DELIVERY DEVICE

Abstract

A conveying device at least for conveying a conveying medium includes at least one conveying space, with at least one conveying space element, which at least partly delimits the conveying space and is embodied in a rigid fashion, and with at least one elastically deformable conveying element which delimits the conveying space together with the conveying space element. The conveying space element includes at least one concave recess for at least partly forming the conveying space, wherein an inner surface of the conveying space element, which delimits the concave recess, forms a wall of the conveying space, wherein the conveying element comprises at least one conveying surface, which is utilizable in targeted fashion for a conveyance of a fluid in the conveying space and/or through the conveying space.

Claims

1. A conveying device at least for conveying a conveying medium, with at least one conveying space, with at least one conveying space element, which at least partly delimits the conveying space and is embodied in a rigid fashion, and with at least one elastically deformable conveying element, which delimits the conveying space together with the conveying space element, wherein the conveying space element comprises at least one concave recess for at least partly forming the conveying space, wherein an inner surface of the conveying space element, which delimits the concave recess, forms a wall of the conveying space, wherein the conveying element comprises at least one conveying surface, which is utilizable in targeted fashion for a conveyance of a fluid in the conveying space and/or through the conveying space, wherein, in a load-free state of the conveying element, the at least one conveying surface, viewed in a cross-section of the conveying element has a maximum transverse extent which is equivalent to a maximum transverse extent of the rigid wall of the conveying space element which at least partly delimits at least the conveying space, wherein at least the conveying element is embodied in a spring-elastic fashion, wherein, following a deformation, the conveying element automatically seeks to re-assume a convexly curved basic shape of the conveying element.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein, in a load-free state, the conveying element comprises, viewed in a cross-section of the conveying element, at least one circular arc segment, which has a maximum length composed of a sum of maximum lengths of circular arc segments of the rigid wall of the conveying space element.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the rigid wall of the conveying space element comprises, viewed in a cross-section, at least three consecutive circular arc segments.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the rigid wall of the conveying space element comprises, viewed in a cross-section, at least three circular arc segments, wherein at least two of the three circular arc segments have different radii.

5. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the rigid wall of the conveying space element comprises, viewed in a cross-section, at least two directly consecutive circular arc segments, which are arranged in such a way that they abut on each other in an inflection point.

6. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein, at least in a load-free state, the conveying element comprises at least one circular arc segment having a radius which is greater than a radius of at least one circular arc segment of the rigid wall of the conveying space element.

7. The conveying device according to claim 1, comprising a maximum conveying space height between the conveying element and the conveying space element, which is smaller than a radius of at least one circular arc segment of the rigid wall of the conveying space element and/or than a radius of at least one circular arc segment of the conveying element.

8. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying element is arrangeable on the conveying space element in an at least partly convexly curved fashion.

9. A pump device with at least one conveying device according to claim 1 and with at least one drive unit for driving the conveying device.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0030] Further advantages emerge from the following description of the drawings. The drawings illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine these to form further meaningful combinations.

[0031] In the drawings:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a pump device according to the invention with at least one conveying device according to the invention in a schematic illustration,

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through a conveying space of the conveying device according to the invention, which conveying space is formed by a conveying element and by a conveying space element of the conveying device according to the invention, in a schematic illustration,

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through a conveying space of the conveying device according to the invention in a load-free state of a conveying element of the conveying device according to the invention in a schematic illustration,

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through a conveying space of the conveying device according to the invention in a loaded state of a conveying element of the conveying device according to the invention in a schematic illustration, and

