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US 4,288,398 AGranted
Apparatus and method for controlling the internal structure of matter
OwnerJerome H. Lemelsoninventor
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OwnerJerome H. Lemelsoninventor
Estimating the term…
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling the internal structure of articles of manufacture which are formed by solidifying a plastic or metal in a mold or extrusion die simultaneously as ultrasonic energy is applied to the solidifying material to effect beneficial control of the crystalline structure formed thereof upon solidification. Ultrasonic energy may be transmitted to the solidifying material through either the wall of the die or mold, a mandrel portion of a die or a portion of a mold which defines a cavity formation in the molded article. Ultrasonic vibrations may be utilized per se or in combination with other forms of energy applied to the solidifying material so as to orient or otherwise control the grain or crystalline structure thereof for improving the strength and other physical characteristics of the solidified article.
A method of forming an article to shape from thermal plastic resin in a molten condition and simultaneously improving the physical characteristics of such resin forming said article comprising:
A method of fabricating thermal plastic polymers comprising the steps of heating a polymer to a flowing condition, forming said polymer into a desired shape by passing said polymer through an extrusion die while in said flowing condition and cooling the polymer to a non-flowing condition after it has passed through said die, the improvement which comprises subjecting the polymer during at least a portion of the cooling step to ultrasonic vibrations which are generated and applied thereto through the wall of said die in a manner to substantially change and improve the crystalline structure of the solidified polymer over that structure of the polymer which existed prior to subjecting said polymer to said ultrasonic vibrations.
A method of forming an extrusion from a polymer and simultaneously improving the physical characteristics of the polymer during the forming of the extrusion comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.