US3702951A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrostatic collector for charged particles
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1971-11-12
•
Granted: 1972-11-14
•
Expires: 1991-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A charged particle collector comprising a stack of apertured electrode plates which lie within an imaginary sphere is provided. The plate closet to a charged particle emitter forms a portion of the imaginary sphere and is at zero volts potential with respect to the emitter. The plate farthest away from the charged particle emitter is of conical shape with the apex pointing toward the emitter and includes a spike extending toward the emitter. The conical plate has either a negative or positive potential with respect to the emitter, depending on whether the charged particles are negative or positive. A plurality of intermediate apertured electrode plates are positioned between the plate which forms a portion of the sphere and the conical plate, each of the plates being at a slightly lower potential than the preceding plate moving in a direction toward the emitter. These intermediate plates approximate the shape of an equipotential line which would be plotted for the particular voltage applied to the plate.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry G Kosmahl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:04
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J3/00; H01J3/02; H01J23/00; H01J23/02; H01J23/027; H01J23/0275
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A collector for a source which emits a beam of spent charged particles comprising a first conical electrode disposed downstream of said source of charged particles symmetrical to the axis of the charged particle beam and having its apex pointing toward said source of charged particles, a spike disposed on the apex of said conical electrode symmetric to the axis of the beam and pointing toward said source of charged particles, and a concave electrode disposed between said conical electrode and said source of charged particles symmetric to the axis of the beam and including a central aperture, the concave side facing said conical electrode, said conical electrode being at a voltage potential of the same polarity as that of said charged particles with respect to said concave electrode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A collector for a source which emits a beam of spent charged particles comprising a first conical electrode disposed downstream of said source of charged particles symmetrical to the axis of the charged particle beam and having its apex pointing toward said source of charged particles, a spike disposed on the apex of said conical electrode symmetric to the axis of the beam and pointing toward said source of charged particles, and a concave electrode disposed between said conical electrode and said source of charged particles symmetric to the axis of the beam and including a central aperture, the concave side facing said conical electrode, said conical electrode being at a voltage potential of the same polarity as that of said charged particles with respect to said concave electrode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
The structure of claim 1 and including a plurality of centrally apertured intermediate electrodes disposed between said concave and conical electrodes symmetric to the axis of the beam and with the central area of each of said apertured electrodes depressed toward the source of spent charged particles, each of said apertured electrodes being a higher voltage potential than the electrode between it and the source of spent electrons.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein the apertures increase in size in a downstream direction from the source of spent charged particles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said spike extends through the aperture of the one of said apertured electrodes next below the negative potential of said conical electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein each electrode is shaped such that any point on it lies at approximately the same point as a corresponding equipotential point of a potential equal to the voltage potential applied to the electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said conical electrode has an included angle of about 120*.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said concave electrode is a portion of a sphere whose center lies at the apex of said conical electrode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein the apertured electrodes nearest said conical electrode are quasi-conical and the apertured electrodes nearest said concave electrode are quasi-spherical portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The structure of claim 8 wherein the included angle of each of said quasi-conical electrodes is substantially greater than the next downstream quasi-conical electrode and wherein curvature of said quasi-spherical portions of each electrode is substantially less than the next upstream electrode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said spike extends from the apex of said conical electrode approximately one-fourth of the distance to the source of the charged particle beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2284733A
Cited
US2325865A
Cited
US2610306A
Cited
US2949558A
Cited
US3175120A
Cited
US3172004A
Cited
US3273006A
Cited
US3368104A
Cited
US3453482A
Cited
US3644778A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-11-14 | 1976-05-15 | 1976-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-14 | 1980-05-15 | 1980-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-14 | 1984-05-15 | 1984-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |