Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100285236 | Method of carbo-nitriding alumina surfaces - The method of carbo-nitriding alumina surfaces is a process for applying a carbo-nitride coating to an alumina or alumina-based composite surface. The method involves the step of applying a phenolic resin to the alumina surface in a thin, uniform film. The resin-coated alumina surface is maintained in a controlled chamber at about 8 bar pressure at a temperature of about 175° C. for about 2 hours. The surface is then heated at about 400° C. for several hours in an argon atmosphere. This converts the phenolic resin to carbon. The carbon coated alumina surface is then scanned by a laser beam while applying nitrogen under pressure. The end result is the conversion of the alumina at the surface to aluminum carbo-nitride, the oxygen being released in the form of carbon dioxide. | 11-11-2010 |
20100291318 | Laser gas assisted nitriding of alumina surfaces - Laser gas assisted nitriding of alumina surfaces is a process for applying a nitride coating to an alumina or alumina-based composite surface. The method involves the step of applying a phenolic resin to the alumina surface in a thin, uniform film. The resin-coated alumina surface is maintained in a controlled chamber at about 8 bar pressure at a temperature of about 175° C. for about 2 hours. The surface is then heated at about 400° C. for several hours in an argon atmosphere. This converts the phenolic resin to carbon. The carbon coated alumina surface is then scanned by a 2 kW laser beam while applying nitrogen under pressure. The end result is the conversion of the alumina at the surface to aluminum nitride, the oxygen being released in the form of carbon dioxide. | 11-18-2010 |
20110139204 | ENERGY CONVERSION EFFICIENT THERMOELECTRIC POWER GENERATOR - The energy conversion efficient thermoelectric power generator includes a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element positioned adjacent the p-type thermoelectric element defining a gap therebetween, and first and second conductive members electrically connecting opposed top and the bottom ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, respectively. The first conductive member forms a hot junction with the top ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, and the second conductive member forms a cold junction with the bottom ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements. The materials and dimensions of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements are selected such that a slenderness ratio X of each falls within the range of 0≦X≦1. | 06-16-2011 |
20110180520 | Apparatus and method for controlling laser cutting through surface plasma monitoring - The apparatus and method for controlling laser cutting through surface plasma monitoring provides real-time monitoring and control of laser cutting quality. Laser cutting of a workpiece is controlled through monitoring of surface plasma generation, particularly during a laser gas-assisted cutting process. The apparatus includes a Langmuir probe positioned adjacent the impingement point of the laser beam on the workpiece. The Langmuir probe is in communication with a signal analyzer for measuring electrical voltage generated by plasma generated by the cutting of the workpiece. A controller is provided for comparing the measured electrical voltage with a desired threshold voltage. Control signals are generated to selectively adjust output power of the laser responsive to the compared measured electrical voltage and the desired threshold voltage to minimize plasma generation. | 07-28-2011 |
20120085382 | ENERGY CONVERSION EFFICIENT THERMOELECTRIC POWER GENERATOR - The energy conversion efficient thermoelectric power generator includes a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element positioned adjacent the p-type thermoelectric element defining a gap therebetween, and first and second conductive members electrically connecting opposed top and the bottom ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, respectively. The first conductive member forms a hot junction with the top ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, and the second conductive member forms a cold junction with the bottom ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements. The materials and dimensions of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements are selected such that a slenderness ratio X of each falls within the range of 0≦X≦1. | 04-12-2012 |
20120103954 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MINIMIZING FORMATION OF STRIATION PATTERNS IN LASER CUTTING - The system and method for minimizing formation of striation patterns in laser cutting provides real-time monitoring and control of laser cutting quality. Laser cutting of a workpiece is controlled through monitoring of thermal radiation generation, particularly during a laser gas-assisted cutting process. The apparatus includes an optical probe positioned adjacent the impingement point of the laser beam on the workpiece. The optical probe is in communication with a signal analyzer for measuring electrical voltage generated by thermal radiation generated by the cutting of the workpiece. A controller is provided for comparing the measured electrical voltage with a desired threshold voltage. Control signals are generated to selectively adjust output frequency of the laser responsive to the compared measured electrical voltage and the desired threshold voltage to minimize striation pattern generation. | 05-03-2012 |
20120148758 | METHOD OF CARBO-NITRIDING ALUMINA SURFACES - The method of carbo-nitriding alumina surfaces is a process for applying a carbo-nitride coating to an alumina or alumina-based composite surface. The method involves the step of applying a phenolic resin to the alumina surface in a thin, uniform film. The resin-coated alumina surface is maintained in a controlled chamber at about 8 bar pressure at a temperature of about 175° C. for about 2 hours. The surface is then heated at about 400° C. for several hours in an argon atmosphere. This converts the phenolic resin to carbon. The carbon coated alumina surface is then scanned by a laser beam while applying nitrogen under pressure. The end result is the conversion of the alumina at the surface to aluminum carbo-nitride, the oxygen being released in the form of carbon dioxide. | 06-14-2012 |
