Air supply device and related methods of manufacture

Abstract

A pump device is provided including: a unitary pump frame; an electromagnet arrangement that includes a winding wrapped around a portion of the unitary pump frame; a diaphragm assembly coupled to the unitary pump frame, which includes a movable diaphragm and a manifold; and a pump arm having a proximal end coupled to the unitary pump frame and a distal end supporting a permanent magnet to interact with the electromagnet arrangement to cause the pump arm to swing back and forth during operation to displace the diaphragm and discharge an air stream from the pump device. Related methods of manufacture are also provided.

1 . An air pump comprising:
 a unitary pump frame having a bobbin portion integrally formed with a remainder of the unitary pump frame;   an electromagnet arrangement including a winding wrapped directly around the bobbin portion of the unitary pump frame such that at least a portion of the winding is in direct contact with the bobbin portion of the unitary pump frame;   a diaphragm assembly coupled to and supported by the unitary pump frame, the diaphragm assembly including a movable diaphragm and a manifold; and   a pump arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the pump arm coupled to the unitary pump frame and the distal end of the pump arm including a magnet to interact with the electromagnet arrangement to cause the pump arm to swing back and forth to displace the movable diaphragm during operation of the air pump.   
     
     
         2 . The air pump of  claim 1  wherein the bobbin portion of the unitary pump frame around which the winding of the electromagnet arrangement is wrapped resembles includes a hollow core and opposing flanges. 
     
     
         3 . The air pump of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of flexible, resilient tethers extending from the unitary pump frame for suspending the air pump within an internal cavity of a housing or a host device.   
     
     
         4 . The air pump of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of flexible, resilient tethers and unitary pump frame are formed via a multi-material injection molding process to form an integrated frame structure with tethers extending therefrom. 
     
     
         5 . The air pump of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of flexible, resilient tethers, the unitary pump frame and a manifold seal are formed via a multi-material injection molding process to form an integrated structure, and wherein the manifold of the diaphragm assembly is engaged with the manifold seal. 
     
     
         6 . The air pump of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of flexible, resilient tethers include barbs to selectively engage apertures of the housing or the host device to maintain the unitary pump frame suspended within the internal cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The air pump of  claim 1  wherein the unitary pump frame includes a pump arm receiving aperture sized and shaped to receive a corresponding portion of the proximal end on the pump arm in a press-fit or friction-fit. 
     
     
         8 . The air pump of  claim 1  wherein the unitary pump frame defines a closed perimeter around the diaphragm assembly and the pump arm. 
     
     
         9 . The air pump of  claim 1  wherein the unitary pump frame includes retaining structures positioned to engage each of opposing ends of the manifold of the diaphragm assembly to assist in coupling the manifold to the unitary pump frame. 
     
     
         10 . The air pump of  claim 9  wherein a manifold seal is provided adjacent a manifold receiving portion of the unitary pump frame and wherein the retaining structures assist in maintaining the manifold in sealed engagement with the manifold seal. 
     
     
         11 . The air pump of  claim 1  wherein the electromagnet arrangement includes an electromagnet core having a pair of legs, and wherein the unitary pump frame includes a bulkhead portion having a corresponding pair of apertures to receive the legs of the electromagnet core. 
     
     
         12 . The air pump of  claim 11  wherein the corresponding pair of apertures in the bulkhead portion of the unitary pump frame are sized and shaped to receive the legs of the electromagnet core in a press-fit or friction-fit. 
     
     
         13 . The air pump of  claim 1  wherein the unitary pump frame includes an upper bulkhead and terminals are provided at or proximate the upper bulkhead for supplying power to the electromagnet arrangement. 
     
     
         14 . The air pump of  claim 1  wherein the unitary pump frame is an open-sided structure that is configured to receive the diaphragm assembly and the pump arm as a pump cartridge in a direction transverse to a plane defined by an oscillating motion of the pump arm. 
     
     
         15 . An air treatment system comprising:
 a housing;   a diffusion head received in the housing; and   the air pump of  claim 1  operably connected to the diffusion head for diffusing liquid contained in the housing.   
     
     
         16 . The air treatment system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a plurality of flexible, resilient tethers extending from the unitary pump frame and suspending the air pump within an internal cavity of the housing.   
     
     
         17 . The air treatment system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a sound deadening or muffling device in the housing to reduce noise emanating therefrom.   
     
     
         18 . The air treatment system of  claim 17  wherein the sound deadening or muffling device substantially encloses the air pump and defines an air gap therebetween. 
     
     
         19 . An air pump comprising:
 an open-sided, one-piece pump frame defining a closed perimeter structure with an internal pump assembly cavity, and having a bobbin portion formed integrally with a remainder of the pump frame,   an electromagnet arrangement including a winding wrapped directly around the bobbin portion of the pump frame such that the winding is in direct contact with the bobbin portion;   a diaphragm assembly coupled to and supported by the pump frame within the pump assembly cavity, the diaphragm assembly including a movable diaphragm and a manifold; and   a pump arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the pump arm coupled to the pump frame to support the pump arm within the pump assembly cavity, and the distal end of the pump arm including a magnet to interact with the electromagnet arrangement to cause the pump arm to swing back and forth to displace the movable diaphragm during operation of the air pump.   
     
     
         20 . The air pump of  claim 19  wherein the diaphragm assembly and the pump arm collectively define a pump cartridge, and wherein the pump frame is configured to insertably receive the pump cartridge in a direction transverse to a plane defined by an oscillating motion of the pump arm.