Stator Vane Gap Design for Turbo Molecular Pump

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming a gap at the inner rim end of each stator vane half before assembly. This gap is intentionally created during manufacturing to prevent future collisions or warping when the halves are abutted together. The gap serves as a preventive measure that eliminates the root cause of reliability issues before assembly occurs, allowing the cost-effective two-half construction to proceed without risking blade breakage.

The gap at the inner rim end acts as an intermediary element between the two stator vane halves. Instead of allowing direct contact between the inner rim ends (which causes collisions and warping), the gap provides a buffer zone that accommodates manufacturing variations. This intermediary space prevents harmful interactions while maintaining the overall structural integrity and cost advantages of the segmented design.

The patent resolves this contradiction by performing preliminary action during the manufacturing stage rather than during assembly. The gap is pre-formed at the inner rim end before the halves are joined. This ensures that when assembly occurs quickly without visual checking of inner rim positioning, the pre-established gap already prevents overlap or warping. The precision is built into the component itself rather than relying on assembly verification.

The stator vane half is designed to be self-sufficient with the gap already incorporated into its structure. When two halves are abutted, each half's pre-formed gap automatically prevents collision with the other half's inner rim end. This self-service design eliminates the need for external verification or adjustment during assembly, maintaining both high productivity and precision without requiring visual checking of the inner rim positioning.