US4310337A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cryogenic apparatus
Assignee: Oerlikon USA Holding Inc
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Filing: 1980-09-09
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Granted: 1982-01-12
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Expires: 2000-09-09
Abstract
Abstract A cryogenic refrigerator is disclosed which features a novel combination of displacer and refrigerant flow control means. The displacer comprises two sections, with one displacer section being arranged to vary the volume of a first chamber as the displacer undergoes reciprocating motion, and the other displacer section being arranged to vary the volume of a second chamber during the same motion. The first and second chambers, which serve as working chambers from the standpoint of achieving refrigeration, are connected by first and second heat exchangers and first and second thermal regenerators respectively and a flow control means to high and low pressure sources of refrigerant fluid. The flow control means comprises a slide valve which is movable by the displacer and coacts therewith to control movement of refrigerant into and out of the first and second working chambers as their volumes change with movement of the displacer.
Inventors
- 👤 Domenico S. Sarcia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:23
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B9/00; F25B9/14; F25B2309/00; F25B2309/003; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86493; Y10T137/86718; Y10T137/86759; Y10T137/86791
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
287 words
In a cryogenic refrigerator in which (a) fluid under pressure is cooled by heat exchange and expansion in the course of its being transferred into and out of a chamber of variable volume via a thermal regenerator, (b) transfer of the fluid is achieved by reciprocal movement of displacer means and (c) a cyclically operating valve means controls introduction of high pressure fluid to and discharge of low pressure fluid from the chamber, the improvement comprising a displacer means having first and second displacer sections, means cooperating with said displacer means so as to define first, second and third chambers of variable volume, a control valve means comprising a valve casing and a valve member slidably mounted to said valve casing, said valve casing having a high pressure inlet port, a low pressure outlet port, and at least one transfer port, said valve member being movable between predetermined first and second limit positions and being arranged so that it alternately connects said inlet and outlet ports to said transfer port when in said first and second limit positions respectively, said valve also including means for transmitting fluid under pressure to said third chamber, first and second regenerator means connected to transfer fluid between said transfer port and said first and second chambers respectively, heat exchanger means for exchanging heat with the fluid transferred to said first and second chambers respectively, and means for (a) causing said valve member to be shifted to said first limit position by said displacer means as said displacer means moves in a first direction and (b) causing said valve member to be shifted to said second limit position by said displacer means as said displacer means moves in a second opposite direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
287 words
In a cryogenic refrigerator in which (a) fluid under pressure is cooled by heat exchange and expansion in the course of its being transferred into and out of a chamber of variable volume via a thermal regenerator, (b) transfer of the fluid is achieved by reciprocal movement of displacer means and (c) a cyclically operating valve means controls introduction of high pressure fluid to and discharge of low pressure fluid from the chamber, the improvement comprising a displacer means having first and second displacer sections, means cooperating with said displacer means so as to define first, second and third chambers of variable volume, a control valve means comprising a valve casing and a valve member slidably mounted to said valve casing, said valve casing having a high pressure inlet port, a low pressure outlet port, and at least one transfer port, said valve member being movable between predetermined first and second limit positions and being arranged so that it alternately connects said inlet and outlet ports to said transfer port when in said first and second limit positions respectively, said valve also including means for transmitting fluid under pressure to said third chamber, first and second regenerator means connected to transfer fluid between said transfer port and said first and second chambers respectively, heat exchanger means for exchanging heat with the fluid transferred to said first and second chambers respectively, and means for (a) causing said valve member to be shifted to said first limit position by said displacer means as said displacer means moves in a first direction and (b) causing said valve member to be shifted to said second limit position by said displacer means as said displacer means moves in a second opposite direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 1 wherein said first and second chambers of variable volume are formed in part by said first and second displacer sections respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
241 words
A cryogenic refrigerator comprising a reciprocal displacer means, means cooperating with said displacer means so as to define three chambers of variable volume, the first and second of said chambers increasing in volume as said displacer means moves in a first direction and the third of said chambers increasing in volume as said displacer means moves in a second opposite direction, means defining a high pressure gas inlet port and a low pressure gas outlet port, first and second thermal regenerator means arranged so as to conduct fluid to and from said first and second chambers respectively, first and second heat exchanger means for exchanging heat with fluid moving to and from said first and second chambers respectively, means for feeding a fluid under pressure to said third chamber, and control means for connecting said inlet port to said first and second thermal regenerators when said displacer means moves in one direction to a first selected position and for connecting said outlet port to said first and second thermal regenerators when said displacer means moves in another opposite direction to a second selected position, said displacer means being arranged so as to move in a first direction when the fluid pressure in said first and second chambers exceeds the fluid pressure in said third chamber and to move in a second opposite direction when the fluid pressure in said third chamber exceeds the fluid pressure in said first and second chambers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
241 words
A cryogenic refrigerator comprising a reciprocal displacer means, means cooperating with said displacer means so as to define three chambers of variable volume, the first and second of said chambers increasing in volume as said displacer means moves in a first direction and the third of said chambers increasing in volume as said displacer means moves in a second opposite direction, means defining a high pressure gas inlet port and a low pressure gas outlet port, first and second thermal regenerator means arranged so as to conduct fluid to and from said first and second chambers respectively, first and second heat exchanger means for exchanging heat with fluid moving to and from said first and second chambers respectively, means for feeding a fluid under pressure to said third chamber, and control means for connecting said inlet port to said first and second thermal regenerators when said displacer means moves in one direction to a first selected position and for connecting said outlet port to said first and second thermal regenerators when said displacer means moves in another opposite direction to a second selected position, said displacer means being arranged so as to move in a first direction when the fluid pressure in said first and second chambers exceeds the fluid pressure in said third chamber and to move in a second opposite direction when the fluid pressure in said third chamber exceeds the fluid pressure in said first and second chambers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 3 wherein said displacer means comprises first and second sections and said first and second chambers are defined in part by said first and second sections respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 3 wherein said control means is a slide valve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 5 wherein said slide valve comprises said means for feeding a fluid under pressure to said third chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