20130252366 | ENERGY CONVERSION EFFICIENT THERMOELECTRIC POWER GENERATOR - The energy conversion efficient thermoelectric power generator includes a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element positioned adjacent the p-type thermoelectric element defining a gap therebetween, and first and second conductive members electrically connecting opposed top and the bottom ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, respectively. The first conductive member forms a hot junction with the top ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements, and the second conductive member forms a cold junction with the bottom ends of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements. The materials and dimensions of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric elements are selected such that a slenderness ratio X of each falls within the range of 0≦X≦1. | 09-26-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100035051 | Wear-resistant ceramic coating - The wear-resistant ceramic coating is a coating formed with a first thin film nitride layer formed by laser nitriding and a second thin film layer of titanium nitride or other ceramic material formed by physical vapor deposition. For example, the coating may be formed on a Ti-6Al-4V alloy by first directing a CO | 02-11-2010 |
20100280800 | Method of modeling flexural characteristics of a bar subjected to local heating - The method of modeling flexural characteristics of a bar subjected to local heating utilizes thermal diffusion equations and the finite element method to model vibrational frequency and amplitude variation in a substrate material subjected to local heating. Both heated and non-heated cases are considered. | 11-04-2010 |
20100305910 | Method of modeling residual stresses during laser cutting - The method of modeling residual stresses during laser cutting utilizes thermal diffusion and stress equations and a discretization numerical method to model temperature variation and residual stresses in a substrate material due to laser cutting therethrough of small-diameter holes. | 12-02-2010 |
20110060562 | Method of determining the elastic modulus of coatings - The method of determining the elastic modulus of coatings utilizes numerical modeling and simulation methods to determine physical characteristics of coatings based upon comparisons of measured flexural characteristics with the numerical models and simulations. Particularly, the method of determining the elastic modulus of coatings utilizes a numerical modeling technique, such as the finite element method, to model vibrational frequency and amplitude variation in a substrate material with a metallic or ceramic coating. | 03-10-2011 |
20110259475 | Method of nitriding nickel-cadmium-based superalloys - The method of nitriding nickel-cadmium-based superalloys is a method of forming a nitride barrier layer on a surface of a nickel-cadmium-based superalloy workpiece, such as an Inconel® 718 plate, using gas-assisted laser nitriding. The nickel-cadmium-based superalloy workpiece is first cleaned, both with a chemical bath and then through an ultrasonic cleaning process. Following the cleaning of the workpiece, a laser beam is scanned over a surface of the nickel-cadmium-based superalloy workpiece. A stream of nitrogen gas, which may be elemental nitrogen or nitrogen in the form of ammonia gas or the like, is sprayed on the surface of the nickel-cadmium-based superalloy workpiece coaxially and simultaneously with the laser beam to form the nitride barrier layer. | 10-27-2011 |
20120082801 | METHOD OF LASER TREATING Ti-6AI-4V TO FORM SURFACE COMPOUNDS - The method of laser treating Ti-6Al-4V to form surface compounds is a method of forming barrier layers on surfaces of Ti-6Al-4V workpieces. The Ti-6Al-4V workpiece is first cleaned and then a water-soluble phenolic resin is applied to at least one surface of the Ti-6Al-4V workpiece. The Ti-6Al-4V workpiece and the layer(s) of water soluble phenolic resin are then heated to carbonize the phenolic resin, thus forming a carbon film on the at least one surface. TiC particles are then inserted into the carbon film. Following the insertion of the TiC particles, a laser beam is scanned over the at least one surface of the Ti-6Al-4V workpiece. A stream of nitrogen gas is sprayed on the surface of the Ti-6Al-4V workpiece coaxially and simultaneously with the laser beam at a relatively high pressure, thus forming a barrier layer of TiC | 04-05-2012 |
20130034665 | METHOD OF LASER SURFACE TREATING PRE-PREPARED ZIRCONIA SURFACES - The method of laser surface treating pre-prepared zirconia surfaces provides for applying an organic resin in a thin, uniform film to a zirconia surface; maintaining the resin-coated zirconia surface in a controlled chamber at approximately 8 bar pressure at a temperature of approximately 175 degrees Centigrade for approximately 2 hours; heating the resin-coated zirconia surface to approximately 400 degrees Centigrade in an inert gas atmosphere, thereby converting the organic resin to carbon; and irradiating the carbon-coated zirconia surface with a laser beam while applying nitrogen under pressure, thereby forming a zirconium carbonitride coating. | 02-07-2013 |
20140137917 | THERMOELECTRIC MODULE WITH BI-TAPERED THERMOELECTRIC PINS - The thermoelectric module with bi-tapered thermoelectric pins is a semiconductor device configured as a thermoelectric power generator that has pins made of Bismuth Telluride that attach to a ceramic hot plate and a ceramic cold plate to form a thermoelectric module (TEM). The pins will include at least one N-doped pin and one P-doped pin. The bi-tapered pin structure of the TE pins exhibits low maximum thermal stress as predicted by thermal analysis, thereby maintaining thermal, electrical, and mechanical integrity of the TEM device. | 05-22-2014 |
20140161988 | LASER NITRIDING METHOD OF MAKING PHOSPHOR BRONZE WITH SURFACE-EMBEDDED TITANIUM CARBIDE PARTICLES - The laser nitriding method of making phosphor bronze with surface-embedded titanium carbide particles involves coating a cleaned phosphor bronze workpiece with a thin film formed of a carbonaceous layer mixed with nanosize particles of titanium carbide. The titanium carbide forms about 5 wt % of the thin film, and the phosphor bronze workpiece is composed of about 6.0 wt % tin, about 0.1 wt % phosphorous, and about 93.9 wt % copper. A laser beam is then scanned over the thin film formed on the phosphor bronze workpiece. Coaxially and simultaneously with the laser beam, a stream of nitrogen gas is sprayed on the thin film formed on the phosphor bronze workpiece in order to provide the workpiece with a nitride coating having nanoparticles of titanium carbide embedded therein. | 06-12-2014 |