# US 2014/0197627 A1 · Vibration damper for vacuum pumps > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197627 A1 - Document ID: US20140197627A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/228,137 - Filed: 2014-03-27 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2010-04-16 - Assignees: Agilent Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Agilent Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Carmelo Quartarone; Luca Bonmassar; Silvio Giors; Vincenzo Pandolfo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197627A1 ## CPC - F16L 55/02: Energy absorbers; Noise absorbers - F04D 19/042: {Turbomolecular vacuum pumps} - F04D 29/668: {damping or preventing mechanical vibrations} - F16F 1/3732: {having an annular or the like shape, e.g. grommet-type resilient mountings} - F16L 25/12: Joints for pipes being spaced apart axially - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION ## Abstract In a vibration damper of a turbomolecular vacuum pump, a vacuum tightness function and a vibration damping function are both performed by one ore more toroidal rings made of an elastic material. The elastic rings assume a resting configuration while the vacuum pump is not operating and the damper is at atmospheric pressure, and they assume a compressed configuration while the vacuum pump is operating and the damper is under vacuum conditions. In the compressed configuration, the elastic rings are deformed due to a compression force. This deformation of the elastic rings prevents metal-to-metal contact between the vacuum pump and a vacuum chamber to which the pump is connected through the damper. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a vibration damper comprising an elastic material and being arranged between a vacuum pump and a vacuum chamber, wherein the vibration damper assumes a resting configuration in response to a compression force with a magnitude lower than a predetermined threshold, and assumes a compressed configuration in response to a compression force with a magnitude greater than the predetermined threshold, the resting configuration forming an connection between the vacuum pump and the vacuum chamber, and the compressed configuration forming a vacuum-tight connection between the vacuum pump and the vacuum chamber and preventing contact between the vacuum pump and the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibration damper comprises: a first cylindrical hollow component arranged about an axis of symmetry and comprising a first end configured to be coupled to the vacuum pump, a second end located opposite the first end, a first toroidal semi-seat located at the second end, and a connecting component suitable for axially binding the first cylindrical hollow component to a second cylindrical hollow component; the second cylindrical hollow component, arranged about the axis of symmetry at an axial distance from the first cylindrical hollow component and having a first end configured to be coupled to a vacuum chamber, a second end located opposite the first end, a toroidal semi-seat, and a connecting component suitable for axially binding the second cylindrical hollow component to the first cylindrical hollow component; a toroidal ring comprising the elastic material and arranged between the first cylindrical hollow component and the second cylindrical hollow component, wherein the toroidal ring assumes a resting configuration in response to a compression force directed along the axis of symmetry with a magnitude lower than a predetermined threshold, and assumes a compressed configuration in response to a compression force directed along the symmetry axis with a magnitude greater than the predetermined threshold, the resting configuration forming an axial connection between the first and the second cylindrical hollow components, and the compressed configuration forming a vacuum-tight axial connection between the first and the second component and preventing contact between the connecting components of the first cylindrical hollow component and the second cylindrical hollow component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the elastic toroidal ring is arranged between the first and second cylindrical hollow components such that the toroidal semi-seat of the first cylindrical hollow component and the toroidal semi-seat of the second cylindrical hollow component define a toroidal seat in which the toroidal ring is received and confined. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the connecting component of the first cylindrical hollow component comprises radial teeth substantially equally spaced along a surface of the first cylindrical hollow component, and the connecting component of the second cylindrical hollow component comprises radial teeth substantially equally spaced along a surface of the second cylindrical hollow component and suitable for engaging the radial teeth of the connecting component of the first cylindrical hollow component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a component for preventing accidental rotation of the first cylindrical hollow component with respect to the second cylindrical hollow component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one intermediate component and an additional toroidal ring made of an elastic material arranged between the first and the second cylindrical hollow components. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one intermediate component comprises: a first toroidal semi-seat oriented towards a first end of the intermediate component and. configured to jointly contain a toroidal ring with a toroidal semi-seat of another intermediate component or of the first cylindrical hollow component; and a second toroidal semi-scat oriented towards a second end of the intermediate component and configured to jointly contain a toroidal ring with a toroidal semi-seat of another intermediate component or of the second cylindrical hollow component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first cylindrical hollow component comprises a first connecting component configured for connection to the at least one intermediate component and comprising radial teeth substantially equally spaced along a surface of the first cylindrical hollow component; wherein the second cylindrical hollow component comprises a second connecting component configured for connection to the at least one intermediate component and comprising radial teeth substantially equally spaced along a surface of the second cylindrical hollow component; and wherein the at least one intermediate component comprises, at a first end, a first connecting component comprising radial teeth substantially equally spaced along a surface of the at least one intermediate component and suitable for engaging radial teeth of the first cylindrical hollow component or of another intermediate component, and further comprises, at a second end, a second connecting component comprising radial teeth substantially equally spaced along a surface of the at least one intermediate component and suitable for engaging radial teeth of the second cylindrical hollow component or of another intermediate component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a component for preventing accidental relative rotation between the first cylindrical hollow component, the second cylindrical hollow component, and the at least one intermediate component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first cylindrical hollow component comprises a flange for connection to the vacuum pump. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first cylindrical hollow component is integral with the vacuum pump. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second component comprises a flange for connection to the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second component is integral with the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the toroidal semi-seats of the first and second cylindrical hollow components each have a substantially semi-circular profile. ### Claim 15 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the toroidal semi-seats of the first and second cylindrical hollow components each have a substantially “L”-shaped profile. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the compression force directed along the axis of symmetry has a magnitude greater than the predetermined threshold while the damper is under vacuum conditions.