Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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AIR REMOVING APPARATUS
Bacl~ground of the INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in and/or relating
to means for removing air from a vessel and in particular, although
not solely, to means and methods for "burping" a waterbed.
Description of the Prior Art
With the advent of waterbeds there has been an a~areness of the
need to periodically "burp" the waterbed so as to remove air bubbles
therefrom which would otherwise float around on the surface of the
water or other liquid within the bag of the waterbed thus giving rise
to noise which can be distracting and in some cases even to some
measure oP discomfort. Traditionally the burping has taken the form
of rolling sorne member along the length of a bed so as to coax air
bubbled to a "burping" opening from which a screw cap can normally be
removed for the purpose. Almost invariably there is a loss of some
liquid which gives rise to the need for mopping up.
Brief Summary of the Invention
It is therefore with such difficulties in mind that it is env-
isaged that a better way can be evolved for the burping of a waterbed.
Accordingly in one aspect the present invention consists in
apparatus suitable for employment in the burping of a water bed
comprising,
means engageable in a screw (or even bayonet or other method) fit
arrangement in a fluid tight manner with the burping and/or filling
opening of a waterbed after the cap thereof has been removed, and
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air withdrawal means capable of withdrawing air and/or liquid from
within a waterbed via said means engageable with said opening.
Preferably said means engageable in a fluid tight manner with the
burping and/or filling opening of a waterbed after the cap thereoF has
been removed includes a spigot member which will pass at least par-
tially into the opening.
Preferably the engagement is a screw thread engagement and
disposed about the spigot but spaced by an annulus is screw thread
engageable with such a threaded burping or filling opening.
Preferably the air removable means takes the form of a vacuum pump
such as, for example, a kind as disclosed in, for example, New Zealand
Patent Specification No. 152864.
Preferably the means for engag~ng with the waterbed is a sleeve-
like member with a screw thread,
Preferably the screw threaded sleeve-like member is provided by
fitting a cap like member to a pump such as, For example, as disclosed
in New Zealand Patent Specification No. 152864, but providing a com-
munication opening from the top thereof to allow the operation of the
pumpO
Preferably the cap like member is a member (preferably moulded)
which is attachable to the end of a pump as previously set forth forth
but includes a spigot member which spigot in use will be disposed
inwardly of the threaded member of the wood waterbed after its cap has
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been removed and the apparatus in accordance with the present inven-
tion has been screw fitted thereto.
Preferably the apparatus is substantially as hereinafter
described.
In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in a method
of burping a waterbed which comprises,
removing the cap of the waterbed without substantial loss of
liquid therefrom,
attaching apparatus in accordance with the present ~nvention using
said means engageable with said opening to the fitting about the
opening from which the cap has been removed,
pumping with at least one stroke air from the bed (with or without
lifting oF that region of the bag about the fitting to which the
apparatus has been attached) and,
detaching the apparatus from the fitting when the fitting is posi-
tioned so as to minimize the risk oF entry of air into the bag and,
thereafter refitting the cap to the fitting.
Preferably the method is performed substantially as hereinafter
described.
In yet a further aspect the present invention may broadly be said
to consist in a moulded member of other formed member suitable for
converting a pump, for example, a pump as disclosed in New ~ealand
patent specification no. 152864 to provide apparatus in accordance
with the present invention.
Preferably the attachment is subs-tantially as hereinafter
described preferably with reference to Figure 7 o-f the accompanying
drawings.
This invention may also broadly be said to consist in the parts,
elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of
the application~ individually or collectively, and any of all com-
binations of any two or more of said parts, elements or. features, and
where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equiva-
lents in the art to which this invention relates~ such known equiva-
lents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set
forth.
One preferred form oF the present invention will now be described
with reference to the accornpanying drawings wherein
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one preferred from of
the present inven-tion employing a pumping systenl substantially as
disclosed in New Zealand Patent Specification ~. 152864.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the end of the apparatus
suitable for attachment to the fitting of a wal;erbed from which a
screw cap has been detached.
2~ Figure 3 is a par cross-sectional view similar to Figure 1, but of
the end region in a versicn of the apparatus as depicted in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a similar view to that of Figure l but showing how a
spigot member is preFerably disposed about the o,oening oF the pump and
positioned subs-tantially axially with respect to the threaded surface
.
