COOLED TABLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a table having a tabletop and including a refrigerating machine, at least one section of the tabletop being coolable by means of the refrigerating machine via a thermal contact; an upper vacuum chamber, which can be evacuated, for thermally insulating the thermal contact from a surrounding area of the table, said chamber connecting an upper face of the refrigerating machine facing the tabletop and the section to be cooled, and which has at least one flexible upper chamber section; a lower vacuum chamber, which can be evacuated, which is connected to a lower face of the refrigerating machine facing away from the tabletop, and which has at least one flexible lower chamber section; and a rigid stiffening structure, which is connected to the refrigerating machine via the flexible upper chamber section and via the flexible lower chamber section.

Claims

1. A table (1) with a tabletop (9), comprising: a refrigerating machine (20), wherein at least one section (10) of the tabletop (9) can be cooled with the refrigerating machine (20) via a thermal contact (22); an upper vacuum chamber (50) that can be pumped out, for thermally insulating the thermal contact (22) from an environment (100) of the table (1), which connects an upper side (26) of the refrigerating machine (20) facing the tabletop (9) and the section (10) to be cooled, with at least one flexible upper chamber section (51); a lower vacuum chamber (60) that can be pumped out, which is connected to a lower side (27) of the refrigerating machine (20) facing away from the tabletop (9), with at least one flexible lower chamber section (61); a rigid reinforcing structure (30), which is connected to the refrigerating machine (20) via the flexible upper chamber section (51) and via the flexible lower chamber section (61) respectively.

2. The table (1) according to claim 1, wherein the upper chamber section (51) and lower chamber section (61) are flexible at least along the same spatial axis (70).

3. The table (1) according to claim 1, wherein the upper chamber section (51) and the lower chamber section (61) are flexible at least along a normal (70) to a table surface (2) of the tabletop (9) and otherwise rigid, with the result that a lower vacuum volume (62) of the lower vacuum chamber (60) and an upper vacuum volume (52) of the upper vacuum chamber (50) are variable.

4. The table (1) according to claim 1. wherein the reinforcing structure (30) is rigidly connected to the upper vacuum chamber (50) and the lower vacuum chamber (60) respectively.

5. The table (1) according to claim 3, wherein the upper vacuum volume (52) and the lower vacuum volume (62) can be pumped out through the refrigerating machine (20) and/or an external pump stand (80) or various external pump stands (80).

6. The table (1) according to claim 1, wherein a pressure regulation device (90) is provided for setting an upper pressure (50P) in the upper vacuum chamber (50) and/or an upper gas stream (50F) from the upper vacuum chamber (50) and a lower pressure (60P) in the upper vacuum chamber (60) and/or a lower gas stream (60F) from the upper vacuum chamber (60).

7. The table (1) according to claim 6, wherein the pressure regulation device (90) is a fluid connection (91) between the upper vacuum chamber (50) and the lower vacuum chamber (60), with the result that the upper pressure (50P) and/or the upper gas stream (50F) can be equalized with the lower pressure (60P) and the lower gas stream (60F) respectively.

8. The table (1) according to claim 3, wherein an upper surface area (53) of the upper vacuum volume (52) and a lower surface area (63) of the lower vacuum volume (62), which are aligned parallel to the table surface (2), have substantially the same area, with the result that an upper force (50K) and a lower force (60K), which can be produced along the normals (70) to the table surface (2) by pumping out the upper vacuum chamber (50) and lower vacuum chamber (60) respectively, at least partially compensate each other.

9. The table (1) according to claim 6, wherein the pressure regulation device (90) is a cavity (31) in the reinforcing structure (30), which opens into the upper vacuum chamber (50) and the lower vacuum chamber (60) respectively.

10. The table (1) according to claim 6, wherein the pressure regulation device (90) comprises a control unit for the tunable control of the upper pressure (50P) and/or the upper gas stream (50F) as well as of the lower pressure (60P) and lower gas stream (60F) respectively, with the result that an upper force (50K) and a lower force (50K), which can be produced along the normals (70) to the table surface (2) by pumping out the upper vacuum chamber (50) and lower vacuum chamber (60) respectively, at least partially compensate each other.

