US4213051A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dual acting slit control mechanism
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Filing: 1978-09-08
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Granted: 1980-07-15
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Expires: 1998-09-08
Abstract
Abstract A dual acting control system for mass spectrometers which permits adjustment of the collimating slit width and centering of the collimating slit while using only one vacuum penetration. Coaxial shafts, each with independent vacuum bellows are used to independently move the entire collimating assembly or to adjust the slit dimension through a parallelogram linkage.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration with respect to an invention of Frosch
- 👤 Gustav L. Struthoff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:22
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J49/00; H01J49/02; H01J49/06; H01J49/067
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
An apparatus for control of two independent mechanisms within a vacuum environment comprising: a vacuum chamber; a single opening defined in said vacuum chamber; at least two shafts carried by said vacuum chamber and having portions thereof projecting into said chamber through said single opening; means for moving each of said shafts independently relative to said vacuum chamber and relative to each other; a collinator frame means of a mass spectrometer within said vacuum chamber attached to and operated by the first of said shafts; slit adjustment means of a mass spectrometer within said vacuum chamber attached to and operated by the second of said shafts; and vacuum seal means joining the shafts to the vacuum chamber for maintaining the vacuum integrity of the chamber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
An apparatus for control of two independent mechanisms within a vacuum environment comprising: a vacuum chamber; a single opening defined in said vacuum chamber; at least two shafts carried by said vacuum chamber and having portions thereof projecting into said chamber through said single opening; means for moving each of said shafts independently relative to said vacuum chamber and relative to each other; a collinator frame means of a mass spectrometer within said vacuum chamber attached to and operated by the first of said shafts; slit adjustment means of a mass spectrometer within said vacuum chamber attached to and operated by the second of said shafts; and vacuum seal means joining the shafts to the vacuum chamber for maintaining the vacuum integrity of the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
201 words
An apparatus for control of two independent mechanisms as in claim 1 wherein the slit adjustment means comprises: actuator plate means rigidly attached to said second shaft and moved by said second shaft; first slit plate means rigidly attached to said actuator plate means and forming the first side of a collimator slit; at least two actuator pin means attached to and moving with said actuator plate means; at least two parallel pivot arm means, pivoting on pivot pins attached to said collimator frame and driven by said actuator pin means at first holes mating with said actuator pin means and containing second holes at the end opposite from said actuator pin means; follower plate means to which are attached at least two follower pin means which mate with said second holes in said pivot arm means and which is thereby driven by said pivot arm means in a lateral direction opposite from the motion of said actuator plate means; and second slit plate means rigidly attached to said follower plate means and forming the second side of the collimator slit, which has equal and opposite motion to said first side of the collimator slit when said second shaft moves laterally.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus for control of a mass spectrometer slit mechanism as in claim 2 wherein tension means is applied to said second slit plate means to prevent backlash thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus for control of a mass spectrometer slit mechanism as in claim 2 wherein said tension means is a spring bearing against said follower plate means in a manner tending to separate said first and second slit plate means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
121 words
An apparatus for control of two independent mechanisms within a vacuum environment comprising: a vacuum chamber; a single opening defined in said vacuum chamber; at least two shafts carried by said vacuum chamber and having portions thereof projecting into said chamber through said single opening; means for moving each of said shafts independently relative to said vacuum chamber and relative to each other; a first mechanism within said vacuum chamber attached to and operated by the first of said shafts; a second mechanism within said vacuum chamber attached to and operated by the second of said shafts; and vacuum seal means including a first vacuum bellows sealed to said first shaft and a second vacuum bellows sealed to said second shaft.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
121 words
An apparatus for control of two independent mechanisms within a vacuum environment comprising: a vacuum chamber; a single opening defined in said vacuum chamber; at least two shafts carried by said vacuum chamber and having portions thereof projecting into said chamber through said single opening; means for moving each of said shafts independently relative to said vacuum chamber and relative to each other; a first mechanism within said vacuum chamber attached to and operated by the first of said shafts; a second mechanism within said vacuum chamber attached to and operated by the second of said shafts; and vacuum seal means including a first vacuum bellows sealed to said first shaft and a second vacuum bellows sealed to said second shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus for control of two independent mechanisms within a vacuum environment as in claim 5 wherein the means for moving the shafts independently is a first compression means attached to said first vacuum bellows and a second compression means attached to said second vacuum bellows.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
An apparatus for control of two independent mechanisms as in claim 6 wherein the first compression means comprises: a first outer cylindrical member rigidly mounted upon the vacuum chamber and containing a section of threads on an inner cylindrical surface; and an outer knob assembly of cylindrical configuration axially aligned with and of approximately the radius of said first bellows vacuum seal and with threads on an outer cylindrical surface mating with the threads on said fixed outer cylindrical member which when rotated thereby traverses axially relative to said fixed outer cylindrical member and relative to the vacuum chamber and thus compresses said first bellows vacuum seal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
114 words
An apparatus for control of a mass spectrometer slit mechanism as in claim 6 wherein the second compression means comprises: a floating inner cylindrical member rigidly mounted upon said first bellows vacuum seal at the end most remote from the vacuum chamber and containing a section of threads on a inner cylindrical surface; and an inner knob assembly of cylindrical configuration axially aligned with, and of approximately the radius of, said second bellows vacuum seal and with threads on an outer cylindrical surface mating with the threads on said floating inner cylindrical member which when rotated thereby traverses axially relative to said first bellows vacuum seal and thereby compresses said second bellows vacuum seal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| 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 |