Vacuum pump

Abstract

A vacuum pump includes a housing, a rotor located in the housing and having a shaft and pump-active elements supported on the shaft, a stator having pump-active elements and located in a separate housing part of the housing, for driving the pump, bearings for rotatably supporting the rotor shaft, and at least one vacuum chamber also located in the separate housing part.

1 . A vacuum pump, comprising an upper one-piece housing part and a lower housing part connectable with each other and forming together a vacuum pump housing; a rotor shaft extending in the upper housing part and the lower housing part; bearing means located in at least one of the upper housing part and the lower housing part for supporting the rotor shaft for rotation; drive means for driving the rotor shaft and located in the lower housing part; pump-active rotor elements secured on a portion of the rotor shaft extending in the upper housing part; pump-active stator elements located in the upper housing part and securable thereby, the pump-active stator elements and the pump-active rotor elements forming together pumping means for producing a pumping action; and at least one vacuum chamber located in the upper housing part and communicating with the pumping means. 
     
     
         2 . A vacuum pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the bearing means comprises a permanent magnet bearing for supporting one end of the rotor shaft. 
     
     
         3 . A vacuum pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one vacuum chamber has an opening, the vacuum pump further comprising a releasable cover for closing the opening, and at least two seals for sealing the opening. 
     
     
         4 . A vacuum pump according to  claim 3 , comprising an annular channel arranged between the at least two seals and in which vacuum is produced. 
     
     
         5 . A vacuum pump according to  claim 4 , wherein the pumping means forms at least two pumping stages, and the vacuum pump further comprises a gas outlet channel, and a connection conduit integrated in the housing and connecting the annular channel with the gas outlet channel or one of the at least two pumping stages. 
     
     
         6 . A vacuum pump according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one further vacuum chamber, at least one of the at least one and further vacuum chambers being located in an insertable module. 
     
     
         7 . A vacuum pump according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one further vacuum chamber, and wherein the pumping means forms at least two pumping stages, and the at least one vacuum chamber and the at least one further vacuum chamber are directly connected with each other and each of the at least one vacuum chamber and the at least one further vacuum chamber is connected with a respective one of the two pumping stages. 
     
     
         8 . A vacuum pump according to  claim 7 , wherein the gas pressure in the at least one and at least one further vacuum chambers is not the same.