Patents by Inventor Kuang-O Yu
Kuang-O Yu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20090008059Abstract: A continuous casting furnace for producing metal ingots includes a molten seal which prevents external atmosphere from entering the melting chamber. A startup sealing assembly allows an initial seal to be formed to prevent external atmosphere from entering the melting chamber prior to the formation of the molten seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2008Publication date: January 8, 2009Applicant: RMI Titanium Company dba RTI NilesInventors: Michael P. Jacques, Kuang-O Yu
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Publication number: 20080060783Abstract: A seal for a continuous casting furnace having a melting chamber with a mold therein for producing a metal cast includes a passage between the melting chamber and external atmosphere. As the cast moves through the passage, the cast outer surface and the passage inner surface define therebetween a reservoir for containing liquid glass or other molten material to prevent the external atmosphere from entering the melting chamber. Particulate material fed into the reservoir is melted by heat from the cast to form the molten material. The molten material coats the cast as it moves through the passage and solidifies to form a coating to protect the hot cast from reacting with the external atmosphere. Preferably, the mold has an inner surface with a cross-sectional shape to define a cross-sectional shape of the cast outer surface whereby these cross-sectional shapes are substantially the same as a cross-sectional shape of the passage inner surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: March 13, 2008Applicant: RMI Titanium CompanyInventors: Michael Jacques, Frank Spadafora, Kuang-O Yu, Brian Martin
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Publication number: 20080060784Abstract: A seal for a continuous casting furnace having a melting chamber with a mold therein for producing a metal cast includes a passage between the melting chamber and external atmosphere. As the cast moves through the passage, the cast outer surface and the passage inner surface define therebetween a reservoir for containing liquid glass or other molten material to prevent the external atmosphere from entering the melting chamber. Particulate material fed into the reservoir is melted by heat from the cast to form the molten material. The molten material coats the cast as it moves through the passage and solidifies to form a coating to protect the hot cast from reacting with the external atmosphere. Preferably, the mold has an inner surface with a cross-sectional shape to define a cross-sectional shape of the cast outer surface whereby these cross-sectional shapes are substantially the same as a cross-sectional shape of the passage inner surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: March 13, 2008Applicant: RMI Titanium CompanyInventors: Michael Jacques, Frank Spadafora, Kuang-O Yu, Brian Martin
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Publication number: 20080035298Abstract: A continuous casting furnace includes a temperature control mechanism for controlling the temperature of a metal cast as it exits a continuous casting mold in order to provide improved characteristics of the metal cast. The temperature control mechanism includes a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the metal cast, and a heat source and cooling device for respectively heating and cooling the metal cast in light of the temperature of the metal cast. A control unit determines if the temperature of the metal cast is within a predetermined range and controls the heat source and cooling device accordingly. The heat source may double as a cooling device or the cooling device may be separate from the heat source.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2006Publication date: February 14, 2008Applicant: RMI Titanium CompanyInventors: Kuang-O Yu, Frank P. Spadafora, Michael P. Jacques
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Patent number: 7322397Abstract: A seal for a continuous casting furnace having a melting chamber with a mold therein for producing a metal cast includes a passage between the melting chamber and external atmosphere. As the cast moves through the passage, the cast outer surface and the passage inner surface define therebetween a reservoir for containing liquid glass or other molten material to prevent the external atmosphere from entering the melting chamber. Particulate material fed into the reservoir is melted by heat from the cast to form the molten material. The molten material coats the cast as it moves through the passage and solidifies to form a coating to protect the hot cast from reacting with the external atmosphere. Preferably, the mold has an inner surface with a cross-sectional shape to define a cross-sectional shape of the cast outer surface whereby these cross-sectional shapes are substantially the same as a cross-sectional shape of the passage inner surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2004Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: RMI Titanium CompanyInventors: Michael P. Jacques, Frank P. Spadafora, Kuang-O Yu, Brian W. Martin
