Metal engraving method, article, and apparatus
OwnerWilliam Charles Ulland, Alexander Sergeievich Gybin +2inventors
InventorsWilliam Charles Ulland, Alexander Sergeievich Gybin, Jeremy W. Peterson, David K. Sarvela
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to metal articles and methods of making the metal articles. The metal articles comprise a compression-formed particulate metal object, wherein a portion of the compression-formed particulate metal object has been selectively removed by an etching process from at least one surface of the object. The etching process is frequently performed using abrasive etching.
Claims34
An etched metal article, the metal article comprising:
- a compression-formed particulate metal object;
- wherein a portion of the compression-formed particulate metal object has been selectively removed by an abrasive etching process from at least one surface of the object.
A method of making an imaged metal object, the method comprising:
- providing a particulate metal composition;
- compressing the particulate metal composition such that the particulate metal composition forms a metal-containing object, the object having a density of between 60 and 90 percent of the density of the metal forming the particulate metal composition;
- and
- abrasively etching a image into the particulate metal composition so as to remove a portion of the object.
An etched metal article, the metal article comprising:
- a multi-layer object comprising:
- a) a compression-formed particulate metal layer, the particulate metal layer formed by pressing a substantially free-flowing particulate material under sufficient pressure such that it forms a substantially rigid sheet and impregnating the sheet with an impregnant such that the rigid sheet is readily etchable by abrasive etching, and
- b) an etch-resistant layer in contact, or near contact, with the particulate metal layer, the etch-resistant layer having at least twice the resistance to abrasive etching as the compression-formed particulate metal layer;
- wherein a portion of the compression-formed particulate metal layer has been selectively removed to expose the etch-resistant layer
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.