Patent Description:
Currently, vertical surface electric pumps are known and widespread which comprise an external containment jacket which encloses:.

In the present description, the expression "vertical electric pump" means an electric pump that has a vertical configuration for use and a vertical axis of extension, with the mechanical section in its lower part and the electromechanical section in its upper part, above the mechanical section.

Normally, the external jacket is made of metallic material and/or plastic material and has a substantially tubular shape, with a cylindrical extension.

The external jacket is often provided by means of at least two complementary parts, to be connected during the assembly of the electric pump:.

The presence of two parts causes a long and cumbersome assembly process and the need to fix these two parts to one another and to an upper cover and to the pump body, usually at the interface between the mechanical section and the electromechanical section.

Moreover, a jacket in two parts also causes a production process of the jacket which is long, cumbersome and constituted by multiple successive steps.

Furthermore, in vertical electric pumps of the known type the electronic board can be connected to the electric motor:.

In both cases, the board is contained in an assembly which must be close to the electromechanical section and in contact with a surface inside which the pumping liquid flows for its cooling.

This leads to considerable and complex space occupations of the electric pump.

Finally, in vertical electric pumps of the known type the external jacket:.

<CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose electric pumps according to the prior art.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an electric pump that is capable of improving the background art in one or more of the aspects mentioned above.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an electric pump with an external containment jacket that has a production process of the jacket and of the entire electric pump that is easier and quicker than similar electric pumps of the known type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric pump that has a jacket which allows the fixing of the electronic board so as to reduce the overall space occupations of the electric pump with respect to similar electric pumps of the known type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric pump that allows the draining of any liquid that has seeped through the mechanical seal, at the interface between the mechanical section and the electromechanical section, and allows the installation technician/user to become aware of the tightness problem without direct visual contact with the affected section.

A further object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the background art in a manner that is alternative to any existing solutions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric pump that is highly reliable, relatively easy to provide and at competitive costs.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electric pump as defined in claim <NUM>.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the electric pump according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

With reference to the figures, an electric pump according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral <NUM> in a first embodiment thereof.

The electric pump <NUM> shown in <FIG> is a vertical surface electric pump.

The electric pump <NUM> comprises an external containment jacket <NUM> which encloses, along the axis of extension X of the electric pump <NUM>:.

The jacket <NUM> is closed, at its ends, by:.

In the case, not shown in the figures, in which the electric pump comprises a single impeller the presence of a diffuser is not necessary.

The jacket <NUM> has a substantially tubular shape with a substantially cylindrical extension and its axis of extension coincides with the axis of extension X of the electric pump <NUM>.

One of the particularities of the invention resides in that the jacket <NUM> is provided monolithically, using metallic material, by calendering and welding.

The jacket <NUM> is made of stainless steel.

This jacket <NUM> has a plurality of slots 26a, 26b in which elements 27a, 27b for fixing the jacket <NUM> to the covers, respectively the first cover <NUM> and the second cover <NUM>, are inserted.

These fixing elements 27a, 27b are, for example, bolts.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the jacket <NUM> has two through holes <NUM>, with an axis of extension that is at right angles to the axis of extension of the jacket <NUM>.

The through holes <NUM> are at the electromechanical section <NUM>, in a portion <NUM> thereof, which is proximate to the mechanical section <NUM> and is substantially comprised between the shell <NUM> for the containment of the motor <NUM> and the interface between the mechanical section <NUM> and the electromechanical section <NUM>.

A nipple <NUM> is inserted in each through hole <NUM>.

At least one of the nipples <NUM> is fluidically connected to the portion <NUM> of the electromechanical section <NUM>.

These nipples <NUM> facilitate the assembly of the electric pump <NUM>, facilitating the alignment of the jacket <NUM> with the mechanical section <NUM> and the electromechanical section <NUM> and guiding the fixing of the jacket to said sections.

Moreover, the nipples <NUM> keep the electromechanical section <NUM> in position inside the jacket <NUM> during the handling of the unit on the assembly line.

Moreover, the nipple <NUM> fluidically connected to the portion <NUM> of the electromechanical section <NUM> allows the draining, in the direction of the arrows A of <FIG>, of any liquid that might have seeped through the mechanical seal <NUM>, arranged at the interface between the mechanical section <NUM> and the electromechanical section <NUM>.

The electric pump <NUM> can comprise a drainage tray <NUM> which is connected to the nipple <NUM> that is connected fluidically to the portion <NUM> of the electromechanical section <NUM>, in order to collect the liquid that exits from the electric pump <NUM> through the nipple <NUM>.

Inside the drainage tray <NUM> there is a sensor, not shown in the figures, which detects the presence of liquid inside it and sends an alarm signal to the electronic board <NUM> for the control of the electric pump <NUM>.

The signal can be visualized on the display <NUM> of the pump, allowing the installation technician/user to detect a tightness problem without requiring direct visual contact with the affected section.

The display <NUM> is contained in the user interface unit <NUM>, which can furthermore have an integrated Wi-Fi module.

In this case, the alarm signal can be sent to the installation technician/user on his mobile phone by means of a dedicated application.

This allows to immediately identify a problem with the mechanical seal and if necessary replace it before it breaks and therefore spills a large amount of liquid toward the motor.

This allows to extend the life of the electric pump <NUM>.

Another particularity of the electric pump resides in that the electric pump <NUM> comprises an electronic assembly <NUM>, which contains the electronic board <NUM> for the control of the electric pump <NUM> which is fixed to the outer lateral surface of the jacket <NUM>.

In this manner the electronic board <NUM> is fixed parallel to the axis of extension X of the electric pump <NUM>, reducing the overall space occupations thereof, with respect to similar electric pumps of a known type, ensuring at the same time also the cooling of the board.

In particular, the external lateral surface of the jacket <NUM> has:.

The fixing elements <NUM>, 35a are, for example, threaded stems with an axis of extension that is at right angles to the axis of extension of the jacket <NUM>, and are welded and extend from plates <NUM>, which in turn are welded to the outer surface of the jacket <NUM>.

The elements <NUM> are inserted in corresponding holes, not shown in the figures, of the electronic assembly <NUM> and are fastened thereto by means of nuts <NUM>.

Such collar <NUM> is of the snap-acting type and holds in position the tank <NUM> proximate to the jacket <NUM>, once it has been closed.

The electric pump <NUM> has a wet portion <NUM>, inside the electromechanical section <NUM>, which is separated from the portion <NUM> and surrounds the shell <NUM>.

The wet portion <NUM> is shaped so as to allow the passage of the pumping liquid between the intake port <NUM> and the delivery port <NUM>, skimming:.

The electronic assembly <NUM> of the electric pump <NUM> comprises a heat sink <NUM> which faces the electronic board <NUM> on one side and the jacket <NUM> on the other side.

In this manner, the pumping liquid, by moving from the first cover <NUM> toward the delivery port <NUM>, in the direction of the arrow C in <FIG> and <FIG>, cools the heat sink <NUM> which faces the outer surface of the jacket <NUM>.

The jacket <NUM> has one or more elements <NUM> for the fixing/support/thermal contact of the electronic assembly <NUM> to the jacket <NUM>.

The elements <NUM> for the fixing/support/thermal contact of the electronic assembly <NUM> to the jacket <NUM> are, for example, pins with an internal dead hole <NUM>, the axis of extension of which coincides with the axis of extension of the pin and which are welded to the jacket <NUM> with their axis of extension at right angles to the axis of extension of the jacket <NUM>.

The pins <NUM> are inserted in corresponding through holes of the heat sink <NUM> and fastened to it by means of respective screws <NUM>, which in turn are inserted in the holes <NUM> of the pins <NUM>.

Such pins <NUM> are two in the example shown in the figures.

Another particularity of the electric pump resides in that the jacket <NUM> has such a shape as to provide a mechanical seal with a plurality of corresponding sealing elements 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, arranged along the axis of extension X of the electric pump <NUM> inside the jacket <NUM> at different cross-sections thereof.

The sealing elements are O-rings, respectively:.

