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US 7,887,101 B2Granted
Joint for connecting two tubes in a high-temperature environment
AssigneeASM International N.V.
InventorChristianus Gerardus Maria De Ridder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A joint for connecting two tubes. The joint includes a first tube that provides a ball interface at its end. The joint also includes a second tube that provides a cup interface inside its wall. The cup interface of the second tube and the ball interface of the first tube form a cup-ball interface. This cup-ball interface is located in the interior of the second tube.
Claims16
A joint for connecting a first tube and a second tube, the joint comprising:
- a. the first tube being located within the second tube, the first tube having a ball interface, the ball interface being present at an end of the first tube;
- and
- b. the second tube having a cup interface, the cup interface being present in a wall of the second tube, the cup interface of the second tube mating with the ball interface of the first tube and forming a cup-ball interface, wherein the cup-ball interface is located in the interior of the second tube;
- and
- c. a gas seal provided at the cup-ball interface, the gas seal comprising a gas feed/discharge channel, one end of the gas feed/discharge channel configured to be connected to a circumferential groove at the cup-ball interface and the other end configured to be connected to one of an inert gas source and a vacuum source, the inert gas source and the vacuum source configured to maintain respectively super atmospheric and sub atmospheric pressure conditions at the cup-ball interface.
2 more elements
A joint for connecting a first tube and a second tube, the joint comprising:
- a. the first tube_being located within the second tube, the first tube having a ball interface, the ball interface being present at an end of the first tube;
- b. the second tube comprising a process tube and a support tube, the support tube supporting the process tube, a cup interface being present in a wall of the support tube, the cup interface of the support tube mating with the ball interface of the first tube and forming a cup-ball interface, wherein the cup-ball interface is located in the interior of the support tube;
- and
- c. a gas seal provided at the cup-ball interface, the gas seal comprising a gas feed/discharge channel, one end of the gas feed/discharge channel configured to be connected to a circumferential groove at the cup-ball interface and the other end configured to be connected to one of an inert gas source and a vacuum source, the inert gas source and the vacuum source configured to maintain respectively super atmospheric and sub atmospheric pressure conditions at the cup-ball interface.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.