Die casting device and method for amorphous alloy

Abstract

A die casting apparatus ( 100 ) for amorphous alloy comprises a stationary die ( 1 ) and a movable die ( 2 ); a sealed cabin ( 4 ) difining a sealing chamber ( 40 ); a protecting gas supplying device connected with the sealed cabin ( 4 ) for supplying the protecting gas into the sealing chamber ( 40 ); a melting device ( 5 ) for receiving and melting amorphous alloy; a feed sleeve ( 6 ) having a molten material inlet ( 60 ), with a plunger ( 7 ) positioned therein for injecting the molted amorphous alloy from the melting device ( 5 ) into a die chamber via the molten material inlet ( 60 ); a driving device ( 8 ) connected with the plunger ( 7 ) for driving the plunger ( 7 ) in the feed sleeve ( 6 ); and a gas purifying device ( 10 ) communicated with the sealed cabin ( 4 ) for purifying the gas from the sealed cabin ( 4 ). A method of die casting an amorphous alloy comprises the steps of purifying a sealing chamber ( 40 ) defined in a sealed cabin ( 4 ); supplying protecting gas into the sealing chamber ( 40 ) to maintain the protecting gas in the sealing chamber ( 40 ) to a positive pressure; feeding amorphous alloy into a melting device ( 5 ) to obtain the molten amorphous alloy; feeding the molten amorphous alloy into a die chamber ( 3 ); and opening the mated stationary and movable dies to extract at least a component. The apparatus and method use positive pressure protecting gas without the need to form high degree vacuum, thus reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs.

1 . A die casting apparatus for an amorphous alloy, comprising:
 a stationary die and a movable die defining a die chamber when mated with each other;   a sealed cabin defining a sealing chamber, the sealing chamber having a feeding port;   a protecting gas supplying device connected with the sealed cabin for supplying a protecting gas into the sealing chamber so that the protecting gas inside the sealing chamber has a positive pressure;   a melting device disposed within the sealed cabin for receiving and melting amorphous alloy fed from the feeding port;   a feed sleeve communicated with the die chamber having a molten material inlet;   a plunger positioned in the feed sleeve for injecting the molten amorphous alloy from the melting device into the die chamber via the molten material inlet;   a driving device connected with the plunger for driving the plunger in the feed sleeve; and   a gas treatment device communicated with the sealed cabin for the treatment of the gas in the sealed cabin.   
     
     
         2 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gas treatment device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a vacuum suction device, a gas purifier and the combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gas in the sealed cabin contains at least one selected from the group consisting of N 2 , O 2 , H 2 O and CO 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the die casting apparatus is configured into a horizontal type with the stationary and the movable dies being disposed outside the sealed cabin. 
     
     
         5 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the die casting apparatus is configured into a vertical type with the stationary and movable dies being disposed inside the sealed cabin. 
     
     
         6 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing member disposed between the stationary and movable dies. 
     
     
         7 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the feed sleeve is communicated with the die chamber via a communicating passage in the stationary die. 
     
     
         8 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the protecting gas is at least one of inert gases. 
     
     
         9 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the protecting gas inside the sealing chamber has a pressure between 1 atm and 1.1 atm. 
     
     
         10 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the protecting gas has a density no less than air density. 
     
     
         11 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the melting device comprises:
 a crucible; and   a heating device for heating the crucible.   
     
     
         12 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heating device is selected from the group consisting of an induction heating device, an electric arc heating device, and a resistor heating device. 
     
     
         13 . The die casting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a die chamber vacuum suction device communicated with the die chamber for performing vacuum suction thereto.   
     
     
         14 . A method of die casting an amorphous alloy, comprising the steps of:
 treating gas in a sealing chamber defined in a sealed cabin;   supplying a protecting gas into the sealing chamber to maintain the protecting gas in the sealing chamber to a positive pressure;   feeding amorphous alloy into a melting device disposed inside the sealing chamber to obtain the molten amorphous alloy while the protecting gas filled within the sealing chamber overflowing outside;   feeding the molten amorphous alloy into a die chamber defined by a mated stationary die and a movable die via a feed sleeve with a plunger positioned therein; and   opening the mated stationary and movable dies to extract at least a component formed at least partially of the amorphous alloy from inside the die chamber while the protecting gas filled within the sealing chamber overflowing outside.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the treating of the gas is performed by vacuum suction of the sealing chamber via a vacuum suction device or purifying gas inside the sealing chamber by a gas purifier. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the protecting gas inside the sealing chamber has a pressure between 1 atm and 1.1 atm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the protecting gas is at least one of inert gases. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the amorphous alloy is Zr a Al b Cu c M d , where M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Nb, Sc, Ta, Ni, Co, Y, Ag, Fe, Sn, Hf, Ti, Be and rare earth elements, and a, b, and c are atomic percentages, where 30≦a≦70, 5≦b≦35, 5≦c≦40, and 5≦d≦30. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the gas in the sealing chamber contains at least one of N 2 , O 2 , H 2 O and CO 2  which has a concentration less than 10000 ppm. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the metallic alloy is fed into the melting device via a feeding port on the sealed cabin while the protecting gas filled within the sealing chamber overflowing outside via the feeding port; and
 the component is extracted from the die chamber via an output port on the sealed cabin while the protecting gas filled within the sealing chamber overflowing outside via the output port.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled)