Cold cathode ionization gauge

Claim 2

A cold cathode ionization gauge comprising: an evacuated envelope; a pair of electrodes separately disposed in the envelope; a high voltage pulse generator for supplying a high voltage substantially rectangular pulse of a duration of substantially 10 milliseconds between said pair of electrodes; a magnetic field generating means for applying a magnetic field along the axis of said pair of electrodes; and a discharge current measuring circuit for measuring a discharge current flowing between the pair of electrodes.

Claim 3

A cold cathode ionization gauge according to claim 1 wherein said means is a permanent magnet.

Claim 4

A cold cathode ionization gauge according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises a magnetic field coil disposed around the evacuated envelope and a magnetic field pulse generator for energizing said magnetic coil.

Claim 5

A cold cathode ionization gauge according to claim 1 wherein said high voltage pulse generator supplies one high voltage pulse for each current measurement.

Claim 6

A cold cathode ionization gauge according to claim 2, wherein said high voltage pulse generator supplies one high voltage pulse for each current measurement.

Claim 7

A cold cathode ionization gauge according to claim 1 further comprising means for energizing said high voltage pulse generator for a fixed time interval.

Claim 8

A cold cathode ionization gauge according to claim 2 further comprising means for energizing said high voltage pulse generator for a fixed time interval.

Claim 9

A cold cathode ionization gauge according to claim 3 further comprising means for periodically energizing said high voltage pulse generator and said magnetic field pulse generator at approximately the same time.

Claim 10

A cold cathode ionization gauge according to claim 3 further comprising means for energizing said magnetic field pulse generator to establish a saturated magnetic field prior to application of said high voltage between said pair of electrodes.

Claim 11

Apparatus for testing a vacuum interrupter switch, which comprises: a vacuum interrupter switch, which includes: an evacuated envelope; and a pair of electrodes separately disposed in said envelope; further comprising means for supplying a high voltage pulse of a duration in the millisecond region between said pair of electrodes, said means comprising a first rectangular pulse generator and a second pulse generator, said second pulse generator for generating a pulse which is initially and momentarily superimposed with a rectangular pulse from said first pulse generator; means for supplying a magnetic field along the axis of said pair of electrodes; and a discharge current measuring circuit for measuring a discharge current flowing between said pair of electrodes.

Claim 12

Apparatus for testing a vacuum interrupter switch, which comprises: a vacuum interrupter switch, which includes: an evacuated envelope; and a pair of electrodes separately disposed in said envelope; further comprising means for supplying a high voltage pulse of a duration in the millisecond region between said pair of electrodes, said means comprising a first rectangular pulse generator and a second pulse generator, said second pulse generator for generating a pulse which is initially and momentarily superimposed with a rectangular pulse from said first pulse generator; means for supplying a magnetic field along the axis of said pair of electrodes; and a discharge current measuring circuit for measuring a discharge current flowing between said pair of electrodes.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said magnetic field means comprises a permanent magnet.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said magnetic field means comprises a magnetic field coil disposed around said envelope and a magnetic field pulse generator for energizing said magnetic coil.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising means for energizing said mAgnetic field pulse generator to establish a saturated magnetic field prior to the application of said high voltage between said pair of electrodes.

Claim 16

A cold cathode ionization gauge which comprises: an evacuated envelope; a pair of electrodes separately disposed in said envelope; means for supplying a high voltage pulse of a duration in the millisecond region between said pair of electrodes; a magnetic field coil disposed around said evacuated envelope; a magnetic field pulse generator for energizing said magnetic coil to create a magnetic field along the axis of said pair of electrodes; means for synchronizing said high voltage pulse supply means with said magnetic field pulse generator to supply their maximum values to said electrodes and said magnetic coil, respectively, at approximately the same time; and means for measuring a discharge current flowing between said pair of electrodes.

Claim 17

A cold cathode ionization gauge which comprises: an evacuated envelope; a pair of electrodes separately disposed in said envelope; means for supplying a high voltage pulse of a duration in the millisecond region between said pair of electrodes; a magnetic field coil disposed around said evacuated envelope; a magnetic field pulse generator for energizing said magnetic coil to create a magnetic field along the axis of said pair of electrodes; means for synchronizing said high voltage pulse supply means with said magnetic field pulse generator to supply their maximum values to said electrodes and said magnetic coil, respectively, at approximately the same time; and means for measuring a discharge current flowing between said pair of electrodes.