(19)
(11) EP 0 747 644 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
20.01.1999 Bulletin 1999/03

(43) Date of publication A2:
11.12.1996 Bulletin 1996/50

(21) Application number: 96108475.3

(22) Date of filing: 28.05.1996
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: F25B 9/02
(84) Designated Contracting States:
CH DE FR GB IT LI SE

(30) Priority: 06.06.1995 US 469163

(71) Applicant: HUGHES MISSILE SYSTEMS COMPANY
Los Angeles, California 90080-0028 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Skertic, Matthew M.
    Chatsworth, CA 91311 (US)
  • Hlava, Joseph L.
    Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 (US)
  • Brunton, Daniel W.
    Tucson, AZ 85730 (US)

(74) Representative: KUHNEN, WACKER & PARTNER 
Alois-Steinecker-Strasse 22
85354 Freising
85354 Freising (DE)

   


(54) Joule-Thomson cryostat


(57) A load temperature regulated, adaptive-orifice, Joule-Thomson cryostat which controls refrigeration output by servo-controlled gas flow regulation at the Joule-Thomson cryostat expansion, or throttling, orifice. The mechanism consists of a variable aperture needle valve 19 with an expansion orifice that is controlled by a miniature, electrically driven transducer 41, using closed-loop feedback control 59 which monitors 51 the temperature at or on a thermal load point and adjusts the gas throughput so as to maintain a desired cold temperature constant at the load 15.






Search report