TOF Mass Spectrometer Secondary Flange for Fast Detector Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometers are cumbersome and require extensive dismantling for component replacement, leading to prolonged downtime and increased risk of damage during maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A secondary flange system allows for easy removal and replacement of components like the detector within a vacuum chamber without dismounting the entire TOF mass spectrometer assembly, maintaining chamber integrity and precision alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If components are mounted directly on the backbone structure, then structural stability is improved, but component replacement requires extensive dismantling and causes prolonged downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the component mounting structure into two segments: a permanent backbone structure for stability and a removable secondary flange for component access. The secondary flange can be detached independently from the backbone, allowing component replacement without dismantling the entire spectrometer assembly. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining structural stability through the backbone while enabling quick component access through the separable flange.
2Ease of operation
If the entire TOF mass spectrometer assembly is dismantled for component replacement, then component access is improved, but the risk of damage to other components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the secondary flange and its supported component as a separate removable unit from the main spectrometer assembly. This allows the component to be accessed and replaced by removing only the secondary flange, leaving the backbone structure and other components intact within the vacuum chamber. This extraction approach improves component access while minimizing the risk of damage to other components by limiting the scope of dismantling to only the necessary secondary flange.
3Ease of operation
If components are removed from the vacuum chamber, then maintenance access is improved, but contamination risk from dust increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the secondary flange with the supported component can be removed as a unit from the vacuum chamber without removing the main backbone structure. The secondary flange acts as a nested element that can be independently accessed and removed. This nesting approach allows maintenance access by removing only the necessary secondary flange while leaving the vacuum chamber and other components protected, thereby reducing contamination risk from dust.
Data Source
AI summary
A time-of-flight mass spectrometer assembly includes a flange with a vacuum chamber facing surface and an environment facing surface. The flange defines an opening that extends between the vacuum chamber facing surface and the environment facing surface. A plurality of stacked components are supported by the vacuum chamber facing surface of the flange. A secondary flange is removably secured within the opening of the flange. The secondary flange includes a vacuum chamber facing surface and an environment facing surface. A supported spectrometer component is supported by the vacuum chamber facing surface of the secondary flange such that removal of the secondary flange from the flange acts to remove the supported component from the plurality of stacked components supported by the vacuum chamber facing surface of the flange.