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US 10,704,136 B2Granted
Cathodic arc deposition stinger
AssigneeRaytheon Technologies Corporation
InventorAlbert Rabinovich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stinger for a cathodic arc vapor deposition system includes a head with a reduced area contact interface.
Claims18
A cathodic arc vapor deposition system, comprising:
- a fixed support;
- and
- a stinger comprising a shaft and a head attached to the shaft;
- the shaft having a lateral shaft width, the head having a lateral head width that is greater than the lateral shaft width, and the lateral head width and the lateral shaft width are measured in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to a centerline of the stinger;
- the head configured with a contact interface surface adapted to contact a cathode and thereby retain the cathode between the fixed support and the head;
- the contact interface surface having a ring shaped cross-section;
- and
- the head further configured with a pocket that extends a longitudinal distance along the centerline into the head from the contact interface surface to a pocket end surface;
- wherein an inner lateral width of the ring shaped cross-section that is measured in the lateral direction is greater than the longitudinal distance.
6 more elements
A method involving a cathodic arc vapor deposition system, the method comprising:
- positioning a cathode on a fixed support within a vessel;
- and
- moving a stinger towards the cathode to retain the cathode between the fixed support and a contact interface surface of the stinger, wherein the contact interface surface contacts the cathode, wherein the contact interface surface is configured with a ring shaped cross-section, and wherein the stinger extends along a straight centerline through a sidewall of the vessel to the contact interface surface;
- wherein the stinger includes a shaft and a head attached to an end of the shaft;
- wherein the head includes the interface contact surface and a second surface that is longitudinally recessed into the head from the interface contact surface along a centerline of the stinger, and the second surface is parallel with the interface contact surface;
- and
- wherein an air gap is formed longitudinally along the centerline between the second surface and the cathode, and the air gap is formed laterally within the head.
4 more elements
A cathodic arc vapor deposition system, comprising:
- a vessel;
- a fixed support;
- and
- a stinger comprising a shaft and a head attached to the shaft;
- the head positioned within the vessel, and the head configured with a contact interface surface adapted to contact a cathode and thereby retain the cathode between the fixed support and the head, and the contact interface surface having a ring shaped cross-section;
- and
- the shaft extending along a straight centerline through a sidewall of the vessel to the head such that the straight centerline is perpendicular to the contact interface surface;
- wherein the head is further configured with a second surface that is longitudinally recessed into the head from the interface contact surface along the straight centerline;
- and
- wherein a longitudinal distance along the straight centerline from the second surface to the contact interface surface is less than a lateral width of the second surface.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.