Inlets for rotary vane vacuum pump
This invention discloses an improved rotary vane vacuum pump. The vacuum pump includes an enlarged inlet port which is spread over the width and length of the stator in a zig-zagging fashion within which the vanes pass. In one embodiment, the inlet port describes an inverted W shape in the stator and includes appropriately placed ribs to ensure the stator does not deform around the inlet port.
1. A rotary vane vacuum pump comprising:
a rotor eccentrically mounted within a stator to create a compression zone;
at least two vanes slidably mounted in the rotor which compress and discharge a gas;
where the gas is introduced into the compression zone through an inlet port opening in the stator;
and the gas after compression by rotation of the rotor is discharged through an outlet port opening in the stator;
wherein the inlet port opening comprises two or more diagonally positioned channel legs intersecting one another and extending along an inner circumferential surface of the stator.
2. The rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 1 wherein the two or more channel legs intersect at an acute point, and a rib is placed at the acute point.
3. The rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 2 wherein the rib prevents a leading edge of the at least two vanes from interacting with the acute point.
4. The rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 1 wherein the two or more channel legs define an inverted V.
5. The device rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 1 wherein the two or more channel legs define an upright V.
6. The rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 1 wherein the two or more channel legs define one of an upright W and an inverted W.
7. The rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 1 wherein the two or more channel legs are disposed in a zig-zag fashion with respect to each other.
8. The rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 1 wherein the two or more channel legs have a different width.
9. The rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 1 wherein the two or more channel legs have a different length.
10. The rotary vane vacuum pump of claim 1 wherein the at least two vanes engage the inner circumferential surface of the stator.
11. A rotary vane vacuum pump comprising:
a rotor eccentrically mounted within a stator to create a compression zone;
at least two vanes slidably mounted in the rotor which compress and discharge a gas;
where the gas is introduced into the compression zone through an inlet port opening in the stator;
and the gas after compression by rotation of the rotor is discharged through an outlet port opening in the stator;
wherein the inlet port opening comprises two or more diagonally positioned channel legs where each of the channel legs is disposed in a zig-zag fashion with respect to each other; and
wherein the channel legs define one of an inverted W and an upright W.
12. A rotary vane vacuum pump comprising:
a rotor eccentrically mounted within a stator to create a compression zone;
at least two vanes slidably mounted in the rotor which compress and discharge a gas;
where the gas is introduced into the compression zone through an inlet port opening in the stator;
and the gas after compression by rotation of the rotor is discharged through an outlet port opening in the stator;
wherein the inlet port opening comprises two or more diagonally positioned channel legs where each of the channel legs is disposed in a zig-zag fashion with respect to each other; and
wherein each of the channel legs has a different width and length chosen and disposed in a fashion chosen to maximize the area of the inlet port opening.