Vacuum pump

• US 6,999,840 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leybold GmbH (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: Leybold Vakuum GmbH
• Inventors: Beyer, Christian, Boy, Hermann, Brezina, Jürgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh
• Application Number:
  US10/494,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20040260409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 700/65, 700/66, 700/83, 700/17, 700/170, 700/282, 700/281, 700/287, 700/290, 702/34, 702/181, 702/182, 417/353, 417/418, 417/572
• US Class Current: 700/170
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 37/08 by condensing or freezing, e.g. cryogenic pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 37/14 to obtain high vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/00 Control , e.g. of pump delivery, or pump pressure of, or safety measures for, machines, pumps, or pumping installations, not otherwise provided for, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B47/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 28/00 Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/04 specially adapted to the production of a high vacuum, e.g. molecular pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/00 Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids

Abstract

A vacuum pump (10) includes a control device (20) for processing operational data and operational instructions. Further, the vacuum pump (10) includes a touch screen (40) serving as display for displaying the operational data callable from the control device (20) and as input for inputting operational instructions into the control device (20). The touch screen (40) includes a display panel (42) and a key panel (44) as display and the input, respectively, and is connected with the control device (20) via a data line (36). By combining the display and the input in a single device, namely the touch screen, the trouble for display and data input is reduced.

Claims

1. A vacuum pump comprising:

a pump unit with a stationary pump aggregate and a plurality of sensors attached to the pump aggregate to generate operational data about the stationary pump aggregate,

a control device for processing the operational data and operational instructions, the control device being connected to the sensors to control the pump unit in accordance with the operational data sensed by the sensors and the operational instructions,

a display for displaying the operational data callable from the control device, and

an input means for inputting the operational instructions into the control device,

the display and the input means including;

a touch screen connected with the control device via a data line and comprising a display panel as the display and a key panel as the input means.

2. The vacuum pump according to claim 1, further including:

a program memory which includes a program for generating an operational surface on the touch screen.

3. The vacuum pump according to claim 1, further including:

a separate mobile operational unit which comprises the touch screen which is selectively connected with the control device of a selected stationary pump aggregate via the data line to read out the operational data from and input the operational data to the control device to which it is connected.

4. A vacuum pump comprising:

a pump unit with a stationary pump aggregate and a plurality of sensors attached to the pump aggregate,

a control device for processing operational data and operational instructions, the control device being connected to the sensors,

a display for displaying the operational data callable from the control device, and

an input means for inputting operational instructions into the control device,

the display and the input means including;

a touch screen connected with the control device via data lines and comprising a display panel as the display and a key panel as the input means,

a separate mobile operational unit which comprises the touch screen which is selectively connectable with and detachable from the control device via the data line,

wherein the operational unit is mobile and the data line is configured so as to be detachable for removing the operational unit.

5. The vacuum pump according to claim 4, wherein the key panel comprises a start key for starting the pump operation and a stop key for stopping the pump operation.

6. The vacuum pump according to claim 4, wherein the key panel comprises keys for inputting a nominal rotary frequency.

7. The vacuum pump according to claim 4, wherein the display panel comprises a temperature indication for indicating an operational temperature.

8. The vacuum pump according to claim 4, wherein the display panel comprises a rotary frequency indication for indicating the actual rotary frequency.

9. A vacuum pump system comprising:

(a) at least one stationary vacuum pump unit, each vacuum pump unit including;

a control device,

sensors for sensing actual pump parameters, the sensors being connected with the control device,

an interface means connected with the control device;

(b) a mobile operational unit including;

a touch screen having a display panel for displaying pump parameters, the display panel defining touch keys through which an operator inputs information,

a means for temporarily interconnecting the touch screen with the interface means to (1) display actual pump parameters sensed by the sensors and (2) communicate operating instructions input through the touch keys to the control device.