EP4098842A1 - Ring pump for food products - Google Patents

Abstract

A swash ring pump is provided for conveying a highly viscous fluid for use in the food industry, the swash ring pump having a rotary shaft and a pumping device with a working chamber. In the working chamber, a spherical cap on an end portion of the rotating shaft, a swash ring on the spherical cap, and a partition wall can be arranged. The wobble ring pump is characterized in that the dividing wall comprises a convex surface, the convex surface being able to be coupled in a form-fitting manner to the at least partially spherical inner wall of the working chamber, so that the dividing wall can be arranged completely between the spherical attachment and the at least partially spherical inner wall.

Description

The invention relates to a wobble ring pump for pumping highly viscous fluids, in particular liquids, for use in the food industry.

Swash ring pumps belong to a group of pumps that are specially designed for the gentle conveyance of highly viscous fluids, especially in the food industry. For example, swash ring pumps can be used to convey sour milk, chocolate, sauces, (pulp-containing) fruit juice, jams and honey.

Despite careful manufacture, swash ring pumps are relatively prone to blockages due to solid components in the fluid to be pumped, such as pieces or fibers. It is therefore expedient to design wobble ring pumps in such a way that blockages during operation can be remedied by cleaning and maintenance that is as simple as possible.

Furthermore, wobble ring pumps for food are subject to the high hygiene requirements of the food processing industry.

Previously known swash ring pumps are generally characterized by the conversion of a rotary movement by means of a rotor in a working space into a transport movement of highly viscous liquids. Conventional wobble ring pumps have the common disadvantage that the pump has to be dismantled to a large extent in order to remove blockages or to clean the pump.

From the WO 2016/120655 A1 a wobble ring pump is known, which is characterized by simpler handling during maintenance. For this purpose, the housing of the swash ring pump is divided into two components by a beveled sectional plane in such a way that the working chamber of the swash ring pump is accessible to a considerable extent and can be cleaned simply by removing the head component. Accordingly, the working chamber of the swash ring pump can also be serviced and cleaned without removing the swash ring, i.e. the heart of the pump. At the same time, the separating sword, which separates the inlet chamber from the outlet chamber during pump operation in the sense of a partition wall, can be inserted into the working chamber of the pump through a separate through-hole on the housing. However, as a result, dirt corners can appear on the edges of the separating blade or between the separating blade and the recess on the housing, which should be avoided as far as possible from a hygienic point of view.

In addition to hygiene and maintenance, the manufacture of swash ring pumps also poses a fundamental challenge. The manufacturing process for swash ring pumps is relatively complex due to the large number of components that have to be precisely coupled or interacted with one another. The complexity of production requires comprehensive and careful quality control, which can result in correspondingly high costs.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a wobble ring pump for the food industry which is easier to maintain, has less manufacturing complexity and also ensures improved hygiene.

This object is achieved by the swash ring pump according to independent claim 1. Advantageous configurations of the swash ring pump are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, a wobble ring pump is provided for conveying a highly viscous fluid, comprising a rotary shaft that can be set in rotary motion about an axis of rotation by means of a drive element, and a pump device. The pumping device has a pump body and a pump head. The pump body has an inlet port, an outlet port, and a through hole for receiving an end portion of the rotating shaft.

The pump body and the pump head can be positively coupled by a cutting plane inclined by a predetermined angle, so that in a closed state a working chamber with an inner wall that is at least partially spherical is formed.

A spherical cap is cantilevered on the end portion of the rotary shaft. The spherical attachment has a circumferential groove that is inclined relative to the rotary shaft for receiving a swash ring in a form-fitting manner. The swash ring has a conical recess.

A partition wall with a concave surface can also be fixed in the working chamber, the partition wall being able to be coupled to the conical recess of the swash ring and the concave surface being able to be positively coupled to the spherical attachment at the base of the conical recess. The partition is adapted to divide the working chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. Rotations of the rotary shaft about the axis of rotation cause a wobbling movement of the wobble ring, so that a highly viscous fluid flowing in through the inlet opening can be alternately accommodated by means of the first and second chambers and displaced to the outlet opening.

The wobble ring pump is characterized in that the partition further comprises a convex surface, wherein the convex surface can be positively coupled to the at least partially spherical inner wall. This is the Partition can be arranged completely between the spherical attachment and the at least partially spherical inner wall.

The arrangement of the partition wall according to the invention has the advantage that no additional through hole has to be provided on the pump body, which reduces the manufacturing complexity of the pump body and at the same time dirt corners in the working chamber at the through hole of the pump body are avoided.

In an advantageous embodiment, the rotary shaft can be sealed off from the pump body at the through-hole by means of a mechanical seal, the mechanical seal being able to be arranged in the working chamber.

The arrangement of the mechanical seal completely in the working chamber has the advantage that no additional space needs to be provided outside of the working chamber in order to seal the working chamber from a housing of the drive element or the bearing housing. This in turn also reduces the manufacturing complexity of the pump body. Furthermore, there is no dead space surrounding the mechanical seal, which ensures a continuous exchange of media during operation and allows the pump to be completely emptied during cleaning.

In an advantageous manner, the pump body can be fastened to a housing of the drive element by means of a clamping ring. It is particularly advantageous if the clamping ring is adapted to continuously fasten the pump body in any desired position on the housing of the drive element.

The attachment of the pump body to the housing of the drive element or bearing housing by means of a clamping ring has the advantage that the pumping device can be turned steplessly into any position. As a result, food regulations, in particular according to which the swash ring pump must be able to be completely emptied, can be simplified be fulfilled. This is because, in order to empty the working chamber, the pumping device can be turned in such a way that the inlet and outlet openings are aligned downwards.

In an advantageous embodiment, the partition wall has a first end face at a first corner of the concave surface, the partition wall being fixable between the at least partially spherical inner wall and an end face of the pump body corresponding to the first end face of the partition wall.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the dividing wall has a second end face at a second corner of the concave surface, the dividing wall being fixable between the at least partially spherical inner wall and an end face of the pump head corresponding to the second end face of the dividing wall.

It is also advantageous if the spherical attachment has two components that can be coupled.

In an advantageous embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention, the wobble ring has a self-lubricating rim.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the wobble ring has plastic.

In an advantageous embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention, the predetermined angle at which the cutting plane between the pump body and the pump head is inclined is between 5 degrees and 45 degrees.

Advantageously, the rotary motion about the axis of rotation is reversible.

Fig. 1

eine 3D-Ansicht einer Ausgestaltung der erfindungsgemäßen Taumelringpumpe;

Fig. 2

eine Frontansicht der Ausgestaltung der erfindungsgemäßen Taumelringpumpe aus Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

den Schnitt A-A durch die Ausgestaltung der erfindungsgemäßen Taumelringpumpe aus Fig. 2;

Fig. 4

den Schnitt B-B durch die Ausgestaltung der erfindungsgemäßen Taumelringpumpe aus Fig. 2;

Fig. 5

einen Querschnitt durch eine Ausgestaltung der erfindungsgemäßen Taumelringpumpe;

Fig. 6

einen Schnitt analog zu dem Schnitt A-A aus Fig. 3 bei der Demontage des Trennschwerts, zum Beispiel während einer Wartung.

Further details and features of the invention result from the following description in conjunction with the drawing. Show it:

1

a 3D view of an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention;

2

a front view of the embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention 1 ;

3

the section AA through the design of the wobble ring pump according to the invention 2 ;

4

the section BB through the design of the wobble ring pump according to the invention 2 ;

figure 5

a cross section through an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention;

6

a cut analogous to the cut AA 3 when dismantling the cutting blade, for example during maintenance.

1 shows a 3D view of an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention.

