Single Motor Multiple Pumps

Abstract

A motorized pump assembly including a motor having a rotatable shaft, at least a first pump having a first impeller and a second pump having a second impeller, wherein the first pump and the second pump are connected to the motor through a rotatable shaft, and wherein the first impeller of the first pump is independently operable from the second impeller of the second pump. The first pump includes a first one-way bearing operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a first direction, while the second pump includes a second one-way bearing operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a second direction, wherein the second pump and the second one-way bearing are not operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in the first direction, and wherein the first pump and the first one-way bearing are not operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in the second direction. A method of dispensing multiple fluids is also described.

1 . A motorized pump assembly comprising:
 a motor having a rotatable shaft;   a first pump having a first impeller;   a second pump having a second impeller, wherein the first pump and second pump are connected to one another and to the motor through the rotatable shaft; and,   wherein the first impeller of the first pump is independently operable from the second impeller of the second pump.   
     
     
         2 . The motorized pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first pump further includes a first one-way bearing. 
     
     
         3 . The motorized pump assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first bearing is rotatable in first direction. 
     
     
         4 . The motorized pump assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first bearing is rotatable in a clockwise direction. 
     
     
         5 . The motorized pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second pump further includes a second one-way bearing. 
     
     
         6 . The motorized pump assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the second bearing is rotatable in a second direction. 
     
     
         7 . The motorized pump assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the second bearing is rotatable in counterclockwise direction. 
     
     
         8 . A motorized pump device comprising:
 a motor driving a rotatable shaft;   a first pump having a first one-way bearing and operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a first direction; and   a second pump having a second one-way bearing and operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a second direction;   wherein the second pump and the second one-way bearing are not operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in the first direction; and   
       wherein the first pump and the first one-way bearing are not operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in the second direction. 
     
     
         9 . The motorized pump device of  claim 8 , wherein the first pump further includes a first impeller moveable through the first one-way bearing in the first direction. 
     
     
         10 . The motorized pump device of  claim 8 , wherein the second pump further includes a second impeller moveable through the second one-way bearing in the second direction. 
     
     
         11 . The motorized pump device of  claim 8 , wherein the first direction is clockwise. 
     
     
         12 . The motorized pump device of  claim 8 , wherein the second direction is counterclockwise. 
     
     
         13 . A motorized pump assembly comprising:
 a motor having a rotatable shaft;   a first pump having a first impeller mounted on a first one-way bearing, the first impeller operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a first direction;   a second pump having a second impeller mounted on a second one-way bearing and operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a second direction; and,   wherein in the first direction the first pump operates, while the second pump holds, and in the second direction the second pump operates while the first pump holds.   
     
     
         14 . A method for dispensing multiple fluids, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a motor having a rotatable shaft;   providing a first pump having a first impeller mounted on a first one-way bearing, the first impeller operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a first direction;   providing a second pump having a second impeller mounted on a second one-way bearing and operatively driven by the rotatable shaft when the rotatable shaft is rotated in a second direction;   staying operation of the second pump when the rotatable shaft is rotated in the first direction; and   staying operation of the first pump when the rotatable shaft is rotated in the second direction.   
     
     
         15 . A method for dispensing multiple fluids comprising the steps of:
 coupling a reversible motor having a rotatable drive shaft to a first fluid pump via a first one-way bearing;   coupling the reversible motor having a rotatable drive shaft to a second fluid pump via a second one-way bearing;   operating the reversible motor to turn the drive shaft in a first direction to thereby operate the first fluid pump to dispense a first fluid;   operating the reversible motor to turn the drive shaft in a second direction to thereby operate the second fluid pump to dispense a second fluid; and   wherein the second one-way bearing prevents the second fluid pump from operating to dispense the second fluid when the drive shaft turns in the first direction and the first one-way bearing prevents the first pump from operating to dispense the first fluid when the drive shaft turns in the second direction.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the operation of the motor to turn the rotatable drive shaft alternates between the first direction and the second direction automatically. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first direction is a clockwise direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second direction is a counterclockwise direction. 
     
     
         19 . A method for automatically dispensing multiple fluids comprising the steps of:
 pumping a first fluid via a first pump in response to the operation of a motor turning a rotatable drive shaft in a first direction; and   pumping a second fluid via a second pump in response to the operation of the motor turning the rotatable drive shaft in a second direction.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 staying operation of the second pump when the rotatable shaft is rotated in the first direction; and,   staying operation of the first pump when the rotatable shaft is rotated in the second direction.