Flexible ceramic member and method of production thereof
AssigneeZircoa Inc.
InventorsRalph Searle, Hans Leistner, Raimund Bruckner, Ibrahim Mentesh, Edward Levadnuk
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Abstract
A flexible member capable of withstanding a high temperature environment and/or a corrosive atmosphere or media is formed of a component in a desired shape and of a ceramic material having a modulus of elasticity of 150,000 to 200,000 MPa and a flexural strength of more than 400 MPa. The component is provided with at least one reduced thickness portion to impart to the component a desired degree of flexibility and/or elasticity.
Claims67
A flexible bellows member capable of withstanding a high temperature and/or corrosive atmosphere or media, said member comprising:
- a single-piece bellows component formed in a desired shape of a ceramic material having a modulus of elasticity of 150,000 to 200,000 MPa and a flexural strength of more than 400 MPa;
- and
- said bellows having formed therein at least one reduced thickness portion imparting flexibility to said component.
A method of producing a flexible bellows member capable of withstanding a high temperature and/or corrosive atmosphere or media, said method comprising:
- forming a bellows component in a desired shape of a ceramic material having a modulus of elasticity of 150,000 to 200,000 MPa and a flexural strength of more than 400 MPa;
- and
- imparting to said bellows component a desired degree of flexibility by providing said bellows component with at least one reduced thickness portion.
A flexible spiral spring member capable of withstanding a high temperature and/or corrosive atmosphere or media, said member comprising:
- a single-piece spiral spring component formed in a desired shape of a fully or partially stabilized zirconium oxide ceramic material having a modulus of elasticity of 170,000 to 180,000 MPa and a flexural strength of a more than 400 MPa;
- and
- said spiral spring component having formed therein at least one reduced thickness portion imparting flexibility to said component.
A method of producing a flexible spiral spring member capable of withstanding a high temperature and/or corrosive atmosphere or media, said method comprising:
- forming a spiral spring component in a desired shape of a partially or fully stabilized zirconium oxide ceramic material having a modulus of elasticity of 170,000 to 180,000 MPa and a flexural strength of a more than 400 MPa;
- and
- imparting to said spiral spring component a desired degree of flexibility by providing said spiral spring component with at least one reduced thickness portion.
A flexible shaft member capable of withstanding a high temperature and/or corrosive atmosphere or media, said member comprising:
- a single-piece shaft component formed in the form of a rod of a ceramic material having a modulus of elasticity of 150,000 to 200,000 MPa and a flexural strength of a more than 400 MPa;
- and
- said component having formed therein at least one reduced thickness portion imparting flexibility to said component, said at least one reduced thickness portion comprising a plurality of slots formed in said rod from the exterior surface thereof.
A method of producing a flexible shaft member capable of withstanding a high temperature and/or corrosive atmosphere or media, said method comprising:
- forming a shaft component in the form of a rod of a ceramic material having a modulus of elasticity of 150,000 to 200,000 MPa and a flexural strength of a more than 400 MPa;
- and
- imparting to said shaft component a desired degree of flexibility by forming in said rod a plurality of reduced thickness portions in the form of slots formed in the exterior surface of said rod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.