What is claimed is:
1. A multifunctional integrated gas component unit, comprising:
a first gas component;
a second gas component; and
a connector coupling said first gas component to said second gas component such that said first and second gas components are stacked vertically; and wherein said multifunctional gas component unit is operable to mount on a modular base.
2. The multifunctional integrated gas component unit of claim 1, wherein said connector is a connector chosen from the group comprising a VCR connector, a Buttweld connector, and a Swagelock connector, and further wherein said multifunctional gas component unit is mounted on said modular base using a connector which meets SEMI Draft Doc. 2787.
3. The multifunctional integrated gas component unit of claim 1, wherein said first and second gas components can include any of a gas filter, gas purifier, moisture monitor, gauge, valve, diffuser, capacitance diaphragm gauge, pressure transducer, and pressure regulator.
4. The multifunctional integrated gas component unit of claim 1, wherein said first gas component is a pressure transducer and wherein said second gas component is a gas filter.
5. The multifunctional integrated gas component unit of claim 1, wherein said first and second gas components are coupled in such a way to comply with SEMI Draft Doc. 2787.
6. The multifunctional integrated gas component unit of claim 2, wherein said first and second gas components may be coupled using two C-seals, two B-seals, two CS-seals, two W-seals, or two Z-seals, and further wherein said multifunctional gas component unit can be mounted to said modular base using a C-seal, B-seal, CS-seal, W-seal, or Z-seal.
7. The multifunctional integrated gas component unit of claim 1, wherein said multifunctional integrated gas component further comprises a third vertically stacked gas component.
8. The multifunctional integrated gas component unit of claim 1, wherein said first and second gas components can be integrated in an in-line fashion by mounting said first gas component on said modular base, and connecting said second gas component within said modular base.
9. An integrated modular pressure transducerfilter apparatus comprising:
a filter section;
a pressure transducer section coupled to said filter section; and
a connector operable to connect said pressure transducer section to said filter section, and wherein said integrated modular pressure transducerfilter apparatus is operable to mount to a modular base.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said connector is a VCR connector, said VCR connector including a male VCR connection and a female VCR fitting.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said filter section includes a gas filter, a membrane, a C-seal, an input port, an output port, and said male VCR connection, and wherein said C-seal is welded to said filter section at a first weld and said male VCR connection is welded to said filter section at a second weld, and further wherein said filter section can be coupled to said modular base using a C-seal connector.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said disk membrane lays across said filter section opening between said C-seal and said filter section to provide a filtering function, further wherein said disk membrane has a log reduction value (LRV) of equal to or greater than four LRV.
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said disk membrane can be comprised of teflon, stainless steel, nickel, or ceramic, further wherein said disk membrane can be attached to the body of said filter section with a third weld around the outer circumference of said disk membrane.
14. A method of integrating a gas component unit, comprising the steps of:
coupling a first gas component to a second gas component such that said first and second gas components are stacked vertically with respect to a gas flow path; and
mounting said gas component unit to a modular base.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said coupling of said first and second gas components is done using a VCR connector, a Buttweld connector, or a Swagelock connector, and wherein mounting said multifunctional gas component unit on said modular base is done using a connector which meets the SEMI Draft Doc. 2787.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein said first and second gas components include gas filters, gas purifiers, moisture monitors, gauges, valves, diffusers, capacitance diaphragm gauges, pressure transducers, and pressure regulators.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said first gas component is a pressure transducer and said second gas component is a gas filter, and further comprising the step of coupling said pressure transducer to said gas filter using a modular connector.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said modular connector is a VCR connector, said VCR connector comprising a male VCR connection and a female VCR fitting.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein said gas filter includes a membrane, an input port, an output port, and said male VCR connection, wherein said mounting to a modular base further comprises welding a C-seal to said gas filter at a first weld and welding said male VCR connection to said gas filter at a second weld, further wherein said gas filter can be coupled to said modular base using said C-seal.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of positioning said membrane across said gas filter at an opening between said C-seal and said gas filter, further wherein said disk membrane has a log reduction value (LRV) of equal to or greater than four LRV.
21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of attaching said membrane to said gas filter using a third weld around the outer circumference of said disk membrane, and wherein said disk membrane can be comprised of teflon, stainless steel, nickel, or ceramic.
22. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of coupling said first and second gas components in such a way to comply with SEMI Draft Doc. 2787.
23. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:
coupling said first gas component to said second gas component using two C-seals, two B-seals, two CS-seals, two W-seals, or two Z-seals; and
mounting said gas component unit to said modular base using a C-seal, B-seal, CS-seal, W-seal, or Z-seal.
24. The method of claim 14, further comprising vertically stacking a third gas component.
25. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of coupling said first gas component to said second gas component in an in-line fashion by mounting said first gas component on said modular base and positioning said second gas component within said modular base.
26. A method for manufacturing a modular gas stick, comprising the steps of:
coupling a first gas component to a modular base; and
vertically stacking a second component on top of said first gas component and coupling said first gas component to said second gas component using a first connector.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising vertically stacking a third gas component on top of said second gas component and coupling said third gas component to said second gas component using a second connector.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein said first and second gas components include gas filters, gas purifiers, moisture monitors, gauges, valves, diffusers, capacitance diaphragm gauges, pressure transducers, and pressure regulators.
29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of integrating a pressure transducer and a gas filter to form a modular, integrated pressure transducerfilter integrated unit comprising:
a filter section;
a pressure transducer section; and
a modular connection operable to connect said pressure transducer section to said filter section.
30. The method of claim 26, wherein said modular connection is a VCR connector, said VCR connector comprising a male VCR connection and a female VCR fitting.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein said filter section comprises a gas filtering section, a membrane, a C-seal, an input port, an output port, and said male VCR connection, said C-seal welded to said gas filter at a first weld and said male VCR connection welded to said gas filter at a second weld, further wherein said filter section can be coupled to a modular base using C-seal connectors.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A wireless charging system for an electric vehicle, the system comprising:
a vehicle charging pad configured to wirelessly receive power from a base charging pad spaced from the vehicle charging pad; and
a detection apparatus on a surface of the vehicle, the detection apparatus configured to detect existence of a moving object within an exclusion zone underneath the vehicle, the detection apparatus comprising at least one antenna assembly configured to transmit radiation and to receive radiation reflected from material within the exclusion zone, the at least one antenna assembly having a radiation pattern for at least one of the transmitted radiation and the received radiation having a maximum gain and having a first gain intensity along a first line perpendicular to the surface less than half of the maximum gain on a linear scale.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna assembly is positioned along the first line and the radiation pattern has, in a plane perpendicular to the surface, the first gain along the first line, a second gain along a second line parallel to the surface, and the maximum gain along a third line between the first line and the second line, wherein the first gain is less than the maximum gain by at least 10 dB on a logarithmic scale and the second gain is less than the maximum gain by at least 10 dB on a logarithmic scale.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the third line is about 30 degrees, about 35 degrees, about 40 degrees, about 45 degrees, about 50 degrees, about 55 degrees, or about 60 degrees from the first line.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the third line is between 30 and 35 degrees, between 35 and 40 degrees, between 40 and 45 degrees, between 45 and 50 degrees, between 50 and 55 degrees, or between 55 and 60 degrees from the first line.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein the radiation pattern is generally omnidirectional in azimuth and has at least one lobe in elevation along the third line.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the radiation pattern is generally rotationally symmetric about the first line.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises a portion of an underbody of the vehicle and the surface has a normal direction pointing towards the ground.
8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the detection apparatus and to at least one of the vehicle charging pad and the base charging pad, the controller configured to receive at least one first signal from the detection apparatus, the at least one first signal indicative of existence of a moving object within the exclusion zone, the controller configured to respond to the at least one first signal.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to respond to the at least one first signal by pausing power transfer between the base charging pad and the vehicle charging pad for a predetermined period of time.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to continue monitoring the exclusion zone during the paused period of time.
11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to respond to at least one second signal indicative of no existence of a moving object within the exclusion zone.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to respond to the at least one second signal by initiating power transfer between the base charging pad and the vehicle charging pad.
