Crystal grower with expandable chamber
Abstract
Abstract A CRYSTAL GROWER HAS AN EXPANDABLE CHAMBER FORMED OF ALTERNATE BELLOWS AND FLANGES, WHICH SURROUND A PORTION OF A ROTATABLE SEED SHAFT. AS A CRYSTAL IS DRAWN OUT OF A MELT AT THE END OF THE SEED SHAFT, THE BELLOWS EXTEND TO EXPAND THE CHAMBER AT THE SAME RATE THE SHAFT IS MOVED. AS A RESULT, AN INCREASED LENGTH OF CRYSTAL IS ACHIEVED FOR A PARTICULAR LENGTH OF SEED SHAFT. A SHORTER SEED SHAFT RESULTS IN A MORE COMPACT GROWER WHICH ULTIMATELY RESULTS IN FEWER CRYSTAL DEFECTS BECAUSE OF A DECREASE IN PROBABILITY OF SHAFT RUN-OUT OR WOBBLE. THE CHAMBER HAS EXTERNALLY MOUNTED ALIGNMENT MEMBERS TO WITHSTAND ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE CAUSE DISTORTION OF THE CHAMBER.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph J Czeck
- 👤 Glen Lyon
- 👤 Raymond E Reusser
Bibliographic Details
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 0References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-25 | 1976-01-24 | 1976-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-25 | 1980-01-24 | 1980-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-25 | 1984-01-24 | 1984-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |