Producing Solid Particulate Free Metal Directly From Liquid Metal (e.g., Liquid Comminuting, Etc.) Patents (Class 75/331)
  • Patent number: 6689189
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of abulk of molten steel in an electric arc furnace, comprising the formation of a foaming top slag. During at least one phase of the production process, a doping agent is added to the top slag with the aim of creating improved conditions for the reduction of the oxidized, valuable metal elements which exist in the top slag. The doping agent has a chemical composition containing 0-5% Si, 2-7% C, 0-3% Mn, the remainder essentially only iron and impurities which can normally appear in raw iron produced in the blast furnace process or other reduction process, a melting point <1350 ° C. and consists essentially homogeneous particles with substantially round or oval shape, obtainable through granulation of a melt with above-mentioned composition, comprising the disintegration of a stream of said melt to drops, which are cooled in a water bath to form a granulate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Uddeholm Technology Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Mårten Görnerup
  • Patent number: 6685762
    Abstract: A process for making particles, the process including generating an aerosol stream which includes droplets of a precursor liquid dispersed in a carrier gas, the precursor liquid including a liquid vehicle and a precursor material, separating the precursor liquid into two portions during the generating step, a first portion exiting the generator in the droplets of the aerosol stream and a second portion exiting as effluent at least a portion of which is recycled to the generator, and also during the generating step adding additional liquid vehicle to at least one of the carrier gas supply, the precursor liquid supply, and the aerosol generator, to at least partially compensate for the tendency of the precursor liquid to become more concentrated in the precursor material over time, and then removing at least a portion of the liquid vehicle from the droplets and forming particles in the aerosol stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Superior MicroPowders LLC
    Inventors: James H. Brewster, David E. Dericotte, Mark J. Hampden-Smith, Toivo T. Kodas, Quint H. Powell
  • Patent number: 6676726
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of minute metallic spheres of the present invention comprises a heating means for heating and melting a metal to form a metallic sphere, a measurement means for measuring the injected molten metal into a predetermined volume, and a cooling means for cooling the molten metal discharged from the measurement means, to a temperature less than the melting point. The measurement means has a gauger of a predetermined volume in which the molten metal is injected, and is constructed such that the molten metal is cut by rubbing by the predetermined volume by sliding this gauger in contact. The molten metal is injected in the gauger of the predetermined volume to measure, and the measured molten metal is discharged from the gauger to cool to a temperature less than the melting point, and solidified into a sphere in the cooling process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Endo, Masamoto Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20030196512
    Abstract: In a high-speed fabrication process for producing highly uniform metallic microspheres, a molten metal is passed through a small orifice, producing a stream of molten metal therefrom. A series of molten metal droplets forms from the break up of the capillary stream. To achieve high uniformity of the spheres and avoid defects, the droplets are cooled before being captured. Separating the droplets, by causing them to travel in different paths than their adjacent droplets, helps to facilitate the cooling of the droplets. The droplets can be separated by electrostatically charging them as they break off from the capillary stream. The droplets are then passed through an electric field, which can be produced by a pair of deflection plates. The droplets are dispersed by varying the electric field—e.g., by rotating the plates or by varying the voltage applied thereto—or by varying the electrostatic charge of the droplets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Melissa Orme-Marmerelis, Robert F. Smith
  • Publication number: 20030177865
    Abstract: The invention provides an industrially efficient, low-cost, mass-production system for the process of producing fine solder powders using an in-oil atomization method wherein solder is melted in a heated dispersion medium for fine granulation. Molten solder melted in a solder melting tank and a mixture of a particle dispersion medium and a particle coalescence-preventing agent, prepared in a dispersion medium heating tank, are fed to a fine-granulation machine, in which dispersion energy is applied to obtain a dispersion of molten solder particles. The dispersion is processed in a solidifier-by-cooling to obtain a dispersion of solid solder particles, which is processed in a solid-liquid separator to separate the solid solder particles. The solid solder particles are washed and dried to obtain fine powders. The respective devices at these steps are connected together by way of piping, so that fine solder powders can continuously be produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Takao Ono, Mitsuru Iwabuchi, Yuji Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20030164064
