Patents Examined by Steven Ha
  • Patent number: 9901977
    Abstract: A method of creating a sand mold for rapid casting, including the steps of determining a mold shape, providing a generally uniform thickness layer of sand, curing at least a portion of the layer of sand, machining the cured portions of the layer of sand based on the desired mold shape, and repeating the layer-forming, curing and machining steps until the sand mold is complete. Another aspect includes a machine for creating the sand mold having a build envelope defined by side walls, a movable build platform and at least one movable tool assembly, the movable tool assembly having a single or plurality of tools chosen from the group consisting of a sand dispenser, a sand leveling device, a curing device, and a machining device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Western Michigan University
    Inventors: Hemant Bohra, Sam N. Ramrattan, Margaret K. Joyce, Paul D. Fleming, III, Pavel Ikonomov
  • Patent number: 9895743
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for casting a cast part according to the tilt pour casting principle, and the metal melt (1) is poured from at least one tiltable casting vessel (2) into a casting mold (3) having a mold cavity (4) that forms the cast part, and the at least one casting vessel (2) and the casting mold (3) are arranged next to each other in one step, and in a subsequent step the metal melt (1) is settled, and the at least one casting vessel (2) and the casting mold are positioned in such a way before pouring the metal melt (1) from the at least one casting vessel (2) into the casting mold (3) that a settled level (a) of the metal melt (1) in the at least one casting vessel (2) is at the same height as a section of an inner surface of the casting mold (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Fill Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Wolfgang Rathner
  • Patent number: 9890824
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a monoblock-type caliper housing includes: preparing a middle core mold provided with a first and second core-forming portion and a first, second, and third channel; pouring molding sand into the first and second core-forming portions and the first, second, and third channels; heating the middle core mold to form a middle core; forming a salt coating layer on the surfaces of the first, second, and third channel-forming portions of the middle core; putting and heating the middle core in the middle core mold; putting the resultant middle core in a casting mold; pouring molten aluminum in a cavity between the middle core and the casting mold to form a caliper housing; applying ultrasonic waves to the caliper housing to remove the middle core; rinsing the caliper housing; and forming an oil supply hole in the caliper housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: J&C CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Cheol Kyu Jung
  • Patent number: 9884363
    Abstract: A method to manufacture reticulated metal foam via a dual investment solid mold, includes pre-investing a precursor with a diluted pre-investment ceramic plaster to encapsulate the precursor; and investing the encapsulated precursor with a ceramic plaster within an mold of a varied cross-section. A varied cross-section mold includes a mold thickness adjacent to an outer periphery of a pattern at a top of the varied cross-section mold is between 200-500% a thickness between the outer periphery of the pattern at a base of the varied cross-section mold. A varied cross-section mold includes a trapezoidal prism shape with a pour cone in a top, the top larger than the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan C Breneman, Steven J Bullied, John F Blondin, Ryan B Noraas
  • Patent number: 9878368
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a component in a die casting cell that includes a die casting system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, isolating a first chamber from a second chamber of the die casting system, melting a charge of material in the first chamber, sealing the second chamber relative to the first chamber, and simultaneously injecting the charge of material within the second chamber to cast the component and melting a second charge of material within the first chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mario P. Bochiechio, John Joseph Marcin, Carl R. Verner, John F. Blondin, Mark F. Bartholomew, Raymond P. Ristau, Kevin W. Chittenden, Gary M. Tamiso, Robert C. Renaud, Dennis M. Kraemer, Robert E. LeBrun, Paul R. Zamjohn, Charles A. Roohr, Kerry Kozaczuk, Roy A. Garrison, Steven J. Bullied
  • Patent number: 9868151
    Abstract: A method for producing an aluminum alloy, comprises: separately preparing an aluminum or aluminum alloy matrix and an aluminum nitride-aluminum composite; melting the matrix, and adding the aluminum nitride-aluminum composite to the molten matrix to prepare a melt; and casting the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joon Seok Kyeong, Woo Sik Lee, Yong Chun
  • Patent number: 9855598
    Abstract: A combined continuous casting and rolling system, a control device for such system, and a method for producing rolling stock, e.g., metal strip, using such system are disclosed. The combined continuous casting and rolling system may include a casting device for casting metal and a roll train having at least one roll stand for hot forming the rolling stock, wherein the system is operated such that the rolling stock extends continuously between the casting device and the roll train, wherein rolling stock is continually supplied to the roll train, and wherein a predetermined target thickness progression for the rolling stock is predetermined. Because the thickness progression has at least two different target thicknesses for different sections in the longitudinal direction of the rolling stock and the thickness progression is designed such that particular target thicknesses are set at least twice, longitudinally profiled rolling stock may be produced relatively inexpensively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Günther Winter
