Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20040103751?dq=mezick
Timestamp: 2016-05-29 16:19:33
Document Index: 105444201

Matched Legal Cases: ['arth 116', 'arth 116', 'arth 116', 'arth 116', 'arth 116', 'arth 116', 'arth 116', 'arth 116', 'arth 116', 'arth 116']

Patent US20040103751 - Low cost high speed titanium and its alloy production - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA method for refining a titanium metal containing ore such as rutile or ilmenite or mixtures to produce titanium ingots or titanium alloys and compounds of titanium involves production of titanium tetrachloride as a molten slag, by processing the ore in a chlorination procedure and removing various impurities...http://www.google.com/patents/US20040103751?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20040103751 - Low cost high speed titanium and its alloy productionAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20040103751 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 10/309,552Publication dateJun 3, 2004Filing dateDec 3, 2002Priority dateDec 3, 2002Also published asUS6824585, WO2004050928A1Publication number10309552, 309552, US 2004/0103751 A1, US 2004/103751 A1, US 20040103751 A1, US 20040103751A1, US 2004103751 A1, US 2004103751A1, US-A1-20040103751, US-A1-2004103751, US2004/0103751A1, US2004/103751A1, US20040103751 A1, US20040103751A1, US2004103751 A1, US2004103751A1InventorsAdrian Joseph, John WhellockOriginal AssigneeJoseph Adrian A., Whellock John G.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (21), Referenced by (64), Classifications (11), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetLow cost high speed titanium and its alloy production
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS [0051] [0051]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the general steps for production of titanium alloy from titanium ore in accordance with the present invention; [0052] [0052]FIG. 2 is a process flow sheet for the production of titanium tetrachloride in accordance with this invention; [0053] [0053]FIG. 3 is a sketch of the plasma reactor for the reduction of titanium tetrachloride in accordance with this invention; [0054] [0054]FIG. 4 is an illustration of the titanium tetrachloride supply system used with the plasma reactor of FIG. 3 in accordance with this invention; and [0055] [0055]FIG. 5 is an illustration of the apparatus for titanium alloying and purification in accordance with this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0056] While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility. [0057] Referring to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention, the general flow diagram of FIG. 1 shows the general sequence of steps. The first step 10 includes the formation of essentially pure TiCl4 from a starting titanium bearing ore such as rutile or ilmenite or mixtures of ores. Rutile is an ore containing titanium and oxygen (TiO2) while ilmenite is an ore containing iron, titanium and oxygen (TiO2Fe2O3). For the purposes of this invention, any titanium containing ore or mixtures of ores preferably with oxygen, with or without other metals, may be used as the starting ore. The titanium ore is dressed in a conventional manner to produce an ore concentrate. In effect, the first general step 10 includes conversion of the starting ore to titanium tetrachloride preferably having less than 4 parts per billion of metallic impurities since the latter are difficult to remove in later processing. Generally, this step includes chlorination of the ore to form titanium tetrachloride. [0058] The next general step 12 involves conversion of the essentially pure titanium tetrachloride to titanium metal by plasma arc treatment in a chemical reduction process resulting in the reduction of the TiCl4 to titanium and 2XCl2, where X is beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium or, radium, or 4YCl, where Y is hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium or francium. In this second general step 12, a plasma reactor 40 (to be described) is used in which magnesium, sodium, hydrogen, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium is melted if necessary, and is injected continuously into a reaction chamber with heated titanium tetrachloride resulting in the formation of titanium metal and 2XCl2, where X is beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium or, radium, or 4YCl, where Y is hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium or francium. [0059] The third general step 15 involves processing the titanium from the second step under a controlled environment in which the titanium is heated and kept molten by plasma guns 130 (to be described) and at controlled environment conditions resulting in a very pure titanium metal which can be cast into ingots or converted to an aluminum-vanadium alloy while the titanium metal is in liquid form. In this third general step 15, dissolved gases such as hydrogen and chlorine are removed by out gassing. Since out gassing generally cannot remove oxygen, nitrogen and carbon, the plasma arc use of an inert gas environment tends to prevent these latter materials from becoming contaminants. [0060] [0060]FIG. 2 illustrates the details of the process involved in the first general step 10 shown in FIG. 1 for the production of titanium tetrachloride from a suitable ore. As shown, a titanium and oxygen bearing ore 17 such as rutile or ilmenite or mixtures, is dressed 16 with petroleum coke 18 and chlorine gas 19 and processed in a chlorination step 20 at an elevated temperature. After chlorination 20, the mixture contains titanium tetrachloride and iron chloride and other impurities which are separated out in a separation and condensation step 22. The impurities are separated at 24 resulting in the formation of a crude titanium tetrachloride as shown at 25. [0061] The crude titanium tetrachloride 25 is then processed at 28 to remove vanadium, as shown at 29, followed by distillation at 30, again at an elevated temperature, to remove silicon chloride as shown at 32. After removal of vanadium 29, the concentration of impurities is preferably below about 4 parts per billion. The result is essentially pure titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4). [0062] Thus, the first detail step within the first general step 10 involves ore dressing 16 to produce an ore concentrate. The second detail step involves chlorination 20 of the ore concentrate to form crude metal 25. This second detail step involves two separate sub-steps: [0063] (a) Conversion of the concentrate to crude TiCl4 25. This is done by the chlorination process 20 represented by the reaction: TiO2(s)+2Cl2(g)+2C(s)→TiCl4(g)+2CO(g) [0064] The chlorination process 20 is carried out in a chlorinator. With rutile ores, in the case of ilmenite, iron chloride is also formed and has to be removed as a separate step 22. [0065] (b) The crude TiCl4 25 is further purified 28, 30 to remove vanadium 29 and silicon 32 impurities. The final product is pure TiCl4. All the metallic impurities have to be removed in this step since they cannot be removed subsequently. [0066] The next general step 12 is the plasma arc reduction of titanium tetrachloride in the presence of gaseous hydrogen or molten metallic magnesium, sodium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium to produce titanium and 2XCl2, where X is beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium or, radium, or 4YCl, where Y is hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium or francium according to the equation: TiCl4+2X→Ti+2XCl2 [0067] where X is beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium or, radium, or [0068] TiCl4+4Y→Ti+4YCl [0069] where Y is hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium or francium. [0070] The plasma reduction 12 may be carried out in an apparatus 40 illustrated in FIG. 3 and referred to as a plasma reactor utilizing argon or helium. The reactor 40 includes basically two zones. The upper zone 41 is at atmospheric pressure and the lower zone 43 is the input side of the reduction and refining apparatus (FIG. 5) at a controlled pressure of about 760 Torr, with later stages keeping the same pressure. The two zones 41, 43 are separated by a flange 45, which holds a collector crucible 110 (to be described). [0071] The top portion 50 of the reactor 40 includes an injection port 51 through which gaseous hydrogen or metallic magnesium, sodium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium is introduced into the reactor 40. Surrounding the top portion 50 is a graphite block 54 for high temperature resistance. The gaseous hydrogen or metallic magnesium, sodium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium is heated to a liquid by a plurality of torches 52 arranged at a tilted down 60 degree angle and disposed circumferentially at 120 degrees from each other, two being shown at 52, and located vertically below the magnesium, sodium, hydrogen, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium injection port 51. The magnesium, sodium, hydrogen, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium is introduced at the focal point 53 of the torches 52, as illustrated diagrammatically. Located vertically below the torches 52 is a titanium