Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

National Center for Manufacturing Sciences

F. W. Gartner Thermal Spraying, Ltd.

John Robert Smith

Thomas Hubert Van Steenkiste

Daniel William Gorkiewicz

Bryan A Gillispie

Zhibo Zhao

Michel Farid Sultan

Alaa AbdelAzim Elmoursi

Richard Earl Teets

Thomas W Nehl

Ming-Cheng Wu

Brian K Fuller

Yang Luo

Jerome Joseph Moleski

Joseph V Mantese

David R Sigler

Avoki M Omekanda

Joseph Pierre Heremans

Donald T Morelli

Martin Stephen Kramer

George Albert Drew

Frans Peter Lautzenhiser

Keith Alan Kowalsky

Malakondaiah Naidu

Larry Edward Byrnes

Martin Stier

Wen Jin Meng

Hartley F Hutchins

James A Gourash

Nilesh B Patel

Albert B Campbell

A feeder apparatus supplies a powder feedstock to a high or low pressure processing operation. The apparatus includes a metering plate defining an annular channel having a channel width. A measuring mechanism dispenses a measured volume of the feedstock into the annular channel. The measuring mechanism includes a pay-out device defining an outlet significantly smaller than the channel width. The measuring mechanism further includes a maximum fill level defining a maximum pressure head in the feedstock less than a retaining pressure defined by the internal friction of the feedstock. The restraining pressure prevents the feedstock from spreading outwardly in the annular channel and contacting sidewalls of the annular channel under the pressure head of the feedstock. The apparatus further includes a pick-up device for removing the feedstock from the annular channel. The pick-up device includes an inlet having a rectangular shape extending across the annular channel.

Feeder apparatus for controlled supply of feedstock

The invention concerns a copper-based circuit having an electrically insulative substrate, a bond layer including silver formed over select portions of the substrate according to a desired shape of the circuit, and an electrically conductive layer including plastically deformed particles of copper deposited on the bond layer. Furthermore, the invention also concerns a process for forming a copper-based circuit, wherein the process includes the steps of providing an electrically insulative substrate, forming a bond layer including silver over select portions of the substrate according to a desired shape of the circuit, and depositing copper on the bond layer by the steps of introducing copper particles into a pressurized carrier gas, forming the pressurized carrier gas and the copper particles into a supersonic jet, and directing the jet toward the bond layer formed over the substrate such that the jet has a velocity sufficient to cause plastic deformation of the copper particles onto the bond layer, thereby forming an electrically conductive layer on the bond layer.

Copper circuit formed by kinetic spray

The subject invention detects the presence of an ozone reducing coating on an automotive radiator of the type having spaced fins presenting electromagnetic surface properties different than the electromagnetic surface properties of the coating. In accordance with the subject invention light rays are emitted or reflected off the coating on the fins to a detector and a comparator compares these light rays to a predetermined benchmark to provide a signal in response to the detected light rays crossing the benchmark. In a species, a second detector is employed to detect rays from an un-coated section to establish the benchmark.

Method for the detection of coatings using emissivity and reflectivity

Disclosed is a process for applying a kinetic spray coating of powder particles onto a substrate covered in a plastic-type material without first removing the plastic-type material. In one use of the process a mask is used to enable a single kinetic spray pass to both remove the plastic covering and bind particles having average nominal diameters of from 60 to 250 microns to the underlying substrate. In another use of the process the particles have an average nominal diameter of from 250 to 1400 microns and the use of a mask is optional because the particles can penetrate the plastic material and bind directly to the substrate. The process finds special use in forming electrical connections or solderable pads anywhere along the length of a flexible circuit.

Kinetic spray application of coatings onto covered materials

The subject invention provides an assembly for measuring movement of and a torque applied to a shaft extending between first and second ends and being hollow, specifically for measuring rotation and twisting of the shaft. A permanent magnet is disposed within the shaft for producing a parallel magnetic field emanating radially from the shaft. A sensor mechanism is positioned adjacent the shaft to detect the magnetic flux produced in response to the shaft being moved. The sensor mechanism includes a magnetostrictive (MR) material disposed annularly about the shaft and extends between first and second edges. A flux collector extends beyond the first and second edges of the magnetostrictive material to direct the magnetic flux through a Hall sensor to detect an axial component of the magnetic flux in response to twisting. A positional ring extends annularly around and spaced from the shaft and a positional sensor is disposed between the positional ring and the shaft for measuring a radial component of the magnetic flux in response to rotating.

Assembly for measuring movement of and a torque applied to a shaft

The present invention is directed to a process for preparing aluminum and aluminum alloy surfaces in heat exchangers for brazing by depositing thereon a kinetic sprayed brazing composition. The process simultaneously deposits monolith or composite coatings that can include all braze materials and corrosion protection materials used in the brazing of aluminum fins to plates and tubes in a single stage.

Product and method of brazing using kinetic sprayed coatings

Disclosed is a method for direct application of a catalyst to a substrate for treatment of atmospheric pollution including ozone. The method includes applying a catalytic metal to a substrate utilizing a thermal spray process. The process can be utilized to apply a base metal such as copper to a substrate and the base metal becomes the catalytically active oxide during and following application to the substrate. This system replaces a multi-step process within a single step process to provide a catalytically active surface that can be utilized to reduce ground level ozone and other atmospheric pollutants.

Direct application of catalysts to substrates via a thermal spray process for treatment of the atmosphere

The cylinder walls of light metal engine blocks are thermally spray coated with a ferrous-based coating including aluminum using an HVOF device. A ferrous-based wire is fed to the HVOF device to locate a tip end of the wire in a high temperature zone of the device. Jet flows of oxygen and gaseous fuel are fed to the high temperature zone and are combusted to generate heat to melt the tip end. The oxygen is oversupplied in relation to the gaseous fuel. The excess oxygen reacts with and burns a fraction of the ferrous-based feed wire in an exothermic reaction to generate substantial supplemental heat to the HVOF device. The molten/combusted metal is sprayed by the device onto the walls of the cylinder by the jet flow of gases.

Method of producing thermally sprayed metallic coating with additives

A method of maintaining a non-obstructed interior opening in a kinetic spray nozzle is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a mixture of particles including first particle population and a second particle population; entraining the mixture of particles into a flow of a gas at a temperature below the melt temperature of the particle populations; and directing the mixture of particles entrained in the flow of gas through a supersonic nozzle to accelerate the first particle population to a velocity sufficient to result in adherence of the first particle population on a substrate positioned opposite the nozzle. The operating conditions of the kinetic spray system are selected such that the second particle population is not accelerated to a velocity sufficient to result in adherence when it impacts the substrate. The inclusion of the second particle population maintains the supersonic nozzle in a non-obstructed condition and also enables one to raise the main gas operating temperature to a much higher level, thereby increasing the deposition efficiency of the first particle population.

Method of maintaining a non-obstructed interior opening in kinetic spray nozzles

A torque sensing apparatus for picking up a magnetic field of a magnetostrictive material disposed on a shaft, the torque sensing apparatus having: a first integrating ring; a second integrating ring; a first fluxgate return strip and a second fluxgate return strip each being connected to the first integrating ring at one end and the second integrating ring at the other end; an excitation coil; and a feedback coil; wherein the first integrating ring and the second integrating ring are configured to be positioned to pick up flux signals along the entire periphery of the ends of the magnetostrictive material.

Integrating fluxgate for magnetostrictive torque sensors

A method is for direct application of a brazing flux material to a brazing surface. The method includes the step of applying a brazing filler material to a substrate utilizing a kinetic spray process to form a brazing surface. Following application of the brazing filler material to the substrate brazing flux material can be directly applied to the brazing surface as either a dry powder or a wet slurry. The nature of the brazing surface allows the applied flux material to adhere to the surface without the utilization of additional binders or resin materials.

Method for direct application of flux to a brazing surface

A method for direct application of a catalyst to a substrate for treatment of atmospheric pollution including ozone. The method includes applying a catalytic metal to a substrate utilizing a kinetic spray process. The process can be utilized to apply a base metal such as copper to a substrate and the base metal becomes the catalytically active oxide following application to the substrate. This system replaces a multi-step process with a single step process to provide a catalytically active surface that can be utilized to reduce ground level ozone and other atmospheric pollutants.

Direct application of catalysts to substrates for treatment of the atmosphere

An apparatus is disclosed for kinetic spray coating of substrate surfaces by impingement of air or gas entrained powders of small particles in a range up to at least 106 microns accelerated to supersonic velocity in a spray nozzle. Preferably powders of metals, alloys, polymers and mixtures thereof or with semiconductors or ceramics are entrained in unheated air and passed through an injection tube into a larger flow of heated air for mixing and acceleration through a supersonic nozzle for coating of an article by impingement of the yieldable particles. A preferred apparatus includes a high pressure air supply carrying entrained particles exceeding 50 microns through an injection tube into heated air in a mixing chamber for mixing and acceleration in the nozzle. The mixing chamber is supplied with high pressure heated air through a main air passage having an area ratio relative to the injection tube of at least 80/1.

Kinetic spray coating apparatus

Electroplated chromium coatings on automobile suspension damper piston rods are replaced with thermal or kinetic spray coatings of: (a) suitable corrosion-resistant metal alloys such as iron and chromium containing nickel-based alloys or chromium containing steels, or (b) suitable ceramic coatings such as electrically insulative alumina ceramics. The spray coatings are porous, and the metal alloy coatings usually should be sealed for corrosion protection.

Spray coatings for suspension damper rods

A method and apparatus is disclosed for kinetic spray coating of substrate surfaces by impingement of air or gas entrained powders of small particles in a range up to at least 106 microns accelerated to supersonic velocity in a spray nozzle. Preferably powders of metals, alloys, polymers and mixtures thereof or with semiconductors or ceramics are entrained in unheated air and passed through an injection tube into a larger flow of heated air for mixing and acceleration through a supersonic nozzle for coating of an article by impingement of the yieldable particles. A preferred apparatus includes a high pressure air supply carrying entrained particles exceeding 50 microns through an injection tube into heated air in a mixing chamber for mixing and acceleration in the nozzle. The mixing chamber is supplied with high pressure heated air through a main air passage having an area ratio relative to the injection tube of at least 80/1.

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Birmingham, MI, United States of America

John Robert Smith