Patent Description:
The invention also relates to an electric pump with such a manifold.

An electric pump is a device for moving a liquid, generally water, by drawing it from a first region, by means of a first duct of a hydraulic system, and transferring it to a second region, by means of a second duct of a hydraulic system.

Usually, the suction inlet and the discharge outlet are fluidically connected to respective ducts by means of manifolds.

These manifolds can be used both for individual electric pumps and for pumping assemblies composed of a series of electric pumps.

In the case of pumping assemblies, a single manifold is shared by multiple electric pumps and associated with the suction inlets/discharge outlets of each electric pump of the assembly.

These manifolds are substantially constituted by tubular elements, made of metallic material, usually stainless steel, connected to:.

These tubular elements comprise a tubular main body which has:.

Known manifolds are disclosed by the following documents: <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

Usually, in order to provide the threaded connecting portions, at the ends, externally and/or internally threaded bushings are welded to the ends of the tubular main body, so that they have the same axis of extension and protrude from it.

However, this creates manifolds with significant space occupations and a poor visual impact thereof.

Furthermore, at each hole for fluidic connection to the suction inlet/discharge outlet, the manifold has an annular portion, which comprises the seat for an O-ring, provided by welding a sleeve on the external surface of the tubular main body, around the hole.

Due to the welding process, however, deformations can occur which might jeopardize the seal.

Furthermore, it is necessary, during the production step, to have a considerable number of basic parts to be welded in order to provide the manifold: a tubular main body, two threaded bushings and at least one sleeve.

Another drawback that can be found in currently known manifolds resides in the fact that the tubular main bodies are provided by means of portions of standard commercially available pipes for hydraulics and have a wall with a minimum thickness on the order of <NUM>.

This leads to considerable weight and also considerable costs, resulting from the amount of raw material used for its production.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a manifold for an electric pump and an electric pump with such a manifold which are 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 a manifold for an electric pump which has reduced space occupations with respect to similar manifolds of a known type and a more pleasant visual impact.

Another object of the invention is to devise a manifold for an electric pump that requires fewer basic parts for its provision with than similar manifolds of the known type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manifold that is lighter and cheaper than similar manifolds of the known type.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an electric pump that comprises a manifold capable of achieving the aim and objects described above.

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

Last but not least, it is an object of the invention to provide a manifold for an electric pump that is highly reliable, relatively easy to provide and has competitive costs.

This aim is achieved by a manifold as defined in claim <NUM> and a pump as defined in claim <NUM>. Further characteristics and advantages will become.

more apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a manifold for an electric pump, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

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

The tubular main body <NUM> has at least one hole <NUM> for fluidic connection to a corresponding suction inlet/discharge outlet of an electric pump, also not shown in the figures.

The hole <NUM> has an axis of extension Y that is at right angles to the axis of extension X of the body <NUM>.

The manifold <NUM> is made of metallic material, preferably steel.

One of the particularities of the invention resides in the fact that the body <NUM> is provided by welding a previously calendered metal sheet onto the body <NUM>, with the calendered metal sheet, and thus the wall of the body <NUM>, having a thickness on the order of <NUM>.

The thickness of the basic calendered metal sheet, and therefore of the wall of the tubular main body <NUM>, is substantially lower than <NUM>.

Such a thickness of the wall of the tubular body leads to a manifold <NUM> that is lighter and cheaper than similar manifolds of the known type.

This wall thickness of the tubular main body <NUM> would be not achievable by using the portions of standard hydraulic pipes currently commercially available.

Furthermore, the manifold <NUM>, by comprising a smaller quantity of basic material than a similar manifold of the known type, makes it possible to provide a greater number of manifolds for an equal mass of the basic metal sheet.

The body <NUM> has an inside diameter on the order of <NUM>, while the tubular portions 12a, 12b have an inside diameter on the order of <NUM>.

Another of the particularities of the invention resides in the fact that the tubular portions 12a, 12b are substantially inside the tubular main body <NUM>.

In particular, the tubular portions 12a, 12b have a thread <NUM> on their inner surface.

The thread <NUM> is provided by tapping.

Each tubular portion 12a, 12b is monolithic with the tubular main body <NUM> and is constituted by:.

The expression "transverse cross-section", in the present description, is understood to mean a cross-section on a plane at right angles to the axis of extension X of the body <NUM>.

The first element <NUM> is welded to one end of the tubular main body <NUM>, substantially at its external circumference <NUM>.

The first element <NUM> is welded to one end of the second element <NUM>, substantially at its internal circumference <NUM>.

It should be noted that the thread <NUM> is provided after the welding of the second element <NUM> to the first element <NUM> in order to prevent the thread <NUM> from being deformed during this welding step.

The tubular portions 12a, 12b of the manifold <NUM> are adapted for connection to the ducts of the hydraulic system inside the tubular main body <NUM> and this leads to smaller space occupations than similar manifolds of the known type and to a more pleasant visual impact.

The second element <NUM> is provided on its inside, between the end welded to the first element <NUM> and the thread <NUM>, with a first annular seat <NUM> for the accommodation of a sealing element, such as an O-ring, not shown in the figures.

