Low Temperature Self-Sealing Vacuum Packaging
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsPaul D. Swanson, Andrew Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system involves vacuum sealing a semi-enclosure at room temperature without requiring mechanical actions within the vacuum chamber. The semi-enclosure has an inlet channel that extends inwardly into the vacuum chamber from an exterior opening (entryway) into the semi-enclosure. An uncured entryway vacuum sealant is provided at the entryway for the semi-enclosure. A vacuum is established in the vacuum chamber until the vacuum pressure reaches a desired vacuum pressure that causes the uncured entryway sealant to be provided to the entryway for the semi-enclosure. The uncured entryway vacuum sealant is cured under vacuum pressure in the semi-enclosure in the vacuum chamber.
Claims20
A method for low temperature self-sealing vacuum packaging, comprising the steps of:
- providing a semi-enclosure to be vacuum sealed in a vacuum chamber, the semi-enclosure having an inlet channel that extends inwardly into the vacuum chamber from an entryway into the semi-enclosure;
- providing an uncured entryway vacuum sealant at the entryway of the semi-enclosure, and wherein a viscosity of the uncured entryway vacuum sealant and a size of the entryway are configured to permit the uncured entryway vacuum sealant to substantially cover the entryway when a desired pressure is reached in the vacuum chamber;
- establishing a vacuum in the vacuum chamber until a desired vacuum pressure is reached in the semi-enclosure, the desired vacuum pressure being configured to cause the uncured entryway vacuum sealant to substantially cover the entryway of the semi-enclosure due to a difference in pressure between the desired vacuum pressure and a vacuum chamber pressure, wherein the desired vacuum pressure is lower than the vacuum chamber pressure;
- and
- curing the uncured entryway vacuum sealant under a vacuum pressure in the semi-enclosure in the vacuum chamber.
A system for low temperature self-sealing vacuum packaging, comprising:
- a semi-enclosure having an inlet channel that extends inwardly into the semi-enclosure from an entryway into the semi-enclosure;
- an uncured vacuum sealant provided at the entryway of the semi-enclosure, wherein a viscosity of the vacuum sealant and a size of the entryway are configured to permit the vacuum sealant to substantially close the entryway when a desired pressure is reached in a vacuum chamber;
- a vacuum chamber configured to provide at least two vacuum pressures, the two vacuum pressures including a desired vacuum pressure and an increased vacuum pressure, the desired vacuum pressure being configured to cause the vacuum sealant to be provided to the entryway of the semi-enclosure, and wherein the increased vacuum pressure is sufficient to cause the uncured entryway vacuum sealant to be provided to the inlet channel of the semi-enclosure, thus causing the inlet channel to be substantially filled.
A method for low temperature self-sealing vacuum packaging, comprising the steps of:
- providing a MEMS device contained in a semi-enclosure, wherein the semi-enclosure is to be vacuum sealed in a vacuum chamber, the semi-enclosure having an entryway and an inlet channel, wherein the semi-enclosure further includes a cavity that substantially surrounds the MEMS device,
- providing an uncured entryway vacuum sealant disposed outside the semi-enclosure and above the entryway, and wherein a viscosity of the uncured entryway vacuum sealant and a size of the entryway are configured to permit the uncured entryway vacuum sealant to substantially cover the entryway when a desired pressure is reached in the vacuum chamber;
- establishing a vacuum in the vacuum chamber until a semi-enclosure pressure reaches a desired vacuum pressure in the semi-enclosure, wherein the desired vacuum pressure is configured to allow a force of gravity to cause the uncured entryway vacuum sealant to substantially cover the entryway;
- increasing the semi-enclosure pressure from the desired vacuum pressure, said increased semi-enclosure pressure being sufficient to cause the vacuum sealant to be provided to the inlet channel to be substantially fully filled and the semi-enclosure to be substantially fully enclosed;
- and
- curing the uncured entryway vacuum sealant under a vacuum pressure in the semi-enclosure in the vacuum chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.