Canister and method of production

#The present invention relates in general to an improved product that combines two different materials in order to produce a more affordable product. The product of the present invention also relates to an improved method for providing this product.

#The present invention enables the bonding of two alloys into a single sheet stock by rolling layers of these materials under pressure in order to bond the two layers together. The bonded layers form a sheet stock that can be formed into a canister. The two materials that are mechanically bonded include a first metal material comprising tantalum and a second material comprising at least one of niobium, molybdenum, or steel.

#A method of forming a canister by means of a mechanical bonding of respective layers of a first metal material and a second metal material to form a sheet stock, thereby forming the sheet stock into a canister form, wherein the first metal material comprises tantalum and the second metal material comprises at least one of niobium, molybdenum, or steel.

#It should be understood that the drawings are provided for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to define the limits of the disclosure. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the embodiments described herein will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating a first step in the process;

#FIG. 2 is an illustration of the produced sheet stock;

#In accordance with the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, there is provided a bonding of two alloys together into a sheet stock 200. These two alloys are a first material 120 which, for example, can be tantalum and a second metal material which, for example, can be niobium, molybdenum, or steel. These materials are to be rolled together under pressure to mechanically bond the two layers together to form the sheet stock 200. In FIG. 1 the layers are illustrated as in exploded view with the first metal material 120 and the second metal material 130 with the pressure applied being indicated by the roller 110. The roller can press the two layers 120, 130 together against a surface 140, which may be a flat surface, a second roller, or another structure as appropriate to form the canisters in according with the present disclosure.

#Reference may now be made to the fragmentary cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 that shows these two layers 120 and 130 as formed into the sheet stock 200. The sheet stock is then formed by means of a deep draw stamp into canister 205 as illustrated in FIG. 2A-FIG. 3. These canisters 205 may be used in the diamond fabrication industry. It will be appreciated that the two layers 120 and 130 can be formed into the sheet stock 200, and then at a later time, or in a subsequent processing step, can be formed into the canister as shown in FIG. 2A. The two layers 120 and 130 can, instead of being formed into the sheet stock and then into the canister in two separate steps, can be formed into the canister simultaneously at the same time that the layers are mechanically bonded together, using an appropriate roller 110 and rolling surface 140 to achieve the desired canister shape. For example, the rolling surface 140 can be a cup having the same shape as the canister, such that when a roller presses the metal layers downward into the cup, the canister forms the shape of the cup. The excess material surrounding the top of the canister 205, for example as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, can be removed to reveal the canister only that can be used in forming the diamond part. In other embodiments, the excess material can remain for the PDC drill forming portion.

#It is known in the art prior to the present application that canisters are made only of niobium as this is a less expensive material than tantalum, however it is less robust and niobium alone can often penetrate through to the underlying diamond tool. On the contrary, a purely tantalum canister does not risk the penetration that can occur from niobium; however tantalum is very expensive. The anti-leakage properties of the tantalum indicate there are advantages to providing a layer of tantalum. Thus in accordance with the present invention a cladding of the two layers is formed where the benefit of both materials can be taken advantage of, with the less expensive niobium forming part of the canister structure that is able to withstand the high melting point (3000° F. or more) but that has the tantalum material in proximity to the diamond tool so that any leakage is prevented or at least reduced as much as possible. This clad material provides a better performing canister with the inside surface formed of tantalum and the outside surface formed of the less expensive niobium. This clad together material provides the polycrystalline diamond canister a better performing product at an affordable price.