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Vacuum pump with a hood

Vacuum pump with a hood description/claims

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vacuum pump having a housing which has inlet and outlet and in which a pumping system and a motor for driving the pumping system are located.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Vacuum pumps generate heat in their interior as a result of compression therein of pumped gases. However, the gas compression is not the only source of heat in the vacuum pumps. In most cases, the vacuum pumps includes movable parts driven by respective drives. These drives have all a certain efficiency level so that a power dissipation takes place which, as a rule, is converted into heat. Heat is also generated as result of friction in the bearings and by other sources. The generated heat is released into the environment and presents a source of danger for a pump user.

Therefore, there is a need to protect the vacuum pump user. In state of the art, the pumps are provided with handles which can be used by a pump user for displacing a pump shortly after start of the pump operation, i.e., in a heated condition. However, the handles do not provide protection against a contact with the pump and are, therefore, not satisfactory. Another solution is suggested in European Publication EP-A 1 696 132. This solution consists in enclosing the entire vacuum pump in an external housing that surrounds the pump housing. This solution is associated with high costs and presents a problem from the point of view of access to the operational elements of the pump. Further, there is a danger of the pump being overheated.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum pump with heat insulation means that would not unfavorably influence the heat balance of the pump.

This and other objects of the present invention which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing a hood that at least partially surrounds the pump housing. The hood prevents contact with heat conducting components of the pump, providing protection for the pump user. In the region of hot parts of the pump, there are provided surfaces which can be contacted without danger to the user. Therefore, the increased costs which are associated with an unnecessary large hood, are eliminated. The hood is a simple part, and the access to all of the operational elements can be insured by forming in the hood recesses and/or openings which can be economically produced.

According to one modification of the present invention, an intermediate member is arranged between the hood and the pump housing, so that the housing and the hood are not in a surface contact with each other. This reduces heat transmission to the hood. In addition, the intermediate member provides spacing between the pump housing and the hood, providing an intermediate space filled with air that functions as an isolating air cushion in the absence of a forced aeration that causes an air exchange.

According to a further modification of the present invention, the intermediate member contains material components that damps mechanical vibrations imparted to the intermediate member. This prevents transmission of the vibrations to the hood, which provides for a generally silent operation of the vacuum pump. Little noise is transmitted to the environment, which is advantageous for use of the inventive vacuum pump in a laboratory environment in which operational personnel is always present.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the intermediate member has material components having heat insulating properties, so that the intermediate member functions also as a thermal barrier. This further reduces heat transmission to the housing.

The advantages of the provision of the intermediate member, which were discussed above, are further increased when the intermediate member includes elastomeric components as they have both vibration damping properties and heat insulating properties, which provides for functioning of the intermediate member as both vibration damping means and a thermal barrier.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the hood is so formed and arranged that it guides the cooling gas flow, which is generated by a fan, at least to a portion of cooling ribs provided on the housing. This insures an efficient cooling of the housing, with the hood being also cooled from inside.

With the above-mentioned arrangement of the hood, the aeration of channels between the cooling ribs and the hood is increased when the fan is located behind the hood.

According to a still further development of the present invention, the hood has an opening through which air is aspirated by the fan to be subsequently delivered in the cooling channels. The opening provides for an effective suction of air and; at the same time, provides for freedom in selection of the location of the fan. E.g., the fan can be arranged very close to the cooling ribs and needs not to be necessarily located at the hood end.

The advantages of providing a hood significantly increase with the vacuum pump the housing of which is formed of several housing sections, with the pumping system and control electronics being located in different housing sections. This improves the heat balance of the pump because the pumping system represents a source of heat while the control electronics has electronic components which should be protected from heat, as they aged very rapidly under heat.

The advantages of the present invention are particularly apparent when the pumping system is adapted for compressing gas in low or high vacuum range and for discharging the compressed gas against atmosphere.

The novel features of the present invention which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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