Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of filling a hollow glass microsphere with at least one gaseous material during formation of the microsphere comprising the steps of: forming a thin hollow gel membrane from a solution of glass forming material; filling an environment around the gel membrane with a gaseous material capable of diffusing into the membrane and selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, Xe, N 2 , CO 2 , Br, Ne, He, H 2 , D 2 , Dt and combinations thereof, so that the gaseous material diffuses into the thin hollow gel membrane during forming thereof; and rapidly collapsing the gel membrane to form a hollow glass microsphere trapping the gaseous material in the microsphere.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of filling a hollow glass microsphere with at least one gaseous material during formation of the microsphere comprising the steps of: forming a thin hollow gel membrane from a solution of glass forming material; filling an environment around the gel membrane with a gaseous material capable of diffusing into the membrane and selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, Xe, N 2 , CO 2 , Br, Ne, He, H 2 , D 2 , Dt and combinations thereof, so that the gaseous material diffuses into the thin hollow gel membrane during forming thereof; and rapidly collapsing the gel membrane to form a hollow glass microsphere trapping the gaseous material in the microsphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein the gaseous material trapped within the hollow microsphere during the step of collapsing the gel membrane is a noble gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein during the step of filling the environment the gaseous material is under a pressure of at least one standard atmosphere.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein during the step of collapsing the gel membrane the membrane is uniformly collapsed in shape and without rupture to form the hollow glass microsphere.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
144 words
In the method for producing small hollow glass spheres of uniform wall thickness and diameter by forming drops from a solution of selected materials comprised of at least a glass forming material, passing thedrops through a multiple zone furnace having differing temperatures in each zone for forming hollow gel membranes, drying the membranes, and collapsing the membranes into hollow spheres; the improvement comprising: providing the furnace with an atmosphere of at least one fill gas capable of diffusion into the membrane and selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, Xe, N 2 , CO 2 , Br, Ne, He, H 2 , D 2 , DT and combination thereof, and controlling the temperatures in the multiple zone furnace such that the fill gas diffuses into an interior of the hollow gel membranes during formation of the hollow spheres, producing gas filled hollow spheres.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
144 words
In the method for producing small hollow glass spheres of uniform wall thickness and diameter by forming drops from a solution of selected materials comprised of at least a glass forming material, passing thedrops through a multiple zone furnace having differing temperatures in each zone for forming hollow gel membranes, drying the membranes, and collapsing the membranes into hollow spheres; the improvement comprising: providing the furnace with an atmosphere of at least one fill gas capable of diffusion into the membrane and selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, Xe, N 2 , CO 2 , Br, Ne, He, H 2 , D 2 , DT and combination thereof, and controlling the temperatures in the multiple zone furnace such that the fill gas diffuses into an interior of the hollow gel membranes during formation of the hollow spheres, producing gas filled hollow spheres.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method defined in claim 5, additionally including a step of: controlling pressure of the fill gas provided in the furnace such that the pressure of the gas contained within the hollow spheres is controlled.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method defined in claim 5, wherein during the step of providing the furnace with a fill gas, the fill gas is comprised of at least one gas which is not decomposed at glass formation temperature and does not interact with the DT fill gas, the glass forming material, or other fill gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method defined in claim 5, wherein during the step of providing the furnace with a fill gas, the fill gas is a noble gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method defined in claim 8, wherein the noble gas is argon and the hollow spheres contain argon at a pressure of about 0.5 atmospheres.