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Publication number: 20070204970Abstract: A seal for a continuous casting furnace having a melting chamber with a mold therein for producing a metal cast includes a passage between the melting chamber and external atmosphere. As the cast moves through the passage, the cast outer surface and the passage inner surface define therebetween a reservoir for containing liquid glass or other molten material to prevent the external atmosphere from entering the melting chamber. Particulate material fed into the reservoir is melted by heat from the cast to form the molten material. The molten material coats the cast as it moves through the passage and solidifies to form a coating to protect the hot cast from reacting with the external atmosphere. Preferably, the mold has an inner surface with a cross-sectional shape to define a cross-sectional shape of the cast outer surface whereby these cross-sectional shapes are substantially the same as a cross-sectional shape of the passage inner surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2007Publication date: September 6, 2007Applicant: RMI Titanium CompanyInventors: Michael Jacques, Frank Spadafora, Kuang-O Yu, Brian Martin
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Publication number: 20070163387Abstract: A casting furnace for preheating and melting solid feed material includes a melting chamber with a melting hearth therein and a feed chamber in fluid communication with the melting chamber for conveying the solid material into the melting chamber. A heat source melts the feed material within the melting hearth and produces surplus heat used to preheat the solid feed material. Preferably, gas is heated by the heat source and moved into the feed chamber to preheat the feed material while it is conveyed toward the melting hearth. The heated gas is recycled back into the melting chamber to be re-heated therein and reused to preheat additional feed material in the feed chamber. Where the heat source in the melting chamber includes a plasma torch, the gas is recycled via the plasma torch, which ionizes the gas to create a plasma plume for melting the solid material.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2006Publication date: July 19, 2007Applicant: RMI TITANIUM COMPANYInventors: Frank Spadafora, Michael Jacques, Kuang-O Yu
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Publication number: 20060254746Abstract: A seal for a continuous casting furnace having a melting chamber with a mold therein for producing a metal cast includes a passage between the melting chamber and external atmosphere. As the cast moves through the passage, the cast outer surface and the passage inner surface define therebetween a reservoir for containing liquid glass or other molten material to prevent the external atmosphere from entering the melting chamber. Particulate material fed into the reservoir is melted by heat from the cast to form the molten material. The molten material coats the cast as it moves through the passage and solidifies to form a coating to protect the hot cast from reacting with the external atmosphere. Preferably, the mold has an inner surface with a cross-sectional shape to define a cross-sectional shape of the cast outer surface whereby these cross-sectional shapes are substantially the same as a cross-sectional shape of the passage inner surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2006Publication date: November 16, 2006Inventors: Michael Jacques, Frank Spadafora, Kuang-O Yu, Brian Martin
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Publication number: 20060102314Abstract: A seal for a continuous casting furnace having a melting chamber with a mold therein for producing a metal cast includes a passage between the melting chamber and external atmosphere. As the cast moves through the passage, the cast outer surface and the passage inner surface define therebetween a reservoir for containing liquid glass or other molten material to prevent the external atmosphere from entering the melting chamber. Particulate material fed into the reservoir is melted by heat from the cast to form the molten material. The molten material coats the cast as it moves through the passage and solidifies to form a coating to protect the hot cast from reacting with the external atmosphere. Preferably, the mold has an inner surface with a cross-sectional shape to define a cross-sectional shape of the cast outer surface whereby these cross-sectional shapes are substantially the same as a cross-sectional shape of the passage inner surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2004Publication date: May 18, 2006Inventors: Michael Jacques, Frank Spadafora, Kuang-O Yu, Brian Martin
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Publication number: 20050012252Abstract: A recessed rim cold hearth and flanged skull for producing refined metal from raw metal contaminated with high density inclusions and/or hard alpha particles. The hearth has a hollowed body with a rectangular bottom wall and respective upstanding rectangular side and end walls which have imbedded water pipes for cooling water to circulate. An upwardly open chamber is defined within the body which terminates at an upper rim for holding a skull of metal formed on the cooled walls of the hearth. The upper rim of the hearth has an upwardly open, inwardly disposed peripheral recess to form and receive an outwardly extending peripheral flange of solidified metal of the skull.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2003Publication date: January 20, 2005Inventors: Kuang-O Yu, Frank Spadafora
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Patent number: 6561259Abstract: A method for hearthless processing of a solid metallic material consisting essentially of titanium or other metal or alloy thereof which includes providing a solid metal block having a processing surface and a base surface and consisting essentially of titanium or a metal, forming a pool of molten metal on the processing surface of the solid metal block provided in step, adding the metallic material to be processed to the pool of molten metal formed in step, and melting the metallic material to be processed, and removing metallic material melted in step from the pool of molten metal.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2001Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: RMI Titanium CompanyInventors: Frank P. Spadafora, Kuang-O Yu
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Publication number: 20020189404Abstract: An improved process for successful and homogeneous incorporation of ruthenium and iridium into titanium and titanium alloy melts, ingots, and castings via traditional melting processes (e.g., VAR and cold-hearth) has been developed. This result is achieved through the use of low-melting point Ti-Ru or Ti-Ir binary master alloys within the general composition range of ≦45 wt. % Ru and with a preferred composition of Ti-(15-40 wt. % Ru), or within the general composition range of ≦61 wt. % Ir and with a preferred composition of TI-(20-58 wt. % Ir). Primary features are its lower melting point than pure titanium, lower density than pure Ru and Ir metals, and the ability to be readily processed into granular or powder forms.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2002Publication date: December 19, 2002Inventors: Ronald W. Schutz, Kuang-O Yu, Richard L. Porter, Frank P. Spadafora
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Publication number: 20020179278Abstract: A method for hearthless processing of a solid metallic material consisting essentially of titanium or other metal or alloy thereof which includes providing a solid metal block having a processing surface and a base surface and consisting essentially of titanium or a metal, forming a pool of molten metal on the processing surface of the solid metal block provided in step, adding the metallic material to be processed to the pool of molten metal formed in step, and melting the metallic material to be processed, and removing metallic material melted in step from the pool of molten metal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2001Publication date: December 5, 2002Inventors: Frank P. Spadafora, Kuang-O Yu
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Patent number: 6457512Abstract: Fully dense long ingots are produced by the bottom pouring method and apparatus of the present invention. A solidification sequence is achieved which is conducive to eliminating solidification shrinkage and piping. The set-up of the bottom poured ingot molds facilitates a solidification sequence starting from the top and then down the ingot mold and then up the down pour pipe.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 1998Date of Patent: October 1, 2002Assignee: Concurrent Technologies CorporationInventors: Kuang-O Yu, Alex Simkovich
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Patent number: 6409792Abstract: An improved process for successful and homogeneous incorporation of ruthenium and iridium into titanium and titanium alloy melts, ingots, and castings via traditional melting processes (e.g., VAR and cold-hearth) has been developed. This result is achieved through the use of low-melting point Ti-Ru or Ti—Ir binary master alloys within the general composition range of ≦45 wt. % Ru and with a preferred composition of Ti-(15-40 wt. % Ru), or within the general composition range of ≦61 wt. % Ir and with a preferred composition of TI-(20-58 wt. % Ir). Primary features are its lower melting point than pure titanium, lower density than pure Ru and Ir metals, and the ability to be readily processed into granular or powder forms.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2000Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Assignee: RMI Titanium CompanyInventors: Ronald W. Schutz, Kuang-O Yu, Richard L. Porter, Frank P. Spadafora
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Publication number: 20010037870Abstract: Fully dense long ingots are produced by the bottom pouring method and apparatus of the present invention. A solidification sequence is achieved which is conducive to eliminating solidification shrinkage and piping. The set-up of the bottom poured ingot molds facilitates a solidification sequence starting from the top and then down the ingot mold and then up the down pour pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2001Publication date: November 8, 2001Inventors: Kuang-O Yu, Alex Simkovich