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US 9,581,316 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for encapsulating tritium
AssigneeCammenga Company, LLC
InventorsChristopher J. Karchon, Alexander J. Karchon, Robert J. Henderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A module comprising: one or more vials containing tritium; one or more tritium covers; and an open space within the one or more tritium covers, wherein the one or more vials containing tritium are located within the open space of the one or more tritium covers so that the one or more tritium covers protect the one or more vials containing tritium, and wherein the one or more tritium covers are made from a material that exhibits sufficient strength so that the module protects the one or more vials containing tritium from damage when dropped from a distance of 1 m or more.
Claims16
A knife comprising:
- a handle including a handle length extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the handle including a handle thickness extending between a first side and an opposing second side, the handle including a through-hole extending through the handle thickness and between the proximal and distal edges;
- a blade connected to the handle, the through-hole extending through the blade;
- and
- a module placed into the through-hole so that an outer surface of the module is generally flush with the first side and the opposing second side of the handle, the module comprising:
- one or more vials containing tritium;
- a tritium holder including one or more planar surfaces, the one or more planar surfaces are located generally parallel to the first side of the handle, the second side of the handle, or both, the tritium holder including a cradle outwardly extending from one of the one or more planar surfaces, the cradle supporting opposing ends and an elongated surface of one of the one or more vials containing tritium;
- pair of dome-shaped, discrete, and transparent tritium covers surrounding the tritium holder, each of the pair of tritium covers including an outer surface defining the outer surface of the module;
- and
- an open space defined between one of the one or more planar surfaces of the tritium holder and an inner surface of a corresponding one of the pair of tritium covers, the inner surface being generally parallel to the outer surface of the tritium covers and generally parallel to the planar surface, the cradle supporting the vial containing tritium being located in the open space so that the pair of tritium covers protect the vial containing tritium, and
- wherein the pair of tritium covers are made from a material that exhibits sufficient strength so that the module protects the one or more vials containing tritium from damage when dropped from a distance of 1 m or more,
- wherein an elongated portion of the one or more vials containing tritium are visible from the first side and the opposing second side of the handle.
8 more elements
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a handle including a handle length extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the handle including a handle thickness extending between a first side and an opposing second side, the handle including a hole extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the hole also extending through the first side, the opposing second side, and a top side of the handle;
- a module placed into the hole so that a first outer side surface of the module is generally flush with the first side, a second outer side surface of the module is generally flush with the opposing second side of the handle, and an outer top surface of the module is generally flush with the top side of the handle, the module comprising:
- one or more vials containing tritium;
- a tritium holder including a planar surface and one or more cradles extending outwardly from the planar surface, each cradle supporting opposing ends and an elongated surface of one vial containing tritium;
- a transparent dome-shaped tritium cover engaging at least a portion of the planar surface of the tritium holder, the tritium cover including an outer surface defining the outer top surface of the module;
- and
- an open space defined between the planar surface and an inner surface of the tritium cover, the inner surface being opposite the outer surface of the tritium cover, the one or more cradles and the one or more vials containing tritium are located in the open space,
- wherein the one or more vials containing tritium are located within the open space so that the tritium cover protects the one or more vials containing tritium, and
- wherein the tritium cover is made from a material that exhibits sufficient strength so that the module protects the one or more vials containing tritium from breaking when dropped from a distance of 1 m or more;
- wherein an elongated portion of the one or more vials containing tritium are visible from the first side, the opposing second side, and the top side of the handle.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing an instrument including a handle including a handle length extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the handle including a handle thickness including a first side and an opposing second side, and a through-hole extending through the first side to the opposing second side and between the proximal and distal edges;
- providing a first tritium vial and a second tritium vial;
- injection molding a first transparent tritium cover and a second transparent tritium cover, each tritium cover having a dome shape and including an outer surface and an opposing inner surface;
- injection molding a tritium holder having a first planar surface and a first cradle extending from the first planar surface, and a second planar surface and a second cradle extending from the second planar surface,
- wherein the first planar surface and the second planar surface are generally parallel to one another,
- bonding the first tritium vial to the first cradle and the second tritium vial to the second cradle;
- positioning the tritium holder between the first tritium cover and the second tritium cover,
- bonding the first tritium cover to the second tritium cover so that the first tritium vial is located within an open space defined between the first planar surface and the inner surface of the first tritium cover, and the second tritium vial is located within an open space defined between the second planar surface and the inner surface of the second tritium cover;
- and
- inserting the bonded first and second tritium covers into the through-hole so that a shoulder of the first tritium cover engages a corresponding shoulder in the handle, and a shoulder of the second tritium cover engages a corresponding shoulder in the handle, and
- wherein after inserting the bonded first and second tritium covers into the through-hole, an elongated portion of the first tritium vial is visible from the first side and an elongated portion of the second tritium vial is visible from the second side.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.