Vacuum Pump Disassembly Detection Circuit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inappropriate maintenance of vacuum pumps during disassembly and assembly can lead to decreased performance, shortened service life, and safety hazards, especially when performed by untrained individuals or non-designated dealers.

Innovation Solution

A vacuum pump equipped with a disassembly detection circuit that prevents rotor drive when disassembly is detected, ensuring proper reassembly procedures are followed, and includes a control unit with a holding circuit to manage disassembly history and prohibit operation if improper disassembly is detected.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If the vacuum pump allows free disassembly and assembly by any dealer or user, then ease of maintenance is improved, but safety and performance reliability deteriorate due to improper assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of maintenanceVSAvoidperformance reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a detection circuit as an intermediary between the pump's mechanical components and its operational control system. This circuit monitors the assembled state through electrical connections and mediates the operational authorization, allowing only properly assembled configurations to activate the pump, thus preventing improper assembly while maintaining ease of maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical verification methods (such as physical keys, special tools, or complex mechanical interlocks) with an electrical detection circuit that automatically verifies assembly status. This substitution maintains ease of maintenance by allowing simple disassembly while ensuring reliability through automated electrical state detection and control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the pump prohibits operation after disassembly detection, then safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional restrictions

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by proactively preventing pump operation when disassembly is detected, before any harmful effects can occur. The detection circuit continuously monitors the assembled state and the control circuit is pre-programmed to prohibit operation upon detecting disassembly, thereby eliminating safety risks before they can manifest

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by having the detection circuit continuously monitor the pump's assembled state and provide real-time information to the control circuit. The control circuit responds by enabling or disabling operation based on this feedback, creating a closed-loop system that maintains safety while allowing operation only when properly assembled

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10352327B2Vacuum pump

Publication Date: 2019.07.16 SHIMADZU CORP

AI summary

A vacuum pump includes: a rotor that is rotated to perform evacuation; a pump disassembly detection circuit that detects a disassembled state in which the vacuum pump is disassembled; and a pump operation prohibition circuit that prohibits rotary drive of the rotor when the pump operation prohibition circuit determines that the pump disassembly detection circuit has detected the disassembled state.