The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 05, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 30, 2000
John H. Brennan, Horseheads, NY (US);
Corning Incorporated, Corning, NY (US);
Abstract
A method of firing ceramic materials involving placing the ceramic material in a microwave heating apparatus having a microwave cavity and subjecting the ceramic material to combination of microwave radiation and conventional heat energy according to predetermined time-temperature profile. The time-temperature profile, ranging from room temperature the sintering soak temperature, comprises a series of target heating rate temperature setpoints and a series of corresponding core and surface temperature setpoints with each of the core and surface temperature setpoints being offset from the target heating rate setpoints a predetermined offset temperature. The method involves continuously measuring the ceramic body core temperature, T , and the surface temperature T . Controlling of the microwave power involves adjusting the microwave power in response to a difference between core temperature setpoint and a biased core measured temperature. Controlling of the conventional heat involves adjusting the conventional heat in response to the difference between the surface temperature setpoint and a biased surface temperature. The method involves continuing to deliver and control the microwave power and the conventional heat until the ceramic body has reached is sintering soak temperature.