Patents Assigned to Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
  • Publication number: 20150289605
    Abstract: Embodiments relates to a hook side fastener having hooks and a loop side fastener having loops. The hooks and/or loops are made of bulk solidifying amorphous metal alloy. Other embodiments relate to methods of making and using the hook side and loop side fasteners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Joseph C. Poole, Theodore A. Waniuk, Quoc Tran Pham, Joseph Stevick
  • Patent number: 9108243
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device comprising: vacuum chamber; a stage configured to receive BMG in a molten state or a BMG feedstock, configured to spin, and located in the vacuum chamber; a heater configured to melt the BMG feedstock or to keep BMG in a molten state molten; wherein the stage comprises one or more conduits therein and the conduits are configured to accommodate a cooling fluid. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming a solid BMG sheet, the method comprising: disposing BMG in a molten state onto a stage; spreading the BMG in a molten state into a sheet of BMG in a molten state by spinning the stage; cooling the sheet of BMG in a molten state to form a solid BMG sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph W. Stevick
  • Patent number: 9044805
    Abstract: Described herein is a method of selectively depositing molten bulk metallic glass (BMG). In one embodiment, a continuous stream or discrete droplets of molten BMG is deposited to selected positions. The deposition can be repeated as needed layer by layer. One or more layers of non-BMG can be used as needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignees: Apple Inc., Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Joseph C. Poole, Joseph Stevick, Theodore Andrew Waniuk
  • Publication number: 20150144292
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus comprising at least one gate and a vessel, the gate being configured to move between a first position to restrict entry into an ejection path of the vessel and contain a material in a meltable form within the vessel during melting of the material, and a second position to allow movement of the material in a molten form through the ejection path. The gate can move linearly or rotate between its first and second positions, for example. The apparatus is configured to melt the material and the at least one gate is configured to allow the apparatus to be maintained under vacuum during the melting of the material. Melting can be performed using an induction source. The apparatus may also include a mold configured to receive molten material and for molding a molded part, such as a bulk amorphous alloy part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Quoc Tran Pham, Michael Deming, Theodore A. Waniuk, Sean O'Keeffe
  • Publication number: 20150131694
    Abstract: Disclosed is an induction shield configured to substantially reduce emissions emitted from an induction heat source (e.g., coil) during use. The shield is positioned adjacent to a vessel (e.g., in an injection system) having a melting portion configured to receive meltable material to be melted therein and an induction heat source positioned adjacent the vessel configured to melt the meltable material received in the melting portion of the vessel. The shield may include a tube configuration configured to flow liquid therein to absorb heat emitted from the heat source. The tube configuration can comprise a single tube or multiple tubes. The shield can be positioned adjacent the induction source in a helical manner, for example, or at ends of the vessel. The shield can be used during melting of amorphous alloy and for forming a part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: QuocTran Pham, Sean Timothy O'keeffe, Joseph Stevick, Theodore A. Waniuk
  • Patent number: 8978736
    Abstract: Described herein is a plunger of an injection molding machine, comprising a plunger body; a plunger tip that is a separate element from the plunger body and comprises an end surface configured to directly contact a molten material used in injection molding in the injection molding machine; wherein thermal conductance across the end surface of the plunger tip may be adjustable by moving the plunger tip relative to the plunger body such that temperature of the plunger tip may be adjusted during injection molding. When this plunger is used to injection molding of a BMG, it allows reduction of formation of crystalline phases near the plunger tip and allows replacement of the plunger tip without replacement of the plunger body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph W. Stevick
  • Patent number: 8944140
    Abstract: BMG may be squeeze cast in a squeeze cast machine. The squeeze cast machine may have a vacuum chamber, a transfer sleeve entirely located inside the vacuum chamber, and a plunger inside the transfer sleeve. The transfer sleeve may be configured to receive BMG feedstock from outside the vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber may prevent contamination of a BMG in a molten state. The plunger may push a BMG in a molten state into a mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph W. Stevick
  • Patent number: 8936664
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method of melting, comprising: providing a mixture of alloy elements that are at least partially crystalline; and heating the mixture in a container to a temperature above a melting temperature of the alloy elements to form an alloy, wherein the container comprises silica, and wherein the mixture comprising Zr and is free of Ti and Be.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Theodore Andrew Waniuk
  • Patent number: 8927176
    Abstract: Collector plates made of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys providing ruggedness, lightweight structure, excellent resistance to chemical and environmental effects, and low-cost manufacturing, and methods of making such collector plates from such bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Trevor Wende
  • Patent number: 8882940
    Abstract: Bulk solidifying amorphous alloys exhibiting improved processing and mechanical properties and methods of forming these alloys are provided. The bulk solidifying amorphous alloys are composed to have high Poisson's ratio values. Exemplary Pt-based bulk solidifying amorphous alloys having such high Poisson's ratio values are also described. The Pt-based alloys are based on Pt—Ni—Co—Cu—P alloys, and the mechanical properties of one exemplary alloy having a composition of substantially Pt57.5Cu14.7Ni5.3P22.5 are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: William Johnson, Jan Schroers
  • Publication number: 20140328714
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method of making an alloy feedstock, comprising: forming a first composition by combining Fe with a first nonmetal element; forming a second composition by combining Fe with a plurality of transition metal elements; forming a third composition by combining the second composition with a second nonmetal element; and combining the first composition with the third composition to form an alloy feedstock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Theodore Andrew Waniuk, Quoc Tran Pham
  • Patent number: 8858868
    Abstract: Disclosed is a temperature regulated vessel, and method for using the same, having a body configured to melt meltable material received therein, and one or more temperature regulating lines within the body configured to flow a liquid therein for regulating a temperature of the meltable material received in the melting portion. The vessel has a poor or low thermally conductive material on one or more of its parts, such as on the melting portion, on exterior surfaces of the body, and/or surrounding the temperature regulating lines to increase melt temperature of the material. The melting portion can also have indentations in its surface, and low thermally conductive material can be provided in the indentations. The vessel can be used to melt amorphous alloys, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: John Kang, Quoc Tran Pham, Theodore Andrew Waniuk, Sean Timothy O'Keeffe, Joseph W. Stevick
  • Publication number: 20140290901
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for loading one or more alloy ingots into a molding machine. The apparatus includes a holder configured to hold a plurality of the alloy ingots and dispense one or more of the alloy ingots into a melt zone of the molding machine through an opening in a mold of the machine. The holder is moved in a perpendicular direction with respect to an axis along a center of the opening in the mold between a first position in line with the opening in the mold to dispense one or more of the alloy ingots and a second position away from the opening in the mold. The apparatus can carry ingots of amorphous alloy material so that when the machine melts and molds the material, it forms a bulk amorphous alloy containing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph W. Stevick
  • Publication number: 20140293384
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to forming nano- and/or micro-replication directly embossed in a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy by superplastic forming of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy at a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the metal alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Timothy O'keeffe, Tran Quoc Pham, Theodore Andrew Waniuk
  • Publication number: 20140283959
    Abstract: A method to form an enclosure or assembly which is fitted together and joined via a thermoplastic forming operation in order to seal the enclosure and hinder attempts to tamper with the contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Theodore Andrew Waniuk, Tran Quoc Pham, Dennis Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20140284503
    Abstract: Radiation shielding structures comprising bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys and methods of making radiation shielding structures and components in near-to-net shaped forms are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Stevick, Theodore Andrew Waniuk, Tran Quoc Pham
  • Publication number: 20140262110
    Abstract: BMG may be squeeze cast in a squeeze cast machine. The squeeze cast machine may have a vacuum chamber, a transfer sleeve entirely located inside the vacuum chamber, and a plunger inside the transfer sleeve. The transfer sleeve may be configured to receive BMG feedstock from outside the vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber may prevent contamination of a BMG in a molten state. The plunger may push a BMG in a molten state into a mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Stevick
  • Patent number: RE45353
    Abstract: A method of making composites of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys, and articles made thereof, containing at least one type or reinforcement material, wherein the composite material preferably comprises a high volume fraction of reinforcement material and is fully-dense with minimum porosity are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Atakan Peker
  • Patent number: RE45414
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for continuous casting of amorphous alloy sheets having large sheet thickness using bulk solidifying amorphous alloys are provided. Thick continuous amorphous alloy sheets made of bulk solidifying amorphous alloys are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: William L. Johnson
  • Patent number: RE45658
    Abstract: Metallic foams comprising high viscosity materials and apparatuses and methods of manufacturing such foams, and more particularly methods for controllably manufacturing metallic foams from bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignees: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC, California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jan Schroers, William L. Johnson, Christopher Thomas Veazey, Marios D. Demetriou