Pumps – Ambulant – body supported – or with carrying handle
Reexamination Certificate
1997-05-13
2001-09-18
Thorpe, Timothy S. (Department: 3746)
Pumps
Ambulant, body supported, or with carrying handle
C417S411000, C417S423140, C417S424200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290469
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand held pump. More particularly, the invention comprises a pump having an independent source of operating power carried aboard the pump. The novel pump is therefore both portable and independent of connection to external power, and may be operated while carried by a person.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Certain household tasks entail transfer of relatively small quantities of water into or out of vessels. For example, to undertake repair and modification to major water utilizing appliances and related plumbing, it may be necessary or advantageous to remove water prior to performing the repair or modification. In some cases, water, particularly wastewater, will foul environmental surfaces. Removal of inoperative appliances and disconnection of appliances such as sinks, toilets, dishwashers, and garbage grinders is facilitated to a certain extent if standing wastewater is removed.
It may be objectionable or in some cases not feasible to remove this water by hand. The water may be filthy or contaminated, or may be nearly inaccessible for purposes of inserting a cup or other object for bailing out water. In some cases, it may be desirable to add water to a vessel rather than to remove it. For example, a suspended plant container disposed near the ceiling of a room may prove difficult to water in the absence of pressure acting on the water. There exists a need, therefore, for a pump suitable for carrying by hand and which is adapted to perform transfer of small quantities of water.
The prior art has suggested small portable pumps. An example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,432, issued to Jerry R. Brooks on Sep. 17, 1957. The subject of this patent comprises a pump having an attached tether for suspending the pump during operation. Power is obtained by connection to a convenient battery, which is not part of the invention. By contrast, the present invention has a clip for mounting on the belt of the user, and incorporates an integral battery, so that the novel pump is independent of external power.
Other portable pumps are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,950, issued to Donald L. Hager et al. on Jul. 18, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,154, issued to Kuo-Neng Chen on Mar. 26, 1991, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,740, issued to Kimothy R. McCray on Nov. 29, 1994. The pumps of this group all lack integral apparatus for suspending the pump from an environmental object, and all derive power from a power cord and plug assembly. By contrast, the present invention has a clip for belt mounting, and incorporates an integral battery for power.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a portable pump which is adapted for mounting to the belt of a user, and which has an integral battery carried aboard, so that the pump is independent of connection to external power. The battery is rechargeable, and thus can be recharged when the pump is not in use.
The pump has a slightly elongated body, with inlet and outlet nipples protruding from the upper portion of the body. An on-off switch and an access panel to the pump impeller are also disposed upon the body.
The pump is provided with a separate floor stand, so that the pump need not be either hand held or suspended from a user's belt during use. Optionally, the pump may be provided commercially as a kit including several auxiliary conduits which thread selectively to the inlet and outlet nipples. These conduits may be semi-rigid, or rigid and preformed. A preferable formed rigid conduit is J-shaped. This conduit, when connected to the pump, is capable of delivering water to domestic plants suspended from and located close to a ceiling, or in another location suffering from limited access. An auxiliary water tank having holes for insertion of an auxiliary conduit for retrieving water may be employed with a second auxiliary conduit for dispensing water.
Semi-rigid conduits are bendable by hand, but will maintain a configuration once bent, or until subjected to forces equivalent to those required for bending. Additionally, a flexible auxiliary conduit is provided. Flexible and semi-rigid conduits are capable of being inserted into remote or poorly accessed locations for retrieval of water.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an electrically operated pump which is independent of connection to external power.
It is another object of the invention to provide a clip for mounting the novel pump to a belt worn by a user.
It is a further object of the invention to enable threaded connection of conduits to the novel pump. Still another object of the invention is to provide a manual control on the pump.
An additional object of the invention is to provide auxiliary conduits for retrieving and dispensing liquids, which auxiliary conduits are threadably engageable with the novel pump.
It is again an object of the invention to provide an auxiliary liquid storage tank for storing liquids for dispensing, which auxiliary tank is compatible with auxiliary conduits.
Another object is to size and shape the external housing of the pump to facilitate easy gripping and carrying in a single hand of a user.
Yet another object of the invention is to enable inspection of and access to the impeller of the pump.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a detachable stand for supporting the pump on a horizontal surface.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2595406 (1952-05-01), Popovich
patent: 2736606 (1956-02-01), Kmiotek
patent: 2806432 (1957-09-01), Brooks
patent: 3469528 (1969-09-01), East
patent: 3910725 (1975-10-01), Rule
patent: 4101950 (1978-07-01), Hager et al.
patent: 4705464 (1987-11-01), Arimond
patent: 5002154 (1991-03-01), Chen
patent: 5163818 (1992-11-01), Betsill et al.
patent: 5367740 (1994-11-01), McCray
patent: 5472317 (1995-12-01), Field et al.
patent: 5634791 (1997-06-01), Matsuura et al.
Gartenberg Ehud
Siemens Patent Services LC
Thorpe Timothy S.
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