11. The table (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the section (10) that can be cooled by the refrigerating machine (20) is a cryogenic plate (10) held in the tabletop (9).

12. The table (1) according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerating machine (20) is supported on at least one table leg (4) of the table (1), on the tabletop (9) and/or on a floor (82).

13. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The invention and advantageous developments are illustrated in the attached figures by way of example. Identical features and features producing an identical effect are only sometimes provided with reference numbers. There are shown in:

[0034] FIG. 1 a schematic sectional view of an embodiment example of the table according to the invention;

[0035] FIG. 2 a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment example of the table according to the invention;

[0036] FIG. 3 a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment example of the table according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 4 a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment example of the table according to the invention;

[0038] FIG. 5 a schematic sectional view of a further embodiment example of the table according to the invention; and

[0039] FIG. 6 a perspective view of a table according to the invention with an assembled hood.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a table 1 according to the invention, here an optical table 1. A tabletop 9 with a tabletop surface 2 lying on top of it is borne by table legs 4. Between each table leg 4 and the tabletop 9, one damping device 5 is arranged in each case. In one (or more) openings 3 in the tabletop 9 (in each case) a cryogenic plate 10 is rigidly secured by connection elements, with the result that an upper plate surface lies flush with the table surface 2. A flange (not shown) of a flexible upper chamber section of an upper vacuum chamber 50 is in mechanical and/or fluid connection to an upper side 26 of a refrigerating machine 20.

[0041] Furthermore, the lower plate surface is in mechanical and thermal connection via a flexible element 22 made of a thermally conductive material such as copper, which can carry a flow of heat designed for efficient cooling of the cryogenic plate 10. The refrigerating machine 20 and the cryogenic plate 10 are thereby not rigidly connected mechanically and consequently are mobile against each other at least orthogonally to the table plane and vibration-insulated or vibration-damped from each other. The underside 27 of the refrigerating machine 20 is in mechanical and fluid connection to a flange (not shown) of a flexible chamber section 61 of a lower vacuum chamber 60. The upper vacuum chamber 50 and the lower vacuum chamber 60 lie on opposite sides of the refrigerating machine with respect to a normal 70 to a table surface 2 of the tabletop 9. An upper/lower vacuum volume 52/62 of the upper/lower vacuum chamber 50/60 can be evacuated by a pump stand (not shown) of the refrigerating machine 20 or via an external pump line 81 through an external pump stand (80) to an upper/lower pressure 50P/60P. A reinforcing structure 30 connects, on the side of the environment 100 and rigidly, the upper vacuum chamber 50 to the lower vacuum chamber 60, wherein the connection attaches above the upper flexible chamber section 51 and below the lower flexible chamber section 61.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a table 1 according to the invention, as already described in FIG. 1. The flexible upper chamber section 51 and the flexible lower chamber section 61 can be contracted and expanded along the normal 70. Through the upper/lower pressure 50P/60P, which acts on the upper/lower surface area 53/63 orthogonal to the normal 70, an upper force 50K and a lower force 60K are formed, which act on the refrigerating machine 20 in opposite directions along the normal 70. If the lower force 60K is equal to the upper force 50K, the refrigerating machine 20 is not moved against the tabletop 9. This thus-suppressed movement could for example induce vibratory disturbances for the experiments taking place on the tabletop 9 (experimental set-up not shown). The upper force 50K is equal to the lower force 60K when the quotient of the difference between the ambient pressure P and the lower pressure 60P P2 and the difference between the ambient pressure P and the upper pressure 50P P1 is equal to the quotient of upper surface area 53 A1 and lower surface area 63 A2, A1/A2=(P−P2)/(P−P1).

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a table 1 according to the invention. The reinforcing structure 30 functions as a pressure regulation device 90, in order to equalize the upper pressure 50P and the lower pressure 60P. A cavity 31 of the reinforcing structure has outlets 32 into the upper vacuum chamber 50 and the lower vacuum chamber 60 respectively. This cavity 31 functions as fluid connection 91 for an upper gas flow 50F from the upper vacuum chamber 50 and a lower gas flow 60F from the lower vacuum chamber 60 to an external pump stand 80 or alternatively to a pump stand (not shown) of the refrigerating machine 20. It is also conceivable to design the pressure regulation device 90 as a component separate from the reinforcing device 30, for example as a flexible bellows tube.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a table 1 according to the invention. A cryogenic plate 10, to which the upper vacuum chamber 50 is flanged from below, is arranged on an opening 3 in the tabletop 9. The flexible upper chamber section 51 is flanged to the refrigerating machine 20 from above, for example by means of vacuum-technical of the upper vacuum chamber 50. In this embodiment the refrigerating machine 20 is supported in a rigid frame 28 which stands on the floor 82. From below, a flexible lower chamber section 61 of a lower vacuum chamber 60 is flanged to the refrigerating machine 20 or to the frame 28 rigidly connected thereto. The flexible upper chamber section 51 and the flexible lower chamber section 61 can for example be designed as a flexible bellows with annular connection flanges welded onto the ends in each case. The connection flanges can for example have an outer diameter of 6″ OD (approx. 152 mm) as well as an inner diameter of the free opening of 5″ ID (127 mm), 4″ ID (101.6 mm) or 3.5″ ID (89 mm). In the case of a typical setting of the upper/lower pressure 50P/60P in the upper/lower vacuum chamber 50/60, based on the atmospheric pressure (usually 1 bar) of the environment 100, an upper force 50K and a lower force 60K act equally in opposite directions, with the result that they compensate each other and compress the lower and upper flexible bellows. For an upper/lower surface area 53/63, which corresponds to the free inner diameter of the connection flange of the bellows of 101 (127) mm, then the upper/lower force 50K/60K is 80 (127) Newtons.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a table 1 according to the invention. In a modification of the embodiment represented in FIG. 4, the frame 28 is connected to the tabletop 9 via a number of damping devices 5.

[0046] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a table 1 according to the invention with table legs 4, a tabletop 9 as well as an assembled hood 40, for receiving for example a sample to be examined (not shown). The refrigerating machine is arranged in a housing 25 under the table. In the upper region the hood 40 bears a viewing window 46 as well as further viewing windows 41 in the lateral region for inspection of its interior by an experimenter. Together with the tabletop 9 bordering it, the hood 40 defines a volume that can be evacuated, in particular via an external pump stand 80. The hood 40 is secured to the surface 2 of the table via a flange 44. Inside the hood 40 a sample can be examined via the windows 41, 46, wherein the sample can be kept in a cryogenic atmosphere.

[0047] A person skilled in the art is also prompted by the invention disclosed here to combine features which are described in the context of different embodiments according to the invention, where technically possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0048] 1 Table [0049] 2 Table surface [0050] 3 Opening [0051] 4 Table legs [0052] 5 Damping device [0053] 7 Securing means [0054] 9 Tabletop [0055] 10 Cryogenic plate [0056] 20 Refrigerating machine [0057] 22 Thermal contact [0058] 26 Upper side [0059] 27 Underside [0060] 28 Frame [0061] 30 Reinforcing structure [0062] 31 Cavity [0063] 32 Outlet [0064] 40 Hood [0065] 41 Window [0066] 42 Cavity [0067] 44 Ambient temperature counterflange [0068] 45 Cryogenic counterflange [0069] 46 Viewing window [0070] 50 Upper vacuum chamber [0071] 50F Upper gas stream [0072] 50K Upper force [0073] 50P Upper pressure [0074] 51 Flexible upper chamber section [0075] 52 Upper vacuum volume [0076] 53 Upper surface area [0077] 60 Lower vacuum chamber [0078] 60F Lower gas stream [0079] 60K Lower force [0080] 60P Lower pressure [0081] 61 Flexible lower chamber section [0082] 62 Lower vacuum volume [0083] 63 Lower surface area [0084] 70 Spatial axis, normal [0085] 80 External pump stand [0086] 81 External pump line [0087] 82 Floor [0088] 90 Pressure regulation device [0089] 91 Fluid connection [0090] 100 Environment