US4063916A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process of making glass beads from liquid medium feedstock
Assignee: Sovitec SA
•
Filing: 1976-11-01
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Granted: 1977-12-20
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Expires: 1996-11-01
Abstract
Abstract A process of making glass beads which comprises the steps of forming a fluid medium comprising an aqueous liquid having glass-forming material therein at least most of which is dissolved in the aqueous liquid, forming drops of such fluid medium, and converting the drops to glass beads by causing the drops to travel in separated condition first through a firing zone at glass-forming temperature to cause evaporation of liquid and formation of glass from the glass-forming material, and then through a cooling zone to cause the glass to solidify.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel De Vos
- 👤 Paul-Marie Michel
- 👤 Alfred Berger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 00:20
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B19/00; C03B19/10; C03B19/108; C03B19/1085; C03C; C03C11/00; C03C11/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A process of making glass beads which comprises the steps of forming a fluid medium comprising an aqueous liquid having glass-forming material therein at least most of which is dissolved in the aqueous liquid, forming drops of such fluid medium, and directly converting the drops to glass beads by causing the drops to travel in separated condition first through a firing zone at glass-forming temperature to cause evaporation of liquid and formation of glass from the glass-forming material while still within said firing zone, and then through a cooling zone to cause the glass to solidify.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
A process of making glass beads which comprises the steps of forming a fluid medium comprising an aqueous liquid having glass-forming material therein at least most of which is dissolved in the aqueous liquid, forming drops of such fluid medium, and directly converting the drops to glass beads by causing the drops to travel in separated condition first through a firing zone at glass-forming temperature to cause evaporation of liquid and formation of glass from the glass-forming material while still within said firing zone, and then through a cooling zone to cause the glass to solidify.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid medium contains at least 60% by weight of water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said glass-forming material forms a borosilicate or silicoborate glass.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said glass-forming material normally forms a gel and wherein said fluid medium contains a dissolved ingredient which inhibits such gel formation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid medium contains products of reaction of an alkali metal silicate, an acidic boron-containing compound, and a pH modifier which inhibits gel formation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as defined in claim 5, wherein said pH modifier is sodium or potassium hydroxide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid medium contains a substance giving rise to the evolution of gas in the firing zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid medium contains a substance which decomposes in the firing zone with evolution of gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process as defined in claim 8 wherein said substance comprises a metal carbonate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process as defined in claim 8 wherein said substance comprises urea.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said drops are formed by feeding said fluid medium to sprayer means from which the fluid medium issues as said drops.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid medium and said drops are formed simultaneously by delivering separate fluid streams containing different constituents of the fluid medium into one or more gas streams in which the materials of the different fluid streams coalesce in the form of drops.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said drops are substantially entirely of a size not exceeding 2mm in diameter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process as defined in claim 13 wherein said drops not exceeding 2 mm are of a size range 0.01 to 1.0 mm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the temperature in the firing zone corresponds with a glass viscosity of 5000 to 20,000 cP.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid medium and the temperature/time curve relating to the treatment in the firing and cooling zones are such that the drops are at least mainly converted to hollow glass beads.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid medium, the sizes of the drops thereof, and the temperature/time curve relating to their treatment in the firing and cooling zones are such that at least some of the drops are disrupted by gas pressure and form droplets of smaller size, and such smaller droplets become converted into glass beads.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process as defined in claim 17 wherein said drops are at least mostly smaller than 500 microns and the glass beads formed therefrom are in the size range 10 to 250 microns.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said drops are at least mostly below 100 microns in size.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-19 | 1981-06-20 | 1981-12-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-19 | 1985-06-20 | 1985-12-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-19 | 1989-06-20 | 1989-12-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |