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:
Aug. 22, 2006
Filed:
Sep. 24, 2003
Darren Mennie, Portishead, GB;
Ron Clark Lee, Bloomsbury, NJ (US);
Robert Bruce Grant, Steyning, GB;
Barrie Dudley Brewster, Brighton, GB;
Joanne Rachel Greenwood, Hove, GB;
Darren Mennie, Portishead, GB;
Ron Clark Lee, Bloomsbury, NJ (US);
Robert Bruce Grant, Steyning, GB;
Barrie Dudley Brewster, Brighton, GB;
Joanne Rachel Greenwood, Hove, GB;
The BOC Group plc, Windlesham, GB;
Abstract
A vacuum pumping system comprises a first gas supply for supplying a first gas, such as xenon, to a vacuum chamber. A pump receives the gas output from the chamber. A second gas supply supplies a purge gas, such as nitrogen or helium, for pumping with the first gas. A gas separator receives the pumped gases exhausted by the pump, and recovers the first gas and the purge gas from the stream. The recovered first gas is recirculated through the vacuum chamber, and the recovered second gas is recirculated through at least the pump.