Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for manufacturing a high critical temperature superconductor wire, which comprises the steps of: extending a metallic wire substrate between a rotatable supply spool and a rotatable take-up spool; drawing said wire substrate from said supply spool to said take-up spool through a processing zone with a predetermined tension on said wire substrate; fabricating said superconductor wire in said processing zone by forming a ceramic superconductor layer on said metallic wire substrate, said superconductor layer having a substantially uniform thickness; forming a silver coating on said ceramic superconductor layer; and depositing a ceramic powder on said silver coating; and rotating said take-up spool to wind said wire around said take-up spool to form a coil of said wire.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for manufacturing a high critical temperature superconductor wire, which comprises the steps of: extending a metallic wire substrate between a rotatable supply spool and a rotatable take-up spool; drawing said wire substrate from said supply spool to said take-up spool through a processing zone with a predetermined tension on said wire substrate; fabricating said superconductor wire in said processing zone by forming a ceramic superconductor layer on said metallic wire substrate, said superconductor layer having a substantially uniform thickness; forming a silver coating on said ceramic superconductor layer; and depositing a ceramic powder on said silver coating; and rotating said take-up spool to wind said wire around said take-up spool to form a coil of said wire.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said take-up spool is continuously rotated to draw said wire around said take-up spool.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the step of forming a diffusion barrier directly onto said metallic wire substrate prior to forming said superconductor layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as recited in claim 3 wherein said diffusion barrier is NdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x , wherein O ≦ x ≦ 0.5.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said superconductor layer is REBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x , (wherein O ≦ x ≦ 0.5) and RE is an element selected from the group consisting of yttrium and elements having an atomic number between fifty-seven (57) and seventy-one (71), inclusive, and combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said superconductor layer forming step is accomplished by continuously drawing said wire through a solution containing said superconductor, said solution having an electrode disposed therein, said electrode having a predetermined voltage established thereon with respect to said metallic substrate, said superconductor layer being eletrophoretically deposited onto said metallic wire substrate as said substrate is drawn through said solution, said superconductor layer being subsequently sintered.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as recited in claim 6 further comprising the steps of determining the thickness of said superconductor layer, generating a signal indicative of said thickness, and selectively varying said predetermined voltage in response to said signal to vary the thickness of said superconductor layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said silver coating step is accomplished by continuously drawing said wire through a solution containing said silver, said solution having an electrode disposed therein, said electrode having a predetermined voltage established thereon with respect to said metallic substrate, and said silver coating being eletrophoretically deposited onto said superconductor layer as said wire is drawn through said solution, said silver coating being subsequently sintered.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of determining the thickness of said silver coating, generating a signal indicative of said thickness, and selectively varying said predetermined voltage in response to said signal to maintain the thickness of said silver coating at a predetermined value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as recited in claim 6 wherein said superconductor layer is deposited onto said metallic wire substrate in grains, and said method further comprises the step of magnetically aligning said grains prior to said sintering step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said ceramic powder is yttrium oxide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said take-up spool containing said coil of said wire is heated in an oxygen containing atmosphere for approximately one (1) day at approximately four hundred (400° C.).
