# US 5,346,660 A · Method of manufacturing powder molding > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,346,660 A - Document ID: US5346660A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/022,776 - Filed: 1993-02-23 - Granted: 1994-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 1990-09-07 - Assignees: Toto Ltd. - Inventors: Akio Matsumoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5346660A ## CPC - C04B 35/626: Preparing or treating the powders individually or as batches {(pigments for ceramics C09C1/0009); preparing or treating macroscopic reinforcing agents for ceramic products, e.g. fibres; mechanical aspects section B} - 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 powder molding is manufactured from various powdery materials including an inorganic material, an organic material, a metallic material, etc., according to a wet forming process. A powdery material and a solvent are mixed into a mixture so that the mixture exhibits a dilatant flow. The mixture is molded into a molding of desired shape, and then the molding is dried. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a powdery molding of a large packing fraction by slip casting, comprising the steps of: mixing a powdery material and a solvent into a mixture which exhibits a dilatant flow and which has a volume fraction F1 of said powdery material; pouring said mixture into a porous mold to make a molding of desired shape which has a volume fraction F2 of said powdery material, said volume fraction F2 being greater than said volume fraction F1; drying said molding, said dried molding having a volume fraction F3 of said powdery material; and wherein said mixing step further comprises adjusting said volume fraction F1 of said mixture to a value at least as large as a value where a resulting value of said volume fraction F3 abruptly rises relative to a small marginal increase of said volume fraction F1. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting of said volume fraction F1 of said mixture includes adjusting a mixture ratio of said powdery material and said solvent to cause said mixture to exhibit said dilatant flow. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting of said volume fraction F1 of said mixture includes adjusting a particle size distribution of said powdery material to cause said mixture to exhibit said dilatant flow. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, further including the step of vibrating said mixture when said mixture is molded. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3, further including the step of vibrating said mixture when said mixture is molded. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further including the step of vibrating said mixture when said mixture is molded. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6, wherein said vibrating step increases a viscosity of said mixture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein said volume fractions F1, F2, F3 satisfy a relationship F1<F2<F3. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, including a further step of adding a polycarboxylic acid ammonium salt to said mixture as a dispersing agent. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein an external force is applied to said mixture as said mixture is poured into said porous mold during said molding of said desired shape, said external force increasing viscosity of said mixture and causing said mixture to be easily pourable. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing a powdery molding with a large packing fraction of a powdery material by slip casting, comprising the steps of: mixing a powdery material and a solvent into a mixture which has a volume fraction F1 of said powdery material ranging from 0.58 to 0.75; pouring said mixture into a porous mold to make a molding of desired shape which has a volume fraction F2 of said powdery material, said volume fraction F2 being greater than said volume fraction F1; drying said molding, said dried molding having a volume fraction F3 of said powdery material; and wherein said mixing step further comprises adjusting said volume fraction F1 of said mixture to a value at least as large as a value where a resulting value of said volume fraction F3 abruptly rises relative to a small marginal increase of said volume fraction F1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, further including the step of vibrating said mixture when said mixture is molded.