IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,010,850
Granted Patent B2
US 7,010,850 · App. 10/812,031 · Granted Mar 14, 2006

Thermal regulation of a coated work-piece during the reconfiguration of the coated work-piece

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,010,850
App. No.
10/812,031
Granted
Mar 14, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus for configuring an externally coated workpiece are provided. In one example, the apparatus includes a tubular reconfiguration chamber having a plurality of slidably mounted outer walls, the outer walls slidably mounted along individual radial lines emanating from and orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis of the tubular reconfiguration chamber; and a device for adjusting and maintaining the temperature of the external coating of a work-piece located within the tubular reconfiguration chamber. In another example the apparatus includes a reconfiguration chamber; a nozzle in fluid communication with the reconfiguration chamber, a regulator in fluid communication with the nozzle, the regulator adapted to regulate the flow of a thermal transfer fluid exiting the nozzle, and a controller in communication with the regulator, the controller adapted to send control signals to the regulator to maintain the surface temperature of the external coating of the reconfigurable work-piece within a predetermined temperature range, the predetermined temperature range associated with a predetermined minimum hardness of the external coating of the reconfigurable work-piece.

Claims (16)

1. An apparatus for reconfiguring from a first configuration to a second configuration an externally coated work-piece comprising:

a tubular reconfiguration chamber having a plurality of slidably mounted outer walls, the outer walls slidably mounted along individual radial lines emanating from and orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis of the tubular reconfiguration chamber; and

a means for adjusting and maintaining the temperature of the external coating of a work-piece located within the tubular reconfiguration chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for adjusting and maintaining the temperature includes a fluid ejection nozzle in fluid communication with the tubular reconfiguration chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for adjusting and maintaining the temperature is adapted to lower the temperature of the external coating to be within the coating's super-cooled liquid temperature range.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for adjusting and maintaining the temperature is adapted to raise the temperature of the external coating from its preexisting temperature to be within the coating's super-cooled liquid temperature range.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular reconfiguration chamber has a polygonal cross-section.

6. An apparatus for reconfiguring an externally coated reconfigurable work-piece comprising:

a reconfiguration chamber;

a nozzle in fluid communication with the reconfiguration chamber;

a regulator in fluid communication with the nozzle, the regulator adapted to regulate the flow of a thermal transfer fluid exiting the nozzle; and

a controller in communication with the regulator, the controller adapted to send control signals to the regulator to maintain the surface temperature of the external coating of the reconfigurable work-piece within a predetermined temperature range, the predetermined temperature range associated with a predetermined minimum hardness of the external coating of the reconfigurable work-piece.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the controller is further adapted to send control signals to the regulator to modify the surface temperature of the external coating of the reconfigurable work-piece to be at least 20 degrees Celsius closer to the external coating's glass transition temperature.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the controller is further adapted to send control signals to the regulator to modify the surface temperature of the external coating of the reconfigurable work-piece to be at least 10 degrees Celsius closer to the external coating's glass transition temperature.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the reconfiguration chamber has a polygonal cross-section.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the nozzle is incorporated into a wall of the reconfiguration chamber and wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with a thermal transfer fluid storage chamber.