Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps – Smooth runner surface for working fluid frictional contact
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-23
2001-04-17
Lopez, F. Daniel (Department: 3745)
Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps
Smooth runner surface for working fluid frictional contact
C415S151000, C415S157000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217278
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a turbomolecular pump for exhausting a gas by an interaction between a rotor and a stator and/or by an action of threaded rotor rotating at a high speed.
A general construction of a conventional turbomolecular pump is illustrated in FIG.
4
. The turbomolecular pump comprises a rotor R including a main shaft
10
and a rotary cylinder
12
rotating integrally therewith, a stator S including a fixed cylinder
14
surrounding the shaft
10
, and a cylindrical casing
16
surrounding the rotary cylinder
12
, which are assembled on a base B. A conductance adjusting valve
100
and a gate valve
110
are provided between the pump and an apparatus A to be evacuated in the upstream of the turbomolecular pump.
In the conventional turbomolecular pump as described above, however, driving mechanisms
101
,
102
for the individual valve units are provided in the proximity of the valves near the turbomolecular pump. This has posed a problem of scaling-up of the valve units, resulting in a larger overall structure of the turbomolecular pump including the valves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the problem described above, the present invention was made and has an object to provide a turbomolecular pump which enables a compact construction of the overall apparatus to be realized including the valve units.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the invention a turbomolecular pump is provided which comprises a rotor and a stator housed in a casing and an exhaust mechanism is formed between the rotor and the stator; wherein the turbomolecular pump has a valve body for opening and closing a suction port provided in the casing, and a valve driving mechanism for opening/closing driving the valve body, wherein the valve driving mechanism is provided integrally with the turbomolecular pump. This makes it possible to achieve a compact overall construction including the valve units.
According to a second aspect of the invention, in a turbomolecular pump according to the first aspect, the valve driving mechanism is so constructed that it drives the valve body in the axial direction of the rotor. By this arrangement, it is possible to achieve a simple construction of the entire valve unit which does not require a large space for installation thereof, since the valve body is opened or closed by lifting or lowering the valve body relative to the suction port.
According to a third aspect of the invention, in a turbomolecular pump according to the first aspect, the valve driving mechanism is provided outside the stator.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in a turbomolecular pump according to the first aspect, the valve driving mechanism is provided at the center portion of the suction port.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in a turbomolecular pump according to any one of the above aspects, the valve driving mechanism is provided so as to make the degree of opening of the valve body adjustable. This permits simultaneous functioning of valve units as a gate valve and a conductance adjusting valve, thus allowing further simplification and space saving.
According to the present invention, as described above, since the valve driving mechanism is provided integrally with the turbomolecular pump, it is possible to connect the suction port of the turbomolecular pump directly to a duct or the like of an apparatus to be evacuated. In addition, because the valve driving unit can drive a valve supporting member which supports the valve body in the axial direction of the rotor, the structure of the valve unit and the valve driving mechanism can be made far simpler. It is therefore possible to provide a turbomolecular pump having a compact overall construction, including the valve units.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative examples.
Miyamoto Matsutaro
Shiokawa Atsushi
Sobukawa Hirosi
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Ebara Corporation
Lopez F. Daniel
Nguyen Ninh
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