Patents by Inventor Nicholas W. Hutchinson

Nicholas W. Hutchinson 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).

  • Patent number: 10668529
    Abstract: Methods and systems for casting and thermoplastically forming bulk metallic glass articles are described. A molten alloy can be fed into a mold with a three-dimensional shape and a cavity. The mold is configured such that multiple two-dimensional cross sections of the cavity of the mold are different from one another in multiple first mathematical planes intersecting the cavity displaced from one another in a direction normal to the mathematical planes intersecting the cavity. Cooling the molten alloy in the mold provides one or more near net shape bulk metallic glass castings, can be thermoplastically formed using forms at a temperature above Tg to provide a bulk metallic glass article with a desired final shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Materion Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Yurko, Nicholas W. Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 10280494
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to Zr and Hf bearing alloys that are capable of forming a metallic glass, and more particularly metallic glass rods with diameters at least 1 mm and as large as 5 mm or larger. The disclosure is further directed to Zr and Hf bearing alloys that demonstrate a favorable combination of glass forming ability, strength, toughness, bending ductility, and/or corrosion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Yurko, Edgar E. Vidal, Nicholas W. Hutchinson, Jeffrey L. Mattlin, Theodore A. Waniuk
  • Patent number: 9802247
    Abstract: A counter gravity casting apparatus includes a reusable metal mold having a plurality of mold cavities, a feed tube configured to feed molten alloy into the mold, and a vacuum fitting configured to permit a vacuum to be applied to the mold. The mold includes multiple metal sections configured such that adjacent metal sections mate to one another, the metal sections being separable from one another. The metal sections include recesses that form the mold cavities, and the mold includes a sprue and multiple runner passages. The sprue is configured to receive molten alloy from the feed tube, and the multiple runner passages are configured to feed molten alloy from the sprue to the mold cavities. Methods of casting bulk amorphous alloy articles or feedstock is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Materion Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Yurko, Edgar E. Vidal, Nicholas W. Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 9790580
    Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing metallic alloys comprising volatile materials such as phosphorus suitable for bulk metallic glasses are described. The methods variously involve carrying out alloying at temperatures and pressures that minimize or counteract sublimation of the volatile species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Materion Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Yurko, Edgar E. Vidal, Nicholas W. Hutchinson
  • Publication number: 20160032435
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to Zr and Hf bearing alloys that are capable of forming a metallic glass, and more particularly metallic glass rods with diameters at least 1 mm and as large as 5 mm or larger. The disclosure is further directed to Zr and Hf bearing alloys that demonstrate a favorable combination of glass forming ability, strength, toughness, bending ductility, and/or corrosion resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: James A. Yurko, Edgar E. Vidal, Nicholas W. Hutchinson, Jeffrey L. Mattlin, Theodore A. Waniuk