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to be engaged with the waterbed, the spigot preventing the collapse of
the filler neck (which is threaded on the waterbed) during the
"burping" operation;
Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 2 but
showing the annular spigot member;
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the variation where
a spigot member has been provided in the cap; and
Figure 7 shows a preferred form of the present invention where a
skirted conversion component attachable to a pump, such as for example
disclosed in New Zealand patent specification Nol., 152864, can be
easily adhesively or otherwise attached to the end thereof and can
provide all the advantages described above.
Detailed Description
In the preferred form of the present invention however the appara-
tus cornprises essentially two nestible cylindrical members. The first
member 1 includes an open end in which the second cylindrical member 2
is receivable. the second cylindrical member 2 includes two end mem-
bers provided respectively with openings 4 and 6 to allow the movement
of air therethrough. the end 3 however is provided with a flap or
membrane valve 5 which is biased to a closed condition or is substan-
tially unbiased.
The other cylindrical member 1 includes an end 7 which provided
with an opening 8 which like~Jise has a flap or membrane valve 9. Both
membrane valves 5 and 9 are disposed on the same side of the openings
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4 and 9 viz. that side which would allow movement of a fluid into the
greater bulk of that cylinder (zone B and from thence to zone A)
rather than thereform through the opening.
In operation therefore such a pump operates as follows. In use
element 2 would be pushed down towards member 7 of the outer cylindri-
cal member 1 such movement of the cylindrical member 2 towards the end
region 7, the flap valve 9 would close thereby not passing fluid down
through the opening 8. Fluid that does enter into the zone A from the
zone B would egress via opening 6.
There would then be withdrawal of the element 2 substantially from
within the outer cylindrical member 1 which has the effect of closing
the flap valve 5 but opening the flap valve 9 which causes the
filling of the zone B as it increases with fluid (whether liquid or
Gaseous) by passage oF fluid through the opening 8.
A person skilled in the art will appreciate how the cycle just
disclosed can be repeated as necessary to achieve the necessary
: pumping.
In figure 1 there is shown disposed on the inside of a cylindrical ~ .-
skirt 10 beyond the end 7 means indicative of a screw thread capable
of being engaged on a screw ferrule of a waterbed which surrounds the
burping or filling opening and to which a cap is normally attached~
It is possible to modify existing pumps of a kind substantially as
disclosed in New Zealand Patent Specification No. 152864 by fitting
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within the skirt 10 or 15 a screw cap 12 which can be fixed by an
appropriate adhesive to the inner side of the skirt or to the end 7.
It is necessary however to provide a port or opening 14 which com-
municate with the opening 8.
Where a waterbed is provided with a flimsy threaded spigot to
which the normal closure cap is fitted difficulties can arise owing to
the collapse of the fillerneck or the threaded spigot during the
pumping operation, thus allowing the leakage of air back into the
waterbed. With a view to preventing this it is desirable to provide
a spigot or annular member which protrudes inwardly of such a filler
neck and prevents such collapse. Such an annular member has been
shown in Figure 4 -to 7 inclusive and is iclentified in figures 4 and 5
by reference numberal 16.
The preferred means for converting pump such as, for example,
disclosed in New Zealand patent specification No. 152864 is as
depicted in section ln Figure 7 It can be seen that the attachment
includes not only the preferred threaded engagement portion, the pre-
ferred annular spigot to prevent collapse of the filler neck and the
opening to allow operation of the pump, but also an annular skirt
capable of being fixed or press fitted on to the end of the pump as
shown. The present invention therefore also consists in such an
attachment for a pump and to its use in converting a pump and pump
thus converted.
The present invention therefore consists in.an method of modifica-
tion of an existing vacuum pump to provide apparatus in accordance
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with the present invention. Preferably the modification is as shown in
Figure 2 and 3.
It can be seen therefore that when a bed is to be burped the
capped ferrule of the bed can be depressed so that opening of the cap
will not lead to a great ingress of air into the waterbed bag, the
thread of the cap member 12 of the thread 11 can be engaged therewith
whereupon the pumping out of air can take place. Ideally the pump
would be lifted up so as to distort the bag to which air to be burped
therefrom will preferentially migrate. One pumping has minimized the
gaseous content of the bag, possibly even by drawing liquid into zone
B, the bag can be returned to a position from which it is safe to
disengage the apparatus in the sense that liquid loss is substantially
minimized but at the same time it is not possible for air to enter
into the waterbed bag via the ferrule. The cap can then be attached
and the bed re~urned to use.
It is believed therefore that the means and methods of the present
invention will find widespread acceptance.