    Abstract: A method for purifying a suspension containing colloid-seeded nanoparticles and excess colloids is provided that includes adding to the suspension a filter aid comprising a salt. The method further includes filtering the suspension with a filter of a pore size intermediate between the average colloid-seeded nanoparticle size and the average excess colloid size, so as to form a retentate that includes the majority of the colloid-seeded nanoparticles and a filtrate that includes the majority of the excess colloids. Still further, the method includes collecting the retentate. The method may be incorporated into a method of making metallized nanoparticles, such as nanoshells, by reduction of metal ions onto the purified colloid-seed nanoparticles so as to form the metallized nanoparticles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Applicant: Wm. Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Nancy J. Halas, Robert Kelley Bradley
  • Publication number: 20030115988
    Abstract: A process and apparatus prepares and collects metal nanoparticles by forming a vapor of aluminum or copper metal that is solid at room temperature, the vapor of the metal being provided in an inert gaseous carrying medium. At least some of the metal is solidified within the gaseous stream. The gaseous stream and metal material is moved in a gaseous carrying environment into or through a dry mechanical pumping system. While the particles are within the dry mechanical pumping system or after the nanoparticles have moved through the dry pumping system, the vaporized metal material and nanoparticles are contacted with an inert liquid collecting medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Aveka, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Pozarnsky, William A. Hendrickson
  • Publication number: 20030115987
    Abstract: A process and apparatus prepares and collects aluminum and copper metal nanoparticles by forming a vapor of a metal that is solid at room temperature, the vapor of the metal being provided in an inert gaseous carrying medium. At least some of the metal is solidified within the gaseous stream. The gaseous stream and metal material is moved in a gaseous carrying environment into or through a dry mechanical pumping system. While the particles are within the dry mechanical pumping system or after the nanoparticles have moved through the dry pumping system, the vaporized metal material and nanoparticles are contacted with an inert liquid collecting medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Aveka, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary A. Pozarnsky
  • Publication number: 20030115986
    Abstract: A process and apparatus prepares and collects metal nanoparticles by forming a vapor of a metal that is solid at room temperature, the vapor of the metal being provided in an inert gaseous carrying medium. At least some of the metal is solidified within the gaseous stream. The gaseous stream and metal material is moved in a gaseous carrying environment into or through a dry mechanical pumping system. While the particles are within the dry mechanical pumping system or after the nanoparticles have moved through the dry pumping system, the vaporized metal material and nanoparticles are contacted with an inert liquid collecting medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Aveka, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Pozarnsky, Michael J. Fee
  • Patent number: 6554913
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing magnetic powder is disclosed. This method can provide magnetic powder from which a bonded magnet having excellent magnetic properties and reliability can be manufactured. A melt spinning apparatus 1 is provided with a tube 2 having a nozzle 3 at the bottom thereof, a coil 4 for heating the tube and a cooling roll 5. The cooling roll 5 is constructed from a roll base 51 and a circumferential surface 53 in which gas flow passages 54 for expelling gas are formed. A melt spun ribbon 8 is formed by injecting the molten alloy 6 from the nozzle 3 so as to be collided with the circumferential surface 53 of the cooling roll 5, so that the molten alloy 6 is cooled and then solidified. In this process, gas is likely to enter between a puddle 7 of the molten alloy 6 and the circumferential surface 53, but such gas is expelled by means of the gas flow passages 54. The magnetic powder is obtained by milling thus formed melt spun ribbon 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Arai, Hiroshi Kato
  • Publication number: 20030047034
    Abstract: There is provided an in-oil atomization method wherein a solder is fused and dispersed in a heated particle dispersion medium, the method being featured in that even if the quantity of the particle dispersion medium to be employed is relatively small, fine solder particles can be effectively obtained. Namely, this invention provides a method of manufacturing fine particles, wherein solder is fused in the heated particle dispersion medium to obtain a molten solder, which is then dispersed by means of an agitator to obtain molten solder particles which are subsequently cooled and solidify, the method being characterized in that the above dispersing step is performed in the presence of a particle coalescence-preventing agent. This invention also provides a fine metal particles-containing substance and a paste solder composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: TAMURA KAKEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Ono, Yoshiyuki Takahashi, Mitsuru Iwabuchi, Yuji Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20030019327
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing ultrafine particles by vaporization comprising: vaporizing a target by sputtering; causing particles that fly from the target by vaporization to be deposited on an oil surface; and recovering the oil on which the flown particles have deposited to obtain individually dispersed ultrafine particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventor: Hiroshi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 6423113