93 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 6 wherein said slide valve comprises a valve casing and a valve member, said valve casing having first and second ports connected to said inlet and outlet ports respectively and a third port, said valve member being movable in said valve casing between first and second limit positions and having means for connecting said third port to said first and second ports when in said first and second limit positions respectively; and further including means connecting said third port to said first and second regenerator means respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 6 wherein said slide valve has first and second ports connected to said inlet and outlet ports respectively and means for connecting said first and second regenerator means to said first or second ports according to whether said displacer means moves to said first or second selected position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 8 wherein said slide valve includes means for connecting said third chamber to a source of pressurized fluid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 8 further including means defining a fourth chamber connected to said inlet and outlet ports, and means connecting said fourth chamber to said third chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 8 having means connecting said inlet and outlet ports to said third chamber so that the fluid pressure in said third chamber is intermediate the fluid pressure at said first and second ports.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 3 wherein at least one of said first and second heat exchanger means is attached to and supported by one of said first and second thermal regenerators.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 3 wherein said first and second thermal regenerators are disposed eccentrically of said displacer means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 13 wherein said first and second heat exchanger means are offset from one another in a direction parallel to the axis of said displacer means, and one of said heat exchanger means is displaced radially from said axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
76 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 3 wherein one of said heat exchanger means comprises a block of heat conductive material having opposite ends and a plurality of slots therein defining a plurality of narrow passageways for fluid, said passageways extending between said opposite ends, means for passing fluid between said narrow passageways and one of said regenerator means, and means for passing fluid between said narrow passageways and one of said first and second chambers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 15 wherein said one heat exchange means comprises a second block of heat conductive material, and said means for passing fluid between said narrow passageways and one of said chambers comprises a passageway in said second block.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 3 further including auxiliary valve means for selectively terminating flow of fluid between said inlet port and one of said first and second thermal regenerators, whereby said one thermal regenerator may be shut down while the other is still operating.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 3 wherein each of said thermal regenerators contains a matrix of a heat conductive material and the matrix of one regenerator has a greater heat transfer capacity than the matrix of the other regenerator.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
71 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 3 combined with other components so as to form a cryogenic pump, said components comprising a housing, a chevron mounted in said housing, a radiation shield at least partially surrounding said chevron, and a cryo-panel attached to one of said heat exchanger means between said heat shield and said chevron, the other of said heat exchanger means being in conductive contact with said radiation shield.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
236 words
A cryogenic refrigerator comprising: a displacer having first and second sections of different diameters; first and second housings slidably accommodating said first and second displacer sections and cooperating therewith so as to form first and second chambers of variable volume respectively, first and second heat exchanger sections in heat conducting relation with said first and second chambers respectively, said first and second heat exchangers being adapted to conduct a fluid refrigerant to and from said first and second chambers respectively; first and second thermal regenerator means each adapted to accommodate throughflow of a fluid refrigerant; means connecting said first and second thermal regenerator means to said first and second heat exchangers respectively; and valve means for controlling flow of refrigerant to and from said first and second heat exchangers via said first and second thermal regenerator means respectively, said valve means comprising a slidable valve member connected to said first displacer section by a lost-motion connection and cooperating therewith to define a third variable volume chamber, said valve member being movable between a first limit position wherein it feeds a refrigerant fluid under pressure to said first and second chambers via said first and second regenerator means respectively, and a second limit position wherein it exhausts a refrigerant fluid from said first and second chambers via said first and second regenerator means respectively, at least one of said heat exchangers being located eccentrically of said displacer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
236 words
A cryogenic refrigerator comprising: a displacer having first and second sections of different diameters; first and second housings slidably accommodating said first and second displacer sections and cooperating therewith so as to form first and second chambers of variable volume respectively, first and second heat exchanger sections in heat conducting relation with said first and second chambers respectively, said first and second heat exchangers being adapted to conduct a fluid refrigerant to and from said first and second chambers respectively; first and second thermal regenerator means each adapted to accommodate throughflow of a fluid refrigerant; means connecting said first and second thermal regenerator means to said first and second heat exchangers respectively; and valve means for controlling flow of refrigerant to and from said first and second heat exchangers via said first and second thermal regenerator means respectively, said valve means comprising a slidable valve member connected to said first displacer section by a lost-motion connection and cooperating therewith to define a third variable volume chamber, said valve member being movable between a first limit position wherein it feeds a refrigerant fluid under pressure to said first and second chambers via said first and second regenerator means respectively, and a second limit position wherein it exhausts a refrigerant fluid from said first and second chambers via said first and second regenerator means respectively, at least one of said heat exchangers being located eccentrically of said displacer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
A cryogenic refrigerator according to claim 20 wherein said displacer is free to be moved by a fluid force differential, and said valve member is adapted to control the pressure in said third chamber so that said displacer will reciprocate in said housings according to the fluid pressures in said first, second and third chambers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-01-11 | 1985-07-13 | 1986-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-01-11 | 1989-07-13 | 1990-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-01-11 | 1993-07-13 | 1994-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |