Spark Stand Assembly With Gas-Tight Plasma Chamber Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical emission spectroscopy instruments face challenges in ensuring a secure and robust gas-tightness of the plasma chamber and controlled transmission of light from the plasma chamber to the spectrometer, which affects the accuracy and reliability of elemental composition analysis.
Innovation Solution
A spark stand assembly with a detachable spark stand plate that forms a plasma chamber and optical transmission path, featuring a sealing member and an elongated notch with a depth that decreases from the recess to a passageway, ensuring gas-tight sealing and controlled light transmission, while allowing for easy cleaning and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spark stand plate is detachably attachable on the top surface of the spark stand body to cover the recess and notch, then gas-tight sealing is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sealing components and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The spark stand assembly is divided into separate components: a spark stand body and a detachable spark stand plate. The sealing member is segmented to fit into a groove on the body, allowing independent assembly and replacement of the plate without affecting the sealing structure itself.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing member acts as an intermediary element between the spark stand body and the spark stand plate. This sealing member fits into a groove on the body and provides the gas-tight seal when the plate is attached, mediating the connection between the two components.
2Measurement precision
If the elongated notch has a depth that decreases from the recess to the passageway through the elevated portion, then light transmission is optimized, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The elongated notch is designed with varying depth along its length, creating different local geometries: deeper at the recess end for plasma chamber formation, shallower toward the passageway for optimized light transmission. This local variation in geometry allows each region to serve its specific function while managing manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If the spark stand plate covers at least part of the elevated portion, then gas-tight sealing is improved, but ease of maintenance deteriorates due to restricted access to internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The spark stand plate is designed to be detachably attachable, transforming from a static covering to a dynamic component that can be removed. This allows the plate to provide sealing coverage during operation but can be easily detached for maintenance and cleaning of internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation of the spark stand plate from the body allows independent access to the internal components of the spark stand assembly. The plate can be removed to expose and clean the recess, notch, and other internal areas without disassembling the entire structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the reliability and repeatability of elemental composition analysis by maintaining gas-tightness and optimizing light transmission, reducing spectral interference, and facilitating easy maintenance of the spark stand.
Implementation Method 1
a sealing member arranged between the top surface of the spark stand body and the spark stand plate such that it encloses said recess
Implementation Method 2
exciting a sample using a suitable excitation means in order to transform a fraction of the sample into a plasma state
Implementation Method 3
transmitting light emitted from transitions between energy levels of excited atoms or ions of the plasma to a spectrometer for analysis
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 3C~4
AI summary
According to an example embodiment, a spark stand assembly (120) for an optical emission spectroscopy, OES, instrument (100) is provided, the spark stand assembly (120) comprising: a spark stand body (121) attached to a mounting flange (122) that enables attaching the spark stand assembly (120) to a main housing (110) of the OES instrument (100); an exciter (123, 123a) disposed into a recess arranged on a top surface of the spark stand body (121); an elevated portion (124) arranged on the top surface of the spark stand body (121) adjacent to the mounting flange (122); an elongated notch (125) arranged on the top surface of the spark stand body (121) and connecting said recess to a passageway through the elevated portion (124); a spark stand plate (130) that is detachably attachable on the top surface of the spark stand body (121) to cover said recess, said notch (125) and at least part of the elevated portion (124) such that said recess forms a plasma chamber and said notch (125) forms a part of an optical transmission path from the plasma chamber to said passageway, wherein the spark stand plate (130) comprises an opening (131) therethrough for exposing a part of a sample (140) positioned on the opening (131) for excitation from the exciter (123, 123a), said opening (131) positioned such that said opening (131) is spatially aligned with the exciter (123, 123a) when the spark stand plate (130) is attached on the top surface of the spark stand body (121); and a sealing member arranged between the top surface of the spark stand body and the spark stand plate such that it encloses said recess and said notch and is routed over the elevated portion.