Patents by Inventor Louis K. Bigelow

Louis K. Bigelow 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).

  • Patent number: 5976206
    Abstract: Diamond film with substantially no non-diamond carbon and a high thermal conductivity is deposited by means of a direct current arc jet apparatus with a substrate temperature below about 975 degrees Celsius, an arc power of between about 20 and 40 kw. A pressure of about 12 torr, and an enthalpy greater than 30 from a activated gas jet fed with hydrogen and methane, the methane being supplied at a concentration of less than 0.07%. The resulting material has a high transparency and thermal conductivity.Also disclosed is the use of the diamond material made by the present method for cutting tool applications, particularly milling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain/Norton Industrial Ceramics Corporation
    Inventors: Louis K. Bigelow, Kevin J. Gray, Grant Lu, Matthew A. Simpson, Gordon L. Cann
  • Patent number: 5738698
    Abstract: The reliability of a braze joint formed between a diamond film and a tungsten carbide body is increased by use of a vanadium-containing braze. The braze joint exhibits an average shear strength greater than about 40,000 pounds per square inch, (276 MPa) and the braze exhibits a contact angle with the diamond film of less than about 15.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Saint Gobain/Norton Company Industrial Ceramics Corp.
    Inventors: Rakesh R. Kapoor, Bela G. Nagy, Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 5736252
    Abstract: Diamond film with substantially no non-diamond carbon and a high thermal conductivity is deposited by means of a direct current arc jet apparatus with a substrate temperature below about 975 degrees Celsius, an arc power of between about 20 and 40 kw. a pressure of about 12 torr, and an enthalpy greater than 30 from a activated gas jet fed with hydrogen and methane, the methane being supplied at a concentration of less than 0.07%. The resulting material has a high transparency and thermal conductivity.Also disclosed is the use of the diamond material made by the present method for cutting tool applications, particularly milling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain/Norton Industrial Ceramics Corp.
    Inventors: Louis K. Bigelow, Kevin J. Gray, Grant Lu, Matthew A. Simpson, Gordon L. Cann
  • Patent number: 5567525
    Abstract: The reliability of a braze joint formed between a diamond film and a tungsten carbide body is increased by use of a vanadium containing braze. The braze joint exhibits an average shear strength greater than about 40,000 pounds per square inch, (276 MPa) and the braze exhibits a contact angle with the diamond film of less than about 15.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain/Norton Industrial Ceramics Corporation
    Inventors: Rakesh R. Kapoor, Bela G. Nagy, Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 5547121
    Abstract: The reliability of a braze joint formed between a diamond film and a tungsten carbide body is increased by use of a vanadium containing braze. The braze joint exhibits an average shear strength greater than about 40,000 pounds per square inch, (276 MPa) and the braze exhibits a contact angle with the diamond film of less than about 15.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain/Norton Industrial Ceramics Corp.
    Inventors: Rakesh R. Kapoor, Bela G. Nagy, Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 5523159
    Abstract: The reliability of a braze joint formed between a diamond film and a tungsten carbide body is increased by use of a vanadium containing braze. The braze joint exhibits an average shear strength greater than about 40,000 pounds per square inch, (276 MPa) and the braze exhibits a contact angle with the diamond film of less than about 15.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: St. Gobain/Norton Industrial Ceramics Corp.
    Inventors: Rakesh R. Kapoor, Bela G. Nagy, Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 5523158
    Abstract: The reliability of a braze joint formed between a diamond film and a tungsten carbide body is increased by use of a vandium containing braze. The braze joint exhibits an average shear strength greater than about 40,000 pounds per square inch, (276 MPa) and the braze exhibits a contact angle with the diamond film of less than about 15.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Saint Gobain/Norton Industrial Ceramics Corp.
