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US 11,851,376 B2Granted
Aqueous gelcasting method for ceramic products
AssigneeDelta Faucet Company
InventorsKurt J. Thomas, Paul A. V. Bridgett, Michael J. Veros, Joseph A. Elmer, Nathanael Dennis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to the manufacture of ceramic products by aqueous gelcasting. Exemplary ceramic products include sanitary ware, such as toilets and sinks. The process includes a slurrying step, a mixing step, a molding step involving aqueous gelcasting, a drying step, a glazing step, and a firing step.
Claims26
A method of producing a ceramic product comprising:
- introducing a slurry into a mold, the slurry comprising:
- at least one mineral oxide constituting about 10 wt. % to about 88 wt. % of the slurry;
- at least one alkali aluminosilicate mineral separate from the at least one mineral oxide and configured to serve as a fluxing agent to reduce the melting point of the slurry;
- a colloidal silica;
- and
- a portion of water sufficient to render the slurry capable of flowing into the mold;
- the mold having an interior, an injection port in communication with the interior of the mold, and an air vent distinct from the injection port and in communication with the interior of the mold;
- freezing the liquid portion of the mixture slurry in a controlled direction toward the vent of the mold to form a solid ceramic article;
- and
- ejecting the solid ceramic article from the mold.
7 more elements
A method of producing a ceramic product comprising:
- freezing a liquid portion of a slurry in a mold to form a solid ceramic article, the slurry comprising:
- at least one mineral oxide constituting about 10 wt. % to about 88 wt. % of the slurry;
- at least one alkali aluminosilicate mineral separate from the at least one mineral oxide and configured to serve as a fluxing agent to reduce the melting point of the slurry;
- a colloidal silica;
- and
- a portion of water sufficient to render the slurry capable of flowing into the mold;
- drying the solid ceramic article after the freezing step, the drying step comprising:
- a normalizing stage in which the solid ceramic article is brought to a substantially uniform temperature near a thawing point of the liquid portion;
- and
- a thawing stage after the normalizing stage.
7 more elements
A method of producing a ceramic product comprising:
- introducing a slurry comprising a liquid portion into a mold having an interior, a first surface and a second surface with an inlet in communication with the interior of the mold and an air vent in communication with the interior of the mold, wherein the inlet and the air vent are distinct from one another;
- freezing the liquid portion of the slurry by directing a cooling agent across the mold from the first surface to the second surface to form a solid ceramic article;
- normalizing the solid ceramic article to a temperature near a thawing point of the liquid portion after the freezing step;
- and
- thawing the liquid portion of the solid ceramic article after the normalizing step;
- wherein the slurry comprises:
- at least one mineral oxide constituting about 10 wt. % to about 88 wt. % of the slurry;
- at least one alkali aluminosilicate mineral separate from the at least one mineral oxide and configured to serve as a fluxing agent to reduce the melting point of the slurry;
- a colloidal silica;
- and a portion of water sufficient to render the slurry capable of flowing into the mold.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.