Metallic Alloy Slurry Dispenser

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a metallic alloy slurry molding assembly. The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly includes: (i) a mold assembly, and (ii) a metallic alloy slurry dispenser. The mold assembly includes a mold body defining a mold passageway therein. The mold body has a first mold portion, and a second mold portion. The metallic alloy slurry dispenser cooperates with any one of the first mold portion and the second mold portion. The metallic alloy slurry dispenser includes: (i) a dispensing body defining an outlet, and (ii) an outlet cover cooperating with the outlet, wherein the outlet cover is configured to cooperate with the outlet more than once.

1 . A metallic alloy slurry molding assembly, comprising: 
 a mold assembly including a mold body defining a mold passageway therein, the mold body having: 
 a first mold portion; and  
 a second mold portion; and  
   a metallic alloy slurry dispenser cooperating with any one of the first mold portion and the second mold portion, the metallic alloy slurry dispenser including: 
 a dispensing body defining an outlet; and  
 an outlet cover cooperating with the outlet, wherein the outlet cover is configured to cooperate with the outlet more than once, wherein:  
   the outlet cover is movable relative to the outlet between a flow disabled position and a flow enabled position;    in the flow disabled position, the outlet cover covers the outlet to block any flow of metallic alloy slurry held behind the covered outlet; and    in the flow enabled position, the outlet cover uncovers the outlet to permit a flow of metallic alloy slurry from the uncovered outlet.    
     
     
         2 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the metallic alloy slurry dispenser further includes: 
 a thermal energy differential mechanism cooperating with the outlet, and maintaining, in use: 
 a heating effect configured to maintain a metallic alloy slurry disposed within the outlet in a molten state; and  
 a cooling effect configured to removing heat energy from the metallic alloy slurry being disposed in a gap formed between the outlet cover and the dispensing body in a frozen state;  
 
 an interlock assembly operatively coupled to any one of the dispensing body, the outlet cover, a mold assembly, and any combination thereof, the interlock assembly preventing relative movement between the outlet and the outlet cover when the mold assembly becomes offset from the outlet cover; and  
 a dispensing body heating apparatus operatively coupled to the dispensing body, and maintaining, in use, a molten metallic alloy slurry being contained within the outlet in a substantially molten condition.  
   
     
     
         3 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the metallic alloy slurry dispenser further including: 
 a thermal energy differential mechanism cooperating with the outlet, and maintaining, in use: 
 a heating effect configured to maintain a metallic alloy slurry disposed within the outlet in a molten state; and  
 
   a cooling effect configured to removing heat energy from the metallic alloy slurry being disposed in a gap formed between the outlet cover and the dispensing body in a frozen state.    
     
     
         4 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 in the flow disabled position, any one of (i) the covered outlet, (ii) the outlet cover, (iii) a molten metallic alloy slurry awaiting, in use, ejection from the covered outlet, and (iv) any combination thereof, provides sufficient heat energy which maintains the molten metallic alloy slurry substantially molten and non-frozen behind the outlet and within the dispensing body;    in the flow disabled position, heat removed from components adjacent the outlet and outside of the outlet is sufficiently enough to permit solidification of a metallic alloy slurry in a gap between the outlet cover and the dispensing body;    in the flow enabled position, the outlet cover is movable in response to movement of a mold assembly abutting the outlet cover, the outlet cover becoming offset from the outlet once the outlet cover is moved to do so; and    in the flow disabled position, the outlet cover is movable in response to movement of the mold assembly becoming offset from the outlet cover, the outlet cover covering the outlet once the outlet cover is moved to do so.    
     
     
         5 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 in the flow disabled position, any one of the covered outlet, the outlet cover, a molten metallic alloy slurry awaiting, in use, ejection from the covered outlet, and any combination thereof, provides sufficient heat energy which maintains the molten metallic alloy slurry substantially molten and non-frozen behind the outlet and within the dispensing body.    
     
     
         6 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 in the flow disabled position, heat removed from components adjacent the outlet and outside of the outlet is sufficiently enough to permit solidification of a metallic alloy slurry in a gap between the outlet cover and the dispensing body.    
     
     
         7 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the metallic alloy slurry dispenser further including: 
 an interlock assembly operatively coupled to any one of the dispensing body, the outlet cover, the mold assembly, and any combination thereof, the interlock assembly preventing relative movement between the outlet and the outlet cover when the mold assembly becomes offset from the outlet cover.  
   
     
     
         8 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the metallic alloy slurry dispenser further includes: 
 a dispensing body heating apparatus operatively coupled to the dispensing body, and maintaining, in use, a molten metallic alloy slurry being contained within the outlet in a substantially molten condition.  
   
     
     
         9 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the metallic alloy slurry dispenser further includes: 
 an outlet cover heating apparatus operatively coupling the outlet cover, and maintaining, in use, a thixotropic material disposed in the outlet in a molten state while the thixotropic material remains in the outlet in the flow disabled position.  
   
     
     
         10 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the metallic alloy slurry dispenser further including: 
 an outlet cover cooling apparatus operatively coupling the outlet cover, and cooling, in use, a molten metallic alloy slurry disposed between a gap defined between the outlet cover and the dispensing body into a solidified state.  
   
     
     
         11 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 in the flow enabled position, the outlet cover is movable in response to movement of the mold assembly abutting the outlet cover, the outlet cover becoming offset from the outlet once the outlet cover is moved to do so.    
     
     
         12 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 in the flow disabled position, the outlet cover is movable in response to movement of the mold assembly becoming offset from the outlet cover, the outlet cover covering the outlet once the outlet cover is moved to do so.    
     
     
         13 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the outlet cover resides outside the dispensing body.    
     
     
         14 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the outlet cover is slidably movable relative to the outlet.    
     
     
         15 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the outlet cover includes: 
 a shut off body presenting an outlet cover surface which interacts with the outlet.  
   
     
     
         16 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the outlet cover is any one of a hot runner assembly, a hot runner manifold, a hot runner gate insert, the mold assembly, a mold gate insert.    
     
     
         17 . The metallic alloy slurry molding assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the dispensing body includes an axis extending therethrough; and the outlet is aligned substantially parallel to the axis.