EP3441612A1 - Pumping unit, storage device equipped with the same and method for operating said storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

Pump unit (1) for emptying a filled with liquid or pasty material (111), in particular under a vacuum, supply container (101), which is part of a storage device (100), wherein the pump unit (1) a Feed pump (1.1) comprising a relative to the feed pump housing (2) movable elastic pumping element (3), a feed pump drive (8), and a controller for controlling at least all movable components of the pump unit (1) having.

Description

I. Field of application

The invention relates to a pump unit for transporting liquid and above all viscous substances such as adhesives and resins, as well as a storage device comprising a storage container for such materials, from which by means of such a pump these materials must be pumped to a downstream consumer.

II. Technical background

Especially pasty materials, e.g. Potting compounds to moisture-tight encapsulate electronic circuits or adhesive to tightly interconnect components are often applied in the industry by means of appropriate automated application method via dosing machines on the corresponding components, and must therefore be constantly supplied with the appropriate material.

For this purpose, such a consumer is connected via lines to a storage device in which is in a mostly pot-shaped Reservoir is the appropriate material. In the line leading from a low-level discharge opening of this reservoir to the consumer, a pump unit is arranged, which causes the transport of this often viscous material.

One problem is that these materials often contain abrasive solids in finely divided form, which is why certain pump designs, such as continuously operating screw pumps, are not suitable for this purpose.

Instead, piston pumps are often used, which wear less quickly even with abrasive material to be conveyed and are also cheaper to produce, but do not provide a continuous flow.

For this reason, then two feed pumps, in particular in the design as a piston pump, operated in parallel, which are also usually connected via separate connections on the same reservoir, and which are controlled so that a piston pump vollzeiht just a working stroke, ie material towards consumers expels while the other piston pump is performing a return stroke, so their pump room is just filled with new material from the reservoir.

Nevertheless wear - depending on the material to be pumped - also piston pumps in such an application and must be changed from time to time, which on the one hand downtime of the system entails and of course the cost of repair and installation of the pump, such as the piston pump.

However, for this transport to the container is not necessarily a very precise volume to be kept at each pump stroke condition because there must only be sufficient pressure in the supply line to the consumer there, so that the consumer is always supplied with material.

• ein zusätzliches Rührwerk aufweisen, um das Sedimentieren schwererer Inhaltsstoffe zu verhindern,
  und/oder
• eine Heizung, um das viskose Material durch Temperaturerhöhung dünnflüssiger werden zu lassen,
  und/oder
• vor allem eine Entgasungseinheit, um eventuell in dem Material noch vorhandene Lufteinschlüsse zu beseitigen, bevor das Material zum Verbraucher gepumpt wird.

Since it is often sensitive in their handling and storage materials, such storage containers

• have an additional agitator to prevent the sedimentation of heavier ingredients
  and or
• a heater to make the viscous material thinner by raising the temperature,
  and or
• above all, a degassing unit to eliminate any air pockets remaining in the material before the material is pumped to the consumer.

III. Presentation of the invention a) Technical task

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a pump unit especially for the described storage device available, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and is subject to the least possible wear "even with abrasive ingredients of the material to be conveyed, and moreover, if necessary fast and easy to exchange.

b) Solution of the task

This object is solved by the features of claims 1, 10 and 14. Advantageous embodiments will be apparent from the dependent claims.

Like any pump unit , a generic pump unit for liquid or pasty material comprises a feed pump, which has a pump element which is movable relative to the feed pump housing, and a drive for this feed pump.

According to the invention, the wear is reduced by the material to be delivered by the pumping element comprises at least one elastic element, preferably the elastic element itself is the pumping element.

In this case, the elastic element peripherally circumferentially tightly clamped, at least with respect to the pump housing, with sleeve-shaped in the form of a bellows at the opposite end of the bellows against a non-elastic pumping element. U

The elastic element is arranged so that it is in pumping operation only on one side with the material to be conveyed in contact, and thus divided the space inside the pump housing in a pumping space and a drive space.

Since the material to be conveyed thus can not fall between the elastic element on the one hand and a relative to this moved other element on the other hand, wear caused by abrasive properties of the material is hardly to be feared.

Preferably, such a pump unit also includes a controller, usually an electronic controller which controls at least all the moving components of the pump unit.

There are different pump shapes that include an elastic element as part of the pumping element:
On the one hand, a bellows pump , in which, as is usual in a piston pump, a pump piston in a cylinder is axially movable, but the pump piston is not tight with its outer circumference - whether it is about seals or piston rings - on the cylinder wall and shifts along this, but ends radially spaced from the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder, wherein a sleeve-shaped, elastic bellows, usually a bellows, is tightly secured with its one annular end edge on the outer periphery of the pump piston and with its other annular end edge on the pump housing.

Another design is a so-called diaphragm pump , in which an elastic, approximately plate-shaped membrane the interior in the pump housing - usually formed by two bell-shaped or cup-shaped, with the open sides tightly fastened to each other housing parts - the interior of the pump housing in a pumping chamber and a working space divided, and at its outer edge circumferentially tightly mounted opposite the pump housing, for example, between the two pressed against each other screwed housing halves is tightly secured.

By moving the membrane transversely to its main plane of the delivery chamber is alternately increased and decreased, so that by corresponding inlet and outlet valves by means of the membrane from the filled at maximum volume with the material delivery chamber when reducing its volume, the material contained therein is squeezed out through an outlet conduit and conveyed to the consumer.

Especially the design as a diaphragm pump, which is in the foreground for the present invention, is very simple and inexpensive to manufacture, since the individual components are to produce this cost less due to only a few and even mating surfaces, in contrast to a piston pump.

While the inlet valve is preferably an active, ie drivable and in particular controlled drivable, valve, which, however, preferably only between the fully open and fully closed position must be movable back and forth, the exhaust valve can even a simple, passive, not by a valve train be driven, exhaust valve, for example in the form of a check valve and will only be an active, controlled drivable, valve in special cases.

This prevents already located in the outlet line material is returned to the pumping chamber of the diaphragm pump, which yes should increase its volume by material from the reservoir to be emptied, ie through the inlet opening, and should be filled.

The check valve may be arranged with the larger side of its passage pointing upwards and occupy only the dead weight of the valve element, usually a ball, the closed position and / or additionally biased by the force of a spring in the closed position in this way is also the cost of producing the required valves, especially the exhaust valve, very low.

Preferably inlet valve and outlet valve are arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the delivery chamber of the pump, preferably the inlet valve in the assembled state of the pump unit at its lowest point and the outlet valve at its highest point, so that the outlet valve can be particularly easily closed by a non-return valve arranged there ,

Such a pump can be driven in different ways:
A first possibility is to act on the drive space of the feed pump alternately with negative pressure or overpressure of a drive medium, for example air.

Preferably, the pump, in the design as a diaphragm pump, the diaphragm of the pump, via a drive ram, which is fixed with its front end on the side facing away from the material to be conveyed on the membrane, driven transversely to its main plane. In a bellows pump, the delivery piston is driven by the drive tappet.

The drive tappet and / or the membrane of the feed pump can be set in motion by different drives, be it from an electric motor, for example via an oscillating drive or an eccentric drive, even easier, but in turn by a diaphragm pump, which now as Membrane drive pump is used, and whose diaphragm is connected to the other, rear end of the drive plunger.

In the latter case, the drive pump is moved back and forth by creating a differential pressure between the two chambers on both sides of its membrane and reversing it for reciprocation.

For this purpose, both the coupling space through which the rear end of the drive plunger extends, and the drive space, but at least only the drive space, provided with at least one connection in order to change the pressure in this drive space and possibly also the coupling space and in particular to change the pressure difference between the two spaces from positive to negative value.

In the simplest case, the drive space on the one hand and the coupling space on the other hand alternately acted upon by compressed air as the working medium and opened the other room to the environment or even subjected to negative pressure.

The advantage of not providing this directly at the feed pump in the drive space is that such a drive pump can have a substantially larger membrane area than the feed pump and thereby also a relatively low working pressure of the working medium, preferably air, for the drive pump. is sufficient.

The effective area of the membrane of the drive pump, in particular the membrane drive pump, at least by a factor of 2, better by a factor of 3, better by a factor of 4, better by a factor of 5 than that of the other membrane, namely the feed pump.

In addition, the drive chamber of the feed pump can have a vacuum connection and can be acted upon with a vacuum connection in order to be able to actively move the membrane to the completely retracted filling position during the return stroke - possibly in addition to the drive tappet, which only acts selectively - so that in the areas between the attachment point of the Drive ram and the edge Fixing the membrane reaches its maximum retracted position everywhere.

Preferably, the main planes of the two membranes are arranged parallel to each other, and the drive tappet and its direction of movement extend perpendicular thereto.

This results in a particularly simple structure, and also the manufacturing processes for the individual parts of drive pump and conveyor pump are almost identical.

Furthermore, a heating device, in particular in the form of electric heating coils or lines for a heated liquid medium, can be provided in the feed pump housing or even the pumping chamber in order to heat the material to be conveyed and thus make it more fluid and better pumpable. A cooling device may also be necessary for individual applications.

On the side facing away from the medium to be conveyed membrane or the bellows of the feed pump, so the drive space, a liquid sensor is preferably arranged, which detects in the event of a leak such as a crack of the membrane in the drive space in reaching liquids and reports to the controller, which then emits an alarm signal.

At least one pressure sensor is provided in the delivery chamber of the delivery pump or in its connections in order to know at all times the pressure conditions in the pump and in particular in the delivery chamber, so that an associated controller can react thereto, either by changing the working pressure of the drive medium or, if necessary, by delivery an alarm signal when the measured pressure exceeds a limit or a minimum pressure is not reached.

Preferably, the position of the feed pump drive, in particular the drive plunger, monitored by a position sensor, at least reaching its end positions, preferably takes place over the entire path of movement, a detection of the movement of the drive plunger.

The same may instead or additionally be provided for the position of the membrane, in particular the diaphragm of the feed pump, and / or for the membrane of the drive pump, if one is present.

With regard to the storage device , which comprises at least one of the above-described pump units in addition to the reservoir for the material to be conveyed, this object is achieved in that the pump unit is designed according to one of the preceding claims.

Preferably, the bearing device comprises two such pump units that can be driven counter-synchronously to ensure a quasi-continuous delivery of the material into the outlet line.

Depending on the required delivery volume, instead of using pump units of different sizes, more than two pump units can be used, of which, for example, half of the pump units each are operated synchronously and can also convey into a common delivery line.

Preferably, however, the two pump units are independently controllable, so that temporal overlaps of the return stroke of a pump unit and the working stroke of the other pump unit or a time interval between them are possible.

In the storage device, the feed pump, in particular the membrane feed pump, is preferably arranged so that its inlet valve is below the outlet opening of the reservoir, so that when the inlet valve is open, the material alone gravity already flows into the pumping chamber of the diaphragm pump.

In this case, the main plane of the membrane of the membrane feed pump may preferably be inclined at an angle of at most 40 °, better 30 °, better at most 20 °, better not more than 10 ° to the vertical, while the reservoir preferably vertically standing with its open side stands up in the storage device. This results in a particularly space-saving arrangement and thus a compact storage device.

The pump drive of the one or two feed pumps is preferably arranged on the side facing away from the reservoir with respect to the feed pump, so that the pump drive, in particular the drive pump, is easily accessible for repairs.

Preferably, the tightly closed reservoir is subjected to negative pressure to avoid mixing of air into the material in the reservoir, especially when it is equipped with a mixer.

Preferably, the air space of the reservoir is then connected to the drive space of the feed pump, and this compound can be selectively opened and closed via a valve.

As a result, the same pressure prevails with regard to the two sides of the membrane in the feed pump, preferably even a slightly lower pressure is to be present on the side of the material to be conveyed than on the opposite side of the membrane.

As a result, during the filling of the delivery pump, the membrane can be brought into the optimally close end position to the housing on the drive side and a maximum pumping volume can be achieved in that the delivery space can reach a particularly large volume.

In the method for operating such a bearing device, the ejection movement of the two pump units can be superimposed in time, so that a continuous delivery as close as possible coming flow is achieved, for which the movement of the membrane of the feed pump, in particular the diaphragm pump, a speed profile on their Movement, for example, the path of movement of the center of the diaphragm pump, can complete.

This is possible, for example, if the movement of the diaphragm or of the drive plunger is monitored over the entire movement path and reported to the controller, which can thereby vary the drive speed of the pump drive, including the possibly used diaphragm drive pump, within each pump stroke or after one can control given path-speed diagram.

By acting on the air space of the reservoir with the same negative pressure as in the drive chamber of the membrane feed pump an optimal and above all always constant delivery volume is achieved. Preferably, the drive space of the feed pump is subjected to negative pressure, in particular the same negative pressure as the air space in the reservoir, as soon as the ejection movement of the drive plunger ends.

If a liquid sensor is present, upon receiving a corresponding signal, the controller may report the entry of liquid into the drive space and issue an alarm signal, such that the corresponding diaphragm pump is repaired, in particular the diaphragm is replaced, or the entire pump unit is replaced with a new one is replaced, which only has to be repaired afterwards. As a result, the service interruption of the bearing device is minimized, especially since this only the actively controllable inlet valve of the corresponding pump unit must be closed and after the completion of a last application stroke, the pump unit can be detached from their terminals and removed.

c) embodiments

• Figur 1: die gesamte Lagervorrichtung mit zwei Pumpen-Einheiten,
• Figur 2a: eine der Pumpen-Einheiten in Mittelstellung (Normalstellung),
• Figur 2b: eine Pumpen-Einheit in der Front Ansicht,
  eine der Pumpen-Einheiten am Ende des Arbeitshubes,
• Figur 2c: eine der Pumpen-Einheiten am Ende des Füll-Hubes,
• Figur 2d: eine der Pumpen-Einheiten am Ende des Arbeits-Hubes,
• Figur 3: eine andere Bauform der Pumpen-Einheit.

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. Show it:

• FIG. 1 the entire storage device with two pump units,
• FIG. 2a : one of the pump units in middle position (normal position),
• FIG. 2b : a pump unit in the front view,
  one of the pump units at the end of the working stroke,
• Figure 2c one of the pump units at the end of the filling stroke,
• Figure 2d one of the pump units at the end of the working stroke,
• FIG. 3 : another design of the pump unit.

The structure of the feed pump unit 1 can best be seen from the sectional view of FIG. 2a and the front view according to FIG. 2b recognize:
The pump unit 1 consists of a feed pump 1.1 in the form of a membrane pump, and an upstream in the direction of movement 10 of the membrane 4.1 of this diaphragm pump and associated drive pump 1.2, which is also again equipped as a diaphragm pump with a membrane 4.2 ,

In this case, the effective area of the membrane 4.2 of the drive pump 1.2 is substantially larger than that of the membrane 4.1 of the feed pump 1.1.

As with any membrane pump, the membrane 4.1 subdivides the approximately discus-shaped interior of the feed pump 1.1 into a feed space 1.1a, through which the material 111 to be pumped flows, and a drive space 1.1b, into which this material 111 should not reach, since the membrane 4.1 is connected at its outer periphery so tightly connected to the feed pump housing 2.

In the lower region, the delivery chamber 1.1a has an inlet opening, via which the material 111 can flow into the delivery chamber 1.1a when the inlet valve 5 arranged in the inlet opening is open.

In the upper area, the delivery chamber 1.1a has an outlet opening, in which an outlet valve 6 is arranged, so that material 111 can flow out of this outlet opening when this outlet valve 6 is open.

The feed pump 1.1 is driven by a feed pump drive 8 in the form of another diaphragm pump, the drive pump 1.2, the membrane 4.2 - in the in FIG. 2a illustrated central position in which the membranes 4.1, 4.2 represent flat plates which may have a fault 4a at most in their radial course as indicated in the drive pump 1.2 - parallel to each other.

The feed pump 1.1 is driven, ie its membrane 4.1 transversely to its main plane 4 'alternately moved back and forth, by means of one in the middle of the membrane 4.1 at the rear, so from the drive compartment 1.1b ago, attacking drive plunger 9, which also with the center the membrane 4.2 of the drive pump 1.2 is firmly connected, so that the centers of the two membranes 4.1; 4.2 can only move synchronously with each other.

Thus, by the membrane 4.2 of the drive pump 1.2 is moved back and forth in and opposite to the direction of the drive plunger 9, which is slidably mounted in the pump housing 2 between the two diaphragm pumps 1.1, 1.2, the feed plunger 9 is driven by the drive plunger 9.

In this case, the drive rod 9 extends through the membrane 4.2 of the drive pump 1.2 and also through the subsequent housing wall, and stands out of the pump housing 2 - the feed pump housing and the drive pump housing are at least in the region between the two membranes 4.1, 4.2 executed in one piece - before, and has in its interior in its longitudinal extent, the direction of movement 10, extending holes, one of which on the two sides of the Diaphragm 4.2 opens, so one in the coupling space 1.2a of the drive pump, which faces the feed pump 1.1, and one on the drive side 1.2b, from which the membrane is driven 4.2.

The two longitudinal bores are each connected to a compressed air connection 13, which are accessible outside the pump housing 2 on the drive tappet 9 and can be connected via a respective check valve 14 to a source of compressed air.

By e.g. alternating pressurization of the coupling chamber 1.2a and the drive chamber 1.2b with compressed air, the large membrane 4.2 of the drive pump 1.2 can be moved back and forth in the direction of movement, which connected via the drive rod 9 and the diaphragm 4.1 of the feed pump 1.1 synchronously back and forth is moved, for which the maximum deflection distances of the two membranes 4.1, 4.2 should preferably be equal.

The fault 4a may be useful in order to be able to compensate for the greater transverse extent relative to the central position when the diaphragm 4 is deflected by means of the elasticity of the diaphragm 4.

Both membranes 4.1, 4.2 are preferably circular disk-shaped, and preferably also the pump housing 2, such as FIG. 2b shows. Inlet 5 a and outlet 6 a are arranged one above the other and thus easily accessible.

The inlet valve 5 is formed as an active, so driven, check valve 14, the valve body 14a is driven by a pneumatic cylinder 20 by by introducing compressed air into a compressed air port 13 of the pneumatic cylinder 20, ie at open, in the compressed air port 13 existing Check valve 14, the piston 19 this pneumatic cylinder 20 the associated, in this case tapered, valve body 14a, lifts off the valve seat 14b against the force of an acting on the valve stem spring 18, which biases the valve body 14a in the closed position, ie against the valve seat 14b.

The outlet valve 6, however, is designed as a simple check valve 7, in which case a ball as a valve body 7a due to gravity rests on the upwardly facing valve seat 7b, if on both sides of the valve body 7a, the same pressure prevails, for example, ambient pressure, and of course, when a higher pressure than on the other side rests on the side facing away from the valve seat 7b side of the valve body 7a.

For this reason, the valve unit 6 should preferably be arranged with an outlet valve 6 pointing upwards with the valve seat 7b.

In pumping mode, the membrane 4.2 is pressurized by pressurizing the coupling space 1.2a with compressed air FIG. 2a shifted to the right, preferably up to the right wall of the interior of the drive pump 1.2 to the in Figure 2c illustrated end position.

Through the coupling via the drive tappet 9, the membrane 4.1 of the feed pump 1.1 completes this movement.

Since at the same time the inlet valve 5 is opened by means of appropriate control of the local compressed air connection, flows through the inlet port 5a material 111 through the open inlet valve 5 in the conveyor chamber 1.1a of the feed pump 1.1 and fills this, either by gravity, if the liquid column above the inlet port 5a higher is as the upper end of the delivery chamber 1.1a - which of course from the mounting position of the pump unit 1 - or by appropriate pressure with which the material 111 is pressed into the inlet nozzle 5a.

Once in the position according to Figure 2c In this way, the conveying space 1.1a of the feed pump 1.1 is completely filled with material 111 and the filling stroke is completed, the inlet valve 5 is closed by the pneumatic cylinder 20 is vented, and the spring 18, the inlet valve 5 in the closed position moves.

Subsequently, by means of changing the pressurization of the drive pump 1.2 from the coupling space 1.2a to the drive space 1.2b as a working stroke, a displacement of both membranes 4.1, 4.2 can be moved together by means of coupling by the drive ram 9 to the left up to the in Figure 2d shown end position, in which both membranes 4.1, 4.2 preferably abut against the left wall of the interior of the respective pump 1.1, 1.2, so thus the volume of the delivery chamber 1.1a of the feed pump 1.1 is minimized, and located in the delivery room 1.1a material 111 from the Outlet 6a in the only in FIG. 1 indicated subsequent conveyor line is pushed to the consumer.

In this case, the valve body 7a of the check valve 7 is lifted off its valve seat 7b by the flowing material 111 and the material can flow past the valve body 7a.

After the delivery stroke is completed, and the membrane 4.1 again begins the filling stroke by moving according to Figure 2c to the right to the end position according to Figure 2c , the material in the outlet pipe and in the outlet pipe 6a pushes the valve body 7a back onto the valve seat 7b by gravity alone.

The movement of the membrane 4.1 in Figure 2c to the right only possible if at the same time the inlet valve 5 is open, because without inflow of material 111 into the delivery chamber 1.1a, the membrane 4.1 can not move to the right.

The course of this pumping operation shows that in this way the material to be delivered, possibly highly abrasive, material 111 only comes in contact with the moving pumping element 3 on one side, in the case of a membrane pump of the membrane 4.1 Pairings in which two elements are moved tightly against each other, such as the drive rod 9 in his leadership in the pump housing 2, so that abrasive particles can get between them and can cause a very rapid wear on the sliding mating.

Additionally is in Figure 2d another supply of working fluid, usually compressed air, in the coupling space 1.2a and the drive space 1.2b of the drive pump 1.2 and optionally in the coupling space 1.1b of the feed pump 1.1 shown as an alternative to the supply via the plunger. 9 :
The compressed air connection 13 of the respective room sits away from the center of the respective room and thus also the plunger 9 and penetrates the wall surrounding the respective space. Preferably, in this case, a check valve 14 is present at each of the compressed air connections 13 in order to be able to individually control the supply of compressed air at the individual compressed air connections 13 from a controller 100 *.

The advantage of this design is the much simpler constructed plunger 9 in the form of a solid rod or a simple piece of pipe, but above all only between the two membranes 4.1 and 4.2 must be arranged, and must penetrate neither of the two membranes, which increases the life and density of the membranes.

The FIG. 1 shows the entire storage device 100, in which a pot-like, by a lid tightly closable, reservoir 101 is present, which can be filled via an inlet port 103 with 111 material and refilled, and has two outlet openings 102 in the lower region, respectively one of the previously described pump units 1, here 1a and 1b, are connected with their inlet port 5a.

The pump units 1a, 1b are arranged symmetrically to the vertical 11 of the bearing device 100, in such a way that the membrane levels 4 'of the feed pumps 1.1 of the pump units 1a, b are preferably at an acute angle α to the vertical. As a result, the pump units 1a, 1b can be arranged partially protruding under the storage container 101 and partially protruding laterally beyond, without significantly impairing the accessibility to the valves 5, 6 of these pump units 1a, 1b.

By the pump units 1 a, 1 b are driven in opposite directions with a time delay, ie the one pump unit 1 a performs a delivery stroke, while the other pump unit 1 b performs a filling stroke, the consumer, not shown - to the both at the outlet port 6 a indicated delivery lines lead - quasi continuously supplied with material 111 from the storage device 100.

This can be achieved particularly well by the fact that the reciprocal strokes do not adjoin one another in terms of time, but may slightly overlap, so that at the end of the delivery stroke of the a pump unit 1a, in which the flow rate in the outgoing line is already reduced, the delivery stroke of the other pump unit 1b is already starting, and the flow rate thereof is increasing.

For this purpose, the inlet valves 5 of the two pumping units 1a, 1b must, of course, be driven independently of one another, which can be effected by a control 100 * of the bearing device, while the outlet valves 6 need no active control as passive valves.

As a rule, it should be strictly avoided that air enters the material 111 in the form of air inclusions, which is why the reservoir 101 is usually hermetically sealed, that is, the cover shown here is tightly secured on the cup-shaped main part of the reservoir 101.

In this case, the reservoir 101 is under a negative pressure, in the lid of the reservoir 101 except the filling opening 103, a vacuum port 104 is present, which acts by means of a vacuum pump 105, the air space in the reservoir 101 above the material 111 with negative pressure, ie substantially evacuated.

This negative pressure in the reservoir 101 of course reduces the gravitational inclination of the material 111 to flow through the low-lying outlet opening 102 with the inlet valve 5 open into the respective feed pump 1.1 of the respective pump unit 1a, 1b.

Therefore, in order to assist this inflow, the pump 1.1 in the drive chamber 1.1b is preferably provided with a vacuum connection 12 in the drive chamber 1.1b, which can also be connected via a check valve 109 to the vacuum connection 104 of the reservoir 1 and thus to the vacuum source 5 acting on it ,

Thus prevail in the air space of the reservoir 101 always the same pressure conditions as on the drive side 1.1b, at least when the check valve 109 is opened, which of course is preferably only the filling stroke of the case.

For clarity, this connection line 108 is shown only for the left pumping unit 1a, but in practice it is present in both pumping units 1a, 1b.

