Edwards Limited

The Boc Group, Inc.

Martin Nicholas Stuart

Nigel Paul Schofield

Ian David Stones

David John Goodwin

Ian Olsen

A vacuum pump comprises a molecular drag pumping mechanism and a regenerative pumping mechanism. A rotor element of the molecular drag pumping mechanism surrounds rotor elements of the regenerative pumping mechanism.

Vacuum pump

A differentially pumped mass spectrometer system comprises a mass spectrometer having first and second pressure chambers through which, during use, ions are conveyed along a path. A pump assembly for differentially evacuating the chambers is attached to the mass spectrometer. The pump assembly comprises a housing attached to the mass spectrometer and a cartridge inserted into the housing. The cartridge has a plurality of inlets each for receiving fluid from a respective pressure chamber and a pumping mechanism for differentially pumping fluid from the chambers. The cartridge is inserted into the housing such that the pumping mechanism is inclined relative to the ion path, but with the cartridge protruding into the mass spectrometer to such an extent that at least one of the inlets at least partially protrudes into its respective chamber without crossing the ion path.

Vacuum pump for differentially pumping multiple chambers

A differentially pumped vacuum system including apparatus having at least first and second chambers; and a vacuum pump for differentially pumping fluid from the chambers to generate a first pressure above 0.1 mbar in the first chamber and a second pressure lower than the first pressure in the second chamber, the pump having at least first and second pump inlets each for receiving fluid from a respective pressure chamber and a plurality of pumping stages positioned relative to the inlets so that fluid received from the first chamber passes through fewer pumping stages than fluid from the second chamber, the inlets being attached to the apparatus such that at least 99% of the fluid mass pumped from the apparatus passes through at least one of the pumping stages of the pump.

A differentially pumped mass spectrometer system comprises a mass spectrometer having a plurality of pressure chambers; a vacuum pump attached thereto and comprising at least three pump inlets, a first pumping section, a second pumping section downstream from the first pumping section, and a third pumping section downstream from the second pumping section, an outlet from a first, relatively low, pressure chamber being connected to a first pump inlet through which fluid can enter the pump from the first chamber and pass through the first, second and third pumping sections towards a pump outlet, an outlet for a second, medium pressure chamber of the spectrometer being connected to a second pump inlet through which fluid can enter the pump and pass through, of said sections, only the second and third pumping sections towards the pump outlet, and an outlet for a third, highest pressure chamber of the spectrometer being connected to a third pump inlet through which fluid can enter the pump and pass through, of said sections, only at least part of the third pumping section towards the pump outlet; and a backing pump connected to the pump outlet such that, in use, at least 99% of the fluid mass pumped from the spectrometer passes through both the vacuum pump and the backing pump.

A differentially pumped mass spectrometer system comprises a mass spectrometer having first and second pressure chambers through which, during use, ions are conveyed along a path. A pump assembly () for differentially evacuating the chambers () is attached to the mass spectrometer. The pump assembly comprises a housing () attached to the mass spectrometer and a cartridge () inserted into the housing. The cartridge has a plurality of inlets () each for receiving fluid from a respective pressure chamber () and a pumping mechanism () for differentially pumping fluid from the chambers. The cartridge is inserted into the housing such that the pumping mechanism () is inclined relative to the ion path (), but with the cartridge protruding into the mass spectrometer to such an extent that at least one of the inlets () at least partially protrudes into its respective chamber () without crossing the ion path.

Vacuum pump for differential pumping multiple chambers

A compound vacuum pump comprising at least one turbo-molecular stage and downstream therefrom a multi-channel molecular drag stage, a first inlet through which fluid can pass through the turbo-molecular stage and the molecular drag stage towards a pump outlet, a second inlet through which fluid can enter the pump at a location between the turbo-molecular and the molecular drag stages to pass only through the molecular drag stage towards the pump outlet, in which one or more channels of the molecular drag stage are adapted to communicate directly with the second inlet whilst the remaining channel or channels communicate with the turbo-molecular stage.

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Shoreham-by-Sea, United Kingdom

Martin Nicholas Stuart