Vacuum Pump Motor Stator Segmentation for Rework Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vacuum pump manufacturing process is inefficient due to the time-consuming curing of potting compounds, which can lead to costly and time-consuming rework if encapsulation issues are discovered after assembly, requiring disposal of the motor control board and re-potting.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum pump design that uses a motor mount with a connection circuit board to indirectly connect the motor stator, allowing for pre-assembly testing and easy replacement of faulty assemblies, with supply conductors running through a pressure chamber to prevent electrical flashovers and enable detachable connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If supply conductors are soldered to the motor control circuit board and cast in dielectric compound, then electrical flashovers are prevented, but curing time increases production time and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the motor assembly into separate components: the motor stator with its supply conductors is potted in the motor mount as one unit, while the motor control circuit board remains separate. This segmentation allows the motor stator assembly to be tested and potted independently without requiring the motor control board to be potted, thereby eliminating the curing time bottleneck and enabling parallel processing of assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a connection circuit board as an intermediary component between the motor stator and the motor control circuit board. This connection board provides electrical connections without requiring the motor control board to be potted in dielectric compound, thus avoiding the curing time issue while still preventing electrical flashovers through proper isolation design.
2Reliability
If motor control circuit board is potted with dielectric compound, then encapsulation provides protection, but rework becomes costly and time consuming if encapsulation is not tight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the motor stator assembly from the motor control circuit board, so that only the motor stator requires potting in the motor mount. The motor control board remains unpotted and can be easily replaced or reworked without the constraints of cured dielectric compound, dramatically reducing rework costs and time if encapsulation issues are detected.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary testing of the motor stator assembly with its supply conductors before final assembly with the motor control board. This preliminary action allows detection of potential encapsulation issues early in the manufacturing process, before the motor control board is attached, making rework simple and cost-effective.
3Ease of operation
If supply conductors run through vacuum chamber, then connections can be made in atmospheric pressure, but vacuum tightness must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the supply conductors from the vacuum chamber environment by routing them through the motor mount structure that separates the vacuum and atmospheric pressure zones. This allows the supply conductors to be connected and tested in atmospheric pressure conditions while the motor mount maintains vacuum tightness, enabling detachable connections without compromising vacuum integrity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a vacuum pump, in particular a turbomolecular pump, comprising a vacuum chamber, a motor rotor arranged in the vacuum chamber, a motor stator surrounding the motor rotor, a motor support housing the motor stator, the outer side of which partially adjoins a pressure chamber having a connection opening facing the pressure chamber which is sealed vacuum-tight by means of a connection board, and which contains a potting compound partially enclosing the motor stator, at least one electrical connection conductor extending through the potting compound, one end of which is connected to the motor stator and the other end of which is connected to a side of the board facing the potting compound, and at least one electrical supply conductor running through the pressure chamber and one end of which is connected to a side of the board facing the pressure chamber.