HAND-OPERATED PRESSURIZED-FLUID DEVICE

Abstract

A manually operated pressure fluid device has a housing structure which receives a motor-pump group and has a fluid inlet connected to the pump on the intake side and a fluid outlet formed on a nozzle unit and connected to the pump on the delivery side, an electrical power source and a control element acting on the power supply of the motor. The motor of the motor-pump group is a brushless DC motor and the pump is a whirling rotor pump having two lock washers, each having an annular face spline, where the number of teeth of the two face splines intermeshing with each other differ from each other by one and the lock washers arranged at an angle relative to each other wander relative to each other such that the face splines delimit a plurality of pump chambers which increase and reduce in size during pump operation.

Claims

1. A hand-operated pressurized-fluid device, especially a pressurized-fluid cleaning device, comprising a housing structure (1) receiving a motor-pump group (4; 4′) and having a fluid inlet (8) connected on the suction side to the pump (6) and a fluid outlet (9) connected on the pressure side to the pump (6) and constructed on a nozzle unit (10), an electrical voltage source (14) and at least one operator-control element (12) acting on the power supply of the motor (5) via the voltage source (14), characterized in that the motor (5) of the motor-pump group (4; 4′) is constructed as a brushless direct-current motor (33) and the pump (6) is constructed as a wobbling-rotor pump (16; 16′) having two toothed plates (21, 25; 21′, 25′) respectively provided with an annular spur gearing (22, 26; 22′, 26′), wherein the numbers of teeth of the two spur gearings (22, 26; 22′, 26′) meshing with one another differ by one from one another and the toothed plates (21, 25; 21′ 25′) disposed at an angle to one another wander relative to one another in such a way that the spur gearings (22, 26; 22′, 26′) bound several pump spaces (29) that become larger and smaller during pump operation.

2. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein one of the two toothed plates (21) is constructed on a pump stator (18) and the other toothed plate (25) is constructed on a pump rotor (19) rolling in wobbling manner on this, wherein the brushless direct-current motor (33) acts via a wobbling head (32) on the pump rotor (19), in that the wobbling head (32) having its end face (31) inclined relative to the axis of rotation (X) of the wobbling head (32) bears on the pump rotor (19) on its side facing away from the spur gearing (26).

3. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 2, wherein the motor-pump group (4) is oriented such that the motor (5) faces the fluid outlet (9).

4. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 3, wherein the motor (5) has a continuously hollow motor rotor (36), the hollow space (41) of which is part of the flow pathway connecting the pump outlet with the fluid outlet (9).

5. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein the two toothed plates (21′, 25′) of the wobbling-rotor pump (16′) are constructed with rotating ability, wherein one toothed plate (21′) is rotationally coupled with the brushless direct-current motor (33) in driving relationship and one toothed plate (25′) is thereby caused to move in rotation in driven relationship.

6. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 5, wherein the motor-pump group (4′) is oriented such that the pump (6) faces the fluid outlet (9).

7. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 5, wherein the motor-pump group (4′) comprises a housing-like motor stator (35′) and a pump housing (17′) connected sealingly therewith and provided with the pump inlet (73) and the pump outlet (74), wherein a fixed journal (69), which passes through the driven toothed plate (21′) and at least partly through the motor rotor (36′), is connected with the pump housing (17′).

8. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein the housing structure (1) is provided with a grip structure (3), wherein the voltage source (14) is disposed removably on the grip structure (3).

9. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle unit (10) is adjustable and is provided with several differently constructed nozzles (11), of which one respectively can be coupled fluidically with the pressure outlet of the pump (6).

10. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein the fluid outlet (9) is constructed on a removable nozzle insert (64).

11. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein the operator-control element (12) acts on a shutoff valve (49), which is disposed in the flow pathway between fluid inlet (8) and fluid outlet (9), and specifically preferably upstream from the pump (6).

12. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein the motor-pump group (4; 4′) can be operated with variable fluid throughput, for the adjustment of which preferably a control knob or slider (59) disposed on the housing structure (1) is provided.

13. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein the fluid-carrying components are acid-resistant and base-resistant.

14. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein an optical indicator, which preferably comprises a display, is disposed on the housing structure (1) in a manner facing the controlling operator.

15. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein a light source (66) emitting in the outlet direction of the pressurized fluid is disposed on the housing structure (1).