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a detail view of a geometrical design of the conveying element of the conveying device according to the invention and of a conveying space element of the conveying device according to the invention in a schematic illustration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a pump device 56 with at least one conveying device 10 and with at least one drive unit 58 for driving the conveying device 10. For control and/or regulation of the drive unit 58, the pump device 56 comprises at least one control and/or regulation unit (neither of which is illustrated here), which is of a design already known to a person skilled in the art. The drive unit 58 is embodied as a helical drive unit or as an eccentric drive unit. At least one drive axis 62 of a drive element 64 of the drive unit 58 runs at least substantially parallel to a conveying direction 66 of the conveying device 10, in particular at least substantially parallel to a conveying direction 66 through at least one conveying space 12 of the conveying device 10. The drive element 64 is in the form of a drive helix or an eccentric shaft. The drive element 64 is rotatably supported in a housing unit (not illustrated in any more detail here) of the pump device 56 in a manner already known to a person skilled in the art. The drive axis 62 is configured as an axis of rotation of the drive element 64. The drive element 64 is provided for elastically deforming at least one conveying element 16 of the conveying device 10, which conveying element is allocated at least to the conveying space 12, for a conveyance of a conveying medium. The conveying element 16 allocated at least to the conveying space 12 is embodied in an elastically, in particular spring-elastically, deformable fashion. The drive element 64 is provided for generating a traveling-wave movement of the conveying element 16, which is allocated at least to the conveying space 12, along a longitudinal axis of the conveying element 16 allocated at least to the conveying space 12. Here, it is conceivable for the drive element 64 to act directly on the conveying element 16 allocated at least to the conveying space 12, or for an exciter element (not illustrated in any more detail here) of the conveying device 10 to be arranged between the drive element 64 and the conveying element 16 allocated at least to the conveying space 12, which exciter element is acted on directly by the drive element 64, wherein the exciter element transmits an action of drive forces to the conveying element 16 allocated at least to the conveying space 12, which conveying element bears at least partly against the exciter element.

[0038] For a movement, in particular a rotation of the drive element 64, the drive unit 58 comprises at least one motor unit 68. The motor unit 68 is formed as an electric motor unit. It is however also conceivable for the motor unit 68 to be of some other design that appears expedient to a person skilled in the art, for example to be designed as a combustion engine unit, as a hybrid motor unit or the like. The drive element 64 may be connected directly, in particular rotationally conjointly, or indirectly, for example by means of a gearing unit of the conveying device 10 or by means of at least one toothed gear element of the conveying device 10, to a rotor shaft 70 of the motor unit 68. The rotor shaft 70 has an axis of rotation which runs at least substantially parallel, in particular coaxially, with respect to the drive axis 62 of the drive element 64.

[0039] Furthermore, the conveying device 10 comprises at least one conveying medium store unit 60 for storing a conveying medium, wherein the conveying medium store unit 60 forms the exchangeable unit together with the conveying space element 14 and the conveying element 16. The conveying medium store unit 60 is connected at least substantially non-detachably to the conveying space element 14. It is however also conceivable, in an alternative embodiment of the conveying device 10 which is not illustrated in any more detail here, for the conveying medium store unit 60 of the conveying device 10 to not be a constituent part of the exchangeable unit, and to be fluidically connectable, in particular detachably connectable, to the exchangeable unit, in particular at least to the conveying space 12, by means of a conveying line, such as for example a hose, a duct or the like, of the conveying device 10, and for the exchangeable unit to be removable from the housing unit separately from the conveying medium store unit 60.

