Method of manufacturing a gating grid
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing a gating grid for ion mobility spectrometers, the gating grid having a first and a second electrode for connecting an electrical potential to the grid, the method comprising the steps of:
- A. selecting a thin, planar metal foil;
B. removing portions of the foil to form a grid pattern in the foil, the grid pattern having a first comb-like grid element set with a first plurality of grid elements arranged in parallel and spaced apart and connected to the first electrode, the first plurality of grid elements interdigitated with a second comb-like grid element set with a second plurality of grid elements arranged in parallel and spaced apart and connected to the second electrode;
C. selecting a first hollow insulating support member having a periphery with a cross-sectional area which encloses the first and the second grid element sets but excludes the first and second electrodes; and
D. affixing the foil to the periphery.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A planar gating grid for an IMS spectrometer is constructed with two sets of comb-like grid elements. Each set is connected to an electrode and the sets are interdigitated to form the grid. Mechanical stability is provided by attaching the grid elements to an insulating support member. The gating grid is produced from a thin metal foil by cutting or etching the foil to produce a rigid grid structure where all of the elements are connected to both electrodes and the electrodes are separated by a stretcher member. After the rigid grid structure is affixed to the insulating support member, the grid elements are selectively severed from one of the two electrodes to form the interdigitated grid.
58 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a gating grid for ion mobility spectrometers, the gating grid having a first and a second electrode for connecting an electrical potential to the grid, the method comprising the steps of:
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A. selecting a thin, planar metal foil; B. removing portions of the foil to form a grid pattern in the foil, the grid pattern having a first comb-like grid element set with a first plurality of grid elements arranged in parallel and spaced apart and connected to the first electrode, the first plurality of grid elements interdigitated with a second comb-like grid element set with a second plurality of grid elements arranged in parallel and spaced apart and connected to the second electrode; C. selecting a first hollow insulating support member having a periphery with a cross-sectional area which encloses the first and the second grid element sets but excludes the first and second electrodes; and D. affixing the foil to the periphery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification