Process of forming a metal part from a metal powder using a laser to melt the metal powder over a support surface that can be easily removed after the metal part has been formed
US-9643281-B1 · May 9, 2017 · US
Technique to improve the performance of a pump with a trimmed impeller using additive manufacturing
US11511372B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-11511372-B2 |
| Application number | US-201815966706-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | Apr 30, 2018 |
| Priority date | Apr 28, 2017 |
| Publication date | Nov 29, 2022 |
| Grant date | Nov 29, 2022 |
How to read this patent
A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.
- Title
What the patent document calls the invention.
- Abstract
A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.
- Assignees and inventors
Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.
- Key dates
Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.
- First independent claim
The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.
- CPC / IPC classifications
Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.
- Citations and related patents
Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.
Abstract
Official abstract text for this publication.
A pump features a trimmed impeller having a trimmed impeller diameter that is less than a standard full-sized diameter of a standard full-sized impeller for a standard full-sized casing, and having a circumferential outer edge; and a modified standard full-sized casing having dimensions corresponding to the standard full-sized casing and configured to house the trimmed impeller for pumping a fluid, having an outer peripheral wall, and having an inner annular volute portion between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the outer peripheral wall configured with a volume of material deposited using an additive manufacturing process so as to fill in vacant space otherwise caused by the trimmed impeller diameter being less than the standard full-sized impeller diameter. The additive manufacturing process is a directed energy deposition.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What we claim is: 1. A method of making a pump having a full-sized casing configured to house a trimmed impeller for pumping a fluid, the trimmed impeller having a circumferential outer edge with a trimmed diameter, the full-sized casing having an outer peripheral wall with a full-sized diameter and an inner annular volute portion between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the outer peripheral wall of the full-sized casing with a vacant space left over and caused by the trimmed diameter of the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller being less than the full-sized diameter of the outer peripheral wall of the full-sized casing, characterized in that the method comprises forming, on the full-sized casing, a volute having a volute portion with layered modifications by depositing a volume of material using an additive manufacturing process on the inner annular volute portion so as to fill in part of the vacant space and create a new internal surface with an inner portion along with a remaining space left over between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the inner portion of the new internal surface deposited using the additive manufacturing process. 2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises using a directed energy deposition as the additive manufacturing process. 3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises forming an impeller cut-away on a volute of the full-sized casing that has an extended impeller cut-away portion with a corresponding volume of material deposited using the additive manufacturing process. 4. A method of making a full-sized casing configured to house a trimmed impeller for pumping a fluid, the trimmed impeller having a circumferential outer edge with a trimmed diameter, the full-sized casing having an outer peripheral wall with a full-sized diameter and an inner annular volute portion between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the outer peripheral wall of the full-sized casing with a vacant space left over and caused by the trimmed diameter of the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller being less than the full-sized diameter of the outer peripheral wall of the full-sized casing, characterized in that the method comprises forming, on the full-sized casing, a volute having a volute portion with layered modifications by depositing a volume of material using an additive manufacturing process on the inner annular volute portion so as to fill in part of the vacant space and create a new internal surface with an inner portion along with a remaining space left over between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the inner portion of the new internal surface deposited using the additive manufacturing process. 5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the method comprises using a directed energy deposition as the additive manufacturing process. 6. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the method comprises forming an impeller cut-away on a volute of the full-sized casing that has an extended impeller cut-away portion with a corresponding volume of material deposited using the additive manufacturing process. 7. A full-sized casing configured to house a trimmed impeller for pumping a fluid, the trimmed impeller having a circumferential outer edge with a trimmed diameter, the full-sized casing having an outer peripheral wall with a full-sized diameter and an inner annular volute portion between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the outer peripheral wall of the full-sized casing with a vacant space left over and caused by the trimmed diameter of the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller being less than the full-sized diameter of the outer peripheral wall of the full-sized casing, characterized in that the full-sized casing comprises a volute having a volute portion with layered modifications formed by depositing a volume of material using an additive manufacturing process on the inner annular volute portion so as to fill in part of the vacant space and create a new internal surface with an inner portion along with a remaining space left over between the circumferential outer edge of the trimmed impeller and the inner portion of the new internal surface deposited using the additive manufacturing process. 8. A full-sized casing according to claim 7 , wherein the additive manufacturing process is a directed energy deposition. 9. A full-sized casing according to claim 7 , wherein the full-sized casing has a volute that includes an impeller cut-away that has an extended impeller cut-away portion formed with a corresponding volume of material deposited using the additive manufacturing process.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] · CPC title
Electron-beam welding or cutting · CPC title
Discharge tongues (F04D17/04 takes precedence) · CPC title
Construction and assembly (F04D29/2211 takes precedence) · CPC title
Aluminium or alloys thereof · CPC title
Patent family
Related publications grouped by family.
External sources
Frequently asked questions
Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.
- What does patent US11511372B2 cover?
- A pump features a trimmed impeller having a trimmed impeller diameter that is less than a standard full-sized diameter of a standard full-sized impeller for a standard full-sized casing, and having a circumferential outer edge; and a modified standard full-sized casing having dimensions corresponding to the standard full-sized casing and configured to house the trimmed impeller for pumping a fl…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Fluid Handling Llc
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification B23K26/342. Mapped technology areas include Operations & Transport.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Nov 29 2022 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 6 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).