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US 12,168,976 B2Granted
Neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft
AssigneeENPULSION GmbH
InventorsDavid Krejci, Quirin Koch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A Neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft comprises a cathode for emission of electrons, a support with an opening inside which the cathode is supported in a radially spaced manner, and an electrically conductive shielding which surrounds said opening and is electrically insulated from the support, wherein a ring is mounted between the shielding and the cathode and is electrically insulated from the shielding and radially spaced from the cathode.
Claims20
A neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft, comprising:
- a cathode for emission of electrons,
- a support with an opening inside which the cathode is supported by the support in a radially spaced manner, and
- an electrically conductive shielding which surrounds said opening and is electrically insulated from the support,
- wherein a ring is mounted between the electrically conductive shielding and the cathode and is electrically insulated from the electrically conductive shielding and radially spaced from the cathode, and
- wherein the ring is entirely ceramic.
2 more elements
A neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft comprising:
- a cathode for emission of electrons,
- a support with an opening inside which the cathode is supported by the support in a radially spaced manner, and
- an electrically conductive shielding which surrounds said opening and is electrically insulated from the support,
- wherein a ring is mounted between the shielding and the cathode and is electrically insulated from the shielding and radially spaced from the cathode,
- wherein the ring is arranged to be held at or to adopt an electrostatic charging level which differs from an electrostatic charging level of the electrically conductive shielding in order to create an electrical field by which a number of electrons absorbed by the electrically conductive shielding is reduced, and
- wherein the ring and the support are a single, unitary part.
3 more elements
A neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft, comprising:
- a cathode for emission of electrons,
- a support with an opening inside which the cathode is supported by the support in a radially spaced manner, and
- an electrically conductive shielding which surrounds said opening and is electrically insulated from the support,
- wherein a ring is mounted between the electrically conductive shielding and the cathode and is electrically insulated from the electrically conductive shielding and radially spaced from the cathode,
- wherein the ring is arranged to be held at or to adopt an electrostatic charging level which differs from an electrostatic charging level of the electrically conductive shielding in order to create an electrical field by which a number of electrons absorbed by the electrically conductive shielding is reduced,
- wherein the support and the ring are symmetrical about a common central axis, and wherein the electrically conductive shielding has an oblique top face such that, in an axial direction, the electrically conductive shielding extends further from the support on one side of said opening than on an other side of said opening wherein said other side is opposite to said one side.
3 more elements
A neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft, comprising:
- a cathode for emission of electrons,
- a support with an opening inside which the cathode is supported by the support in a radially spaced manner, and
- an electrically conductive shielding which surrounds said opening and is electrically insulated from the support,
- wherein a ring is mounted between the electrically conductive shielding and the cathode and is electrically insulated from the electrically conductive shielding and radially spaced from the cathode, and
- wherein the ring, in an axial direction, extends further from the support than the shielding.
2 more elements
A neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft, comprising:
- a cathode for emission of electrons,
- a support with an opening inside which the cathode is supported by the support in a radially spaced manner, and
- an electrically conductive shielding which surrounds said opening and is electrically insulated from the support,
- wherein a ring is mounted between the electrically conductive shielding and the cathode and is electrically insulated from the electrically conductive shielding and radially spaced from the cathode,
- wherein the ring is arranged to be held at or to adopt an electrostatic charging level which differs from an electrostatic charging level of the electrically conductive shielding in order to create an electrical field by which a number of electrons absorbed by the electrically conductive shielding is reduced,
- wherein the cathode has supply wires via which the cathode is mounted to the support.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.