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Air pump with dual power supply

Air pump with dual power supply description/claims

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/895,214, filed Mar. 16, 2007.

The invention pertains to the field of portable air pumps and, in particular, to portable air pumps suitable for inflating air beds.

Prior portable air pumps, such as for inflating air beds and other uses, typically include a motor, a fan and a power source. The power source may be an A/C or D/C power source, or both. Typically, such A/C power sources comprise a power cord that may be connected to a standard power outlet. A/C power is a constant and reliable power source; however, it requires the presence of a power outlet within reach of the cord.

D/C power sources of prior portable air pumps typically include a specialized rechargeable portable battery pack, which may be removable or permanently installed in the air pump. Such rechargeable battery packs are a convenient means to power portable air pumps, however, they eventually drain and must be recharged, which may take several hours. When such rechargeable battery packs are drained and/or during recharging, they are unavailable as a power source. Therefore, the portable air plump may not be operated (or operated optimally) by the D/C power source at these times.

Therefore, what is desired is an alternative D/C power source for a portable air pump that may be employed during recharging of the rechargeable battery pack, such that the air pump may remain operable during such periods.

For a complete understanding of the above and other features of the invention, reference shall be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fully-assembled, first embodiment, portable air pump constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the portable air pump of FIG. 1, showing a rechargeable battery pack;

FIG. 3A is a top view of the air pump of FIG. 1, with the door removed;

FIG. 3B is a bottom view of the door of the air pump of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a (inverted) perspective view of the rechargeable battery pack;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the rechargeable battery pack;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the rechargeable battery pack;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the rechargeable battery pack;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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