Patent ID: 8695987
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: F16L

Abstract:
1. An ultra-high vacuum system configured for creating an ultra-high vacuum in a vacuum space, the ultra-high vacuum system comprising: a first soft metal gasket and a second soft metal gasket, said first and second soft metal gaskets being annular; a first thick flange, said first thick flange being annular, said first thick flange being penetrated by a first plurality of bolt holes arranged about its periphery, said first thick flange including a third metal knife edge configured for pressing into the first soft metal gasket when the first soft metal gasket is pressed against the first thick flange; a second thick flange, said second thick flange being annular, said second thick flange being penetrated by a second plurality of bolt holes, corresponding bolt holes of said first and second pluralities of bolt holes being alignable so as to permit insertion of bolts through the aligned bolt holes, said second thick flange including a fourth metal knife edge configured for pressing into the second soft metal gasket when the second soft metal gasket is pressed against the second thick flange a thin flange, said thin flange being annular, a first face of the thin flange having a first substantially flat sealing surface surrounded by a substantially flat, planar first clamping surface, the first sealing surface being bounded by a first inner sealing perimeter and a first outer sealing perimeter, the first sealing surface including a first metal knife edge configured for pressing into the first soft metal gasket when the first soft metal gasket is compressed between the first sealing surface and the first thick flange, said first soft metal gasket having an outer diameter that is not larger than the first outer sealing perimeter, said first knife edge being a single annulus surrounding the first inner sealing perimeter; a second face of the thin flange being opposed to and substantially parallel to the first face, the second face having a substantially flat second sealing surface surrounded by a substantially flat planar second clamping surface, the second sealing surface being bounded by a second inner sealing perimeter and a second outer sealing perimeter, the second sealing surface including a second metal knife edge configured for pressing into the second soft metal gasket when the second soft metal gasket is compressed between the second sealing surface and the second thick flange, said second soft metal gasket having an outer diameter that is not larger than the second outer sealing perimeter, said second knife edge being a single annulus surrounding the second inner sealing perimeter, the second clamping surface being in at least partly overlapping relationship with the first clamping surface, the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface being separated by a clamping thickness that is thinner than said first thick flange and said second thick flange; the thin flange being locatable between the thick flanges such that it does not interfere with alignment of the corresponding bolt holes of the thick flanges, so that bolts can be inserted through the aligned bolt holes and tightened, thereby clamping the thick flanges together, the thin flange being sandwiched there between, so that all clamping forces applied by the bolts to the thick flanges are distributed by the two thick flanges and are applied only as a symmetric, compressive force to the thin flange; and said ultra-high vacuum system being configured to maintain an internal vacuum having a residual pressure of less than 10-6 Torr.