In the 1 The embodiment shown of the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention has a pumping device 15 which is mounted on a bearing housing 10 by means of a clamping ring 17 . The clamping ring 17 is adapted to fix the pump device 15 on the bearing housing 10 in any position. in the in 1 shown position are the two openings 21a; 21b to the inlet or outlet of the highly viscous fluid to be pumped upwards. Due to the flexible attachment of the pumping device 15 to the bearing housing 10 by means of the clamping ring 17, any other desired orientation of the two openings is also conceivable. Therefore, the swash ring pump 1 according to the invention can be used in many ways in conveying systems in the food industry. To maintain the pumping device 15, it is expedient to open the two openings 21a; 21b downwards so that residual amounts of the fluid to be pumped can drain off.

Likewise shows 1 the dichotomy of the pumping device 15. While the pump body 20 can be fastened to the bearing housing 10 by means of the clamping ring 17, the pumping device 15 is closed off by the pump head 30 which can be fastened to the pump body 20. The dichotomy of the pumping device 15 is explained below in the description 3 in more detail.

2 shows a front view of an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention.

The embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention 2 corresponds to that from 1 . Therefore, the two openings 21a; 21b also oriented upwards in the front view. The fastening means 32 for fastening the pump head 30 to the pump body 20 can also be seen. The sections AA and BB are made with reference to the 3 and 4 described in more detail.

3 shows the section AA through the design of the wobble ring pump according to the invention 2 .

Can be seen in 3 a rotary shaft 11, which can be set in rotary motion about an axis of rotation DA by means of a drive element, and a pump device 15. The pump device 15 comprises a pump body 20 and a pump head 30. In addition, the pump body 20 has a through hole, the through hole facing the drive element and receiving a End portion of the rotary shaft 11 is used. The rotary shaft 11 can be set in rotary motion by the drive element, the rotary motion in the pump device 15 effecting the transport of the highly viscous fluid.

The pump body 20 and the pump head 30 can be positively coupled by a cutting plane 16 inclined at a predetermined angle α, so that in a closed state a working chamber 23 with an at least partially spherical inner wall 23a is formed. The predetermined angle α, by which the cutting plane 16 between the pump body 20 and the pump head 30 is inclined, is advantageously between 5 degrees and 45 degrees, particularly advantageously 30 degrees.

On the end portion of the rotary shaft 11, a spherical cap 24 is cantilevered. The spherical cap 24 of the in 3 shown embodiment of the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention is designed in two parts. The two components of the attachment 24 can be coupled with an axial offset and, in the coupled state, have a circumferential groove 24a that is inclined relative to the rotary shaft 11 for receiving a swash ring 25 in a form-fitting manner.

The swash ring 25 has a conical cross section and a recess 25a, the recess 25a also being conical due to the cross section of the swash ring 25. Advantageously, the swash ring 25 also has a self-lubricating rim 25b.

The conical cross section of the wobble ring 25 has the advantage that the rim, which must correspond with high precision to the at least partially spherical inner wall of the working chamber 23a, has a very narrow surface, which can reduce possible blockages during operation.

In an advantageous embodiment of the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention, the wobble ring 25 comprises plastic with self-cleaning properties, so that the wobble ring 25 can have a self-cleaning surface.

A partition wall 26 with a concave surface 26a can also be fixed in the working chamber 23 . The partition 26 is designed so that it with the conical Recess of the swash ring 25 can be coupled, wherein the concave surface 26a of the partition wall 26 can be positively coupled to the spherical cap 24 at the bottom of the conical recess.

The partition wall 26 is adapted to divide the working chamber 23 into a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber and the second chamber serve alternately as the inlet and outlet chambers of the swash ring pump 1. Rotation of the rotary shaft 11 about the axis of rotation DA causes a swash movement of the swash ring 25, so that a highly viscous liquid flowing in through the inlet opening 21a is alternately pumped out by means of the first or the second chamber can be accommodated and can be displaced to the outlet opening 21b.

According to the invention, the partition wall 26 is further provided with a convex surface 26b. The convex surface 26b can be positively coupled to the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a, so that the partition 26 can be arranged completely between the spherical attachment 24 and the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a, i.e. completely in the working chamber 23.