13. A method of controlling a wireless charging system of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
transmitting energy waves in a pattern in a region below an underside surface of the electric vehicle, the pattern having a maximum gain and having a first gain along a first line perpendicular to the underside surface less than half of the maximum gain on a linear scale;
receiving energy waves reflected from material within the region; and
analyzing the received energy waves to determine whether the received energy waves are indicative of a moving object within the region.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pattern has, in a plane perpendicular to the underside surface, the first gain along the first line, a second gain along a second line parallel to the underside surface, the maximum gain along a third line between the first line and the second line, wherein the first gain is less than the maximum gain by at least 10 dB on a logarithmic scale and the second gain is less than the maximum gain by at least 10 dB on a logarithmic scale.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the third line is about 30 degrees, about 35 degrees, about 40 degrees, about 45 degrees, about 50 degrees, about 55 degrees, or about 60 degrees from the first line.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the third line is between 30 and 35 degrees, between 35 and 40 degrees, between 40 and 45 degrees, between 45 and 50 degrees, between 50 and 55 degrees, or between 55 and 60 degrees from the first line.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the pattern is generally omnidirectional in azimuth and has at least one lobe in elevation along the third line.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the pattern is generally rotationally symmetric about the first line.
19. The method of claim 13, further comprising, upon determining that the received energy waves are indicative of a moving object within the region, pausing power transfer by the wireless charging system.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising continuing said transmitting, said receiving, and said analyzing while power transfer is paused.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising, upon determining that the received energy waves are not indicative of a moving object within the region while power transfer is paused, initiating power transfer by the wireless charging system.
22. A method of controlling a wireless charging system of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
transmitting energy waves in a region below an underside surface of the electric vehicle;
receiving, in a pattern, energy waves reflected from material within the region, the pattern having a maximum gain and having a first gain along a first line perpendicular to the underside surface less than half of the maximum gain on a linear scale; and
analyzing the received energy waves to determine whether the received energy waves are indicative of a moving object within the region.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the pattern has, in a plane perpendicular to the underside surface, the first gain along the first line, a second gain along a second line parallel to the underside surface, the maximum gain along a third line between the first line and the second line, wherein the first gain is less than the maximum gain by at least 10 dB on a logarithmic scale and the second gain is less than the maximum gain by at least 10 dB on a logarithmic scale.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the third line is about 30 degrees, about 35 degrees, about 40 degrees, about 45 degrees, about 50 degrees, about 55 degrees, or about 60 degrees from the first line.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the third line is between 30 and 35 degrees, between 35 and 40 degrees, between 40 and 45 degrees, between 45 and 50 degrees, between 50 and 55 degrees, or between 55 and 60 degrees from the first line.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the pattern is generally omnidirectional in azimuth and has at least one lobe in elevation along the third line.
27. The method of claim 22, wherein the pattern is generally rotationally symmetric about the first line.
28. The method of claim 22, further comprising, upon determining that the received energy waves are indicative of a moving object within the region, pausing power transfer by the wireless charging system.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising continuing said transmitting, said receiving, and said analyzing while power transfer is paused.
30. The method of claim 29, further comprising, upon determining that the received energy waves are not indicative of a moving object within the region while power transfer is paused, initiating power transfer by the wireless charging system.
31. A wireless charging system for an electric vehicle, the system comprising:
means for wirelessly transferring power to the electric vehicle;
at least one means for receiving electromagnetic radiation; and
at least one means for transmitting electromagnetic radiation, at least one of the received electromagnetic radiation and the transmitted electromagnetic radiation having a radiation pattern, the radiation pattern having a maximum gain and having a first gain along a first line perpendicular to the surface less than half of the maximum gain on a linear scale.
32. The system of claim 31, wherein the transferring means comprises a base charging pad configured to transmit wireless power and a vehicle charging pad configured to receive the wireless power from the base charging pad.
33. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least one receiving means comprises at least one microwave radar sensor.
34. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least one transmitting means comprises at least one antenna assembly.
35. The system of claim 34, wherein the at least one receiving means comprises the at least one antenna assembly.
36. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for controlling the transferring means in response to signals from the at least one receiving means.
37. The system of claim 36, wherein the controlling means comprises a processor configured to receive signals from the at least one receiving means and to transmit control signals to the transferring means.