Device for moving objects within and between sealed chambers

Claim 2

A sample transfer device for imparting translatory and rotary motion to a sample, comprising: a tubular housing closed at one end thereof and open at the other end thereof: means located at said open end for attaching said housing to a chamber; elongated means located in said housing means, said elongated means being moveable axially inside said housing and being capable of rotating inside said housing, said elongated means having one end located near said closed end of said housing, and a second end protruding from said housing through said open end thereof; sample holding means removably attached to said protruding end of said elongated means; rotary motion means having a driven portion located outside said housing, driving means located inside said housing, said driven portion being kinematically engaged with said elongated means for imparting rotation thereto; and translatory motion means having a drive portion located outside said housing and moveable axially along said housing, and driven means located inside said housing, said driven means being rigidly connected to said first end of said elongated means, said drive portion of said translatory motion means having contactless positive connection with said translatory motion means.

Claim 3

The sample transfer device of claim 1 wherein said translatory motion drive means located outside said housing comprises an outer permanent magnet which slides over the surface of said housing, and wherein said translatory motion driven means located inside said housing comprises an inner permanent magnet which has a polarity opposite to that of said outer permanent magnet and which is installed inside said housing with a gap large enough to provide free movement of said inner magnet inside said housing means, but small enough to transmit a force of magnetic attraction to said inner magnet from said outer magnet, said contactless positive connection between said translatory motion drive means and said translatory motion driven means comprising forces of magnetic attraction.

Claim 4

The sample transfer device of claim 2 wherein said outer and inner permanent magnets are made of a rare earth metal.

Claim 5

The sample transfer device of claim 3 wherein said rare earth metal is a samarium cobalt.

Claim 6

The sample transfer device of claim 1 wherein said tubular-shaped housing is made of a magnetically permeable material.

Claim 7

The sample transfer device of claim 5 wherein said magnetically permeable material is non-magnetic stainless steel.

Claim 8

The sample transfer device of claim 1 wherein said housing attachment means comprises a flange.

Claim 9

The sample transfer device of claim 7 wherein said flange has sealing means for sealing the interior of said tubular housing means when the latter is attached to said chamber.

Claim 10

The sample transfer device of claim 1 wherein said elongated means comprises a shaft which has a thrust bearing at said one end thereof, said thrust bearing allowing rotation of said shaft with respect to said inner magnet and axial movement of said magnet together with said shaft.

Claim 11

The sample transfer device of claim 1 wherein said kinematic connection of said rotary motion driven means and said elongated means comprises a first bevel gear which is attached to said rotary motion driven means, and a second bevel gear which engages said first bevel gear and is attached to said elongated means for joint rotation therewith combined with a relative axial motion of said elongated means with respect to said second bevel gear.

Claim 12

The sample transfer device of claim 1, further including adjustable stop means on said tubular housing for limiting the return stroke of said translatory motion means.

Claim 13

A sample transfer device for imparting translatory and rotary motion to a sample comprising: a tubular-shaped housing closed at one end and open at the other end thereof; a flange at said open end of said tubular housing for attaching said housing to an object; a plurality of bearings fixed in said tubular housing; a first bevel gear with a non-circular central opening rotatingly supported by said bearings in said housing; a shaft located in said housing and having a non-circular cross section which corresponds to said non-circular cross section of said first bevel gear opening so that said shaft will rotates with said gear and can slide axially with respect thereto in said central opening, one end of said shaft being located adjacent said closed end of said housing, the other end of said shaft protruding outside said housing though said open end thereof; a sample holder removably attached to said protruding end of said shaft; a rotary motion unit having a drive portion located outside said housing and driven portion located inside said housing, said driven means portion carrying a second bevel gear which is in mesh with said first bevel gear so that rotation of said drive portion is transmitted to said shaft; an inner permanent magnet rotatingly installed in said housing on said one end of said shaft with a gap between the outer surface of said inner magnet and the inner surface of said housing; an outer permanent magnet of a polarity opposite to that of said inner magnet, said outer magnet is slidingly installed on said housing so that it can move said inner magnet inside said housing through the forces of magnetic attraction.

Claim 14

A sample transfer device for imparting translatory and rotary motion to a sample comprising: a tubular-shaped housing closed at one end and open at the other end thereof; a flange at said open end of said tubular housing for attaching said housing to an object; a plurality of bearings fixed in said tubular housing; a first bevel gear with a non-circular central opening rotatingly supported by said bearings in said housing; a shaft located in said housing and having a non-circular cross section which corresponds to said non-circular cross section of said first bevel gear opening so that said shaft will rotates with said gear and can slide axially with respect thereto in said central opening, one end of said shaft being located adjacent said closed end of said housing, the other end of said shaft protruding outside said housing though said open end thereof; a sample holder removably attached to said protruding end of said shaft; a rotary motion unit having a drive portion located outside said housing and driven portion located inside said housing, said driven means portion carrying a second bevel gear which is in mesh with said first bevel gear so that rotation of said drive portion is transmitted to said shaft; an inner permanent magnet rotatingly installed in said housing on said one end of said shaft with a gap between the outer surface of said inner magnet and the inner surface of said housing; an outer permanent magnet of a polarity opposite to that of said inner magnet, said outer magnet is slidingly installed on said housing so that it can move said inner magnet inside said housing through the forces of magnetic attraction.

Claim 15

The sample transfer device of claim 12 wherein said outer and inner permanent magnets are made of a rare earth metal.

Claim 16

The sample transfer device of claim 13 wherein said rare earth metal is samarium cobalt.

Claim 17

The sample transfer device of claim 12 wherein said tubular-shaped housing is made of a magnetically permeable material.

Claim 18

The sample transfer device of claim 15 wherein said magnetically permeable material is stainless steel.

Claim 19

The sample transfer device of claim 12 wherein said flange has sealing means for sealing the interior of said tubular housing means when the latter is attached to said chamber.

Claim 20

The sample transfer device of claim 12 further having an adjustable stop means on said tubular housing means for limiting the return stroke of said outer permanent magnet.

Claim 21

The sample transfer device of claim 12 wherein said non-circular cross section is a square cross section.