Mesotube burn-in manifold
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorBarrett E. Cole
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A two chamber system with fill gas in one chamber and vacuum in the other provides a means of burning in one or more vacuum tubes while avoiding contamination from environmental gases. Vacuum tubes are often burned in after being sealed. Some processes burn-in the tubes before sealing them. The burn in process can take days and provide ample opportunity for environmental gases to contaminate the vacuum tube. The vacuum tube's fill tube passes through the vacuum chamber and into the fill gas chamber. Environmental gases leaking past the fill tube are evacuated by the vacuum. Similarly, fill gas leaking past the fill tube is also evacuated to vacuum. As such, the environmental gases are drawn away before contaminating the vacuum tube.
Claims14
A system comprising:
- a first chamber and a second chamber wherein the second chamber comprises an outside wall and wherein the first chamber and the second chamber share an interior wall;
- a vacuum port in the second chamber and a fill port in the first chamber;
- an interior wall opening in the interior wall;
- and
- an exterior opening in the exterior wall;
- a burn in connector, wherein a vacuum tube comprises a body, a tube connector, and a fill tube, and wherein the tube connector mates to the burn in connector when the fill tube reaches into the first chamber;
- wherein the fill tube reaches into the first chamber by passing through the exterior opening, through the second chamber and through the interior wall opening;
- wherein an exterior seal seals the fill tube to the exterior wall;
- and
- wherein an interior seal seals the fill tube to the interior wall.
A system comprising:
- a first chamber, a cavity, and a lid wherein the lid covers the cavity to form a second chamber and wherein the first chamber and the second chamber share an interior wall;
- a vacuum port in the second chamber and a fill port in the first chamber;
- an interior wall opening in the interior wall;
- and
- an exterior opening in the lid;
- a burn in connector, wherein a vacuum tube comprises a body, a tube connector, and a fill tube, and wherein the tube connector mates to the burn in connector when the fill tube reaches into the first chamber;
- wherein the fill tube reaches into the first chamber by passing through the exterior opening, through the second chamber and through the interior wall opening;
- wherein an exterior seal seals the fill tube to the exterior wall;
- and
- wherein an interior seal seals the fill tube to the interior wall.
A system comprising:
- a first chamber, a second chamber, an interior seal that seals a vacuum tube to the first chamber, a burn in connector, wherein a vacuum tube comprises a body, a tube connector, and a fill tube, and wherein the tube connector mates to the burn in connector when the fill tube reaches into the first chamber, and wherein evacuating the air from the second chamber prevents air from leaking into the first chamber and also prevents air from leaking into the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.