Vacuum pump

Abstract

A vacuum pump may include a tubular stator located between an intake plate and a back plate. Mating portions on the intake plate and back plate may be used to properly locate the stator. The stator may include two internal pump chambers separated by a divider plate. The divider plate may be located within an internal cavity of the stator. A rotor in each chamber may include vanes and may be offset from the center of the chamber. Each rotor may be fixed to a rotatable shaft for operation of the vacuum pump. In some embodiments, the divider plate may have a fluid passageway extending therethrough. The fluid passageway may be located within the area swept by the rotors. In some embodiments, an exhaust outlet may include a flutter valve having a shaped surface that prevents the flutter valve from fully closing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Vacuum pumps may be used for a wide variety of industrial processes, such as dehydration, decontamination, degassing, and the forming, lifting and holding of fluids. U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,897 to Lower et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,764 to Fritch et al. disclose examples of vacuum pumps. [0002] The manufacturing process of a typical vacuum pump generally requires a skilled assembly technician to establish the correct clearances between parts of the pump. This often includes expensive grinding and lapping operations. Clearances are then maintained by compressive loads applied by screws or dowel pins. [0003] It would be desirable for a pump to have a design wherein the correct clearances between internal parts may be substantially fixed as a function of the machining processes during manufacture, wherein expensive grinding and lapping operations are not required. [0004] It would be desirable for a pump to be manufactured from relatively inexpensive part...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] An advantage of the present invention is to provide a vacuum pump wherein the correct clearances between internal parts may be achieved as a function of machining processes during the manufacturing of the pump using standard machining centers such as lathes and mills. Therefore, grinding and lapping operations generally performed by a skilled technician are not required.

[0010] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a vacuum pump design which inherently resists the undesirable shifting of internal parts.

[0011] Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a vacuum pump having a stator that may be manufactured from an inexpensive tube of material. In some embodiments the stator may be cylindrical.

[0012] Another advantage of several embodiments of the present invention are to provide a vacuum pump having a tubular stator and a novel chamber dividing plate. Some embodiments may further include an integrated cap having an exhaust valve.

[0013] Another advantage of several embodiments of the present invention is to provide a vacuum pump wherein the clearance between the stator and the rotors may be fixed by providing end plates having a shaft journal aperture precisely located relative to a flange that may be used to locate the stator.

[0014] Another advantage of several embodiments of the present invention is to provide a divider plate located within an internal cavity of the stator.

Problems solved by technology

This often includes expensive grinding and lapping operations.

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