Patents Examined by Scott R Kastler
  • Patent number: 11905576
    Abstract: A method of vacuum arc remelting an ingot provided in a crucible assembly having an electrode includes generating a rotating magnetic field normal to a longitudinal axis of the ingot and localized to an arc region during remelting. The rotating magnetic field interacts with a melting current to produce a rotating arc directed radially outward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TITANIUM METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ashish D. Patel, Jeremy L Sensenig, Robert James McFarland, Jr., James Leroy Phillips
  • Patent number: 11905574
    Abstract: A system for the physical-mechanical recovery and refining of non-ferrous metals from electronic scrap, with means for the separation of the interest metals from the polymeric and resin support frames, which does not require the addition of solvents or temperature rise, for the disintegration and separation of materials, so that no toxic waste is produced for the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventor: Francisco Javier Jiménez Guzmán
  • Patent number: 11905568
    Abstract: A system configured for deformation compensation in real time during a heat treatment performed on a component. The system comprises a supporting structure; two or more clamping devices arranged with the supporting structure, one or more clamping devices including a clamp, a load cell and a motor; and a processing and control system configured to collect signals from a load cell and to send signals based on the detected loads to a motor to compensate for deformation due to the heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: AUTOTECH ENGINEERING S.L.
    Inventor: Ricardo Molina Mesa
  • Patent number: 11905572
    Abstract: A furnace for the heat treatment of a metal product includes constitutive elements, each having a thermal inertia property determined from physical parameters. The constitutive elements include walls delimiting at least partially the furnace, a heating unit for heating the metal product, and a rapid heating element for heating the metal product. The furnace also includes a control circuit for controlling the heating unit and/or the rapid heating element, based on one or more thermal inertia properties of one or more constitutive elements of the furnace, and at least based on a ground of a constitutive element of said furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DREVER INTERNATIONAL SA
    Inventors: Alexandre Lhoest, Daniel Martins
  • Patent number: 11905567
    Abstract: A high pressure, high temperature spray cooling system for heat transfer. The system includes: a supply tank having a heater and a high pressure pump; and a spray chamber spaced apart from the supply tank. The spray chamber has a workpiece receiving bed and a nozzle spaced apart from the workpiece receiving bed. The supply line has a first supply line end and a second supply line end. The first supply line end is connected to the supply tank and the second supply line end is connected to the nozzle so that the contents within the supply tank are supplied to the nozzle through the supply line at a high pressure to cool a workpiece on the workpiece receiving bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: KING FAISAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Muhammad Aamir, Muhammad Sajid, Muhammad Zubair
  • Patent number: 11897027
    Abstract: The cross-sectional shape of a flow passage 31 is circular in a first portion 3; the shape of a flow passage 51 is a flat shape in a second portion 5; in a connecting portion 4, the shape of a flow passage 41 is a shape continuously connecting the flow passage 31 of the first portion 3 and the flow passage 51 of the second portion 5; an opening 52 is provided on the distal end side of the second portion 5 and extends along a plane direction of the flat shape; and assuming that a maximum value of a cross-sectional area of the flow passage 31 in the first portion 3 is given by S1, that a maximum value of a cross-sectional area of the flow passage 51 in the second portion 5 is given by S2, and that a minimum value of a cross-sectional area of the flow passage 31 within a range of 20% of a length L1 of the first portion 3 from a boundary portion 42 between the first portion 3 and the connecting portion 4 toward the upstream side is given by S3, S2 is greater than S1, the ratio S1/S3 between S1 and S3 is 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SHINAGAWA REFRACTORIES CO., LTD
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Niitsuma, Keigo Fujita
  • Patent number: 11898797
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electric furnace including: a furnace body that includes an electrode; and a slag holding furnace that is configured to hold molten slag in a molten state and is capable of pouring the molten slag into the furnace body when tilted, in which the furnace body includes a cylindrical furnace wall, a furnace cover that is provided at an upper end of the furnace wall, a furnace bottom that is provided at a lower end of the furnace wall and includes a deep bottom portion and a shallow bottom portion as a region having a height of 150 mm to 500 mm from a deepest point of the deep bottom portion, and a slag pouring port that is provided at the furnace cover and through which the molten slag is poured from the slag holding furnace, the slag pouring port overlaps the shallow bottom portion in a plan view, and the area ratio of the shallow bottom portion to the furnace bottom in a plan view is 5% to 40%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiya Harada, Takashi Arai
  • Patent number: 11898216
    Abstract: A seamless steel pipe heat-treatment-finishing-treatment continuous facility includes: a heat treatment apparatus; a steel pipe inspection apparatus which performs a test for a surface defect and/or an inner defect of the seamless steel pipe, the steel pipe inspection apparatus being disposed downstream of the heat treatment apparatus; a main transfer mechanism which forms a main transfer path MT for transferring the seamless steel pipe, discharged from the heat treatment apparatus, to the steel pipe inspection apparatus disposed downstream of the heat treatment apparatus; and a first forced steel pipe-temperature reduction apparatus which forcibly reduces a temperature of the seamless steel pipe on the main transfer path MT, the first forced steel pipe-temperature reduction apparatus being disposed on the main transfer path MT at a position downstream of the heat treatment apparatus and upstream of the steel pipe inspection apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Kamitani, Takanori Tanaka, Atsushi Soma, Keiichi Kondo, Hideki Mitsunari, Seiya Okada, Takuya Matsumoto, Shinji Yoshida, Yuji Arai
  • Patent number: 11891677
    Abstract: The present invention discloses additive for reducing the roasting temperature of fluxed magnetite pellets and a method of using it, consisting of components: B2O3, Mn2O3, the B2O3 and Mn2O3 are pure chemical reagents, the mass of the additive is 0.8%, 4% of the dry basis mass of the magnetite concentrate, respectively, the magnetite concentrate, bentonite clay, calcium flux and additives will be dosed with 12-14% water of the dry base mass ratio of the mixture, prepared into green pellets of 10-12.5 mm in diameter in a disc ball making machine, After the pellets are completely dried, preheat them for 15˜20 min at 600˜1000° C. to ensure that Mn2O3 is fully decomposed, then roasting is carried out for 15 min at 1200° C., and after roasting, the pellets are cooled to room temperature to obtain the finished pellets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: NORTH CHINA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jie Li, Weixing Liu, Aimin Yang, Xiwei Qi, Fuxing Yu
  • Patent number: 11890674
    Abstract: A metal object manufacturing apparatus is configured to eject melted metal drops to form a continuous metal line over a line of spatially separated pillars in a single pass. The ejection frequency for forming the continuous metal line is different than the frequency used to form the pillars. In one embodiment, the ejection frequency for forming the pillars is about 100 Hz and the frequency used to form the continuous metal line over the line of spatially separated pillars is about 300 Hz with a drop spacing of about 0.2 mm. Continuous metal lines are formed to extend the continuous metal lines over the pillars laterally to fill the gaps between the continuous metal lines over the pillars. These continuous metal lines that fill the gaps are formed while operating the ejection head at the 300 Hz frequency with a drop spacing of 0.28 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher T. Chungbin, PriyaankaDevi Guggilapu, Daniel R. Cormier, David G. Tilley, David A. Mantell, Michael F. Dapiran
  • Patent number: 11890680
    Abstract: The invention relates to a piston (5) for a printhead (1) of a 3D printer, particularly a metal printer, comprising a piston rod (17) and a ram (18), the ram (18) having a discharge side (19) that has a convex or tapering surface (39). The invention also relates to a printhead (1) for a 3D printer, particularly a metal printer, comprising a housing (3), a device (28) for supplying a metal (14), a reservoir (7, 27) for a liquid phase (8) of the metal (14), a nozzle device (2) comprising a guide sleeve (11) and a nozzle plate (9), and a piston (5) according to one of the preceding claims, the ram (18), the guide sleeve (11) and the nozzle plate (9) forming a displacement chamber (21), and the ram (18) and the guide sleeve (11) forming at least one area (40) for conducting the liquid phase (8) between the reservoir (27) and the displacement chamber (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Schaeuffele, Benjamin Schweizer, Eberhard Maier, Viktor Friedrich
  • Patent number: 11874062
    Abstract: A molten metal pumping apparatus. The apparatus has each of a circulation function and a transfer function. The apparatus includes a molten metal pump having an outlet. The outlet is moveable while submerged in molten metal between a first position engaged with a circulation passage in a furnace assembly and a second position engaged with a transfer passage in the furnace assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Pyrotek, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Vild, Jon Tipton
  • Patent number: 11873538
    Abstract: Cooling device (1) for cooling a seamless, rolled pipe (R) made of a metal, preferably steel, which has a nozzle assembly (10) comprising one or more nozzles (14), which are configured to apply a cooling medium (K), preferably water or a water mixture, to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe (R) while the pipe (R) is transported along a conveying direction (F) through a cooling section of the cooling device (1), wherein the nozzle assembly (10) has an access (Z), via which the pipe (R) can be removed from the cooling section in the radial direction of the pipe (R), preferably upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Müller, Peter Thieven, Waldemar Vogel, Stefan Ernst
  • Patent number: 11872632
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for producing powders. The system includes a housing having an enclosure, a crucible configured to produce a melt of a first material, a droplet device configured to receive the melt of the first material from the crucible and produce a flow of droplets of the melt of the first material within the enclosure of the housing, wherein the droplets solidify within the enclosure, and a distribution device configured to propel a second material into the flow of droplets of the first material within the enclosure such that the second material is mixed with the droplets of the first material to produce the powder that includes the first material, the second material, and/or a reaction product thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ronald C Daul, Qigui Wang, Ali Shabbir, Yucong Wang, Andrew J Buckland
  • Patent number: 11874063
    Abstract: Moving metal strips can be heat treated with any number or combination of dimensionally variable tempers across widths, lengths, or thicknesses of a metal strip. To provide dimensionally variable heat treatment, an apparatus can include one or more heating units suitable to increase the temperature of a metal strip moving proximate the apparatus to a heat treatment temperature. The apparatus can also include one or more cooling units positioned near the heating units to absorb heat and cool the metal strip to minimize the amount of heat transferred from a first region of the metal strip that is to be treated to a second region of the metal strip that is not to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Novelis Inc.
    Inventors: Corrado Bassi, Vinzenz Hofmann, Jörg Simon
  • Patent number: 11866802
    Abstract: A method for recovering platinum group metals, includes melting a material to be treated containing platinum group metals, under heating in a furnace, along with a copper source material containing at least one kind of metallic copper and copper oxide, a flux component, and a reducing agent. The molten metal absorbing the platinum group metals is separated from a slag oxide through difference in specific gravity. The molten metal absorbing the platinum group metals is subjected to an oxidation treatment. An oxide layer containing as a major component copper oxide and a molten metal containing as a major component metallic copper containing the platinum group metals concentrated therein are separated through difference in specific gravity. A silver content in the molten metal separated in melting under heating is controlled to 2,000 ppm or more and 8,000 ppm or less, thereby recovering platinum group metals with high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: DOWA METALS & MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Minoru Kawasaki, Hiromitsu Yatsuhashi, Nobuaki Kita
  • Patent number: 11867462
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding and preheating a metal charge toward a melting furnace of a melting plant, comprising at least one conveyor channel for said metal charge, at least one hood disposed above said conveyor channel and scrap detection means able to identify the profile of the metal charge entering said conveyor channel. The present invention also concerns a plant for melting metal comprising said apparatus, and a method to feed and preheat a metal charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: DANIELI & C. OFFICINE MECCANICHE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Scubla, Nicola Rondini, Paolo Burin
  • Patent number: 11866799
    Abstract: A method of producing a shaped structure support, e.g., for a vehicle, is disclosed. The method includes: heating a hollow workpiece of a steel material to a material transformation temperature range; deforming the hollow workpiece in a press into the shaped structure support having a predefined complex geometry while the hollow workpiece is in the material transformation temperature range; and quenching the hollow workpiece through contact with a press tool of the press to provide the shaped structure support with a martensitic microstructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: L & W Engineering
    Inventors: Dean Richardson, Jason Bigelow
  • Patent number: 11858033
    Abstract: A system and method for installing and removing a porous plug relative to a port of metallurgic ladle includes an extendable boom rotatable about vertical axis and pivotable up and down at a first end of the boom. A mast is coupled to a second end of the boom and rotatable about multiple axes relative to the boom to position or maintain the mast in a given orientation, such as in alignment with the port of the ladle in response to rotatable or pivotable movement of the boom. The mast includes a slider mast that is translatable along the length of the mast to insert the plug or retract the plug. The mast may also include jaw grippers to secure the plug and may be configured to rotate the plug relative to the mast. The system may automatically control the position and orientation of the boom, mast, and slider mast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: J.H. FLETCHER & CO.
    Inventors: Timothy Burgess, William G. Kendall, Cassidy O'Connell, Dale Ferguson, Jeff Kemper, Jacobus Janse Van Rensburg
  • Patent number: 11859906
    Abstract: A compressing element, devices for using such a compressing element and methods of use are provided, in which the compressing element has: a upper surface provided with an inlet and an outlet; a lower surface; an at least partially hollow interior provided between the upper surface and the lower surface, the hollow interior being connected to the inlet and the outlet; the hollow interior being provided with: one or more fluid flow constraining surfaces provided by one or more walls of the follow interior; and one or more fluid flow control elements provided in the hollow interior, the one or more fluid flow control elements being additional to the one or more fluid flow constraining surfaces provided by the one or more walls of the hollow interior. The arrangement of inlet, outlet, fluid flow constraining surfaces and fluid control elements provides for improved cooling of the compressing element, for instance when used to press molten metal processing by-products to extract molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ALTEK EUROPE LIMITED
    Inventors: Alan Peel, Andrew Gibbs