Integrated Dilution Refrigerators
Patent No. US12313320 (titled "Integrated Dilution Refrigerators") was filed by Maybell Quantum Industries Inc on Jul 8, 2022.
What is this patent about?
’320 is related to the field of cryogenic cooling, specifically dilution refrigerators. These refrigerators are used to achieve extremely low temperatures (mK range) by exploiting the heat of mixing of Helium-3 and Helium-4 isotopes. Traditional dilution refrigerators are bulky, require significant infrastructure, and can be difficult to maintain, hindering the scalability of technologies that rely on them, such as quantum computing.
The underlying idea behind ’320 is to improve the accessibility, maintainability, and integration of dilution refrigerators. This is achieved by modularizing the refrigerator's components, integrating it with standard server rack infrastructure, and incorporating features that simplify assembly, disassembly, and access to the experimental volume. The design emphasizes a compact footprint and ease of use, addressing the limitations of conventional dilution refrigerators.
The claims of ’320 focus on a dilution refrigerator featuring an outer vacuum chamber with at least one substantially planar surface and an opening in that surface. This opening is specifically designed to provide access to the experimental volume located inside the chamber. Some claims specify that the planar surface is perpendicular to the floor, and others specify that the opening includes a hinged door.
The invention works by providing a more accessible and user-friendly design for dilution refrigerators. The planar surfaces and the opening with a hinged door allow for easier access to the experimental volume for sample changes or maintenance. The modular design, with removable sections and tool-free assembly using integrated clamps or cams, simplifies the process of assembling and disassembling the refrigerator, reducing downtime and maintenance complexity.
This design differentiates itself from traditional dilution refrigerators by focusing on integration and accessibility. Instead of requiring custom-built infrastructure, the refrigerator is designed to fit within a standard server rack. The tool-free assembly and easily accessible experimental volume streamline the workflow for researchers and engineers, making the technology more practical for widespread adoption in fields like quantum computing and low-temperature physics.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2020s when ’320 was filed, dilution refrigerators were commonly precooled using cryocoolers rather than liquid nitrogen and helium baths. At a time when accessing internal components of such refrigerators often required significant disassembly, systems commonly relied on complex mechanical supports and vacuum seals to maintain cryogenic conditions. When hardware or software constraints made integration with standard server rack infrastructure non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the patent because the prior art neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed combination. Specifically, the prior art does not disclose an outer vacuum chamber comprising an outer housing having at least one substantially planar surface, and an opening in the at least one substantially planar surface of the outer housing configured to provide access to an experimental volume disposed within an interior of the outer vacuum chamber. Furthermore, there is no teaching in the prior art that would motivate one of ordinary skill in the art to modify existing teachings to incorporate these limitations.
Claims
This patent contains 21 claims, with independent claims 1, 17, and 18 directed to a dilution refrigerator having an outer vacuum chamber with a planar surface and an access opening. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features and configurations of the dilution refrigerator described in the independent claims, such as radiation shields, server rack integration, and door mechanisms.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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US12313320
- Application Number
- US17860950
- Filing Date
- Jul 8, 2022
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Aug 11, 2043
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents