Abstract:
Pumps with low profile disk-type motors can incorporate an impeller into one or both rotors. Alternately, a separate impeller can be attached to a rotor. The pumps can be contained in housings without seals as the rotors need not be mechanically attached.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/710,913 filed Aug. 24, 2005 and entitled “Low Profile Pump” and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention pertains to pumps. More particularly, the invention pertains to pumps which incorporate disk-type low profile motors. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Known electrically driven pumps are widely used for different applications. Such pumps while effective for their intended purposes continue to suffer from various shortcomings. 
     Rising energy prices have a ripple effect which impacts both manufacturing costs and operational costs of such pumps. Plastic housings and other parts are often found in such pumps. Increasing prices for oil in turn raise the price of plastic products. 
     Operationally, because of relatively low historical costs of energy efficiency has not been as significant a parameter as it might be. This is not only an issue when the pumps are installed but also throughout their lifetime. 
     There thus continue to be unmet needs for low profile pump configurations which would incorporate very compact motors and smaller housings. Additionally, it would be desirable and beneficial if such pumps exhibited higher energy efficiencies than has heretofore been the case. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of an end suction pump; 
         FIG. 1A  is a sectional view taken along plane  1 A- 1 A of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of a multi-stage/turbine pump; 
         FIG. 2A  is a sectional view taken along plane  2 A- 2 A of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of a submersible multi-stage turbine pump; 
         FIG. 3A  is a sectional view taken along plane  3 A- 3 A of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of sewage grinder pump; 
         FIG. 4A  is a sectional view taken along plane  4 A- 4 A of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of a non-clogging sewage pump; 
         FIG. 5A  is a sectional view taken along plane  5 A- 5 A of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of a self-priming pump; 
         FIG. 6A  is a sectional view taken along plane  6 A- 6 A of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of a split case pump; 
         FIG. 7A  is a sectional view taken along plane  7 A- 7 A of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of a split case pump with an internal motor; and 
         FIG. 8A  is a sectional view taken along plane  8 A- 8 A of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While embodiments of this invention can take many different forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention, as well as the best mode of practicing same, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. 
     Pumps in accordance with the invention can be implemented with a wet stator, dry stator, have a shaft seal or not, use a rotor or both rotors as impellers or have a separate impeller. Brushless disk-type motors, (such as SEMA-type, segmented electro-magnetic array-type, motors disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,896 entitled “Interlocking Segmented Coil Array” and incorporated by reference herein), can be used to provide compact high efficiency pumps. 
     A motor controller can be integrated into or separate from the motor. Such motors can be manufactured to be explosion-proof or work in the presence of hazardous chemicals by changing the configuration and materials. Such motors can also be adapted to drive any size or type of pump including submersible, turbine, grinder, progressive cavity, end suction, multi stage stacked or turbine type, split case, etc. 
     Another big advantage of such motors is inherent in their design. They are extremely energy efficient. The controller is a variable frequency drive that can be used as such in appropriate applications. 
     The controller also keeps the motor windings from burning up if the motor is jammed. It will only supply the current it is designed for so it will not allow overheating. 
     Such motors are also constant torque devices that will help to keep the pumps from clogging if the pumps happen to have debris in them when they are starting up. 
     So not only is a very compact motor available which will save weight and space in applying it to a pump end, it will save a tremendous amount of energy in use. Pumps which embody such motors can have designs that were not possible with conventional motors. For example, such motors could be used in “upside down” grinder pumps, commonly known as garbage disposals. 
       FIGS. 1 and 1A  illustrate a top plan view and a sectional view of a SEMA motor driven end suction pump  10 . Pump  10  includes a housing  12  having a suction input port  14 , a volute  16  and pumped fluid outflow port  18 . 
     Pump  10  also incorporates a SEMA-type motor  22  which can be energized via input power port  24 . As configured, pump  10  includes an impeller  28  which is coupled to or integrally formed as a part of one of the rotors  30 . Motor  22  also includes an encapsulated stator  32  and a second rotor  34 . The two rotors  30 ,  34  in the motor  22  need not be mechanically coupled together. Hence, pumps such as the pump  10  can be manufactured without seals which eliminate the possibility of water entry. 
     The motor  22  also carries a controller  38 . The controller  38  which can be integrated into the stator  32  can be implemented as variable frequency drive. the motor  22  operates advantageously as a constant torque device which helps eliminate clogging when the pumps are initially started. 
     The motor  22  also incorporates a plurality of magnets, the members of which are indicated at  40 , which keep the rotors,  30 ,  32  synchronized during normal operation. 
       FIGS. 2 ,  2 A illustrate a side elevational view and a sectional view of a SEMA motor driven multi-stage/turbine pump  50 . Pump  50  includes a housing  52  with a suction input  54  and a discharge port  58 . A SEMA-type  62  is coupled via an axially oriented shaft  64 , which rotates about axis A when driven by motor  62  to a bearing stage  66  and a multi-element pump stage  68 . Those of skill in the art will understand that the number of required stages depends on pump capacity. 
     Electrical energy can be coupled via an input port  62   a  to the motor  62 . The motor  62  incorporates a stator and controller of a type illustrated with respect to the motor  22  of pump  10 . 
       FIGS. 3 ,  3 A illustrate views of a submersible multi-stage turbine pump which incorporates an SEMA-type motor,  70 . The pump  70  incorporates a multi-stage housing  72 , a fluid inflow port  74  and an outflow port  78 . Pump  70  incorporates a plurality of pump stages, such as representative pump stage  80 . 
     Pump stage  80  incorporates an SEMA-type motor  82  and an associated impeller  84 . The motor  82  can also include the stator and controller as in the case with the motor  22  of pump  10 . 
     Those of skill in the art will understand that each of the stages of the pump  70  is substantially identical and previous discussion of the structure of stage  80  applies to each of the remaining stages as well. Electrical energy would be provided by an input port comparable to the input port  24  of the pump  10 . 
       FIGS. 4 ,  4 A illustrate a top plan view and a sectional view of a sewage grinder pump  90  which incorporates an SEMA-type motor. Pump  90  incorporates a housing  92  with an inflow port  94 , a pump volute  96  and outflow port  98 . Pump  90  can be driven by an SEMA-type motor  102  comparable to the motor  22  of pump  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
     Pump  90  can also incorporate a rotary food waste or sewage grinding or cutter ring  100 . The ring  10  incorporates a radial cutter  102   a  and an axial cutter  102   b.    
     The motor  102  also incorporates an impeller  106  which is carried by a rotor  108   a . A second rotor  108   b  is spaced from the rotor  108   a  by a stator  110 . 
     Those with skill in the art will understand that the pump  90  can be installed with a variety of orientations depending on the direction of fluid inflow to the port  94 . 
       FIGS. 5 ,  5 A are a top plan view and a sectional view respectively of a non-clogging sewage pump  120  which incorporates an SEMA-type motor. The pump  120  incorporates a housing  122  with a fluid inflow port  124 , a pump volute  126  and a fluid outflow port  128 . Pump  120  also incorporates an SEMA-type motor  132  having a structure similar to the structure of motor  22  of pump  10 . 
     Input power can be coupled to the motor  132  through energy input port  134 . Pump  120  also incorporates an impeller  138  carried on a rotor  140   a  of the motor  132 . A second rotor  140   b  is displaced from the rotor  140   a  by a stator  142 . 
       FIGS. 6 ,  6 A illustrate a side elevational view and a sectional view of a self-priming pump  150  actuated by an SEMA-type motor. The pump  150  includes a housing  152  with a suction, input port  154 , a pump volute  156  and a discharge or outflow port  158 . The pump  150  incorporates an SEMA-type motor  162  which rotates an associated impeller  168 . The impeller  168  is carried on a rotor  170  of the motor  162 . 
       FIGS. 7 ,  7 A are side elevational and sectional views of a split case pump  180  with a housing  182 . Pump  180  incorporates a suction, input port  184 , a pump volute  186  and a discharge or output port  188 . Pump  180  is activated by an externally located SEMA-type motor  192  which is energized through an input port  196 . An impeller  198  can be coupled to one of the rotors of the motor  192  by a shaft  200 . 
       FIGS. 8 ,  8 A are side elevational and sectional views of another split case pump  210 . Pump  210  incorporates a suction input port  214 , a pump volute  216  and a discharge or output port  218 . Pump  210  is activated by an internally located SEMA motor  220 . The motor  220  is formed as an integral part of the impeller rotating assembly  222 . In the pump  210  no external shafting is required. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.