Abstract: A vacuum scroll pump having an inlet portion having a pump inlet, and an exhaust portion having a pump outlet; a frame; a stationary scroll plate fixed to the frame and comprising a stationary plate comprising at least one stationary scroll blade; an orbiting scroll plate comprising an orbiting plate comprising at least one orbiting scroll blade projecting axially from a front side of the orbiting plate toward the stationary plate; a drive mechanism supported by the frame and operatively connected to the orbiting scroll plate so as to cause the orbiting scroll plate to orbit about a longitudinal axis of the vacuum scroll pump and thereby pump a process gas; a double-sided thrust bearing supporting the orbiting scroll plate; and a bellows which isolates the process gas from the drive mechanism.

Abstract: A magnetic coupling assembly includes a first balancing magnet positioned and surrounding drive magnets and, across a gap, a second balancing magnet and surrounding driven magnets. The drive magnets when rotated drive the driven magnets to rotate. The balancing magnets generate a repulsive force, which counterbalances an attractive force generated by the drive magnets and driven magnets. The assembly may be utilized in a pump for contactless coupling of a motor shaft to a pump shaft. The driven side of the assembly may be hermetically sealed, such as with a liquid crystal polymer boundary interposed in the gap.

Abstract: The speed of a cooling fan of a scroll pump is controlled such that fan-generated noise can be kept low. The scroll pump includes a pump head, a pump motor, the fan, a controller and one or more sensors. The pump head includes a plate scroll set in which a tip seal is provided to create a seal between the blade and the opposing plates of the plate scrolls of the set. The speed of the fan is cycled by the controller, and the power draw on the pump motor as a result is checked. These results are used to infer the state of the pump, i.e., to discriminate several different states of the pump from one another, including a state in which a new tip seal is being worn in, and to control the speed of the fan accordingly.

Abstract: A rough vacuum pump system includes a primary vacuum pump and a secondary vacuum pump. The primary vacuum pump is an oil-free positive displacement pump, and has an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a compression stage between the inlet and outlet openings, and an intermediate gas passageway that connects to a gas flow path running through the compression stage. The secondary vacuum pump is connected to the intermediate gas passageway of the primary vacuum pump. The compression ratio of the primary and secondary vacuum pumps operating in combination is greater than that of the compression ratio of either of the primary and secondary vacuum pumps operating individually. A vacuum apparatus includes a tracer gas detector connected to an inlet of the primary vacuum pump.

Abstract: A vacuum pump system includes a secondary pumping mechanism incorporated into a stationary portion of a scroll pump. The stationary portion includes the stationary plate scroll of the scroll pump and defines a gas passageway in which the secondary pumping mechanism is disposed. The gas passageway is connected to a gas flow path through the scroll pump at a location upstream of an exhaust check valve of the scroll pump. The secondary pumping mechanism is displaceable within the gas passageway to draw residual gas in the compression stage upstream of the check valve into the gas passageway, and may pump the residual gas back out through the exhaust check valve, to evacuate residual gas from the compression stage.

Abstract: A vacuum pump isolation (VPI) valve is interposed between a vacuum pump and a vacuum chamber. During normal operation of the vacuum pump, the VPI valve is open, allowing fluid communication between the vacuum pump and the vacuum chamber. When the vacuum pump becomes non-operational such as by losing power, the VPI valve closes, thereby isolating the vacuum chamber from the vacuum pump. The closing of the VPI valve is driven by the exhaust gas pressure of the vacuum pump. The VPI valve becomes exposed to the exhaust gas pressure by the opening of a pilot valve, which may occur as a result of the vacuum pump ceasing to operate. By this configuration, the VPI valve is hermetic and does not require ambient air for its operation.

Abstract: The main sources of heat in a scroll pump are cooled efficiently by a single cooling fan so that noise and, in particular, fan-generated noise, can be kept low. The scroll pump includes a pump head assembly, a pump motor, a cooling fan that produces a cooling air flow in the pump, a cowling in which the pump head assembly, pump motor and cooling fan are housed and juxtaposed with one another in an axial direction of the pump, and a shroud disposed within the cowling and extending around the pump motor to define a tunnel with the motor and through which the air flow of the cooling fan is directed.

