Vacuum Pump Control Unit Spacer Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum pump apparatuses require large placement spaces and increased strength and weight due to separate configurations of the pump main body and control device, leading to inconvenient handling and higher costs.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a pump main body unit and control unit with spacers that distribute the weight of the pump main body unit to the control unit and ground contact surface, allowing only specific portions of the control unit to have increased strength, reducing the overall size, weight, and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the vacuum pump main body and control device are disposed in vertically stacked relation to reduce placement space, then the placement space is reduced, but the overall weight of the pump main body applies load to the control device requiring increased strength and thickness
Solution Approach 1:
A support plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the control device and pump main body. The support plate receives the load from the pump main body and transfers it to the housing, allowing the control device to remain thin while still supporting the stacked configuration. This mediator absorbs the structural reinforcement requirement away from the control device itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is segmented into distinct functional components: a thin control device housing for electronics, and a separate support plate for structural load bearing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the control device can be minimal thickness while the support plate provides the necessary strength.
2Strength
If the strength of the control device is increased to support the pump main body weight, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the size and weight of the control device increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented from the control device housing and assigned to a separate support plate. This allows the control device to maintain minimal weight and size while the support plate, which is structurally optimized, bears the load.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate acts as a mediator that assumes the weight-bearing function, preventing the control device from needing to be overweight or oversized for structural support purposes.
3Strength
If the thickness of the control device is increased to enhance strength, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the overall size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device thickness is segmented from the total stack height by introducing a support plate. The control device housing can be thin while the support plate provides the necessary structural thickness for load bearing.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate mediates between the thin control device and the pump main body, allowing the control device to remain thin while still achieving the required overall structural strength through the combined assembly.
4Strength
If special materials are used to increase the strength of the control device, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The structural reinforcement function is segmented from the control device housing and assigned to a support plate. This allows the control device to use standard, cost-effective materials while the support plate, which requires strength, can be manufactured separately with appropriate materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate serves as a cost-effective intermediary that provides structural reinforcement without requiring the entire control device to be made from expensive high-strength materials.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a vacuum pump apparatus which allows reductions in thickness, weight, size, and cost of a vacuum pump control device. In the vacuum pump apparatus, a pump main body unit and a control unit which controls driving of the pump main body unit are integrated with each other. The vacuum pump apparatus has a configuration in which a spacer configured to support a load applied to a housing of the control unit is provided between a base of the pump main body unit and the housing of the control unit.