The configuration of the dividing wall 26 according to the invention has the advantage that no additional through-hole is required on the pump body 20 for accommodating a dividing wall 26 from the outside. As a result, dirt corners can be reduced during operation of the wobble ring pump 1, which means that better hygiene can be ensured. At the same time, the cleaning and maintenance costs can be reduced as a result. Owing to the omission of an additional through-hole on the pump body 20, its manufacturing complexity is also reduced.

In order to fix the dividing wall 26, also referred to in the art as the dividing sword 26, in the working chamber 23, the dividing wall 26 comprises a first end face 26c at a first corner. The first face 26c corresponds to a face 28 of the pump body 20, so that the partition 26 between the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a of the working chamber 23 and the end face 28 of the pump body 20 can be fixed.

The partition wall 26 of the embodiment of the wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention 3 also includes a second end face 26d. The second end face corresponds to an end face 31 of the pump head 30. Thus, the partition wall 26 can also be fixed between the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a of the working chamber and the end face 31 if the pump head 30 is mounted. It is particularly advantageous if the partition wall 26 has both end faces 26c; 26d, so that the partition wall 26 has both end faces 28; 31 can be fixed both by the pump body 20 and by the pump head 30. For fastening the partition wall 26 in the pumping device 15, the partition wall 26 has on its end faces 26c; 26d extensions, which in corresponding grooves of the end faces 28; 31 of the pump body 20 and the pump head 30 can engage. The grooves are separated from the working chamber 23 by molded seals.

The rotary shaft 11 can be rotated about the axis of rotation DA in both directions, ie left and right. As a result, highly viscous liquids can be conveyed in one direction or the other in a conveying system in the food industry, as required.

4 shows the section BB through the design of the wobble ring pump according to the invention 2 .

Can be seen in 4 in particular the beveled cutting plane inclined at a predetermined angle α between the pump body 20 and the pump head 30. A molded sealing ring (not shown) is arranged between the pump head 30 and the pump body 20 for sealing purposes. The pump head 30 can be fastened to the pump body 20 by means of at least one fastening means 32 .

figure 5 shows a cross section through an embodiment of the wobble ring pump according to the invention.

Can be seen in figure 5 , how the partition 26 divides the working space 23 in interaction with the spherical cap 24, in particular with a component 24c of the spherical cap, and the wobble ring 25, so that a first chamber and a second chamber arise. Pipes or hoses can be connected to the two chambers via the inlet or outlet openings 21a; 21b, so that the highly viscous fluid can be supplied to the pump device and, after being displaced in the working space 23, can be discharged again.

6 shows a section analogous to section AA 3 when dismantling the partition wall, for example during maintenance.

The embodiment of the swash ring pump 1 from 6 corresponds to that from 3 . A wobble ring pump 1 according to the invention can be seen in a position optimized for cleaning and maintenance. Therefore, compared to the view of the swash ring pump is off 3 the pumping device 15 is rotated 180 degrees and the pump head 30 is dismantled.

As in 6 As can be seen, the invention provides for the partition wall 26 or the separating blade 26 to be dismantled by simply sliding it along the surface of the spherical cap 24 or the inner wall 23a. As a result, in particular no further disassembly in the working chamber 23 of the pumping device 15 is required to disassemble the partition wall 26 .

The complete arrangement of the separating blade 26 in the working chamber 23 of the pumping device 15 has the advantage that the dismantling of the pumping device 15, for example in the course of cleaning and/or maintenance work, is made considerably easier. In addition, dirty corners can be avoided during operation be, since the at least partially spherical inner wall 23a in the pump body 20 can be designed as a closed surface.

After the pump head 30 has been dismantled, a considerable part of the working space is accessible without further dismantling. In particular, both the swash ring 25 and the spherical attachment 24 and a significant part of the at least partially spherical inner wall of the working chamber 23a can be cleaned or serviced without prior disassembly of the swash ring. As a result, the cleaning and/or maintenance effort can be significantly reduced and corresponding costs can be saved.

Can be seen in 6 Also, the rotary shaft 11 can be sealed against the pump body 20 by means of a mechanical seal 27 at the through hole of the pump body 30. According to the invention, the mechanical seal 27 is arranged in the working chamber 23a.

The arrangement of the mechanical seal 27 in the working chamber 23 has the advantage over a previously known arrangement of the mechanical seal outside of the pump body 20, e.g. In this way, on the one hand, the production of the pump body 20 can be simplified and, on the other hand, the maintenance of the mechanical seal 27 can be made easier. Furthermore, there is no dead space surrounding the mechanical seal, which ensures a continuous exchange of media during operation and allows the pump to be completely emptied during cleaning

Reference list:

1

wobble ring pump

10

bearing housing

11

rotary shaft

15

pumping device

16

cutting plane

17

clamping ring

20

pump body

21a; 21b

inlet port; exhaust port

22

Radial recess of the pump body 20

23

working chamber

23a

Inner wall of the working chamber 23

24

Spherical attachment

24a

Circumferential groove of the spherical attachment 24

24b; 24c

Two eccentrically connectable components of attachment 24

25

wobble ring

25a

Conical recess of the swash ring 25

25b

Self-lubricating rim of the swash ring 25

26

partition wall

26a; 26b

Concave or convex surface of the partition wall 26

26c; 26d

First or second end face of the partition wall 26

27

mechanical seal

28

Front side of the pump body 20

29

Fastening means for attaching the spherical attachment 24

30

pump head

31

Front side of the pump head 30

32

Fastening means for fastening the pump head 30

THERE

axis of rotation

a

predetermined angle

A-A; B-B

Sections A-A and B-B

Claims (10)

Swash ring pump for conveying a highly viscous fluid for use in the food industry, comprising a rotary shaft that can be set into rotary motion about an axis of rotation by means of a drive element, and a pump device, the pump device having a pump body and a pump head, the pump body having an inlet opening, an outlet opening and a through hole for receiving an end portion of the rotary shaft, wherein • the pump body and the pump head can be positively coupled by a cutting plane inclined by a predetermined angle, so that in a closed state a working chamber with an at least partially spherical inner wall is formed, • a spherical attachment can be overhung on the end section of the rotary shaft, with the spherical attachment having a circumferential groove which is inclined relative to the rotary shaft for receiving a swash ring in a form-fitting manner, with the swash ring having a conical recess, • a partition wall with a concave surface can also be fixed in the working chamber, the partition wall being able to be coupled to the conical recess of the swash ring and the concave surface being able to be positively coupled to the spherical attachment at the base of the conical recess, and • The partition wall is adapted to divide the working chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, with rotations of the rotary shaft cause a wobbling movement of the wobble ring around the axis of rotation, so that a highly viscous fluid flowing in through the inlet opening can be alternately taken up by means of the first and second chambers and displaced to the outlet opening, characterized in that the dividing wall further comprises a convex surface, wherein the convex surface can be coupled in a form-fitting manner to the at least partially spherical inner wall, so that the dividing wall can be arranged completely between the spherical attachment and the at least partially spherical inner wall, wherein the partition is detachable by sliding along a surface of the spherical cap. Swash ring pump according to claim 1, wherein the rotary shaft can be sealed relative to the pump body at the through hole by means of a mechanical seal and wherein the mechanical seal can be arranged in the working chamber. Swash ring pump according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump body can be fastened to a housing of the drive element by means of a clamping ring. Swash ring pump according to the preceding claim, wherein the clamping ring is adapted to continuously fasten the pump body to the housing of the drive element in any position. Swash ring pump according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the partition wall has a first end face at a first corner of the concave surface, the partition wall being fixable between the at least partially spherical inner wall and an end face of the pump body corresponding to the first end face of the partition wall. Swash ring pump according to the preceding claim, wherein the partition wall has a second end face at a second corner of the concave surface, the partition wall being fixable between the at least partially spherical inner wall and an end face of the pump head corresponding to the second end face of the partition wall. A swash ring pump according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the swash ring has a self-lubricating rim. Swash ring pump according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the swash ring comprises plastic. A swash ring pump according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined angle at which the cutting plane between the pump body and the pump head is inclined is between 5 degrees and 45 degrees. Swash ring pump according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rotational movement about the axis of rotation is reversible.

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