Vacuum pump

Abstract

A pump rotor ( 11 ) contains a transponder ( 14 ) that can be read out by a reader ( 12 ) of a pump stator ( 10 ). The pump rotor ( 11 ) also contains sensors ( 26 ) for determining operating data (BD), and a memory ( 27 ). The memory ( 27 ) stores either the history of the measured operating data (BD) or a service life characteristic (LDK). In this way, the rate of wear of the respective rotor is determined and stored in the rotor, and the rotor therefore contains all of the information relating to maintenance. The rotor-related information remains in the rotor even if the rotor is used in another vacuum pump.

1 . A vacuum pump comprising a pump rotor and a pump stator, the pump rotor including a transponder with a rotor antenna and the pump stator including a reader with a stator antenna and at least one sensor for the detection of wear-relevant operating data,
 wherein the pump rotor comprises a memory that stores operating data or a service life characteristic calculated on the basis of the operating data and reads the same out to the reader via the transponder.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein a history of operating data of the rotor is stored in the memory of the rotor. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein the operating data and the service life characteristic of the pump rotor are transmitted to a stator-side control unit that forms a stress value from the currently measured operating data and adds this value to the service life characteristic so as to form an updated service life characteristic, and wherein the updated service life characteristic is transmitted to the pump rotor and is stored in the memory of the pump rotor. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines from the history of operating data or the service life characteristic, whether a further operation of the vacuum pump is allowable, and turns off the drive if it is not allowable. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein the pump rotor comprises an identity protection memory that stores at least one item of rotor information that can be transmitted to the reader via the transponder, and wherein the control unit allows an operation of the vacuum pump only if the item of rotor information meets a predetermined criterion. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum pump of  claim 5 , wherein the pump rotor comprises a parameter memory which stores at least one item of stator information, and wherein the predetermined criterion is that the item of rotor information and the item of stator information form a previously defined allowable pair of information items. 
     
     
         7 . A method of operating a vacuum pump comprising:
 rotating a rotor relative to a stator;   measuring operating data concerning the rotor;   in a memory carried by the rotor, storing at least one of the operating data and a service life characteristic.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further including:
 communicating the operating data from the rotor to the stator via a rotor transponder and a stator transponder;   calculating the service life characteristic with a processor associated with the stator transponder;   communicating the calculated service life characteristic from the processor to the rotor via the stator transponder and the rotor transponder; and   storing the calculated service life characteristic in the memory carried by the rotor.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further including:
 storing rotor information in the memory carried by the rotor;   communicating the rotor information via a rotor transponder and a stator transponder to a vacuum pump controller; and   allowing of blocking operation of the vacuum pump with the pump controller in accordance with the rotor information.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further including:
 communicating the at least one of the operating data and the service life characteristic from the memory carried by the rotor to the pump controller via the rotor transponder and the stator transponder;   controlling operation of the vacuum pump with the pump controller in accordance with the operating data or the service life characteristic.