Manufacturing system, process, article, and furnace

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11577427-B2
Application number	US-202217738072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2022
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacturing system, comprising:
a tape advancing through the manufacturing system, the tape including a first portion having grains of polycrystalline ceramic bound by an organic binder; and
a station of the manufacturing system that receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the polycrystalline ceramic, to form a second portion of the tape and thereby at least in part prepare the tape for sintering,
wherein the station chars or burns at least most of the organic binder, in terms of weight, from the first portion of the tape without sintering the grains of polycrystalline ceramic, and
wherein the station comprises an active heater that includes heating zones such that a rate of heat energy received by the tape increases as the tape advances through the station.

2. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the rate of heat energy received by the tape increases in a nonlinear manner as the tape advances through the station.

3. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the rate of heat energy received by the tape increases slower at first, and then faster as the tape advances through the station.

4. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the tape is substantially more bendable than the second portion such that a minimum bend radius without fracture of the first portion is less than half that of the second portion.

5. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing system blows and/or draws gas over the tape as the tape advances through the station, wherein the station heats the tape above a temperature at which the organic binder would ignite without the gas blown and/or drawn over the tape.

6. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the tape is under positive lengthwise tension as the tape advances.

7. A manufacturing system, comprising:
a tape advancing through the manufacturing system, the tape including a first portion having grains of polycrystalline ceramic bound by an organic binder; and
a station of the manufacturing system that receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the polycrystalline ceramic, to form a second portion of the tape and thereby at least in part prepare the tape for sintering,
wherein the station chars or burns at least most of the organic binder, in terms of weight, from the first portion of the tape without sintering the grains of polycrystalline ceramic,
wherein the station comprises an active heater that includes heating zones such that a rate of heat energy received by the tape increases as the tape advances through the station,
wherein, as the tape advances through the station, the tape is directly supported by an underlying surface and moves relative to that surface.

8. The manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the rate of heat energy received by the tape increases in a nonlinear manner as the tape advances through the station.

9. The manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the rate of heat energy received by the tape increases slower at first, and then faster as the tape advances through the station.

10. The manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the tape is substantially more bendable than the second portion such that a minimum bend radius without fracture of the first portion is less than half that of the second portion.

11. The manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the manufacturing system blows and/or draws gas over the tape as the tape advances through the station, wherein the station heats the tape above a temperature at which the organic binder would ignite without the gas blown and/or drawn over the tape.

12. The manufacturing system of claim 7 , wherein the second portion of the tape is under positive lengthwise tension as the tape advances.

13. A manufacturing system, comprising:
a tape advancing through the manufacturing system, the tape including a first portion having grains of polycrystalline ceramic bound by an organic binder; and
a station of the manufacturing system that receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the polycrystalline ceramic, to form a second portion of the tape and thereby at least in part prepare the tape for sintering,
wherein the station comprises an active heater that includes heating zones such that a rate of heat energy received by the tape increases as the tape advances through the station,
wherein the tape advances horizontally through the station, and wherein, as the tape advances through the station, the tape is directly supported by a gas bearing and/or an underlying surface and moves relative to that surface.

14. The manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the rate of heat energy received by the tape increases in a nonlinear manner as the tape advances through the station.

15. The manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the rate of heat energy received by the tape increases slower at first, and then faster as the tape advances through the station.

16. The manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the first portion of the tape is substantially more bendable than the second portion such that a minimum bend radius without fracture of the first portion is less than half that of the second portion.

17. The manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the manufacturing system blows and/or draws gas over the tape as the tape advances through the station, wherein the station heats the tape above a temperature at which the organic binder would ignite without the gas blown and/or drawn over the tape.

18. The manufacturing system of claim 13 , wherein the second portion of the tape is under positive lengthwise tension as the tape advances.

19. A manufacturing system, comprising:
a tape advancing through the manufacturing system, the tape including a first portion having grains of polycrystalline ceramic bound by an organic binder; and
a station of the manufacturing system that receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the polycrystalline ceramic, to form a second portion of the tape and thereby at least in part prepare the tape for sintering,
wherein the station chars or burns at least most of the organic binder, in terms of weight, from the first portion of the tape without sintering the grains of polycrystalline ceramic,
wherein the station is arranged such that a rate of heat energy received by the tape increases as the tape advances through the station,
wherein, as the tape advances through the station, the tape is directly supported by an underlying surface and moves relative to that surface.

20. The manufacturing system of claim 19 , wherein the rate of heat energy received by the tape increases in a nonlinear manner as the tape advances through the station.

21. The manufacturing system of claim 19 , wherein the rate of heat energy received by the tape increases slower at first, and then faster as the tape advances

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Badding Michael Edward
• Bouton William Joseph
• Kester Lanrik Wayne
• Ketcham Thomas Dale
• Kittleson Andrew Peter
• Marshall Dale Charles
• Merz Gary Edward
• Miller Eric Lee
• Okpara Emmanuel Chima
• Walsh Conor James

Classifications

• C04B35/486

  Fine ceramics · CPC title

• C04B35/64

  Burning or sintering processes (C04B33/32 takes precedence {; powder metallurgy B22F}) · CPC title

• C04B2235/3225

  Yttrium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof · CPC title

• B32B27/32

  comprising polyolefins {(comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30)} · CPC title

• C04B2235/65

  Aspects relating to heat treatments of ceramic bodies such as green ceramics or pre-sintered ceramics, e.g. burning, sintering or melting processes · CPC title