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. 13, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 27, 2000
Stephen D. Dean, Cary, NC (US);
C. J. Anthony Fernando, Durham, NC (US);
James E. Swon, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
Varian, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A vessel centering system comprises a vessel, an annular, spacer member, a fastening element, and an elastometric component. The vessel includes an outer surface and a vessel groove formed on a circumference of the vessel outer surface. The spacer member is fitted in the vessel groove and extends outwardly with respect to the vessel. The first and second lateral end surfaces define a spacing therebetween. The spacer member includes a tangential bore and an annular groove. The tangential bore extends along a line generally tangential to a curvature of the spacer member. The fastening element, which could be a screw, is disposed in the tangential bore in engagement with the ring member and extends across the ring spacing. The elastometric component, which could be a gasket or O-ring, is disposed in the annular groove. A plurality of biased bearings can be provided instead of the elastometric component. When the vessel is installed in the aperture of a vessel plate, concentricity between the inner surfaces of the vessel and a shaft extending into the vessel is easily obtained.