Ring pump for food products

Abstract

A wobble ring pump for pumping a highly viscous fluid for use in the food industry is provided, wherein the wobble ring pump comprises a rotating shaft and a pumping device with a working chamber. A spherical attachment on an end section of the rotating shaft, a wobble ring on the spherical attachment, and a partition can be arranged in the working chamber. The wobble ring pump is characterized in that the partition comprises a convex surface, wherein the convex surface can be positively coupled to the at least partially spherical inner wall of the working chamber, such that the partition can be arranged completely between the spherical attachment and the at least partially spherical inner wall.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a wobble ring pump for conveying highly viscous fluids, in particular liquids, for use in the food industry.

[0002] Orbital ring pumps belong to a group of pumps specifically designed for the gentle handling of highly viscous fluids, particularly in the food industry. For example, orbital ring pumps can be used to pump thick milk, chocolate, sauces, (pulp-containing) fruit juice, jams, and honey.

[0003] Despite careful manufacturing, orbital ring pumps are relatively prone to blockages due to solid components in the fluids being pumped, such as particles or fibers. Therefore, it is advantageous to design orbital ring pumps in such a way that blockages can be cleared during operation through the simplest possible cleaning or maintenance.

[0004] Furthermore, wobble ring pumps for food products are subject to the high hygiene requirements of the food processing industry.

[0005] Conventional wobble ring pumps are generally characterized by the conversion of a rotary motion, via a rotor in a working chamber, into a conveying motion of highly viscous liquids. A common disadvantage of these pumps is that they require significant disassembly for clearing blockages or cleaning.

[0006] WO 2016 / 120655 A1 discloses a wobble ring pump that is characterized by easier maintenance. The pump housing is divided into two components by a beveled cut, allowing a significant portion of the pump's working chamber to be accessed and cleaned simply by removing the top component. This means the pump's working chamber can be serviced and cleaned without removing the wobble ring, the core component of the pump. Simultaneously, the separating plate, which acts as a partition separating the inlet and outlet chambers during operation, can be inserted into the pump's working chamber through a separate through-hole in the housing. However, this can lead to the formation of dirt traps at the edges of the separating plate and between the plate and the recess in the housing, which should be avoided for hygiene reasons.

[0007] Besides hygiene and maintenance, the manufacturing of orbital ring pumps also presents a fundamental challenge. Due to the large number of components that must be coupled or interacted with high precision, the manufacturing process for orbital ring pumps is relatively complex. This manufacturing complexity necessitates comprehensive and meticulous quality control, which can result in correspondingly high costs.

[0008] K20000062785A discloses a wobble ring pump comprising a rotating shaft that can be set in rotation about a rotational axis by means of a drive element, and a pumping device, wherein the pumping device has a pump body and a pump head, wherein the pump body and the pump head can be positively coupled by means of a cutting plane inclined at a predetermined angle, such that in a closed state a working chamber with at least a partially spherical inner wall is formed, wherein a partition with a concave surface can be fixed in the working chamber and the partition is adapted to divide the working chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. The partition is inserted into a pin. Furthermore, the partition includes vanes at both ends, so that the partition cannot be removed from the pin simply by sliding it along the surface of the spherical section, i.e., it is removable.Furthermore, the working chamber of the wobble ring pump must be completely disassembled in order to be able to pull the separating blade out of the pin perpendicular to the surface of the spherical section.

[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a wobble ring pump for the food industry that is easier to maintain, has lower manufacturing complexity, and also ensures improved hygiene.

[0010] This problem is solved by the wobble ring pump according to independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the wobble ring pump are defined in the dependent claims.

[0011] The product supplied is a wobble ring pump for pumping a highly viscous fluid, comprising a rotating shaft that can be set in rotation about a rotary axis by means of a drive element, and a pumping device. The pumping device has a pump body and a pump head. The pump body has an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a through-hole for receiving an end section of the rotating shaft.

[0012] The pump body and the pump head can be positively coupled by means of a cutting plane inclined at a predetermined angle, so that in a closed state a working chamber with at least a partially spherical inner wall is created.

[0013] A spherical attachment can be mounted on the end section of the rotating shaft. The spherical attachment has a circumferential groove inclined relative to the rotating shaft for the positive-locking engagement of a wobble ring. The wobble ring has a conical recess.

[0014] Furthermore, a partition with a concave surface can be fixed in the working chamber. This partition can be coupled to the conical recess of the wobble ring, and the concave surface at the base of the conical recess can be positively coupled to the spherical attachment. The partition is designed to divide the working chamber into a first and a second chamber. Rotations of the rotating shaft around the axis of rotation cause a wobble motion of the wobble ring, so that a highly viscous fluid flowing in through the inlet opening can be alternately received by the first and second chambers and displaced towards the outlet opening.

[0015] The wobble ring pump is characterized in that the partition further comprises a convex surface, wherein the convex surface can be positively coupled to the at least partially spherical inner wall. This allows the partition to be arranged completely between the spherical top and the at least partially spherical inner wall.

[0016] The arrangement of the partition according to the invention has the advantage that no additional through-hole needs to be provided on the pump body, which reduces the manufacturing complexity of the pump body and at the same time avoids dirt corners in the working chamber at the through-hole of the pump body.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, the rotating shaft can be sealed against the pump body at the through-hole by means of a mechanical seal, wherein the mechanical seal can be arranged in the working chamber.

[0018] Positioning the mechanical seal entirely within the working chamber has the advantage that no additional space outside the working chamber is required to seal it against the drive element housing or the bearing housing. This, in turn, reduces the manufacturing complexity of the pump body. Furthermore, the dead space surrounding the mechanical seal is eliminated, ensuring continuous media exchange during operation and allowing for complete pump drainage during cleaning.

[0019] Advantageously, the pump body can be attached to the housing of the drive element by means of a clamping ring. It is particularly advantageous if the clamping ring is adapted to allow the pump body to be attached to the housing of the drive element in any desired position without stepless adjustment.

[0020] Securing the pump body to the drive element housing or bearing housing using a clamping ring offers the advantage that the pumping device can be continuously rotated into any position. This simplifies compliance with food regulations, particularly those requiring that the wobble ring pump be able to be completely emptied. To empty the working chamber, the pumping device can be rotated so that the inlet and outlet openings face downwards.

[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the partition wall has a first end face at a first corner of the concave surface, wherein the partition wall can be fixed between the at least partially spherical inner wall and an end face of the pump body corresponding to the first end face of the partition wall.

[0022] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the partition wall has a second end face at a second corner of the concave surface, wherein the partition wall can be fixed between the at least partially spherical inner wall and an end face of the pump head corresponding to the second end face of the partition wall.

[0023] It is further advantageous if the spherical attachment has two coupling components.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention, the wobble ring has a self-lubricating rim.

[0025] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the wobble ring is made of plastic.

[0026] In an advantageous embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention, the predetermined angle by which the cutting plane between the pump body and the pump head is inclined is between 5 degrees and 45 degrees.

[0027] Advantageously, the rotational movement around the axis of rotation is reversible.

[0028] Further details and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a 3D view of an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention; Fig. 2 a front view of the embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention. Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 shows section AA through the design of the wobble ring pump according to the invention. Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 the section BB through the design of the wobble ring pump according to the invention made of Fig. 2 Fig. 5 shows a cross-section through an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention; Fig. 6 shows a section analogous to section AA from Fig. 3 during the disassembly of the separating blade, for example during maintenance.

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a 3D view of an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention.

[0030] The in Fig. 1 The embodiment of the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention shown here has a pumping device 15 which is mounted on a bearing housing 10 by means of a clamping ring 17. The clamping ring 17 is adapted to fix the pumping device 15 to the bearing housing 10 in any desired position. In the Fig. 1 In the position shown, the two openings 21a and 21b are oriented upwards towards the inlet and outlet of the highly viscous fluid to be pumped, respectively. Due to the flexible mounting of the pumping device 15 to the bearing housing 10 by means of the clamping ring 17, any other orientation of the two openings is also conceivable. Therefore, the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention can be used in a variety of applications in conveying systems in the food industry. For maintenance of the pumping device 15, it is advantageous to orient the two openings 21a and 21b downwards so that residual quantities of the pumped fluid can drain out.

