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:
Sep. 30, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 14, 2008
Christian Reimann, Aurachtal, DE;
Jochen Friedrich, Eckental, DE;
Marc Dietrich, Grossschirma, DE;
Solarworld Industries Sachsen GmbH, Freiberg, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to a device and a method for producing crystalline bodies by directional solidification. The device comprises a melting furnace () having a heating chamber () in which at least one supporting surface () for a crucible () and at least one gas purging device arranged above the supporting surface () and having a gas outlet facing the supporting surface () are defined. An embodiment of the device is characterized in that the gas outlet is defined by one or more openings in a lower plunger surface of a plunger-shaped element () which has a geometry adapted to the inner shape of the crucible (), said shape allowing an at least partial insertion of the plunger-shaped body () into the crucible (). The gas purging device and/or the supporting surface () comprise an adjusting mechanism or are designed to be adjustable in such a manner that they allow an adjustment of a perpendicular distance between the supporting surface () and the plunger-shaped body (). The device and the corresponding method allow carbon- and oxygen-containing materials to be discharged from the melt more efficiently and in a controlled manner. The device and the method thus allow—within certain limits—a specific adjustment of the carbon and oxygen content of the crystalline bodies.