  • Patent number: 9855597
    Abstract: A breaker core for use in a casting process includes a disk-shaped breaker core (10) having breaker core body and a through-opening (11) for liquid metal. A ring-shaped frame (12) made from a heat-resistant material is secured to the breaker core (10) and has a netlike webbing (15) tensioned therein. The netlike webbing (15) is made from a fire-proof material and spans the through-opening (11) of the breaker core (10) on an underside of a feeder. The frame (17) is secured with an outer sidewall (17) to the body of the disk-shaped breaker core (10). A plane of the netlike webbing (15) tensioned in the frame (12) is secured with a stepped offset to an upper end of the sidewall (17) facing the feeder, so that the netlike webbing (15) is placed in an area of an underside of the breaker core (10) facing the casting model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: GTP SCHAEFER GIESSTECHNISCHE PRODUKTE GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg Schaefer, Thomas Schaefer
  • Patent number: 9833833
    Abstract: A refractory mold is disclosed. The refractory mold includes a fugitive pattern assembly comprising a hollow sprue that comprises a sprue wall disposed about a longitudinal axis; a pattern disposed outwardly of the sprue wall; and an outwardly extending gate attached to and extending between the sprue wall and the pattern, the hollow sprue, pattern and gate each formed from a fugitive material; and a refractory mold formed on and having a mold cavity defined by an outer surface of the fugitive pattern assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Hitchiner Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Hanrahan, Skip L. Patteuw
  • Patent number: 9827609
    Abstract: A cast mold fabricating device supplies thickener-coated sand and steam into a mold forming die at an optimum timing to shorten a mold fabrication time. The device includes the die 2 with an injection inlet 1, a sand supply head 4 for supplying and filling the thickener-coated sand 3 into the die, a steam supply head 5 for supplying steam into the die 2 to solidify and/or cure a thickener of the sand by application of heat of the steam. The device further includes a vertical drive 6 for lowering the sand supply head 4 to a position where the injection inlet 1 is connected to a sand nozzle 8 of the sand supply head 4, and a horizontal drive 7 for advancing the steam supply head 5 to a position where the injection port 1 is connected to a steam nozzle 9 of the steam supply head 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: LIGNYTE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Isamu Ide, Fumio Ueno
  • Patent number: 9815110
    Abstract: An edge dam of a twin roll type strip caster is provided as a refractory material having a sealing member for sealing both end surfaces of a pair of casting rolls, and is pressed and raised according to wear of the sealing member. To uniformly maintain a contact area of the sealing member and the casting roll in a process in which the edge dam is moved while the edge dam is pressed and raised, both sides and a lower part of the sealing member are formed as an inclined surface inclined inwardly of the sealing member. An angle of inclination of the inclined surface is increased in a direction in which the sealing member is raised, and the angle of inclination ? of the inclined surface is obtained by a relationship between a moving distance l due to raising of the edge dam and a wear depth d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: POSCO
    Inventors: Han Nam Cheong, Oh Seong Kweon
  • Patent number: 9808861
    Abstract: A process for casting TiAl components, having the following process steps: producing a melt (S) of the TiAl material below an inert gas fill (IF); placing a casting mold (1) on a gate (2) in a gastight manner; flooding the casting mold (1) with inert gas (IG) by opening a closure mechanism (7) which is arranged at the gate (2) and is connected to an inert gas source (8); pressing the melt (S) through the gate (2) into the casting mold (1) by increasing the pressure (P) of the inert gas fill (IF) above the melt (S) while at the same time evacuating the inert gas (IG) from the casting mold (1), and stopping the inflow of inert gas (IG) as soon as it is determined that the melt (S) passes above the position of the closure mechanism (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schneider, Frank Scherrer
  • Patent number: 9802246
    Abstract: A device for die-casting metal material, including a screw unit for bringing the material into a thixotropic state and a cylinder/piston unit fed by the screw unit for applying pressure to the thixotropic material for the die casting, wherein a thermally controllable valve is arranged between the screw unit and the cylinder/piston unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Mold-Thix-Consulting Bueltermann GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Bültermann
  • Patent number: 9789534
    Abstract: A method to manufacture reticulated metal foam includes coating a precursor in a molten wax to increase ligament thickness; and investment coating the molten wax coated precursor with a ceramic plaster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan B Noraas, Steven J Bullied, Mark F Bartholomew, John F Blondin, John Joseph Marcin
  • Patent number: 9789536
    Abstract: A method to manufacture reticulated metal foam via a dual investment solid mold, includes pre-investment of a precursor with a diluted pre-investment ceramic plaster then investing the encapsulated precursor with a ceramic plaster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan B. Noraas, Steven J. Bullied, Mark F. Bartholomew
  • Patent number: 9751127
    Abstract: A pulling-up-type continuous casting apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a holding furnace that holds molten metal, and a shape defining member disposed above a molten-metal surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, the shape defining member being configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article to be cast as molten metal passes through an opening formed in the shape defining member. The opening is formed in such a manner that a size of the opening on a top surface of the shape defining member is larger than that on a bottom surface of the shape defining member. With this configuration, a cast-metal article having excellent surface quality can be produced even when molten metal is drawn up in an oblique direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoaki Sugiura, Yusuke Yokota
  • Patent number: 9751128
    Abstract: A pulling-up-type continuous casting apparatus includes a holding furnace that holds molten metal, a shape defining member disposed above a surface of the molten metal held in the holding furnace, and configured to define a cross-sectional shape of a cast-metal article as the molten metal passes through it, an image pickup unit that takes an image of the molten metal that has passed through the shape defining member, an image analysis unit that detects a fluctuation on the molten metal from the image and determines a solidification interface based on presence/absence of the fluctuation, and a casting control unit that changes a casting condition only when the solidification interface determined by the image analysis unit is not within a predetermined reference range. The casting control unit uses a reference range which differs according to the pulling-up angle of the molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoaki Sugiura, Yusuke Yokota
  • Patent number: 9744586
    Abstract: The binder coated refractories comprises the refractory aggregates and the solid-form coating layer which comprises the sugar group as the binder and which is provided to the surface of the refractory aggregates. According to this, the sugar group is used as the binder for bonding the refractory aggregates. Further, even if the sugar group is thermally decomposed, the sugar group emits the carbon dioxide and the water. Therefore, there is little likelihood of emitting the harmful gas. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the environmental pollution. Further, the sugar group is thermally decomposed easily. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture the casting mold having the good breaking property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: LIGNYTE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Isamu Ide, Toru Seki, Shinji Nishida
  • Patent number: 9744588
    Abstract: In production of a reactive metal using a melting furnace for producing metal having a hearth, ingots can be efficiently produced by efficiently cooling the ingots extracted from the mold provided in the melting furnace. In addition, an apparatus structure in which multiple ingots can be produced with high efficiency and high quality from one hearth, is provided. A melting furnace for producing metal is provided, the furnace has a hearth for having molten metal formed by melting raw material, a mold in which the molten metal is poured, an extracting jig which is provided below the mold for extracting ingot cooled and solidified downwardly, a cooling member for cooling the ingot extracted downwardly of the mold, and an outer case for keeping the hearth, the mold, the extracting jig, and the cooling member separated from the air, wherein at least one mold and extracting jig are provided in the outer case, and the cooling member is provided between the outer case and the ingot, or between the multiple ingots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOHO TITANIUM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Oda, Hisamune Tanaka, Takeshi Shiraki, Norio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9744590
    Abstract: An apparatus for injecting molten metal into a die cast machine is provided. The apparatus includes a molten metal reservoir having a first open end in fluid communication with a die casting mold and a second open end. The molten metal reservoir includes at least one first cooling fluid path positioned about at least a portion of an outer surface of the molten metal reservoir and in thermal contact with the molten metal reservoir. The apparatus further includes a plunger sized to fit within the second open end. The plunger includes a plunger tip and a second cooling fluid path defined within the plunger tip and in thermal contact with the molten metal reservoir. A plurality of thermal actuators are also provided. Each of the plurality of thermal actuators controls a volume of cooling fluid flowing through one first cooling fluid path of the at least one first cooling fluid path or the second cooling fluid path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Karl Schroeder, Robert C. De Neff, Tom Stasiak, Tim Hider, Shane Homan, Don Whitmore