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US 9,314,842 B2Granted
Hot pressing apparatus and method for same
AssigneeWildcat Discovery Technologies, Inc.
InventorsKenneth James Micklash, II, Mark S. Bailey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for parallel hot pressing includes a die assembly that defines multiple pockets, as well as a load transferring mechanism selectively providing a respective uniaxial compressive load at each of the pockets. Multiple heating mechanisms are arranged so that each of the pockets is aligned with a different respective one of the heating mechanisms, the load transferring mechanism and the heating mechanisms thereby providing both compressive loading and heating of multiple material samples in parallel when material samples are placed in the pockets. A method of hot pressing in parallel is also provided.
Claims8
An apparatus comprising:
- a die assembly defining multiple pockets;
- a load transferring mechanism selectively providing a respective uniaxial compressive load at each of the pockets;
- multiple heating mechanisms arranged so that each of the pockets is aligned with a different respective one of the heating mechanisms, the load transferring mechanism and the heating mechanisms thereby providing both compressive loading and heating of multiple material samples in parallel when material samples are in the pockets;
- wherein the load transferring mechanism includes multiple biasing mechanisms configured to provide resistance to compression and arranged so that each of the pockets is aligned with a different respective one of the multiple biasing mechanisms;
- and
- wherein at least some of the multiple biasing mechanisms are stacks of wave springs including a first stack of wave springs at a first of the pockets and a second stack of wave springs at a second of the pockets.
3 more elements
An apparatus of comprising:
- a die assembly defining multiple pockets;
- a load transferring mechanism selectively providing a respective uniaxial compressive load at each of the pockets;
- multiple heating mechanisms arranged so that each of the pockets is aligned with a different respective one of the heating mechanisms, the load transferring mechanism and the heating mechanisms thereby providing both compressive loading and heating of multiple material samples in parallel when material samples are in the pockets;
- wherein the die assembly includes a punch assembly with upper and lower punches arranged so that the sockets are defined between the us ser and lower punches;
- wherein the heating mechanisms include a power source and lead wires operatively connecting the upper and lower punches to the power source to establish respective independent potential differences between pairs of the upper and lower punches corresponding with the pockets;
- wherein the heating mechanisms generate currents to heat the respective material samples when the upper punches are moved into contact with the material samples;
- wherein the die assembly further includes:
- a support plate with spaced recesses;
- wherein the lower punches are configured to fit within the spaced recesses;
- a retaining plate with spaced openings configured to fit over the lower punches so that the retaining plate retains the lower punches in the spaced openings;
- a die configured to fit over the lower punches and the retaining plate to thereby define the pockets above the lower punches;
- and
- wherein all of the die, the upper punches, and the lower punches are configured to be one of electrically-conductive and electrically-nonconductive for use with material samples in the pockets that are the other of electrically-conductive and electrically-nonconductive.
10 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a die assembly defining multiple pockets;
- a load transferring mechanism selectively providing a respective uniaxial compressive load at each of the pockets;
- multiple heating mechanisms arranged so that each of the pockets is aligned with a different respective one of the heating mechanisms, the load transferring mechanism and the heating mechanisms thereby providing both compressive loading and heating of multiple material samples in parallel when material samples are in the pockets;
- wherein the die assembly includes:
- a support plate with spaced recesses;
- punches configured to fit within the spaced recesses;
- a retaining plate with spaced openings configured to fit over the punches so that the retaining plate retains the punches in the spaced openings;
- a die configured to fit over the punches and the retaining plate to thereby define the pockets above the punches;
- and
- an additional plate having extension tabs spaced such that the retaining plate is nested on the additional plate between the extension tabs so that the pockets are aligned with the load transferring mechanism and the multiple heating mechanisms.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.