Patents by Inventor Nigel Ricketts

Nigel Ricketts 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: 11384412
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a metal alloy. The method includes preparing a mixture of scandium oxide and a flux, thereby obtaining a flux-oxide mixture, wherein the flux contains less than 20% fluoride by weight, based on the total weight of the flux; mixing the flux-oxide mixture with molten aluminum, thereby obtaining a flux-metal mixture; cooling the flux-metal mixture; and separating at least a portion of the flux from the flux-metal mixture, thereby obtaining a metal alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Scandium International Mining Corporation
    Inventor: Nigel Ricketts
  • Patent number: 10988830
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a scandium-bearing aluminum alloy. The method includes preparing a mixture of scandium oxide and a first flux, thereby obtaining a flux-oxide mixture; mixing the flux-oxide mixture with a first portion of molten metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys, thereby obtaining a flux-metal mixture; obtaining a scandium-containing master alloy from the flux-metal mixture by performing the steps, in any order, of (a) cooling the flux-metal mixture, and (b) separating at least a portion of the flux from the flux-metal mixture; adding the scandium-bearing master alloy to a second portion of molten metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys, thereby obtaining a second metal mixture; and cooling the second metal mixture to obtain a scandium-bearing aluminum alloy; wherein the first flux contains less than 20% fluoride by weight, based on the total weight of flux added to the molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Scandium International Mining Corporation
    Inventor: Nigel Ricketts
  • Publication number: 20190218644
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a scandium-bearing aluminum alloy. The method includes preparing a mixture of scandium oxide and a first flux, thereby obtaining a flux-oxide mixture; mixing the flux-oxide mixture with a first portion of molten metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys, thereby obtaining a flux-metal mixture; obtaining a scandium-containing master alloy from the flux-metal mixture by performing the steps, in any order, of (a) cooling the flux-metal mixture, and (b) separating at least a portion of the flux from the flux-metal mixture; adding the scandium-bearing master alloy to a second portion of molten metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys, thereby obtaining a second metal mixture; and cooling the second metal mixture to obtain a scandium-bearing aluminum alloy; wherein the first flux contains less than 20% fluoride by weight, based on the total weight of flux added to the molten metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventor: Nigel Ricketts
  • Publication number: 20190218645
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a metal alloy. The method includes preparing a mixture of scandium oxide and a flux, thereby obtaining a flux-oxide mixture, wherein the flux contains less than 20% fluoride by weight, based on the total weight of the flux; mixing the flux-oxide mixture with molten aluminum, thereby obtaining a flux-metal mixture; cooling the flux-metal mixture; and separating at least a portion of the flux from the flux-metal mixture, thereby obtaining a metal alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventor: Nigel Ricketts