Smooth Runner Surface For Working Fluid Frictional Contact (e.g., Unbladed Runner, Etc.) Patents (Class 415/90)
  • Patent number: 5611659
    Abstract: A method and device for reducing a gap between a static part and a movable part. The device is operated at cryo temperatures. A gap is defined between the static part and the movable part. A cryo coolant channel has a coolant fluid disposed therein. The channel is disposed in a housing wall of one of the static part and the movable part and is disposed adjacent to the gap. A gas is injected into the gap. The gas is condensable and has a liquid-solid conversion temperature above the temperature of the coolant fluid so that the gas becomes solid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Europaische Atomgemeinschaft (Euratom)
    Inventor: Paul Dinner
  • Patent number: 5611660
    Abstract: A hybrid vacuum pump comprising a turbomolecular stage positioned at the inlet end of the pump and comprising a stator formed from an array of stationary blades and a rotor formed from a further array of blades arranged for rotation at high speed between the stator blades. A molecular drag stage is positioned at the outlet (high pressure) end of the pump and comprises at least two discs arranged for rotation within a stator with a minimal clearance between the circumferential edge of the discs and the stator. A flow passageway linking the turbomolecular stage with annular channels is defined between the stator and opposing faces of the discs and projections extending from the stator are provided for deflecting gas being pumped from the annular channels during rotation of the discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventors: David C. Wong, Nigel P. Schofield
  • Patent number: 5577881
    Abstract: Turbomolecular vacuum pumps having structures which provide increased pumping speed, increased discharge pressure and decreased operating power in comparison with prior art turbomolecular vacuum pumps. In a first embodiment, the staters of one or more axial flow vacuum pumping stages in proximity to the exhaust port of the vacuum pump have progressively lower conductance so that the bulk velocity of the gas being pumped is increased. In a second embodiment, one or more stages near the inlet port of the vacuum pump are provided with a peripheral channel to utilize the centrifugal component of the gas being pumped. In a third embodiment, one or more stages in the vacuum pump are molecular drag stages, each including a disk rotor. One or more pumping channels in the stator adjacent to the upper surface of the disk are connected in series with one or more pumping channels adjacent to the lower surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Marsbed Hablanian
  • Patent number: 5577883
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas friction pump with a high vacuum (HV) area and a forevacuum area (FV) area; in order to avoid, on the pumping surfaces, the formation of solid materials when such pumps are used for chemical processes, it is proposed that the HV area and the FV area have different working temperatures, so that the temperature of the HV area is lower than the temperature of the FV area (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gunter Schutz, Markus Szirmay, Peter Reimer
  • Patent number: 5553998
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas friction vacuum pump having at least two differently configured pump stages each having a rotor section and a housing section. In order to adapt the pump to different applications, the pump stages are detachably connected with each other so that different inlet stages can be mounted on the high-vacuum side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Leybold AG
    Inventors: Martin Muhlhoff, Hans Kriechel, Frank Fleischmann, Hans-Peter Kabelitz
  • Patent number: 5551553
    Abstract: An apparatus is described for transporting particulate material. A housing includes a wall defining an inlet and a wall defining an outlet spaced downstream from the outlet. A duct is enclosed in the housing between the inlet and outlet, the duct being formed between first and second substantially opposed drive walls moveable relative to the housing from the inlet toward the outlet and at least one arcuate wall extending between the inlet and the outlet. The drive walls have a greater surface area for contacting the solid material than the arcuate walls. The drive walls rotate relative to an axis. An assembly is provided for positioning the second drive wall in the housing for rotation in a plane at an angle relative to the axis such that the distance between the first and second drive walls adjacent the inlet is greater than the distance downstream from the inlet when the drive walls are moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Stamet, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew G. Hay
  • Patent number: 5547338
    Abstract: A friction pump having individual components designed to form simultaneously essential parts of a magnetic bearing assembly for supporting the pump rotor, and essential parts adapted to fulfill essential functions of a friction pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Balzers-Pfeiffer GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Conrad, Torbjorn Lembke
  • Patent number: 5536148
    Abstract: A turbo vacuum pump for compressing a low-pressure gas to discharge the compressed gas into atmosphere comprises pump stator having a gas flow passage comprising a plurality of annular flow passages on an inner surface thereof arranged stepwise diameters of which become smaller toward downstream and passages intercommunicating with adjacent annular flow passages and a gas discharge port communicated with one of the plurality of annular flow passages disposed at the most downstream. The pump stator includes a cylindrical spiral grooved pump impeller and a plurality of peripheral flow pump impellers facing the annular flow passages provided downstream of the cylindrical spiral grooved pump impeller and having stepwise diameters which become smaller toward downstream to form a peripheral flow pump stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Nishiuchi, Masahiro Mase, Noboru Matsumura, Katsuaki Kikuchi, Takashi Nagaoka, Seiji Sakagami
  • Patent number: 5528618
    Abstract: A high power, closed cycle photolytic atomic iodine laser system having a high molecular weight gas as a laser fuel and which requires a high velocity flow of the laser fuel, the laser fuel to be in a selected low pressure range, and the laser fuel to be of very high purity. The laser system has a turbo-molecular blower for circulating the laser fuel. The turbo-molecular blower provides the high velocity flow, the selected low pressure through the laser gain cell, and a high compression ratio. The velocity is in a range of about 1 m/s to 100 m/s, the compression ratio being in a range from about 10:1 to 1000:1, the selected low pressure in a range of about 5 to 60 Torr, and the turbo-molecular blower not contaminating the laser fuel of the closed cycle fuel system by the use of ferrofluidic rotary seals. The turbo-molecular blower has a blower assembly that provides a continuous, high velocity and pressurized gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: LaVerne A. Schlie, Robert D. Rathge
  • Patent number: 5522694
    Abstract: A venting arrangement for a magnetically supported vacuum pump which has a high speed rotor, wherein the load carrying capacity of the axial magnetic bearing is increased in the course of the venting process by reducing the gap between the axial support disk and the axial magnet in order to carry the additional forces caused by the venting process. In normal operation, the gap is adjusted to an upper limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Balzers Pfeiffer GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Bernhardt, Rene Larsonneur
  • Patent number: 5518363
    Abstract: A rotary turbine including a source of a pressurized medium and a rotor assembly. In one embodiment, the rotor assembly includes first and second rotors, and the surface of each rotor is substantially smooth. The pressurized medium flows between the rotors, turning the rotors. The smooth rotor surfaces do not cause substantial turbulence in the medium. Accordingly, the exit velocity of the pressurized medium is maintained at a substantial higher level than if the rotors included blades or other protrusions extending outwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Illinois Technology Transfer LLC
    Inventor: Peter F. Theis
  • Patent number: 5513499
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for partial regeneration of a cryopump are provided. The cyropump includes first and second stage cryoarrays, a refrigerator for cooling the first and second stage cryoarrays, and typically includes a sorbent material for removing gases by cryosorption. The second stage cryoarray is heated from its operating temperature to a partial regeneration temperature range selected to liberate captured gas from the second stage cryoarray and to retain condensed water vapor on the first stage cryoarray. The partial regeneration temperature range is preferably 100K to 160K and is more preferably 120K to 140K. When the second stage cryoarray has a temperature within the partial regeneration temperature range, gas liberated from the second stage cryoarray is pumped with a turbomolecular pump in fluid communication with the cryopump. The turbomolecular pump removes liberated gases from the cryopump at high speeds and produces a low pressure in the cryopump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Ebara Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Johan E. deRijke
  • Patent number: 5501583
    Abstract: A turbo vacuum pump has a housing provided with a suction port and a discharge port, an evacuation pump disposed in the housing for compressing a gas suctioned through the suction port and discharging the compressed gas through the discharge port, and a motor for driving the evacuation pump, the motor and the evacuation pump having a common rotor. The rotor is supported at its both axial ends by bearings. A spiral grooved dynamic seal is disposed in the vicinity of the suction port and at the opposite side of the suction port to the evacuation pump. The diameter of the spiral grooved dynamic seal, at the smallest, is greater than the outside diameter of the final stage impeller of the evacuation pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nagaoka, Shinjiro Ueda, Seiji Sakagami, Akira Nishiuchi, Hirofumi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 5498125