[0031] Similarly, it shows Fig. 1 The pump device 15 is divided into two parts. While the pump body 20 can be attached to the bearing housing 10 by means of the clamping ring 17, the pump device 15 is completed by the pump head 30, which can be attached to the pump body 20. The division of the pump device 15 into two parts will be described in more detail below. Fig. 3 discussed in more detail.

[0032] Fig. 2 shows a front view of an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention.

[0033] The embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention made of Fig. 2 corresponds to that from Fig. 1 Therefore, the two openings 21a and 21b are also oriented upwards in the front view. Furthermore, the fastening means 32 for attaching the pump head 30 to the pump body 20 can be seen. Sections AA and BB are shown with reference to the Fig. 3 and 4 described in more detail.

[0034] Fig. 3 shows section AA through the design of the wobble ring pump according to the invention. Fig. 2 .

[0035] It can be seen in Fig. 3 A rotating shaft 11, which can be set in rotation about a rotational axis DA by means of a drive element, and a pumping device 15. The pumping device 15 comprises a pump body 20 and a pump head 30. The pump body 20 also has a through-hole, which faces the drive element and serves to receive an end section of the rotating shaft 11. The drive element sets the rotating shaft 11 in rotation, and this rotation causes the transport of the highly viscous fluid within the pumping device 15.

[0036] The pump body 20 and the pump head 30 can be positively coupled by a cutting plane 16 inclined at a predetermined angle α, so that in a closed state a working chamber 23 with an at least partially spherical inner wall 23a is formed. The predetermined angle α at which the cutting plane 16 between the pump body 20 and the pump head 30 is inclined is advantageously between 5 degrees and 45 degrees, and particularly advantageously 30 degrees.

[0037] A spherical attachment 24 can be cantilevered on the end section of the rotating shaft 11. The spherical attachment 24 of the in Fig. 3 The illustrated embodiment of the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention is designed in two parts. The two components of the attachment 24 can be coupled with an axial offset and, in the coupled state, have a circumferential groove 24a inclined relative to the rotating shaft 11 for the positive-locking reception of a wobble ring 25.

[0038] The wobble ring 25 has a conical cross-section and a recess 25a, the recess 25a being also conical due to the cross-section of the wobble ring 25. Advantageously, the wobble ring 25 also has a self-lubricating rim 25b.

[0039] The conical cross-section of the wobble ring 25 has the advantage that the rim, which must correspond with high precision to the at least partially spherical inner wall of the working chamber 23a, has a very narrow surface, which can reduce possible blockages during operation.

[0040] In an advantageous embodiment of the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention, the wobble ring 25 comprises plastic with self-cleaning properties, so that the wobble ring 25 can have a self-cleaning surface.

[0041] Furthermore, a partition 26 with a concave surface 26a can be fixed in the working chamber 23. The partition 26 is designed such that it can be coupled to the conical recess of the wobble ring 25, wherein the concave surface 26a of the partition 26 can be positively coupled to the spherical attachment 24 at the base of the conical recess.

[0042] The partition 26 is adapted to divide the working chamber 23 into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber and the second chamber alternately serve as the inlet and outlet chambers of the wobble ring pump 1. Rotations of the rotating shaft 11 about the axis of rotation DA cause a wobble movement of the wobble ring 25, so that a highly viscous liquid flowing in through the inlet opening 21a can be alternately received by the first or the second chamber and displaced towards the outlet opening 21b.

[0043] According to the invention, a convex surface 26b is further provided on the partition wall 26. The convex surface 26b can be positively coupled to the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a, so that the partition wall 26 can be arranged completely between the spherical attachment 24 and the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a, i.e., completely within the working chamber 23.

[0044] The inventive design of the partition 26 has the advantage that no additional through-hole is required on the pump body 20 to receive the partition 26 from the outside. This reduces dirt accumulation in the operating area of ​​the wobble ring pump 1, thus ensuring better hygiene. At the same time, this reduces cleaning and maintenance efforts. Furthermore, the elimination of an additional through-hole on the pump body 20 reduces its manufacturing complexity.

[0045] To fix the partition 26, also referred to as the separating blade 26, in the working chamber 23, the partition 26 comprises a first end face 26c at a first corner. The first end face 26c corresponds to an end face 28 of the pump body 20, so that the partition 26 can be fixed between the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a of the working chamber 23 and the end face 28 of the pump body 20.

[0046] The partition wall 26 of the embodiment of the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention is made of Fig. 3 The partition 26 also comprises a second end face 26d. This second end face corresponds to an end face 31 of the pump head 30. Thus, the partition 26 can also be fixed between the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a of the working chamber and the end face 31, provided the pump head 30 is mounted. It is particularly advantageous if the partition 26 has both end faces 26c and 26d, so that the partition 26 can be fixed via both end faces 28 and 31 by both the pump body 20 and the pump head 30. For fastening the partition 26 in the pumping device 15, the partition 26 has projections on its end faces 26c and 26d that can engage in corresponding grooves in the end faces 28 and 31 of the pump body 20 and the pump head 30. The grooves are separated from the working chamber 23 by molded seals.

[0047] The rotating shaft 11 can be rotated in both directions around the axis of rotation DA, i.e., clockwise and counterclockwise. This allows highly viscous liquids to be conveyed in one direction or the other as needed in a conveying system in the food industry.

[0048] Fig. 4 shows section BB through the design of the wobble ring pump according to the invention. Fig. 2 .

[0049] It can be seen in Fig. 4 In particular, the chamfered cutting plane, inclined at a predetermined angle α, between the pump body 20 and the pump head 30. A molded sealing ring (not shown) is arranged between the pump head 30 and the pump body 20 for sealing purposes. The pump head 30 can be fastened to the pump body 20 by means of at least one fastening element 32.

[0050] Fig. 5 shows a cross-section through an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention.

[0051] It can be seen in Fig. 5 The partition 26, in conjunction with the spherical attachment 24, in particular with a component 24c of the spherical attachment, and the wobble ring 25, divides the working chamber 23, creating a first chamber and a second chamber. Pipes or hoses can be connected to each of the two chambers via the inlet and outlet openings 21a and 21b, respectively, so that the highly viscous fluid can be supplied to the pumping device and, after displacement in the working chamber 23, discharged again.

[0052] Fig. 6 shows a cut analogous to cut AA from Fig. 3 during the dismantling of the partition wall, for example during maintenance.

[0053] The embodiment of the wobble ring pump 1 made of Fig. 6 corresponds to that from Fig. 3 The illustration shows a wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention in a position optimized for cleaning and maintenance. Therefore, compared to the view of the wobble ring pump made of Fig. 3 The pump device 15 was rotated by 180 degrees and the pump head 30 was removed.

[0054] As in Fig. 6 As can be seen, according to the invention, the partition wall 26 or the separating blade 26 can be disassembled by simply sliding it along the surface of the spherical attachment 24 or the inner wall 23a. This eliminates the need for further disassembly of the partition wall 26, particularly within the working chamber 23 of the pumping device 15.

[0055] The complete arrangement of the separating blade 26 in the working chamber 23 of the pumping device 15 has the advantage that the disassembly of the pumping device 15, for example during cleaning and / or maintenance work, is considerably facilitated. In addition, dirt traps can be avoided during operation, since the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a in the pump body 20 can be designed as a closed surface.

[0056] After disassembly of the pump head 30, a significant portion of the working chamber is accessible without further disassembly. In particular, the wobble ring 25, the spherical attachment 24, and a substantial part of the at least partially spherical inner wall of the working chamber 23a can be cleaned or serviced without prior disassembly of the wobble ring. This significantly reduces cleaning and / or maintenance effort and saves corresponding costs.

[0057] It can be seen in Fig. 6 The invention also provides that the rotating shaft 11 can be sealed against the pump body 20 by means of a mechanical seal 27 at the through-hole of the pump body 30. According to the invention, the mechanical seal 27 is arranged in the working chamber 23a.

[0058] The arrangement of the mechanical seal 27 in the working chamber 23 has the advantage over a previously known arrangement of the mechanical seal outside the pump body 20, e.g., in a dead space in front of the pump body 20, that no additional space needs to be provided in the pump body 20 outside the working chamber 23. This simplifies the manufacturing of the pump body 20 and makes maintenance of the mechanical seal 27 easier. Furthermore, the dead space surrounding the mechanical seal is eliminated, thus ensuring continuous media exchange during operation and enabling complete emptying of the pump for cleaning. Reference symbol list:

[0059] 1 Wobble ring pump 10 Bearing housing 11 Rotating shaft 15 Pumping device 16 Section plane 17 Clamping ring 20 Pump body 21a; 21b Inlet opening; Outlet opening 22 Radial recess of the pump body 20 23 Working chamber 23a Inner wall of the working chamber 23 24 Spherical attachment 24a Circumferential groove of the spherical attachment 24 24b; 24c Two eccentrically coupling components of the attachment 24 25 Wobble ring 25a Conical recess of the wobble ring 25 25b Self-lubricating rim of the wobble ring 25 26 Partition 26a; 26b Concave or convex surface of the partition 26 26c; 26d First or second end face of the partition 26 27 Mechanical seal 28 End face of the pump body 20 29 Fastening means for attaching the spherical attachment 24 30 Pump head 31 End face of the pump head 30 32 Fastening means for attaching the pump head 30 DA Axis of rotation α Predetermined angle AA; B-B Sections AA or BB

Claims

1. Wobble plate pump (1) for conveying a highly viscous fluid for use in the food industry, comprising a rotary shaft (11) which can be set in rotation about an axis of rotation by means of a drive element, and a pump device (15), wherein the pump device has a pump body (20) and a pump head (30), wherein the pump body has an inlet opening (21a), an outlet opening (21b) and a through hole for receiving an end portion of the rotary shaft, wherein • the pump body and the pump head are form-fittingly coupled via a cutting plane inclined at a predetermined angle (α) such that in a closed state a working chamber (23) having an at least partially spherical inner wall (23a) is created, • a spherical attachment (24) can be over-mounted on the end portion of the rotary shaft, wherein the spherical attachment has a circumferential groove (24a) inclined relative to the rotary shaft for form-fittingly receiving a wobble plate (25), wherein the wobble plate has a conical recess (25a), • a partition wall (26) having a concave surface (26a) can also be secured in the working chamber, wherein the partition wall can be coupled to the conical recess of the wobble plate and the concave surface at the base of the conical recess can be form-fittingly coupled to the spherical attachment, and • the partition wall is adapted to divide the working chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein rotations of the rotary shaft about the axis of rotation cause a wobbling movement of the wobble plate, so that a highly viscous fluid flowing in through the inlet opening can be alternately absorbed by means of the first and second chambers and displaced to the outlet opening, wherein the partition wall further comprises a convex surface (26b), wherein the convex surface can be form-fittingly coupled to the at least partially spherical inner wall, so that the partition wall can be arranged completely between the spherical attachment and the at least partially spherical inner wall, wherein the partition wall is removable by sliding along a surface of the spherical attachment.

2. Wobble plate pump according to claim 1, wherein the rotary shaft can be sealed relative to the pump body at the through hole by means of a mechanical seal (27) and wherein the mechanical seal can be arranged in the working chamber.

3. Wobble plate pump according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the pump body can be fastened to a housing of the drive element by means of a clamping ring (17).

4. Wobble plate pump according to the preceding claim, wherein the clamping ring is adapted to fasten the pump body to the housing of the drive element in a continuously variable manner in any desired position.

5. Wobble plate pump according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the partition wall has a first end face (26c) at a first corner of the concave surface, wherein the partition wall can be secured between the at least partially spherical inner wall and an end face of the pump body corresponding to the first end face of the partition wall.

6. Wobble plate pump according to the preceding claim, wherein the partition wall has a second end face (26d) at a second corner of the concave surface, wherein the partition wall can be secured between the at least partially spherical inner wall and an end face of the pump head corresponding to the second end face of the partition wall.

7. Wobble plate pump according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the wobble plate (25) has a self-lubricating rim (25b).

8. Wobble plate pump according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the wobble plate comprises plastics material.

9. Wobble plate pump according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined angle (α), by which the cutting plane between the pump body and the pump head is inclined, is between 5 degrees and 45 degrees.

10. Wobble plate pump according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rotational movement about the axis of rotation is reversible.

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