tetrachloride injection port 55 such that the heated and gaseous hydrogen or molten metallic magnesium, sodium, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium comes into intimate contact with the injected titanium tetrachloride and is intermixed therewith for reaction. Located vertically below the titanium tetrachloride injection port 55 is a dual reactor section 57, 58, including a graphite liner 54 a, for reaction between the molten magnesium, sodium, hydrogen, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium and the heated titanium tetrachloride. Graphite rings 56 are used for temperature resistance, and within the reactor sections 57, 58 are temperature resistant graphite columns 56 a. Vertically below the reactor sections 57, 58 is a separator section 59 through which the 2XCl2 or 4YCl is withdrawn through an exhaust system (not shown). Formed titanium metal in the form of molten titanium droplets passes from the separator 59 into the crucible 110 in section 43 of the further processing station 100 to be described. [0072] A titanium tetrachloride supply system 60 for titanium tetrachloride injection into the plasma reactor 40 is illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 4. The supply system 60 includes a sealed titanium tetrachloride reservoir tank 62 which receives relatively pure titanium tetrachloride from the process output 43 of FIG. 2. The tank 62 includes an inert gas supply system 63 for argon or helium gas, for example, supplied from a pressurized gas source such as an argon or helium gas tank (not shown) through a two-stage pressure regulator. The tank 62 also includes an in-line pressure relief valve 66 which may vent to a hood and a pressure gage 64 to monitor the internal pressure of the tank 62. The tank 62 also includes an outlet system 65 whose output is connected to a titanium tetrachloride boiler vessel 70. [0073] The outlet system 65 includes a series of manually operated valves 71, 72 and Swagelok� unions 74 for disconnecting the reservoir tank 62 from the remainder of the system 60. Down stream of the valves 71, 72 is a flowmeter 75 controlled by a manually operated valve 77. The outlet 78 of the flowmeter is connected as the inlet at the bottom of the boiler vessel 70. The boiler vessel 70 itself includes an inner heater section 80 and an outer titanium tetrachloride heater chamber 82. The heater chamber 82 surrounds the heater section 80 and is sealed relative thereto. The titanium tetrachloride is fed into the heater chamber 82 under a blanket of argon or helium gas. [0074] The heater section 80 includes an immersion heater assembly 85 which includes an immersion heater device 86 which extends into the heater section 80 and which is supported at the top of the tank 70 by means well known in the art. The immersion heater 86 may be any one of the immersion heaters well known in the art. As shown, the immersion heater 86 is spaced from the wall forming the heater chamber 82 and is preferably filled with a heat transfer fluid for effective transmission of heat from the immersion heater 86 to the wall of the chamber 82. [0075] Surrounding the outer wall of the tank 70 is a heater tape unit 90 connected to a source of electrical power through a junction 91. Mounted at the top of the tank 70 and communicating with the heater chamber 82 is an in-line pressure relief valve 92 which vents to a hood. The tank 70 and the heater chamber 82 include an outlet 93. The exit side 95 of the outlet forms the inlet injection nozzle for the injector 55 of the plasma reactor 40 of FIG. 3. The outlet system 93 from tank 70 includes heating tapes 96 supplied with power from a junction 97. Downstream of the tapes 96 is an argon or helium purge valve 98 controlled by a three way electrically operated solenoid valve 99. [0076] The apparatus 100 for reduction and refining and/or alloying of the titanium metal output from the device of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 5. The apparatus 100 includes multiple chambers 102, 104 separated into two general zones by a gate valve 105 (as shown). The zone 102 on the left contains a titanium reduction plasma gun 107, such as a hydrogen argon plasma gun and additional plasma guns 108 for heating the titanium carrying ceramic vessel or crucible 110 and the molten titanium as it is produced. Zone 102 is at atmospheric pressure, e.g. 760 Torr, and receives molten titanium, in the form of titanium droplets, from the output 43 of the reactor 40. The liquid titanium droplets entering section 102 at 107 are heated by the plasma gun 108 and the gun output impinges on a molten titanium pool in the ceramic vessel or crucible 110 provided with a water cooled copper insert (not shown) on which titanium has previously solidified on the crucible walls to form a skull or solidified titanium coating 114 of essentially pure titanium metal. The titanium skull 114 prevents the molten titanium from contacting the bare walls of the ceramic crucible 110 which would result in reaction between titanium and the ceramic with resultant contamination of the titanium. Thus, incoming molten titanium contacts the solid titanium coating 114 of the crucible 110, the coating 114 being maintained solid by the water cooled insert in the ceramic crucible 110. [0077] The zone 104 on the right of zone 102 is at 760 Torr pressure and contains a water-cooled copper hearth 116 on which a titanium skull 118 has been previously formed inside the copper hearth 116. The hearth 116 may be cooled by interior water cooling pipes, not shown. There are multiple sections in this zone: the first section 120 at 760 Torr; the next and successive section 122 is at the same pressure as the first section, e.g., 760 Torr, the final section 122 including the cold hearth 116 having a lip 123 over which the molten metal flows to be cast into a retractable ingot mold 125. Plasma guns 130 keep the titanium molten in each of these sections. Alloying elements can be introduced into the second section 122 operating at 760 Torr so that an alloy, as previously described, may be formed. To form the alloy mentioned, powdered aluminum in an amount of 6% by weight and powdered vanadium in an amount of 4% by weight are introduced into the chamber 122. The flow rate through the sections 120, 122 has to be a constant if the proper amount of alloys are to be introduced to meet alloy specifications. [0078] There may be 1 to 3 ceramic vessels or crucibles 110, 110 a with titanium skulls 114, 114 a, formed as described. The ceramic crucibles 110, 110 a are positioned and supported on a table 135 which can be rotated 180 degrees so that the crucible 110, 110 a full of molten titanium can be swung from zone 102 into the left part of zone 104 (or section 120). There is also a tilt mechanism 138 in the left position of zone 104 (or section 120) which permits the molten titanium to be gradually poured over the sloping hearth 116 and flow from left to right and be cast into an ingot in mold 125. As shown, each of sections 120 and 122 includes out ports 140 for degassing control. [0079] With this design, the reduced titanium metal collection rate in zone 102 is independent of the flow rate on the hearth 116 in zone 104. Since two vastly different technologies are operating in the zones 102 and 104, it is almost impossible to match the reduction rate in the right zone 102 to the flow rate on the hearth 116 in the left zone 104. [0080] In operation, the first step is to turn on the plasma guns 108 and melt the surface of the skull 114 in zone 102. In the next step, the plasma reduction gun 107 is turned on and the newly reduced titanium is sprayed onto the molten surface of the skull 114 to fill it up. [0081] Once the skull 114 is filled, the succeeding step is to open the gate valve 105 between zones 102 and 104 and swing the crucible 110 full of molten titanium to zone 104 while an empty skull 114 swings to position in zone 102. Alternate arrangements as may be apparent to those skilled in the art may also be used for this operation. The next step is to close the gate valve 105 isolating the two zones 102 and 104. [0082] Following the closure of the gate valve 105, the plasma guns 130 in zone 104 are turned on to melt the surface of the skull 118 in the sloping hearth 116. The crucible 110 a full of molten titanium is tilted and poured at a steady rate onto the hearth 116 so that the gases, chlorine and hydrogen, are removed and the titanium is cast into the ingot mold 125. The rate at which the metal is poured over the hearth 116 depends on the quantity of gases present in the titanium from the reduction step. The larger this quantity, the slower the rate so as to give enough time for degassing to occur. [0083] While the preceding step is occurring in zone 104, the first step is operational in zone 102. [0084] The virtue of this arrangement is that the processing rates in the left 102 and right 104 zones can be controlled independently of each other to achieve an overall steady production rate. [0085] This process produces reduced titanium free from dissolved impurities, i.e., chlorine, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen. Chlorine and hydrogen can be readily removed by exposing the molten titanium surface to high velocity argon or helium plasma, while