Instrument for measurement of vacuum in sealed thin wall packets

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:868943

Kollie, Thomas G ^[1]; Thacker, Louis H ^[2]; Fine, H Alan ^[3]

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1. 117 Oklahoma Ave., Oak Ridge, TN 37830
2. 3727 Frostwood Rd., Knoxville, TN 37921
3. 949 Wishbone Cir., Lexington, KY 40502

An instrument for the measurement of vacuum within sealed packets 12, the packets 12 having a wall 14 sufficiently thin that it can be deformed by the application of an external vacuum to small area thereof. The instrument has a detector head 18 for placement against the deformable wall 14 of the packet to apply the vacuum in a controlled manner to accomplish a limited deformation or lift of the wall 14, with this deformation or lift monitored by the application of light as via a bifurcated light pipe 20. Retro-reflected light through the light pipe is monitored with a photo detector 26. An abrupt change (e.g., a decrease) of retro-reflected light signals the wall movement such that the value of the vacuum applied through the head 18 to achieve this initiation of movement is equal to the vacuum Within the packet 12. In a preferred embodiment a vacuum reference plate 44 is placed beneath the packet 12 to ensure that no deformation occurs on the reverse surface 16 of the packet. A packet production line model is also described.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• Assignee: Kollie, Thomas G. (117 Oklahoma Ave., Oak Ridge, TN 37830);Thacker, Louis H. (3727 Frostwood Rd., Knoxville, TN 37921);Fine, H. Alan (949 Wishbone Cir., Lexington, KY 40502)
• Patent Number(s): US 5249454
• OSTI ID: 868943
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

instrument
measurement
vacuum
sealed
wall
packets
12
14
sufficiently
deformed
application
external
detector
head
18
placement
deformable
packet
apply
controlled
manner
accomplish
limited
deformation
lift
monitored
light
via
bifurcated
pipe
20
retro-reflected
photo
26
abrupt
change
decrease
signals
movement
value
applied
achieve
initiation
equal
preferred
embodiment
reference
plate
44
placed
beneath
ensure
occurs
reverse
surface
16
production
line
model
described
preferred embodiment
reflected light
light pipe
controlled manner
light signal
light signals
detector head
production line
sealed packets
deformable wall
deformation occurs
wall packets
/73/356/