Ceramic seal assembly

An adapter for connecting a vessel which contains a fluid at an elevated pressure to a ceramic seal assembly which is hermetically secured to a terminal extending through an aperture in said vessel, said adapter comprising:

• a generally tubular member defining two end portions;
• said tubular member having a first portion and a second portion, said second portion having an internal diameter greater than the internal diameter of said first portion and a thickness less than the thickness of said first portion;
• and
• a collar secured to one of said two end portions and extending inwardly about substantially the entire circumference of said tubular member, said tubular member being hermetically securable to said seal assembly and to said vessel at distinct locations.

An adapter for connecting a vessel which contains a fluid at an elevated pressure to a seal assembly which is hermetically secured to a terminal extending through an aperture in said vessel, said adapter comprising:

• a generally tubular member defining two end portions;
• and
• a collar secured to one of said two end portions and extending inwardly about substantially the entire circumference of said tubular member, said tubular member being hermetically securable to said seal assembly and to said vessel at distinct locations;
• the other of said two end portions of said tubular member being provided with an outwardly extending flange, said flange being hermetically securable to said vessel;
• and wherein
• said flange has a substantially annular rim protruding outwardly from an end portion of said flange, said rim and said end portion of said flange defining a substantially annular bracket, said aperture defining an edge in said vessel which is capable of mating with said bracket.

An apparatus comprising:

• a vessel containing a fluid at a high pressure and having at least one aperture therethrough;
• a terminal extending through said aperture;
• means for electrically insulating said terminal and sealing said terminal and said vessel against leakage of said fluid, said sealing means having at least one ceramic seal member subjected to compression forces by the pressurized fluid within the vessel;
• and
• means distinct from the vessel for hermetically securing said insulating and sealing means to said vessel, said securing means restraining said insulating and sealing means from outward axial movement with respect to said vessel.

An apparatus comprising:

• a vessel containing a fluid at a high pressure and having at least one aperture therethrough;
• a terminal extending through said aperture;
• means for electrically insulating said terminal and sealing said terminal and said vessel against leakage of said fluid, said sealing means having at least one ceramic seal member;
• and
• means for hermetically securing said insulating and sealing means to said vessel, said securing means comprising
• a generally tubular member defining two end portions and
• a collar secured to one of said two end portions and extending inwardly about substantially the entire circumference of said tubular member, said insulating and sealing means and said vessel being hermetically secured to said tubular member at distinct locations, said securing means restraining said insulating and sealing means from outward axial movement with respect to said vessel.