Compact, Light Weight, Battery Operated, Self-Priming, Positive Displacement Pump

Abstract

Compact, lightweight, battery operated, self-priming, positive displacement pump for storing in a toolbox or tool belt includes an elongated housing having a longitudinal axis, and an inline configuration including a positive displacement pump assembly to respond to a motor assembly drive torque, self-prime, and pump fluid from an input port to an output port, a motor assembly to respond to signaling and provide the motor assembly drive torque, a pump control interconnect assembly to provide the signaling to control the operation of the motor assembly by current based on run dry mode or over current, by time based on a timer set to run for an amount of time, or voltage based on over/under voltage; and a rechargeable battery housing/assembly to respond to recharging signaling and with a rechargeable DC power supply and power control module for providing some combination of inrush, overcharging, over-discharging, short circuit, over current protection.

We claim: 
     
         1 . Apparatus comprising:
 a compact, lightweight, battery operated, self-priming, positive displacement pump comprised of:
 an elongated housing having a longitudinal axis; 
 a positive displacement pump assembly configured in the elongated housing, and configured to respond to a motor assembly drive torque, to self-prime, and to pump fluid from an input port to an output port; 
 a motor assembly configured in the elongated housing and configured to respond to signaling and provide the motor assembly drive torque; and 
 a pump control interconnect assembly configured in the elongated housing, and configured to provide the signaling to control the operation of the motor assembly by current based on run dry mode or over current, by time based on a timer set to run for a given amount of time, by voltage based on over/under voltage, or some combination thereof; and 
 a rechargeable battery housing/assembly configured to respond to recharging signaling and configured with a rechargeable DC power supply and power control module for providing inrush, overcharging, over-discharging, short circuit, over current protection, or some combination thereof; and 
 the positive displacement pump assembly, the motor assembly, the pump control interconnect assembly and the rechargeable battery housing/assembly all being configured in-line with the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing so that the compact, lightweight, battery operated, self-priming, positive displacement pump is configured and dimensioned to be stored in a toolbox or a pouch of a tool belt. 
   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
 a charging base configured to receive an end of the compact, lightweight, battery operated, self-priming, positive displacement pump and to provide the recharging signaling to the rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured with two pieces that seal together to form at least an IPX4 water resistant rating. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pump control interconnect assembly is configured to provide and implement the inrush, overcharging, over-discharging, short circuit and over protection current. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a retention clip configured to allow the compact, lightweight, battery operated, self-priming, positive displacement pump to be held on a belt or a toolbox. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor assembly is configured with a power switch assembly to turn the motor assembly on and off. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power control functionality includes voltage cutoff and switching functionality. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the input port and the output port comprise a quick connect input port and a quick connect output port to allow the compact, lightweight, battery operated, self-priming, positive displacement pump to have multiport port configurations. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the quick connect input and output ports are configured along an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the positive displacement pump assembly is a diaphragm pump assembly.