Electric air pump

Abstract

An electric air pump includes an impeller and a blower motor coupled to the impeller and configured to drive the impeller to rotate and generate air pressure. The electric air pump also includes a power interface in electrical communication with the blower motor and configured to supply alternating current to power the blower motor. The electric air pump further includes an adjustable speed motor drive electrically coupled to the power interface and the blower motor to steplessly regulate the air pressure generated by the impeller via the blower motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric air pump assembly comprising:
 an air pump including an impeller and a blower motor coupled to the impeller and configured to drive the impeller to rotate and generate air pressure;   a power interface in electrical communication with the blower motor and configured to supply an alternating current to power the blower motor; and   an adjustable speed motor drive electrically coupled to the power interface and the blower motor to steplessly regulate the air pressure generated by the impeller via the blower motor.   
     
     
         2 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable speed motor drive comprises:
 an input device into which a stepless regulation command signal is input; and   a regulation device communicatively coupled to the input device and configured to receive the stepless regulation command signal, the regulation device further being configured to control and regulate a driving voltage of the blower motor, wherein the stepless regulation command signal is an instruction to steplessly regulate the rotational speed of the impeller.   
     
     
         3 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the input device comprises:
 an adjustable trimpot configured to generate a potential signal representing the stepless regulation command signal, wherein the regulation device comprises a silicon-controlled rectifier driving circuit configured to control the rotational speed of the blower motor;   a zero-crossing detection circuit coupled to the power interface and configured to detect a zero-crossing signal of the alternating current; and   a microcontroller configured to:
 (1) receive the potential signal generated by the adjustable trimpot and the zero-crossing signal of the alternating current detected by the zero-crossing detection circuit; and 
 (2) generate a rotational speed control signal based on the potential signal and the zero-crossing signal, and to send the rotational speed control signal to the silicon-controlled rectifier driving circuit. 
   
     
     
         4 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the regulation device further comprises a rectifying power supply configured to transform the alternating current to direct current and to supply the direct current to at least one of: the microcontroller, the adjustable trimpot, the silicon-controlled rectifier driving circuit, or the zero-crossing detection circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the rectifying power supply comprises a first rectifier and a transformer. 
     
     
         6 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blower motor is a direct current motor, and the air pump further comprises a rectifier configured to transform alternating current to direct current. 
     
     
         7 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable speed motor drive further comprises a drive status indicator configured to transmit a prompt indicating whether the adjustable speed motor drive is either working or not working. 
     
     
         8 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an air passage switching device configured to switch an air passage from any one of an inflating position, a deflating position, or a closed position;
 wherein an interior of an inflatable object is in communication with an outlet of the air pump in the inflating position;   wherein the interior of the inflatable object is in communication with an inlet of the air pump in the deflating position; and   wherein the interior of the inflatable object is blocked from communication with the air pump in the closed position.   
     
     
         9 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air pressure sensor configured to detect internal air pressure of an inflatable object; and   a central controller configured to start the blower motor when an air pressure value detected by the air pressure sensor is lower than a preset value and to deactivate the blower motor when the air pressure value detected by the air pressure sensor is equal to or higher than the preset value.   
     
     
         10 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air-supplementing pump;   an air pressure sensor configured to detect the internal air pressure of an inflatable object; and   a central controller configured to start the air-supplementing pump when an air pressure value detected by the air pressure sensor is lower than a preset value and to deactivate the air-supplementing pump when the air pressure value detected by the air pressure sensor is equal to or higher than the preset value.   
     
     
         11 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable speed motor drive further comprises:
 an air pressure sensor for detecting internal air pressure of an inflatable object;   an input device configured to generate a stepless regulation command signal in response to a user operation; and   a central controller communicatively coupled to the air pressure sensor and the input device, the central controller being configured to generate a regulation command for regulating the rotational speed of the impeller according to an air pressure value detected by the air pressure sensor and the stepless regulation command signal; and   a voltage regulator communicatively coupled to the central controller, the voltage regulator being electrically coupled to the blower motor, and configured to regulate and apply a driving voltage to the blower motor according to the regulation command.   
     
     
         12 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the input device comprises at least one of an adjusting knob, an adjusting key, or a touch-enabled display device. 
     
     
         13 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a display device communicatively coupled to the central controller, the display device configured to receive and show display information generated by the central controller, wherein the display information includes at least one of an inflating status for the air pump, a deflating status for the air pump, a preset inflating air pressure value for the air pump, a preset deflating air pressure value for the air pump, a current air pressure value detected by the air pressure sensor, a normal operating status for the air pump, or an abnormal operating status for the air pump. 
     
     
         14 . An electric air pump assembly comprising:
 an air pump for inflating and deflating an inflatable object;   an airflow controller coupled to the air pump, and configured to switch between at least two positions;   an air pressure sensor configured to detect an internal air pressure of the inflatable object; and   a central controller configured to receive a stepless regulation command signal and to control the air pump and the airflow controller to steplessly regulate internal air pressure of the inflatable object according to a detection result of the air pressure sensor and the stepless regulation command signal.   
     
     
         15 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a wireless communication module for receiving the stepless regulation command signal via a mobile terminal. 
     
     
         16 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an impeller;   a direct current motor coupled to the impeller for driving rotation of the impeller; and   a rectifier configured to transform alternating current to direct current and supply the direct current to the direct current motor.   
     
     
         17 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising an air-supplementing pump under the control of the central controller and configured to supplement airflow into the inflatable object. 
     
     
         18 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the airflow controller comprises a flow control actuator and an air passage switching device, the flow control actuator being configured to switch from a first one of the at least two positions to a second one thereof according to a control command transmitted by the central controller, the at least two positions including one or more of an inflating position, a deflating position, or a closed position. 
     
     
         19 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a position sensor coupled to the central controller and configured to send a position feedback signal to the central controller when the airflow controller is switched to one of the inflating position, the deflating position, or the closed position. 
     
     
         20 . The electric air pump assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a display communicatively coupled to the central controller and configured to receive and show display information generated by the central controller, wherein the display information includes at least one of an inflating status for the air pump, a deflating status for the air pump, a preset inflating air pressure value for the air pump, a preset deflating air pressure value for the air pump, a current air pressure value detected by the air pressure sensor, a normal operating status for the air pump, or an abnormal operating status for the air pump.