    Abstract: Turbomolecular vacuum pumps having structures which provide increased pumping speed, increased discharge pressure and decreased operating power in comparison with prior art turbomolecular vacuum pumps. In a first embodiment, the stators of one or more axial flow vacuum pumping stages in proximity to the exhaust port of the vacuum pump have progressively lower conductance so that the bulk velocity of the gas being pumped is increased. In a second embodiment, one or more stages near the inlet port of the vacuum pump are provided with a peripheral channel to utilize the centrifugal component of the gas being pumped. In a third embodiment, one or more stages in the vacuum pump are molecular drag stages, each including a disk rotor. One or more pumping channels in the stator adjacent to the upper surface of the disk are connected in series with one or more pumping channels adjacent to the lower surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Inventor: Marsbed Hablanian
  • Patent number: 5496149
    Abstract: A fluid-powered rotor including one or more circular flow plates an an energy-transferring means, for example, an axle. Each circular flow plate has a circumferential groove near its outer edge with an inlet end and an outlet. The outlet is a through-hole in the circular flow plate and, in the case of a plurality of circular flow plates, is aligned with and connected to the inlet end of the groove in the adjacent downstream circular flow plate. Viscous drag of a fluid passing through the grooves rotates the circular flow plates to produce work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey S. Dugan
  • Patent number: 5490761
    Abstract: Turbomolecular vacuum pumps having structures which provide increased pumping speed, increased discharge pressure and decreased operating power in comparison with prior art turbomolecular vacuum pumps. In a first embodiment, the stators of one or more axial flow vacuum pumping stages in proximity to the exhaust port of the vacuum pump have progressively lower conductance so that the bulk velocity of the gas being pumped is increased. In a second embodiment, one or more stages near the inlet port of the vacuum pump are provided with a peripheral channel to utilize the centrifugal component of the gas being pumped. In a third embodiment, one or more stages in the vacuum pump are molecular drag stages, each including a disk rotor. One or more pumping channels in the stator adjacent to the upper surface of the disk are connected in series with one or more pumping channels adjacent to the lower surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Marsbed Hablanian
  • Patent number: 5483803
    Abstract: A cryogenically cooled water pump traps water vapor with a high probability but is open to non-condensing gases for high conductance to a turbomolecular pump. The preferred array is a single cylinder, having a length to diameter ratio of between 0.5 and 1, concentric with and near to an ambient temperature conduit. A center baffle, preferably of closed frustoconical shape, may be positioned at the center of the array over the upper bearing plate of the turbomolecular pump where it results in minimal reduction in conductance to the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Helix Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen R. Matte, Alan L. Weeks, Philip A. Lessard
  • Patent number: 5482430
    Abstract: Turbomolecular vacuum pumps having structures which provide increased pumping speed, increased discharge pressure and decreased operating power in comparison with prior art turbomolecular vacuum pumps. In a first embodiment, the stators of one or more axial flow vacuum pumping stages in proximity to the exhaust port of the vacuum pump have progressively lower conductance so that the bulk velocity of the gas being pumped is increased. In a second embodiment, one or more stages near the inlet port of the vacuum pump are provided with a peripheral channel to utilize the centrifugal component of the gas being pumped. In a third embodiment, one or more stages in the vacuum pump are molecular drag stages, each including a disk rotor. One or more pumping channels in the stator adjacent to the upper surface of the disk are connected in series with one or more pumping channels adjacent to the lower surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Marsbed Hablanian
  • Patent number: 5470197
    Abstract: The instant invention is a self-adjusting blade insert used for improving the efficiency of low rotating disc pumps by use of pivotal disc inserts disposed between the rotating discs of a multi-disc pump turbine style pump causing a positive displacement of fluid during the low rotating conditions or low viscosity fluid environment. The blade inserts of the instant invention include a biasing spring which allows the blade inserts to pivot outward when sufficient hydraulic pressure creates force against a lower surface of the blade inserts allowing maximum flow at higher rotations or predetermined operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Inventor: Robert S. Cafarelli
  • Patent number: 5466119
    Abstract: A stack of parts, such as the stator disks of a turbomolecular pump, the parts being stacked alternately with spacers, includes a spacer having a knife-shaped deformable portion. When the stack is installed for the first time, the portion is compressed so as to take up the tolerances of the stack between abutment surfaces, e.g. delimited by a pump body and a corresponding casing. The invention applies in particular to turbomolecular pumps and aims to eliminate the operations of adjustment, re-machining, or matching that are usually required when installing a stator assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Societe Anonyme Dite: Alcatel Cit
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Boivin, Jean-Emile Chollet, Pierre Falcoz, Luc Mathieu
  • Patent number: 5462402
    Abstract: A flywheel assembly used for mobile energy storage incorporates a molecular pump and an internal chamber containing molecular sieves. The molecular pump shares the shaft, bearings, and motor of the flywheel rotor, and maintains the high vacuum desired in the vicinity of the flywheel rotor. The gases which evolve from the rotor during its operational life are pumped into the chamber containing the molecular sieves where they are adsorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Rosen Motors, L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel Bakholdin, Robert W. Bosley, Chris C. Pearson
  • Patent number: 5456575
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a pumping stage particularly designed for turbomolecular pumps, having increased compression ratio, and capable of extending the operating range of the turbomolecular pump towards high pressure. The new pumping stage comprises a casing housing, a rotor disk, and a substantially coplanar stator ring. The stator ring consists of two plates connected with each other along their circumferential periphery, thereby defining a region of close tolerance with the opposite surfaces of the rotor. The rotor and stator cooperate to define a tapered, free annular channel having a suction port and a discharge port at the opposite ends of this channel. The channel tapers in a functional, predetermined fashion, having the largest cross-sectional area near the suction port, and converging, according to the rotational direction of the rotor, at the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Helmer, Giampaolo Levi
  • Patent number: 5451147
    Abstract: A compact, easy-to-handle turbo vacuum pump includes a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port; a cylindrical rotor disposed in the housing and having a stepped peripheral surface and a plurality of blades secured to protruding corners of the steps; and a pumping mechanism portion in which a pumping stage is formed by a stator which faces the blades of the rotor across a narrow gap, and in which peripheral pump flow paths are provided in step-like recessions inside the stator. The turbo vacuum pump further includes a rotating shaft which is connected to the rotor and is rotatably supported by a radial gas bearing and a thrust gas bearing; and a motor portion for operating the rotor. Gas sucked in through the inlet port can be discharged into the atmosphere through the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Sakagami, Shinjiro Ueda, Masahiro Mase, Takashi Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 5449270
    Abstract: The present invention relates to turbomolecular pumps comprising one or more tangential flow pumping stages in addition to axial flow pumping stages, so as to raise the pump exhaust pressure up to the atmospheric pressure, wherein at least one tangential flow pumping stage having a tangential flow pumping channel of improved design. The channel is located between the lateral surface of the rotor disk and the annular inner wall of stator and comprises an upper closure plate provided with suction port and a lower closure plate provided with diskharge port wherein these ports operably coupled to the tangential flow pumping channel. The cross-section area of the channel is enlarged from its periphery portion defined by the lateral surface of the rotor disk to a central portion defined by the upper and lower closure plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Giampaolo Levi, John C. Helmer
  • Patent number: 5445502
    Abstract: A vacuum pump includes a positive displacement vacuum pump structure section disposed on a discharge opening side; a kinetic vacuum pump structure section, disposed on a suction opening side, for providing a high vacuum; and a kinetic vacuum pump structure section, disposed on a suction opening side, for providing a high pumping speed. The construction of the kinetic vacuum pump structure section is different from that of the kinetic vacuum pump structure section so as to differ relative thereto in one of ultimate pressure, pumping speed, and pumping speed of sucked gas with respect to a molecular weight of the sucked gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Itou, Teruo Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5443368
    Abstract: A vacuum system comprises, as an integral assembly, a turbomolecular pump with drive motor, a vent valve, a purge valve, a roughing valve, a heater and an electronic control module. The control module has a programmed processor for controlling the motor and valves and is user programmable for establishing specific control sequences. The integral electronic control module is removable from the assembly and is connected to the other devices through a common connector assembly. Proper introduction of a purge gas through the purge valve is detected by detecting the current load on the pump drive or by detecting foreline pressure. To test the purge gas status, the purge valve may be closed and then opened as drive current or pressure is monitored. After power failure, the controller will continue normal drive of the turbomolecular pump so long as the speed of the pump has remained above a threshold value. Otherwise the vent valve will have been opened, and a start-up sequence must be initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Helix Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Alan L. Weeks, Gerald J. Fortier, Stephen R. Matte', Peter W. Gaudet, Martin Stein, Steven C. Rosner, Robert J. Lepofsky
  • Patent number: 5427499
    Abstract: There is disclosed a turbine comprising a pair of relatively movable working members having closely spaced opposed surfaces with depressions therein acting to transer kinetic energy between a working fluid and the working members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Inventor: John Kirby
  • Patent number: 5419679
    Abstract: A laminar flow fan is adapted to fit into a the internal cavity of a fan housing (70). The fan comprises a stack of parallel disk elements (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) mounted for rotation on a motor (40) with the diameters of the disk elements varying within the stack to more fully utilize the available internal space of the housing. Apparatus which uses such a fan as part of its forced air cooling system is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David S. Gaunt, Richard J. Coles, Ivor W. Bolton
  • Patent number: 5417551
    Abstract: A fluid rotary apparatus includes rotors accommodated in a housing, driving shafts on which the rotors are mounted, upper and lower bearings for rotatably supporting upper and lower portions of each of the shafts, fluid suction and fluid-discharging openings formed in the housing, motors adapted for independently and synchronously driving each of the shafts, rotation-detecting devices for detecting the rotational angle and/or the number of rotations of each motor, contact-preventing gears for contacting each other before the rotors contact each other, and a positive displacement pump structure section sucking and discharging fluid by utilizing a closed space formed by the rotors and the housing and controlling the motors in synchronous rotation thereof in response to signals outputted from the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Abe, Teruo Maruyama, Akira Takara, Norio Okutani
  • Patent number: 5388958
    Abstract: An impeller displaces fluids without turbulence, thereby reducing noise and increasing efficiency. The impeller employs annular disks stacked on a shaft which may be rotatably mounted in a specially shaped housing. The disks cooperate with a complementary surface formed, e.g., by the interior of the impeller housing or by another impeller, so as to use a combination of surface friction, centrifugal forces, and a venturi effect to propel fluids tangentially without turbulence. The impeller is well suited for use with a heat exchange device because the flat disks present a large surface area providing good heat exchange with fluids flowing past the disks. A heat pipe or other suitable heat transfer mechanism may be provided in the shaft of the impeller to form a heat transfer system integral with the impeller for heating or cooling purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Heat Pipe Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Khanh Dinh
  • Patent number: 5387079
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a pumping stage for turbomolecular pumps comprising a rotor disk (3), integral with a rotating shaft (4) operated by a motor, and a stator disk (1) said stator disk (1), integral with the pump body (2), where the stator disk (1) is a disk whose surface is substantially smooth that can assume, during the evacuation cycle, a bladed configuration, by raising radial sections (5) of the disk surface itself. Raising of radial sections (5) is performed by at least one actuator device (11) controlled, through an electronic control device (12), by a pressure sensor (13) sampling the pressure inside the pump body (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Giampaolo Levi
  • Patent number: 5380171
