Patents by Inventor Joseph W. Stevick

Joseph W. Stevick 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).

  • Publication number: 20160258688
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an apparatus and methods for containing the molten materials within a melt zone during melting. The apparatus may include a vessel configured to receive a material for melting therein and an induction coil with unevenly spaced turns along its length. Induction coil can have a series of turns acting as a first (e.g., load) induction coil and a series of turns acting as a second (e.g., containment) induction coil. The material in the vessel can be heated and contained by the separated turns of the induction coil. A plunger can also assist in containing material during melting. Once the desired temperature is achieved and maintained for the molten material, operation of the induction coil can be stopped and the molten material can be ejected from the vessel into a mold using the plunger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Adam A. VERREAULT, Sean T. O'KEEFFE, Joseph W. STEVICK, Brennan D. YAHATA
  • Patent number: 9346099
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an apparatus and methods for containing the molten materials within a melt zone during melting. The apparatus may include a vessel configured to receive a material for melting therein and an induction coil with unevenly spaced turns along its length. Induction coil can have a series of turns acting as a first (e.g., load) induction coil and a series of turns acting as a second (e.g., containment) induction coil. The material in the vessel can be heated and contained by the separated turns of the induction coil. A plunger can also assist in containing material during melting. Once the desired temperature is achieved and maintained for the molten material, operation of the induction coil can be stopped and the molten material can be ejected from the vessel into a mold using the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventors: Adam A Verreault, Sean T. O'Keeffe, Joseph W Stevick, Brennan D Yahata
  • Patent number: 9289822
    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: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLP
    Inventor: Joseph W. Stevick
  • Publication number: 20150352632
    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: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventor: Joseph W. Stevick
  • Publication number: 20150299824
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a method of making roll formed objects of a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, and articles thereof. The roll forming includes forming a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy at a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the metal alloy. The roll forming is done such that a time-temperature profile of the portion during the roll forming does not traverse through a region bounding a crystalline region of the metal alloy in a time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram of the metal alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christorpher D. PREST, Joseph C. POOLE, Joseph W. STEVICK, Theodore Andrew WANIUK, Quoc Tran PHAM
  • 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20150013933
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a vessel configured to contain a secondary magnetic induction field therein for melting materials, and methods of use thereof. The vessel can be used in an injection molding apparatus having an induction coil positioned along a horizontal axis and adjacent to the vessel. The vessel can have a tubular body configured to substantially surround and receive a plunger tip. At least one longitudinal slot extends through the thickness of the body to allow and/or direct eddy currents into the vessel during application of an RF induction field from the coil. The body also includes temperature regulating lines configured to flow a liquid within. The temperature regulating lines can be provided to run longitudinally within the wall(s) of the body between its inner bore and outer surface(s). A flange may be provided at one end of the body to secure the body within an injection molding apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Adam A. VERREAULT, Sean T. O'KEEFFE, Joseph W. STEVICK
  • Publication number: 20150013932
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an apparatus and methods for containing the molten materials within a melt zone during melting. The apparatus may include a vessel configured to receive a material for melting therein and an induction coil with unevenly spaced turns along its length. Induction coil can have a series of turns acting as a first (e.g., load) induction coil and a series of turns acting as a second (e.g., containment) induction coil. The material in the vessel can be heated and contained by the separated turns of the induction coil. A plunger can also assist in containing material during melting. Once the desired temperature is achieved and maintained for the molten material, operation of the induction coil can be stopped and the molten material can be ejected from the vessel into a mold using the plunger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Adam A. VERREAULT, Sean T. O'KEEFFE, Joseph W. STEVICK, Brennan D. YAHATA
  • Publication number: 20150013959
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a temperature regulated vessel and a fluid delivery device, and methods of use thereof. The vessel can be used in an injection molding apparatus and include one or more temperature regulating lines configured to flow a fluid or liquid within the body (e.g., to heat a cold device). The fluid delivery device is mounted in the apparatus and has a collar with an opening extending therethrough to sealingly mate with the vessel. A delivery channel is provided within the collar for directing an input flow of fluid into the vessel. An exit channel can also be provided within the collar for directing an output flow of the fluid from the vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Adam A VERREAULT, Sean T. O'KEEFFE, Joseph W STEVICK
  • Publication number: 20140334106
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a heat sink having nano- and/or micro-replication directly embossed in a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, wherein the heat sink is configured to transfer heat out of the heat sink by natural convection by air or forced convection by air, or by fluid phase change of a fluid and/or liquid cooling by a liquid. Other embodiments relate apparatus having the heat sink. Yet other embodiments relate to methods of manufacturing the heat sink and apparatus having the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher D. Prest, Joseph Poole, Joseph W. Stevick, Quoc Tran PHAM, Theodore Andrew Waniuk
  • 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: 20140262109
    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: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph W. Stevick
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20130037999
    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: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: Crucible Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: John KANG, Quoc Tran Pham, Theodore Andrew Waniuk, Sean Timothy O'Keeffe, Joseph W. Stevick