US3719052A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum system cold trap
Assignee: White Engineering Corp
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Filing: 1971-05-04
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Granted: 1973-03-06
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Expires: 1991-05-04
Abstract
Abstract A cold trap for use in a vacuum system for minimizing migration of oil and other molecular particles therein. In each form of cold trap disclosed thermoelectric devices are used to produce cold surfaces on optically dense baffles for the condensation process. In particular, Peltier cells are connected with condensation plates within the vacuum space and with a heat sink for dissipation of heat energy removed from the cold condensation plates. The Peltier cells have cold junctions connected with the condensation plates and hot junctions connected with the heat sink. In one form of the device, the condensation plates are supported within the vacuum working space of a bell jar connected with an oil diffusion pump for producing a high vacuum in the bell jar by a conduit member defining a flow passage around the plates. A heat sink base on which the Peltier cells are mounted is connected with a heat dissipating base plate around the conduit between the bell jar and the oil diffusion pump. In another form of particle condensation apparatus, a baffle assembly connected with the cold junctions of Peltier cells is supported in a conduit between an oil diffusion pump and a space in which a vacuum is induced by the pump. The hot junctions of the cells are connected with a member cooled by a fluid, such as water or liquid nitrogen. A still further form of condensation apparatus or trap for use in a vacuum system includes plates cooled by Peltier cells and disposed within the pellet material of a molecular sieve form of cold trap.
Inventors
- 👤 G White
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:12
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B21/00; F25B21/02; H; H10; H10N; H10N10/00; H10N10/10; H10N10/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
A cold trap for blocking vapor particles from a working space of a vacuum system including pumping means for reducing the pressure within said system, said cold trap comprising: a heat sink base supported around a pumping conduit leading to said working space from said pumping means; heat sink column means supported on said heat sink base; thermoelectric means supported on said heat sink column means, said thermoelectric means having a hot junction coupled with said heat sink column and a cold junction defining a top supporting surface on said means; a baffle assembly supported on said cold junction of said thermoelectric means, said baffle assembly having a top cap plate portion supported on said cold junction surface and dependent baffle portions extending downwardly into a flow passage from said pumping conduit and defined by said heat sink base, said baffle assembly providing an optically dense structure permitting fluid flow between said pumping conduit and said vacuum space while precluding straight line movement of vapor particles from said pumping conduit into said vacuum space; and conductor means connected with said thermoelectric means for energizing said devices for cooling said cold junctions in response to current flow in a first direction and heating said cold junctions in response to current flow in an opposite direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
A cold trap for blocking vapor particles from a working space of a vacuum system including pumping means for reducing the pressure within said system, said cold trap comprising: a heat sink base supported around a pumping conduit leading to said working space from said pumping means; heat sink column means supported on said heat sink base; thermoelectric means supported on said heat sink column means, said thermoelectric means having a hot junction coupled with said heat sink column and a cold junction defining a top supporting surface on said means; a baffle assembly supported on said cold junction of said thermoelectric means, said baffle assembly having a top cap plate portion supported on said cold junction surface and dependent baffle portions extending downwardly into a flow passage from said pumping conduit and defined by said heat sink base, said baffle assembly providing an optically dense structure permitting fluid flow between said pumping conduit and said vacuum space while precluding straight line movement of vapor particles from said pumping conduit into said vacuum space; and conductor means connected with said thermoelectric means for energizing said devices for cooling said cold junctions in response to current flow in a first direction and heating said cold junctions in response to current flow in an opposite direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
214 words
A cold trap for blocking vapor particles from a working space of a vacuum system including pumping means for reducing the pressure within said system, said cold trap comprising: a heat sink base supported around a pumping conduit leading to said working space from said pumping means; heat sink column means supported on said heat sink base; thermoelectric means supported on said heat sink column means, said thermoelectric means having a hot junction coupled with said heat sink column and a cold junction defining a top supporting surface on said means; a baffle assembly supported on said cold junction of said thermoelectric means, said baffle assembly having a top cap plate portion supported on said cold junction surface and dependent baffle portions extending downwardly into a flow passage from said pumping conduit and defined by said heat sink base, said baffle assembly providing an optically dense structure permitting fluid flow between said pumping conduit and said vacuum space while precluding straight line movement of vapor particles from said pumping conduit into said vacuum space; and conductor means connected with said thermoelectric means for energizing said devices for cooling said cold junctions in response to current flow in a first direction and heating said cold junctions in response to current flow in an opposite direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