    Abstract: A turbo vacuum pump has a housing provided with a suction port and a discharge port, an evacuation pump disposed in the housing for compressing a gas sucked through the suction port and discharging the compressed gas through the discharge port, and a motor for driving the evacuation pump, the motor and the evacuation pump having a common rotor. The rotor is supported at its both axial ends by bearings. A spiral grooved dynamic seal is disposed in the vicinity of the suction port and at the opposite side of the suction port to the evacuation pump. The diameter of the spiral grooved dynamic seal, at the smallest, is greater than the outside diameter of the final stage impeller of the evacuation pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nagaoka, Shinjiro Ueda, Seiji Sakagami, Akira Nishiuchi, Hirofumi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 5374160
    Abstract: Turbomolecular vacuum pumps having structures which provide increased pumping speed, increased discharge pressure and decreased operating power in comparison with prior art turbomolecular vacuum pumps. In a first embodiment, the stators of one or more axial flow vacuum pumping stages in proximity to the exhaust port of the vacuum pump have progressively lower conductance so that the bulk velocity of the gas being pumped is increased. In a second embodiment, one or more stages near the inlet port of the vacuum pump are provided with a peripheral channel to utilize the centrifugal component of the gas being pumped. In a third embodiment, one or more stages in the vacuum pump are molecular drag stages, each including a disk rotor. One or more pumping channels in the stator adjacent to the upper surface of the disk are connected in series with one or more pumping channels adjacent to the lower surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Marsbed Hablanian
  • Patent number: 5358373
    Abstract: Turbomolecular vacuum pumps having structures which provide increased pumping speed, increased discharge pressure and decreased operating power in comparison with prior art turbomolecular vacuum pumps. In a first embodiment, the stators of one or more axial flow vacuum pumping stages in proximity to the exhaust port of the vacuum pump have progressively lower conductance so that the bulk velocity of the gas being pumped is increased. In a second embodiment, one or more stages near the inlet port of the vacuum pump are provided with a peripheral channel to utilize the centrifugal component of the gas being pumped. In a third embodiment, one or more stages in the vacuum pump are molecular drag stages, each including a disk rotor. One or more pumping channels in the stator adjacent to the upper surface of the disk are connected in series with one or more pumping channels adjacent to the lower surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Marsbed Hablanian
  • Patent number: 5356280
    Abstract: A rotary channel pump apparatus for compressing solids that have an initial bulk density which is substantially lower than their structural density; the apparatus comprises a flow channel having an inlet and an outlet and includes: (i) an annular drag flow channel segment (L1) formed between a stationary outer wall member and a rotating circular inner wall member; and (ii) a straight channel segment (L2) formed between a first planar and stationary wall portion and a second planar and stationary wall portion; no axial cross-section of the flow channel between the inlet and the outlet is smaller than the axial cross-section at the inlet; a rotary feeder is connected to the flow channel near the inlet thereof for precompacting the particulate solid which is then passed through the flow channel to substantially increase the bulk density and to avoid melting and/or thermal degradation of the particulate solid when passing through the flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: GPW Machine S.a.S. di Giuseppe Ponzielli & C.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Ponzielli
  • Patent number: 5354172
    Abstract: A vacuum pump of the molecular drag type comprising a pump body, a cylindrical element adapted for rotation within the pump body about its longitudinal axis and having a plurality of circumferential slots defined in its surface which are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a stator element held stationary with regard to the pump body and having projections extending into the slots substantially to fill the slots in the vicinity of the stator, wherein at least some of the surfaces of the stator projections adjacent the walls of the slots are coated with an abradable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventor: Nigel P. Schofield
  • Patent number: 5350275
    Abstract: A turbomolecular pump comprises a casing having an inlet port at one end portion and an outlet port at another end portion, a rotor supported rotatably within the casing, and a stator fixed on an inner wall of the casing. The rotor has rotor vanes which coact with stator vanes on the stator to pump gas molecules from the inlet port to the outlet port. The rotor and stator vanes are arranged in multi-steps and have ceramic surfaces at the steps near the outlet port of the casing and have metallic surface at all other steps, so as to promote the baking efficiency and obtain extremely high vacuums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Zaidan Houjin Shinku Kagaku Kenkyujo
    Inventor: Hajime Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 5344282
    Abstract: A vacuum pump of the molecular drag type comprising a pump body, a cylindrical element adapted for rotation within the pump body about its longitudinal axis and having a plurality of circumferential slots defined in its surface which are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a stator element held stationary with regard to the pump body and having projections extending into the slots substantially to fill the slots in the vicinity of the stator, wherein the cylindrical element comprises a co-axial assembly of a plurality of individual discs, each disc being spaced apart from its adjacent disc(s), thereby defining the circumferential slots between the discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: The BOC Group, plc
    Inventor: Nigel P. Schofield
  • Patent number: 5312224
    Abstract: A rotary viscosity pump is provided that has a housing and an impeller. The housing has a conical chamber with an outlet at a narrow end of the chamber. The impeller has a conical section with a logarithmic spiral groove along its exterior. The spacing between the housing and the impeller can have either a constant gap or a gap that decreases along the length of the impeller. The depth of the groove can be constant, increase, or decrease in depth along the length of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Batchelder, Shawn A. Hall, Robert R. Jackson
  • Patent number: 5297926
    Abstract: Movement of a fluid such as air is produced by rotating about a rotational axis a plurality of flow generating plates arranged in parallel with clearances therebetween. The clearances between adjacent flow generating plates for producing the movement of the fluid most effectively only by an adhesion of the fluid to the flow generating plates are set to be twice a value of a distance of an intermediate portion between the surface of the flow generating plate contacting a portion of the fluid in a close boundary layer which is rotated and moved substantially together with the flow generating plate and a remote fluid boundary layer which is substantially not influenced by centrifugal force due to the rotation of the flow generating plate. In the case of air, the clearances are about 0.5 mm. It is preferred to form the flow generating plate so as to have a waved surface for improving the flow generating efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Nissho Giken Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masataka Negishi
  • Patent number: 5281086
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a pump for pumping a viscous fluid. The pump includes a stator body and a rotor body rotatably mounted in the stator body so as to be coaxial therewith. The stator body has a wall structure having a spiral slot formed therein which communicates with a suction connection formed in the stator body for conducting the viscous fluid to be pumped into the slot. A pressure connection is formed in the stator body for conducting the viscous fluid out of the slot. The suction connection and the pressure connection open into respective peripheral annular slots which are formed between a total of at least three sealing rings on the outer surface of the stator body. The channels for liquids provided in a housing can be disposed in any rotational position relative to the stator. This affords the advantage that the pump stator can be seated with any rotational position in a receiving cylinder of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl
    Inventors: Michael Wissmann, Hans Nickel, Roland Schierling, Werner Geyer
  • Patent number: 5258050
    Abstract: A method of separating a lighter gas from heavier gases. A series of pumps is used. A gas to be separated out from a mixture of gases is introduced at an exhaust port of one of the pumps, with the lighter gas among them traveling upstream into a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: Danielson Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Danielson
  • Patent number: 5240371
    Abstract: A fan has a casing (1) having walls defining a flow duct which accommodates a multiple-disc rotor (1) mounted for rotation about the axis (3) thereof. The flow duct also accommodates baffles provided on opposite sides of the rotor (1) to extend along its axis (3). According to the invention, the casing (7) is mounted for rotation about the axis (3) of the rotor (1). The fan is useful for controlling air-exchange in living space or industrial production space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Inventor: Petr I. Belomestnov
  • Patent number: 5238362
    Abstract: A high vacuum pump comprising an in-line connection on a single drive shaft of an axial turbomolecular compressor and a peripheral compressor where the pump provides better than 10.sup.-7 Pascal inlet when exhausting to atmosphere. The peripheral compressor has a two stage optimized Gaede design which encloses the impellers in a shroud reducing the top and bottom volume surrounding the impellers and providing a large separation pressure drop region between stages of said peripheral compressors to reduce axial leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Fausto Casaro, Luigi Dolcino, Mars Hablanian, Giampaolo Levi
  • Patent number: 5223199
