Conical logarithmic spiral viscosity pump

• US 5,312,224 A
• Filed: 03/12/1993
• Issued: 05/17/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hall, Shawn A., Jackson, Robert R., Batchelder, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSON, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US08/030,984
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 415/71, 415/72, 415/73, 415/90, 416/176, 416/177, 29/888, 29/888.02, 29/888.025
• US Class Current: 415/73
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/465 using pumps for injecting the material into the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/05 Filamentary, e.g. strands
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/09 Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/395 using screws surrounded by a cooperating barrel, e.g. single screw extruders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/525 Conical screws
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/183 Semi axial flow rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 3/02 of screw type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49236 Fluid pump or compressor making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49245 Vane type or other rotary, e.g., fan

Abstract

A rotary viscosity pump is provided that has a housing and an impeller. The housing has a conical chamber with an outlet at a narrow end of the chamber. The impeller has a conical section with a logarithmic spiral groove along its exterior. The spacing between the housing and the impeller can have either a constant gap or a gap that decreases along the length of the impeller. The depth of the groove can be constant, increase, or decrease in depth along the length of the impeller.

Claims

1. A viscosity pump comprising:

a housing having a pump chamber and an outlet, the chamber having a section with a general conical shape, the outlet being located at a narrow end of the section; and

an impeller rotatably located in the chamber, the impeller having a generally conical section with at least one logarithmic spiral groove along an exterior of the conical section.

2. A pump as in claim 1 wherein the impeller has a front located at the outlet which is substantially smooth shaped with the groove not extending to the front.

3. A pump as in claim 1 wherein the impeller is spaced from the housing along the generally conical section with a substantially constant gap.

4. A pump as in claim 1 wherein the impeller is spaced from the housing along the generally conical section with a gap that varies along the length of the generally conical section.

5. A pump as in claim 4 wherein the groove has a depth that varies along the length of the generally conical section.

6. A pump as in claim 5 wherein the groove depth decreases along the length of the generally conical section.

7. A pump as in claim 4 wherein the gap decreases along the length of the generally conical section.

8. A rotary fluid pump comprising:

a pump housing having an inlet, an outlet, and an impeller chamber therebetween, the impeller chamber including a narrowing section with a narrow end located proximate the outlet; and

an impeller rotatably mounted in the impeller chamber, the impeller having a portion located in and substantially similarly shaped to the narrowing section except including a groove along its exterior having an approximate logarithmic spiral, the impeller having ridges along its exterior with a substantially constant gap between the ridges and the housing.

9. A pump as in claim 8 wherein the narrowing section of the chamber has a general conical shape.

10. A pump as in claim 9 wherein the impeller has a general conical shape.

11. A pump as in claim 10 wherein the impeller has a front with a cone shape without the groove.

12. A pump as in claim 8 wherein the groove has a substantially constant depth along the length of the impeller portion.

13. A rotary fluid pump comprising:

a pump housing have an inlet, an outlet, and an impeller chamber therebetween, the impeller chamber including a narrowing section with a narrow end located proximate the outlet; and

an impeller rotatably mounted in the impeller chamber, the impeller having a portion located in and substantially similarly shaped to the narrowing section except including a groove along its exterior having an approximate logarithmic spiral, the impeller having ridges along its exterior with a gap that varies between the ridges and the housing along the length of the impeller.

14. A pump as in claim 13 wherein the groove has a depth that varies along the length of the impeller.

15. A pump as in claim 14 wherein the groove becomes shallower along the length of the impeller.

16. A method of manufacturing a viscosity pump comprising steps of:

providing a housing having a pump chamber and an outlet, the chamber having a section with a general conical shape, the outlet being located at a narrow end of the section;

inserting a impeller into the pump chamber, the impeller having a general conical section with at least one logarithmic spiral groove along an exterior of the impeller conical section, spacings between the impeller and housing decreasing along the length of the impeller to produce a fluid pressure (P) of ##EQU24##

17. A system for dispensing a fluid comprising:

a controller; and

a conical logarithmic spiral viscosity pump connected to the controller.

18. A system as in claim 17 further comprising a motor connected between the controller and the pump.

19. A system as in claim 17 further comprising a pump location positioner connected to the controller and pump that is adapted to move the pump to desired locations.

20. A pumping assembly comprising:

a conical logarithmic spiral viscosity pump; and

a drive motor connected to an impeller of the pump, the motor being adapted to axially rotate the impeller relative to a housing of the pump.