Screw Spindle Pump Removable Housing Insert Unit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing screw pumps require complete disassembly for maintenance and inspection, which is costly and inefficient, as the entire pump, including the heavy housing, needs to be dismantled and rotated to remove spindles, necessitating expensive lifting equipment.

Innovation Solution

A screw pump design where the housing insert, spindles, and bearing elements are combined into a removable unit, allowing for maintenance and inspection without disassembling the entire pump, with a guide rail arrangement facilitating easy axial removal and reinsertion of the unit through the housing opening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If the complete pump including housing is dismantled for maintenance, then the spindles can be removed for inspection, but the process becomes costly and time-consuming requiring heavy lifting equipment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance accessibilityVSAvoiddismantling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pump is divided into separable modules: the housing remains stationary while the housing insert with spindles and bearing elements forms a removable unit. This segmentation allows maintenance workers to access and remove only the spindle unit through the housing opening without dismantling the entire pump or requiring heavy lifting equipment to move the complete assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing insert containing the spindles and bearing elements is extracted as a separate removable unit from the housing. This extraction enables maintenance personnel to remove the spindles for inspection and repair while leaving the housing in place, eliminating the need to dismantle and relocate the entire pump assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of repair

If the housing is turned 90° for spindle removal, then the spindles can be lifted out vertically, but expensive lifting equipment is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespindle removalVSAvoidhousing weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The pump system is segmented into a stationary housing and a removable housing insert unit. This segmentation allows the lightweight housing insert with spindles to be removed through the housing opening using simple manual handling, eliminating the need to rotate and lift the entire heavy housing assembly with expensive lifting equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of removing spindles vertically by rotating the housing 90°, the design enables removal through the horizontal housing opening in the original orientation. This dimensional change in the removal path eliminates the need for heavy lifting equipment while maintaining ease of spindle access for maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Stability of the object's composition

If bearing covers are fixed between housing flange and housing cover, then bearings are secured, but complete pump disassembly is required for spindle access

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebearing fixationVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing elements are designed as integral parts of the removable housing insert unit rather than being fixed to the stationary housing. This segmentation allows the bearing-fixed spindle unit to be removed as one assembly through the housing opening, maintaining bearing stability during operation while enabling easy access for maintenance without complete pump disassembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3099899B1Screw spindle pump
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 KLAUS UNION
  • EP3099899B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3099899B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3099899B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a screw spindle pump, having a housing (2) which surrounds a delivery chamber (5), having two spindles (7, 8), specifically a drive spindle (7) and an oppositely rotating running spindle (8), having a housing insert (6) which is arranged in the housing (2) and in which the spindles (7, 8) are accommodated, having at least one bearing element (13', 13'') which is connected to the housing insert (6) and on which bearings (12) of the spindles (7, 8) are arranged, and having at least one housing cover (14', 14'') which closes off a housing opening. It is an object of the invention to provide a screw spindle pump on which maintenance and inspection work can be carried out more easily and inexpensively. Said object is achieved by means of the invention in that the bearing element (13', 13'') forms a unit (15) with the housing insert (6) and the spindles (7, 8) accommodated therein, which unit can be removed from the housing (2) through the housing opening after the housing cover (14', 14'') has been removed.