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US4334628A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vacuum-tight assembly

Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc
•
Filing: 1980-11-21
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Granted: 1982-06-15
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Expires: 2000-11-21
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Abstract

Abstract A vacuum-tight assembly, such as a discharge tube for a sodium vapor arc lamp, includes a high density polycrystalline ceramic body, such as alumina or yttria, having a cavity, at least one closure member, and a sealing material. The closure member is formed from a molybdenum-titanium alloy containing a small amount of nickel, cobalt, or copper. The nickel, cobalt, or copper forms a relatively low melting eutectic with titanium, thereby facilitating fabrication of closure members by sintering. The closure member and the sealing material have thermal coefficients of expansion closely matched to the thermal coefficient of expansion of the ceramic body over a wide temperature range.

Inventors

  • 👤 Carl F. Buhrer
  • 👤 Alfred E. Feuersanger

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 04:00
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J61/00; H01J61/02; H01J61/36; H01J61/30; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/21; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/13; Y10T428/131

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 131 words
A vacuum-tight assembly comprising: a high density polycrystalline ceramic body having a cavity; and means for sealing said cavity from the atmosphere; said ceramic body having a thermal coefficient of expansion between about 55×10 -7 /°C. and 90×10 -7 /°C.; said means for sealing comprising a sintered closure member formed from a molybdenum alloy containing between 2 and 70 atom percent titanium and between 0.1 and 5 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, copper and mixtures thereof; and a sealing material interposed between said ceramic body and said closure member for providing a seal therebetween, said closure member and said sealing material having thermal coefficients of expansion closely matched to the thermal coefficients of expansion of said ceramic body over a wide temperature range.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 131 words
A vacuum-tight assembly comprising: a high density polycrystalline ceramic body having a cavity; and means for sealing said cavity from the atmosphere; said ceramic body having a thermal coefficient of expansion between about 55×10 -7 /°C. and 90×10 -7 /°C.; said means for sealing comprising a sintered closure member formed from a molybdenum alloy containing between 2 and 70 atom percent titanium and between 0.1 and 5 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, copper and mixtures thereof; and a sealing material interposed between said ceramic body and said closure member for providing a seal therebetween, said closure member and said sealing material having thermal coefficients of expansion closely matched to the thermal coefficients of expansion of said ceramic body over a wide temperature range.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said ceramic body includes a material selected from the group consisting of alumina and yttria.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 34 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said closure member contains between 0.5 and 2 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, copper and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said closure member contains between 35 and 65 atom percent titanium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said ceramic body comprises a cylindrical discharge tube and wherein said closure member is adapted for sealing an end of said discharge tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said closure member contains between 0.5 and 2 weight percent nickel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure member and said sealing material have thermal coefficients of expansion closely matched to the thermal coefficient of expansion of said ceramic body over the operating temperature range of said assembly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 44 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said closure member and said sealing material have thermal coefficients of expansion matched within seven percent to the thermal coefficient of expansion of said ceramic body over the temperature range 25° C. to 800° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 16 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said sealing material is a meltable frit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 15 words
A vacuum-tight assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said meltable frit is calcium aluminate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3061664A Cited
US3275358A Cited
US3435180A Cited
US4197957A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-06-14 1985-12-14 1986-06-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-06-14 1989-12-14 1990-06-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-06-14 1993-12-14 1994-06-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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