In a further embodiment, shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the electric pump according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral <NUM>.

The electric pump <NUM> is similar to the electric pump described previously, but unlike it the jacket <NUM> is fixed simultaneously to the first cover <NUM> and to the second cover <NUM> by means of a plurality of tension members <NUM>.

In particular, each one of these tension members <NUM> has a stem <NUM> that is comparable in length with the distance between the two covers, the first one <NUM> and the second one <NUM>, considering a direction parallel to the axis of extension of the electric pump.

The first cover <NUM> is provided with a plurality of first holes 126a, which correspond to a plurality of second holes 126b, provided in the second cover <NUM>, so as to form pairs of corresponding first holes 126a and second holes 126b.

Each tension member <NUM> crosses, with its stem <NUM>, a respective pair of holes 126a-126b and has, for the fastening of the two covers <NUM> and <NUM> to the jacket <NUM>:.

Due to the interference between the wider head <NUM> or the nut <NUM> and the rim of the corresponding hole 126b or 126a, a connection between the two covers <NUM> and <NUM> and the fixing thereof to the jacket <NUM> is produced.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, providing an electric pump with external containment jacket that has an easier and quicker process for the production thereof and of the entire electric pump than similar electric pumps of the known type.

The invention provides an electric pump which allows the fixing of the electronic board assembly and of the collar for the anchoring of the tank directly on the jacket without the use of additional components.

The invention provides an electric pump which has a jacket that allows to reduce the overall space occupations of the electric pump with respect to similar electric pumps of the known type.

Furthermore, the invention provides an electric pump which allows the draining of any liquid that might have seeped through the mechanical seal, at the interface between the mechanical section and the electromechanical section, allowing at the same time the installation technician/user to be aware of the tightness problem without requiring direct visual contact with the affected section.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claim 1:
An electric pump (<NUM>, <NUM>) for moving a liquid, comprising a containment jacket (<NUM>, <NUM>) which encloses:
- a mechanical section (<NUM>), which comprises an assembly (<NUM>) for moving said liquid which comprises one or more impellers (<NUM>), interleaved by diffusers (<NUM>), keyed on a driving shaft (<NUM>),
- an electromechanical section (<NUM>), comprising an electric motor (<NUM>), contained in a shell (<NUM>) and comprising in turn a rotor (<NUM>) and a stator (<NUM>) that surrounds said rotor (<NUM>), said rotor (<NUM>) being keyed on said driving shaft (<NUM>),
said electric pump (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising, at the ends of said jacket (<NUM>, <NUM>), a first cover (<NUM>, <NUM>) and a second cover (<NUM>, <NUM>), said second cover (<NUM>, <NUM>) having an intake port (<NUM>) and a delivery port (<NUM>) which are fluidically connected to said mechanical section (<NUM>), said jacket (<NUM>, <NUM>) being provided monolithically, characterized in that
said jacket (<NUM>) is provided with one or more through holes (<NUM>), the axis of extension of which is perpendicular to the axis of extension of said jacket (<NUM>), said one or more through holes (<NUM>) being located at said electromechanical section (<NUM>), in a portion thereof (<NUM>), said portion (<NUM>) being proximate to said mechanical section (<NUM>) and being substantially comprised between said shell (<NUM>) for the containment of said motor (<NUM>) and the interface between said mechanical section (<NUM>) and said electromechanical section (<NUM>), and in that
the electric pump (<NUM>, <NUM>) has a wet portion (<NUM>) inside said electromechanical section (<NUM>), which is separated from said portion (<NUM>) of said electromechanical section (<NUM>) and surrounds said shell (<NUM>), said wet portion (<NUM>) being shaped in order to provide for a circumferential partition wall between the shell (<NUM>) and the jacket (<NUM>) so as to create a path for the passage of said liquid between said intake port (<NUM>) and said delivery port (<NUM>), said liquid skimming:
- the outer lateral surface of said shell (<NUM>), moving from said intake port (<NUM>) toward said first cover (<NUM>),
- the inner lateral surface of said jacket (<NUM>), moving from said first cover (<NUM>) toward said delivery port (<NUM>).