Title: Method of manufacturing a metal-impregnated body

Do you think this is a good invention? Vote now:

Votes so far: For:(0) Against:(0)
Claims: We claim:

1. Method of manufacturing a metal-impregnated body which comprises the steps of:

introducing a porous body into a vacuum furnace at a subatmospheric pressure to reduce the pressure in pores of the body to sub-atmospheric pressure;

submerging said body in a molten pool of alloy in the furnace to fill the surface pores of the body with molten alloy while its internal pores are under sub-atmospheric pressure;

raising the pressure in the furnace to at least atmospheric pressure to partially impregnate the body with the alloy;

removing the molten alloy and body from the furnace;

placing the molten alloy and body in a pressurizing mold with the body submerged in the alloy;

applying high pressure to the molten alloy and said body in the mold to further impregnate the body with the alloy;

cooling the molten alloy and the so impregnated body in said mold while maintaining the high pressure, to solidify the molten alloy around the impregnated body;

re-heating the solidified alloy and said impregnated body to re-melt the alloy; and

removing the impregnated body from the re-melted alloy.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein

said step of introducing a porous body into a vacuum furnace comprises

introducing a plurality of porous bodies into the furnace; and

treating each of said plurality of bodies in the manner specified for said porous body, to obtain a plurality of impregnated bodies.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein

said step of raising the pressure in the furnace comprises

introducing a gas to the furnace to raise the pressure to a pressure above atmospheric, but below several atmospheres.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein

said step of raising the pressure in the furnace comprises

introducing a gas to the furnace to raise the pressure in the furnace to a pressure above atmospheric pressure but not greater than about 5 atmospheres.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein

said step of applying high pressure to the mold comprises

applying a pressure in the range of about 1,000 Kg/cm.sup.2 to 2,000 Kg/cm.sup.2.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein

said porous body is a body selected from the group consisting of carbon, pressed silicon nitride powder, sintered silicon nitride, and sintered alumina.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein

said molten alloy is an alloy selected from the group consisting of an aluminum alloy, and a silver alloy.

Other info:

Inventors: Kaneko, Yasuhisa (Toyota, JA)
Komiyama, Yoshiro (Okazaki, JA)
Kondo, Katsumi (Toyota, JA)
Noda, Fumiyoshi (Toyota, JA)
Murakami, Hideki (Toyota, JA)
Uchida, Kunihiko (Okazaki, JA)

Application Number: 453427
Filing Date: 1974-03-21
Publication_date: 1976-04-13
Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota, JA)
Primary Class(es): 164/62 29/527.3, 164/69.1, 164/75, 164/120, 164/129, 427/294
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

2192792	Mar, 1940	Kurtz	29/182.
2612443	Sep, 1952	Goetzel et al.	29/182.
2922721	Jan, 1960	Tarkan et al.	29/527.
3473900	Oct, 1969	Sara	164/97.
3547180	Dec, 1970	Cochran et al.	164/62.
3599601	Aug, 1971	Ishikawa et al.	164/61.
3695335	Oct, 1972	Cannell et al.	164/97.
3853635	Dec, 1974	Demerdi	164/120.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Shore, Ronald J.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Brisebois & Kruger