Method of and apparatus for measuring vacuum pressure
AssigneeInficon GmbH
InventorsMartin Wüest, Christian Berg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Vacuum pressure of a gas in a compartment (1) is measured. The vacuum pressure is established by a pump arrangement (3,5) with a pulsating pumping effect (g(t)). The shape of the resulting pulsation of the pressure (p(t)) in compartment (1) is exploited (15) as an indication of the operation status of the pump arrangement (3,5).
Claims37
A method of measuring a vacuum-pressure of a gas in a compartment, said pressure being established by the action of a pump arrangement having a pulsating pumping effect, configured to cause a pulsating pressure course in said compartment, said pulsating pressure course occurring at a fundamental frequency when said vacuum-pressure is established, comprising monitoring said established vacuum-pressure and exploiting a shape of pulsating of said vacuum pressure as an indication of an operation status of said pump arrangement.
An apparatus for measuring vacuum pressure in a compartment evacuated by a pump arrangement causing a pulsating pressure course in said compartment, said pulsating pressure course occurring at a fundamental frequency when said vacuum-pressure is established in said compartment, comprising
- monitoring means for monitoring at least a part of the pulse shape of a pulsating pressure,
- evaluation means for evaluating said monitored part of said shape;
- generating means for generating a pressure indicative signal representing an averaged pressure value, averaged over a predetermined time span.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.