Vacuum Pump Torque Sink Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum pumps with high-speed rotors face risks of twisting and leakage during rotor-stator crashes, leading to potential injury, system damage, and costly process interruptions, especially in industries like semiconductor manufacturing, due to inadequate absorption of high torques by flanges and mounting systems.

Innovation Solution

A torque-proof securing mechanism is introduced, which includes a ring on the vacuum pump or intermediate component, connected to a supporting structure acting as a torque sink, to absorb and dissipate torques directly at the point of origin, preventing flange disconnection and leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If vacuum pumps with high-speed rotors are used to increase pumping speed and performance, then productivity and vacuum quality are improved, but the risk of rotor-stator crash increases, leading to potential twisting, leakage, and system damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepumping speedVSAvoidconnection stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a torque-proof securing mechanism with a torque sink that is pre-installed on the vacuum chamber flange. This securing mechanism acts as a cushion or safety device that is ready before a rotor-stator crash occurs, absorbing the torque and preventing damage to the pump or chamber connection. The torque sink provides a predetermined safe path for torque dissipation, protecting the system from the harmful effects of rotor crashes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Stability of the object's composition

If floor mounting is used to secure the vacuum pump, then stability is improved, but distortion of the pump or slide occurs due to non-aligned fastening points, compromising reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting stabilityVSAvoidoperation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the torque absorption function from the floor mounting system and relocates it to the flange connection area. Instead of relying on floor mounting to handle torque loads, the invention creates a dedicated torque sink locally at the flange, separating the functions of support (floor mounting) and torque absorption (flange-mounted torque sink). This eliminates the distortion problems caused by non-aligned fastening points while maintaining mounting stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If standard flange connections are used to mount the vacuum pump, then ease of installation is improved, but the flanges cannot absorb high torques, leading to twisting and leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidtorque absorption capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the standard flange connection with an integrated torque sink structure. The torque sink is designed as part of the flange assembly, combining the functions of connection (flange) and torque absorption (torque sink) into a single integrated component. This allows the system to maintain the simplicity of standard flange installations while significantly increasing the torque absorption capacity through the integrated securing mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP1933037B1Vacuum pump mounting system
Publication Date: 2018.09.05 PFEIFFER VACUUM GMBH
  • EP1933037B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1933037B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1933037B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The arrangement has a vacuum chamber (1) with a chamber flange (3) and a vacuum pump (2) that has a high sped rotor and a pump flange (4) arranged in a rotor housing. It has a torque-resistant securing arrangement that connects the rotor housing to a torque sink. The torque-resistant securing arrangement contains a ring (11) enclosing the rotor housing.