Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for generating a plurality of electric discharges

US4631452A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
10References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 28, 1982
Grant dateDec 23, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 28, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05H1/44
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An electric discharge apparatus, for example a gas laser or discharge lamp, includes first and second electrodes defining a first discharge path and third and fourth electrodes defining a second discharge path alongside the first. A respective impedance is associated with any electrical connection between electrodes. The electrodes are electrically arranged such that either the current flow of a discharge along the first path is so different from the current flow of a discharge along the second path that, overall, the discharges repel one another, or stable electric discharges which coalesce are generated between respective electrodes of the first and second sets. A multi-electrode plasma torch is also provided comprising an electrode holder from which a plurality of electrodes project and a pilot electrode common to more than one of the electrodes.

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