16. The pressurized-fluid device of claim 1, wherein the housing structure (1) is provided on exposed regions with an impact-damping surface coating.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0025] The present invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter on the basis of two preferred exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing, wherein

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through the complete hand-operated pressurized-fluid cleaning device according to a first exemplary embodiment,

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a section of the same in an enlarged detail diagram and

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a region of the pump of the motor-pump group in detail according to another sectional diagram; and, furthermore,

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a vertical section through the complete hand-operated pressurized-fluid cleaning device according to a second exemplary embodiment and

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a section of the same in an enlarged detail diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] The pressurized-fluid cleaning device, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawing, according to the first exemplary embodiment, comprises a housing structure 1 consisting of plastic with a main body 2 and a handle structure 3 projecting obliquely downward and backward therefrom. Main body 2 of housing structure 1 receives a motor-pump group 4, which comprises a direct-current electric motor 5 and a pump 6 driven thereby and suitable for conveying fluid. A fluid inlet 8, which is disposed on the underside of main body 2 in front of grip structure 3, is connected on the suction side—via an intake duct 7—of pump 6. On the pressure side, a fluid outlet 9 is connected fluidically to pump 6. This is part of a nozzle unit 10 with—functioning as a defined jet generator—a nozzle 11. An operator-control element 12, which acts—by means of a switch 13 actuated by it—on the power supply of motor 5 of motor-pump group 4 from a voltage source 14 in the form of a battery pack 15 disposed exchangeably at the lower end of grip structure 3, is disposed on grip structure 3, on its front side.

[0032] Since the illustrated pressurized-fluid device corresponds to the prior art (see the documents mentioned in the introduction) as far as the fundamental configuration features and technical viewpoints alluded to in the foregoing are concerned, more detailed explanations in this regard are unnecessary.

[0033] In a departure from the said prior art, pump 6 of motor-pump group 4 is constructed as a wobbling-rotor pump 16, and specifically—in the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3—in the single-rotor or TMC version. It comprises a pump housing 17, a pump stator 18 of substantially approximately shell-like geometry disposed therein and a pump rotor 19 received therein. The bottom 20 of this pump stator 18 forms a first toothed plate 21 having an annular first spur gearing 22, which is bounded radially inwardly and radially outwardly respectively by an annularly closed primary sealing receptacle 23, 24 having a (concave) spherical surface. And the pump rotor 19 forms a second toothed plate 25 having an annular second spur gearing 26, which is bounded radially inwardly and radially outwardly respectively by an annular secondary sealing face 27, 28 having (convex) spherical geometry complementary to the corresponding surface of the respectively associated primary sealing receptacle 23 or 24. The numbers of teeth of the two spur gearings 22 and 26—meshing with one another—differ by one from one another, whereby several pump spaces 29 are bounded in the region of the two annular spur gearings 22, 26 between pump stator 18 and pump rotor 19—which is always inclined relative to pump stator 18 with an angle defined by the geometry of the two gearings 22, 26. Because end face 31 of a rotating wobbling head 32 slides on rear face 30 of pump rotor 19 and is obliquely oriented relative to pump stator 18 in a manner corresponding to the angle of inclination of pump rotor 19, pump rotor 19—while wobbling head 32 is rotating—is forced into a wobbling motion while rolling over pump stator 18. Because the two spur gearings 22 and 26 differ by one in the number of teeth, this pump rotor 19 wanders by one additional tooth over spur gearing 22 of pump stator 18 during one complete revolution of wobbling head 32. In the process, pump spaces 29 enclosed between the two annular spur gearings 22 and 26 become rhythmically larger and smaller during one complete revolution in pumping mode. As regards further details, reference is made to the initially mentioned prior art concerning TMC wobbling-rotor pumps.

[0034] Motor 5 of motor-pump group 4—which is built in with its motor 5 in an orientation facing fluid outlet 9—is constructed as a brushless direct-current motor 33. It comprises a motor stator 35, which has a coil arrangement 34 and with which pump stator 18 is securely connected by means of screws S, and a motor rotor 36, which is received in rotational relationship around axis X in the inner chamber 37, provided for this purpose, of motor stator 35, and is equipped on its circumferential face 38 with permanent magnets 39. Pump housing 17 is mounted on motor stator 35 in a manner sealed by means of annular seal 40. The end of motor rotor 36 on the pump side, i.e. illustrated on the left, is constructed as wobbling head 32 (see above), which in the present case is therefore an integral part of motor rotor 36. Motor rotor 36 has, passing through it over its entire length, a hollow space 41, which at end face 31 of wobbling head 32 leads into a control opening 42 on the pressure side and forms a pressurized-fluid duct 43, which is part of the flow pathway connecting the pump outlet with fluid outlet 9.

[0035] A suction-side control cavity 44, likewise constructed on the end face 31 of wobbling head 32, communicates with an annular space 45, which is formed between pump stator 18 and motor stator 35, i.e. its end face, and which in turn communicates, via a plurality of suction fluid ducts 46 passing through pump stator 18, with the pump suction space 47 defined between pump housing 17 and pump stator 18. A suction line 48 extending between fluid inlet 8 and pump suction space 47 leads into the latter. Therein a shutoff valve 49 is integrated with a valve housing 50, in which a valve spindle 51 is received in a manner displaceable along its axis Y. An O-ring 52 provided on valve spindle 51 cooperates—in the shown shutoff position—sealingly with a bore 53 of valve housing 50. A closing spring 54 acts on valve spindle 51 in the sense of the shutoff position, which is defined by a shoulder 55 constructed on valve spindle 51 and cooperating with a stop constructed on valve housing 50. Operator-control element 12, which actuates switch 13, also acts at the same time on valve spindle 51 in such a way that shutoff valve 50 opens when motor 5 of motor-pump group 4 is energized with current and starts to run. In an alternative configuration, construction of the shutoff valve as a seat valve that closes under pre-pressure on the entrance side would obviously also be possible.

[0036] Via ducts 56, which pass through pump rotor 19 and in the region of spur gearing 26 on the rotor side respectively lead to openings between two teeth, pump spaces 29 respectively communicate alternately during rotation of wobbling head 32 with (suction-side) control cavity 44 and (pressure-side) control opening 42, wherein the pump spaces 29 that are becoming larger—due to the wobbling motion of pump rotor 19—communicate with control cavity 44, as do the pump spaces that are becoming smaller with control opening 42.

[0037] The conveying capacity of motor-pump group 4 is adjustable. For this purpose a power electronics 57 unit is used, which is mounted for protection in a shell-like receptacle 58, which in turn is mounted on the outer side of pump housing 17 via a large heat-conducting surface area. Thus effective cooling of power electronics unit 57 takes place by means of the fluid flowing through pump housing 17. A power control knob 59, which is disposed—facing the controlling operator—on top of main body 2 of housing structure 1, acts on power electronics unit 57.

[0038] The end region of motor stator 35 facing away from pump 6 has a muff into which the connecting region 62, sealed by means of sealing ring 61, of a nozzle receptacle 63—received in main body 2 of housing structure 1—is inserted. Nozzle receptacle 63 functions for exchangeable mounting of nozzle inserts 64, which are provided with various application-specific, different nozzle units 10 and which can be fixed, for example, to nozzle receptacle 63 by means of a bayonet fitting pre-loaded by means of spring 65.

[0039] On the underside of main body 2 of housing structure 1, directly in front of fluid inlet 8, a light source 66 is disposed—in working direction—that emits in the outlet direction of the pressurized fluid. Due to the acid-resistant and base-resistant construction of all fluid-carrying components, the pressurized-fluid cleaning device is suitable for a plurality of applications. In particular, it can also be used in the area of industrial applications, where work takes place with highly concentrated chemicals.

[0040] For the second exemplary embodiment of an inventive hand-operated pressurized-fluid device illustrated—without its battery—in FIGS. 4 and 5, diverse technical viewpoints and special features are already obvious to a person skilled in the art from the foregoing explanations concerning the first exemplary embodiment. Reference—in order to avoid repetitions—is made to these, wherein matching features are indicated by the use of like reference symbols.

[0041] The decisive difference of the second exemplary embodiment compared with the first exists in the construction not only of motor-pump group 4′ in such a way that a wobbling motor pump 16′ according to the double-rotor concept is used, but also of the installation situation achieved in this context. And, in fact, the two toothed plates 21′, of wobbling-rotor pump 16′ are constructed to rotate here. A driving toothed plate 21′, which is part of a first pump rotor 67, is coupled in rotation with the brushless direct-current motor 33, i.e. with its motor rotor 36′. Via spur gearings 22′ and 26′—which mesh with one another—it causes driven toothed plate 25′, which is part of a second pump rotor 68, to move in rotation. Motor rotor 36′ and first pump rotor 67 are joined as a subassembly; they rotate together around axis Z of journal 69, which is joined rigidly with pump housing 17′, which in turn is joined sealingly with housing-like motor stator The rotary bearing of the subassembly comprising motor rotor 36′ and first pump rotor 67 is then achieved by the pairing—forming a sliding bearing—of the cylindrical circumferential face of first pump rotor 67 and the corresponding cylindrical receiving space of pump housing 17′.

[0042] Second pump rotor 68 bears, with its end face 70 facing away from the associated spur gearing 26′, slidingly on a bracing face 71, which is constructed on pump housing 17′ in a manner inclined relative to axis of rotation Z of motor rotor 36′ and of first pump rotor 67. It has a central penetration 72, through which journal 69 passes. A pump inlet 73 and a pump outlet 74, which respectively communicate with control openings 75 and 76 constructed on bracing face 71, are constructed on pump housing 17′. A spring F—with axial direction of action—clamped between the free end of journal 69 and motor rotor 36′ ensures that first pump rotor 67 will bear with a specified force of contact on second pump rotor 68, as will the latter on pump housing 17′ in the respective contact zones in question.

[0043] As regards further details of the motor-pump group used in the second exemplary embodiment, reference is made to the disclosure in German Patent Application 10 2020 124 825.3 (which was still pending as of the priority date of the present patent application) as well as to the further prior art mentioned in the introduction in reference to double-rotor wobbling-rotor pumps.

[0044] In this embodiment, motor-pump group 4′ is built in with pump 6 in an orientation facing fluid outlet 9. To avoid misconceptions, reference is made to the fact that, here also, operator-control element 12 actuates a switch—not illustrated—that controls the admission of current to motor 5. Obviously it is possible if necessary, as in the first exemplary embodiment, to provide a shutoff valve also in suction duct 7 or at another suitable position, wherein this is typically unnecessary, however, precisely in pressurized-fluid devices according to the invention, designed for very low throughputs (such as approximately 100 L/h, for example), such as for dispensing disinfectants.