US4589982A — Removable power pack pump assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 190 words

A removable power pack assembly for selective application to an aquarium filter and an aquarium vacuum, said assembly comprising: a housing; a cylindrical compartment contained in said housing and terminating in a neck portion depending from said housing, means defining an axial aperture at the distal end of said neck portion permitting the intake of water from an aquarium tank, and means defining a side aperture in said neck portion permitting the discharge of water from the cylindrical compartment; a motor unit positioned in said housing and comprising a stack of stator laminations defining a bore therein for receiving said cylindrical compartment, and having a motor coil crossing the laminations; a pump impeller unit positioned in said compartment and magnetically coupled to said motor unit for rotation upon energization of the motor coil to pump aquarium water into the axial aperture where the water will then be discharged from the side aperture; cover means secured onto said housing, and means for temporary coupling of said housing to said filter and to said vacuum, whereby the housing can be selectively utilized to operate both the filter and the vacuum, as needed.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 190 words

A removable power pack assembly for selective application to an aquarium filter and an aquarium vacuum, said assembly comprising: a housing; a cylindrical compartment contained in said housing and terminating in a neck portion depending from said housing, means defining an axial aperture at the distal end of said neck portion permitting the intake of water from an aquarium tank, and means defining a side aperture in said neck portion permitting the discharge of water from the cylindrical compartment; a motor unit positioned in said housing and comprising a stack of stator laminations defining a bore therein for receiving said cylindrical compartment, and having a motor coil crossing the laminations; a pump impeller unit positioned in said compartment and magnetically coupled to said motor unit for rotation upon energization of the motor coil to pump aquarium water into the axial aperture where the water will then be discharged from the side aperture; cover means secured onto said housing, and means for temporary coupling of said housing to said filter and to said vacuum, whereby the housing can be selectively utilized to operate both the filter and the vacuum, as needed.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 72 words

A removable power pack assembly as in claim 1, and comprising a cylindrical cap member secured onto the distal end of said neck portion and comprising a central hub for supporting one end of the impeller unit, a peripheral rim for securing onto the neck portion and a plurality of radial spokes extending between the hub and rim for defining a grid through which the aquarium water can enter said axial aperture.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

A removable power pack assembly as in claim 1, and comprising a handle on said cover means for insertion and removal of the power pack.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

A removable power pack assembly as in claim 1, and comprising a peripheral lip formed about the upper edge of said housing for resting onto a mating ledge portion provided on the aquarium filter.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 60 words

A removable power pack assembly as in claim 1, wherein said pump impeller unit comprises a fixed shaft, a sleeve rotatable on said shaft, a magnet mounted on said shaft for positioning in magnetic flux relationship with said laminations, and an impeller rotatable on said shaft and operably driven by said sleeve, said impeller being positioned in said neck portion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 176 words

An aquarium filter assembly, comprising: a housing unit adapted to be mounted on a wall of an aquarium tank, and comprising a receiving chamber for receiving contaminated water from the aquarium tank and a filter chamber for filtering the contaminated water, said chambers being in fluid flow communication with each other; a removable power pack unit comprising an outer casing having a depending neck portion with means defining an inlet port and means defining an outlet port, the outlet port discharging into said receiving chamber, a motor unit in said casing, and a pump impeller unit extending into said neck portion and magnetically coupled to said motor unit for rotation thereby to draw the contaminated water into the inlet port, and a unitary intake tube assembly supported on said housing unit and comprising a supply tube at one end thereof for insertion into the aquarium tank and a coupling member at the other end thereof for engaging said neck portion and coupling to said inlet port, to thereby supply the aquarium water to the receiving chamber.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 176 words

An aquarium filter assembly, comprising: a housing unit adapted to be mounted on a wall of an aquarium tank, and comprising a receiving chamber for receiving contaminated water from the aquarium tank and a filter chamber for filtering the contaminated water, said chambers being in fluid flow communication with each other; a removable power pack unit comprising an outer casing having a depending neck portion with means defining an inlet port and means defining an outlet port, the outlet port discharging into said receiving chamber, a motor unit in said casing, and a pump impeller unit extending into said neck portion and magnetically coupled to said motor unit for rotation thereby to draw the contaminated water into the inlet port, and a unitary intake tube assembly supported on said housing unit and comprising a supply tube at one end thereof for insertion into the aquarium tank and a coupling member at the other end thereof for engaging said neck portion and coupling to said inlet port, to thereby supply the aquarium water to the receiving chamber.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 68 words

An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 6, wherein said intake tube assembly comprises an inverted U-shaped configuration having said supply tube as one leg thereof, and a discharge tube at the other leg thereof, a cylindrical pan supported at the end of said discharge tube for receiving said neck portion, an aperture at the distal end of said discharge tube being in flow communication with said pan.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 7, wherein said pan is supported in offset relationship at the end of said discharge tube.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 37 words

An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 6, wherein said receiving chamber includes an inwardly directed peripheral ledge, and said outer casing comprises a peripheral lip formed about its upper edge which lip rests upon said ledge.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

An aquarium filter assembly as in claim 6 and comprising a cover member secured onto said outer casing and a handle on said cover member for removal of said power pack from said filter.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 156 words

An aquarium vacuum for movement along an aquarium tank to remove debris from the aquarium water, comprising: a tubular body member having a lower supply end for the ingress of debris laden aquarium water, an upper pumping end for drawing the aquarium water into the body member, and means defining a discharge aperture through a peripheral side wall for connection to a filter bag, and a removable power pack unit comprising an outer casing having a depending neck portion for insertion into the body member, and having means defining an inlet port in flowing registry with the pumping end, and means defining an outlet port in flowing registry with said discharge aperture, a motor unit in said casing, and a pump impeller unit extending into said neck portion and magnetically coupled to said motor unit for rotation thereby, to draw the debris laden aquarium water into the inlet port and discharge it into the filter bag.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 156 words

An aquarium vacuum for movement along an aquarium tank to remove debris from the aquarium water, comprising: a tubular body member having a lower supply end for the ingress of debris laden aquarium water, an upper pumping end for drawing the aquarium water into the body member, and means defining a discharge aperture through a peripheral side wall for connection to a filter bag, and a removable power pack unit comprising an outer casing having a depending neck portion for insertion into the body member, and having means defining an inlet port in flowing registry with the pumping end, and means defining an outlet port in flowing registry with said discharge aperture, a motor unit in said casing, and a pump impeller unit extending into said neck portion and magnetically coupled to said motor unit for rotation thereby, to draw the debris laden aquarium water into the inlet port and discharge it into the filter bag.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 102 words

An aquarium vacuum as in claim 11, and comprising an extension tube telescopically receiving said body member for adjustment of the length of the vacuum, a pair of spaced apart axial slits formed through a peripheral wall of the extension tube partially extending along its length from a medial end thereof to define a resilient flap therebetween, an inwardly directed detent lip at the free end of said flap, and a plurality of spaced apart circular ribs projecting from the outer surface of said body member, said detent lip engaging an appropriate rib to maintain a desired extended length of the vacuum.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 30 words

An aquarium vacuum as in claim 11, and comprising a removable grid member retained along the length of the body member for restraining the intake of gravel into the vacuum.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

An aquarium vacuum as in claim 11, wherein said body member is cylindrical with the power pack being removably inserted at one end thereof and said supply end at the opposing end thereof.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

An aquarium vacuum as in claim 11, and comprising a cover member secured onto the outer casing, and a handle on said cover member for removal of said power pack from said filter.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-05-19	1989-11-18	1990-05-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-05-19	1993-11-18	1994-05-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-05-19	1997-11-18	1998-05-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Removable power pack pump assembly

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