Patent ID: 7383733

Claim:
An apparatus for detecting a high pressure condition within a vacuum electrical device, the apparatus, comprising: a sonic wave guide having proximal and distal ends, said sonic wave guide having a first surface at said proximal end, said sonic wave guide having a second surface at said distal end, said first surface having an area greater than said second surface, and said second surface being sonically coupled to said vacuum electrical device and having a shape that conforms to an outer surface of the vacuum electrical device; a sonic transmitting device sonically coupled to said first surface at the proximal end of the sonic wave guide, the sonic transmitting device being configured to transmit an excitation sonic signal through the sonic wave guide into the vacuum electrical device while the vacuum electrical device is energized; and, a sonic receiving device sonically coupled to said first surface at the proximal end of the sonic wave guide, the sonic receiving device being configured to receive a response sonic signal from the vacuum electrical device through the sonic wave guide while the vacuum electrical device is energized.