Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e. – impellers) – Articulated – resiliently mounted or self-shifting impeller... – Nonmetallic resilient mounting
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-29
2001-10-30
Ryznic, John E. (Department: 3745)
Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)
Articulated, resiliently mounted or self-shifting impeller...
Nonmetallic resilient mounting
C416S222000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309181
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a fluid flow machine wheel and uses thereof.
The term fluid flow machine wheel is used in this specification to denote a wheel member forming part of a machine involving a flow of fluid therethrough, for example an agitator such as an immersion agitator or a pump for pumping waste water, slurry, sludge, sewage or feces, or a recirculation pump. Such a wheel may be for example in the form of an impeller in a pump.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical form of fluid flow machine wheel comprises an inner hub portion and an outer hub portion which are connected together to form a hub to be mounted on a shaft, with blades or vanes projecting away from the outer hub portion. It has been found that when a fluid flow machine wheel of that kind is used in relation to a medium involving uncontrolled hydraulic conditions or properties such as waste water, sewage, feces, liquids carrying sludge or slurry, or the like, it is virtually inevitable that the wheel suffers from shocks, impacts and knocks as a result of changing operating conditions such as varying consistency of the medium passing through the machine. Such effects on the wheel can result in undesirable vibration phenomena and in an extreme case can even result in irreversible damage to the wheel or a drive motor connected thereto, a transmission assembly, mountings for same, and so forth.
A bladed wheel for a suction cleaner is to be found in German patent specification No. 578 128, comprising a shaft hub involving an inner hub portion and an outer hub portion, with blades projecting away from the outer hub portion. Disposed between the inner hub portion and the outer hub portion is a hub damping element of an elastic material which is intended to provide a sound-damping action. Shocks or impacts as are possible or inevitable in the case of a fluid flow machine wheel of the kind to which the invention relates, in use in the above-indicated circumstances involving a medium entailing uncontrolled hydraulic conditions or properties are not relevant in regard to such suction cleaner impellers.
German patent specification No. 759 535 describes a fan impeller of which the blades are connected to a motor shaft with the interposition of disks or the like of elastic rubber. The blades are secured to the rubber disks individually and separately from each other in such a way that the masses thereof are connected together only by way of the rubber disks but do not have any contact with each other. That impeller therefore does in fact have an inner hub portion, but there is no outer hub portion. On the contrary, in that arrangement the blades are independent components which are separate from each other.
Shocks and impacts as in the case of a fluid flow machine wheel involving the circumstances with which the present invention is concerned are also not to be expected with the impeller of German patent specification No. 759 535.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid flow machine wheel adapted to resiliently absorb and cushion shock and impact loadings thereon and consequently at least reduce vibration and/or damage.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an impeller wheel for a fluid flow machine such as an agitator or pump which is structurally capable of better withstanding shock loadings on component parts thereof without involving a structural configuration that is difficult and complicated to manufacture and assemble.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention the foregoing and other objects are attained by a fluid flow machine wheel, for example and more particularly for an immersion agitator or for a waste water, slurry, sludge, sewage or feces pump or for a recirculation pump, comprising a shaft hub for mounting on a shaft, comprising an inner hub portion and an outer hub portion. The outer hub portion and the inner hub portion are connected together in mutually interlacing relationship and blades project from the outer hub portion. A hub damping element of elastic material is provided between the inner hub portion and the outer hub portion and/or respective blade damping elements of elastic material are provided between the outer hub portion and the respective blade.
In accordance with the invention therefore, as will be seen in further detail from the description hereinafter of preferred embodiments, it is possible to only provide a hub damping element between the inner hub portion and the outer hub portion, or only blade damping elements between the outer hub portion and the respective blade, or a hub damping element between the inner hub portion and the outer hub portion as well as blade damping elements between the outer hub portion and each respective blade. The respective design configuration adopted is more particularly dependent on the kind of media in relation to which the wheel is to be used.
In the case of the fluid flow machine wheel according to the invention therefore both the corresponding torque and also the respective thrust force are suitably transmitted, while shock or impact loadings as a result of uncontrolled hydraulic conditions or properties in respect of the medium with which the wheel is being used are advantageously cushioned and damped by the hub damping element and/or by the blade damping elements. The advantage resulting from this is that undesired vibration phenomena or in the extreme case irreversible damage to the fluid flow machine wheel according to the invention or a drive motor connected thereto, a transmission arrangement, mountings for same and so forth, can be at least reduced or even prevented in a simple fashion.
The fact that, in the case of the wheel according to the invention the outer hub portion and the inner hub portion are connected together in interlaced or mutually interengaging arrangement provides that, if the resilient spring force of the hub damping element is exceeded or in the event of wear thereof, for example and in particular after a long period of use or operation of the wheel, the torque-transmitting properties afforded by the co-operation of the inner and outer hub portions for transmitting torque from the drive motor of the machine to the blades, that is to say between the shaft hub of the wheel and the blades, are still maintained. The fact that wear of the hub damping element occurs or the resilient spring force is exceeded does not result in effective disablement of the wheel and thus means that it is guaranteed to be capable of continuing to operate at any time in an emergency operating mode.
The wheel according to the invention can have two or more than two blades which are arranged equidistantly in the peripheral direction of the wheel.
In a preferred feature of the invention the hub damping element of the wheel can be of a ring-shaped or sleeve-shaped configuration. It can comprise a cast or molded elastomer, for example a plastic material or a rubber material. It is likewise also possible for the hub damping element to have at least one spring element. The at least one spring element can be for example in the form of an annular spring or the like.
The blade damping elements can be of a ring-shaped configuration and, like the hub damping element, can comprise a plastic or a rubber material. They may also be formed for example by springs such as plate or diaphragm springs or the like, sleeve elements comprising an elastomer material, and other suitable spring configurations.
It will be noted in this respect that the blade damping elements are advantageous in particular when shock or impact loadings as a consequence of uncontrolled hydraulic conditions or properties of the respective medium in which the wheel is being used are already to be at least in part absorbed, that is to say damped, at the blades themselves, in order thereby to reduce or minimise shock or impact loadings in the region of the hub shaft of the wheel.
The configuration of the wheel involving the blade damping elements also affords the advantage that the blade dampi
EMU Unterwasserpumpen GmbH
Ryznic John E.
Schweitzer Cornman Gross & Bondell L.L.P.
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