[0040] The conveying device 10 is configured at least for conveying a conveying medium. The conveying device 10 comprises at least the conveying space 12, at least one conveying space element 14, which at least partly delimits the conveying space 12 and is embodied in a rigid fashion, and at least the elastically deformable conveying element 16, which delimits the conveying space 12 together with the conveying space element 14. At least the conveying space element 14 and the conveying element 16 together form an exchangeable unit. The exchangeable unit is detachably arrangeable on the housing unit. The conveying element 16 comprises at least one conveying surface 18 which, viewed in a cross-section of the conveying element 16, has a maximum transverse extent 20 which is at least substantially equivalent to a maximum transverse extent 22 of a rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14, which wall at least partly delimits at least the conveying space 12 (FIG. 3). It is particularly preferable if the conveying element 16 comprises at least one conveying surface 18 which, viewed in a cross-section of the conveying element 16, has a maximum transverse extent which is equivalent to, in particular entirely equivalent to or congruent with, a maximum transverse extent of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14, which wall at least partly delimits at least the conveying space 12.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the conveying space 12 of the conveying device 10, which conveying space is formed at least by the conveying element 16 and by the conveying space element 14 of the conveying device 10. The conveying element 16 is of a polygonal, in particular rectangular, design. The conveying space element 14 is of a polygonal, in particular rectangular, design. The conveying medium store unit 60 is not illustrated in FIG. 2. The conveying element 16 is provided for sealing off at least one edge region, which delimits the conveying space 12, of the conveying space element 14. A conveying medium which can be conveyed in and/or through the conveying space 12 by means of an interaction of the conveying space element 14 and of the conveying element 16 can be introduced into the conveying space 12 via a conveying space inlet 72 of the conveying device 10. The conveying space inlet 72 is arranged on the conveying space element 14, and is in particular formed in one piece with the conveying space element 14. The conveying space inlet 72 is fluidically connected to the conveying medium store unit 60, and in particular is fluidically connected to a storage space outlet (not illustrated in any more detail here) of the conveying medium store unit 60. A conveying medium can be conveyed in and/or through the conveying space 12 by means of a reversible deformation of the conveying element 16. A conveying medium can be conveyed from the conveying space inlet 72 through the conveying space 12 to a conveying space outlet 74 of the conveying device 10 by means of a reversible deformation of the conveying element 16. The conveying space outlet 74 is arranged on the conveying space element 14, and is in particular formed in one piece with the conveying space element 14. The conveying space outlet 74 is fluidically connected to a further unit (not illustrated in any more detail here). The further unit may in this case be a part of the pump device 56, a part of an administration device on which the pump device 56 is arranged, a part of a household appliance on which the pump device 56 is arranged, or the like. In an embodiment of the pump device 56 as part of an administration device, it is in particular conceivable for the further unit to be in the form of an injection unit, in particular in the form of a needle or syringe unit. The further unit may be directly connected to the conveying space outlet 74, or the further unit may be fluidically connected to the conveying space outlet 74 by means of a separate conveying line, for example a hose. Further fluidic connections of the further unit to the conveying space outlet 74 that appear expedient to a person skilled in the art are likewise conceivable.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through the conveying space 12, wherein the conveying element 16 is illustrated in a load-free state. In particular, no conveyance of a conveying medium occurs in a load-free state of the conveying element 16. The conveying element 16 can be arranged at least partly in convexly curved fashion on the conveying space element 14. The conveying element 16 is, at least in a load-free state, in particular in a state in which it is not loaded by the action of a drive force that can be generated by means of the drive unit 58, arranged at least partly in convexly curved fashion on the conveying space element 14. The conveying space element 14 has at least one concave recess 76 for at least partly delimiting and/or for at least partly forming the conveying space 12. An inner surface, which delimits the recess 76, of the conveying space element 14 forms the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14. The conveying element 16 is deformable such that, for a conveyance of a conveying medium, the conveying element 16 is movable in the direction of the recess 76 and is in particular movable at least partly into said recess (FIG. 4). The conveying element 16 is of spring-elastic form. The conveying element 16 is connected at least substantially non-detachably to the conveying space element 14, in particular in an edge region, which delimits the recess 76, of the conveying space element 14. The at least substantially non-detachable connection of the conveying element 16 to the conveying space element 14 forms, in particular, a seal between the conveying element 16 and the conveying space element 14. It is however also conceivable for an additional seal element of the conveying device 10 to be arranged between the conveying element 16 and the conveying space element 14. The conveying space 12 can preferably be sealed off in fluid-tight fashion as a result of a connection to the conveying space element 14 and/or as a result of an arrangement of the conveying element 16 on the conveying space element 14. For a conveyance of a conveying medium in and/or through the conveying space 12, the conveying surface 18 can, as a result of the action of a drive force that can be generated by the drive unit 58, be caused to bear, in particular be caused to bear entirely, against the wall 24 of the conveying space element 14, which wall delimits the conveying space 12, in particular against the inner surface, which delimits the recess 76, of the conveying space element 14 (FIG. 4). A conveyance of a conveying medium in and/or through the conveying space 12 can be achieved as a result of the action of a drive force, which can be generated by the drive unit 58, on the conveying element 16 which is allocated to the conveying space 12, whereby a traveling-wave movement can be generated. The conveying medium can be conveyed out of at least the conveying medium store unit 60, through at least one conducting element (not illustrated in any more detail here) and into and/or through the conveying space 12, in particular owing to a negative pressure, by means of the action of a drive force, which can be generated by the drive unit 58, on the conveying element 16. Furthermore, the conveying medium can be conveyed out of the conveying space 12 through the conveying space outlet 74 to the further unit by means of the action of a drive force, which can be generated by the drive unit 58, on the conveying element 16.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a detail view of a geometric configuration of the conveying element 16 of the conveying device 10 and of the conveying space element 14 of the conveying device 10. The conveying element 16, in particular the conveying surface 18 of the conveying element 16, has, in a load-free state, and viewed in a cross-section of the conveying element 16, at least one circular arc segment 26 which has a maximum length 28 which is made up of a sum of maximum lengths 30, 32, 34 of circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14. Viewed in the cross-section of the conveying element 16, the conveying surface 18 of the conveying element 16 extends from a fastening region of the conveying element 16, which fastening region bears against the conveying space element 14 at all times when the conveying element 16 is in a state arranged on the conveying space element 14, to a further fastening region of the conveying element 16, which fastening region is arranged at an end of the conveying element 16 which is averted from the fastening region.