The controller 100 * can control the storage device 100 and especially its emptying even better when it is supplied with corresponding input signals:
Therefore, a pumping unit 1 comprises - as best shown in FIG FIG. 2a Recognizable - preferably, for example, a liquid sensor 15 on the drive side in the drive compartment 1.1b of the feed pump 1.1, which strikes, for example, by a crack in the membrane liquid in the form of the material to be pumped 111 arrives there, which is why the liquid sensor 15 - the data technology with the controller 100 * is connected - is located at a lowest possible point of the drive space 1.1b in the mounted state.

The pump unit 1 may further comprise a pressure sensor 16, possibly several times, in order to monitor the pressure conditions in the pumping unit 1. Preferably, such a pressure sensor 16 is present in the inlet connection 5a and / or in the outlet connection 6a of the delivery points 1.1 in order to monitor the prevailing pressure conditions there, which provide information about the correct functioning of the pump unit 1.

Also in the spaces 1.2a, 1.2b of the drive pump 1.2 such pressure sensors 16 may be present, as well as in the spaces 1.1a and 1.1b of the feed pump 1.1.

Furthermore, it is of interest for the controller 100 * to know the current position or at least the reaching of the end positions of the membranes, especially the membrane 4.1 of the feed pump 1.1, or alternatively the drive stem 9, which is permanently connected to this membrane 4.1 is.

For this purpose, a position sensor 17 either in one of the boundary walls of the interior of the feed pump 1.1, preferably opposite the center of the membrane 4.1, be present, and / or in the membrane 4.1, in particular its center, be incorporated and / or in the Guide the pump housing 2 for the drive tappet 9 be present.

The data-related connection of the controller 100 * with the various sensors as well as the valves to be controlled by the controller preferably takes place conventionally, that is to say cables, by means of the illustrated data lines 110.

As FIG. 1 Furthermore, the storage container 1 may, on the one hand, comprise a stirrer 106 which, in particular near the bottom of the storage container 1, prevents sedimentation of heavy constituents of the material 111 by rotation about an upright axis.

Furthermore, in the storage container 101, in particular in its wall, a heating device 107 may be present in the form of, for example, heating wires in order to heat the material 111 and thereby make it less viscous.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1a, 1b

Pump unit

1*

control

1.1

feed pump

1.1a

Delivery room

1.1b

Drive Space

1.2

drive pump

1.2a

Coupling space

1.2b

Drive Space

2

Feed pumps housing

3

Pumping element

4, 4.1.4.2

elastic element, membrane, bellows

4a

rejection

4 '

main level

5

intake valve

5a

Connecting piece, inlet socket

6

outlet valve

6a

Connecting piece, outlet piece

7

check valve

7a

valve body

7b

valve seat

8th

Feed pump drive

9

Drive ram

10

movement direction

11

vertical

11 '

longitudinal center

12

Vacuum port

13

Compressed air connection

14

Locking valve

14a

valve body

14b

valve seat

15

Liquid sensor

16

Pressure Sensor

17

Position sensor

18

feather

19

piston

20

Problem-cylinder

100

bearing device

100 *

control

101

Supply container

102

outlet

103

inlet port

104

Vacuum port

105

A vacuum pump

106

stirrer

107

heater

108

connecting line

109

check valve

110

data line

111

material

α

corner

Claims (17)

Pump unit (1) for emptying a filled with liquid or pasty material 111), in particular under a vacuum, supply container 101), in particular a mixing container (101) which is part of a storage device 100), wherein
the pump unit (1) comprises a feed pump (1.1) which a pump element (3) which is movable relative to the feed pump housing (2), - A feed pump drive (8), and a controller (1 *) for controlling at least all movable components of the pump unit 1) having,
characterized in that - The pump element (3) comprises an elastic element (4) at least, preferably an elastic element (4). Pump unit according to claim 1,
characterized in that - The elastic element (4) is a bellows (4) which connects the feed pump housing (2) with a pump piston (3) and the feed pump (1.1) is a bellows pump (1.1)
or - The elastic element is a substantially flat membrane (4), which is attached at its periphery close to the inner sides of the pump housing (2) and the feed pump (1.1) is a diaphragm feed pump (1.1). Pump unit according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the membrane feed pump (1.1) an active, controllably movable inlet valve (5)
and or - Includes a passive outlet valve (6), in particular in the design of a check valve (7), and thereby - In particular, the valve body (7a) above the valve seat (7b) of the check valve (7) is arranged and the valve body (7a) by its own weight, in particular only its own weight, and / or additional closing force, in particular spring force, is biased in the closed position. Pump unit according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that Inlet valve (5) and outlet valve (6) are arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the conveying space (1.1a) of the membrane feed pump (1.1), - In particular, the inlet valve (5) in the assembled state of the diaphragm feed pump (1.1) at the lowest point and the outlet valve (6) at the highest point of the delivery chamber (1.1 a). Pump unit according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the drive space (1.1b) of the membrane feed pump (1.1) has a vacuum connection (12) and can be acted upon by negative pressure. Pump unit according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that - The feed pump drive (8) in the direction of movement (10) movable and driven drive ram (9), in the drive space (1.1b) with the diaphragm (4) or with the bellows (4) connected to the delivery piston (3) is operatively connected and in particular centrally attached thereto and in particular the drive ram (9) is driven by a diaphragm drive pump (1.2) whose diaphragm (4) or pumping element (3) is operatively connected to the other end of the drive ram (9), - In particular, the membrane drive pump (1.2) and the membrane feed pump (1.1) are arranged in alignment one behind the other in the direction of movement (10), in which also extends the drive ram (9) and is movable. Pump unit according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that - The membrane drive pump (1.2) is pneumatically operable and in particular at least the drive space (1.2b), in particular also the coupling space (1.2a) each has a compressed air connection (13),
and or - The effective area of the membrane (4) of the membrane drive pump (1.2) at least by a factor of 2.0, better by a factor of 3.0, better by a factor of 4.0, better by a factor of 5.0 is greater than that of the membrane feed pump (1.1). Pump unit according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that - The feed pump housing (2) has a heating device (14) for heating the interior of the feed pump (1.1),
and or - A liquid sensor (15) on the drive side of the membrane (4) of the membrane feed pump (1.1) is present. Pump unit according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that a pressure sensor (16) is present in the delivery space (1.1a) or its connections,
and or - A position sensor (17) for determining the position of the feed pump drive (8), in particular of the drive ram (9), is present, in particular in the membrane (4) arranged, in particular integrated in this is. Storage device (100) comprising - A filled with liquid or pasty material (111) supply container (101) in which preferably negative pressure prevails, in particular a mixing container (101), and at least one pump unit (1) for emptying the container (100), characterized in that
the at least one pump unit (1) is designed according to one of the preceding claims. Bearing device according to claim 10,
characterized in that the bearing device (100) comprises two pump units (1a, 1b) which are in particular independently controllable,
and or - The inlet valve (5) in the membrane feed pump (1.1) below the outlet opening (102) of the storage container (101) is arranged. Bearing device according to claim 10 or 11,
characterized in that - The membrane feed pump (1.1) with the main plane (4 ') of the membrane (4) at an angle (a) of at most 40 °, better at most 30 °, better at most 20 °, better at most 10 ° to the vertical (11) is arranged
and or - the at least one feed pump drive (8) is arranged with respect to the membrane feed pump (1.1) on the side remote from the longitudinal center (11 ') of the storage device (100), Bearing device according to claim 10, 11 or 12,
characterized in that a closable connecting line (108) is present between the air space of the storage container (101) and the drive space (1.1b) of the membrane feed pump (1.1), in particular of each membrane feed pump (1.1), Method for emptying the storage container (101) of a storage device (100) according to one of the preceding claims 10 to 13,
characterized in that - The ejection movement of the drive ram (9a) of the pump unit (1a) is started before the ejection movement of the drive ram (9b) of the pump unit (1b) is completed
and or - The drive space (1.1b) of the diaphragm feed pump (1.1) is subjected to negative pressure, in particular with the same negative pressure as the air space of the storage container (101), as soon as the ejection movement of the drive ram (9) stops is. Method according to claim 14,
characterized in that
the inlet valve (5) is closed as soon as the position sensor (17) reports the reaching of the end position of the diaphragm (4) of the conveyor pump (1.1) in the winding position. Method according to claim 14 or 15,
characterized in that
the controller (100 *) emits an alarm signal as soon as the liquid sensor (15) in the drive chamber (1.1b) of the conveyor pump (1.1) reports liquid. A method according to claim 14, 15 or 16,
characterized in that
the controller (100 *) stops the pump drives (8) as soon as the pressure sensor (16) present in the delivery chamber (1.1a) reports a pressure above a predetermined limit.

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