Rotary-Vane Vacuum Pump Outlet Assembly Blockage Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rotary-vane vacuum pumps face performance reduction and internal damage due to blockages caused by particles, such as humidity condensation or contamination, which obstruct fluid passage at the outlet, leading to reduced efficiency and shortened device lifespan.

Innovation Solution

An outlet assembly with two outlet conducts, where the second inner aperture is positioned at a greater height than the first inner aperture, preventing residual particles from blocking both outlets, and featuring a hollow protrusion or attachable wall to direct fluid flow and accumulate potential blockages away from the second outlet.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single outlet conduct is used in prior art vacuum pumps, then the device structure is simple, but particles such as humidity condensation or contamination can block the outlet, causing performance reduction and internal damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutlet blockage resistanceVSAvoidoutlet assembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The outlet assembly is segmented into two separate outlet conduits (first outlet conduct and second outlet conduct) with different inner aperture heights. This segmentation allows the system to maintain fluid extraction capability even when one outlet becomes blocked by particles, as the other outlet remains functional. The segmentation directly addresses the reliability issue by providing redundancy against blockage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a height dimension differentiation between the two outlet conduits. The first inner aperture is positioned at a first height while the second inner aperture is positioned at a second height greater than the first height. This dimensional change ensures that particles settling at lower levels can block the first outlet without affecting the second outlet, thereby maintaining system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If outlet conduits are positioned at the same height, then the manufacturing is simple, but particles can block both outlets simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous fluid extractionVSAvoidaperture positioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The design preliminarily positions the second inner aperture at a greater height than the first inner aperture before operation begins. This preliminary positioning action ensures that when the pump operates and particles may accumulate, the second outlet is already configured to be above the expected particle accumulation zone, preventing simultaneous blockage of both outlets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the second inner aperture is positioned at a greater height, then particle blockage is prevented, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutlet blockage preventionVSAvoidoutlet assembly fabrication
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality differentiation by positioning only the second inner aperture at a greater height than the first inner aperture, rather than requiring all components to be manufactured with high precision. This localized quality approach focuses the manufacturing complexity only where needed (the height differentiation of specific apertures) while keeping other aspects of manufacturing relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures uninterrupted fluid extraction even when the main outlet becomes blocked, preventing performance reduction and internal damage, and increasing the device's lifespan by maintaining fluid flow through the secondary outlet.

Implementation Method 1

Since the inner volume of the pump chamber is greater than the volume occupied by the rotor and the vanes, a centrifugal force applied to the rotor results in the generation of subspaces.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

the second inner aperture is disposed at a greater height than the first inner aperture... preventing residual particles from blocking both outlets

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3536962B1Rotary-vane vacuum pump and outlet assembly thereof
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 ENTECNIA CONSULTING S L U
  • EP3536962B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3536962B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3536962B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vacuum pump, based on a rotor with at least one vane housed in a pump chamber, which prevents fluid extraction flow from being blocked by means of an assembly of multiple outlets. Said outlet assembly comprises at least a first outlet conduct (100) with a first inner aperture (110) and a first outer aperture (120), and at least a second outlet conduct (200) with a second inner aperture (210) and a second outer aperture (220). The first inner aperture (110) and the second inner aperture (210) extract a fluid from an internal cavity (300) of the vacuum pump, whereas the first outer aperture (120) and the second outer aperture (220) expel the extracted fluid into an outside area (400) the vacuum pump. By disposing the first inner aperture (110) and the second inner aperture (210) at different heights, any accumulated particle which could block the extraction flow tends to gather around the first outlet conduct (100). Therefore, even in case said first outlet conduct (100) is partially o fully blocked, the second outlet conduct (200) can carry on with the extraction.