Patents by Inventor Lea Kennard Castle

Lea Kennard Castle 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: 20160059302
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a method to regenerate a component. The method includes additively manufacturing the component with at least a portion of the component in a near finished shape. The component is encased in a shell mold, the shell mold is cured, the encased component is placed in a furnace and the component is melted, the component is solidified in the shell mold, and the shell mold is removed from the solidified component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: John McBrien, Lea Kennard Castle, Brandon W. Spangler, JinQuan Xu
  • Publication number: 20160061044
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a method to regenerate a component (10). The method includes additively manufacturing a component (10) to have voids greater than 0 percent but less than approximately 15 percent in a near finished shape. The component (10) is encased in a shell mold (22). The shell mold (22) is cured. The encased component (10) is placed in a furnace and the component (10) is melted. The component (10) is solidified in the shell mold (22). The shell mold (22) is removed from the solidified component (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: John McBrien, Lea Kennard Castle, Brandon W. Spangler, JinQuan Xu
  • Publication number: 20150037602
    Abstract: A die casting and a method for die casting a metal having a melting temperature of at least 1500° F. (815° C.) are disclosed. A molten volume of metal is injected to a casting die which includes a main cavity corresponding to an as-cast structure, a first reservoir, and a first runner arrangement. The first runner arrangement is configured to fluidly communicate molten metal between the first reservoir and the main cavity. After the injecting step, the casting die is sealed. The injected molten volume of metal is equiaxially solidified generally from a first portion of the main cavity distal to the first reservoir toward a second portion of the main cavity proximal to the first reservoir. During the equiaxial solidifying step, the main cavity is backfilled with at least a portion of the injected molten volume via the first runner arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Lea Kennard Castle, Mario P. Bochiechio
  • Publication number: 20140314581
    Abstract: A method of forming a metal single crystal turbine component with internal passageways includes forming a polycrystalline turbine blade with internal passageways by additive manufacturing and filling the passageways with a core ceramic slurry. The ceramic slurry is then treated to harden the core and the turbine component is encased in a ceramic shell which is treated to form a ceramic mold. The turbine component in the mold is then melted and directionally solidified in the form of a single crystal. The outer shell and inner ceramic core are then removed to form a finished single crystal turbine component with internal passageways.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John McBrien, Lea Kennard Castle, Brandon W. Spangler
  • Patent number: 8863817
    Abstract: A casting die includes a main cavity, a first reservoir and a first vent. The main cavity has a first interior volume for receiving a first molten volume of metal. The first reservoir is in serial fluid communication with the main cavity for storing a first molten backfill volume of metal to accommodate solidification shrinkage in the main cavity. The first vent is in serial fluid communication with the first reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lea Kennard Castle, Mario P. Bochiechio
  • Patent number: 8561668
    Abstract: A rapid manufacturing method includes forming tooling in a rapid manufacturing process. The tooling is coated with a conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lea Kennard Castle, John Joseph Marcin, Steven J. Bullied, Mario P. Bochiecchio, Kevin W. Chittenden, Carl R. Verner
  • Publication number: 20130115476
    Abstract: A metal casting apparatus includes a feeder for providing a molten metallic material. A mold includes a sprue and a component cavity. The sprue is arranged to receive the molten metallic material from the feeder and the component cavity is arranged to receive the molten metallic material from the sprue. A starter is arranged adjacent the component cavity and is operable to induce a first grain orientation upon solidification of the molten metallic material. The sprue includes an aborter that is arranged to induce a second grain orientation upon solidification of the molten metallic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Lea Kennard Castle, Steven J. Bullied, Maria Arceo Herring
  • Publication number: 20130025810
    Abstract: A rapid manufacturing method includes forming tooling in a rapid manufacturing process. The tooling is coated with a conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Lea Kennard Castle, John Joseph Marcin, Steven J. Bullied, Mario P. Bochiecchio, Kevin W. Chittenden, Carl R. Verner
  • Publication number: 20130026338
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a casting article for use in a casting process includes rapidly forming the casting article out of a metallic material. A ceramic coating is applied to an exterior surface of the casting article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Lea Kennard Castle, Mario P. Bochiechio, Carl R. Verner, Steven J. Bullied, John Joseph Marcin, Kevin W. Chittenden, Hector M. Pinero, Agnes Klucha, Michael C. Reiter
  • Publication number: 20130004788
    Abstract: A casting die comprises a main cavity, a first reservoir and a first vent. The main cavity has a first interior volume for receiving a first molten volume of metal. The first reservoir is in serial fluid communication with the main cavity for storing a first molten backfill volume of metal to accommodate solidification shrinkage in the main cavity. The first vent is in serial fluid communication with the first reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lea Kennard Castle, Mario P. Bochiechio
  • Publication number: 20120111525
    Abstract: A high temperature die casting system includes a die casting tool that has dies that are adapted for forming a component. The die casting tool is operable to heat and maintain a temperature of the dies above 500° F./260° C. At least a portion of the die casting tool that is exposed for contact with molten die casting material has a substrate and barrier coating on the substrate to protect from the molten die casting material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Mario P. Bochiechio, Lea Kennard Castle, Russell A. Beers, Mark F. Bartholomew, Douglas M. Berczik
  • Publication number: 20120111526
    Abstract: An example die casting system includes a die comprised of a plurality of die components that define a die cavity configured to receive a molten metal. One of the die components comprises a material that is not reactive with the molten metal and has a melting temperature above 815 degrees Celsius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Mario P. Bochiechio, Dilip M. Shah, Lea Kennard Castle, Douglas M. Berczik, John Joseph Marcin, Carl R. Verner
  • Publication number: 20100238967
    Abstract: An induction heated furnace assembly for producing a directionally solidified casting includes a susceptor that tailors strength of the magnetic field within the chamber to provide a desired grain structure in a completed cast part. The susceptor proportionally blocks portions of the magnetic field to provide different levels of magnetic stirring within the molten material at different locations within the furnace assembly stirring induced by the magnetic field is controlled and varied throughout the furnace assembly to create the desired grain structures in the completed cast article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Steven J. Bullied, John Joseph Marcin, Lea Kennard Castle