Rotor Pump Assembly With Support Frame for Seal Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for pumps, particularly diaphragm pumps, that can efficiently pump fluid at a high rate and accurately dose fluids while being relatively small in size, and also require efficient manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A pump assembly with a resilient housing and a rotor that rotates within the housing, utilizing a support frame to counter-balance torque and prevent movement or deformation, featuring a diaphragm portion that seals against the rotor to expel fluid through an outlet portion, and a resilient biasing mechanism to enhance sealing and fluid conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a rotor rotates within a resilient housing to convey fluid, then fluid pumping rate and dosing accuracy are improved, but the housing deforms or moves under torque, reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame acts as a counterbalancing structure that opposes and neutralizes the torque-generated forces acting on the resilient housing. By providing an opposing mechanical support system, the frame prevents housing deformation and movement, thereby maintaining sealing integrity between the rotor and housing during high-rate fluid pumping operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The support frame serves as an intermediary structural element between the rotor-housing interface and the external environment. It mediates the transmission of torque forces, preventing these forces from directly deforming the resilient housing and compromising the seal, thus protecting the sealing integrity while allowing the rotor to operate at high speeds.
2Ease of manufacture
If a resilient housing is used with rotor rotation, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the housing moves or deforms under operational torque, affecting precision
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame provides counterbalancing support that prevents torque-induced deformation and movement of the resilient housing during operation. This ensures that the relative positions and alignment of components such as the rotor, inlet, and outlet remain stable and precise, maintaining manufacturing precision despite the use of easy-to-manufacture resilient materials.
3Reliability
If the housing is made more rigid to prevent deformation, then sealing integrity is improved, but manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump assembly is segmented into two distinct structural components: a resilient housing that is easy to manufacture and a rigid support frame that ensures stability. The housing can be efficiently manufactured using resilient materials, while the support frame provides the necessary rigidity and dimensional stability to maintain sealing integrity, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system effectively creates a composite structure by combining the resilient housing material with the rigid support frame material. This composite approach allows each material to perform its optimal function - the resilient housing provides ease of manufacture and flexibility, while the rigid frame provides structural stability and sealing support, achieving both manufacturing efficiency and sealing integrity.
4Volume of moving object
If the housing volume is reduced for compactness, then device size is improved, but the housing becomes more prone to deformation under torque
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame provides counterbalancing support that compensates for the reduced structural stability inherent in compact, small-volume housings. By introducing this external rigid support structure, the system can maintain housing stability and resist torque-induced deformation even when the housing volume is minimized for compact device design.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient housing acts as a flexible shell that can be made thin-walled and compact without sacrificing structural integrity, as long as the rigid support frame provides the necessary counterbalancing support. This allows the housing volume to be reduced for compactness while the frame prevents deformation under operational torque.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The pump assembly effectively conveys fluid at high rates and maintains sealing integrity, allowing for accurate dosing and efficient manufacturing, with the support frame stabilizing the housing and rotor components to prevent deformation and leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a housing-engaging surface area of the rotor will form a sealing interference contact with the interior surface... the rotor will apply a torque to the housing in response to the housing-engaging surface area rotating against the interior surface
Implementation Method 2
the diaphragm portion will bear against it, operative to prevent fluid passing from the outlet to the inlet, and to expel the fluid from the chamber through the outlet portion
Implementation Method 3
a resilient housing... a biasing mechanism positioned within the support frame to bear against a diaphragm portion of the resilient housing
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 1D~1E
AI summary
A pump assembly comprising a housing, a support frame that can be attached to the housing, and a rotor that can rotate within the housing. The housing consists of resilient material and comprises an interior surface, an inlet portion including an inlet for fluid, an outlet portion including an outlet for the fluid, and a diaphragm portion. A housing-engaging surface area of the rotor will form a sealing interference contact with the interior surface, and a chamber-forming surface area of the rotor disposed radially inward from the housing-engaging surface area will form a chamber with the interior surface. When the rotor rotates within the housing as in use, the chamber can convey fluid from the inlet portion to the outlet portion. The diaphragm portion will bear against the chamber-forming surface as the chamber-forming surface travels from the outlet to the inlet, to prevent fluid passing from the outlet to the inlet and to expel the fluid from the chamber through the outlet portion. The support frame will be attached to spaced-apart portions of the housing, and will be sufficiently stiff to counter-balance the torque applied to the housing by the rotor.