Counterbalanced vacuum seal for neutron detectors

1. An atomic particle detection assembly including:

at least one detector configured to detect atomic particles; and

a junction apparatus supporting the detector, the junction apparatus including a first manifold attached to a first housing at an attachment location, the junction apparatus including a sealing device sealing the first manifold with respect to the first housing along a sealing axis, wherein the sealing axis is substantially parallel to and separated a first distance (d 1 ) from an attachment axis defined by the attachment location.

2. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first manifold includes a first manifold opening extending along the sealing axis.

3. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first housing includes a first housing opening extending along the sealing axis.

4. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first manifold opening is sealed with respect to the first housing opening by the sealing device.

5. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first manifold opening and the first housing opening define a pathway between the first manifold and the first housing such that the first manifold and the first housing are maintained at a second operating pressure.

6. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 5 , wherein the detector is positioned within a first chamber having a first operating pressure that is different from the second operating pressure.

7. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 1 , wherein a compression force (F c ) of the sealing device between the first manifold and the first housing is substantially uniform.

8. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 7 , wherein the attachment location is located between the sealing device and an end of the first manifold, the attachment location separated a second distance (d 2 ) from the end of the first manifold, the sealing axis of the sealing device separated a third distance (d 3 ) from the end of the first manifold.

9. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first housing is attached to the first manifold by an attachment device, the attachment device exerting an attachment force (F a ).

10. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 9 , wherein d 2 >d 1 *[(F c )/(F a −F c )].

11. An atomic particle detection assembly including:

at least one detector configured to detect atomic particles; and

a junction apparatus supporting the detector, the junction apparatus including:

a first manifold including a first manifold opening;

a first housing including a first housing opening, the first housing attached to the first manifold by an attachment device that extends along an attachment axis; and

a sealing device sealing the first manifold opening with respect to the first housing opening, the first manifold opening and the first housing opening extending along a sealing axis, wherein the sealing axis is substantially parallel to and separated a first distance from the attachment axis.

12. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first manifold opening and the first housing opening define a pathway between the first manifold and the first housing such that the first manifold and the first housing are maintained at a second operating pressure.

13. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 12 , wherein the detector is positioned within a first chamber having a first operating pressure that is different from the second operating pressure.

14. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second operating pressure is higher than the first operating pressure.

15. The atomic particle detection assembly of 11 , wherein the first manifold includes a second manifold opening extending along the attachment axis through which the attachment device extends.

16. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second manifold opening is located between the sealing device and an end of the first manifold.

17. An atomic particle detection assembly including:

at least one detector configured to detect atomic particles; and

a junction apparatus supporting the detector, the junction apparatus including:

a first housing; and

a first manifold attached to the first housing at an attachment location, the first manifold including a biasing portion that engages the first housing, the biasing portion configured to bias the first manifold towards the first housing.

18. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 17 , wherein the biasing portion is located on an opposite side of the first manifold from the detector.

19. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 17 , wherein the biasing portion includes a decreasing cross-sectional size in a direction away from the first manifold.

20. The atomic particle detection assembly of claim 17 , wherein the biasing portion is flexible in response to engaging the first housing.