PUMP AND METHOD FOR OPERATION OF SUCH

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a pump comprising a pumping unit with a pump pipe having a terminal stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is driven via a rotor shaft which is guided through the pump pipe and exits the pumping unit at a shaft outlet opposite the stator such that a shaft connection formed by the rotor shaft is exposed in extension of the pump pipe, and to a method for operating such a pump.

[0002] Such a pump is already known from RU 2323371 C1. Further reference should be made to JP 2005 / 127281 A, DE 10 2020 112 668 A1, DE 10 2022 201 368 A1 and EP 3 222 179 A1.

[0003] Pumps capable of operating at different speeds are known from the prior art. Eccentric screw pumps, for example, have been known for a long time. They are used for pumping primarily aqueous to highly viscous Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids and allow for variable flow rates at high delivery heads. Eccentric screw pumps have a stator with a corrugated inner contour in which an eccentrically shaped rotor, the progressive screw, rotates. As it rotates, the rotor and stator form chambers in which the fluid is enclosed and conveyed upwards along the pump tube to an outlet.

[0004] The advantages of the progressive cavity pump lie in its consistent flow rate, which is achieved by avoiding shearing movements in the stator. A suction line is not required, and the pump is immediately ready for operation upon start-up, as evacuation of the pump tube is unnecessary.

[0005] In a state-of-the-art progressive cavity pump, the rotor shaft is driven by an electric motor, which is flanged to the shaft outlet and, for example, positively connected to the rotor shaft via a jaw coupling. Such electric motors are durable and efficient and can also be supplied in explosion-proof versions for appropriate applications, such as in the petrochemical industry.

[0006] However, there are also simpler applications where no special requirements are placed on the electric motors. Operating a pump in general, and a progressing cavity pump in particular, is possible even at low speeds. While conventional drum pumps must be operated at around seven thousand revolutions per minute to build up and maintain the necessary vacuum in the pump tube, progressing cavity pumps, due to their different operating principle, can be operated at lower speeds; in particular, the speed should not exceed two thousand revolutions per minute.

[0007] Against this background, the present invention aims to create a pump which enables the simplest and most cost-effective operation possible for applications without special requirements.

[0008] This is achieved by a pump according to the features of independent claim 1. This is also achieved by a method for operating a pump according to the features of dependent claim 9. Suitable embodiments of such a pump and of the method for operating such a pump can be found in the respective subsequent dependent claims.

[0009] The design includes a pump comprising a pumping unit with a pump pipe having a terminal stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is driven via a rotor shaft which is guided through the pump pipe and exits the pumping unit at a shaft outlet opposite the stator, rotating at least approximately freely, such that a shaft connection formed by the rotor shaft is exposed as an extension of the pump pipe. An electric motor with a quick-release chuck is detachably attached to the shaft connection of such a pump.

[0010] In a simple case, if the shaft connection is a smooth, round shaft leading out of the pump tube in the area of ​​a shaft outlet, it can be clamped directly into a quick-release chuck of the electric motor.

[0011] In particular, it appears advantageous to provide such a design for a progressive cavity pump whose stator has a corrugated inner contour and whose rotor has the shape of a progressive cavity, wherein the electric motor is preferably operable in a speed range of up to two thousand revolutions per minute. The low required speed range makes it possible, especially for simple applications, particularly outside of explosion protection or comparable environmental conditions, to use a standard cordless drill as the electric motor. For the purposes of the invention, a cordless drill is to be understood as any comparable device, be it a cordless screwdriver, a rotary hammer, which is operated solely by rotation, regardless of whether the electric motor is powered by a battery or a connecting cable.In this respect, a quick-release chuck is understood to be any chuck that can be clamped and tightened with or without auxiliary tools.

[0012] For operation, the drill driver simply needs to be connected to the rotor shaft's shaft connection using its quick-release chuck. While holding and operating the drill driver with one hand, the other hand can be used to hold the pump unit, preventing it from rotating with the drill driver, and to pump the medium from a container into which the pump unit is immersed.

[0013] It is particularly advantageous if the shaft connection is round, polygonal, or polygonal in shape. In such a case, the quick-release chuck of the drill driver can be directly connected to it. The quick-release chuck simply needs to be opened far enough, the shaft connection inserted, and the quick-release chuck closed.

[0014] In the case of a round shaft connection, as is also found on older drill bits, greater friction is required. Quick-release chucks are generally designed for this and allow clamping using motor power. A multi-sided shank, on the other hand, allows for a better grip on the shaft connection. A drill / driver with a corresponding multi-sided tool holder does not require a clamping action in this case; simple insertion is sufficient, although depending on the model, an additional locking action may be necessary.

[0015] A polygonal shaft connection is understood to mean that it is not a classic polygon, usually hexagonal, but that its properties are fulfilled in another way. For example, clamping systems are known in which one-sided recesses are provided in a round shaft, into which a locking mechanism engages when clamped. Such a device functions in the overall context like a polygonal shaft and is therefore subsequently referred to as polygonal.

