Vacuum Oscillation Isolator with Pressurized Fluid-Tight Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vibration isolators used in vacuum environments are sensitive to vibrations and expose peripheral components like electrical supply lines and sensors to vacuum conditions, leading to issues such as flashover voltages, air bubble inclusions, and heat dissipation problems, as well as leakage and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A vibration isolator with a fluid-tight space that maintains overpressure, allowing non-vacuum-designed components to operate safely and reducing leakage, using an air spring encapsulated in a bellows or an open air bearing with dual seals to manage pressure differences and fluid supply for cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If peripheral components (electrical supply lines, sensors, actuators) are exposed to vacuum conditions, then the vibration isolator can operate in vacuum, but the components suffer from flashover voltages, air bubble inclusions, and heat dissipation problems
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration isolator is divided into two separate pressure zones: a vacuum chamber for vibration isolation and a pressurized fluid-tight space for housing peripheral components. This segmentation allows each zone to operate under optimal conditions - vacuum for vibration isolation performance and atmospheric pressure for component reliability
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid-tight space acting as an intermediary chamber is introduced between the vacuum environment and the peripheral components. This intermediary space maintains atmospheric pressure, protecting electrical supply lines, sensors, and actuators from vacuum damage while still allowing the vibration isolator to function in vacuum
2Reliability
If peripheral components are designed for vacuum conditions, then component damage from flashover and air bubbles is prevented, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into vacuum and pressurized zones, allowing standard atmospheric-pressure components to be used in the fluid-tight space. This eliminates the need for complex vacuum-specific component designs while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of designing specialized vacuum components, the invention uses conventional atmospheric-pressure components in the pressurized fluid-tight space. This copying of standard component designs simplifies manufacturing and reduces complexity
3Device complexity
If heat dissipation occurs exclusively via thermal radiation and conduction in vacuum, then the cooling system is simplified, but neighboring devices are disturbed or components overheat
Solution Approach 1:
A fluid supply system (pneumatic/hydraulic cooling) is introduced into the pressurized fluid-tight space to provide convective cooling for peripheral components. This allows efficient heat dissipation without thermal radiation issues in vacuum, preventing overheating while maintaining system simplicity
4Ease of operation
If cables and fluid passages are used to supply peripheral components, then the components can be cooled and powered, but leakage occurs that contaminates the vacuum
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into vacuum and pressurized zones separated by a fluid-tight barrier. Cables and fluid passages only penetrate the vacuum chamber wall to supply the pressurized space, not the vacuum itself. This segmentation prevents vacuum contamination while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid-tight space acts as an intermediary barrier between the vacuum and external supply lines. This intermediary chamber allows cables and fluid passages to connect to components without creating direct pathways for vacuum leakage, thus preventing contamination
5Device complexity
If a single seal is used to separate the vacuum chamber, then the structure is simpler, but leakage rate increases and vacuum integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into multiple seals arranged in series between the vacuum chamber and the fluid-tight space. This segmentation creates multiple barriers to leakage, significantly reducing the overall vacuum leakage rate while maintaining structural feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple seals are arranged in series to provide redundant protection against vacuum leakage. This beforehand cushioning approach ensures that even if one seal has minor defects, the other seals maintain vacuum integrity, preventing harmful leakage
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
This design reduces the need for vacuum-specific component design, minimizes leakage, and enhances cooling through convection, while maintaining effective vibration isolation and reducing contamination risks in vacuum systems.
Implementation Method 1
a spring which, in particular, is designed as an air spring
Implementation Method 2
good cooling of the respective components can be achieved through convection of the air
Implementation Method 3
at least two seals arranged one after the other, with at least one fluid line leading into the area which lies between the seals
Data Source
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AI summary
The isolator has a spring provided with a fluid-tight chamber that is sealed by two seals (13, 14) arranged one after the other, and a fluid line leading between the seals. The fluid line generates a low pressure relative to the fluid-tight chamber, where the low pressure is higher by a maximum of 0.6 bars than a pressure of a surrounding volume and is lower by 1 bar than a pressure of fluid-tight chamber. A motor i.e. linear motor, a sensor module, and/or cooling-water inlet and outlet are arranged in the fluid-tight chamber.