Abstract: A vacuum scroll pump has a frame, a stationary plate scroll fixed to the frame, an orbiting plate scroll, an eccentric drive mechanism for driving the orbiting plate scroll, and counterbalancing features by which axial loads produced on the eccentric drive mechanism are offset. Scroll blades of the stationary and orbiting plate scrolls are nested to define pockets which constitute a compression stage between opposing front sides of plates of the stationary and orbiting plate scrolls. The counterbalancing features include an axial counterbalancing chamber defined at a back side of the plate of the orbiting plate scroll, i.e., opposite the side at which the compression stage is provided, and a mechanism by which an intermediate one of the pockets can be placed in communication with the counterbalancing chamber through the plate of the orbiting plate scroll.

Abstract: A rough vacuum pump system includes a primary vacuum pump and a secondary vacuum pump. The primary vacuum pump is an oil-free positive displacement pump, and has an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a compression stage between the inlet and outlet openings, and an intermediate gas passageway that connects to a gas flow path running through the compression stage. The secondary vacuum pump is connected to the intermediate gas passageway of the primary vacuum pump. The compression ratio of the primary and secondary vacuum pumps operating in combination is greater than that of the compression ratio of either of the primary and secondary vacuum pumps operating individually. A vacuum apparatus includes a tracer gas detector connected to an inlet of the primary vacuum pump.

Abstract: A vacuum pump system includes a secondary pumping mechanism incorporated into a stationary portion of a scroll pump. The stationary portion includes the stationary plate scroll of the scroll pump and defines a gas passageway in which the secondary pumping mechanism is disposed. The gas passageway is connected to a gas flow path through the scroll pump at a location upstream of an exhaust check valve of the scroll pump. The secondary pumping mechanism is displaceable within the gas passageway to draw residual gas in the compression stage upstream of the check valve into the gas passageway, and may pump the residual gas back out through the exhaust check valve, to evacuate residual gas from the compression stage.

Abstract: A scroll pump isolates vibrations of a pump head/motor assembly of the pump from the exterior of the pump and thus, suppresses the production of airborne noise. The pump includes a sound-muffling enclosure surrounding the pump head/motor assembly, feet supporting the enclosure, and elastic vibration isolators. The pump head/motor assembly is fixed to the tops of the vibration isolators, and the sound-muffling enclosure is fixed to the vibration isolators at the bottoms of the isolators. The scroll pump also has a locking system by which motion of the pump head/motor assembly relative to the sound-muffling enclosure can be limited or prevented, and by which the sound-muffling enclosure can be hard-mounted to a support surface independently of the feet.

Abstract: A scroll pump includes a frame, a stationary plate scroll, an orbiting plate scroll, a non-energized type of tip seal or seals, an eccentric drive mechanism assembled to and supported by the frame and to which the orbiting plate scroll is assembled so as to be drivable by the eccentric drive mechanism in an orbit about a longitudinal axis of the pump, and an axial compliance system including a flexure. The flexure is interposed between a bearing of the eccentric drive mechanism and a flexure-locating surface of the eccentric drive mechanism. The flexure allows the orbiting plate scroll to move away from the stationary plate scroll in the case of an assembly process which would otherwise result in the tip seal(s) being too forcefully engaged with the plate of the opposing plate scroll.

Abstract: A scroll pump has a metallic bellows that angularly synchronizes the stationary and orbiting scroll blades of the pump, and a hack-up system for the bellows. The back-up system consists of pins integral with and fixed relative to one of the stationary and orbital parts of the scroll pump, and a guide part that is integral with and fixed relative to the other of the stationary and orbital parts. The back-up system may be a non-contacting hack-up system in which there is no contact between the pins and guide part during normal operation of the pump. Therefore, no particles are created by a wearing away of such parts which would otherwise have the potential to contaminate the fluid being worked by the pump and reduce the useful life of the pump.

Abstract: A vacuum type of scroll pump includes a frame, a stationary plate scroll, an orbiting plate scroll, a non-energized type of tip seal or seals, an eccentric drive mechanism assembled to and supported by the frame and to which the orbiting plate scroll is assembled so as to be drivable by the eccentric drive mechanism in an orbit about a longitudinal axis of the pump, and a mechanism for adjusting the seal(s) created by the tip seal(s) without having to disassemble any of the frame, plate scrolls or parts of the eccentric drive mechanism from one another, i.e., while a pump head assembly of the pump remains intact.

Abstract: A scroll pump includes a frame, a stationary plate scroll, an orbiting plate scroll, a tip seal(s), an eccentric drive mechanism which drives the orbiting plate scroll, and an axial compliance system. The eccentric drive mechanism includes a crankshaft, and bearings and a counterbalance disposed on the crankshaft. The counterbalance is mounted so as to be slidable along the crankshaft in the axial direction of the crankshaft. The axial compliance system includes a flexure and one set of springs for pre-loading the bearings. The flexure is interposed between one of the bearings and the counterbalance. The flexure allows the orbiting plate scroll to move away from the stationary plate scroll in the case of an assembly process which would otherwise result in the tip seal(s) being too forcefully engaged with the plate of the opposing plate scroll.

Abstract: An orbiting plate scroll of a scroll pump includes an orbiting plate having a first side and a second side, an orbiting scroll blade projecting in an axial direction from the first side of the orbiting plate, and a flexure whose compliance is in the axial direction. The flexure is coupled to the orbiting plate at the second side of the orbiting plate, and couples the orbiting plate and orbiting scroll blade to bearings that allow for free rotation of the orbiting plate scroll about a longitudinal axis, while constraining motion of the orbiting plate scroll in the remaining degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A vacuum scroll pump has a frame, a stationary plate scroll fixed to the frame, an orbiting plate scroll, an eccentric drive mechanism for driving the orbiting plate scroll, and counterbalancing features by which axial loads produced on the eccentric drive mechanism are offset. Scroll blades of the stationary and orbiting plate scrolls are nested to define pockets which constitute a compression stage between opposing front sides of plates of the stationary and orbiting plate scrolls. The counterbalancing features include an axial counterbalancing chamber defined at a back side of the plate of the orbiting plate scroll, i.e., opposite the side at which the compression stage is provided, and a mechanism by which an intermediate one of the pockets can be placed in communication with the counterbalancing chamber through the plate of the orbiting plate scroll.

Abstract: A scroll pump includes a frame, a stationary plate scroll, an orbiting plate scroll, a non-energized type of tip seal or seals, an eccentric drive mechanism assembled to and supported by the frame and to which the orbiting plate scroll is assembled so as to be drivable by the eccentric drive mechanism in an orbit about a longitudinal axis of the pump, and an axial compliance system including a flexure. The flexure is interposed between a bearing of the eccentric drive mechanism and a flexure-locating surface of the eccentric drive mechanism. The flexure allows the orbiting plate scroll to move away from the stationary plate scroll in the case of an assembly process which would otherwise result in the tip seal(s) being too forcefully engaged with the plate of the opposing plate scroll.

Abstract: A scroll pump includes a frame, a stationary plate scroll, an orbiting plate scroll, a tip seal(s), an eccentric drive mechanism which drives the orbiting plate scroll, and an axial compliance system. The eccentric drive mechanism includes a crankshaft, and bearings and a counterbalance disposed on the crankshaft. The counterbalance is mounted so as to be slidable along the crankshaft in the axial direction of the crankshaft. The axial compliance system includes a flexure and one set of springs for pre-loading the bearings. The flexure is interposed between one of the bearings and the counterbalance. The flexure allows the orbiting plate scroll to move away from the stationary plate scroll in the case of an assembly process which would otherwise result in the tip seal(s) being too forcefully engaged with the plate of the opposing plate scroll.

Abstract: A vacuum type of scroll pump includes a frame, a stationary plate scroll, an orbiting plate scroll, a non-energized type of tip seal or seals, an eccentric drive mechanism assembled to and supported by the frame and to which the orbiting plate scroll is assembled so as to be drivable by the eccentric drive mechanism in an orbit about a longitudinal axis of the pump, and a mechanism for adjusting the seal(s) created by the tip seal(s) without having to disassemble any of the frame, plate scrolls or parts of the eccentric drive mechanism from one another, i.e., while a pump head assembly of the pump remains intact.