Patents Examined by Christopher A. Fiorilla
  • Multilayered ceramic substrate production method
    Patent number: 6673180
    Abstract: A green sheet stack having a cavity is produced, and a shrinkage-reducing sheet containing inorganic powder material, which is not fired in a step of firing the green sheet stack, is prepared. The shrinkage-reducing sheet is placed so as to close an aperture of the cavity and to cover an end face in the sheet-stacking direction of the green sheet stack. The green sheet stack is pressed via an elastic member in the sheet-stacking direction so that the shrinkage-reducing sheet is cut and a shrinkage-reducing sheet piece formed of a cut portion of the shrinkage-reducing sheet is placed on a bottom surface of the cavity. The green sheet stack is fired in such a state in which the shrinkage-reducing sheet piece is placed on the bottom surface of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Harada
  • Method of forming ecoceramic-based silicon-carbide tooling for composites and method for forming composites using same
    Patent number: 6673279
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming items from ecoceramic-based silicon-carbide. A wood preform is machined to a general shape having over- or undersized dimensions. The preform is pyrolyzed to transform the wood of the preform to a porous, carbonaceous material that retains the general shape of the preform. The preform is then machined to final, net-shape dimensions and immersed in liquid silicon or silicon alloy that penetrates and infuses the preform. The infused preform is held at a temperature sufficient to cause the transformation of the material in the preform to silicon carbide, completing formation of the item. Also provided is a method of forming ecoceramic-based tooling and composite components using the tooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Slade H. Gardner
  • Method for making neutron absorber material
    Patent number: 6669893
    Abstract: A neutron absorbent material and a process for manufacturing said material, the neutron absorbent material having great resistance to mechanical damage and more particularly great resistance to crack propagation, which material contains boron carbide and hafnium in the form of powders of fine grain size, and with the manufacturing process it is possible, by reactive sintering of the two powders, to obtain a boron carbide based material having hafnium boride strata, which process comprises a step consisting of mixing boron carbide and hafnium and a reactive sintering step of the mixture obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Bruno Provot, Xavier Deschanels, Philippe Bry
  • Process for producing marl slags
    Patent number: 6666996
    Abstract: In a process for producing marl slags and marl slag cements or mixed components for mixed cements from marl having a basicity CaO/SiO2 of <2.0, it is provided that in a first process step argillaceous marl or a mixture of marl and clay having a basicity of <2.0 is dried, preheated and calcined and that, after this, the obtained product in a second process step is melted in a separate melting furnace at higher temperatures than applied in the first process step and is granulated from the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Tribovent Verfahrensentwicklung, GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Edlinger
  • Method for producing agglomerated boron carbide
    Patent number: 6652801
    Abstract: A method for producing agglomerated boron carbide, including the steps of providing a boron carbide powder precursor having particle sizes smaller than about 1 micron in diameter, mixing the boron carbide powder precursor with binder solution to form a slurry, drying the slurry to yield a solid residue, crushing the solid residue to yield green boron carbide particles, and firing the green boron carbide particles. The resultant agglomerated boron carbide particles have diameters generally ranging from about 5 to about 20 microns. The agglomerated boron carbide particles are characterized as boron carbide grains of about 1-2 microns in diameter suspended in a vitreous boron oxide matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Gerard E. Parker
  • Method for debindering of powder molded body
    Patent number: 6649106
    Abstract: A method for debindering of powder molded body, including dipping, in an extracting solution an aqueous surfactant solution, a ceramic powder or metal powder molded body containing a binder with at least two kinds of binder components, to selectively extract and remove at least one kind of binder component from the molded body, and then removing the binder components remaining in the molded body after extraction. This debindering method permits rapid debindering while preventing the generation of defects such as cracks and the like, is highly safe to human health and environment, and requires a low facility cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Sakaguchi, Shigeki Kato, Takayuki Kawae
  • Method for preparing radiopaque surgical implement
    Patent number: 6641776
    Abstract: X-ray imageable articles, for instance surgical implements or parts therefore which are used in minimally invasive surgical procedures, may be prepared by a process including the steps of: (a) preparing a mixture composition comprising: i) radiolucent particulate material selected from ceramic materials, metallurgic materials, and combinations thereof and having a particulate size of no more than 40 microns, ii) radiopaque particulate material selected from ceramic materials, metallurgic materials, and combinations thereof and having a particulate size of no more than 40 microns, and (iii) at least one polymeric binder material; (b) injection molding the mixture composition into a preform; (c) optionally removing the binder material from the preform; and (d) sintering the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Weaver, Dion Mraz
  • Process for producing silicon carbide composites from silicon-based polymers by radiation application
    Patent number: 6635215
    Abstract: Polycarbosilane is mixed with 5-35 wt % of polyvinylsilane to prepare a silicon-base polymer blend which is impregnated in silicon carbide fibers or fabrics to form a preceramic molding body which is exposed to an ionizing radiation to be rendered curing and then fired in an inert gas to produce a composite in which the silicon carbide matrix is reinforced with the silicon carbide fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute
    Inventors: Masaki Sugimoto, Yosuke Morita, Kiyohito Okamura, Masayoshi Itoh
  • Production process for alumina based insulator
    Patent number: 6632381
    Abstract: In insulator including alumina as a main component, a Na component in the insulator is set in the range of 0.07 to 0.5 wt % as Na2O. While the Na component content is as high as to have conventionally been regarded to be beyond the common sense, with this range of the Na component content, insulation resistance, mechanical strength and the like at high temperature are unexpectedly not reduced and an insulator with performances comparable to those of an insulator from conventional low soda alumina lower in Na component content than the above described range can be obtained. As a result, medium soda alumina and regular soda alumina that are much lower in cost than conventionally used low soda alumina can be used instead of the low soda alumina, so that dramatic reduction in production costs of insulator 2 for a spark plug 100 and in addition, of the spark plug 100 using the insulator 2 are realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Sugimoto
  • Process for manufacturing silicon carbide valve disc for nuclear reactors
    Patent number: 6630098
    Abstract: A main steam relief valve for use in a nuclear power plant. The valve disc includes a cylindrical first end of uniform external and internal circumference, a conical opposite end, an external surface, and an internal surface. The cylindrical first end preferably includes a plurality of groves on the external surface to prevent rotation of the disc. The conical portion is highly polished on the external surface to prevent the formation of cracks and is adapted to receive a push-rod on the internal surface and a valve seat on the external surface. The valve disc is constructed of approximately of 90% or greater silicon carbide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Inventor: Claude Ray Jones
  • Method for preparing refractory carbides
    Patent number: 6627126
    Abstract: A method for preparing a refractory carbide component includes the steps of providing a carbon rich polymer precursor to silicon carbide and excess carbon, determining an amount of excess carbon in the carbon rich polymer precursor, combining the carbon rich polymer precursor with a selected amount of refractory metal to form a precursor/metal mixture, the selected amount being selected so as to provide stoichiometrically equivalent amounts of the excess carbon and the refractory metal, forming the mixture into a preform of a propulsion component, and heating the preform so as to thermally degrade the carbon rich polymer precursor to produce the silicon carbide and the excess carbon, the excess carbon and the refractory metal reacting to form refractory metal carbide and provide the refractory carbide component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Wayde R. Schmidt, Donald C. Giedt
  • Method for manufacturing opaque rib structures for display panels
    Patent number: 6620370
    Abstract: Plasma addressed liquid crystal display ribs are formed by a method which includes forming a temporary mask on portions of a surface of a substrate, depositing a layer of a glass paste having a curable medium and at least one pigment blended therein over the substrate and temporary mask, micro-molding rib structures from the glass paste on the substrate surface in areas between the masked sections, removing any residual layer of paste material present on the temporary mask, removing the temporary mask from the substrate, and firing the substrate with micro-molded rib structures thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Themont
  • Methods for removing nucleophilic toxins from tobacco smoke
    Patent number: 6615842
    Abstract: This invention provides methods, devices and agents for the removal of nucleophilic toxins present in tobacco and tobacco smoke. The filter element of a tobacco smoking device or an air filtration device used in conjunction with a tobacco smoking device may comprise chemical moieties reactive with nucleophilic compounds, or agents that trap nucleophilic compounds may be incorporated into the filter element of tobacco smoking device such as a cigarette, cigar, pipe, or in a separate filter through which tobacco smoke passes before entering the mouth. The agents may also be incorporated into air filters for removing tobacco combustion product toxins from room air. The agents may also be incorporated into smoking or smokeless tobacco to remove toxins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Cerami Consulting Corp.
    Inventors: Anthony Cerami, Carla Cerami, Peter Ulrich
  • Process for making macro porous ceramic spheres
    Patent number: 6616873
    Abstract: Process for making thermally stable macro porous spheres with or without central core cavity includes steps of homogenizing dry pulverized selective constituents with or without burnable core particles and with <25% combustibles; sprinkling over pan pelletizer wetted with PVA aqua sol binder and rolling to form spheres having <25% moisture and dry compacting in pelletizer before oven drying at 90-100° C. until moisture and core particles are partially destroyed and sintering under rotary motion of the spheres for 45-60 minutes at 1350-1380° C. before being rapidly cooled down to ambient temperature and sieving and recovering therefrom low-to-high temperatures >90% loose fill macro porous spheres for catalyst and moulded bricks/monoliths forming refractory insulation applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Associated Cement Companies Ltd.
    Inventors: Venkateswaran Duraiswami, Vajifdar Parvez, Cursetji Rustom Minocher, Chatterjee Anjan Kumar
  • Molding of materials from graphite particles
    Patent number: 6613252
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing material suitable for the construction of a component of a fuel cell, such as a flow field plate or electrode. Uncured resin impregnated flexible graphite sheet is ground into particles. Without re-expanding the particles, and without adding further resin to the particles, the particles are molded into the form of the desired material. The material is then cured. Additives may be mixed with the particles to improve the properties of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Julian Norley, Michael Lee Warddrip, Daniel Witold Krassowski, Robert Angelo Mercuri
  • Method of making a permeable ceramic tile insulation
    Patent number: 6613255
    Abstract: A method of making a permeable fiber-reinforced ceramic body comprising mixing an organic particulate with silica fiber, alumina fiber, alumina borosilicate fiber, a dispersant, and water to produce a slurry of fibrous ceramic material. The slurry is then placed within a mold and vaccuum pressure is applied thereto to substantially remove the water to form a fibrous ceramic body. The fibrous ceramic body is then dried and sintered to a temperature sufficient to bond the ceramic material together to form a porous ceramic article. Simultaneously, the fibrous ceramic body is heated to a temperature sufficient to generally burn off the organic particulate to create voids interconnecting the pores to form a permeable fiber reinforced porous ceramic article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Robert A. DiChiara, Jr.
  • Method of forming a ceramic article including silicon carbide
    Patent number: 6613251
    Abstract: A method of making a ceramic article includes the providing a member. The member includes a cellulose-based material. The cellulose-based material is carbonized to carbon. At least a portion of the member is covered with silica sand after carbonization. At least a portion of the carbon of said member, which has been carbonized, is converted to silicon carbide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: Frank J. Savel, III
  • Method of forming superconducting composite article
    Patent number: 6613270
    Abstract: A novel process of the production and processing of high quality, high Tc BSCCO or (Bi,Pb)SCCO superconductors starts with fabrication of a forming a bundle including a plurality of billets, each billet containing at least one filament comprising a dominant amount of an tetragonal BSCCO phase with selected intermediate phases, and substantially surrounded by a constraining metal. The bundle is thermomechanically consolidated to form a multifilamentary precursor article by applying pressure and heat to the bundle under conditions cooperatively selected to cause interdiffusion of said constraining metal at the interfaces between said metal and said filaments and substantially complete elimination of voids in said bundle, and the consolidation step is completed before any high strain longitudinal deformation is performed on the bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Qi Li, Gilbert N. Riley, Jr., Lawrence J. Masur, Eric R. Podtburg, Ronald D. Parella, Martin W. Rupich, Donald R. Parker, William L. Carter, William J. Rosati, Mark D. Teplitsky
  • Friction member manufacturing method
    Patent number: 6610245
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a friction member by mixing powders of copper/tin-contained metal, ceramic and graphite, and performing high pressure molding and sintering. This manufacturing method produces a high-performance friction member of copper/tin-contained metal, in which segregation of tin is suppressed. Basically, the friction member manufacturing method includes the steps of: mixing powders of copper/tin-contained metal, ceramic, and graphite with each other to form a powder; molding the mixed powders under a pressure larger than 3 MPa; and sintering a molded object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Exedy Corporation
    Inventor: Jyunji Kanaoka
  • Microwave sintering of multilayer dielectrics with base metal electrodes
    Patent number: 6610241
    Abstract: Certain embodiments relate to a process for forming a multilayer electrical device. The process includes providing a multilayer structure including layers of a dielectric material and an electrode material. The electrode material may include at least one material selected from the group consisting of nickel and copper. A variety of dielectric materials may be used, such as barium titanate. The method also includes sintering the dielectric material by heating the structure using microwaves in an industrial nitrogen atmosphere, which contains an oxygen partial pressure of 10−2 to 10−12 atm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Shrout, Dinesh Agrawal, Balasubramaniam Vaidhyanathan