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:
Jun. 20, 2017
Filed:
Feb. 28, 2015
Ferran Technology, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
David J. Ferran, Del Mar, CA (US);
Robert J. Ferran, San Diego, CA (US);
FERRAN TECHNOLOGY, INC., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A system and method detect the presence of an unacceptable quantity of gas molecules in the reference vacuum cavity of a capacitance diaphragm gauge (CDG). An independent pressure transducer has an active portion exposed to the reference vacuum cavity. The transducer includes a ring anode, a cylindrical inner wall surface that forms at least one cathode, and a magnet positioned with respect to the ring anode such that the magnetic flux of the magnet is generally aligned with the central axis of the ring anode. A high voltage source applies a voltage between the ring anode and the cathode. A current sensor senses a magnitude of any current flowing between the ring anode and the cathode via ionized gas molecules. A monitoring unit monitors the magnitude of the current sensed by the current sensor and activates an alarm when the magnitude of the current exceeds an acceptable magnitude.