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US 5,322,652 AGranted
Method of large sphere production at zero gravity
OwnerGregory R. Brotzinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of creating large hollow spheres and other shapes and structures produced according to such method, such method including suspending in a zero gravity environment a molten material mixed with a blowing agent which is caused to foam, expanding into a mass wherein the exterior sphere wall is solidified and the interior is hollowed out.
Claims11
A method to create hollow spheres comprising the steps of:
- mixing a blowing agent with molten material;
- suspending said mixture in a zero gravity environment;
- foaming said material to form a cellular structure having inner cell walls by action of the blowing agent with the molten material;
- expanding the volume of said molten material by said foaming;
- forming a sphere of said foamed molten material;
- cooling the outside surface of said sphere leaving remaining molten material;
- solidifying said outside surface by said cooling;
- breaking the foam's inner cell walls;
- forming a hollow interior in said sphere by said breaking of said foam's inner cell walls;
- cooling said remaining molten material;
- and
- forming an inner sphere wall having a solid surface within said solid outside surface by cooling said remaining molten material.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.