[0016] As an alternative to a round, polygonal, or polygonal-like design of the shaft connection, a detachable connection adapter can also be provided for the shaft connection, which forms the shaft connection in a round, polygonal, or polygonal-like manner. By inserting such a connection adapter, the pump unit remains compatible with the professional pumps regularly used to date and can be adapted for operation with a power drill as needed by using the connection adapter. Such a connection adapter utilizes the existing connection system and converts it to a design compatible with a quick-release chuck, in particular to a round, polygonal, or, as defined in the invention, polygonal-like shaft connection.

[0017] In a specific design, the shaft connection to the connection adapter may be detachably connected via a claw coupling. In such a case, the pump shaft connection already incorporates part of a claw coupling common in this area, namely an output element. This can interact with a drive element of a pump motor, forming such a claw coupling. The drive element and output element are essentially shaped like a crown, with interlocking teeth, or claws, so that when the drive element rotates, its claws engage with those of the output element, driving them along. On the side of the connection adapter facing away from the drive element, it forms the aforementioned round, polygonal, or polygonal-like shaft connection, which can be held in place using the quick-release chuck of a drill / driver.

[0018] It is advantageous to design the jaw coupling with a permanently connected output element to the shaft connection and a permanently connected input element to the connection adapter, preferably with the input element being lockable to the output element in a torsionally rigid manner. Since a jaw coupling can, in principle, be separated by removing the input element from the output element, it can be beneficial to ensure that removal is not possible during operation. This is particularly helpful in manual operation, where tilting of the pump and / or drill can easily occur, as it avoids the need for constant reconnection of the jaw coupling.

[0019] Preferably, a handle may also be provided that is fixed to the pump tube. Such a handle allows the pump tube, and thus the entire pumping unit, to be held securely, preventing it from rotating due to the motor's rotation. This also facilitates keeping the pump tube straight and the coupling engaged.

[0020] Alternatively, the pump pipe can be equipped with a connecting device for a rotationally fixed connection between the pump pipe and the electric motor. Drill drivers are often also clampable in height-adjustable stands, so a similar stand, though not necessarily with height adjustment, can also be used to connect the drill driver to the pump unit. Such a stand can not only provide a common mounting point for the drill driver and pump unit, but also prevent the pump unit from rotating relative to the drill driver and the drill driver from tipping over sideways.

[0021] The invention described above will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment.

[0022] They show Figure 1 shows a pump according to the invention in the form of a progressive cavity pump with a pumping unit having a progressive cavity as a rotor and a drill as a pump motor, wherein a quick-release chuck of the drill directly engages the pump shaft, and Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the progressive cavity pump not covered by the invention. Figure 1 , whereby a quick-release chuck of the drill driver engages a connection adapter which converts a claw coupling to a round shaft connection.

[0023] Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a pump in the form of an eccentric screw pump 1, consisting of an eccentric screw pumping unit 2 and a drill / driver 17, which operates a rotor shaft 9 of the pumping unit 2 as a pump motor.

[0024] The pumping unit 2 essentially comprises a pump tube 3, which is inserted through a bung hole into a container (not shown) and can convey a medium contained therein. The aqueous to highly viscous medium enters the pump tube 3 through openings in the area of ​​a stator 6 at a lower end, i.e., the end facing away from the drill 17. The stator 6 has a corrugated inner contour 7, which interacts with a rotor 8 in the form of an eccentric screw. The rotor 8 is connected via a rotor shaft 9, which extends through the pump tube 3 to a shaft outlet 5, to a shaft connection 10 that projects beyond the shaft outlet 5. The shaft connection 10, in turn, is clamped in a quick-release chuck 19 of the drill 17 and is therefore set into rotation when the drill 17, in this case a cordless drill, is operated.The rotor shaft 9 rotates via the shaft connection 10, and with it the rotor 8. Due to the rotation, movable chambers form between the rotor 8 and the inner contour 7 of the stator 6, which move upwards as the rotor 8 rotates and convey the medium contained within them upwards.

[0025] Due to the chamber formation in the stator 6, an eccentric screw pump 2 like the present one can be operated at a comparatively low speed, with even the low speed of a power drill 17 being sufficient. Provided there are no further requirements for the pump motor used, such as explosion protection, the pump 2 can be configured to be operated with the power drill 17, thus eliminating the need to purchase a separate pump motor. This is particularly advantageous because, unlike a power drill 17, the pump motor itself has very limited use for other tasks.

[0026] In theTo operate the pump, the user first clamps the end of the rotor shaft 9, which in this case is a round, polygonal, or polygonal shaft connection 10, into the quick-release chuck 19 of the drill 17. The pump unit 2, thus completed to form a complete progressive cavity pump 1, is then placed with its pump tube 3 into a container to be emptied, such as a water barrel. The pump unit is held and operated using a handle 15 located at its upper end, while the drill 17 is held and operated using a handle 21 molded onto it. By using a battery 20 in the drill 1, the progressive cavity pump 1 can be used in various locations. To To transfer the pumped medium, in this example water, into another container, a hose can easily be connected to outlet 4 to handle the medium.

