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US 5,073,317 AGranted
Large sphere production method and product
OwnerGregory R. Brotzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of creating hollow spheres and spheres produced according to such method, such method including suspending in a zero gravity environment a molten resin material mixed with a blowing agent which is caused to foam expanding into a spherical mass wherein the insides are hollowed out and the exterior sphere wall is solidified and the further process of creating adjoining spheres.
Claims4
A method of creating large hollow spheres comprising the steps of:
- mixing a blowing agent with molten resin material;
- suspending said mixture in a cool zero gravity environment;
- activating said blowing agent;
- foaming said mixture into a spherical cellular structure having cell walls by action of the blowing agent with the molten resin material;
- expanding the volume of said molten resin material by said foaming;
- cooling the outside surface of said sphere in the cool environment;
- solidifying said outside surface of said sphere by said cooling;
- breaking said foam's inner cell walls by action of a heat gun melting said resin material;
- forming a hollow center in said sphere by the breaking of said foam's inner cell walls by flowing said melted inner cellular wall material outward toward the solid outside surface of said sphere;
- cooling said remaining molten resin material;
- forming an inner sphere wall having a solid surface concentrically within said solid outside surface by action of said cooling of said remaining resin molten material;
- carbonizing said sphere by baking said sphere at high temperatures;
- forming an aperture in said sphere;
- carrying more molten resin and blowing agent material into said sphere;
- projecting a globule of said molten resin material mixed with a blowing agent from inside said sphere to its outer surface through said aperture;
- foaming said mixture into a spherical cellular structure having cell walls by action of said blowing agent with said molten resin material;
- expanding the volume of said molten resin material by said foaming;
- forming an adjoining partial sphere against said already-formed sphere from said foamed material;
- cooling the outer surface of said adjoining sphere;
- solidifying said outer surface of said adjoining sphere by said cooling;
- breaking and melting said foam's inner cell walls by action of a heat gun;
- tunneling into said adjoining sphere;
- flowing said melted inner cellular wall material outward toward said adjoining sphere's outside surface by directing a heat gun thereagainst;
- and
- regulating said heat applied to said inside wall of said sphere to be of a temperature that will not melt through said solid outside surface of said adjoining sphere.
22 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.