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:
Jan. 06, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 29, 2006
Joseph H. Lyons, Wilton, CT (US);
Peter C. Kochersperger, Easton, CT (US);
James Walsh, Newtown, CT (US);
Rajan Mali, Shelton, CT (US);
Joseph H. Lyons, Wilton, CT (US);
Peter C. Kochersperger, Easton, CT (US);
James Walsh, Newtown, CT (US);
Rajan Mali, Shelton, CT (US);
ASML Holding N.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
A vacuum-driven gas gauge proximity sensor for sensing a difference between a reference surface standoff and a measurement surface standoff is disclosed. Unlike existing proximity sensors, the vacuum-driven gas gauge proximity sensor uses a vacuum to reverse the traditional flow of gas through a proximity sensor, such that gas flows inward across measurement and reference standoffs through measurement and reference nozzles. The conditioned ambient gas that is vacuumed into the reference and measurement nozzles flows through reference and measurement channels that are coupled at a junction into a single channel. The single channel is coupled to the vacuum that is used to evacuate the conditioned ambient gas through the proximity sensor. A bridge channel couples the reference and measurement channels. A mass flow sensor along the bridge channel monitors flow rates to detect measurement standoffs that can be used to initiate a control action. A pump-driven liquid flow proximity sensor is also disclosed.