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:
May. 17, 2016
Filed:
Apr. 01, 2014
Ormco Corporation, Orange, CA (US);
Alfred David Johnson, Berkeley, CA (US);
Walter A. Bachmann, Pacifica, CA (US);
Ormco Corporation, Orange, CA (US);
Abstract
Metal ingots for forming single-crystal shape-memory alloys (SMAs) may be fabricated with high reliability and control by alloying thin layers of material together. In this improved method, a reactive layer (e.g., aluminum) is provided in thin flat layers between layers of other materials (e.g., copper and layers of nickel). When the stacked layers are vacuum heated in a crucible to the melting temperature of the reactive layer, it becomes reactive and chemically bonds to the other layers, and may form eutectics that, as the temperature is further increased, melt homogeneously and congruently at temperatures below the melting temperatures of copper and nickel. Oxidation and evaporation are greatly reduced compared to other methods of alloying, and loss of material from turbulence is minimized.