Patents Examined by Kuang Y. Lin
  • Patent number: 7000678
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electromagnetic continuous casting apparatus for a material having a low electric conductivity. The casting apparatus includes a crucible having a vertical axis. The crucible comprises an upper hot crucible and a lower cold crucible. The crucible is surrounded with an induction coil. The hot crucible is formed of a non-metallic material having a high electric conductivity and is not water-cooled. The cold crucible has a cooling structure and is formed of a metallic material having a high thermal conductivity and a high electric conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
    Inventors: Byoung Moon Mon, Sang Mok Lee, Je Sik Shin
  • Patent number: 7000680
    Abstract: A casting mold which is molded by heating mulled sand including a mixture of refractory molding sand particles, an inorganic water soluble binder and water, wherein the inorganic water soluble binder is made of a combination of a sulfate compound such as magnesium sulfate heptahydrate and a borate compound such as sodium tetraborate decahydrate. The casting mold is formed by baking the mulled sand in such a manner that at least part of the sulfate compound retains water of crystallization therein and the borate compound is once fused and then cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignees: Tsuchiyoshi Industry Co., Ltd., Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Kurokawa, Hideo Une, Yuji Hori, Shoichi Nishi, Hiroaki Kusunoki, Naohiro Miura
  • Patent number: 6997233
    Abstract: To provide a mold capable of manufacturing a metal-ceramic composite member in which a predetermined number of ceramic members are joined onto a large joining metal, the large joining metal being free from swell and shrinkage cavity on the surface thereof and high in dimensional precision. A metal-ceramic composite member 3 according to this embodiment is manufactured in such a manner that a predetermined number of metal-ceramic bonded substrates 30 are placed in a mold main body 11 constituting a mold 1, with a ceramic substrate 31 side thereof facing upward, an atmosphere inside and outside the mold 1 is replaced with an inert gas such as a nitrogen gas from the atmosphere, a molten metal 42 is poured and filled in a first joining portion 14 that is formed by the molten metal main body 11 and an upper container 13 and that has a shrinkage cavity inducing portion 16 on a metal material holding portion side and a shrinkage cavity inducing portion 18 on an air vent side, and the molten metal 42 is cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyo Osanai, Susumu Ibaragi, Makoto Namioka
  • Patent number: 6998535
    Abstract: A method for casting articles from metal foam includes a molten metal bath and a foam forming means. The foam is drawn into a ladle, within a heated chamber, which transports a foam sample to a mold. The ladle deposits the foam sample into the mold and the mold is closed. Once cooled and hardened the formed article is removed. The system of the invention comprises a molten metal bath, a heated foam collecting chamber, a ladle for drawing a sample of the foam and for transporting the sample to a mold. The present invention provides an apparatus for carrying out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Cymat Corporation
    Inventor: Scott Nichol
  • Patent number: 6994148
    Abstract: A casting machine furnace apparatus that includes a furnace adapted to receive molten metal is described herein. The furnace includes an outer wall structure, a cover adapted to seal the furnace, a source of fluid, and a casting apparatus in fluid communication with the molten metal. The fluid is supplied into the furnace for applying fluid pressure on the molten metal. The application of fluid pressure on the molten metal causes the molten metal to supply the casting apparatus. The outer wall structure of the furnace is provided with a plurality of exhaust ports where the ports are provided in the outer wall structure at predetermined locations. The ports are selectively controllable between a first closed position, where the exhaust ports do not allow air to be exhausted from the furnace, and a second opened position, where the exhaust ports enable air to be exhausted from the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth D. McKibben, Daniel D. Minor, Alan P. Gould, Robert L. Macheske, Dean VanderJagt, Rick Van Horn, Khushal Wardak, Roger Mucci, John Starks
  • Patent number: 6991022
    Abstract: The invention relates to investment casting shell molds and their method of manufacture. The method entails mixing fiber such as ceramic refractory fiber and organic fiber with ceramic filler to form a dry blend. The dry blend is mixed with a binder sol such as colloidal silica sol to form slurry. An expendable preform is dipped into the slurry, stuccoed and dried. This step is repeated until a ceramic shell of a desired thickness is formed over the expendable preform. The expendable preform then is removed, and the green ceramic shell is fired. Molten metal then may be poured into the shell to form a metal casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Buntrock Industries, Inc
    Inventors: John Vandermeer, Kermit A. Buntrock, Thomas M. Branscomb, Arlen G. Davis
  • Patent number: 6988530
    Abstract: Twin roll caster for casting thin steel strip comprises chilled casting rolls mounted on carriers. One roll is fixed and the other is moveable laterally and biased toward the other roll by carrier drive units acting on the moveable roll carriers. A casting pool of molten steel is supported on the rolls which are rotated to produce a solidified steel strip delivered downwardly from the nip therebetween. A substantially constant gap is maintained between the rolls such that unsolidifed molten metal passes through the nip between the solidified shells of the forming strip and solidifies below the nip. The carrier drive units are effective to apply to the biased roll substantially constant and low biasing forces, which may be between the same and slightly more than the force required to balance the hydrostatic pressure of the casting pool and to overcome the mechanical friction involved in moving the biased roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Castrip LLC
    Inventor: Nikolco Nikolovski
  • Patent number: 6988529
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for preparing a metal or metal-alloy product for a casting process—wherein the product is brought into a partly solidified (semi-solidified) state before casting—in which the product contains crystallization nuclei uniformly distributed throughout its volume. The method involves introducing an amount of a chosen alloy (in pulverized form) and an amount of a chosen melt, which is at a temperature above the liquefaction temperature of the alloy, into a crystallization vessel, which is heated to below the liquefaction temperature of the alloy, and mixing the melt and the alloy together in the crystallization vessel by means of electrical and/or magnetic forces to create the desired product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Inventor: Evgenij Sterling
  • Patent number: 6986379
    Abstract: An aluminum casting process using a casting mold in which after the cavity (25) is filled with an inert gas, magnesium is introduced in to the cavity to have a magnesium layer (58a) deposited on the cavity wall. Then, nitrogen gas is introduced into the cavity to form magnesium nitride (58b) on the surface of the magnesium layer after the cavity wall is heated to a specific temperature. Then, molten aluminum is supplied to have an aluminum casting molded, while the surface of the molten aluminum (39) is reduced with magnesium nitride. This makes it possible to form magnesium nitride within a short time and decrease the amount of nitrogen gas as required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakao, Hiroto Shoji, Kunitoshi Sugaya, Takashi Kato, Takaharu Echigo, Satoshi Matsuura
  • Patent number: 6986380
    Abstract: Intervening fingers mounted within a mold gate cavity extend across a portion of the gate cavity and cooperate with one another to slow the flow of molten metal into the mold cavity and thereby reduce flow turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Rice, Tim O'Banion
  • Patent number: 6981541
    Abstract: A casting furnace for use in melting and molding metals. The furnace has a mold insertion and withdrawal system attached thereto and incorporates an offset mold elevator for moving a mold up and down from a mold chamber to a furnace chamber while eliminating the need for a pit. The furnace further includes a readily removable chill plate on which the mold rides. An overhead material feed system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Lectrotherm, Inc.
    Inventor: David O. Warren
  • Patent number: 6973956
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for producing a rolled metal strip from a molten metal by producing a cast metal strip in a strip casting device and then rolling the undivided metal strip in a roll stand to the final thickness of the strip. For controlling the course of the strip, strip guiding devices are provided upstream of the roll stand. In order to provide a stable insertion of the metal strip into the roll stand at the input side of the roll stand or at the site of rolling in accordance with the strip dimensions, the strip guidance interferes or is carried out at a distance of 1.0 to 10.0 times the strip width, preferably at a distance of 1.5 to 5.0 times the strip width, upstream of the roll stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Gerald Hohenbichler, Gerald Eckerstorfer
  • Patent number: 6971436
    Abstract: A connecting method for the wax patterns of the golf club head includes the steps of: prefabricating a first wax pattern and a second wax pattern, the first wax pattern providing with an engaging portion for engaging with the second wax pattern; employing a temperature difference to generate a manufacturing volume tolerance between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern; combining the engaging portion of the first wax pattern with the second wax pattern; and cooling the first wax pattern to shrink the engaging portion so as to fittingly combine the first wax pattern with the second wax pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Nelson Precision Casting Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Yung Huang
  • Patent number: 6966354
    Abstract: An apparatus for shelling an investment casting pattern has a tank containing a coating material. There are means for holding the pattern immersed in the coating material. There may be means for vibrating the pattern during immersion of the pattern and a vacuum source coupled to the tank to withdraw air from at least one headspace of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Marcin, Jr., Stephen D. Murray, Carl R. Verner, Maria A. Herring, Lea D. Kennard, Donald D. Schofield, Richard L. Ritchie, Reade R. Clemens, Michael K. Turkington, Delwyn E. Norton
  • Patent number: 6964293
    Abstract: The method of casting of the present invention is capable of making volume of a feeder head can be small and making cooling rate of the feeder head can be easily made lower than that of a cavity. The method is executed in a casting machine, which includes a casting die, in which the feeder head is provided between a metal inlet and the cavity and in which heat insulating of the feeder head is greater than that of the cavity so as to make cooling rate of the feeder head lower than that of the cavity. The method comprises the steps of: pouring a molten metal into the cavity; reacting the molten metal on a deoxidizing compound in the cavity so as to deoxidize an oxide film formed on a surface of the molten metal; and supplementing the molten metal in the feeder head to the cavity when the molten metal in the cavity is solidified and shrinked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Ban, Akira Sunohara, Yasuhiro Sasaki, Koichi Ogiwara, Sakuzo Nakatani
  • Patent number: 6964292
    Abstract: A process of fabricating a light alloy casting, such as an aluminum alloy casting, including at least one metal insert includes applying a coating of lampblack to a face of the insert intended to be in contact with the alloy of the component and casting the component with the molten alloy in a mold cavity in which the insert is positioned. Applications include fabricating engine blocks with integrally cast liners made of cast iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Montupet S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Meyer, Dominique Bardinet, Franck Plumail, Gérard Lesueur
  • Patent number: 6957685
    Abstract: A method of cleaning and of heat treating lost foam castings utilizing a heated, fluidized sand bed is disclosed. The fluidized action of the sand, the movement of the casting through the sand and the heat of the bed, combine to remove residue coating resulting from the lost foam casting process from the casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond J. Donahue, Kevin R. Anderson, Daniel D. Schingen, Christopher J. Misorski
  • Patent number: 6957686
    Abstract: A knife for heating the wax on the surface of a wax runner. The knife as a surface which is recessed in the center of the surface to permit melted wax to flow up into the recessed area and not flow away from the knife. Alternately, conformal heating surface which melts only that portion of the wax runner to which the pattern gate is affixed. Additionally an electrical circuit is provided which includes a heater and a temperature controller to limit the temperature at which wax is melted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: MPI Incorporated
    Inventors: Raymond H. Puffer, Jr., Bruce S. Phipps, Daniel Walczyk, Rory Mackean, Jason Chalfant, Keith F. Hendrck
  • Patent number: 6951239
    Abstract: An at least two step heating process is used to strengthen the shell of an investment casting mold including a refractory metal core. The first stage may occur under otherwise oxidizing conditions at a low enough temperature to avoid substantial core oxidation. The second stage may occur under essentially non-oxidizing conditions at a higher temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob A. Snyder, James T. Beals, Joshua E. Persky, Carl R. Verner, Lea D. Kennard, Dawn D. Mandich, Stephen D. Murray
  • Patent number: 6948549
    Abstract: A vacuum die casting apparatus includes a casting cavity (10), which is evacuatable via a vacuum valve (26). A liquid casting material is pressable into the casting cavity by a piston (14) actuated by an actuator (17). A filling level sensor (20) detects a predetermined filling level of the casting material in the casting cavity. A control device (34) is connected to the filling level sensor for controlling the vacuum valve, and a position sensor (32) is connected to the control device (34) for detecting movement of the piston (14). The control device generates a closing signal for the vacuum valve (26) when the piston, after reaching the position (s1) at which the filling level sensor (20) indicates a predetermined filling level of the casting cavity (10) with casting material has been reached, is displaced in a predetermined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Alcan BDW GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jürgen Wüst, Klaus Währisch, Dieter Auer, Elisabeth Wenzel, Christophe Bagnoud