Modular pump platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10473096-B2
Application number	US-201313832004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A modular pump platform includes a pump head module, a pump motor module, an electronics module and a separable tray. The pump motor module includes a pump motor having a rotary output removably coupled to a crank shaft of the pump head, the pump motor being one of multiple types of pump motors, and the pump motor module being detachably connected to the pump head module. The electronics module includes an electronic control circuit configured to control operation of the pump motor, the electronic control circuit being one of multiple types of electronic control circuits corresponding to the types of pump motors. Each of the pump head module, the pump motor module and the electronics module is detachably connected to the separable tray. At least the pump motor module is interchangeable with another pump motor module comprising a pump motor of another type.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A modular scroll pump platform, comprising:
a pump head module comprising a pump head having a stationary portion and a rotary portion connected to a crank shaft, wherein the stationary portion of the pump head comprises a stationary plate scroll fixed in the pump head, and the rotary portion of the pump head comprises an orbiting plate scroll interfacing with the stationary plate scroll to pump air through the pump head;
a pump motor module comprising a pump motor having a rotary output with a removable coupling removably coupled to the crank shaft of the pump head, the pump motor module being one of a plurality of different pump motor modules having different respective pump motors, the different pump motor modules configured to be detachably connected to the crank shaft of the pump head module;
a same type of connector for interconnecting the respective different pump motor modules to the crank shaft of the pump head module;
an inlet valve module comprising an isolation inlet valve detachably connectable to an air inlet of the pump head module, the isolation inlet valve comprising at least one of an air operated inlet valve or a fully sealed inlet valve;
a fan configured to be driven independently of the pump motor;
an electronics module comprising an electronic control circuit configured to control operation of the pump motor, the electronic control circuit being one of a plurality of types of electronic control circuits corresponding to the plurality of different pump motors;
a sound-muffling enclosure comprising a separable cowling and a separable tray to which each of the pump head module, the pump motor module and the electronics module corresponding to the pump motor module is detachably connected, the sound-muffling enclosure being configured to house the pump head module, the pump motor module and the electronics module, wherein the cowling is separable from the tray; and
a vibration isolation system comprising a set of elastic vibration isolators having top ends and bottom ends, respectively, wherein the top ends of the vibration isolators are detachably connectable to one of the pump head module or the pump motor module, and the bottom ends of the vibration isolators are detachably connectable to the separable tray, and wherein the vibration isolation system isolates the sound-muffling enclosure from vibrations transmitted from at least one of the pump head module or the pump motor module, and
wherein, by use of the same type of connector, the pump motor module is interchangeable with the different pump motor modules.

2. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , wherein the different pump motors comprise at least two of a single phase motor, an inverter controlled variable speed three phase motor, a brushless DC motor, a brushed DC motor, an air driven motor, and a hydraulically driven motor.

3. The modular pump platform of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of different pump motors operate at different voltages.

4. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vacuum gauge module comprising a vacuum gauge detachably connectable to the pump head module.

5. The modular pump platform of claim 4 , wherein the vacuum gauge module further comprises a vacuum gauge sensor insertable into an opening or pocket defined in a pump wall, and configured to communicate with outside the pump head module via the opening or a port connected to the pocket.

6. The modular pump platform of claim 5 , wherein the vacuum gauge sensor comprises pipe threads or machine screw threads on an outer surface, configured to engage complementary pipe threads or machine screw threads on an inner surface of the opening.

7. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cooling module comprising the fan, and detachably connectable to the separable cowling.

8. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , further comprising:
an exhaust muffler module comprising an exhaust muffler detachably connectable to an air outlet of the pump motor module.

9. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control circuit in the electronics module comprises a single printed circuit board comprising circuitry for controlling the pump motor and a wiring harness.

10. The modular pump platform of claim 9 , wherein the separable tray comprises a plurality of locating pins and a plurality of flexible snap fit retainers extending from a top surface of the separable tray, and
wherein the plurality of locating pins are configured to communicate with a corresponding plurality of holes defined by the printed circuit board, and the plurality of flexible snap fit retainers are configured to retain the printed circuit board, to detachably connect the printed circuit board to the separable tray in an assembled state.

11. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , wherein the pump head module further comprises a first end of a universal coupler attached to the crank shaft, and the pump motor module further comprises a second end of the universal coupler attached to the rotary output, the first and second ends of the universal coupler being configured to interconnect.

12. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , wherein the pump head module is connectable to the pump motor module using a flange joint and at least one pilot feature for alignment.

13. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , wherein the pump motor module is detachably connected to the pump head module using a connection that can be disengaged by hand.

14. The modular pump platform of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control panel module, comprising a user interface, detachably connectable to the separable cowling.

15. The modular pump platform of claim 14 , wherein the separable cowling comprises two separable sections that define an opening configured to accommodate the control panel module when the separable sections are connected, and
wherein the control panel module defines side slots into which the separable sections are insertable when connected.

16. A modular pump platform, comprising:
a sound-muffling enclosure comprising a separable cowling and a separable tray, wherein the cowling is separable from the tray;
a pump head module detachably connected to the separable tray and housed in the sound-muffling enclosure;
a pump motor module detachably connected to the pump head module with a removable coupling and to the separable tray, the pump motor module housed in the sound-muffling enclosure for operating the pump head module;
the pump motor module being one of a plurality of different pump motor modules having different respective pump motors, the different pump motor modules configured to be detachably connected to a crank shaft of the pump head module;
a same type of connector for interconnecting the different pump motor modules to the crank shaft of the pump head module;
an inlet valve module comprising an isolation inlet valve detachably connectable to an air inlet of the pump head module, the isolation inlet valve comprising at least one of an air operated inlet valve or a fully sealed inlet valve;
an electronics module detachably connected to the separable tray and the pump motor module, the electronics module housed in the sound-muffling enclosure and configured to include a plurality of different electronic control circuits corresponding to the plurality of different pump motors; and
a vibration isolation system comprising a set of elastic vibration isolators having top ends and bottom ends, respectively, wherein the top ends of the vibration isolators are detachably connectable to one of the pump head module

Assignees

• Agilent Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Calhoun John
• Lu Vannie Yucong
• Galica George
• Langellotti Robert
• Pierce James

Classifications

• F04C18/0215 Primary

  where only one member is moving · CPC title

• F01C21/007

  General arrangements of parts; Frames and supporting elements · CPC title

• F04C2240/81

  Sensor, e.g. electronic sensor for control or monitoring · CPC title

• F04B23/04

  Combinations of two or more pumps · CPC title

• F04B49/06

  Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) · CPC title