# US 2013/0154146 A1 · Sintering machine and method of manufacturing sintered body > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0154146 A1 - Document ID: US20130154146A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,816 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Kiwamu Adachi; Shusaku Yanagawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154146A1 ## CPC - B29C 67/04: Sintering (combined with compression B29C43/00) - C04B 35/645: Pressure sintering - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE ## Abstract A sintering machine includes: a die configured to accommodate a processing object, and having a hole that extends from an outer side surface of the die toward inside of the die; a pressurizing member configured to apply a pressure on the processing object in the die; and a heating section configured to heat the processing object in the die. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sintering machine, comprising: a die configured to accommodate a processing object, and having a hole that extends from an outer side surface of the die toward inside of the die; a pressurizing member configured to apply a pressure on the processing object in the die; and a heating section configured to heat the processing object in the die. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sintering machine according to claim 1, wherein the hole is provided at a position that is different from an accommodating position of the processing object in a height direction of the die when the processing object is accommodated in the die. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sintering machine according to claim 1, wherein the die includes an outer die and an inner die provided in the outer die, the inner die being configured to define a planar shape of the processing object, and the hole is provided from an outer side surface, serving as the outer side surface of the die, of the outer die to an inner side surface of the outer die. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sintering machine according to claim 3, wherein the hole is provided to allow a temperature on an outer side surface of the inner die that is exposed in the hole to be measured. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The sintering machine according to claim 3, further comprising a closed-end tube having a closed-end surface at one end thereof, the closed-end tube being fitted into the hole with the closed-end surface brought into contact with an outer side surface of the inner die. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The sintering machine according to claim 5, wherein a ratio of a diameter to a depth of the hole or the closed-end tube is not less than 1:10. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The sintering machine according to claim 5, wherein the closed-end tube is made of a material selected from the group consisting of: aluminum oxide; zirconium oxide; hafnium oxide; a composite material of any combination of the aluminum oxide, the zirconium oxide, and the hafnium oxide; silicon carbide; and a material coating or covering carbon graphite with the aluminum oxide, the zirconium oxide, the hafnium oxide, the composite material, or the silicon carbide. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sintering machine according to claim 1, wherein the heating section includes a high-frequency induction coil that performs induction heating of the outer side surface of the die. ### Claim 9 A method of manufacturing a sintered body, the method allowing a processing object to be accommodated in a die and sintering the processing object by application of a pressure and heating of the processing object in the die, the method comprising: measuring a first temperature on an end surface in an innermost recess of a hole that extends from an outer side surface of the die toward inside of the die. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 9, wherein the die includes an outer die and an inner die provided in the outer die, the inner die being configured to define a planar shape of the processing object, and the hole is provided from an outer side surface, serving as the outer side surface of the die, of the outer die to an inner side surface of the outer die. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 10, wherein the hole is provided to allow the first temperature on an outer side surface of the inner die that is exposed in the hole to be measured. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 10, wherein a closed-end tube having a closed-end surface at one end thereof is fitted into the hole with the closed-end surface brought into contact with an outer side surface of the inner die, and a temperature on the closed-end surface is measured as the first temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 9, further comprising: measuring a second temperature on a side surface of a pressurizing member configured to apply the pressure to the processing object in the die, or on a top face or a bottom face of the die; and controlling the application of the pressure, the heating, or both of the application of the pressure and the heating of the processing object based on a measurement result of the first temperature and the second temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 13, further comprising performing, after the first temperature reaches a target value, additional application of pressure onto the processing object, count starting of a sintering time, or both of the additional application of pressure and the count starting in a state where the second temperature is saturated. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 9, wherein the hole is provided at a position that is different from an accommodating position of the processing object in a height direction of the die when the processing object is accommodated in the die. ### Claim 16 A method of manufacturing a sintered body, the method allowing a processing object to be accommodated in a die and sintering the processing object by application of a pressure and heating of the processing object in the die, the method comprising: preparing a first sensor; and measuring, using the first sensor, a first temperature on an end surface in an innermost recess of a hole that extends from an outer side surface of the die toward inside of the die. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 16, wherein the die includes an outer die and an inner die provided in the outer die, the inner die being configured to define a planar shape of the processing object, and the hole is provided from an outer side surface, serving as the outer side surface of the die, of the outer die to an inner side surface of the outer die. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 17, wherein the hole is provided to allow the first temperature on an outer side surface of the inner die that is exposed in the hole to be measured. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 17, wherein a closed-end tube having a closed-end surface at one end thereof is fitted into the hole with the closed-end surface brought into contact with an outer side surface of the inner die, and a temperature on the closed-end surface is measured as the first temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of manufacturing the sintered body according to claim 16, further comprising: preparing a second sensor; measuring, using the second sensor, a second temperature on a side surface of a pressurizing member configured to apply the pressure to the processing object in the die, or on a top face or a bottom face of the die; and controlling the application of the pressure, the heating, or both of the application of the pressure and the heating of the processing object based on a measurement result of the first temperature and the second temperature.