Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
446 words
A grinder pump including a casing having a pump chamber, a suction port communicating with said pump chamber and a discharge passage communicating with said pump chamber, a motor and a pump shaft operatively associated with said motor and extending axially through said pump chamber, comprising: a semi-open type pump impeller disposed in said pump chamber and including a pump impeller hub adapted to cooperate with said pump shaft for mounting said pump impeller thereon, said pump impeller further comprising a plurality of pump impeller blades extending radially from said pump impeller hub and each said plurality of pump impeller blades having an open side edge facing said suction port and wherein said open side edges of said plurality of pump impeller blades are positioned a predetermined distance above a lower end wall of said discharge passage so as to maintain a desired pump efficiency; a grinder ring mounted in said suction port coaxially with said pump shaft and wherein said grinder ring further comprises a plurality of axially extending grinding grooves and a plurality of axially extending grinding edges on an inner surface thereof; a grinder impeller mounted on an end of said pump shaft distal said motor and positioned adjacent said pump impeller, said grinder impeller further comprising a grinder impeller hub facing said suction port and at least two grinding blades disposed on said grinder impeller hub, each of said at least two grinding blades having a sharp axial edge defining a cylindrical surface of revolution when said grinder impeller is rotated and wherein said cylindrical surface of revolution and said inner surface of said grinder ring define a small, predetermined clearance therebetween such that said plurality of axially extending grinding edges and said at least two grinding blades cooperate to effect shredding therebetween and further wherein a diameter of said grinder impeller hub is substantially equivalent to a diameter of said cylindrical surface of revolution; a boss formed on said grinder impeller hub on a side opposite said at least two grinding blades and disposed to abut against said pump impeller hub such that an outer surface of said boss is smoothly continguous with an outer surface of said pump impeller hub to form a smooth continuous outer surface to prevent clogging of said grinder pump; and a plurality of auxiliary blades formed on said boss of said grinder impeller hub, each of said plurality of auxiliary blades having a radial end disposed substantially on said cylindrical surface of revolution and wherein each of said plurality of auxiliary blades forms a continuous axial surface with a corresponding one of said plurality of pump impeller blades to prevent clogging of said grinder pump.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
446 words
A grinder pump including a casing having a pump chamber, a suction port communicating with said pump chamber and a discharge passage communicating with said pump chamber, a motor and a pump shaft operatively associated with said motor and extending axially through said pump chamber, comprising: a semi-open type pump impeller disposed in said pump chamber and including a pump impeller hub adapted to cooperate with said pump shaft for mounting said pump impeller thereon, said pump impeller further comprising a plurality of pump impeller blades extending radially from said pump impeller hub and each said plurality of pump impeller blades having an open side edge facing said suction port and wherein said open side edges of said plurality of pump impeller blades are positioned a predetermined distance above a lower end wall of said discharge passage so as to maintain a desired pump efficiency; a grinder ring mounted in said suction port coaxially with said pump shaft and wherein said grinder ring further comprises a plurality of axially extending grinding grooves and a plurality of axially extending grinding edges on an inner surface thereof; a grinder impeller mounted on an end of said pump shaft distal said motor and positioned adjacent said pump impeller, said grinder impeller further comprising a grinder impeller hub facing said suction port and at least two grinding blades disposed on said grinder impeller hub, each of said at least two grinding blades having a sharp axial edge defining a cylindrical surface of revolution when said grinder impeller is rotated and wherein said cylindrical surface of revolution and said inner surface of said grinder ring define a small, predetermined clearance therebetween such that said plurality of axially extending grinding edges and said at least two grinding blades cooperate to effect shredding therebetween and further wherein a diameter of said grinder impeller hub is substantially equivalent to a diameter of said cylindrical surface of revolution; a boss formed on said grinder impeller hub on a side opposite said at least two grinding blades and disposed to abut against said pump impeller hub such that an outer surface of said boss is smoothly continguous with an outer surface of said pump impeller hub to form a smooth continuous outer surface to prevent clogging of said grinder pump; and a plurality of auxiliary blades formed on said boss of said grinder impeller hub, each of said plurality of auxiliary blades having a radial end disposed substantially on said cylindrical surface of revolution and wherein each of said plurality of auxiliary blades forms a continuous axial surface with a corresponding one of said plurality of pump impeller blades to prevent clogging of said grinder pump.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The grinder pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of auxiliary blades further comprises an axially extending portion of said radial end disposed in opposed relation to said inner surface of said grinder ring such that said axially extending portion of said plurality of auxiliary blades and said plurality of axially extending grinding edges cooperate to effect shredding therebetween.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The grinder pump as claimed in claim 2 wherein said grinder impeller hub further comprises a shallow conical surface facing said suction port and having a plurality of radial cutting edges formed thereon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
The grinder pump as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or 3 further comprising a suction cover ring covering a lower axial end of said grinder ring and wherein an inside surface of said suction cover ring coincides with a phantom circle defined by an innermost recessed point of each of said plurality of axially extending grinding grooves and a lower internal edge of said suction cover ring facing said suction port is rounded.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The grinder pump as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or 3 wherein said predetermined distance further comprises about 50 to 80% of a distance between said lower end wall and an upper end wall of said discharge passage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The grinder pump as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said at least two grinding blades further comprises a lower end extending axially beyond a lower end surface of said grinder ring such that clogging of said plurality of axially extending grinding grooves is prevented.