METHOD FOR INSPECTING SEALABILITY OF VACUUM CHAMBER

• US 20160103036A1
• Filed: 10/10/2014
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wang, Zhiwu
• Granted Patent: US 9,395,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/226 for containers, e.g. radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2869 for seals not incorporated in a pipe joint
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3272 for verifying the internal pressure of closed containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/34 by testing the possibility of maintaining the vacuum in containers, e.g. in can-testing machines

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for inspecting sealability of a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber has a closed site in which two sealing rings are arranged in such a way that the two sealing rings form therebetween a sealed compartment. The sealed compartment has a wall in which an evacuation hole is formed. The method for inspecting sealability of a vacuum chamber includes: connecting an evacuation valve through a pipe to the evacuation hole to form evacuation piping; mounting a pressure meter to the evacuation piping; opening the evacuation valve to proceed with evacuation of the sealed compartment and, during the evacuation process, monitoring the pressure meter; and determining sealability of the two sealing rings according to a reading of the pressure meter. The present invention allows for quick evacuation of the sealed compartment and to determine the sealability of the two sealing rings according to the pressure meter.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting sealability of a vacuum chamber, wherein the vacuum chamber has a closed site in which two sealing rings are arranged in such a way that the two sealing rings form therebetween a sealed compartment, the sealed compartment having a wall in which an evacuation hole is formed, the method for inspecting sealability of a vacuum chamber comprising:

connecting an evacuation valve through a pipe to the evacuation hole to form evacuation piping;

mounting a pressure meter to the evacuation piping;

opening the evacuation valve to proceed with evacuation of the sealed compartment and, during the evacuation process, monitoring the pressure meter; and

determining sealability of the two sealing rings according to a reading of the pressure meter.

2. The method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber as claimed claim 1, wherein a process for determining sealability of the two sealing rings according to the reading of the pressure meter comprises:

determining the two sealing rings are leaking if the reading of the pressure meter does not reach a first predetermined level, where the first predetermined level is a pressure level of the sealed compartment in a vacuum condition;

otherwise determining the two sealing rings are in a sealed condition without leakage if the reading of the pressure meter reaches the first predetermined level.

3. The method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber as claimed claim 2, wherein when it is determined that the two sealing rings are leaking, the chamber is opened and the two sealing rings and the vacuum chamber that is used in combination with the two sealing rings are cleaned, and then, the vacuum chamber is closed to allow the process of evacuation of the sealed compartment with the evacuation valve to proceed again.

4. The method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber as claimed claim 2, wherein when it is determined that the two sealing rings are without leakage, an interior space of the vacuum chamber is evacuated.

5. The method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber as claimed claim 2, wherein when it is determined the two sealing rings are leaking, the method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber further comprises:

mounting a helium leakage detection device to the evacuation piping, where the helium leakage detection device determines if helium exists in the sealed compartment during the evacuation process;

spraying helium gas to the closed site of the vacuum chamber with a gas nozzle arranged outside the vacuum chamber;

identifying an outer sealing ring of the sealing rings is leaking if the helium leakage detection device detects helium; and

identifying the outer sealing ring of the two sealing rings is not leaking and an inner sealing ring of the two sealing rings is leaking if the helium leakage detection device detects no helium.

6. The method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber as claimed claim 1, wherein the wall of the sealed compartment comprises an inlet hole formed therein, the method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber further comprises:

connecting an inlet valve, through a pipe, to the inlet hole to form inlet piping;

in evacuating the sealed compartment, closing the inlet valve and then opening the evacuation valve; and

in opening the vacuum chamber, closing the evacuation valve and then opening the inlet valve to allow outside air to flow through the inlet piping into the sealed compartment to raise the pressure inside the sealed compartment to the level of the atmospheric pressure.

7. The method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber as claimed in claim 6, wherein an air pressure meter is mounted to the inlet piping and determination as to whether to open the vacuum chamber is made according to if reading of the air pressure meter is close to atmospheric pressure.

8. The method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber as claimed claim 6, wherein an air pressure meter is mounted to the inlet piping and determination is made as to whether reading of the air pressure meter reaches a second predetermined level that is atmospheric pressure or a level close to the atmospheric pressure, whereby when the reading of the air pressure meter reaches the second predetermined level, the vacuum chamber is opened.

9. The method for inspecting sealability of the vacuum chamber as claimed claim 8, wherein an alarm device is mounted to the inlet piping so that when the reading of the air pressure meter reaches the second predetermined level, the alarm device issues an alarm to remind an operator to open the vacuum chamber.