Another particularity of the invention resides in the fact that at the hole <NUM> for the fluidic connection to the corresponding discharge outlet/suction inlet of an electric pump there is a second annular seat <NUM> for accommodating a sealing element which is provided by drawing the edge of the hole <NUM> toward the inside of the tubular main body <NUM>.

The sealing element is an O-ring, not shown in the figures.

The second seat <NUM> provided by drawing allows the use of a smaller number of basic parts for providing the manifold <NUM>, since it is not necessary to weld a sleeve around the hole <NUM>, as in manifolds of the known type.

Furthermore, the deformations resulting from welding a sleeve around the hole <NUM>, which would lead to sealing problems, are avoided.

Moreover, since the body <NUM> has an inside diameter on the order of <NUM>, it is possible to provide a second seat <NUM> for accommodating a sealing element, and a hole <NUM> for fluidic connection to the corresponding discharge outlet/suction inlet, having a larger diameter than similar manifolds of the known type, obtaining lower load losses than said manifolds.

The manifold <NUM> has a shaped portion <NUM> on the wall of the tubular main body <NUM> in a portion that is opposite the one in which the hole <NUM> is arranged, considering the axis Y of extension of the latter.

The shaped portion <NUM> is adapted to interact with an appropriate complementary shape of the footing of an electric pump, not shown in the figures, in order to keep the manifold <NUM> in the position/configuration useful for the assembly and use of this electric pump.

Furthermore, the shaped portion <NUM> acts as an element for blocking the rotation of the manifold during the operation of the electric pump.

<FIG> shows a manifold <NUM> according to the invention in a different embodiment.

The manifold <NUM> is similar to the manifold shown in <FIG> and described previously, but has a plurality of holes <NUM>, each for fluidic connection to a corresponding discharge outlet/suction inlet of an electric pump, not shown in the figures.

The manifold <NUM> is therefore usable in pumping assemblies comprising multiple electric pumps.

The manifold <NUM> can also act as a structural element for pumping assemblies comprising multiple electric pumps, by crossing and being associated with the footing of each one of them.

<FIG> show a manifold <NUM> according to the invention in a further embodiment.

The tubular main body <NUM> has at least one hole, not shown in the figures, for fluidic connection to a corresponding suction inlet/discharge outlet of an electric pump, also not shown in the figures.

The hole for fluidic connection to a corresponding discharge outlet/suction inlet has an axis of extension at right angles to the axis of extension of the tubular body <NUM> and is very similar to the one of the embodiments illustrated above.

In this embodiment also, the tubular body <NUM> is provided like the tubular main body of the manifolds described previously.

The tubular portions 212a, 212b are partially inserted in the body <NUM> but protrude from it.

In particular, the tubular portions 212a, 212b have a thread <NUM> on the surface that is internal thereto.

The thread <NUM> is provided during the step for molding the part by means of a convenient complementarily threaded insert.

The tubular portions 212a and 212b are made of plastic material and are associated with the body <NUM> by virtue of mutual interlocking means <NUM>.

The mutual interlocking means <NUM> comprise:.

In particular, the tabs <NUM> are bent toward the inside of the body <NUM>.

The regions <NUM> are located in the part of the tubular portion 212a, 212b that is inserted in the tubular body <NUM>.

Between the tubular body <NUM> and a corresponding tubular portion 212a, 212b there is a sealing element <NUM>, of the O-ring type, so as to surround the tubular portion 212a, 212b proximately to its end that is further inside the tubular main body <NUM>.

The manifold <NUM>, which comprises a body <NUM> provided by means of a calendered and welded metal sheet and the tubular portions 212a, 212b made of plastic material, is lower in cost than similar manifolds of the known type.

Furthermore, the tubular portions <NUM> are coupled by snap action to the tubular main body <NUM>, leading to a quick and easy provision of the manifold <NUM> and without the need for a welding as in the previously described versions.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, providing a manifold for an electric pump which has reduced space occupations with respect to similar manifolds of the known type and a more pleasant visual impact.

The invention provides a manifold for an electric pump that requires fewer basic parts for its provision with respect to similar manifolds of the known type.

Moreover, the invention provides a manifold that is lighter and cheaper than similar manifolds of the known type.

Finally, the invention provides an electric pump which comprises a manifold capable of achieving the aim and objects listed above.

Claim 1:
A manifold (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) for connecting an electric pumping assembly, comprising:
- a tubular main body (<NUM>, <NUM>), said tubular main body (<NUM>, <NUM>) having at least one hole (<NUM>, <NUM>) with an axis of extension (Y) that is perpendicular to the axis of extension (X) of said tubular main body (<NUM>, <NUM>),
- two tubular portions (12a, 12b, 212a, 212b) arranged at the longitudinal ends of said tubular main body (<NUM>, <NUM>) and coaxial therewith,
wherein said tubular main body (<NUM>, <NUM>) has a wall with a thickness on the order of <NUM>, characterized in that at said at least one hole (<NUM>, <NUM>) there is a second seat (<NUM>) for accommodating a sealing element, which is provided by drawing the edge of said at least one hole (<NUM>, <NUM>) toward the inside of said tubular main body (<NUM>).