[0027] Figure 2Figure 1 shows a largely similar solution, except that here the shaft connection 10, in the form of the output element 14 of a jaw coupling 12, protrudes from the shaft outlet 5. Since such an output element 14 of a jaw coupling 12 cannot be securely clamped into a quick-release chuck 19, a connection adapter 11 is provided, which is inserted between the actual shaft connection 10 and the quick-release chuck 19 of the drill driver 17. The connection adapter has a drive element 13 on one side that engages forcefully with the output element 14, and on the opposite side a shaft connection 10, which is designed for connection with the quick-release chuck 19 of the drill driver 17 and is therefore round, polygonal, or polygonal in shape.

[0028] To prevent the claw coupling 12 from separating due to tilting or lifting the drill 17, a connecting element 16 in the form of a frame or connecting rod is provided, which secures the drill 17 in a defined position relative to the pump unit 2. This prevents the claw coupling 12 from separating and also allows the entire progressive cavity pump to be operated with one hand.

[0029] The above description describes a pump which enables the simplest and most cost-effective operation possible for applications without special requirements. REFERENCE MARK LIST

[0030] 1 Eccentric screw pump 2 Pumping unit 3 Pump pipe 4 Outlet 5 Shaft outlet 6 Stator 7 Inner contour 8 Rotor 9 Rotor shaft 10 Shaft connection 11 Connection adapter 12 Claw coupling 13 Drive element 14 Output element 15 Handle 16 Connecting device 17 Drill / driver 18 Electric motor 19 Quick-release chuck 20 Battery 21 Handle

Claims

1. Pump comprising an exchangeable pump unit (2) with a pump pipe (3) which has an end stator (6) and a rotor (8), wherein the rotor (8) is driven by a rotor shaft (9) which passes through the pump tube (3) and exits the pump unit (2) at a shaft outlet (5) opposite the end of the stator (6) in such a way that a shaft connection (10) formed by the rotor shaft (9) is exposed in line with the pump tube, characterised in that the shaft connection (10) is detachably associated with an electric motor (18) designed as a hand-held drill / screwdriver with a quick-release chuck (19), and the pump tube (3) is assigned a handle (15) in a rotationally fixed manner such that the pump unit (2) can be manually held and guided by a user during operation by means of the handle (15).

2. Pump according to claim 1, characterised in that the pump is an eccentric screw pump (1) whose stator has a corrugated inner contour (7) and whose rotor (8) has the shape of an eccentric screw, wherein the electric motor (18) can preferably be operated in a speed range of up to two thousand revolutions per minute.

3. Pump according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the shaft connection (10) is round, polygonal or polygon-like.

4. Pump according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that a connection adapter (11) is detachably assigned to the shaft connection (10), which forms the shaft connection (10) as round, polygonal or polygon-like.

5. Pump according to claim 4, characterised in that the shaft connection (10) is detachably connected to the connection adapter (11) via a claw coupling (12).

6. Pump according to claim 5, characterised in that the claw coupling (12) has an output element (14) permanently connected to the shaft connection (10) and a drive element (13) permanently connected to the connection adapter (11), wherein the drive element (13) can preferably be locked in a torsion-resistant manner to the output element (14).

7. Pump according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pump pipe (3) is assigned a connecting means (16) for connecting the pump pipe (3) to the electric motor (18) in a rotationally fixed manner.

8. Pump according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the electric motor (18) is a drill driver (17), which is preferably battery-operated.

9. Method for operating a pump according to one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a pump unit (2) with a pump pipe (3) which has an end stator (6) and a rotor (8), wherein the rotor (8) is driven via a rotor shaft (9) which is guided through the pump pipe (3) and exits the pump unit (2) at a shaft outlet (5) opposite the stator (6) at the end, such that a shaft connection (10) formed by the rotor shaft (9) is exposed, wherein an electric motor (18) with a quick-release chuck (19) is detachably assigned to the shaft connection (10), characterised in that during operation, the pump unit (2) is held by the handle (15) assigned to the pump pipe (3) and by a handle (21) of the electric motor (18).

10. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that the pump is an eccentric screw pump (1) whose stator has a corrugated inner contour (7) and whose rotor (8) has the shape of an eccentric screw, wherein the electric motor (18) is preferably operated in a speed range of up to two thousand revolutions per minute.

11. Method according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterised in that a connection adapter (11) is assigned to the shaft connection (10) before connection to the quick-release chuck (19) of the electric motor (18), which adapter is designed for connection to the quick-release chuck (19) and, in particular, forms the shaft connection (10) as round, polygonal or polygon-like.

12. Method according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterised in that the pump unit (2) is connected to the electric motor (18) during operation with the interposition of a torsion-resistant connecting means (16).

13. Method according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that the electric motor (18) is a drill / driver (17), which is preferably battery-powered.