Modular getter pumps

A modular getter pump comprising:

• (a) a first and a second supporting electrode,
• (b) at least one strip of high ohmic resistance material connected to and supported by the first and second supporting electrodes, the strip having a length much greater than its width and a nominal thickness, the strip being pleated into flat substantially parallel zones which are uniformly separated from each other thereby reducing the effective length of the strip, the pleated strip forming a substrate having a non-evaporable getter material at least partially embedded therein, and
• (c) rod means orthogonally positioned with respect to the width of the pleated strip for maintaining the separation between adjacent parallel zones, the rod means comprising an insulated bar fixed at its extremities to said supporting electrodes and biasing means for maintaining said flat parallel zones under tension.

A modular getter pump comprising:

• (a) a first and a second supporting electrode,
• (b) at least one strip of high ohmic resistance material connected to and supported by the first and second supporting electrodes, the strip having a length much greater than its width and a nominal thickness, the strip being pleated into flat substantially parallel zones which are uniformly separated from each other thereby reducing the effective length of the strip, the pleated strip forming a substrate having a non-evaporable getter material at least partially embedded therein, and
• (c) rod means orthogonally positioned with respect to the width of the pleated strip for maintaining the separation between adjacent parallel zones, the rod means comprising an insulated bar fixed at its extremities to said supporting electrodes and passing perpendicularly through said flat parallel zones, and a plurality of annular insulating spacer elements situated between adjacent parallel zones and contiguously surrounding said insulated bar.

A pumping panel comprising a multiplicity of modular getter pumps connected electrically to each other, each modular getter pump comprising:

• (a) a first and second supporting electrode,
• (b) at least one strip of high ohmic resistance material connected to and supported by the first and second supporting electrodes, the strip having a length much greater than its width and a nominal thickness, the strip being pleated into flat substantially parallel zones which are uniformly separated from each other thereby reducing the effective length of the strip, the pleated strip forming a substrate having a non-evaporable getter material at least partially embedded therein, and
• (c) rod means orthogonally positioned with respect to the width of the pleated strip for maintaining the separation between adjacent parallel zones, the ratio of separation to width being between 1/60 and 1/6.

A vacuum container comprising at least one modular getter pump, the modular getter pump comprising:

• (a) a first and a second supporting electrode,
• (b) at least one strip of high ohmic resistance material connected to and supported by the first and second supporting electrodes, the strip having a length much greater than its width and a nominal thickness, the strip being pleated into flat substantially parallel zones which are uniformly separated from each other thereby reducing the effective length of the strip, the pleated strip forming a substrate having a non-evaporable getter material at least partially embedded therein, and
• (c) rod means orthogonally positioned with respect to the width of the pleated strip for maintaining the separation between adjacent parallel zones such that the separation to width ratio is between 1/60 and 1/6.