US3879509A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of producing thin ceramic sheets with minimal distortion
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-07-16
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Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1993-07-16
Abstract
Abstract The disclosure describes a method of manufacturing thin, flat sheets, particularly technical ceramics, with minimal distortion in the thin sheets, and comprises the steps of providing a sheet of ceramic greenware suitably drying the sheet and then firing the sheet while providing yielding restraining forces at the edges thereof. The restraining forces are sufficient to prevent warping and wrinkling of the thin sheet during firing but not sufficient to prevent shrinkage movement of the sheet as the ceramic particles fuse.
Inventors
- 👤 Gilbert James Elderbaum
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:48
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B35/00; C04B35/01; C04B35/10; C04B35/111; C04B35/622; C04B35/64
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
THE METHOD OF MAKING A SHEET OF CURED CERAMIC WITH MINIMAL DISTORTION WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A SHEET OF CERAMIC GREENWARE OF THE DESIRED SIZE, DEFINING A SUBSTANTIAL BORDER OF INCREASED THICKNESS OF CERAMIC GREENWARE IN A PATTERN ON SAID SHEET ABOUT THE AREA OF THE DESIRED FINISHED SIZE AND SHAPE OF SAID SHEET CONSIDERING SHINKAGE, SAID BORDER BEING IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH SAID SHEET SUCH THAT UPON CURING SAID BORDER WILL FUSE TO SAID SHEET, AND SUBJECTING SAID SHEET-BORDER ASSEMBLY TO A TEMPERATURE AND FOR A TIME TO EFFECT CURING OF SAID BORDER AND SAID SHEET, SAID BORDER BEING SELECTED TO BE OF SUFFICIENT WEIGHT TO RESTRAIN THE RATE OF SHRINKAGE OF SAID SHEET UPON HEATING, BUT INSUFFICIENT TO PREVENT NORMAL SHRINKAGE OF SAID SHEET UPON CURING THEREOF.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
THE METHOD OF MAKING A SHEET OF CURED CERAMIC WITH MINIMAL DISTORTION WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A SHEET OF CERAMIC GREENWARE OF THE DESIRED SIZE, DEFINING A SUBSTANTIAL BORDER OF INCREASED THICKNESS OF CERAMIC GREENWARE IN A PATTERN ON SAID SHEET ABOUT THE AREA OF THE DESIRED FINISHED SIZE AND SHAPE OF SAID SHEET CONSIDERING SHINKAGE, SAID BORDER BEING IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH SAID SHEET SUCH THAT UPON CURING SAID BORDER WILL FUSE TO SAID SHEET, AND SUBJECTING SAID SHEET-BORDER ASSEMBLY TO A TEMPERATURE AND FOR A TIME TO EFFECT CURING OF SAID BORDER AND SAID SHEET, SAID BORDER BEING SELECTED TO BE OF SUFFICIENT WEIGHT TO RESTRAIN THE RATE OF SHRINKAGE OF SAID SHEET UPON HEATING, BUT INSUFFICIENT TO PREVENT NORMAL SHRINKAGE OF SAID SHEET UPON CURING THEREOF.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
131 words
The method of making a sheet of cured ceramic with minimal distortion which comprises the steps of providing a sheet of ceramic greenware of the desired size, defining a substantial border of increased thickness of ceramic greenware in a pattern on said sheet about the area of the desired finished size and shape of said sheet considering shrinkage, said border being in intimate contact with said sheet such that upon curing said border will fuse to said sheet, and subjecting said sheet-border assembly to a temperature and for a time to effect curing of said border and said sheet, said border being selected to be of sufficient weight to restrain the rate of shrinkage of said sheet upon heating, but insufficient to prevent normal shrinkage of said sheet upon curing thereof.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
131 words
The method of making a sheet of cured ceramic with minimal distortion which comprises the steps of providing a sheet of ceramic greenware of the desired size, defining a substantial border of increased thickness of ceramic greenware in a pattern on said sheet about the area of the desired finished size and shape of said sheet considering shrinkage, said border being in intimate contact with said sheet such that upon curing said border will fuse to said sheet, and subjecting said sheet-border assembly to a temperature and for a time to effect curing of said border and said sheet, said border being selected to be of sufficient weight to restrain the rate of shrinkage of said sheet upon heating, but insufficient to prevent normal shrinkage of said sheet upon curing thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said border is made integral with said sheet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said border is made of strips of greenware of the same thickness as said sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 where said sheet is rectangular, said border is continuous and defined by two rectangles upon application to said sheet, and the corners of said border and said sheet are cut off before subjecting said border-sheet assembly to curing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 where intimate contact is established between said border and said sheet by pressure consolidation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 where intimate contact is established between said border and said sheet by applying a solvent between said sheet and the contacting surfaces of said border.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein intimate contact is established between said border and said sheet by screening the increased thickness onto said sheet in a greenware slurry.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
95 words
The method of making a cured sheet of ceramic with minimal distortion which comprises the steps of providing a sheet of ceramic greenware containing ceramic particles, said sheet being of selected size so that upon curing and shrinkage a sheet of predetermined dimension and shape is provided, heating said sheet to produce fusion of the ceramic particles while applying forces to said sheet only outside of said predetermined dimensions, considering shrinkage, to restrain the rate of shrinkage and minimize distortion of the sheet but insufficient to prevent normal shrinkage of said sheet upon curing thereof.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
95 words
The method of making a cured sheet of ceramic with minimal distortion which comprises the steps of providing a sheet of ceramic greenware containing ceramic particles, said sheet being of selected size so that upon curing and shrinkage a sheet of predetermined dimension and shape is provided, heating said sheet to produce fusion of the ceramic particles while applying forces to said sheet only outside of said predetermined dimensions, considering shrinkage, to restrain the rate of shrinkage and minimize distortion of the sheet but insufficient to prevent normal shrinkage of said sheet upon curing thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said forces are applied by increasing the thickness of the greenware outside of said predetermined dimensions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said restraint is applied by defining a substantial border of metallic composition to a surface of the greenware outside of said predetermined dimensions, said composition being of a character which will bond to the greenware as the greenware is fired.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of making sheets of ceramic with minimal dIstortion, comprising the steps of providing a sheet of the desired thickness of greenware of ceramic particles, heating said sheet of greenware for a time and at a temperature sufficient to produce fusion of said ceramic particles and resultant shrinkage of the sheet while simultaneously applying restraint to the edges of the sheet only outside of the final bounds of the sheet to control the rate of shrinkage, said forces being sufficient to restrain the rate of shrinkage of said sheet while permitting normal shrinkage thereof.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of making sheets of ceramic with minimal dIstortion, comprising the steps of providing a sheet of the desired thickness of greenware of ceramic particles, heating said sheet of greenware for a time and at a temperature sufficient to produce fusion of said ceramic particles and resultant shrinkage of the sheet while simultaneously applying restraint to the edges of the sheet only outside of the final bounds of the sheet to control the rate of shrinkage, said forces being sufficient to restrain the rate of shrinkage of said sheet while permitting normal shrinkage thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the step of restraining includes the step of providing at least one border of greenware in a pattern to said sheet to define the finished shape of said sheet in intimate contact therewith so that said border will fuse to said sheet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 12 wherein borders are deposited on both sides of said sheet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the step of restraining is accomplished by providing a border of greenware integral with said sheet.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3434817A
Cited
US3637435A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |