Patents by Inventor Kekeletso Mlungwane

Kekeletso Mlungwane 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).

  • ABRASIVE COMPACT
    Publication number: 20140007515
    Abstract: The invention relates to an abrasive compact comprising a mass of diamond particles and a silicon containing binder phase wherein the diamond particles are present in an amount less than 75 volume % and the binder phase contains less than 2 volume % unreacted (elemental) silicon. The invention further relates to a method of producing an abrasive compact including the steps of forming a feed diamond powder into a diamond preform, interposing a separating mechanism between the diamond preform and a silicon infiltrant source, heating the diamond preform and silicon infiltrant source until the infiltrant is molten and the preform and infiltrant are isothermal and allowing infiltration from the molten silicon infiltrant source to occur into the diamond preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Element Six Abrasives S.A.
    Inventors: Iakovos SIGALAS, Kekeletso MLUNGWANE, Mathias HERRMANN
  • Abrasive compact
    Patent number: 8562702
    Abstract: The invention relates to an abrasive compact comprising a mass of diamond particles and a silicon containing binder phase wherein the diamond particles are present in an amount less than 75 volume % and the binder phase contains less than 2 volume % unreacted (elemental) silicon. The invention further relates to a method of producing an abrasive compact including the steps of forming a feed diamond powder into a diamond preform, interposing a separating mechanism between the diamond preform and a silicon infiltrant source, heating the diamond preform and silicon infiltrant source until the infiltrant is molten and the preform and infiltrant are isothermal and allowing infiltration from the molten silicon infiltrant source to occur into the diamond preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Element Six Abrasives S.A.
    Inventors: Iakovos Sigalas, Kekeletso Mlungwane, Mathias Herrmann
  • ABRASIVE COMPACT
    Publication number: 20100307067
    Abstract: The invention relates to an abrasive compact comprising a mass of diamond particles and a silicon containing binder phase wherein the diamond particles are present in an amount less than 75 volume % and the binder phase contains less than 2 volume % unreacted (elemental) silicon. The invention further relates to a method of producing an abrasive compact including the steps of forming a feed diamond powder into a diamond preform, interposing a separating mechanism between the diamond preform and a silicon infiltrant source, heating the diamond preform and silicon infiltrant source until the infiltrant is molten and the preform and infiltrant are isothermal and allowing infiltration from the molten silicon infiltrant source to occur into the diamond preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Iakovos Sigalas, Kekeletso Mlungwane, Mathias Herrmann