Establishment and maintenance of low gas pressure within interior spaces of temperature-stabilized storage systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a structural region fabricated from a heat-sensitive material, the structural region including an outer wall and an inner wall with a gas-sealed gap between the outer wall and the inner wall;
an activation region fabricated from a heat-resistant material, the activation region including one or more getters;
a connector attached to the structural region and to the activation region, the connector including a flexible region and a region configured for sealing and detachment of the structural region from the activation region; and
a vacuum pump operably attached to the connector.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus described herein relate to establishing and maintaining low gas pressure within a gas-sealed device fabricated from heat sensitive materials. Methods include transferring activated getters within the interior of an apparatus from regions fabricated from heat-resistant materials to interior regions of the gas-sealed device fabricated from heat-sensitive materials.
22 Citations
65 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a structural region fabricated from a heat-sensitive material, the structural region including an outer wall and an inner wall with a gas-sealed gap between the outer wall and the inner wall; an activation region fabricated from a heat-resistant material, the activation region including one or more getters; a connector attached to the structural region and to the activation region, the connector including a flexible region and a region configured for sealing and detachment of the structural region from the activation region; and a vacuum pump operably attached to the connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31)
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3. (canceled)
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6. (canceled)
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8-11. -11. (canceled)
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16. (canceled)
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20-21. -21. (canceled)
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24. (canceled)
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27. (canceled)
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29. (canceled)
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32. A method comprising:
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establishing vacuum within a gas-sealed apparatus including at least one activation region fabricated from a heat-resistant material, a structural region fabricated from a heat-sensitive material, and a connector between the regions; heating the at least one activation region to an activation temperature for an activation time suitable to activate one or more getters within the at least one activation region, while maintaining the established vacuum within the gas-sealed apparatus; allowing the at least one activation region and the one or more getters to cool to a temperature compatible with structural stability of the heat-sensitive material; transferring the cooled one or more getters from the cooled at least one activation region to the structural region through the connector, while maintaining the established vacuum within the gas-sealed apparatus; and separating the connector between the regions while maintaining the established vacuum within the structural region including the cooled one or more getters. - View Dependent Claims (33, 35, 37, 38, 40, 43, 44, 47, 48, 50)
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34. (canceled)
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36. (canceled)
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39. (canceled)
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41-42. -42. (canceled)
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45-46. -46. (canceled)
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49. (canceled)
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51. A method of establishing and maintaining a vacuum within a storage device, comprising:
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assembling substantially all structural components of a storage device, including an outer wall and an inner wall substantially defining a gas-sealed gap; attaching the storage device to a gas-sealed apparatus, the gas-sealed apparatus including a getter activation region containing one or more getters, a vacuum pump, and a connector operably connecting the storage device to the gas-sealed apparatus; activating the vacuum pump to establish a gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device; heating the storage device to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined length of time; heating the getter activation region and the one or more getters to an activation temperature for an activation time suitable to activate the one or more getters within the getter activation region, while maintaining the established gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device; allowing the getter activation region and the one or more getters to cool to a predetermined temperature; flexing the connector to move the storage device and the getter activation region into a relative position wherein the getter activation region is above the storage device and the connector is substantially linear; allowing the one or more getters to fall along the connector interior into the gas-sealed gap in the storage device, while maintaining the established gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device; separating the connector at a location adjacent to the storage device while maintaining the established gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (53, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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52. (canceled)
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54-56. -56. (canceled)
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58. (canceled)
Specification