Apparatus and method for making uniformly
AssigneeAeroquip Corporation
InventorsJie Tang, Gary B. Hess, Mark D. Muszynski, Thomas S. Goehring
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Uniform sized and shaped spheres are formed by applying a minute periodic disturbance to a low viscosity liquid material. Pressure forces the material through at least one orifice in a crucible as a steady laminar stream. The stream enters an enclosed controlled temperature solidification environment which contains at least one heat transfer medium. A charging means is applied to the stream as the stream exits the crucible and breaks into a plurality of spheres to deflect the spheres as they pass through an electric field. The enclosed controlled temperature solidification environment cools and substantially solidifies the spheres.
Claims28
A method for forming and solidifying uniform sized and shaped solid spheres comprising the steps of:
- providing a supply of a low viscosity liquid material in a crucible,
- applying a minute periodic disturbance to the low viscosity liquid material in the crucible,
- applying a pressure to the low viscosity liquid material, the pressure forcing the material through at least one orifice in the crucible as a steady laminar stream, the stream of the material exiting into an enclosed controlled low temperature solidification environment having a temperature of less than about 0.degree. C., the enclosed controlled low temperature solidification environment containing at least one heat transfer medium, the heat transfer medium forming a heat gradient within the enclosed controlled low temperature solidification environment;
- applying a charge to the stream of material as the stream exits the orifice and breaks up into a plurality of uniform sized and shaped liquid spheres,
- passing the charged liquid spheres through an electric field to deflect the liquid spheres, and
- allowing the liquid spheres to pass through the heat transfer medium in the enclosed controlled low temperature solidification environment to cool and solidify into the uniform sized and shaped solid spheres.
A method for forming uniform sized and shaped spheres comprising the steps of:
- providing a supply of a low viscosity liquid material in a crucible,
- applying a minute periodic disturbance to the low viscosity liquid material in the crucible,
- applying a pressure to the low viscosity liquid material, the pressure forcing the material through at least one orifice in the crucible as a steady laminar stream, the stream of the material exiting into an enclosed controlled temperature solidification environment;
- applying a charge to the stream of material as the stream exits the orifice and breaks up into a plurality of uniform sized and shaped liquid spheres;
- passing the charged liquid spheres through an electric field to deflect liquid the spheres;
- and
- allowing the spheres to pass through first and second media in an enclosed controlled temperature solidification environment to cool and solidify the spheres;
- the enclosed controlled temperature solidification environment including a first, gaseous environment through which the charged spheres are passed, the first, gaseous environment containing the first medium which comprises a spray of cooling fluid, liquefied gas or halo-carbon, the first medium evaporating in the enclosed controlled temperature solidification environment and absorbing the heat of fusion from the spheres;
- the enclosed controlled temperature solidification environment also including a second, liquid environment through which the spheres pass after passing through the first, gaseous environment, the second, liquid environment containing the second medium which comprises a supply of a liquid material, the second medium cushioning the spheres before the spheres contact a bottom of the enclosed controlled temperature solidification environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.