Pond pump with a self-cleaning filter unit
OwnerFrank Lindnerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pump-and-filter assembly for use in a pond, pool, or fountain. The pump unit creates a flow of water into an intake port and out through a discharge port and a filter unit mounted in front of the pump unit for filtering water flowing through the pump. The filter unit has a turbulence-producing device that produces turbulence in the water on the outside of the filter element. The turbulence in the water that is being drawn into the filter impedes or prevents the build-up of material deposits on the outside surface of the filter element.
Claims18
A pump-and-filter assembly for submersible use in water, the pump-and-filter assembly comprising:
- a pump unit that includes a pump motor, a drive shaft, and a pump element that causes the water flow to be drawn into the pump chamber through an intake port and discharged through a discharge port;
- and
- a filter unit that includes a filter element that at least partially surrounds a filter chamber, the filter element being an outer turbulence-producing device that is rotationally driven and that creates turbulence in the water flow on the outside surface of the filter element;
- an inner turbulence-producing device that is movably mounted within the filter chamber;
- a filter shaft that is connected to the drive shaft and extends through the filter chamber, the filter shaft being rotationally driven about a longitudinal axis;
- wherein the filter unit is provided upstream of the pump unit;
- wherein the filter element is supported so as to be freely rotatable independent of the filter shaft;
- wherein the inner turbulence-producing device causes a rotational water flow that drives the filter element;
- and
- wherein the turbulence in the water flow works against material being deposited on the outside surface of the filter element.
A filter unit for use with a pond pump, the filter unit comprising:
- a filter element that surrounds at least partially a filter chamber and a filter shaft that extends through the filter chamber and is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the filter shaft;
- a turbulence-producing device that includes an inner turbulence-producing device and an outer turbulence-producing device;
- and
- a drive means for rotationally driving the turbulence-producing device;
- wherein the drive means causes the filter element to rotate, such that the filter element forms the outer turbulence-producing device;
- and
- wherein the inner turbulence-producing device is mounted inside the filter chamber;
- wherein water pumped by the pond pump is drawn through the filter element into the filter chamber;
- wherein the turbulence-producing device generates turbulence on an outer surface of the filter element, thereby preventing material in the water flowing through the filter element from being deposited on the outer surface of the filter element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.