keeping the titanium sufficiently hot so that it can be cast as an ingot after the degassing operation. As noted, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon cannot be removed in this late stage and hence must be kept out of the titanium by carrying out all processing in an environment where the partial pressures of these gases is very low, i.e., in an inert atmosphere, taking great care that there are no leaks to or from the atmosphere in any of the processing vessels by overflow of argon or helium gas. [0086] Thus, one of the advantages of this invention is that the plasma reactor 102 and the reduction refining station 104 are basically one integrated apparatus 100. In this way the reduced titanium tetrachloride in the form of molten titanium droplets exits the reactor 40 directly to the second processing stage 100. The transition zone 43 from the reactor 40 is between the reactor 40 and the reducing refining zones 102, 104 and thus the molten drops of titanium are not exposed to fresh ambient environment or at least the exposure to fresh ambient environment is minimized. The purity of the plasma gas, argon or helium, were chosen to maximize the purity of the titanium. [0087] In effect, from the time of the formation of the molten titanium, the metal is under controlled conditions or inert gas so that the partial pressures of the gases which are difficult to outgas are kept at a minimum. This is achieved by a single integrated apparatus 100 so that the molten titanium metal can be handled and transferred within a controlled environment provided by a single contained apparatus 100 which is effective not only to maintain environmental conditions surrounding the molten titanium under control, but also to exclude the gases which are difficult to outgas. [0088] An additional and valuable option is the ability to alloy the titanium while it is still molten and make a much more valuable titanium alloy, e.g., TiAl6V4. This may be accomplished in the zone 104 side of the device. [0089] Another advantage of this invention is the formation of essentially pure titanium tetrachloride which is then processed to provide essentially pure titanium metal which can be alloyed, as desired. Moreover, while the starting material is a titanium containing ore 17, this is preferred as opposed to the use of titanium dioxide powders since the latter are relatively expensive and may contain impurities which may be difficult to remove and which may adversely impact the overall purity of the finial titanium product. Another advantage of the present invention is that the final refining and alloying operation is carried out in a single device 100, the low pressure units of which are under controlled atmosphere conditions, i.e., inert gas environment. These atmospheric conditions are relatively benign in the sense that the atmosphere with which the molten titanium is in contact does not include contaminating gas or gases. In this way the purity of the final product is not compromised by exposure to ambient air and the contaminants in air. [0090] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the above detailed description and drawings of the preferred form of this invention that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. [0091] The following reference numerals are used on FIGS. 1 through 5: [0092] [0092]10 Formation of essentially pure titanium tetrachloride from a starting titanium bearing ore; [0093] [0093]12 Conversion of the essentially pure titanium tetrachloride to titanium metal by plasma arc treatment; [0094] [0094]15 Processing of titanium under controlled conditions in which it is heated and kept molten by plasma guns and at progressively higher control conditions resulting in a very pure titanium metal; [0095] [0095]16 Dressing of the ore to produce an ore concentrate; [0096] [0096]17 A titanium and oxygen bearing ore such as rutile or ilmenite or mixtures; [0097] [0097]18 Petroleum coke; [0098] [0098]19 Chlorine gas; [0099] [0099]20 Chlorination; [0100] [0100]22 Separation and condensation of iron chloride and other impurities; [0101] [0101]24 Separated impurities; [0102] [0102]25 Crude titanium tetrachloride; [0103] [0103]28 Crude titanium tetrachloride processed to remove vanadium; [0104] [0104]29 Removed vanadium; [0105] [0105]30 Distillation to remove silicon chloride; [0106] [0106]32 Removed silicon; [0107] [0107]40 Plasma reactor; [0108] [0108]41 Upper zone at atmospheric pressure; [0109] [0109]43 Lower zone at controlled pressure of about 760 Torr with later stages under controlled conditions; [0110] [0110]45 Flange separating upper and lower zones; [0111] [0111]50 Top portion of