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:
Nov. 05, 2013
Filed:
Sep. 07, 2010
Stephanus Hubertus Leonardus Van Den Boom, Geldrop, NL;
Roland Wilhelmus Pieter Jonkers, Someren, NL;
Henricus Fransiscus Maria Van Den Boom, Nuenen, NL;
Rients Jan DE Groot, Heeze, NL;
Pieter Hendrik Trudo Johannes Uland, Eindhoven, NL;
Stephanus Hubertus Leonardus van den Boom, Geldrop, NL;
Roland Wilhelmus Pieter Jonkers, Someren, NL;
Henricus Fransiscus Maria van den Boom, Nuenen, NL;
Rients Jan de Groot, Heeze, NL;
Pieter Hendrik Trudo Johannes Uland, Eindhoven, NL;
FEI Company, Hillsboro, OR (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to an improved O-ring seal for use as a high vacuum seal. A limitation of standard O-ring seals is the permeation of water through the O-ring. Especially for instruments in which parts are kept at a cryogenic temperature, such as a cryogenic electron microscope, the presence of water in the vacuum is a problem, as this results in ice growth on the cryogenic parts. As a solution often a double O-ring seal is used, or a metal seal. Both of these solutions have severe draw-backs. The invention proposes to place the O-ring in a channel in which dry gas, such as dry nitrogen, is blown. In this way no water can permeate through the O-ring, resulting in a reduced base pressure and highly reduced ice growth.