[0044] Viewed in a cross-section, the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 furthermore has at least three consecutive circular arc segments 36, 38, 40. The circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 are part of the inner surface of the conveying space element 14. The inner surface of the conveying element 16 is arranged on a side, facing toward the conveying element 16, of the conveying space element 14. Viewed in a cross-section, the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 has at least the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40, wherein at least two of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 have different radii 42, 44, 46. Two of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 have equal radii 42, 46. Said two of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 are arranged at the outside. One of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 has a radius 44 which differs from the radii 42, 44 of said two of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 which are arranged at the outside. That one of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 which has a different radius 44 in relation to said two of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 is, as viewed at least substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction 66, arranged between said two of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 which have the same radii 42, 46. It is however also conceivable for all three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 to have different or equal radii 42, 44, 46. Further embodiments of the radii 42, 44, 46 of the circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 that appear expedient to a person skilled in the art are likewise conceivable. The conveying element 16, in particular the conveying surface 18 of the conveying element 16, has, at least in a load-free state of the conveying element 16, at least one circular arc segment 26, which has a radius 52 which is greater than a radius 42, 44, 46 of at least one of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14.

[0045] It is preferable for at least the sum of the maximum lengths 30, 32, 34 of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 to be equal to the maximum length 28 of the circular arc segment 26 of the conveying element 16, in particular of the conveying surface 18 of the conveying element 16. In the geometrical design of the conveying element 16 and of the conveying space element 14, the condition preferably applies that a distance between points A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 along the circular arc segment 26 of the conveying element 16 is, with regard to a length, equal to a distance between points A.sub.1, T.sub.1, T.sub.2, T.sub.3, T.sub.4 and A.sub.2 along the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14. The maximum transverse extent 20 of the conveying surface 18 is particularly preferably equivalent to a length of the distance between the points A.sub.1 and A.sub.2. The maximum transverse extent of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14, which wall at least partly delimits at least the conveying space 12, is preferably equivalent to a length of the distance between the points A.sub.1, T.sub.1, T.sub.2, T.sub.3, T.sub.4 and A.sub.2.

[0046] Viewed in the cross-section, the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 furthermore has at least the two directly consecutive circular arc segments 36, 38, 40, which are arranged so as to adjoin one another at an inflection point 48, 50. Those two of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 which are arranged at the outside are, in each case at an inflection point 48, 50, arranged so as to directly join that one of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 which is arranged between said two of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 which are arranged at the outside.

[0047] Furthermore, the conveying device 10 comprises a maximum conveying space height 54 between the conveying element 16 and the conveying space element 14, which conveying space height is smaller than a radius 42, 44, 46 of at least one of the three circular arc segments 36, 38, 40 of the rigid wall 24 of the conveying space element 14 and/or is smaller than a radius 52 of at least the circular arc segment 26 of the conveying element 16, in particular of the conveying surface 18 of the conveying element 16.