Abstract: A system for the fabrication of dome shaped low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) substrates comprises a plurality of prefired substrates, a first mandrel, and a second mandrel. The prefired substrates may form a stack and each may include a circular central portion and a plurality of segments uniformly distributed along the circumference of the central portion. Each segment may include a first edge, an opposing second edge, and an end edge. The first and second edges each may have an inner end and an opposing outer end. The end edge may be coupled to the outer end of the first and second edges. The first mandrel may have a first circumference and may be configured to receive the prefired substrates while the stack is formed. The second mandrel may have a second circumference smaller than the first circumference and may be configured to retain the stack during a firing process.

Abstract: A rotatable turntable tool is used in trimming wheel-thrown pottery. The turntable tool includes a base portion, a bearing member, and a cap portion which is rotatably attached to the base portion. A method of trimming an unfired clay workpiece includes steps of inverting the workpiece and placing it at a central portion of a wheel head on a potter's wheel; placing the turntable tool on top of a central portion of the inverted workpiece; pressing downwardly on the cap portion of the turntable tool while rotating said wheel head to stabilize the workpiece, whereby the base portion of the turntable tool rotates with the workpiece, while the cap portion is substantially restrained from rotating; and applying a trimming tool to an edge of the workpiece to remove unwanted clay therefrom.

Abstract: A crucible for producing a silicon suitable for producing a semiconductor includes a plurality of components and at least one unclosed joint gap.

Abstract: A fused glass crucible includes a collar of doped aluminum silica that defines uppermost and outermost surfaces of the crucible. The melt line that defines the surface of molten silicon in the crucible may be substantially at the lower end of the collar or slightly above it. Crystallization of the collar makes it hard and therefore supports the remaining uncrystallized portion of the crucible above the melt line. The melt line may also be below the lower end of the collar, especially if the melt is drawn down or poured early in the process. Because there is little or no overlap or because the overlap does not last long, the doped aluminum collar is not damaged by the heat of from the melt.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a transparent sintered ceramic material, comprising the steps of combining amounts of yttrium oxide powder with aluminum oxide powder, forming the mixture into a desired shape, and sintering the oxide powder mixture. Combining the amounts of yttrium oxide powder with aluminum oxide powder forms an oxide powder mixture. The yttrium oxide powder has a particle surface area of about 9 m2 per gram to about 36 m2 per gram and the aluminum oxide powder has a particle surface area of about 3 m2 per gram to about 30 m2 per gram. Sintering the oxide powder mixture forms yttrium aluminum garnet ceramic.

Abstract: A porous bat may be used on a pottery wheel including a locating pin at a nominal location. The porous bat includes an elongated hole at a location corresponding to the nominal location. The elongated hole is adapted to slidably fit over the locating pin. The hole has a first axis with a dimension sized to fit over the locating pin and a second axis with a dimension larger than the first dimension to compensate for variations in the location of the locating pin on the pottery wheel.

Abstract: An articulated potter's wheel assembly in which the height and angle of the potter's wheel is adjustable relative to the user. A motor-driven wheel is mounted to an upper frame assembly that is adjustable for height, with the wheel being mounted at the front of the frame so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis. The wheel is mounted to a pivotable table assembly that includes the motor and drive mechanism for the wheel. The height of the upper frame assembly is adjusted relative to a second, lower frame assembly by a motor driven jackscrew. A tank is also mounted on the upper frame assembly for dispensing water to aid in working the clay. A strap attaches proximate the pivot points of the table so as to pass across and support the user's back. The assembly may be configured as a free-standing unit or for wall-mount installation. The assembly accommodates wheelchairs, and can be used in standing or sitting positions.

Abstract: The invention pertains to the conversion of waste materials derived from gypsum mining and processing, such as existing gypsum stacks, into waste containment or landfill facilities. Methods of the invention include the creation of waste containment facilities from existing gypsum stacks. Waste containment facilities created according to the invention can be used for the short-term, long-term or permanent storage of waste materials such as solid waste, community refuse materials, biomass, industrial waste, phosphate waste, and for composting or otherwise processing materials such as biomass. Containment facilities according to the invention can be lined or unlined, open or capped, depending upon the nature of the material to be resident in the containment facility and relevant governmental regulations. The invention also provides for drainage and recovery systems, monitoring, controlling and communication means, pumps and valving means, and any other means known in the waste containment facility field.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a porcelain object comprising creating a mold, pouring a first layer of porcelain into the mold, drying the procelain at least partially, applying color to the first porcelain layer, pouring a second layer of porcelain into the mold above the applied color, drying the second porcelain layer at least partially and releasing the porcelain layers from the mold. Also disclosed are a lamp and sculpture fabricated according to the method.

Abstract: A curved multilayer ceramic moulded part, particularly curved in directions perpendicular to one another, is limited by two virtually parallel surfaces and an edge. Electrically conductive path(s) parallel to the surface are provided internally. The molded part may be produced by deforming a dish-shaped green moulding, formed from a composite of a self-supporting ceramic film having at least one electrically conductive path and at least one additional ceramic film, with or without electrically conductive path(s), to pressure from all sides. The deformed part is subjected to burning out and sintering. The moulded articles are virtually free of defects. Absolute deviation from the average shrinking of less than 2% may be obtained.

Abstract: A procedure is provided for bringing an incompletely densified cast radome to a desired final or near final shape through the use of one or more conformal tools during a high temperature firing operation. A conformal firing tool is defined in this case as a mandrel or mold made from a high temperature material, such as a graphite composite, that represents the desired shape of the finished radome. The process consists of firing the cast radome body over a mandrel, or inside a mold, or in combination with the two, such that the tools impart a desired dimensionality to the cast part as it densities and flows at high temperature.

Abstract: A solid freeform fabrication process and apparatus for making a three-dimensional object. The process comprises the steps of (1) operating a material deposition sub-system for dispensing droplets of solidifiable liquid compositions on demand onto selected spots of an object work surface, for using a focused heat source to maintain a heat-affected zone on the work surface, and for creating a weld pool of molten materials on this work surface by injecting selected powder particles into this heat-affected zone and (2) during the material deposition process, moving the deposition sub-system and the work surface relative to each other in an X-Y plane defined by first and second directions and in a Z direction orthogonal to the X-Y plane so that the materials are deposited to form a first layer of the object. The material in the weld pool solidifies after the heat-affected zone moves away to build portions of a layer. These steps are repeated to deposit multiple layers for forming a three-dimensional shape.

Abstract: A microwave oven food container in the form of a receptacle for foodstuffs. The receptacle is composed of a polymeric material containing a microwave absorbent filler, which may comprise carbon or metal particles.

Abstract: A shape formed multi-laminate transducer which conforms to nonlinear dependent shaped geometries and the shape forming process for producing the nonlinear dependent shaped multilaminate transducer is presented. The shape forming process includes the cutting of the tape cast material to a predetermined two-dimensional shape and then pressing the cut material to form the desired three-dimensional nonlinear dependent shape. After shape forming, the sample is sintered, metalized, poled, and made into an acoustical device such as a transducer. The production of such a device by using tape cast material allows designers to easily vary the shape of the product as well as to be able to vary the properties within simply by exploiting the lamination method associated with tape casting. As such, a designer is able to design and manufacture a transducer optimized to meet the requirements of a particular application.

Abstract: An injection molded ceramic cup, such as a teacup, includes a body and a handle. The body and handle together are an integral, one-piece, unitary construction formed of ceramic and a binder in a single injection molding operation. Additionally, an injection molded article, such as a ceramic cup, has a concealed sprue and includes an injection molded article body having an outer surface defining a recess and a sprue (whether negative or positive) terminating in the recess. A plug is disposed in the recess for concealing the sprue, the plug being molded separate and distinct from the article, having a first surface for concealing the sprue and a sidewall for substantially filling the recess, and being fired in situ with the article to secure the article and plug together.

Abstract: A radome is fabricated by mixing a mass of ceramic powders, a dispersant chemical, a prepolymer material, and a solvent together to form a casting mixture, which is then cast into a mold having the shape of a radome. The prepolymer material in the casting mixture is cured, and the casting mixture is dried. The molded article is heated to a burnout temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the prepolymer material and the dispersant chemical, and thereafter the molded article is heated to a sintering temperature sufficiently high to sinter the ceramic particles.

Abstract: The toilet includes a bowl section and two superposed rim sections for conveying fresh water to the bowl though the lower rim section and air from the bowl through the upper rim section. The lower rim section has an integral water plenum having an upper wall and a lower wall, the lower wall of the plenum having an upstanding rim engaging said upper wall in support the same during firing of the clay slip from which the rim section is cast. The upper rim section defines an integral air collection chamber having a lower wall and an upper wall and an upstanding rib extending upwardly from said lower wall to engage the lower surface of the upper wall. The separate sections are cast in plaster of Paris molds having the configuration of the exterior surface of the respective sections.

Abstract: A process for applying color to an article made of clay. Color can be applied to such diverse articles as pottery, earthenware, figurines, ceramics, porcelains, china, tiles domes and other decorative roofings. The application of color to clay articles is easily adapted to industrial, commercial or artistic uses.

Abstract: A banding wheel comprising a turntable and a tilting mechanism. The turntable is (i) rotatable, and (ii) adapted for releasable attachment to a pottery article support plate. The plate is adapted for releasably securing a pottery article to the banding wheel. The tilting mechanism is operatively connected to the turntable and adapted for tilting the turntable so that when the mechanism is in its closed position the turntable is horizontally disposed and when the mechanism is in its open position, the turntable is angularly disposed.

Abstract: The ceramic cooking container fabricating method of the invention includes the steps of: (a) material preparation to prepare material from clay; (b) shape pressing to prepare a green cooking container and a green annular supporting cushion from the material thus obtained and to cover the green cooking container with a layer of glaze; and (c) firing to make an annular groove on the bottom side of the green cooking container, then to put the green annular supporting cushion and the green cooking container on the silicon carbide plate in a kiln, permitting the annular groove of the green cooking container to be supported on the green annular cushion, and then to fire the green cooking container and the green annular supporting cushion at about 135.degree. C. for a predetermined length of time, and then to fasten electrically conductive annular membranes to the bottom side of the cooking container so as to obtain a finished ceramic cooking container.

Abstract: A process is provided for the manufacture of thin walled ceramic structures, particularly conical or near conical shaped structures. The process involves a tape casting technique wherein a green tape is prepared from a colloidal suspension containing a ceramic powder, a binder system, a plasticizer and a solvent. The suspension is cast into a thin sheet and dried to form a pliable tape. The tape is cut into planar, shaped pieces. Non-planar components of the final structure are preformed from the cut planar tape pieces into predetermined three dimensional shapes. The planar and preformed components are sequentially assembled within a die and compacted under pressure to form a green body. The green body is subjected first, to a burnout cycle to form a brown body, and then sintered to form the unitary, cohesive, thin walled ceramic structure.