Patent Application
20180031322
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a support fixture. Specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to a support fixture for firing parts.
Many manufactured parts, such as ceramic parts, require one or more forms of heating or firing, which are carried out in an oven using radiant heat and some form of convection, be it incidentally occurring due to temperature differences in the oven, or artificially and intentionally generated. The parts are laid on a bed of sand in the oven, which serves to support the parts and to radiate heat toward the parts. The bed of sand also detrimentally insulates a large portion of the parts against contact with convecting gas within the oven. As a result, the surfaces of the parts are not heated or fired uniformly. Temperature differentials within the parts can cause cracking or other defects. Further, during some processes, gases within the parts are released, and the sand contacting a large surface area of the parts inhibits this gas release. The trapped gases can cause unwanted voids, or build pressure within the parts that causes cracks or other defects.
A first aspect of the disclosure includes a fixture for supporting a body in an oven. The fixture includes a plurality of support ribs to support the body, and a support element supporting and connecting the plurality of support ribs. Each support rib has a length, a width, a thickness, and a first end. The length extends from the support element to the first end, and the width extends perpendicular to the length. The thickness extends perpendicular to the length and the width, the width is longer than the thickness, and the length varies across the width of at least one support rib of the plurality of support ribs.
A second aspect of the disclosure includes a fixture for supporting a body in an oven. The fixture includes a plurality of connected support ribs to support the body. Each support rib on the plurality of support ribs is spaced from at least one other support rib of the plurality of support ribs. Each support rib of the plurality of support ribs has a first face and a second face, at least one of the first face and the second face of each support rib of the plurality of support ribs opposing at least one of the first face and the second face of an adjacent support rib. Each support rib has a length, a width, a thickness, and a first end, the length extending from the support element to the first end, the width extending perpendicular to the length, the thickness extending perpendicular to the length and the width, the width longer than the thickness, the length differing for at least a first support rib of the plurality of support ribs with respect to at least a second support rib of the plurality of support ribs.
These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various embodiments of the disclosure, in which:
It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings.
Fixture 100 has a plurality of support ribs 102 to support body 110. Body 110 can be any part, component, or die, of any suitable shape or material, which undergoes a heating or firing process. Support ribs 102 can be spaced from each other and connected at a connection region 104 by a support element 106. Support element 106 can support and stabilize support ribs 102 by directly connecting to each support rib 102, thereby interconnecting support ribs 102.
Support ribs 102 can each have a first face 103 and a second face 105 facing away from first face 103, with one of first face 103 and second face 105 adjacent and opposing one of first face 103 and second face 105 of an adjacent support rib 102. A spacing distance S separates first face 103 of a first support rib 102 from an opposing second face 105 of an adjacent support rib 102. Support ribs 102 can each have a length L, a width W at an end configured for contact with body 110, and a thickness T. Length L extends vertically when fixture 100 is oriented to support body 110. Width W extends perpendicular to L length at the end configured for contact with body 110 (e.g., the top when fixture 100 is oriented to support body 110), and thickness T extends perpendicular to length L and width W. Width W is greater than thickness T. Support element 106 has a dimension parallel to length L of support ribs 102, and length L of at least one support rib 102 is greater than this dimension of support element 106. In some embodiments, length L of all support ribs 102 is greater than the dimension of support element 106. Providing longer support ribs 102 can provide greater space for fluid flow to and around body 110.
Length L can vary across width W of at least one support rib 102.
Support ribs 102 can have a small thickness relative to length L and width W, and the separation of each support rib 102 by spacing distance S is adequate to allow fluid flow therebetween. Spacing distance S can vary depending on the rigidity of body 110 under heating conditions, and the desirability of moving fluid around body 110. In other words, spacing distance S can be as large as practical to facilitate fluid flow through fixture 100 and around body 110, without spacing ribs 102 too far apart to properly support body 110 such that body 110 deforms under the force of gravity and under heating conditions to a level determined by a user to be undesirable or unacceptable. A relatively small thickness T also reduces the surface area of body 110 covered by fixture 100, and reduces the overall weight and material of fixture 100. The increased exposure of surface of body 110 facilitates more even heating around body 110. Decreased mass in the oven can increase heating efficiency, lower the cost of heating, and lower the cost of heating and of fixture 100.
Support ribs 102 can also facilitate fluid flow with a plurality of ventilation openings 108, each ventilation opening 108 being through thickness T of a respective support rib 102. Each support rib 102 can define one or more openings 108.
Each support rib 102 can further facilitate fluid flow to and around body 110 with a textured surface 112 at an end of length L thereof. Textured surface 112 can face away from connection region 104 and/or support element 106. The texture of textured surface 112 includes, but is not limited to, dimples, grooves, slots, depressions, and peaks, which are shin
Support ribs 102 can have a first face and a second face, with at least one of the first face and the second face of each support rib of the plurality of support ribs opposing at least one of the first face and the second face of an adjacent support rib
At least one fluid guide vane 114 can also be included on at least one support rib 102 of the plurality of support ribs 102. Fluid guide vanes 114 can be on first face 103 and/or second face 105, to direct fluid flow as desired and to increase or decrease heat to a desired area of body 110.
At least one support rib 102 can have a datum 116 (seen in
As shown in
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When an element or layer is referred to as being “on”, “engaged to”, “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to”, “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
