Establishment and maintenance of low gas pressure within interior spaces of temperature-stabilized storage systems

Abstract

Methods and apparatus described herein relate to establishing and maintaining low gas pressure within a gas-sealed device fabricated from heat sensitive materials. Methods include transferring activated getters within the interior of an apparatus from regions fabricated from heat-resistant materials to interior regions of the gas-sealed device fabricated from heat-sensitive materials.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a structural region fabricated from a heat-sensitive material, the structural region including an outer wall and an inner wall with a gas-sealed gap between the outer wall and the inner wall;   an activation region fabricated from a heat-resistant material, the activation region including one or more getters;   a connector attached to the structural region and to the activation region, the connector including a flexible region and a region configured for sealing and detachment of the structural region from the activation region; and   a vacuum pump operably attached to the connector.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the structural region comprises:
 a storage device.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the structural region comprises:
 a thermally-insulated device.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the structural region comprises:
 a device configured for detachment from a remainder of the apparatus.   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-sensitive material comprises:
 aluminum.   
     
     
         8 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gas-sealed gap comprises:
 multilayer insulation material.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gas-sealed gap comprises:
 gas at a pressure less than or equal to 1×10 −2  torr.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gas-sealed gap is open to an interior of the connector. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-resistant material comprises:
 stainless steel.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the activation region comprises:
 a gas-sealed interior, wherein the one or more getters are enclosed within the gas-sealed interior.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the gas-sealed interior is open to an interior of the connector. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more getters comprise:
 non-evaporatable getter material.   
     
     
         20 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises:
 stainless steel.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises:
 a valve configured to inhibit the flow of gas within the connector.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible region of the connector has a bellows configuration. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump is sufficient to evacuate an interior of the structural region, the activation region and the connector to a gas pressure less than or equal to 1×10 −2  torr. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a gas-sealed, connected space interior to each of the structural region, the activation region and the connector.   
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pressure gauge operably connected to the connector.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more seals between the structural region, the activation region and the connector, the seals sufficient to maintain a vacuum within the structural region, the activation region and the connector.   
     
     
         32 . A method comprising:
 establishing vacuum within a gas-sealed apparatus including at least one activation region fabricated from a heat-resistant material, a structural region fabricated from a heat-sensitive material, and a connector between the regions;   heating the at least one activation region to an activation temperature for an activation time suitable to activate one or more getters within the at least one activation region, while maintaining the established vacuum within the gas-sealed apparatus;   allowing the at least one activation region and the one or more getters to cool to a temperature compatible with structural stability of the heat-sensitive material;   transferring the cooled one or more getters from the cooled at least one activation region to the structural region through the connector, while maintaining the established vacuum within the gas-sealed apparatus; and   separating the connector between the regions while maintaining the established vacuum within the structural region including the cooled one or more getters.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the establishing vacuum comprises:
 establishing vacuum within an interior of the at least one activation region, within an interior of the structural region, and within an interior of the connector of the gas-sealed apparatus.   
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the establishing vacuum comprises:
 establishing gas pressure less than or equal to 1×10 −2  torr.   
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the heating the at least one activation region to an activation temperature for an activation time suitable to activate one or more getters within the at least one activation region comprises:
 heating the at least one activation region with a heat source external to the apparatus.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the heating the at least one activation region to an activation temperature for an activation time suitable to activate one or more getters within the at least one activation region comprises:
 heating the at least one activation region with a heat source in direct thermal contact with the at least one activation region and not in direct thermal contact with the structural region and the connector of the gas-sealed apparatus.   
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the allowing the at least one activation region and the one or more getters to cool to a temperature compatible with structural stability of the heat-sensitive material comprises:
 allowing the at least one activation region to cool to an ambient temperature through radiative heat loss.   
     
     
         41 .- 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the transferring the cooled one or more getters from the cooled at least one activation region to the structural region through the connector, while maintaining the established vacuum within the gas-sealed apparatus comprises:
 bending the connector to alter the relative positioning of the cooled at least one activation region to the structural region in relation to the connector.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the transferring the cooled one or more getters from the cooled at least one activation region to the structural region through the connector, while maintaining the established vacuum within the gas-sealed apparatus comprises:
 transferring the cooled one or more getters into a gas-sealed gap between an inner wall and an outer wall of the structural region.   
     
     
         45 .- 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 adding sealing material to a surface of the separated connector adjacent to the structural region including the cooled one or more getters.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 heating the structural region to a preset temperature for a predetermined time after establishing vacuum within the structural region and before heating the at least one activation region.   
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 heating the structural region to a preset temperature prior to transferring the cooled one or more getters; and   maintaining the preset temperature while separating the connector.   
     
     
         51 . A method of establishing and maintaining a vacuum within a storage device, comprising:
 assembling substantially all structural components of a storage device, including an outer wall and an inner wall substantially defining a gas-sealed gap;   attaching the storage device to a gas-sealed apparatus, the gas-sealed apparatus including a getter activation region containing one or more getters, a vacuum pump, and a connector operably connecting the storage device to the gas-sealed apparatus;   activating the vacuum pump to establish a gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device;   heating the storage device to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined length of time;   heating the getter activation region and the one or more getters to an activation temperature for an activation time suitable to activate the one or more getters within the getter activation region, while maintaining the established gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device;   allowing the getter activation region and the one or more getters to cool to a predetermined temperature;   flexing the connector to move the storage device and the getter activation region into a relative position wherein the getter activation region is above the storage device and the connector is substantially linear;   allowing the one or more getters to fall along the connector interior into the gas-sealed gap in the storage device, while maintaining the established gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device;   separating the connector at a location adjacent to the storage device while maintaining the established gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device.   
     
     
         52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the activating the vacuum pump to establish a gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device comprises:
 establishing a gas pressure of less than or equal to 1×10 −2  torr.   
     
     
         54 .- 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the heating the getter activation region and the one or more getters to an activation temperature for an activation time suitable to activate the one or more getters comprises:
 heating the getter activation region with a heat source external to the getter activation region.   
     
     
         58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the flexing the connector comprises:
 flexing a region of the connector adjacent to the getter activation region.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the separating the connector at a location adjacent to the storage device while maintaining the established gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device comprises:
 physically crimping the connector; and   breaking the connector at the location of the physical crimping.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the separating the connector at a location adjacent to the storage device comprises:
 utilizing an ultrasonic welding device.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising:
 heating the storage device to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined length of time after establishing the gas pressure below atmospheric pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device.   
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising:
 monitoring the gas pressure within the gas-sealed gap of the storage device.   
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising:
 monitoring the gas pressure within the connector.   
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising:
 adding sealing material to a surface of the separated connector adjacent to the storage device.