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:
Apr. 20, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 08, 1997
Jun Munemasa, Takasago, JP;
Alexander Elkind, San Diego, CA (US);
James R Treglio, San Diego, CA (US);
Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho, Kobe, JP;
ISM Technologies, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
When a trigger discharge between a metal cathode and a trigger ring induces a vacuum-arc discharge between the cathode an anode, which vaporizes the substances of the cathode surface to produce a metal ion plasma, setting the pulse length of the arc pulse applied between the cathode and the anode to 1 msec or longer will soon short-circuit between the cathode and the trigger ring due to the vaporized substances deposited on the surface of the insulating ring. In order to solve this problem, a permanent magnet 36 for forming a magnetic field across a space between the anode 26 and the cathode 34 is provided close to the rear side of the trigger ring 35 so as to guide the substances vaporized from the cathode 34 toward the anode 26. Thereby, a longer continuous operation can be done with setting the arc pulse longer. moreover, since the permanent magnet 36 is provided at the foregoing position, the magnet does not receive a thermal load by the vacuum-arc discharge, which maintains a stable operation and makes the total construction compact.