US3608046A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Technique of duplicating fragile core
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1968-09-30
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Granted: 1971-09-21
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Expires: 1988-09-30
Abstract
Abstract A method of fabricating individual and complete fluid circuit components by the construction of temporary one-shot disposable dies which are used to produce the fragile core or pattern.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert R Philips
- 👤 Richard F Hellbaum
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:29
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C33/00; B29C33/0033; B29C33/38; B29C33/3842; B29C33/3857; B29C33/3878; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/44
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
15 words
A method of duplicating individual minute fluid circuit components for use in fluid circuits comprising:
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
19 words
employing a photosensitive plastic to print a three-dimensional male pattern of the circuit form from the two-dimensional photographic transparency,
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
securing a flat plate spaced from each three-dimensional pattern and injEcting the spacing between the plate and pattern with a soluble wax to produce a wax female mold of the individual circuit components,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
pressure casting a water-acid soluble wax around said master male pattern to pick up the circuit configuration in a disposable female mold formed of the soluble wax,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
physically separating the soluble wax female mold from the master male pattern,
Claim 6
Independent Claim
10 words
A method of fabricating a unitary complete fluid circuit comprising:
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
providing selected holes through each soluble wax mold to permit appropriate interconnections between the channel of one mold and the channel in another mold,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
covering each end portion of said male pattern with short sections of half-tubular sleeves to thereby provide enlarged ends for the finally formed circuit component,
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
pressure casting a water-acid soluble wax around said master male pattern to pick up the circuit configuration in a disposable female mold,
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
9 words
physically separating each female mold from each male pattern,
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
covering the face of the female mold with a rigid flat plate of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and soluble waxes,
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
filling the cavities formed between said rigid plate and said female mold with a material selected from the group consisting of low melting point metals and pattern waxes by pressure casting to form a rigid core,
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
stacking the wax female molds in proper face-to-face sequence to form a complete circuit core mold,
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
physically separating the soluble wax female mold from the male pattern,
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
covering the face of the female mold with a rigid flat plate of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and soluble waxes,
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
securing a flat plate of a material selected from aluminum and soluble waxes to cover the face of the uppermost female mold,
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
dissolving said water-acid soluble wax from said core by immersing the pressure cast wax in a weak acid solution,
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
investing the remaining male core form with an epoxy resin to encase the male core, and
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
securing the circuit core mold in a small high pressure chamber and pressure injecting an insoluble meltable wax into this chamber so as to completely fill all of the channels and holes in each soluble wax mold, and those formed between the uppermost mold and its flat cover plate,
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
filling the cavities formed between said frigid plate and said female mold with a meltable insoluble metal core material by pressure casting,
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
immersing the filled pressure cast wax form in a weak acid solution to dissolve said water-acid soluble wax from said metal core,
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
10 words
physically removing the injected structure from the high pressure chamber,
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
melting said encased core from said epoxy resin to recover a unitary epoxy block having channels formed therethrough to serve as a minute unitary fluidic circuit component.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
dissolving the soluble wax molds so as to leave a fragile three-dimensional interconnected male core pattern of all channels and interconnections required for a complete fluid circuit,
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
investing the remaining male metal core with an epoxy resin to encase the male core, and
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
melting and washing said core from said epoxy resin to leave a unitary circuit component.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
casting and curing an epoxy resin encasing the three-dimensional male core pattern, and
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
melting and washing out the insoluble meltable wax pattern so as to recover a complete unitary fluid circuit formed of epoxy resin.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-20 | 1975-03-22 | 1975-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-20 | 1979-03-22 | 1979-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-20 | 1983-03-22 | 1983-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |