Contactless pellet fabrication

US4425376A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventor

• Mark C. Lee · Poway, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 26, 1981
• Grant date: Jan 10, 1984
• Expiry date: Oct 26, 2001

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C03B19/107
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A small object (12, FIG. 2) is coated by holding it in the pressure well (20) of an acoustic standing wave pattern, and then applying a mist of liquid coating material (42) at low velocity into the pressure well. The pressure gradient within the well forces the mist particles to be pushed against the object. A lower frequency acoustic wave (for oscillator 28, FIG. 4) also can be applied to the coated object, to vibrate it so as to evenly distribute the coated material. The same lower frequency vibrations can be applied to an object in the shape of a hollow sphere, to center the inner and outer surfaces of the sphere while it remains suspended.