Patents by Inventor Thomas W. Eagar

Thomas W. Eagar 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: 20110268975
    Abstract: A method joins bodies of two component materials, at least one of which is a particulate, at low temperature. A third component has a lower melting point than either of the components. The third component chemically reacts with one or both of the first two to form material with a higher melting point than the original third component. The system is heated to at or above that melting point. The third component melts and flows, migrating to fill spaces between particles. The fluid should migrate to and across the interface, bridging the two component materials. The migrating phase network connects across the joining interface. The reaction product remains solid at temperatures above the original melting point of the third component. The migrating phase can be the liquefied form of the third component, or, a glass, heated to act as a supercooled liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yuttanant Boonyongmaneerat, Christopher A. Schuh, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Patent number: 6939505
    Abstract: Channeled articles having very small diameter channels spaced very closely can be made by packing elongated cores in a fixture, clamping them, and then introducing matrix material around the cores. The matrix material is formed into a unitary body and solidified. The cores are pulled out, leaving open channels where they had been. Some core and matrix combinations will permit the cores to be pulled out. Others require a core release coating to be applied to the cores. The cores can be metal or ceramic or polymer, and the matrix can be metal or ceramic or polymer. The cores can be solid, or hollow. Rather than pulling the cores out, if they are polymer, they can be burned out. The matrix can be formed by liquid state, solid state, or hybrid liquid/solid state techniques. A related technique uses hollow cores, which are not pulled out, but which remain in the body after unification. For such tube-walled articles, the matrix can be formed similarly. Rather than insuring core release, core retention is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Christopher S. Musso, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Publication number: 20030173720
    Abstract: Channeled articles having very small diameter channels spaced very closely can be made by packing elongated cores in a fixture, clamping them, and then introducing matrix material around the cores. The matrix material is formed into a unitary body and solidified. The cores are pulled out, leaving open channels where they had been. Some core and matrix combinations will permit the cores to be pulled out. Others require a core release coating to be applied to the cores. The cores can be metal or ceramic or polymer, and the matrix can be metal or ceramic or polymer. The cores can be solid, or hollow. Rather than pulling the cores out, if they are polymer, they can be burned out. The matrix can be formed by liquid state, solid state, or hybrid liquid/solid state techniques. A related technique uses hollow cores, which are not pulled out, but which remain in the body after unification. For such tube-walled articles, the matrix can be formed similarly. Rather than insuring core release, core retention is required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Christopher S. Musso, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Publication number: 20020000404
    Abstract: A filtration module is provided using metallic interconnect tubes that are sealed to carbon or ceramic based tubular filtration elements and that are also sealed to metallic tubesheets which are sealed to a filter housing. A sealed joint is formed between the interconnect tubes and the filtration elements using a metal alloy and an optional metallic plating on the filtration elements. In order to reduce or prevent undesired wicking of the alloy into the filtration element, refractory small solid particles may be added to or formed in the alloy to block the pores and channels in the filtration element at the site of the joint. Wicking can also be reduced by induction, torch or other type of heating where only those portions of the filtration element at the site of the joint is heated so that temperatures adjacent the site are below the solidus temperature of the alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: Michael Mutsakis, John P. Puglia, Gerald M. Freedland, Thomas W. Eagar, Harold R. Larson
  • Patent number: 6245443
    Abstract: A bond for a metal single layer abrasive tool can be easily chemically and electrochemically stripped from the metal core of a recovered used tool to facilitate reuse of the core. Relative to conventionally bonded tools, the speed of stripping the novel bond is quick, and the stripped core has a smooth, clean surface which needs only minimal mechanical repair prior to reuse. The composition of the novel bond consists essentially of copper, tin and titanium. It can be brazed at temperatures below diamond graphitization and is chemically compatible with diamond. Hence, the bond is particularly useful for the manufacture of large diameter, superabrasive metal single layer abrasive wheels employed in the construction industry. The bond can be applied to the cutting surface of the abrasive tool as a uniform mixture of bronze alloy, titanium compound and copper powders. The powders may be mixed with a liquid vehicle and applied as a paste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Ren-Kae Shiue, Thomas W. Eagar, Bradley Miller, Sergej-Tomislav Buljan
  • Patent number: 5855314
    Abstract: An abrasive grit for a metal bonded Single Layer abrasive tool includes abrasive grains coated with a first active component. The active component is mechanically-bound to the surface of the superabrasive grains. Preferably the abrasive is a superabrasive, especially diamond, and the first active component is titanium, either in the form of elemental Ti or TiH.sub.2. The novel grit is made by mixing the first active powder component in a liquid binder to form an adhesive paste; mixing the paste with the abrasive grains to wet the grains, and drying the mixture to adhere active component to the grains. The coated abrasive can be brazed onto a core to form a Single Layer tool, especially with a brazing composition that includes a bronze alloy and small concentrations of a second active component. During brazing the novel abrasive grains provide excellent surface contact with the brazing composition and the braze strongly bind the grains to the tool core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Ren-Kae Shiue, Sergej-Tomislav Buljan, Bradley J. Miller, Eric Schulz, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Patent number: 5846269
    Abstract: A bond material for a metal single layer abrasive tool, and especially for a tool with diamond abrasive, provides an excellent combination of mechanical properties including structural strength and impact resistance. The bond material is sufficiently compatible with both metal and diamond to effectively wet the abrasive grains and the core of the tool during brazing. The bond material can braze at a temperature range low enough that the core will not distort and diamond grains will not graphitize during brazing. The novel bond material composition contains a copper/tin bronze alloy; elemental titanium; zirconium; hard granular wear resistant particles; and elemental carbon. The wear resistant particles are preferably titanium carbide. Importantly, the bond produced from the material has superior wear resistance while remaining very adhesive to diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Norton Company
    Inventors: Ren-Kae Shiue, Richard Andrews, Thomas W. Eagar, Bradley Miller, Sergej-Tomislav Buljan
  • Patent number: 5132922
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-contact temperature measurement of an object, using least-squares-based multiwavelength pyrometry techniques. Radiances from an object are detected by a spectrograph/detector apparatus and are converted into electronic signals readable by a computer. The computer then operates on these signals as data to be curve-fit, using least squares analysis, to a predetermined theoretical function for the dependence of the radiance on the wavelength. When the computer has minimized the least-squares difference function, the computer identified a parameter representing the temperature and reports this value to the user, along with a collaterally calculated maximum error in the temperature estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Mansoor A. Khan, Charly Allemand, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Patent number: 4869757
    Abstract: A unique hardenable silver alloy is provided which is solution annealed and preferably age-hardened to yield a silver alloy of exceptional and reversible hardness. The alloys utilize intermetallic systems comprising; silver, copper, combined with lithium alone or tin alone in varying percent amounts, or silver, copper, lithium and either tin or antimony, or silver, copper, lithium, tin and antimony, or silver, copper, lithium, tin and bismuth, or silver, copper, lithium, tin, bismuth and antimony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Leach & Garner Company
    Inventors: Thomas W. Eagar, Dwarika P. Agarwal, Laura L. Bourguignon, Rosaire Marcotte
  • Patent number: 4810308
    Abstract: A unique hardenable silver alloy is provided which is solution annealed and preferably age-hardened to yield a silver alloy of exceptional and reversible hardness. The alloys utilize intermetallic systems comprising silver, copper, combined with lithium alone or tin alone in varying percent amounts, or silver, copper, lithium and either tin or antimony, or silver, copper, lithium and either aluminum or indium or zinc, or silver, copper, antiomony and either aluminum or indium or zinc, or silver, copper, lithium, tin and antimony, or silver, copper, lithium, tin and bismuth, or silver, copper, lithium, tin, bismuth and antimony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Leach & Garner Company
    Inventors: Thomas W. Eagar, Dwarika P. Agarwal, Laura L. Bourguignon, Rosaire Marcotte
  • Patent number: 4662952
    Abstract: A welding flux binder and welding flux comprising the reaction product of a hydrolyzed and polymerized organometallic compound selected from the group consisting of metal alkoxides including tetraalkylorthosilicate, tetraalkylorthotitanate, tetraalkylorthozirconate and trialkylaluminate, metal esters, and metal oxalates. The organometallic compound is hydrolyzed and then polymerized to form a gel glass phase. Alkali and alkaline earth salts are added to stabilize and reduce the viscosity of the gel. The resulting welding flux binder and flux are non-hygroscopic and have a high fired strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Eric A. Barringer, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Patent number: 4580558
    Abstract: A surgical tool for intercepting laser energy after it has energized a target site but before it energizes adjacent tissue. The instrument includes substrate of material having a high thermal conductivity for transmitting laser energy away from the surgical site and a highly absorbent surface material for absorbing radiant energy at the wavelength of the incident laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1986
    Assignee: Codman & Shurtleff, Inc.
    Inventors: Rene J. Cabrera, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Patent number: 4557768
    Abstract: A welding flux binder is provided which comprises an alkali-alkaline earth silicate hydrolyzed and polymerized from tetraalkylorthosilicate, Si(OR).sub.4, wherein R is --CH.sub.3, --C.sub.2 H.sub.5, or --C.sub.3 H.sub.7, and alkali and alkaline earth salts. The reaction product of the tetraalkylorthosilicate and metal salts, M.sub.2 O.M'O.SiO.sub.2, where M is potassium, sodium or lithium, and M' is magnesium, calcium or barium, has several advantages as a welding flux binder. For example, it is not hygroscopic and can be prepared at low temperatures since the alkali ions lower the melting point for viscous sintering of the gel phase. Because of the low temperature processing, a wide variety of solid additives with low thermal stability, such as some metals, carbonates, and fluorides, can be incorporated into the flux. Other dopants may also be readily incorporated into the binder during the gel phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1985
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Eric A. Barringer, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Patent number: 4531042
    Abstract: A large diameter stud and a method and apparatus for welding same are provided. The large diameter stud has a protruding tip at a weldable end thereof containing a solid rod-like body of flux. A ceramic ferrule which can have a two-step cavity surrounds the weldable end portion of the stud when engaged with workpiece to which it is to be welded. An arc blow coil surrounds the ferrule and is spaced therefrom with powdered flux therebetween and above the ferrule. The arc blow coil is attached to adjustable legs of a welding tool and has a weight thereon to aid in supporting the welding tool upright on the workpiece during the welding operation. In the welding cycle, a relatively low weld current is used for the main welding arc and is maintained for an extended period of time. Current through the arc blow coil is initiated when the welding cycle begins and is gradually increased to a maximum at an intermediate point in the welding cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Shoup, Dennis J. Maykut, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Patent number: 4512822
    Abstract: A welding flux binder is provided which comprises an alkali-alkaline earth silicate hydrolyzed and polymerized from tetraalkylorthosilicate, Si(OR).sub.4, wherein R is --CH.sub.3, --C.sub.2 H.sub.5, or --C.sub.3 H.sub.7, and alkali and alkaline earth salts. The reaction product of the tetraalkylorthosilicate and metal salts, M.sub.2 O.M'O.SiO.sub.2, where M is potassium, sodium or lithium, and M' is magnesium, calcium or barium, has several advantages as a welding flux binder. For example, it is not hygroscopic and can be prepared at low temperatures since the alkali ions lower the melting point for viscous sintering of the gel phase. Because of the low temperature processing, a wide variety of solid additives with low thermal stability, such as some metals, carbonates, and fluorides, can be incorporated into the flux. Other dopants may also be readily incorporated into the binder during the gel phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1985
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Eric A. Barringer, Thomas W. Eagar
  • Patent number: 4365134
    Abstract: After measuring the bulk resistance the surface of high strength low alloy steel material is treated to form a high resistance coating on its surface. When resistance welding the material the coating permits weld formation without significant expulsion or excessive electrode force over a wide range of operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Thomas W. Eagar, Joseph G. Kaiser, Gregory J. Dunn