Gross leak vacuum and pressure chamber assembly

Claim 1

A test chamber assembly for subjecting a hermetically sealed package to a vacuum, to changes in pressure, and to other procedures to precondition the package prior to testing the package to determine the degree of hermeticity of the package, with said test chamber assembly comprising: a. a test chamber of fluid-impervious material, with said test chamber having means for opening and for closing said test chamber, and with said test chamber having a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth suitably positioned opening; b. a source of gas under high pressure, with said source having an outlet; c. a first hollow conduit having two ends, with one end connected to the outlet of said source of gas under high pressure, and with the other end connected to the first opening of said test chamber, to permit the flow therein of the gas from said gas source into said test chamber; d. a pressure regulator, disposed between said gas source outlet and said first opening of test chamber, with said pressure regulator connected to said first hollow conduit to regulate the pressure of the gas from said gas source to said test chamber; e. a first pressure shutoff valve, disposed between said pressure regulator and said first opening of said test chamber, with said first pressure shutoff valve connected to said first hollow conduit to control the flow of gas from said gas source to said test chamber; f. a first vacuum shutoff valve, disposed between said first pressure shutoff valve and said first opening of said test chamber, with said first vacuum shutoff valve connected to said first hollow conduit; g. a vacuum pump having an opening; h. a second hollow conduit havIng two ends, with one end connected to the opening of said vacuum pump, and with the other end connected to the second opening of said test chamber; i. a second vacuum shutoff valve, disposed between said vacuum pump opening and said second opening of said test chamber, with said second vacuum shutoff valve connected to said second hollow conduit; j. a safety valve; k. a third hollow conduit having two ends, with one end connected to said safety valve, and with the other end connected to the third opening of said test chamber; l. a vacuum gauge having an opening; m. a fourth hollow conduit having two ends, with one end connected to the opening of said vacuum gauge, and with the other end connected to the fourth opening of said test chamber; n. a source of fluorocarbon liquid, with said source having an outlet; o. a fifth hollow conduit having two ends, with one end connected to the outlet of said source of fluorocarbon liquid, and with the other end connected to the fifth opening of said test chamber, to permit the flow therein of the fluorocarbon liquid from said fluorocarbon liquid source into said test chamber; p. a second pressure shutoff valve, disposed between said source of fluorocarbon liquid and said test chamber, with said second pressure shutoff valve connected to said fifth hollow conduit to control the flow of the fluorocarbon liquid from said source of fluorocarbon liquid to said test chamber; q. a third vacuum shutoff valve, disposed between said second pressure shutoff valve and said fifth opening of said test chamber, with said third vacuum shutoff valve connected to said fifth conduit; r. a sixth hollow conduit disposed within said test chamber and having two ends, with one end of said sixth hollow conduit connected both to the fifth opening of said test chamber and to that end of said fifth hollow conduit which is connected to the fifth opening of said test chamber; s. a receptacle open at the top and of such dimensions and of such a configuration as to accept and as to house the hermetically sealed package which is to be preconditioned, and as to fit into said test chamber, and also as to fit under the other end of said sixth hollow conduit, with said receptacle made of transparent material which is impervious to the fluorocarbon liquid from said source of fluorocarbon liquid; t. and, a screen positioned within said receptacle, and disposed above the hermetically sealed package which is to be preconditioned, when the hermetically sealed package is within said receptacle.