Aquarium fluid pump assembly with magnectic rotator
A fluid pump assembly is provided. The pump has a pair of units magnetically coupled to each other. The first unit contains a drive motor and a magnetic assembly. The second unit contains a magnetic assembly and a blade of a propeller/impeller for imparting movement to a fluid. As the first unit is activated by the drive motor, a magnetic flux is created which in turn rotates the magnetic assembly in the second unit, driving the blade.
1. An aquarium, comprising:
a housing comprising a plurality of interconnected sidewalls, a bottom, and an open top, at least some of the sidewalls made of a transparent material; and
a pump affixed to one of the sidewalls, the pump comprising a pump housing, a base, and a nozzle;
a rotator at least partially contained in the pump housing, the rotator comprising a magnet constructed and arranged to be magnetically coupled to and rotationally driven by a magnet of a drive unit;
a shaft operatively connected to the rotator;
a blade operatively coupled with the shaft;
a magnet cover cooperating with the base to enclose the rotator;
an axle concentrically surrounded by the shaft; and
a ceramic sleeve concentric with the axle and positioned between the axle and the shaft, wherein the axle comprises a flanged base.
2. The aquarium of claim 1 , wherein the flanged base contacts a surface of the base.
3. The aquarium of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the ceramic sleeve is concentric with and surrounded by a bearing.
4. The aquarium of claim 1 , wherein the axle comprises a metallic material.
5. The aquarium of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a plurality of spaced ribs forming openings allowing fluid to flow therethrough.
6. The aquarium of claim 1 , further comprising a casing surrounding the magnet.
7. The aquarium of claim 1 , further comprising a lower bearing connected to the rotator.
8. The aquarium of claim 1 , wherein a drive unit comprising a drive unit magnet magnetically couples to and rotationally drives the blade of the magnetically driven unit.
9. An aquarium, comprising:
a housing comprising a plurality of interconnected sidewalls, a bottom, and an open top, at least some of the sidewalls made of a transparent material; and
a pump housing comprising a base and a nozzle, the nozzle having a base section connecting to the base, an end section, and a central section extending between the base section and the end section;
a rotator at least partially contained in the pump housing, the rotator comprising a magnet constructed and arranged to be magnetically coupled to and rotationally driven by a drive unit magnet;
a shaft operatively connected to the rotator;
a blade operatively coupled with the shaft;
a magnet cover cooperating with the base to enclose the rotator; and
an axle concentrically surrounded by the shaft, wherein the end section contains a top wall and arms projecting from the top wall to a central hub, the arms allow fluid to flow therebetween and the central hub forms an upper constraint to receive a top portion of the axle.
10. The aquarium of claim 9 , wherein the axle comprises a flanged base.
11. The aquarium of claim 10 , wherein the flanged base contacts a surface of the base.
12. The aquarium of claim 9 , further comprising a ceramic sleeve concentric with the axle and positioned between the axle and the shaft.
13. The aquarium of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the ceramic sleeve is concentric with and surrounded by a bearing.
14. The aquarium of claim 9 , wherein the axle comprises a metallic material.
15. The aquarium of claim 9 , wherein the nozzle comprises a plurality of spaced ribs creating openings allowing fluid to flow therethrough.
16. The aquarium of claim 9 , further comprising a casing surrounding the magnet of the rotor.
17. The aquarium of claim 9 , further comprising a lower bearing connected to the rotator.
18. The aquarium of claim 9 , wherein a drive unit comprising the drive unit magnet magnetically couples to and rotationally drives the blade of the magnetically driven unit.
19. The aquarium of claim 9 , wherein the axle has a first end supported on the base and a second end supported by the nozzle.
20. The aquarium of claim 9 , wherein the magnet cover cooperates with the base to enclose the magnet of the rotator between the base and the magnet cover, and wherein a magnetic shield is positioned on the magnet of the rotator.