214 words
A cold trap for blocking vapor particles from a working space of a vacuum system including pumping means for reducing the pressure within said system, said cold trap comprising: a heat sink base supported around a pumping conduit leading to said working space from said pumping means; heat sink column means supported on said heat sink base; thermoelectric means supported on said heat sink column means, said thermoelectric means having a hot junction coupled with said heat sink column and a cold junction defining a top supporting surface on said means; a baffle assembly supported on said cold junction of said thermoelectric means, said baffle assembly having a top cap plate portion supported on said cold junction surface and dependent baffle portions extending downwardly into a flow passage from said pumping conduit and defined by said heat sink base, said baffle assembly providing an optically dense structure permitting fluid flow between said pumping conduit and said vacuum space while precluding straight line movement of vapor particles from said pumping conduit into said vacuum space; and conductor means connected with said thermoelectric means for energizing said devices for cooling said cold junctions in response to current flow in a first direction and heating said cold junctions in response to current flow in an opposite direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A cold trap in accordance with claim 1 wherein said baffle assembly comprises a cap having a top plate portion and downwardly turned side flange portion and inverted interconnected U-shaped baffle plates extending downwardly through said heat sink base toward said pumping conduit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
175 words
A cold trap for use in a vacuum system between a vacuum working space and a mechanical roughing pump comprising: a housing in a pumping line between said roughing pump and said vacuum working space, said housing being hollow for flow therethrough between portions of said pumping line on opposite sides of said housing; a baffle assembly supported in said housing; a thermoelectric device having hot and cold junctions coupled with said baffle assembly, said cold junction of said device being connected with said baffle assembly for cooling said assembly responsive to current flow through said device; heat dissipation means connected with said hot junction of said device for dissipation of heat from said baffle assembly; porous means supported within said housing spaced from and defining a flow space with an inner wall therein around said baffle assembly; molecular sieve pellets supported in said porous means around said baffle assembly whereby said pellets are cooled responsive to cooling of said baffle assembly; and conductor means connected with said thermoelectric device for energizing said thermoelectric device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
175 words
A cold trap for use in a vacuum system between a vacuum working space and a mechanical roughing pump comprising: a housing in a pumping line between said roughing pump and said vacuum working space, said housing being hollow for flow therethrough between portions of said pumping line on opposite sides of said housing; a baffle assembly supported in said housing; a thermoelectric device having hot and cold junctions coupled with said baffle assembly, said cold junction of said device being connected with said baffle assembly for cooling said assembly responsive to current flow through said device; heat dissipation means connected with said hot junction of said device for dissipation of heat from said baffle assembly; porous means supported within said housing spaced from and defining a flow space with an inner wall therein around said baffle assembly; molecular sieve pellets supported in said porous means around said baffle assembly whereby said pellets are cooled responsive to cooling of said baffle assembly; and conductor means connected with said thermoelectric device for energizing said thermoelectric device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 including means for flowing a heat absorbing fluid along said heat dissipation means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said housing comprises a cylindrical hollow body providing a chamber communicating with pumping line portions on opposite sides of said housing, said porous means comprising a cylindrical membEr supported concentrically within said housing spaced apart from the inner wall thereof, and including removable enclosure plugs at opposite ends of said housing for access to said baffle assembly and said molecular sieve pellets within said porous member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said thermoelectric device is secured to one of said closure caps having a hollow chamber therein along said heat dissipation means and including conduits connected through said closure cap communicating with said chamber for flowing heat absorbing fluid through said chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-05 | 1976-09-04 | 1977-03-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-05 | 1980-09-04 | 1981-03-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-05 | 1984-09-04 | 1985-03-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |