# US 9,437,389 B2 · Assembly and method for reducing foil wrinkles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,389 B2 - Document ID: US9437389B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/574,515 - Filed: 2011-02-01 - Published: 2013-01-03 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-08 - Assignees: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. - Applicants: Andreas Åberg; Ulrika Linné; Urs Hostettler - Inventors: Andreas Åberg; Ulrika Linné; Urs Hostettler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437389B2 ## CPC - H01J 33/04: Windows - G21K 5/02: having no beam-forming means - H01J 5/18: Windows permeable to X-rays, gamma-rays, or particles - B65B 55/08: by irradiation - H01J 3/027: {Construction of the gun or parts thereof (H01J3/021 - H01J3/025, H01J3/026 and H01J3/028 take precedence)} - H01J 33/00: Discharge tubes with provision for emergence of electrons or ions from the vessel ({irradiation devices G21K} ; particle accelerators H05H); Lenard tubes - H01J 33/02: Details {(vessels for operation at high tension H01J5/06)} - H01J 2237/00: Discharge tubes exposing object to beam, e.g. for analysis treatment, etching, imaging - H01J 2237/164: Particle-permeable windows - Y10T 29/49002: Electrical device making - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An assembly of a support plate and an exit window foil for use in an electron beam device. The support plate is designed to reduce wrinkles in said foil, which wrinkles may arise due to surplus foil arising in the assembly process. The foil is being bonded to the support plate along a closed bonding line bounding a substantially circular area in which the support plate is provided with apertures and foil support portions and in which area the foil is adapted to serve as a portion of a wall of a vacuum tight housing of the electron beam device. Another aspect involves a method for using the assembly in a filling machine, as well as a method of reducing wrinkles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly of a support plate and an exit window foil for use in an electron beam device, said support plate being designed to reduce wrinkles in said exit window foil, which wrinkles may arise due to surplus foil arising in the assembly process, the assembly comprising, said exit window foil being bonded to the support plate along a closed bonding line bounding an area in which the support plate is provided with apertures and foil support portions and in which area the exit window foil serves as a portion of a wall of a vacuum tight housing of the electron beam device, the support plate, within said area, is provided with a pattern of apertures and foil support portions alternately, which pattern, when vacuum is created in the housing, forms a topographical profile of the exit window foil absorbing any surplus foil, the exit window foil and support plate area, within the closed bonding line, being defined by a cylindrical coordinate system having an axial axis, a radial axis and an angular axis, said axial axis being aligned with an axial centre axis of the support plate, and said radial axis being aligned with a radius of the support plate within the closed bonding line, and the absorbing of surplus foil is made in such a way that in the apertures a dominant bending of the foil is created around either the radial axis or the angular axis, the foil support portions of the support plate, within said area, being comprised of concentric rings connected to each other by radially directed spokes, the radially directed spokes each having an arc-shaped concave upper surface facing the exit window foil. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the dominant bending is being created around the angular axis in that the foil support portions of the support plate, within said area, provide a variation in the axial direction along the radial axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said variation in the axial direction along the radial axis is provided as a concentric waveform, and that, within said area, the support plate, along the angular direction, does not vary or varies an amount in the axial direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the radially directed spokes and the concentric rings define the boundaries of the apertures. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said concentric rings coincide with wave crests of a waveform. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the closed bonding line is positioned on a plateau. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support plate comprises two members, a first support plate member designed to support a central portion of the foil, and a second plate member having the shape of a frame and provided with said closed bonding line. ### Claim 8 A method for reducing wrinkles in an exit window foil of an electron beam device, which wrinkles may arise due to surplus foil arising in the assembly process, said exit window foil being bonded to a support plate along a closed bonding line bounding an area in which the support plate is provided with apertures and foil support portions and in which area the exit window foil serves as a portion of a wall of a vacuum tight housing of the electron beam device, the method comprising: providing, within said area, a pattern of apertures and foil support portions alternately in the support plate, which pattern, when vacuum is created in the housing, forms a topographical profile of the exit window foil absorbing any surplus foil, the exit window foil and support plate area, within the closed bonding line, being defined by a cylindrical coordinate system having an axial axis, a radial axis and an angular axis, said axial axis being aligned with an axial centre axis of the support plate, and said radial axis being aligned with a radius of the support plate within the closed bonding line, the absorbing of the surplus foil occurring by a dominant bending of the exit window foil in the apertures created around either the radial axis or the angular axis, the foil support portions of the support plate, within said area, being comprised of concentric rings connected to each other by radially directed spokes, the radially directed spokes each having an arc-shaped concave upper surface facing the foil. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method for sterilizing packaging containers in a filling machine, the method comprising using an electron beam generating device comprising an assembly according to claim 1. ### Claim 10 An electron beam generating device comprising: a vacuum chamber configured to be connected to a vacuum source to create a vacuum in the vacuum chamber; a filament positioned in the vacuum chamber and configured to emit electrons; a control grid positioned in the vacuum chamber; an electron exit window through which, electrons emitted by the filament, pass; the electron exit window comprising an exit window foil and a support plate serving as a support for the exit window foil, the exit window foil being bonded to the support plate along a closed bonding line bounding an area, the support plate including apertures and foil support portions that alternate with one another and form, when the vacuum is created in the vacuum chamber, a topographical profile of the exit window foil absorbing any surplus foil; and the foil support portions comprising concentric rings connected to each other by radially directed spokes, the radially directed spokes each having an arc-shaped concave surface extending between radially adjacent concentric rings and facing the foil. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electron beam generating device according to claim 10, wherein the exit window foil and the support plate area, within the closed bonding line, are defined by a cylindrical coordinate system having an axial axis, a radial axis, and an angular axis, the radial axis being aligned with a radius of the support plate within the substantially circular bonding line, and a dominant bending of the foil is created in the apertures around the radial axis or the angular axis to absorb the surplus foil. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electron beam generating device according to claim 11, wherein the apertures possess boundaries defined by the concentric rings and the radially directed spokes, and the concentric rings coincide with wave crests of a concentric waveform created by a variation in the foil support portions in the axial direction along the radial axis. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The electron beam generating device according to claim 10, wherein the radially directed spokes in an interspace between two concentric rings are not aligned with the radially directed spokes in an immediately adjacent circumferential interspace.