    Inventors: Rakesh R. Kapoor, Bela G. Nagy, Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 5518766
    Abstract: A multi-layer diamond film is grown by d.c. arc assisted plasma deposition. A series of layers are deposited on each other by periodically back-etching the surface and renucleating during deposition. There may also be deposited a thin layer of non-diamond carbon material between the diamond layers, but no other non-carbon material. Renucleation is controlled by varying the proportion of methane to hydrogen in the feed gases, by temperature cycling of the substrate, or by inducing modal changes in the arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Louis K. Bigelow, Robert M. Frey, Gordon L. Cann
  • Patent number: 5370912
    Abstract: A method for depositing diamond film on a substrate utilizing a tuneable microwave cavity with an adjustable height and antenna and an electrically insulated chamber comprises the steps of decreasing the pressure within the chamber, creating a plasma including hydrogen gas within the chamber, tuning the cavity by varying its height and the depth of insertion of the antenna to minimize reflected power and properly position the plasma on the substrate, injecting a hydrocarbon gas into the chamber, and maintaining the plasma for a sufficient time for diamond film of the desired thickness to be deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Louis K. Bigelow, James T. Hoggins, Deborah Gunderson, Cristan Ellison
  • Patent number: 5364423
    Abstract: Synthetic diamond film produced by chemical vapor deposition can be crushed to obtain diamond grit which has useful abrasive properties. The flexibility of CVD deposition processes in determining diamond film properties means that CVD diamond grit properties can be tailored to particular abrasive applications. In a disclosed embodiment, the grit particles are coated with a magnetic material. The coated grit particles can then be aligned with a magnetic field, and the coated grit particles are bonded to a matrix while aligned. In a further disclosed form of the invention, a chemical vapor deposition system, such as an arc jet plasma deposition system, is provided in a chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Louis K. Bigelow, Frank J. Csillag, James T. Hoggins
  • Patent number: 5310596
    Abstract: A multi-layer diamond film is grown by d.c. arc assisted plasma deposition. A series of layers are deposited on each other by periodically back-etching the surface and renucleating during deposition. There may also be deposited a thin layer of non-diamond carbon material between the diamond layers, but no other non-carbon material. Renucleation is controlled by varying the proportion of methane to hydrogen in the feed gases, by temperature cycling of the substrate, or by inducing modal changes in the arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Louis K. Bigelow, Robert M. Frey, Gordon L. Cann
  • Patent number: 5310512
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing a non-planar synthetic diamond structure of predetermined shape. A non-planar mandrel surface of the predetermined shape is provided and the mandrel surface is coated with a release substance. Synthetic diamond is deposited on the coating of release substance. The release substance is then activated to effect release of the deposited synthetic diamond structure. In a disclosed embodiment of the method of the invention a dome-shaped hollow mandrel is coated with a metal-containing substance, and synthetic diamond is deposited over the coating using a plasma jet deposition process. The metal containing substance is then heated to release the resultant diamond structure from the mandrel. In a form of the disclosed method, the metal-containing substance is a metal alloy which is highly polished before deposition of synthetic diamond thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventor: Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 5205684
    Abstract: An enlarged diamond table for use as a cutter in rotating drill bits is provided by disposing a plurality of thermally stable or leached polycrystalline diamond (PCD) rod-like elements within a matrix body. In one embodiment the matrix body is impregnated with diamond grit and completely fills the interstitial spaces between the plurality of PCD elements. Generally, the PCD elements have their longitudinal axes arranged in a mutually parallel configuration. The bundle of rod-like diamond elements are in one embodiment in a compact touching array and in another embodiment in a spaced-apart array. In the illustrated embodiment, a bundle of rod-like diamond elements are disposed so that their end surfaces are exposed on the cutting face of the cutting slug. The slug is then in turn mounted on a stud or directly infiltrated into a matrix body bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Christensen Company
    Inventors: Alexander K. Meskin, Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 5030276
    Abstract: An improved temperature stable synthetic polycrystalline diamond (PCD) product includes at least one temperature stable PCD integrally and chemically bonded to a matrix carrier support through a carbide forming layer which is of a thickness of at least about 1 micron, the layer on at least one surface of the PCD is in turn bonded to the matrix carrier. A wide variety of shapes, sizes and configurations of such products is achieved through relatively low temperature and relatively low pressure processing. Various products of various geometries are described as well as the details of the processing to achieve chemical bonding of the PCD elements in a variety of support matrix carrier materials to form a unitary structure having a temperature stability up to about 1,200 degrees C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Chien-Min Sung, Sy-Hwa Chen, Leo Merrill, Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 4943488
    Abstract: An improved temperature stable synthetic polycrystalline diamond (PCD) product includes at least one temperature stable PCD integrally and chemically bonded to a matrix carrier support through a carbide forming layer which is of a thickness of at least about 1 micron, the layer on at least one surface of the PCD is in turn bonded to the matrix carrier. A wide variety of shapes, sizes and configurations of such products is achieved through relatively low temperature and relatively low pressure processing. Various products of various geometries are described as well as the details of the processing to achieve chemical bonding of the PCD elements in a variety of support matrix carrier materials to form a unitary structure having a temperature stability up to about 1,200 degrees C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Chien-Min Sung, Sy-Hwa Chen, Leo Merrill, Louis K. Bigelow
  • Patent number: 4673044
    Abstract: A drill bit having thermally stable PCD cutting elements includes a matrix body element having a plurality of spaced cutting elements supported in a body of matrix material such that a substantial portion of the cutter is above the body matrix and a minor portion is received within the body matrix. The cutters have side surfaces exposed and are so positioned that at least in some of the cutters more surface area of one side face is exposed as compared to the other side faces. The cutter support may include a small pad of matrix material to reduce the loading directly on the PCD. In a preferred form the PCD elements are mounted on pads or blades formed by spaced channels. The hydraulics are straight radial flow and improved hydraulic flow is achieved through the use of waterways which concentrate the fluid flow near the face of the cutters. In one form, improved hydraulics are obtained by having one fluid discharge port for each of the radially disposed fluid channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1987
    Assignee: Eastman Christensen Co.
    Inventors: Louis K. Bigelow, Richard H. Grappendorf, Alexander R. Meskin