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US 5,398,858 AGranted
Whisker-reinforced ceramic roller guides
OwnerTracy P. Dugan, James H. Robertson, Jr.inventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Roller guides made of a ceramic matrix reinforced with monocrystalline whiskers with a cylinder-and-post configuration exhibit long useful operating lives when guiding metallic wires, braids, or ribbons.
Claims14
Roller guides comprising
- a roller made from a material comprising a ceramic reinforced with monocrystalline whiskers selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, alumina, aluminum nitride, beryllia, boron carbide, and silicon nitride, wherein said roller exhibits a cylindrical shape about a central axis and further exhibits a first end and a second end;
- a first cap engaging said first end and a second cap for engaging said second end whereby the caps are made of the same material as said roller and exhibit a physical shape which permits said roller to freely rotate around said central axis.
A roller guide assembly comprising a plurality of roller guides each of which comprises:
- a roller made from a material comprising a ceramic reinforced with monocrystalline whiskers selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, alumina, aluminum nitride, beryllia, boron carbide, and silicon nitride, wherein said roller exhibits a cylindrical shape about a central axis and further exhibits a first end and a second end;
- a first cap engaging said first end and a second cap for engaging said second end whereby the caps are made of the same material as said roller and exhibit a physical shape which permits said roller to freely rotate around said central axis.
A method for guiding continuous materials which comprises:
- passing a continuous material over the freely rotating surface of a roller made from a material comprising a ceramic reinforced with monocrystalline whiskers selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, alumina, aluminum nitride, beryllia, boron carbide, and silicon nitride, wherein said roller exhibits a cylindrical shape about a central axis and further exhibits a first end engaging a first cap and a second end engaging a second cap whereby the caps exhibit a physical shape which permits said roller to freely rotate around said central axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.