Patent US4871489A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4871489A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Spherical particles having narrow size distribution made by ultrasonic vibration
Assignee: Corning Inc
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Filing: 1988-04-19
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Granted: 1989-10-03
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Expires: 2008-04-19
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and process for producing liquid droplets having a narrow size distribution. Thin liquid streams are forced under pressure through a plurality of orifices in an orifice plate, the largest of which orifices has a diameter not greater than about three times the diameter of the smallest of those orifices. Also the thin liquid streams are vibrated to cause the breakup of each stream into droplets having a narrow size distribution.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas D. Ketcham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:34
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01J; B01J2/00; B01J2/18; B01J2/02; B01J2/06; B01J2/08; B05; B05B; B05B17/00; B05B17/04; B05B17/06; B05B17/0607; B05B17/0638; B05B17/0646
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for the commercial scale production of liquid droplets having a narrow size distribution comprising: containment means for containing a body of liquid under pressure; an orifice plate in communication with said containment means having a thickness of up to about 25 microns and a plurality of orifices therein, said orifices having a mean orifice diameter of up to about 20 microns and a spacing between said orifices of up to about 100 microns, the diameter of the largest orifice in said orifice plate being not greater than about three times the diameter of the smallest orifice in said orifice plate; means for forcing said liquid from said containment means through said orifices to produce a plurality of thin streams of liquid; means for vibrating said liquid streams to cause the breakup of said streams into droplets having a narrow size distribution; and means for converting said droplets to particles, said particles having a narrow size distribution.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for the commercial scale production of liquid droplets having a narrow size distribution comprising: containment means for containing a body of liquid under pressure; an orifice plate in communication with said containment means having a thickness of up to about 25 microns and a plurality of orifices therein, said orifices having a mean orifice diameter of up to about 20 microns and a spacing between said orifices of up to about 100 microns, the diameter of the largest orifice in said orifice plate being not greater than about three times the diameter of the smallest orifice in said orifice plate; means for forcing said liquid from said containment means through said orifices to produce a plurality of thin streams of liquid; means for vibrating said liquid streams to cause the breakup of said streams into droplets having a narrow size distribution; and means for converting said droplets to particles, said particles having a narrow size distribution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said orifices has an opening on one side of said plate which is larger than the opening for that same orifice on the other side of the plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said forcing means comprises means for applying pressure to a liquid held in said containment means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said orifice plate has at least 4 orifices therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said orifice plate has at least 4 orifices therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the diameter of the largest orifice is not greater than about two times the diameter of the smallest orifice.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mean orifice diameter is between from about 0.5 microns to about 20 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the mean orifice diameter is between from about 1 micron to about 10 microns.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the mean orifice diameter is between from about 2 microns to about 5 microns.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said orifice plate has at least nine orifices therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the thickness of said orifice plate is between from about 1 microns to about 25 microns.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the thickness of said orifice plate is between from about 10 microns to about 15 microns.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said orifice plate is deflected upward from the center when exposed to said pressurized liquid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said containment means comprises means for containing a body of liquid metal oxide precursor under pressure and wherein said converting means comprises means for converting said droplets to metal oxide or metal oxide precursor particles, said particles having a mean number diameter of up to about 8.5 microns and a narrower size distribution.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
135 words
A process for the commercial scale production of particles having a narrow size distribution said process comprising: (a) forming a plurality of thin liquid streams by forcing said liquid under pressure through a plurality of orifices in an orifice plate having a thickness of up to about 25 microns, the mean diameter of said orifices being up to about 20 microns, the largest of said orifices in said orifice plate having a diameter which is not greater than about three times the diameter of the smallest orifice in said orifice plate and the spacing between said orifices being up to about 100 microns; (b) vibrating said thin liquid stream to cause the breakup of said streams into liquid droplets; and (c) processing said droplets to produce particles therefrom, said particles having a narrow size distribution.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
135 words
A process for the commercial scale production of particles having a narrow size distribution said process comprising: (a) forming a plurality of thin liquid streams by forcing said liquid under pressure through a plurality of orifices in an orifice plate having a thickness of up to about 25 microns, the mean diameter of said orifices being up to about 20 microns, the largest of said orifices in said orifice plate having a diameter which is not greater than about three times the diameter of the smallest orifice in said orifice plate and the spacing between said orifices being up to about 100 microns; (b) vibrating said thin liquid stream to cause the breakup of said streams into liquid droplets; and (c) processing said droplets to produce particles therefrom, said particles having a narrow size distribution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing a flow of dispersion gas to engage the droplets.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 16 wherein said vibrating step comprises imparting a periodic vibration to said orifice plate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 16 wherein said liquid is a metal oxide precursor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 18 wherein said processing step comprises substantially removing the liquid from said droplets.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 19, wherein said removing step comprises entraining said liquid droplets in a dilution gas.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 20 wherein said metal oxide precursor is capable of passing through a gel phase upon removal of sufficient carrier medium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
57 words
The process of claim 19 wherein said metal oxide precursor comprises a sol diluted by water, said sol selected from the group consisting of: (a) zirconium hydroxynitrate sols; (b) zirconium acetate sols; (c) mixtures of aluminum chlorohydrate sols and zirconium hydroxynitrate sols; (d) aluminum chlorohydrate sols; and (e) mixtures of aluminum chlorohydrate sols and zirconium acetate sols.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 19 wherein said metal oxide precursor comprises a titanium containing sol diluted by water.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said processing step comprises processing said droplets to produce particles thereform, said particles having a narrow size distribution and a mean number diameter of up to about 5 microns.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 24 wherein said particles are dry, solid particles.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said forcing step comprises forcing said liquid under a pressure sufficient to cause deflection of said orifice plate upward from the center such that said liquid streams diverge from one another.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
50 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said liquid comprises liquid metal oxide precursor and wherein said processing step comprises processing said droplets to produce metal oxide or metal oxide precursor particles therefrom, said particles having a narrow side distribution and a mean number diameter of up to about 8.5 microns.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 15 wherein said forming step comprises forming a plurality of thin liquid streams by forcing said liquid under a pressure of at least about 36 pounds per square inch.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 15 wherein the liquid in said liquid streams moves in a generally upward direction as it exits said orifice plate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-10-02 | 1993-04-03 | 1993-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-10-02 | 1997-04-03 | 1997-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-10-02 | 2001-04-03 | 2001-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |