Segmented Vacuum Pump Housing for Extended Length and Thermal Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum pump arrangements face challenges in achieving customer-specific geometries and large overall lengths cost-effectively, particularly in applications like mass spectrometers, where long distances between suction openings require expensive and complex manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum pump design featuring a housing with an additional attached part that extends its length, allowing for radial inlets and thermal/vibration decoupling elements, enabling the creation of longer pumps with continuous dimensions that match customer requirements without the need for expensive machinery, and facilitating easy assembly and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the overall length of the vacuum pump is increased to accommodate large distances between suction openings, then the ability to meet customer-specific geometry requirements is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to the need for very large and expensive machining tools
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a first housing portion and a second housing portion that can be attached together. The first housing portion contains the drive unit and rotor, while the second housing portion extends the overall length and provides additional suction openings. This segmentation allows standard machining tools to be used for each portion, avoiding the need for very large expensive machining tools while achieving the required overall length and customer-specific geometries.
2Volume of moving object
If the vacuum pump is positioned within the assembly in a compact manner, then the overall system dimensions are reduced, but the accessibility for servicing and maintenance is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into attachable portions, which enables the vacuum pump to be disassembled into smaller components for easier access and maintenance. The first and second housing portions can be separated, allowing technicians to reach internal components such as the rotor and stator without requiring complete disassembly of the entire pump assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachable housing portions enable dynamic reconfiguration of the pump assembly for maintenance. The housing can transition from a closed compact state during operation to an open accessible state during servicing, allowing easy removal and replacement of internal components while maintaining compact dimensions during normal operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a single housing is used to bridge large distances between suction openings, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple attachable portions that can be assembled together to form the complete structure. Each portion can be manufactured separately using standard machining tools, reducing manufacturing complexity. The portions are connected through flanges and fasteners that maintain structural integrity and provide vacuum-tight seals, achieving the required stability without requiring a single complex large-scale housing.
Solution Approach 2:
Flanges and sealing elements act as intermediaries between the first and second housing portions. These intermediary components facilitate the connection between portions while maintaining vacuum integrity and structural stability, allowing the system to achieve the functionality of a single large housing through multiple smaller, easier-to-manufacture components.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vacuum pump with a housing and a pump unit, which comprises only a drive unit for a rotor rotatably mounted in a stator, in which at least one additional housing part, connectable to the housing, is arranged axially, and in which an inlet opening and an outlet opening are provided axially in the housing and in the at least one additional housing part. The invention further relates to an arrangement with a corresponding vacuum pump.