Air pump with dual power supply

Abstract

A portable air pump has a fan, a main body with a cavity, an air inlet and outlet, a motor connected to the fan, a removable rechargeable battery pack, and a plurality of individual dry cell batteries. The cavity has an opening for alternately receiving one of the battery pack and the plurality of individual dry cell batteries. A door has a closed position, which closes the opening of the cavity, and has an open position for permitting the alternate installation and removal of the battery pack and plurality of dry cell batteries. A first electric circuit is formed when the battery pack is inserted into the cavity and the door is in the closed position, and a second electric electrical circuit is formed when the plurality of individual dry cells are inserted into the cavity and the door is in the closed position permitting the air pump to be powered by the battery pack, or, during removal and recharging of the battery pack, by the dry cell batteries.

1 . A portable air pump, comprising:
 a fan;   a main body having a cavity;   an air inlet;   an air outlet;   a motor connected to the fan;   a removable rechargeable battery pack;   a plurality of individual dry cell batteries;   the cavity having an opening and the cavity alternately receiving, through the opening, one of:
 the battery pack, and 
 the plurality of individual dry cell batteries; 
   a door having a closed position in which the door closes the opening of the cavity of the main body and having an open position for permitting the alternate installation and removal of the battery pack and plurality of dry cell batteries;   an electric circuit being formed when the battery pack is inserted into the cavity and the door is in the closed position, including the battery pack and the motor; and   an electric electrical circuit being formed when the plurality of individual dry cells are inserted into the cavity and the door is in the closed position, including the plurality of individual dry cell batteries and the motor;   whereby the air pump may be alternately powered by the battery pack or dry cell batteries such that the air pump may be operable by the dry cell batteries during removal and recharging of the battery pack.   
   
   
       2 . A portable air pump as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one power switch;   the cavity has a plurality of electrical contacts and the door has a plurality of electric contacts;   a first electrical circuit is formed when the battery pack is inserted into the cavity and the door is in the closed position, the first electrical circuit comprising the battery pack, the motor, the one power switch, and a first set of electric contacts; and   a second electrical circuit is formed when the plurality of individual dry cells are inserted into the cavity and the door is in the closed position, the second electrical circuit comprising the plurality of individual dry cell batteries, the motor, the one power switch, and a second set of electric contacts; and   the first and second sets of electric contacts each comprising electric contacts of both the door and the cavity, and the second set of electric contacts comprising a greater number of electric contacts than the first set;   whereby the air pump is operable by the one power switch when alternatively powered by the battery pack and the plurality of dry cell batteries.   
   
   
       3 . A air pump with a dual power supply, comprising:
 a fan;   an air inlet;   an air outlet;   a motor connected to said fan;   a switch;   a removable battery pack having a plurality of rechargeable battery cells enclosed therewithin;   a plurality of individual dry cell batteries;   a main body having a cavity;   said cavity having a plurality of electrical contacts;   said cavity having an opening and said cavity alternately receiving, through said opening, one of:
 (a) said removable battery pack, or 
 (b) said plurality of individual dry cell batteries; 
   a door having an open position for permitting said alternate receiving of said removable battery pack or said plurality of dry cell batteries, and said door having a closed position in which said door closes said opening of said cavity and encloses, alternately, said removable battery pack or said plurality of dry cell batteries;   a first electric circuit being formed when said battery pack is alternately inserted into said cavity and said door is in said closed position, said first electric circuit including said removable battery pack, said switch, and said motor;   a second electric circuit being formed when said plurality of individual dry cells are alternately inserted into said cavity and said door is in said closed position, said second electric circuit including said plurality of individual dry cell batteries, said plurality of electrical contacts of said cavity, said switch, and said motor; and   said air pump being alternately powered by said removable battery pack or said plurality of dry cell batteries, and operable by said switch in either instance, such that said air pump is operable during removal and recharging of said removable battery pack.   
   
   
       4 . An air pump with a dual power supply, as in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 said door having a plurality of electrical contacts;   said first electric circuit including said plurality of electrical contacts of said cavity; and   said second electric circuit including said plurality of electrical contacts of said door.   
   
   
       5 . An air pump with a dual power supply, as in  claim 4 , wherein:
 said plurality of electrical contacts of said door includes a first pair of electrical contacts, said first pair of electrical contacts of said door being connected together;   said plurality of electrical contacts of said cavity includes a first pair of electrical contacts, said first pair of electrical contacts of said cavity being connected together; and   said second electric circuit includes said first pairs of electrical contacts of said door and said cavity.   
   
   
       6 . An air pump with a dual power supply, as in  claim 5 , wherein:
 said switch is disposed on said door;   said plurality of electrical contacts of said door includes a second pair of electrical contacts, first and second ones of said second pair of electrical contacts of said door are connected to opposite poles of said switch; and   said first and second electric circuits comprise said second pair of electrical contacts of said door.   
   
   
       7 . An air pump with a dual power supply, as in  claim 6 , wherein:
 said plurality of electrical contacts of said cavity includes a second pair of electric contacts, said second pair of electric contacts of said cavity being connected to opposite poles of said motor;   said first and second electric circuits including said second pair of electric contacts of said cavity.   
   
   
       8 . An air pump with a dual power supply, as in  claim 7 , wherein:
 said cavity has a bottom wall, and said first and second pair of electrical contacts of said cavity are disposed on said bottom wall of said cavity;   said removable battery pack has a first pair of electrical contacts on a top thereof and has a second pair of electrical contacts on a bottom thereof;   said first pair of electrical contacts of said removable battery pack are in contact with said second pair of electrical contacts of said door, and said second pair of electrical contacts of said removable battery pack are in contact with said first pair of electrical contacts of said cavity, when said removable battery pack is alternately inserted into said cavity and said door is in said closed position; and   said first electric circuit including said first and second pairs of electrical contacts of said removable battery pack.   
   
   
       9 . An air pump with a dual power supply, as in  claim 5 , wherein:
 said plurality of electrical contacts of said door includes a second pair of electrical contacts, said second pair of electrical contacts of said door being connected together;   said plurality of electrical contacts of said cavity includes a second pair of electric contacts, a first one of said second pair of electric contacts of said cavity being connected to said motor and a second one of said second pair of electrical contacts of said cavity being connected to said switch;   said first electric circuit includes said second pair of electric contacts of said cavity; and   said second electric circuit includes said first and second pairs of electrical contacts of said door and of said cavity.   
   
   
       10 . An air pump with a dual power supply, comprising:
 a fan;   a motor connected to said fan;   a switch connected to said motor;   a main body having cavity   a removable battery pack having a plurality of rechargeable battery cells enclosed therewithin;   a plurality of individual dry cell batteries;   said cavity having an opening and said cavity alternately receiving, through said opening, one of:
 (a) said removable battery pack, or 
 (b) said plurality of individual dry cell batteries; 
   
   
   
       11 . An air pump with a dual power supply, as in  claim 3 , wherein:
 said motor is disposed in said cavity;   said removable battery pack has a recess sized and shaped to receive said motor; and   said motor is received within said recess of said removable battery pack when said removable battery pack is alternately received within said cavity.   
   
   
       12 . An air pump with a dual power supply, as in  claim 9 , wherein:
 said plurality of individual dry cell batteries are standard D-Cell or C-Cell batteries; and   said plurality of individual dry cell batteries are connected in series.