Claim 14
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for manufacturing a copper and oxygen containing superconductor wire, which comprises the steps of: continuously drawing a metallic wire substrate through a processing zone at a predetermined tension; positioning a first solution in said zone around said wire substrate, said first solution containing ceramic superconductor particles, said first solution having a first electrode disposed therein; selectively establishing a voltage on said first electrode with respect to said metallic wire substrate to electrophoretically deposit said superconductor particles onto said wire substrate; sintering said superconductor particles; positioning a second solution in said zone around said superconductor grains, said second solution containing silver particles, said second solution having a second electrode disposed therein; selectively establishing a voltage on said second electrode with respect to said metallic wire substrate to electrophoretically deposit said silver particles onto said superconductor grains to form a silver coating thereon; sintering said silver; and covering said silver coating with a diffusion inhibiting layer.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for manufacturing a copper and oxygen containing superconductor wire, which comprises the steps of: continuously drawing a metallic wire substrate through a processing zone at a predetermined tension; positioning a first solution in said zone around said wire substrate, said first solution containing ceramic superconductor particles, said first solution having a first electrode disposed therein; selectively establishing a voltage on said first electrode with respect to said metallic wire substrate to electrophoretically deposit said superconductor particles onto said wire substrate; sintering said superconductor particles; positioning a second solution in said zone around said superconductor grains, said second solution containing silver particles, said second solution having a second electrode disposed therein; selectively establishing a voltage on said second electrode with respect to said metallic wire substrate to electrophoretically deposit said silver particles onto said superconductor grains to form a silver coating thereon; sintering said silver; and covering said silver coating with a diffusion inhibiting layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of attaching said metallic wire substrate to a rotatable spool and rotating said spool to accomplish said drawing step.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 14 wherein said superconductor wire is drawn around said spool in a plurality of juxtaposed coils.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising the step of heating said coils at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time to establish a predetermined oxygen content in said superconductor layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the steps of depositing a diffusion barrier onto said metallic wire substrate and sintering said diffusion barrier prior to positioning said first solution around said wire substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said diffusion barrier is NdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x , (wherein O ≦ x ≦ 0.5).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said superconductor layer is REBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x , (wherein O ≦ x ≦ 0.5), and RE is an element selected from the group consisting of yttrium and elements having an atomic number between fifty-seven (57) and seventy-one (71), inclusive, and combinations thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of determining the thickness of said superconductor layer, generating a signal indicative of said thickness, and selectively varying said voltage on said first electrode in response to said signal to maintain the thickness of said superconductor layer at a predetermined value.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of determining the thickness of said silver coating, generating a signal indicative of said thickness, and selectively varying said voltage on said first electrode in response to said signal to maintain the thickness of said silver at a predetermined value.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of magnetically aligning said superconductor particles.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said diffusion inhibiting layer is yttrium oxide.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
150 words
A ceramic superconductor wire formed by the process comprising the steps of: continuously drawing a wire substrate through a processing zone at a predetermined tension; positioning a first solution in said zone around said wire substrate, said first solution containing ceramic superconductor particles, said first solution having a first electrode disposed therein; selectively establishing a voltage on said first electrode with respect to said wire substrate to electrophoretically deposit said superconductor particles onto said wire substrate; sintering said superconductor particles; positioning a second solution in said zone around said superconductor particles, said second solution containing silver particles, said second solution having a second electrode disposed therein; selectively establishing a voltage on said second electrode with respect to said wire substrate to electrophoretically deposit said silver particles onto said sintered superconductor particles to form a silver coating thereon; sintering said silver; and covering said silver coating with a diffusion inhibiting layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
150 words
A ceramic superconductor wire formed by the process comprising the steps of: continuously drawing a wire substrate through a processing zone at a predetermined tension; positioning a first solution in said zone around said wire substrate, said first solution containing ceramic superconductor particles, said first solution having a first electrode disposed therein; selectively establishing a voltage on said first electrode with respect to said wire substrate to electrophoretically deposit said superconductor particles onto said wire substrate; sintering said superconductor particles; positioning a second solution in said zone around said superconductor particles, said second solution containing silver particles, said second solution having a second electrode disposed therein; selectively establishing a voltage on said second electrode with respect to said wire substrate to electrophoretically deposit said silver particles onto said sintered superconductor particles to form a silver coating thereon; sintering said silver; and covering said silver coating with a diffusion inhibiting layer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The superconductor wire of claim 24, wherein said superconductor particles are substantially magnetically aligned.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The superconductor wire of claim 25, further comprising a diffusion barrier positioned between said wire substrate and said superconductor layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The superconductor wire of claim 26, wherein said diffusion barrier is NdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x , (wherein O ≦ x ≦ 0.5).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
52 words
The superconductor wire of claim 24, wherein said superconductor layer is REBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x , (wherein O ≦ x ≦ 0.5) and RE is an element selected from the group consisting of yttrium and elements having an atomic number between fifty-seven (57) and seventy-one (71), inclusive, and combinations thereof.