    Abstract: Fine powders are made from molten metals and alloys on a continuous basis. A rapidly spinning shallow cup has an atomizing fluid such as water, oil or any other hydrocarbon supplied to the cup to form a thin sheet or layer which is distributed on the inner surface of the cup. Within the cup a stream or spray of molten metal is propelled into this thin sheet of atomizing fluid. The metal interacts with the atomizing fluid film and is fragmented or broken down into many small droplets which are quenched by the atomizing fluid and solidified into fine powder. These powders in the form of a slurry with the atomizing fluid can be continuously removed as the slurry discharges up over the lip of the cup by centrifugal force and the powders can be recovered. In a preferred embodiment a preatomizer is positioned between the incoming stream of molten metal and the spinning cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jack Ayers, Khershed P. Cooper
  • Patent number: 6336953
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing metal powder by means of blowing a cooling liquid toward a flowing down melt metal flow characterized that the cooling liquid is successively discharged downwardly from an annular nozzle toward the melt metal flow for surrounding it in the form of a hyperboloid of one sheet, wherein the annular nozzle is provided with a hole through which the melt metal flow may pass, and that the hyperboloid of one sheet has a pressure reduced by 50˜750 mmHg at the neighborhood of the constricted part inside the hyperboloid of one sheet. According to the present invention, there may be prepared fine and sherical metal powder which has a narrow range of a particle size distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Fukuda Metal Foil & Powder Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Kikukawa, Shigemasa Matsunaga, Tsuneta Inaba, Osamu Iwatsu, Tohru Takeda
  • Patent number: 6312498
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing solder balls is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a tundish, a vibrator, a cooling liquid tank, an inactive atmospheric chamber, a molten metal receiving tray, a ball collecting barrel and a cooling liquid reservoir. The tundish has orifices at its bottom. The vibrator is immersed in the molten metal of the tundish and generates vibrations. The cooling liquid tank is situated under the tundish and is provided with a cooling liquid heater at its upper and middle outer surface and a cooling liquid cooler at its lower outer surface. The inactive atmospheric chamber is interposed between the bottom of the tundish and the top surface of the cooling liquid. The molten metal receiving tray is seated on a portion of the inactive atmospheric chamber and is horizontally movable. The ball collecting barrel is positioned under the cooling liquid tank and is provided with a cut-off valve at its top, a ball removing valve at its bottom and a cooling liquid supply conduit at its upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: MK Electron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Hyung Lee, Byung Chul Moon, Jin Lee, Jeong-Tak Moon, Chang-Rok Oh, Jae Gyu Nam
  • Patent number: 6287362
    Abstract: Metal lumps or pebbles are produced by introducing a molten metal stream into a stream of water in a direction which is substantially the same as the direction of the water stream and at a velocity which is substantially the same or slightly less than the velocity of the water stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Mintek
    Inventors: Fiona Catherine Levey, Michael Bernard Cortie, Ian James Barker
  • Patent number: 6284015
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method that comprises dispersing a stream of a melt flowing from a die by applying perturbations to said stream in an inert cooling gas which has an optimal temperature and is depleted of oxygen up to a value not exceeding 0.0001 mol. %. after their output at a stationary generation mode, the granules are recovered in the outlet portion of a heat-exchange chamber. The die is made of a heat-resistant material and has a flow section with a length defined by the relation 2d<1<20d. The perturbation frequency of the stream is defined by relation f=Wko/&pgr;do(1+c&tgr;)2  (I) where &tgr; is the dispersion time (at the initial moment &tgr;=0); c is the empirical coefficient characterizing the die material resistance to the perturbation of the stream; w is the flow rate of the stream; do is the initial value of the stream diameter; and ko is equal to 0.7 and is the value of the non-dimensional wave number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Moskovsky Energetichesky Institut
    Inventors: Vasily Borisovich Ankudinov, Maxim Gennadievich Klenov, Jury Alexandrovich Marukhin, Vladimir Pavlovich Ogorodnikov
  • Publication number: 20010009118
    Abstract: This invention aims at providing a method of obtaining fine alloy powders, which are extremely small in particle size, high in purity, and uniform in composition, providing fine alloy powders obtained by this method, and providing molding materials, slurries, and electromagnetic shielding materials, which use these fine alloy powders. This invention provides a fine alloy powder production method, which is characterized in that after performing the process of mixing at least a trivalent titanium compound and a complexing agent, which binds with the trivalent titanium ion, in an aqueous solution containing two or more types of metal ion, the two or more types of metal are made to deposit simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Publication date: July 26, 2001
    Applicant: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. and Sumitomo Electric Fine Polymer, Inc.
    Inventors: Akihisa Hosoe, Shinji Inazawa, Masatoshi Majima, Katsuya Yamada, Hiroshi Okazaki, Souji Nishikawa, Toshio Shimotsuji
  • Patent number: 6260741
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a fluid includes a dispensing chamber coupled to a dispensing orifice and a fluid reservoir. The dispensing chamber is coupled to a transducer which is adapted to change the volume of the dispensing chamber in response to a signal applied to the transducer. The signal is characterized by 1) an initial rise time RT1 during which an increasing amplitude signal is applied to the transducer to gradually expand the dispensing chamber from a first volume at a first amplitude to a second volume at a second amplitude; 2) a fall time FT during which a decreasing amplitude signal is applied to the transducer to contract or compress the dispensing chamber rapidly (relative to the initial rise time RT1) to a third volume at third amplitude; 3) a final rise time RT2 during which an increasing amplitude signal is applied to the transducer to gradually expand the dispensing chamber to a fourth volume at a fourth amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: MPM Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald C. Pham-Van-Diep, Magdalena Andres
  • Patent number: 6251158
    Abstract: A process of producing granules of a reactive metal. The process comprises providing a source of molten reactive metal (41), forming discrete droplets (53) of the molten metal, contacting the droplets while still substantially molten with a fluidized bed of particles (12) maintained at a temperature substantially below the solidus temperature of the metal and freezing the droplets as discrete granules of the reactive metal in the fluidized bed. The invention also provides apparatus for carrying out the method and product produces by the method, including a magnesium-containing additive for aluminum alloying. The use of a fluidized bed for cooling and freezing the droplets avoids problems encountered in prior methods and also makes it possible to provide coatings of various kinds on the surfaces of the granules, if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Alcan International Limited
    Inventors: Ghyslain Dube, Claude Dupuis, Joseph Langlais, Serge Lavoie, Stephane Rompre, Sylvain Trottier, Gilles Turcotte
  • Patent number: 6241806
    Abstract: A continuous process for recovering vanadium values from petroleum coke is disclosed. A vanadium containing coke is charged to a molten metal bath to which oxygen containing gas is added in an amount sufficient to heat balance the process and produce off gas. The carbon in the coke dissolves in the molten metal bath as does the vanadium content of the coke. A majority, and preferably all, of the net addition of vanadium to the process is removed in the form of “dust” from the molten metal bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Marathon Ashland Petroleum, LLC
    Inventors: Donald P. Malone, Thomas C. Holcombe
  • Patent number: 6165247
    Abstract: Platinum powders and methods for producing platinum powders. The powders preferably have a small particle size, narrow size distribution and a spherical morphology. The method includes forming the particles by a spray pyrolysis technique. The invention also includes novel devices and products formed from the platinum powders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Superior MicroPowders, LLC
    Inventors: Toivo T. Kodas, Mark J. Hampden-Smith, James Caruso, Daniel J. Skamser, Quint H. Powell, Clive D. Chandler
  • Patent number: 6103868
    Abstract: Organically functionalized metal nanoparticles are produced by mixing a metal precursor with an organic surface passivant and reacting the resulting mixture with a reducing agent to generate free metal while binding the passivant to the surface of the free metal to produce organically functionalized metal particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: James R. Heath, Daniel V. Leff
  • Patent number: 6000242
    Abstract: Molten matte or slag is water granulated by feeding molten matte or slag through a launder to a granulator tank. The tank includes sloping walls and is equipped with adjustable overflow weirs and one or more of spray nozzles. These nozzles are positioned such that the water that they emit impacts on substantially all of the molten matte or slag that is fed to the granulator tank. The granulation tank is optionally coated with a polymeric material to reduce the potential for phreatic explosions. The granulator is also optionally equipped with a gas offtake which can be connected directly to a quench tower which in turn can be connected to an induced ventilation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Kennecott Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: David B. George, Jesus A. Sepulveda, Anthony J. Weddick, Anthony G. Storey, David Arana
  • Patent number: 5980604
    Abstract: Spray atomization of molten metal and/or intermetallic matrix composites reinforced with ceramic particles is practiced by atomizing the matrix into micron sized droplets and depositing the semisolid droplets in a bulk deposition upon a temperature controlled substrate. The semiliquid droplets are injected with refinement particles while in a range of 0 to 40% by volume solid phase and deposited on the substrate surface while in a 40 to 90% by volume solid phase. Refined grain morphology, increased solid solubility, nonequilibrium phases, absence of macro segregation, and elimination of the need to handle fine reactive particles are all achieved by performing the spray deposition process under a controlled atmosphere. Materials fabricated by the process exhibit unusual combinations of properties, such as spatially varying properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Enrique J. Lavernia
  • Patent number: 5976216
    Abstract: Powder metallurgically produced ferritic stainless steel articles are strengthened by alloying the ferritic material with a small amount of nickel (up to 3.0% by weight). Alloying is carried out by either admixing nickel powder to the ferritic alloy powder or by pre-alloying the stainless steel powder with nickel. Conventional sintering procedures, either in a hydrogen atmosphere or in a partial vacuum, are applicable. High strength stainless steel parts made in this manner are suitable for demanding applications, including automotive exhaust flanges and HEGO bosses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: OMG Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Prasan K. Samal, Erhard Klar
  • Patent number: 5917113
    Abstract: A process for producing spherical metal particles comprises the step of spraying a molten metal in a chamber filled with a refrigerant gas through a centrifugal atomizer, wherein the refrigerant gas is a composition comprising nitrogen and oxygen gases or nitrogen gas and air and the concentration of the oxygen ranges from 3 to 600 ppm on the basis of the weight of the composition. The production process of the present invention permits mass-production of fluent, spherical metal particles having a smooth surface, in low cost and excellent in dispersibility in a dispersing medium, which is required when the particles are used as a component for pastes or paint and varnishes, while using a small-sized chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignees: Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd., Minerva Kiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gozo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5855642
    Abstract: A system and method for producing fine powders. The system includes a rotary atomization device for forming a moving flow of a molten source material; a source of atomizing material; a nozzle for directing a jet of the atomizing material at the moving flow of molten source material for atomizing and for producing fine droplets of the source material; and a chamber for collecting the fine droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Starmet Corporation
    Inventors: Steven A. Miller, Henry J. DeMita
  • Patent number: 5850047
    Abstract: A method of producing copper powder having little variation in its particle size and an excellent monodispersion properties. A copper complex ion solution is prepared from a copper-containing solution and a complexing agent, then a reducing agent is added to the copper complex ion solution to precipitate metallic copper. The copper-containing solution herein contains copper sulfate, copper formate, copper pyrophosphate, copper chloride or copper carbonate and the complexing agent is at least one carboxylate or phosphate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroji Tani, Naoaki Ogata
  • Patent number: 5788738
    Abstract: A thermal reactor system that produces nanoscale powders by ultra-rapid thermal quench processing of high-temperature vapors through a boundary-layer converging-diverging nozzle. A gas suspension of precursor material is continuously fed to a thermal reaction chamber and vaporized under conditions that minimize superheating and favor nucleation of the resulting vapor. According to one aspect of the invention, the high temperature vapor is quenched using the principle of Joule-Thompson adiabatic expansion. Immediately after the initial nucleation stages, the vapor stream is passed through the nozzle and rapidly quenched through expansion at rates of at least 1,000.degree. C. per second, preferably greater than 1,000,000.degree. C. per second, to block the continued growth of the nucleated particles and produce a nanosize powder suspension of narrow particle-size distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Nanomaterials Research Corporation
    Inventors: Shahid Pirzada, Tapesh Yadav
  • Patent number: 5643353
    Abstract: Depoling and aging of a piezoelectric transducers used at elevated temperatures is controlled by poling the transducer, applying a bias voltage in the same direction as the transducer is poled to maintain the piezoelectric transducer at an elevated potential, and applying a drive voltage having a lesser magnitude than the bias voltage to induce elastic strain in the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Microfab Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Wallace, Ronald E. Marusak
  • Patent number: 5549732
    Abstract: A process of producing granules of a reactive metal. The process comprises providing a source of molten reactive metal, forming discrete droplets of the molten metal, contacting the droplets while still substantially molten with a fluidized bed of particles maintained at a temperature substantially below the solidus temperature of the metal and freezing the droplets as discrete granules of the reactive metal in the fluidized bed. The invention also provides apparatus for carrying out the method and product produced by the method, including a magnesium-containing additive for aluminum alloying. The use of a fluidized bed for cooling and freezing the droplets avoids problems encountered in prior methods and also makes it possible to provide coatings of various kinds on the surfaces of the granules, if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Alcan International Limited
    Inventors: Ghyslain Dube, Claude Dupuis, Joseph Langlais, Serge Lavoie, Stephane Rompre, Sylvain Trottier, Gilles Turcotte
  • Patent number: 5496391
    Abstract: A powdered metallic coating material is disclosed, having the following composition (in weight percent):______________________________________ Cu: 5-30 P: 0.1-4.0 B: 0.5-4.0 Si: 0.5-4.0 Cr: 0-5.0 Fe: 0-3.0 C: 0-0.3 Ni: balance ______________________________________This material is used for forming, by thermal spraying, plasma arc welding or brazing, a protective coating against high temperature corrosion and erosion, on a substrate made of a copper based alloy. A flux composition or a mixture of such a composition with an alloy containing phosphorus is applied first on the surface of the substrate, and said powdered metallic material is then applied thereupon.Improved adherence of the coating to the substrate, as well as better compactness and machinability properties of this coating are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Castolin S.A.
    Inventor: Le/ on Noel
  • Patent number: 5482530
    Abstract: The invention relates to cobalt metal powders as a binder metal for the production of diamond and/or hard-metal tools and/or wear-resistant coatings and to composite sintered articles produced therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: H,C. Starck GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Matthias Hohne
  • Patent number: 5445033
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for directly measuring the bottom pour flow rate from heated ceramic crucible, hearth/tundish combinations used in metals refining/processing industry, plasma arc melting process (PAM), a cold hearth process or other similar processes such as for pouring ingots. Such structures of this type generally allow the bottom pour flow rate to be accurately measured in relative real time without adversely affecting the flow while withstanding the hostile surroundings typically associate with a heated crucible, tundishes, PAM, cold hearth process or other similar processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sudhir D. Savkar, Walter Whipple, III, Lawson P. Harris
  • Patent number: 5445666
    Abstract: In order to develop a method for producing at least approximately ball-shaped metallic particles at least almost equal in diameter such that a greater yield of particles at least almost equal in diameter is achieved than in known methods, it is suggested that a continuous stream of liquid metal is acted on locally by compressional vibrations that thereby cross-sectional constrictions are formed in the stream at a distance from each other in longitudinal direction of the stream which lead to the dissection of the stream and that the segments of the dissected stream adopting a ball shape due to the surface tension of the liquid metal are cooled to solidify the liquid metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Walter Peschka, Constantin Carpetis, Gottfried Schneider
  • Patent number: 5415679
    Abstract: Microdroplets of liquids at elevated temperatures are formed by transferring the liquid to an electrostrictive ejection device and applying an electric field which induces a second order elastic strain in the ejection device. The ejection device responds by ejecting generally spherically-shaped microdroplets. The ejection device comprises an electrostrictive transducer having an orifice through which the liquid is ejected. Drive electronics apply an excitation electric field to the electrostrictive transducer which causes a second order elastic strain in the electrostrictive transducer independent of the polarity of the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: MicroFab Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Wallace
  • Patent number: 5346530
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for atomizing liquid metal are disclosed. A vessel supplies liquid metal through a pouring channel to an atomizing nozzle. A flow sensor provides at least one gas flow into the liquid metal, and determines a pressure difference from the gas flow. A processor determines the liquid metal flow rate through the nozzle from the pressure difference. A control adjusts the liquid metal flow rate in response to the determined liquid metal flow rate, and the liquid metal is atomized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven A. Miller, Neil A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5259593
    Abstract: A method of manufacture of a net form product, including directing a stream of liquid from a nozzle onto a collector of the shape of the desired product, applying a disturbance to the stream, preferably an amplitude modulated disturbance, to produce a droplet stream, and with the nozzle and collector in a chamber, controlling the chamber environment. An apparatus for manufacturing a net form product having a source of molten material under pressure, a support for positioning a product collector in a chamber with the collector defining a desired product, a droplet stream generator positioned within the chamber and including a nozzle, a conduit for conducting molten material from the material source to the generator nozzle, a mechanism, typically a modulator, for disturbing the droplet stream, and a drive mechanism for relative movement of the nozzle and support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: Melissa E. Orme, Eric P. Muntz
  • Patent number: 5226948
    Abstract: A method of manufacture of a net form product, including directing a stream of liquid from a nozzle onto a collector of the shape of the desired product, applying an amplitude and time dependent modulated disturbance to the stream to produce a droplet stream, and with the nozzle and collector in a chamber, controlling the chamber environment. An apparatus for manufacturing a net form product having a source of molten material under pressure, a support for positioning a product collector in a chamber with the collector defining a desired product, a droplet stream generator positioned within the chamber and including a nozzle, a conduit for conducting molten material from the material source to the generator nozzle, a mechanism, typically a modulator, for amplitude and time dependent modulation disturbance of the droplet stream, and a drive mechanism for relative movement of the nozzle and support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: Melissa E. Orme, Eric P. Muntz
  • Patent number: 5171360
    Abstract: A method of manufacture of a net form product, including directing a stream of liquid from a nozzle onto a collector of the shape of the desired product, applying a disturbance to the stream, preferably an amplitude modulated disturbance, to produce a droplet stream, and with the nozzle and collector in a chamber, controlling the chamber environment. An apparatus for manufacturing a net form product having a source of molten material under pressure, a support for positioning a product collector in a chamber with the collector defining a desired product, a droplet stream generator positioned within the chamber and including a nozzle, a conduit for conducting molten material from the material source to the generator nozzle, a mechanism, typically a modulator, for disturbing the droplet stream, and a drive mechanism for relative movement of the nozzle and support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: Melissa E. Orme, Eric P. Muntz
  • Patent number: 5147448
    Abstract: Techniques for producing fine metal powder are described, including producing droplets of molten metal to be formed into a powder, providing an environment including a substance specifically introduced for combining with the droplets, and submitting the droplets to the environment for combining the introduced substance with the droplet metal to form at least a partial coating on the powder including the introduced substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Nuclear Metals, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter R. Roberts, James E. Blout
  • Patent number: 5116434
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming a high magnetic parameter ferromagnetic material. The material has a distribution of magnetic parameters as solidified, and is separated into a first fraction having relatively high magnetic parameters and a second fraction having relatively low magnetic parameters. The method comprises applying a magnetic field to the materials, the magnetic field being high enough to magnetize the low magnetic parameter fraction, but low enough to avoid substantially magnetization of the high parameter fraction. Thereafter the fractions of material are magnetically separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Ovonic Synthetic Materials Company, Inc.
    Inventors: John Keem, Jun S. Im
  • Patent number: 5096509
    Abstract: A the magnetically anisotropic magnetic powder having an average particle size of 1-1000 .mu.m and made from a magnetically anisotropic R-TM-B-Ga or R-TM-B-Ga-M alloy having an average crystal grain size of 0.01-0.5 .mu.m, wherein R represents one or more rare earth elements including Y, TM represents Fe which may be partially substituted by Co, B boron, Ga gallium, and M one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Nb, W, V, Ta, Mo, Si, Al, Zr, Hf, P, C and Zn. This is useful for anisotropic resin-bonded magnet with high magnetic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: 501 Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Endoh, Yasuto Nozawa, Katsunori Iwasaki, Shigeho Tanigawa, Masaaki Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 5055240
    Abstract: A method is described for forming hollow particles, or shells, of extremely small size. The shell material is heated to a molten temperature in the presence of a gas that is at least moderately soluble in the shell material, to form a solution of the molten shell material and the soluble gas. The solution is atomized to form a multiplicity of separate droplets that are cooled while in free fall. Cooling of a droplet from the outside traps the dissolved gas and forces it to form a gas bubble at the center of the droplet which now forms a gas-filled shell. The shell is reheated and then cooled in free fall, in an environment having a lower pressure than the gas pressure in the shell. This causes expansion of the shell, to form a shell having a small wall thickness compared to its diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Mark C. Lee, Christopher H. Schilling, Taylor G. Wang
  • Patent number: 5039478
    Abstract: A method for the manufacture of copper base alloys having improved resistance to thermally induced softening is provided. The alloy composition is selected so that the alloy undergoes either a peritectic or eutectic transformation during cooling. The solidification rate is controlled so that the second phase forms as a uniform dispersion of a relatively small dispersoid. The dispersoid inhibits recrystallization resulting in an alloy less susceptible to softening at elevated temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventor: Ashok Sankaranarayanan
  • Patent number: 5030278
    Abstract: Process of restructuring a group of finely divided particles, of granulometries lower than 100 microns, wherein the particles to be restructured are placed in a bath of cryogenic liquid which is inert with respect to the particles, the operation of restructuring is allowed to proceed after which the cryogenic liquid is withdrawn for example by evaporation. Applications to the production of metallic alloys, special polymers, paints, inks, carbon black, special ceramics and pharmaceutical or food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes
    Inventor: Pierre Karinthi
  • Patent number: 4997477
    Abstract: Producing finely divided U.sub.3 Si by supercooling a melt of uranium and silicon at a high cooling rate of 10.sup.3 to 10.sup.7 .degree. C./sec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Energy Research Institute
    Inventors: Il H. Kuk, Chang K. Kim, Chong T. Lee
  • Patent number: 4920020
    Abstract: A zinc base powder for alkaline batteries consists of 0.05 to 3% of mercury, 0.003 to 0.2% of bismuth, 0.01 to 0.08% of lead, the rest being zinc. This powder has an excellent resistance to corrosion in alkaline medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Metallurgie Hoboken-Overpelt
    Inventors: Ivan A. Strauven, Marcel L. Meeus
  • Patent number: RE38021
    Abstract: A the magnetically anisotropic magnetic powder having an average particle size of 1—1000 &mgr;m and made from a magnetically anisotropic R-TM-B-Ga or R-TM-B-Ga-M alloy having an average crystal grain size of 0.01-0.5 &mgr;m, wherein R represents one or more rare earth elements including Y, TM represents Fe which may be partially substituted by Co, B boron, Ga gallium, and M one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Nb, W, V, Ta, Mo, Si, Al, Zr, Hf, P, C and Zn. This is useful for anisotropic resin-bonded magnet with high magnetic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Endoh, Masaaki Tokunaga