CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to the following Chinese patent application, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety:

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a water pump assembly, and more particularly, to an insulated motor of the water pump assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0003] A water pump assembly for use in a pool setting (e.g., an inflatable pool or spa or a frame pool or spa) may include a motor coupled to an impeller via a rotating shaft. The water pump assembly may be insulated for safety purposes. For example, an insulating shaft seal may be disposed on the rotating shaft. However, over time, the liquid may permeate toward the motor as the shaft seal ages. Improvements in the foregoing may be desired.

SUMMARY

[0004] The present disclosure provides an insulated water pump assembly for use in a pool setting. The water pump assembly includes a motor, a rotary shaft, and an impeller. The water pump assembly also includes one or more seals to prevent liquid from contacting the motor. The electrical performance and safety of the water pump assembly may be improved.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a water pump assembly is disclosed including a motor, an impeller, an output shaft coupled to the motor, a driven shaft coupled to the impeller, and a coupler connecting the output shaft to the driven shaft, the coupler including a driving port coupled to the output shaft and having an interfacing surface, and a driven port coupled to the driven shaft and having an interfacing surface sealed against the interfacing surface of the driving port.

[0006] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a water pump assembly is disclosed including a motor, an impeller, an output shaft coupled to the motor, a driven shaft coupled to the impeller, a coupler connecting the output shaft to the driven shaft, the coupler including a driving port and a driven port sealed against the driving port, and at least one water diverter coupled to the coupler for rotation therewith and configured to direct water away from the motor.

[0007] According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a water pump assembly is disclosed including a motor, an impeller in fluid communication with a pool, a rotary shaft coupled to the motor and the impeller, and at least one water diverter coupled to the rotary shaft for rotation therewith, the at least one water diverter having a flange that bends toward the impeller to direct water away from the motor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this disclosure, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an insulated water pump assembly in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of a coupler and a diverter of the insulated water pump assembly of FIG. 1 ;

[0011] FIG. 3 is an assembled, side view of the coupler of FIG. 2; and

[0012] FIG. 4 is an exploded, side view of the coupler of FIG. 2. [0013] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which are described below. The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the invention to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. It will be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. The invention includes any alterations and further modifications in the illustrative devices and described methods and further applications of the principles of the invention which would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a water pump assembly 10 is provided for use with a pool

(e.g., an inflatable pool or spa or a frame pool or spa). Water pump assembly 10 includes a motor 1 at least partially surrounded by a motor housing or cover 6. Motor 1 is coupled to an impeller 2 via a rotating shaft, illustratively an output shaft 11 and a driven shaft 21. In operation, motor 1 rotates output shaft 11, output shaft 11 rotates driven shaft 21, and driven shaft 21 rotates impeller 2. The illustrative water pump assembly 10 further includes a coupler 20 and one or more diverters 4 positioned along the rotating shaft, both of which are described further below.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, water pump assembly 10 further includes a pump body 5 in fluid communication with the pool. The pump body 5 may be removably or permanently coupled to the motor housing 6. The pump body 5 includes a fluid passageway or pump chamber 51 containing impeller 2. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, driven shaft 21 extends through a side wall 52 of pump body 5 such that coupler 20 is located on one side (e.g., the left side) of side wall 52 and impeller 2 is located on the other side (e.g., the right side) of side wall 52. To prevent water leakage from pump chamber 51 to motor 1, a shaft seal component 22 (e.g., an O-ring) may be provided between driven shaft 21 and side wall 52. In operation, motor 1 rotates impeller 2 via shafts 11 and 21, and impeller 2 directs water or other liquid in pump chamber 51 of pump body 5 in a desired direction to or from the pool.

[0017] Referring next to FIG. 2, output shaft 11 and driven shaft 21 are coupled together via coupler 20. The illustrative coupler 20 includes a driving port 31 and a driven port 32.

Driving port 31 is positioned adjacent to motor 1 and is configured to receive output shaft 11 of motor 1. Driven port 32 is positioned adjacent to impeller 2 and is configured to receive driven shaft 21 of impeller 2. In one embodiment, output shaft 11 is threaded and locked into driving port 31, and driven shaft 21 is threaded and locked into driven port 32. In an alternate embodiment, other assembly methods may be used for coupling output shaft 11 and driven shaft 21 to driving port 31 and driven port 32, respectively, such as riveting or welding.

[0018] To further prevent water leakage from pump chamber 51 to motor 1, coupler 20 may include at least one sealing or insulating material (e.g., rubber) along the interface between driving port 31 and driven port 32. In one embodiment, at least the interfacing surfaces 33 and 34 of driving port 31 and/or driven port 32 of coupler 20, respectively, are coated with the insulating material. In an alternate embodiment, the entirety of driving port 31 and/or driven port 32 of coupler 2 is made of the insulating material.

[0019] Driving port 31 and driven port 32 of coupler 20 may be fixedly coupled together for simultaneous rotation. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 2-4, corresponding through holes 12A, 12B in driving port 31 and driven port 32 receive bolts 7. Once received within through holes 12A, 12B, bolts 7 are secured with nuts 8 to hold bolts 7 in place within coupler 20 and to couple driving port 31 to driven port 32. In an alternate embodiment, alternate means for coupling driving port 31 and driven port 32 may be used, such as clips, fasteners, etc. The coupling of driving port 31 to driven port 32 also couples output shaft 11 to driven shaft 21.

[0020] To further prevent water leakage from pump chamber 51 to motor 1 , one or more rotary water diverters or waterstops 4 is provided along the rotary shaft. In certain embodiments, diverter 4 is coupled directly to coupler 20 for rotation therewith. In other embodiments, diverter 4 is coupled directly to output shaft 11 and/or driven shaft 21 for rotation therewith. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1, water pump assembly 10 includes three diverters 4 positioned in series, but this number and arrangement may vary. Each diverter 4 extends radially outward to a flange 41 that bends and extends substantially in the direction of driven shaft 21 toward impeller 2. Each diverter 4 also includes a central opening 13 configured to receive coupler 20, output shaft 11, and/or driven shaft 21. Opening 13 may also receive bolts 7 of coupler 20, as discussed above. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, diverter 4 is sandwiched between driving port 31 and driven port 32 of coupler 20. In operation, the rotating diverter 4 may divert or deflect liquid away from output shaft 11 and motor 1, such as using centrifugal forces, and toward impeller 2.

[0021] In summary, water pump assembly 1 may include one or more seals to prevent liquid in pump chamber 51 from contacting motor 1. In one embodiment, the seal is created using shaft seal component 22 between driven shaft 21 and pump 5. In another embodiment, the seal is created by coating or constructing driving port 31 and/or driven port 32 of coupler 20 of insulating materials. In yet another embodiment, the seal is created using one or more rotary diverters 4, as discussed above. By preventing liquid from contacting motor 1 , the electrical performance and safety of water pump assembly 10 may be improved.

[0022] While this invention has been described as having exemplary designs, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.