The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 17, 2022
Filed:
Jun. 14, 2019
Oxford Instruments Nanotechnology Tools Limited, Abingdon Oxon, GB;
Anthony Matthews, Abingdon Oxon, GB;
Mark Patton, Abingdon Oxon, GB;
Oxford Instruments Nanotechnology Tools Limited, Abingdon, GB;
Abstract
A cryogenic cooling system is provided comprising: a mechanical refrigerator, a heat pipe and a heat switch assembly. The mechanical refrigerator has a first cooled stage and a second cooled stage. The heat pipe has a first part coupled thermally to the second cooled stage and a second part coupled thermally to a target assembly. The heat pipe is adapted to contain a condensable gaseous coolant when in use. The heat switch assembly comprises one or more gas gap heat switches, a first end coupled thermally to the second cooled stage and a second end coupled thermally to the target assembly. The cryogenic cooling system is adapted to be operated in a heat pipe cooling mode in which the temperature of the second cooled stage is lower than the first cooled stage and wherein the temperature of the target assembly causes the coolant within the second part of the heat pipe to be gaseous and the temperature of the second cooled stage causes the coolant in the first part of the heat pipe to condense. The target assembly is cooled by the movement of the condensed liquid coolant from the first part of the heat pipe to the second part of the heat pipe during the heat pipe cooling mode. The cryogenic cooling system is further adapted to be operated in a gas gap cooling mode in which the temperature of the second cooled stage causes freezing of the coolant. The heat switch assembly is adapted to provide cooling from the second cooled stage to the target assembly during the gas gap cooling mode via the one or more gas gap heat switches.