is a soft gum membrane, and the soft gum membrane is connected with the piston rod in a sealed manner.
4. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 3, characterized in that, the soft gum membrane comprises a support (34) and a membrane part (35), the membrane part (35) has inner sealing rings and outer sealing rings (36) provided on both sides of the support (34) and connected via a retractable middle portion, the inner sealing rings and the outer sealing rings (36) are attached to both sides of the air pump middle frame (37) in a sealed manner respectively, the outer sealing rings (36) are fixedly connected with the support (34), and the support (34) is fixedly connected with the piston rod (33).
5. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, the first one-way valve comprises an inlet room (350) and an outlet room (360) provided on the air pump end cover (31) and an inlet room (370) and an outlet room (380) provided on the air pump middle frame cover (32); when the air pump end cover (31) and the air pump middle frame cover (32) are engaged, their inlet rooms and the outlet rooms form closed spaces in each of which sealing pads (38) are provided; inlet holes (311, 321) are provided on the inlet rooms (350, 370), outlet holes (312, 322) are provided in the outlet rooms (360, 380), and the sealing pads (38) perform reciprocating movement in the closed spaces under the action of airflow of the inlet holes and the outlet holes; the inlet holes and the outlet holes are arranged symmetrically in an intersecting manner on both sides of the closed spaces, and when the sealing pads (38) are attached on one of the air pump end cover (31) side and the air pump middle frame cover (32) side, air flows through one of the inlet holes or the outlet holes;
- the second one-way valve comprises an inlet room and an outlet room provided on the air pump middle frame (37) and an inlet room and an outlet room provided on the air pump body (10); when the air pump middle frame (37) and the air pump body (10) are engaged, their inlet rooms and outlet rooms form closed spaces in each of which sealing pads (38) are provided; inlet holes are provided on the inlet rooms, outlet holes are provided on the outlet rooms, and the sealing pads (38) perform reciprocating movement in the closed spaces under the action of airflow of the inlet holes and the outlet holes; the inlet holes and the outlet holes are arranged symmetrically in an intersecting manner on both sides of the closed spaces, and when the sealing pads (38) are attached on one of the air pump middle frame (37) side and the air pump body (10) side, air flows through one of the inlet holes or the outlet holes.
6. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 5, characterized in that, the inlet hole is provided at the center of the inlet room and its number is one, and the outlet holes are provided symmetrically on both sides of the central line of the outlet room and are oppositely located on both sides of the inlet hole; or the inlet holes are provided symmetrically on both sides of the central line of the inlet room and are oppositely located on both sides of the inlet hole, and the outlet hole is provided at the center of the outlet room and its number is one;
- the diameter of the inlet holes and the outlet holes is the same as the width of the sealing pads (38).
7. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, an inlet pipe (313) and an outlet pipe (314) of the first chamber are provided on the air pump end cover (31), and an inlet pipe (103) and an outlet pipe (104) of the second chamber are provided on the air pump body (10).
8. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, the transmission apparatus is an eccentric shaft (51) fitted over the output shaft, and an end of the piston rod (33) is fitted over on the eccentric shaft (51).
9. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, the transmission apparatus is a crankshaft mechanism connected with an output shaft of the drive apparatus.
10. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 9, characterized in that, the crankshaft mechanism comprises lower eccentric wheel, upper eccentric wheel (41) and a crankshaft (43), the crankshaft (43) comprises a crankshaft body and two shaft portions, the two shaft portions extend upward and downward on the left and right sides of the crankshaft body respectively; the shaft portions of the crankshaft comprise connection portions for the piston rods (33) and connection portions for the eccentric wheels, the piston rods (33) are fitted over the connection portions for the piston rods via bearings, and the connection portions for the eccentric wheels are inserted into eccentric holes of the eccentric wheels (43) so as to be fixed.
11. The dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 2, characterized in that, the transmission apparatus is an eccentric wheel mechanism connected with an output shaft of the drive apparatus, the eccentric wheel mechanism comprises an eccentric wheel (61) fixed on the output shaft, and a ring-shaped limitation groove (611) is provided on one side surface of the eccentric wheel (61); the end of the piston rod (33) of each piston air pump assembly is provided with a roller wheel (331), the roller wheel (331) is embedded in the ring-shaped limitation groove (611), the output shaft drives the eccentric wheel (61) to rotate, the roller wheel (331) rolls along the circumference direction of the output shaft in the ring-shaped limitation groove (611) and drives the piston rod (33) to perform reciprocating movement.
12. A glass-wiping robot, comprising a machine body and a suction cup provided on the machine boy, characterized in that, the suction cup is connected with the dual-chamber dual-action air pump according to claim 1, and the inlet pipe (313) of the first chamber and the inlet pipe (103) of the second chamber are connected with the suction cup respectively.
13. The glass-wiping robot according to claim 12, characterized in that, the air pump comprises an air pump body (10), the drive apparatus is connected with the air pump body (10), and two said cylinders are provided on both sides of the air pump body (10) in a sealed manner, the cylinders each comprise an air pump end cover (31), an air pump middle frame cover (32) and an air pump middle frame (37) connected in a sealed manner from the outside to inside, the air pump middle frame (37) is connected with the air pump body (10) in a sealed manner, the sealing element is provided between the air pump middle frame (37) and the air pump middle frame cover (32), the sealing element and the air pump middle frame cover (32) form the first chamber (A1), the air pump middle frame cover (32) and the air bump end cover (31) form the first one-way valve, a soft gum membrane and the air pump middle frame form the second chamber (A2), and the air pump middle frame (37) and the air pump body (10) form the second one-way valve.
14. The glass-wiping robot according to claim 12, characterized in that, the sealing element is a soft gum membrane, and the soft gum membrane is connected with the piston rod in a sealed manner.
15. The glass-wiping robot according to claim 14, characterized in that, the soft gum membrane comprises a support (34) and a membrane part (35), the membrane part (35) has inner sealing rings and outer sealing rings (36) provided on both sides of the support (34) and connected via a retractable middle portion, the inner sealing rings and the outer sealing rings (36) are attached to both sides of the air pump middle frame (37) in a sealed manner respectively, the outer sealing rings (36) are fixedly connected with the support (34), and the support (34) is fixedly connected with the piston rod (33).
16. The glass-wiping robot according to claim 13, characterized in that, the first one-way valve comprises an inlet room (350) and an outlet room (360) provided on the air pump end cover (31) and an inlet room (370) and an outlet room (380) provided on the air pump middle frame cover (32); when the air pump end cover (31) and the air pump middle frame cover (32) are engaged, their inlet rooms and the outlet rooms form closed spaces in each of which sealing pads (38) are provided; inlet holes (311, 321) are provided on the inlet rooms (350, 370), outlet holes (312, 322) are provided in the outlet rooms (360, 380), and the sealing pads (38) perform reciprocating movement in the closed spaces under the action of airflow of the inlet holes and the outlet holes; the inlet holes and the outlet holes are arranged symmetrically in an intersecting manner on both sides of the closed spaces, and when the sealing pads (38) are attached on one of the air pump end cover (31) side and the air pump middle frame cover (32) side, air flows through one of the inlet holes or the outlet holes;
- the second one-way valve comprises an inlet room and an outlet room provided on the air pump middle frame (37) and an inlet room and an outlet room provided on the air pump body (10); when the air pump middle frame (37) and the air pump body (10) are engaged, their inlet rooms and outlet rooms form closed spaces in each of which sealing pads (38) are provided; inlet holes are provided on the inlet rooms, outlet holes are provided on the outlet rooms, and the sealing pads (38) perform reciprocating movement in the closed spaces under the action of airflow of the inlet holes and the outlet holes; the inlet holes and the outlet holes are arranged symmetrically in an intersecting manner on both sides of the closed spaces, and when the sealing pads (38) are attached on one of the air pump middle frame (37) side and the air pump body (10) side, air flows through one of the inlet holes or the outlet holes.
17. The glass-wiping robot according to claim 16, characterized in that, the inlet hole is provided at the center of the inlet room and its number is one, and the outlet holes are provided symmetrically on both sides of the central line of the outlet room and are oppositely located on both sides of the inlet hole; or the inlet holes are provided symmetrically on both sides of the central line of the inlet room and are oppositely located on both sides of the inlet hole, and the outlet hole is provided at the center of the outlet room and its number is one;
- the diameter of the inlet holes and the outlet holes is the same as the width of the sealing pads (38).
18. The glass-wiping robot according to claim 13, characterized in that, an inlet pipe (313) and an outlet pipe (314) of the first chamber are provided on the air pump end cover (31), and an inlet pipe (103) and an outlet pipe (104) of the second chamber are provided on the air pump body (10)
19. The glass-wiping robot according to claim 13, characterized in that, the transmission apparatus is an eccentric shaft (51) fitted over the output shaft, and an end of the piston rod (33) is fitted over on the eccentric shaft (51)
20. The glass-wiping robot according to claim 13, characterized in that, the transmission apparatus is a crankshaft mechanism connected with an output shaft of the drive apparatus.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 6, 2014
Publication Date: Mar 10, 2016
Inventor: Yongbing FENG (Suzhou City)
Application Number: 14/772,660