Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus comprising: a tubular outer member having at least one open end through which solar heat energy can penetrate, an end plate at each said open end for hermetically sealing each of the open ends of said outer member to provide a vacuum within the interior of said outer member, at least a portion of each end plate disposed inwardly of its periphery being resilient, a tubular inner member capable of absorbing solar heat energy disposed in said outer member, the ends of said inner member hermetically projecting from said end plates, the interior of said inner member acting as a passage for a heating medium, and an annular groove formed at the periphery of each of said end plates, defined by opposed inner and outer peripheral walls, each of said open ends of said outer member hermetically joined within an annular groove of a respective end plate by means of an initially flowable sealing substance within said groove, the height of said outer peripheral wall being lower than the height of the inner peripheral wall, the sealing substance extending no higher than said outer pheripheral wall and being always below the level of said inner peripheral wall.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus comprising: a tubular outer member having at least one open end through which solar heat energy can penetrate, an end plate at each said open end for hermetically sealing each of the open ends of said outer member to provide a vacuum within the interior of said outer member, at least a portion of each end plate disposed inwardly of its periphery being resilient, a tubular inner member capable of absorbing solar heat energy disposed in said outer member, the ends of said inner member hermetically projecting from said end plates, the interior of said inner member acting as a passage for a heating medium, and an annular groove formed at the periphery of each of said end plates, defined by opposed inner and outer peripheral walls, each of said open ends of said outer member hermetically joined within an annular groove of a respective end plate by means of an initially flowable sealing substance within said groove, the height of said outer peripheral wall being lower than the height of the inner peripheral wall, the sealing substance extending no higher than said outer pheripheral wall and being always below the level of said inner peripheral wall.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an annular expandable portion formed on each of said end plates adjacent to and interior of each of said annular grooves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for hermetically bonding each of said open ends of said outer members to a respective said annular groove.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said bonding means comprises powder plumbic oxide glass joining each of said open ends of said outer member within a respective said annular groove, the excess of said glass overflowing said outer peripheral wall of said annular groove.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outer member comprises soda glass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said end plates comprises a metallic end plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each of said end plates comprises a Ni-Cr-Fe alloy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A solar heat collecting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said inner and outer members comprises a hollow cylindrical member.