Cryogenic vacuum break thermal coupler with cross-axial actuation

A coupler for thermally coupling a cooling device to an object to be cooled, the cooling device having at least one cooling stage, which extends along an axis, the coupler comprising:

• a. a cold station configured to couple with a cold stage extension of a cooling device at a cold station interface and configured to connect with an object to be cooled;
• b. the cold stage extension coupled to the cooling device cold stage;
• c. mechanically rigidly connected to the cold station, a cold station frame, having an actuator side and a thermal side which is arranged to face the cold station interface, all arranged such that the cold stage of the cooling device fits between the frame actuator side and the thermal side;
• d. an actuator arranged to apply substantially equal and opposite cross-axial forces to the cold stage extension and the actuator side of the cold station frame, thereby forcing the cold stage extension from an uncoupled configuration into a coupled configuration with the cold stage extension contacting the cold station at the cold station interface, without any force being applied to the object to be cooled;
• e. a cooling device vacuum enclosure, shaped and sized to house a cooling device vacuum around the cooling device, comprising the cold station;
• and
• f. a cooled object vacuum enclosure, shaped and sized to house an object to be cooled, comprising the cold station, arranged to house a cooled object vacuum that is hydraulically independent from the cooling device vacuum;
• g. an intermediate temperature station configured to couple with an intermediate temperature stage extension of a cooling device at an intermediate temperature station interface and configured to thermally couple with an object to be cooled;
• h. an intermediate stage extension, coupled to the cooling device intermediate stage;
• i. mechanically rigidly connected to the intermediate temperature station, an intermediate temperature station frame, having an actuator side and a thermal station side, which is arranged to face the intermediate temperature station interface, all arranged such that the intermediate temperature stage of the cooling device fits between the intermediate temperature station frame actuator side and the thermal side;
• and
• j. a second actuator, arranged to apply substantially equal and opposite cross-axial forces to the intermediate temperature stage extension and the actuator side of the intermediate temperature station frame, thereby forcing the intermediate temperature stage extension from an uncoupled configuration into a coupled configuration, with the intermediate temperature stage extension contacting the intermediate temperature station at the intermediate temperature station interface, without any force being applied to the object to be cooled.

A method to thermally couple a cooling device having at least one cooling stage that extends along an axis, to an object to be cooled, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a thermal coupler comprising:
• i. a cold station configured to couple with a cold stage extension of a cooling device at a cold station interface and configured to connect with an object to be cooled;
• ii. a cold stage extension coupled to the cooling device cold stage;
• iii. mechanically rigidly connected to the cold station, a cold station frame, having an actuator side and a thermal side which is arranged to face the cold station interface, all arranged such that the cold stage of the cooling device fits between the frame actuator side and the thermal side;
• iv. an actuator arranged to apply substantially equal and opposite cross-axial forces to the cold stage extension and the actuator side of the cold station frame, thereby forcing the cold stage extension from an uncoupled configuration into a coupled configuration, with the cold stage extension contacting the cold station at the cold station interface, without any force being applied to the object to be cooled;
• v. a cooling device vacuum enclosure shaped and sized to house a cooling device vacuum around the cooling device, comprising the cold station;
• and
• vi. a cooled object vacuum enclosure, shaped and sized to house an object to be cooled, comprising the cold station, arranged to house a cooled object vacuum that is hydraulically independent from the cooling device vacuum;
• b. introducing the cooling device into the cooling device vacuum enclosure, and positioning the cold stage extension of the cooling device in an uncoupled position, cross-axially between the actuator side of the cold station frame and the thermal side of the cold station frame;
• c. energizing the actuator, so that the actuator engages the cold stage extension, thereby forcing the cold stage extension from an uncoupled position, toward a coupled position, contacting the cold station at the interface without any force being applied to the object to be cooled.