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US5772748A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Preform compaction powdered metal process

Assignee: Sinter Metals Inc
•
Filing: 1995-12-20
•
Granted: 1998-06-30
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Expires: 2015-12-20
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Abstract

Abstract A process is disclosed for forming a pressed metal part in which a preform is inserted into a pressed metal mold. The mold is then filled with powdered metal. The powdered metal and preform are compacted to create a compacted metal part wherein the preform defines an adjacent volume next to the compacted metal part. The compacted metal part is ejected from the mold and sintered to create a sintered metal part. The preform is removed by the sintering step in such a way that the adjacent volume becomes a void region. The preform can be formed of copper so that, upon sintering, the preform is removed from the sintered metal part through infiltration. Alternatively, the preform can be formed of zinc so that, upon sintering, the preform is vaporized and thereby removed from the sintered metal part. The void region created by the removal of the preform can be an undercut, a taper, an annular groove, a thread or an internal cavity. In this way, the present invention eliminates the need for machining such surfaces as has been necessary using previous compaction methods.

Inventors

  • 👤 Theodore Russell Hubbard

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 12:12
CPC Classifications
B; B22; B22F; B22F5/00; B22F5/08; B22F3/00; B22F3/12; B22F3/1208; B22F3/1258; B22F3/1291; B22F3/24; B22F3/26; B22F5/10; B22F2005/103

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 130 words
A preform, used to make a sintered metal product, said preform comprising: a preform volume formed of a predetermined material; a preform profile defining the surface of the preform volume, and having a predetermined shape with at least one transverse feature, wherein said preform is inserted into a pressed metal mold which is then filled with a powdered metal, so that, upon compaction with the powdered metal, the preform profile defines a reverse transverse profile on the surface of the compacted metal part, wherein the preform substantially changes the shape of the mold surface imparted to the compacted powdered metal, said preform is substantially removed by any one of infiltration or vaporization such that said preform volume becomes a substantially void region along the surface of the sintered metal product.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 130 words
A preform, used to make a sintered metal product, said preform comprising: a preform volume formed of a predetermined material; a preform profile defining the surface of the preform volume, and having a predetermined shape with at least one transverse feature, wherein said preform is inserted into a pressed metal mold which is then filled with a powdered metal, so that, upon compaction with the powdered metal, the preform profile defines a reverse transverse profile on the surface of the compacted metal part, wherein the preform substantially changes the shape of the mold surface imparted to the compacted powdered metal, said preform is substantially removed by any one of infiltration or vaporization such that said preform volume becomes a substantially void region along the surface of the sintered metal product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The preform of claim 1 wherein, upon sintering, the preform is removed through infiltration into the sintered metal part.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 12 words
The preform of claim 2 wherein the preform predetermined material comprises copper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
The preform of claim 1 wherein, upon sintering, the preform is removed through vaporization.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 12 words
The preform of claim 4 wherein the preform predetermined material comprises zinc.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The preform of claim 1 wherein the transverse feature of said preform profile comprises an undercut.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
The preform of claim 1 wherein the transverse feature of said preform profile comprises a taper.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The preform of claim 1 wherein the transverse feature of said preform profile comprises an annular groove.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 16 words
The preform of claim 1 wherein the transverse feature of said preform profile comprises a thread.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 13 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said void region comprises an internal cavity.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-06-29 2001-12-29 2002-06-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-06-29 2005-12-29 2006-06-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-06-29 2009-12-29 2010-06-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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