Patent · US Expired

Plasma generator

US4473736A · kind A · utility

48Cited by
8References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 6, 1981
Grant dateSep 25, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 6, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05H1/46
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A plasma generator comprises a metallic tube of small diameter inside which can circulate a gas such as argon at a small flow rate, which is discharged at the front end of the tube. The tube is coupled with an energizing structure which can comprise a frequency generator supplying electromagnetic microwaves, via a coaxial connection, a coupling structure allowing the transfer of the energy of the generator to the front portion of the metallic tube. In the absence of a gas current in the tube, the front portion radiates the energy transmitted to it in the manner of an antenna. When a gas is discharged at the end of the tube, said energy allows maintaining a plasma in front of the latter. This plasma generator device is usable in many applications, such as a blowtorch a light source or torch usable in spectrography, a plasma motor or an ion source.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.