US4213029A — Radiation transmissive housing having a heated lo…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 154 words

Housing apparatus comprising: a window comprising a spherical segment and formed of material which is transmissive to radiation of selected frequencies, said window having a seating surface; mounting means for providing forces to support said window and to resist external pressure applied to said window, said mounting means having a bearing surface for transmitting said supporting and said pressure resisting forces; heated bearing gasket means abutting said bearing surface and also abutting said seating surface, said gasket means for transferring said supporting and said pressure resisting forces from said bearing surface of said mounting means to said seating surface of said window, and for transferring selected amounts of heat to said window; heat regulating means coupled between said window and said gasket means for controlling the amount of heat transferred to said window by said gasket means; and holding means for maintaining said window, said mounting means and said gasket means in joined relationship.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 154 words

Housing apparatus comprising: a window comprising a spherical segment and formed of material which is transmissive to radiation of selected frequencies, said window having a seating surface; mounting means for providing forces to support said window and to resist external pressure applied to said window, said mounting means having a bearing surface for transmitting said supporting and said pressure resisting forces; heated bearing gasket means abutting said bearing surface and also abutting said seating surface, said gasket means for transferring said supporting and said pressure resisting forces from said bearing surface of said mounting means to said seating surface of said window, and for transferring selected amounts of heat to said window; heat regulating means coupled between said window and said gasket means for controlling the amount of heat transferred to said window by said gasket means; and holding means for maintaining said window, said mounting means and said gasket means in joined relationship.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 76 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heated bearing gasket means comprises: a load bearing gasket formed of selected elastic material for resisting wear between said bearing surface and said heating surface, said gasket having a first surface in abutting relationship with said bearing surface and a second surface in abutting relationship with said seating surface; and electric heating element means enclosed within said gasket and coupled to said regulating means for selectively heating said gasket.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said first surface of said gasket is shaped to abut a frustoconical bearing surface, and wherein said second surface of said gasket is shaped to abut a frustoconical seating surface.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 70 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said heat regulating means comprises: thermometric means coupled to a surface of said window for providing a thermometric output which represents the temperature of said surface of said window; and thermostatically controlled voltage means receiving said thermometric output for coupling an electric current to said electric heating element means to maintain the temperature of said surface of said window within a selected temperature range.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 112 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein: said gasket comprises a first gasket component formed of electrically insulating, heat conductive gasket material, said first gasket component having a surface in abutting relationship with said frustoconical bearing surface, and further comprises a second gasket component formed of said gasket material, said second gasket component having a surface in abutting relationship with said frustoconical seating surface, said first and second gasket components having surfaces which are joined by means of a selected adhesive; and said electric heating element means comprises a selectively shaped strip of electrically conductive material enclosed between said first and said second gasket components, said strip being coupled to said voltage means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 98 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said housing apparatus is capable of protecting equipment employed in a frigid marine environment, and wherein: said window comprising a hyperhemispherical window; said holding means includes compressible means adjacent to said window and to said mounting means for sealing said window against extreme external pressure on the order of several thousand psi; and said gasket receives said extreme pressure, said gasket comprising means for protecting said electric heating element means from said extreme pressure, and for resisting lateral wear between said bearing surface and said seating surface as said external pressure varies.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 105 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: said thermometric means comprises a first temperature probe joined to the internal surface of said window; said thermostatically controlled voltage means comprises means for coupling a selected amount of electric current to said electric heating element means to maintain the temperature of the external surface of said window at a temperature which is sufficiently high to prevent ice formation on the external surface of said window; and a second temperature probe joined to said gasket is coupled to said voltage means for operating said voltage means to prevent the temperature of said gasket from exceeding a selected upper limit.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: said upper temperature limit is on the order of 200° F., and said first and second gasket components are formed of material which remains elastic after being heated to a temperature on the order of said upper limit.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 137 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: said window is formed of material which is transmissive to radiation in the infrared frequency range; and said holding means comprises an external O-ring of compliant material which is compressed between said mounting means and the external surface of said window, an internal O-ring of compliant material which is compressed between said mounting means and the internal surface of said window, and a split ring having an outside edge which is shaped and dimensioned to match the inside curvature and inside dimensions of said hyperspherical window in proximity to said seating surface for compressing said external and internal O-rings to seal said window against external pressure upon said window, for resisting internal pressure within said window, and for maintaining said window, said mounting means, and said gasket in continuously joined relationship.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: said window is formed of germanium; said mounting means is formed of metallic material; and said first and second gasket components are formed of silicone rubber reinforced with fiberglass.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: said window is formed of material which is transmissive to visible light.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 136 words

Apparatus for housing equipment to be used by a submarine to view images of selected frequencies, said apparatus comprising: a hyperhemispherical window formed of material which is transmissive to said images, said window having a seating surface; mounting means for supporting said window, said mounting means having a bearing surface for transmitting supporting forces to said window; an elastic gasket positioned between said seating surface and said bearing surface for transferring heat to said window and for resisting lateral wear between said seating surface and said bearing surface as the depth of said submarine in a marine environment varies; means joined to said gasket for selectively heating said gasket; and holding means for joining said window and said mounting means, and for sealing said window from said marine environment as the depth of said submarine varies.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 136 words

Apparatus for housing equipment to be used by a submarine to view images of selected frequencies, said apparatus comprising: a hyperhemispherical window formed of material which is transmissive to said images, said window having a seating surface; mounting means for supporting said window, said mounting means having a bearing surface for transmitting supporting forces to said window; an elastic gasket positioned between said seating surface and said bearing surface for transferring heat to said window and for resisting lateral wear between said seating surface and said bearing surface as the depth of said submarine in a marine environment varies; means joined to said gasket for selectively heating said gasket; and holding means for joining said window and said mounting means, and for sealing said window from said marine environment as the depth of said submarine varies.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 74 words

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein: said heating means comprises means for heating said gasket to temperatures on the order of 200° F.; and a temperature control means is joined to said window and to said heating means for regulating said heating means, and for maintaining the temperature of the external surface of said window within a selected temperature above the freezing point of water when said submarine operates in a frigid marine environment.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1983-07-15	1984-01-14	1984-07-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1987-07-15	1988-01-14	1988-07-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1991-07-15	1992-01-14	1992-07-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Radiation transmissive housing having a heated load bearing gasket

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