Universal Pump Housing Machining for Variable Gear Thickness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional gear pumps for dialysis machines require separate machining of different pump housing sections for varying gear thicknesses, leading to high material waste, complex processing, and increased assembly effort, which is costly and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A universal pump housing blank is produced through primary forming, allowing for minimal machining to create customized pump housing sections that accommodate gears of different thicknesses, reducing material waste and assembly steps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If separate pump housing sections are machined from individual round steel pieces for each gear pump variant, then each pump can be precisely manufactured to its specific performance requirements, but material waste increases, processing complexity increases, and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepump housing precisionVSAvoidmaterial waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

A single universal pump housing section is designed to accommodate multiple gear pump variants with different performance requirements. The universal housing contains a receiving pocket that can be selectively deepened by machining to receive gears of different thicknesses, allowing one housing to serve multiple pump configurations (degassing pump, dialysis fluid inlet pump, outlet pump) without requiring separate housings for each variant.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The pump housing is divided into functional zones: a common universal base structure and a variable receiving pocket depth region. This segmentation allows the majority of the housing to be standardized while only the specific receiving pocket area requires customization through selective machining, reducing overall processing complexity and material waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If separate pump housing sections are machined from individual round steel pieces for each gear pump variant, then each pump can be precisely manufactured to its specific performance requirements, but device complexity and assembly effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepump housing precisionVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single universal pump housing section is designed to accommodate multiple gear pump variants with different performance requirements. The universal housing contains a receiving pocket that can be selectively deepened by machining to receive gears of different thicknesses, allowing one housing to serve multiple pump configurations (degassing pump, dialysis fluid inlet pump, outlet pump) without requiring separate housings for each variant.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The universal pump housing section is pre-designed with a receiving pocket at a standard depth suitable for thinner gears. For pumps requiring thicker gears (like the degassing pump), the receiving pocket is deepened by machining in a preliminary step before gear installation. This preliminary action simplifies subsequent assembly and reduces the need for complex custom machining for each variant.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If different gear thicknesses are compensated for using spacer rings or sealing plates, then the pump housing can remain the same, but manual assembly effort increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing standardizationVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The need for separate spacer rings or sealing plates is eliminated by directly integrating the depth compensation into the pump housing structure itself. The receiving pocket depth is selectively increased by machining the housing material directly, removing the intermediary spacer components and their associated assembly steps, thereby reducing manual assembly effort while maintaining housing standardization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If thicker gears are used for the degassing pump to achieve higher flow rate, then the gear pocket must be deeper, but this requires a different pump housing section

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow rateVSAvoidhousing standardization
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

A single universal pump housing section is designed to accommodate multiple gear pump variants with different performance requirements. The universal housing contains a receiving pocket that can be selectively deepened by machining to receive gears of different thicknesses, allowing one housing to serve multiple pump configurations (degassing pump, dialysis fluid inlet pump, outlet pump) without requiring separate housings for each variant.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The receiving pocket depth parameter is selectively modified by machining to accommodate different gear thicknesses. For the degassing pump requiring higher flow rate and thicker gears, the receiving pocket depth is increased. This parameter change is achieved through selective machining of the universal housing, maintaining standardization while adapting to different performance requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4202182B1Method for producing a pump
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 B BRAUN AVITUM
  • EP4202182B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4202182B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4
  • EP4202182B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Method for manufacturing pumps (1) of different capacities for use in a blood treatment device, preferably a dialysis machine, with a pump housing or pump housing section (4) for the bearing-mounted reception of a fluid conveying device (16, 18), preferably two gears in mesh engagement, comprising the following steps: primary forming of a universal pump housing blank (38) with all the features common to the different pumps (1) and with such oversizes that machining is permitted to manufacture all the different pumps (1) from the same primary formed pump housing blank (38); and individualizing the universal pump housing blank (38) by machining in the area of ​​the oversizes to achieve the respective capacity.