plasma reactor; [0112] [0112]51 Injection port; [0113] [0113]52 Plurality of torches; [0114] [0114]53 Focal point of torches; [0115] [0115]54 Graphite block; [0116] [0116]54 a Graphite liner; [0117] [0117]55 Titanium tetrachloride injection port; [0118] [0118]56 Graphite ring; [0119] [0119]56 a Graphite column; [0120] [0120]57 Reactor section for reaction between molten magnesium, sodium, hydrogen, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium and heated titanium tetrachloride; [0121] [0121]58 Reactor section for reaction between molten magnesium, sodium, hydrogen, lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, francium, beryllium, calcium, strontium, barium or radium and heated titanium tetrachloride; [0122] [0122]59 Separator section; [0123] [0123]60 Supply system for titanium tetrachloride injection into plasma reactor; [0124] [0124]62 Sealed titanium tetrachloride reservoir tank; [0125] [0125]63 Inert gas supply system for argon or helium gas, for example; [0126] [0126]64 Pressure gage to monitor internal pressure of tank; [0127] [0127]65 Outlet system whose output is connected to 70; [0128] [0128]66 In-line pressure relief valve; [0129] [0129]70 Titanium tetrachloride boiler vessel; [0130] [0130]71 Manually operated valve; [0131] [0131]72 Manually operated valve; [0132] [0132]74 Swagelok� unions; [0133] [0133]75 Flowmeter controlled by 77; [0134] [0134]77 Manually operated valve; [0135] [0135]78 Outlet of flowmeter connected as inlet to boiler vessel; [0136] [0136]80 Inner heater section of boiler vessel; [0137] [0137]82 Outer titanium tetrachloride heater chamber; [0138] [0138]85 Immersion heater assembly; [0139] [0139]86 Immersion heater device; [0140] [0140]90 Heater tape unit connected to source of electrical power; [0141] [0141]91 Junction to electrical control unit; [0142] [0142]92 In-line pressure relief valve; [0143] [0143]93 Outlet; [0144] [0144]95 Exit side of outlet; [0145] [0145]96 Heating tapes for outlet system; [0146] [0146]97 Junction supplying power; [0147] [0147]98 Argon or helium purge valve; [0148] [0148]99 Three way electrically operated solenoid valve; [0149] [0149]100 Apparatus for titanium reduction and purification; [0150] [0150]102 Pressure zone on left at 760 Torr; [0151] [0151]104 Pressure zone on right at 760 Torr; [0152] [0152]105 Gate valve separating zones 102 and 104; [0153] [0153]107 Titanium reduction plasma gun, such as hydrogen argon plasma gun; [0154] [0154]108 Additional plasma guns for heating titanium carrying skull and molten titanium; [0155] [0155]110 Titanium carrying ceramic vessel or crucible; [0156] [0156]110 a Titanium carrying ceramic vessel or crucible; [0157] [0157]114 Solidified titanium coating forming skull inside ceramic vessel or crucible; [0158] [0158]114 a Solidified titanium coating forming skull inside ceramic vessel or crucible; [0159] [0159]116 Water cooled copper hearth; [0160] [0160]118 Solidified titanium coating forming skull inside water cooled copper hearth; [0161] [0161]120 First section within zone 104 at controlled pressure; [0162] 122 Second section within zone 104 at controlled pressure; [0163] [0163]123 Lip over which molten metal flows; [0164] [0164]125 Retractable ingot mold; [0165] [0165]130 Plasma guns; [0166] [0166]135 Table which can be rotated 180 degrees; [0167] [0167]138 Tilt mechanism; and [0168] [0168]140 Out port for outgas control. [0169] Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof. [0170] It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention. 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Material, Inc.Gas delivery system with constant overpressure relative to ambient to system with varying vacuum suction* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification75/10.19International ClassificationC22B34/12, C22B4/00Cooperative ClassificationC22B34/1272, C22B34/1286, C22B4/005, C22B34/1295European ClassificationC22B4/00B, C22B34/12H2B, C22B34/12H8, C22B34/12RLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionOct 14, 2004ASAssignmentOwner name: JOSEPH, DR. ADRIAN, CALIFORNIAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:WHELLOCK, MR. JOHN;REEL/FRAME:015250/0217Effective date: 20041014Oct 15, 2004ASAssignmentOwner name: TRESIS INTERNATIONAL, INC., CALIFORNIAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:JOSEPH, DR. ADRIAN;REEL/FRAME:015251/0148Effective date: 20041015Jun 9, 2008REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedNov 30, 2008LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesJan 20, 2009FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20081130RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services