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. 21, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 29, 2004
Men G. Chu, Export, PA (US);
Alvaro Giron, Murrysville, PA (US);
William A. Casada, Cheswick, PA (US);
Ho Yu, Murrysville, PA (US);
Men G. Chu, Export, PA (US);
Alvaro Giron, Murrysville, PA (US);
William A. Casada, Cheswick, PA (US);
Ho Yu, Murrysville, PA (US);
Alcoa Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A DC casting mold for casting molten metal alloy comprising a cooled tubular body that has a thermally insulated insert attached to its top surface. The thermally insulated insert has a bottom portion with a beveled sidewall, which forms an angle with the horizontal melt surface layer of the molten metal and creates an eddy. The eddy causes a substantial number of oxides that are formed during the casting process to remain in the bottom sidewall portion of the thermally insulated insert of the mold, thereby substantially reducing the number of ingot surface imperfections that promote ingot cracking. In addition, the eddy promotes break-up of the oxides into smaller pieces as the oxides flow toward the cooled inner walls of the cooled tubular body, thereby having limited surface area for growth of oxide folds. A method of casting molten metal alloys with improved surface quality is also disclosed.