    Abstract: A method of pumping particulate solids that have an initial bulk density which is lower than its structural density; the method comprises providing a flow channel (12) having an inlet (120) and an outlet (129) and including (i) an annular drag flow channel segment (L1) formed between a stationary outer wall member (14) and a rotating circular inner wall member (16); and (ii) a straight channel segment (L2) formed between a first planar and stationary wall portion (148) and a second planar and stationary wall portion (182); the inlet (120) of rotary channel (12) is that of the drag flow channel segment (L1) while the outlet (129) of flow channel (12) is that of the straigth channel segment (L2); no axial cross-section of the flow channel (12) between the inlet (120) and the outlet (129) is smaller than the axial cross-section of the inlet (120); the particulate solid is passed through the flow channel (12) so as to increase the initial bulk density and avoiding significant melting and/or thermal degradation of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: GPW Macchine S.a.S. di Giuseppe Ponzielli & C. of Via Vallone
    Inventor: Giuseppe Ponzielli
  • Patent number: 5221179
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vacuum pump having a peripheral groove vacuum pump unit which includes a casing provided with an inlet port and an outlet port; a rotor disposed within the casing and including a rotor shaft journaled on the casing, a rotor body fixed to the rotor shaft and provided integrally with a rotor disk; and a stator fixedly disposed within the casing and provided with an annular groove receiving the peripheral portion of the rotor disk. Both sides of the peripheral portion of the rotor disk are cut in steps or portions of the side walls of the annular groove corresponding to the peripheral portion of the rotor disk are cut in annular recesses to form flow passages on both sides of the peripheral portion of the rotor disk. Partitions are projected from the stator into the flow passages. The starting ends of the flow passages on the inlet side of the partitions communicate with the inlet port, and the terminating ends of the same on the outlet side of the partitions communicate with the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Osaka Vacuum, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Ikegami, Tetsuro Ohbayashi, Keiichi Yoshida, Masashi Iguchi
  • Patent number: 5219269
    Abstract: A vacuum pump includes a casing provided with an inlet port and an outlet port; a turbo molecular pump unit disposed in an uppermost section, with respect to a flow direction of the gas, of the casing; a peripheral groove vacuum pump unit disposed in a middle section of the casing; and a vortex vacuum pump unit disposed in a lowermost section, with respect to the flow direction of the gas, of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Osaka Vacuum, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Ikegami, Tetsuro Ohbayashi, Keiichi Yoshida, Masashi Iguchi
  • Patent number: 5217346
    Abstract: A vacuum pump includes a casing provided with an inlet port and an outlet port, a peripheral groove vacuum pump unit disposed in an upper section, with respect to a flow direction of the gas, of the casing, and a vortex vacuum pump unit disposed in a lower section, with respect to the flow direction of the gas, of the casing. The vacuum pump unit and the vortex vacuum pump unit have a common rotor. Since the common rotor is provided for the vacuum pump unit and the vortex vacuum pump unit, the dynamic balance of the rotor can be easily adjusted and the rotor rotates with a minimal amount of vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Osaka Vacuum, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Ikegami, Tetsuro Ohbayashi, Keiichi Yoshida, Masashi Iguchi
  • Patent number: 5209631
    Abstract: The invention describes an arrangement for optimum flooding of high speed vacuum pumps. The actuation of the flood valve (6) is controlled by the forces, which, among other things, are exerted upon the rotor by the flooding process. These forces are determined and used to actuate a flood valve controlling entry of the flooding gas. Such forces can be measured in active magnetically supported rotors by masuring the currents in the magnetic bearings (10 and 12). In case of hybrid bearing systems and purely mechanical bearing systems, force measurement is possible indirectly by means of measuring the distance or spacing between the rotor and the stator, or, alternatively, also by means of force sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Arthur Pfeiffer Vakummtechnik Wetzlar GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 5192182
    Abstract: A noiseless fan having a group of parallel and thin, closely spaced disks rotatable at relatively high speed. As the disks rotate, boundary layers of air on the disk surfaces rotate bodies of air between the disks while centrifugal force developed by the rotating disks drives the air radially outward to be expelled into the atomosphere. Intake air is admitted axially through central openings in the disks and is directed radially outward into the spaces between the disks to displace the expelled air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Inventor: Clarence R. Possell