GB2130195A - Embedding a plurality of electrical conductors in glass - Google Patents

Abstract

Between glass elements 1,2 are arranged a plurality of electrical conductors 4 spaced from one another by glass coatings 7 or glass spacers 5, and the assembly is fused. In one embodiment, thus-spaced ferromagnetic conductors are magnetically aligned in the annulus between two concentric glass cylinders, and the assembly fused to give tube 6 having the plurality of conductors 4 in its wall (Fig. 4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method of manufacturing a structure This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a structure and more particularly to one which has a plurality of members distributed throughout it.

The invention provides a method of manufacturing a structure having a plurality of members distributed throughout it including the steps of: taking two pieces of material; arranging the said plurality between the two pieces, the members arranged spaced from each other by spacers of the said material; and joining each of the pieces and spacers with adjacent ones, whereby the said structure is formed.

The use of spacers to locate the members allows their final position to be obtained with little or no application of strain, which would not be the case say for other methods in which external assemblies are used to hold the members during the joining process.

The method may be carried out in a uniform manner with little difficulty even when a large number of members are required.

The number and/or size of the spacers may be selected to provide a desired separation of the members.

A spacer may surround each member or adjacent pairs of members may be separated by spacers discrete from them.

Preferably the members are electrical conductors. It is preferred that if the members are ferromagnetic they are aligned, prior to joining, using a magnetic field, through, for example, they could be aligned by vibration.

Preferably the said material is glass. It is also preferred that the structure is a hollow tube having members disposed parallel to its longitudinal axis throughout its wall.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a schematic cross section of a tube; Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of spacers; Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating another arrangement of spacers; and Figure 4 illustrates the tube shown in Figure 1 after the method has been carried out.

With reference to Figure 1, a first hollow glass cylinder 1 has a second glass cylinder 2, which is also hollow, placed co-axially within it. A cavity 3 between the two cylinders 1 and 2 is large enough to admit ferromagnetic conductors 4 (not all of which are shown). These are spaced apart by glass spacers.

Referring to Figure 3, the conductors 4 are coated in glass, for example by drawing the wire into a glass capillary tubing during its manufacture, which form spacers 7. these glass coated conductors 4 are then laid next to each other within the first cylinder 1 and are arranged to be aligned parallel to its axis by the use of a magnetic field applied parallel to the conductors 4. The second cylinder 2 is then inserted within the first and the glass of the two cylinders and the spacers 7 is joined by raising the temperature and fusing it. This gives a structure 6, shown in Figure 4, which is a tube having conductors 4 embedded in its wall. The fusion process is carried out under vacuum, although it may take place in an atmosphere.

In an alternative arrangement, shown in Figure 2 spacers 5, similar in diameter and length to the conductors 4, are inserted between them so that the correct separation of the conductors 4 is obtained within the first cylinder 1 and the glass of the spacers 5 and cylinders fused in the same way as described previously.

Although the arrangements described above are shown as alternatives they may obviously be combined by, for example, having glass coated conductors separated by spacers.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a structure having a plurality of members distributed throughout it including the steps of: taking two pieces of material; arranging the said plurality between the two pieces, the members arranged spaced from each other by spacers of the said material; and joining each of the pieces and spacers with adjacent ones, whereby the said structure is formed.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 and wherein a spacer surrounds each member.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 and wherein adjacent pairs of members are separated by spacers discrete from them.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 and wherein the members are electrical conductors.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 and wherein the members are ferromagnetic and are aligned, prior to joining, using a magnetic field.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim and wherein the said material is glass.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim and wherein the structure is a hollow tube having members disposed parallel to its longitudinal axis throughout its wall.

8. A method substantially as illustrated in and described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A structure manufactured according to the method claimed in any preceding claim.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A method of manufacturing a structure This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a structure and more particularly to one which has a plurality of members distributed throughout it. The invention provides a method of manufacturing a structure having a plurality of members distributed throughout it including the steps of: taking two pieces of material; arranging the said plurality between the two pieces, the members arranged spaced from each other by spacers of the said material; and joining each of the pieces and spacers with adjacent ones, whereby the said structure is formed. The use of spacers to locate the members allows their final position to be obtained with little or no application of strain, which would not be the case say for other methods in which external assemblies are used to hold the members during the joining process. The method may be carried out in a uniform manner with little difficulty even when a large number of members are required. The number and/or size of the spacers may be selected to provide a desired separation of the members. A spacer may surround each member or adjacent pairs of members may be separated by spacers discrete from them. Preferably the members are electrical conductors. It is preferred that if the members are ferromagnetic they are aligned, prior to joining, using a magnetic field, through, for example, they could be aligned by vibration. Preferably the said material is glass. It is also preferred that the structure is a hollow tube having members disposed parallel to its longitudinal axis throughout its wall. The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a schematic cross section of a tube; Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of spacers; Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating another arrangement of spacers; and Figure 4 illustrates the tube shown in Figure 1 after the method has been carried out. With reference to Figure 1, a first hollow glass cylinder 1 has a second glass cylinder 2, which is also hollow, placed co-axially within it. A cavity 3 between the two cylinders 1 and 2 is large enough to admit ferromagnetic conductors 4 (not all of which are shown). These are spaced apart by glass spacers. Referring to Figure 3, the conductors 4 are coated in glass, for example by drawing the wire into a glass capillary tubing during its manufacture, which form spacers 7. these glass coated conductors 4 are then laid next to each other within the first cylinder 1 and are arranged to be aligned parallel to its axis by the use of a magnetic field applied parallel to the conductors 4. The second cylinder 2 is then inserted within the first and the glass of the two cylinders and the spacers 7 is joined by raising the temperature and fusing it. This gives a structure 6, shown in Figure 4, which is a tube having conductors 4 embedded in its wall. The fusion process is carried out under vacuum, although it may take place in an atmosphere. In an alternative arrangement, shown in Figure 2 spacers 5, similar in diameter and length to the conductors 4, are inserted between them so that the correct separation of the conductors 4 is obtained within the first cylinder 1 and the glass of the spacers 5 and cylinders fused in the same way as described previously. Although the arrangements described above are shown as alternatives they may obviously be combined by, for example, having glass coated conductors separated by spacers. Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a structure having a plurality of members distributed throughout it including the steps of: taking two pieces of material; arranging the said plurality between the two pieces, the members arranged spaced from each other by spacers of the said material; and joining each of the pieces and spacers with adjacent ones, whereby the said structure is formed.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 and wherein a spacer surrounds each member.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 and wherein adjacent pairs of members are separated by spacers discrete from them.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 and wherein the members are electrical conductors.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 and wherein the members are ferromagnetic and are aligned, prior to joining, using a magnetic field.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim and wherein the said material is glass.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim and wherein the structure is a hollow tube having members disposed parallel to its longitudinal axis throughout its wall.

8. A method substantially as illustrated in and described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A structure manufactured according to the method claimed in any preceding claim.