JP2012531313A - Method of forming faucets and equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

  The present invention provides a method of forming an integral, multi-chamber stainless steel faucet and fixture in a single unitary structure. Various stainless steel products can be formed in which the body has an internal hollow region and a plurality of split chambers. The body can be constructed using a heat resistant ceramic core in conjunction with a lost wax investment casting process. A stainless steel product formed in a unitary structure can eliminate the need for time-consuming extra manufacturing steps such as partial welding, screw assembly, or precision press fitting. Furthermore, faucets and equipment can be provided that are substantially lead-free, patina-free, and non-toxic in compliance with environmental regulations and lead / poison restrictions.

Description

Cross reference
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority over US Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 269,609, filed June 26, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to investment casting. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lost wax investment casting process and a structure formed of a ceramic core mold that can produce a single metal structure having a single or multiple internal chambers formed therein.

[0003] Environmental concerns regarding pollutants and current economic development have forced changes in the design and manufacture of faucets that have traditionally been constructed of soft metal alloys containing lead (Pb). This conventional manufacturing process has been improved from sand mold casting to shell casting and even mold casting for over 100 years. This process typically utilizes a low temperature metal alloy whose casting temperature must be below 1050 ° C. By using a resin sand core in this process, a hollow center multi-chamber low temperature alloy faucet body can be formed.

[0004] Today, many faucet bodies are composed of lead (Pb) and low-temperature alloys containing heavy elements such as cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As), which are naturally occurring zinc group elements. is there. Therefore, the composition of the alloy can be harmful to humans. The internal water passage area is in contact with the water flow whenever a faucet is used. During the normal life of the unit, the unit exposes the flow path to air and then repeats an on / off cycle in which water accelerates the corrosion process, with heavy elements eluting from the unit throughout its useful life Make it possible. Thus, a stream of water containing a trace amount of heavy elements carries a trace amount of lead, which results in the mixing of this lead with water, which is used over time to wash fruits and vegetables ( Or, a small amount of lead is directly or indirectly ingested and absorbed into the human body. These heavy metal elements accumulate beyond the tolerance or loading of the human body and organs and ultimately various types of known toxicities that affect the nervous, intelligence, skeletal, muscular, and vascular systems Causes or causes metal lead poisoning. These situations are particularly harmful to infants, pregnant women and the elderly. If a person drinks such water over a long or extended period, it is harmful to the human body and causes damage to the human brain, nervous system, kidneys, and red blood cells. In particular, when pregnant women and children drink such water, the consequences are unexpectedly disastrous.

[0005] Some lead content in low-temperature metal alloys has been found to cause serious harm to humans, resulting in California, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the European Union's Restricted Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive Began implementing a series of new laws recently announced. Under new regulations, lead content with faucets, pipelines, faucets used in kitchens, and drinking water systems should not exceed 0.2% and 0.25%, respectively. The purpose of these provisions is for human drinking water that is in direct or indirect contact with all water systems such as pipelines, containers, plumbing and faucets that must not contain excessive levels of heavy metal lead elements. Is to protect. At present, the use of low temperature metal alloys as raw materials for producing faucets, such as materials for brass faucet bodies, is most often used in sand mold casting and / or shell casting. The limit of the lead content in such a brass alloy was less than 4% before January 1, 2010. However, after 1 January 2010, such lead limits for brass fittings in plumbing fixtures must be less than 0.25% as specified in California AB 1953.

[0006] Stainless steel and other high temperature alloys clearly represent alternatives to low temperature products, but require different manufacturing processes. Investment casting is a technique commonly used to form high temperature metal parts having complex shapes such as gas turbine engine parts. However, because the internal flow path and structure of the faucet body are complex and small in size, there are many problems when using current manufacturing processes and investment casting techniques to form the faucet body. This problem includes, but is not limited to, the following: the absence of a releasable support for forming a hollow chamber in the wax mold, followed by shell firing and molten stainless steel Uniform slurry dipping and coating is difficult during dipping to build a layer with sufficient shell strength required for the steel casting process, and the inner shell is removed or removed from the casting body and so on. Thus, due to such numerous constraints at various stages of the investment casting process, an elaborate casting body constructed with one or more hollow chambers that are complex inside can be converted into an economical industry adapted to low temperature alloys. It cannot be manufactured on a scale. For example, US 2004/0221385 describes a single chamber faucet that uses a soluble wax core. This specification generally not only limits the functionality and aesthetics of the unit, but also involves costly and complex auxiliary processes such as welding, multi-part assembly, and oxidation, corrosion, defects, and / or unnecessary. It represents the current level of investment casting available today to make stainless steel faucets with serious constraints on the forming process, requiring other steps that can result in manufacturing costs.

[0007] There is a need for water supply equipment that complies with health regulatory standards and an economical method of manufacturing the water supply equipment. Further, there is a need for a stainless steel faucet that can be formed from a monolithic structure that exceeds the scope or capability of the foregoing teachings and manufacturing methods currently available today and a hollow having a plurality of internal chambers.

[0008] The present invention provides a ceramic injection molding ("CIM") manufacturing process and the resulting final product that can be formed in a single monolithic or one-piece structure.

[0009] A variety of products can be manufactured including stainless steel faucets with multiple chambers, and water fixtures. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a stainless steel faucet formed with a body having an internal hollow cell containing a plurality of split chambers. The split chamber can provide or function separately as a cold water inlet, a hot water inlet, and a mixed hot water outlet that controls or manages the direction of hot water flow. In a preferred embodiment, the main faucet body includes a plurality of undercut hollow chambers using one or more heat resistant ceramic cores during the lost wax (or vanishing foam) investment casting process. Can be built. As the ceramic core is removed from the casting and removed or removed, a single one-piece stainless steel faucet is obtained with the body and completed without further work. No time-consuming extra manufacturing steps such as part welding, screw assembly, or precision press fitting are required to form the final seamless stainless steel faucet body.

[0010] The present invention has one or more hollow, undercut internal chambers that can have slots, holes, or flow paths that can function independently as cold water inlets, hot water inlets, and hot water outlets. A method of manufacturing a monolithic stainless steel faucet body is provided. The flow path can also allow for directional control of the hot water flow.

[0011] The manufacturing process forms a complete monolithic wax mold with the use of a ceramic core, precise positioning of the ceramic core, and internal structures such as a chamber having a plurality of hollow chambers or hollow interior portions. One or more wax injection processes. The wax mold can be subjected to a mold tree assembly process that includes one or more of the following processes. That is, slurry dipping to form the outer shell, coating, lost wax, shell firing, casting of molten stainless steel to complete the hollow and integral stainless steel faucet body after removing the inner ceramic core It is.

[0012] In some embodiments, the wax mold can be formed of two halves. With the special structure of the two wax injection cavities used to form the two half wax molds in a single step wax injection process, the finished wax mold can be formed from the two halves. Alternatively, two independent wax injection machines or processes can be used. A first semi-open wax mold can be formed and then released. The demolded wax mold can be joined to a pre-formed second semi-open wax mold. Alternatively, the released wax mold can be placed in a second wax injection machine, and a second half can be formed and joined to the first half. The two wax molds can be joined in various ways, for example, the two wax molds can be joined by thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, chemical bonding, or mechanical bonding. The molds can be joined while the wax mold part is placed around the CIM core to form a finished wax mold, wherein the core is in and above the cavity of the first semi-open wax mold. Will be installed in advance. Foam can be used instead of wax, after which foam and half foam molds can be formed and then joined as described for the wax mold.

The present invention provides an investment casting process capable of producing a unitary stainless steel faucet body having a combination of heat-resistant ceramic cores and a plurality of internal hollow structures and a plurality of chamber structures.

[0014] Another aspect of the invention provides a substantially lead-free, patina-free, and non-toxic stainless steel faucet and water appliance. Such products can be manufactured to comply with EPA regulations and imposed lead / poison limits while saving manufacturing costs by eliminating the additional costs of welding or machining. Other aspects of the present invention also provide a CIM process and core and investment to produce a variety of products, including unitary stainless steel water fixtures such as faucets made of less harmful metals such as stainless steel. Combined with casting technology.

[0015] In an embodiment, during the wax injection process, the hollow undercut internal chamber cannot be demolded even with a single metal insert assembly due to the lack of available support bridges and heating. Since the joining cannot reach the internal joining region of the wax parts, and a gap is formed between these joining regions, the separated parts of the wax mold cannot be heated and welded together. In this particular case of faucet body wax mold, even the hollow chamber is constructed without pre-installing the ceramic of the ceramic core and the zirconia slurry is immersed in and on the inside surface of the wax mold It is practically impossible to diffuse deep enough, and zirconia sand and molichite particles reach the hollow chamber, even with airborne power, and more than five inner layers of the ceramic shell It is virtually impossible to build a slag or to keep the molten stainless steel in a “liquid” state during the casting process. Furthermore, the internal ceramic shell so formed in a wet state by a slurry dipping and coating process is very difficult to dry during the moisture curing process of the shell due to the deep inner layer inside the wax body. . Thus, pre-installing the ceramic core in and on the upper half-open wax mold with accurate positioning is a unique process for making the finished wax mold.

Incorporation by reference
[0016] All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned herein are specifically and individually shown with each individual publication, patent, or patent application incorporated by reference. Is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0017] The patent or application file includes at least one drawing created in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication, including one or more color drawings, will be provided by the Patent Office upon payment of the required fee upon request.

[0018] A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating steps of forming a component, such as a fixture, according to an embodiment of the invention. [0020] Figure 6 schematically illustrates a ceramic injection molded ("CIM") core in a mold according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0021] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a CIM core formed from two or more parts, according to an embodiment of the invention. The CIM core of the illustrated embodiment has a hollow cavity. Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a CIM core formed from two or more parts according to an embodiment of the invention. The CIM core of the illustrated embodiment has a hollow cavity. [0022] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a CIM core in a crucible filled with aluminum oxide, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [0023] A CIM in a tooling machine that allows the CIM core to be held in place while a wax mold is formed surrounding the CIM core, according to embodiments of the present invention. The core is shown schematically. [0024] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a wax (or foam) master including a CIM core, a wax mold, and a shell, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0025] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a part formed by an investment casting method of an embodiment of the present invention, having a CIM core and placed in an alkaline solution, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [0026] FIG. 8 illustrates the component of FIG. 7 with the CIM core removed, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The diagram on the left is a schematic diagram of the diagram on the right.

[0027] Usually, the soft metal features are formed using sand casting or die casting (carbon steel mold). Casting stainless steel using sand mold casting is difficult at high temperatures (above 1475 ° C.) because the sand mold becomes unstable. Furthermore, the casting of stainless steel using steel (die) casting is difficult without serious deformation of the tooling part. Advantageously, the investment casting method of embodiments of the present invention allows the formation of stainless steel equipment without the problems of prior art casting methods.

[0028] The methods of aspects and embodiments of the present invention can be used to form equipment such as an integrated faucet having a plurality of internal chambers. Equipment fixtures formed by the method of embodiments of the present invention can be substantially non-toxic and non-pale blue in compliance with environmental regulations and regulatory limits for toxic chemicals. The method of the preferred embodiment of the present invention allows the formation of substantially lead-free faucets and fixtures.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, an investment casting ("IC") method is provided for forming an integrated, multi-cavity (or multi-chamber) faucet. Such faucets can be made of any material such as one or more metals including elemental metals and metal alloys (eg, stainless steel). The multi-chamber faucet of various embodiments includes one or more chambers that supply water to a user.

[0030] According to the method of an embodiment, one or more wax molds are constructed surrounding the core and a shell (eg, a ceramic shell) is constructed surrounding the wax mold. Next, the wax is removed by applying heat to the wax. The shell (also referred to herein as the “outer shell”) is then heated to a predetermined casting temperature. Next, molten metal is supplied to a space between the core and the shell (also referred to as “empty space” in this specification). Predetermined heating and cooling rates are used to deal with material deformation during heating and cooling.

[0031] Although prior art investment casting methods allow the formation of an outer structure, it is difficult to form an inner structure (eg, cavity, channel). Advantageously, the method of embodiments of the present invention allows the formation of an inner structure using a ceramic injection molded (“CIM”) core that can be removed in an extraction process using chemicals that do not damage the metal casting. To.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the CIM core is formed of a plurality of parts to form a cavity in the CIM core that serves the CIM core extraction process. In an embodiment, the CIM core is hollow (ie, the CIM core is defined by the outer shell without material toward the center of the core). In other embodiments, the core can be solid. In still other embodiments, one or more hollow cores and one or more solid cores can be used in combination. In an embodiment, once the core formation is complete, the core is placed in a wax (or lost foam) master. In an embodiment, a wax layer is formed surrounding each core to form a wax master. The wax (or disappearing foam) master is then coated with a ceramic shell that forms the outer surface of the unit. In embodiments, the ceramic shell is formed of zirconium silicate (or zircon).

[0033] In an embodiment, the shell is formed of a first material and the CIM core is formed of a second material. In one embodiment, the first material has a higher melting point than the second material. In embodiments, the first material is formed of zircon, silica, or a combination of zircon and silica. In another embodiment, the second material is a semi-organic material. In embodiments, the second material is formed of zircon, silica, or a combination of zircon and silica.

[0034] The CIM core of embodiments of the present invention can be used to manufacture various fixtures such as faucets and other parts that can replace soft metal parts of various water systems. New types of products are created that cannot be made using manufacturing methods.

Method of forming equipment
[0035] In an aspect of the invention, a method of forming a fixture or part is provided. The method allows for the formation of an integrated, multi-cavity equipment (eg, a faucet).

[0036] Referring now to the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts throughout. Of course, the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a process (block) diagram illustrating a method of forming equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although specific steps are shown in the process diagram, it will be appreciated that other steps may be included.

[0038] In an initial step 110, one or more ceramic injection molded ("CIM") cores are formed. One or more CIM cores match the internal structure of the equipment to be formed. In embodiments, the one or more CIM cores are hollow cores, i.e., the CIM core matches the internal structure of the equipment (e.g., faucet) being formed, but has an outer cavity with a hollow cavity. Includes a shell. Advantageously, this saves material costs and allows the CIM core to be removed quickly near the completion of the manufacturing process.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the CIM core is formed of multiple parts to form a cavity in the CIM core that contributes to removal of the CIM core during the CIM core extraction process. The CIM core of embodiments of the present invention is formed of a semi-organic material, which is compression molded in one or more high pressure injection molding machines. The partially formed CIM core is then assembled and cured in one or more curing ovens if a heating step is desired. In order to prevent deformation and deterioration (collapse or cracking) of the material during heating, the CIM part is held in a crucible, and the empty space or gap between the crucible and the CIM core absorbs liquid and shapes Filled with aluminum oxide (eg, Al ₂ O ₃ ) to help keep it within acceptable limits. The curing oven helps solidify the core, stabilizes the core dimensionally, and initiates an oxidation process that aids the extraction process. After curing the CIM core, the next step is CIM with various impervious coatings that prevent unwanted water, wax, and / or chemicals from entering, depending on requirements and CIM formulation. The part can be coated. In some preferred embodiments, the CIM core can be coated with a sealing material that is water impermeable or substantially water impermeable, as is known to those skilled in the art. In some cases, the selected material can be varied depending on the particular formulation of the core to form a waterproof or water resistant coating. The sealant can be a resin and / or an exposy material. In some embodiments, the material can react to KOH in any desired manner.

[0040] Next, in step 115, one or more CIM cores formed in step 110 are suspended in a tooling device such as an injection die. In an embodiment, the injection die has upper and lower parts (also referred to herein as “upper die” and “lower die”) that match the symmetrical portion of the equipment to be formed. The tooling device allows the formation of a wax shell that surrounds one or more CIM cores.

[0041] Next, in step 120, a wax mold is formed to enclose one or more CIM cores to obtain a wax master. The wax mold injects molten wax into the tooling device, allowing the molten wax to fill the empty space between one or more walls of the tooling device and one or more CIM cores. Can be formed. Various mold materials can be used in other embodiments of the invention. For example, a foam master can be obtained by forming a foam mold that surrounds one or more CIM cores. Foam mold materials, wax mold materials, and other mold materials can be handled in the same manner as described herein for wax mold materials.

[0042] In an embodiment, the wax mold surrounding one or more CIM cores is a single pass that assembles one or more CIM cores in a tooling device and uses a time-controlled pullback pin system. It can be formed by performing the wax injection process. In another embodiment, the wax mold is formed using a single pass wax injection process and a ceramic support pin system. In another embodiment, a series of wax injection processes are used to place the individual pieces of equipment. This can be used for equipment having a complex structure. In another embodiment, a welded wax core positioning method is used. In such a case, the CIM core is placed in a preformed wax mold and the wax molds are welded together using ultrasonic frequency welding or heat welding. This process can be similar for the vanishing foam process, where the CIM core is placed in the foam master part, which can hold the adhesive or parts mechanically together with each other. Are coupled to each other using the following means.

[0043] Next, at step 125, the wax (or foam) master is dipped into the ceramic slurry to form a ceramic shell surrounding the wax (or foam) master to form an investment. Ceramic shells (also referred to herein as “shells”) can be formed of heat resistant materials such as silica, zircon, various aluminum silicates, and alumina. Silica can usually be used in the form of calcined silica, but sometimes quartz is used. Other heat resistant materials that can be used include molochite and chamotte. In an embodiment, the ceramic shell is formed of zircon. In another embodiment, the ceramic shell is formed of SiOx (eg, silica or SiO ₂ ). In yet another embodiment, the ceramic shell is formed of SiOx and zircon.

[0044] Next, in step 130, the wax is removed while the ceramic shell is formed surrounding the wax. In embodiments, the wax or foam is melted, leaving a void (also referred to herein as “empty space”) where metal can be cast and filled. Because the wax material may have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the ceramic (investment) material of the shell that surrounds the wax, heating the wax causes the wax to expand and induce stresses that can deform the shell. In order to minimize these stresses, the wax can be heated quickly so that the surface of the wax can first melt and provide a space for the remainder of the wax to expand.

[0045] In the next step 135, metal is supplied to the space between the shell and the core. The metal can be any metal desired in the final product equipment. The metal can be a metal alloy such as elemental metal (eg, titanium) or stainless steel. The metal or metal allow may have a low lead content, for example about 4%, about 3%, about 2%, about 1%, about 0.5%, about 0.25%, about Lead content less than 0.2%, about 0.1%, about 0.05%, about 0.01%, about 0.005%, about 0.001%, or about 0.0001%, or at most It can have the same lead content. In embodiments, the metal is cast into a void (or a space between one or more CIM cores and the shell). In another embodiment, vacuum casting can be used to draw metal into the space between the core and the shell. In an embodiment, before casting the metal, the shell material is heated to about 1000 ° C. or higher in a firing process, which can contribute to the stabilization of the shell structure, while further, Prevent cooling (and thus prevent defects and shell damage). Heating the shell / core combination can accelerate the organic destruction process in the core material to form molecular size holes that aid in the elution (or core extraction) process (see below). checking).

[0046] Next, in step 140, the ceramic shell is removed. In embodiments, the ceramic shell is mechanically removed, for example, by an air hammer, vibrator, or other tool that can break fairly hard material. In other embodiments, the ceramic shell can be removed using a variety of other techniques, such as chemical removal or any other removal technique described herein. In embodiments, the ceramic shell can be cooled prior to removal.

[0047] The shell material is fairly hard, making it unsuitable for use as a CIM core material because it is difficult to remove such material when used as a core. is there. When using zircon, zircon may require a special environment to dry, which is difficult for small parts with internal cavities. Since the CIM core material can be removed by passive extraction methods, the use of a softer metal as the CIM core material helps to solve this problem.

[0048] Next, in step 145, one or more CIM cores are removed. In various embodiments, an integrated fixture is obtained after step 145. In an embodiment, step 145 provides an integrated, multi-cavity faucet. The one or more CIM cores are removed by immersing the one or more cores (and the metal material surrounding the one or more CIM cores) in an extraction or elution solution. In an embodiment, the extraction solution is an alkaline salt solution containing potassium hydroxide (KOH). The extraction solution allows the CIM core material to be removed in a time of about 10 minutes to about 20 minutes. The structure of the CIM core (i.e., hollow cavity) allows for a larger surface area, less material to be removed, and a rapid extraction process. The penetration of the solution into the internal cavity of the CIM core effectively doubles the reacting surface area.

[0049] Next, in step 150, the outer surface of the equipment (or component) fabricated in step 145 is electrically plated (electroplated) to form a layer of metallic material on the outer surface of the equipment. Yes (metal finish). In an embodiment, the outer surface is electroplated with nickel, hard chrome, or a combination of the two.

[0050] Next, in step 155, the inner surface of the equipment (or component) produced in step 145 is chemically plated to form a metal material layer on the inner surface of the equipment. In an embodiment, during step 155, a layer of nickel is formed on the inside surface of the fixture. The layer of nickel can have a thickness of about 1 μm (“micron”) to about 10 μm. In an embodiment, the nickel layer has a thickness of about 3 μm.

Method for forming an integrated multi-cavity faucet
[0051] Referring to FIGS. 2-8, a method of forming an integrated, multi-cavity faucet according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Figures 2-8 schematically show investment casting parts and final products (faucets) at various stages of formation.

Referring to FIG. 2, a CIM core component 210 (also referred to herein as a “CIM core”) is formed using a fairly high pressure tooling device 215. Tooling device 215 includes a mold having an internal structure that matches the internal structure of the faucet being constructed. In the illustrated embodiment, the tooling device 215 has an upper portion (mold) and a lower portion.

[0053] In some embodiments, when a faucet (or other equipment) includes multiple internal structures, multiple CIM cores that match some of these internal structures can be used. . For example, when casting a faucet, a first CIM core can be used to form a hot water inlet, and a second CIM core can be used to mix hot and cold water. A cavity can be formed. The number of CIM cores used to form the faucet (or other equipment) can be selected based on the complexity of the faucet being cast. A CIM core can be used to form an undercut internal chamber or internal structure. The undercut chamber or structure can have a portion that protrudes from the general surface of the faucet body and can form an overhang structure. The undercut or overhang structure is approximately, or at most, about 5%, about 10%, about 20%, about 30%, about 50%, about 60% of the width, length, or height of the faucet body. , About 70%, about 80%, about 90%, or about 95%.

[0054] The CIM core 210 of FIG. 2 can be formed of a plurality of parts, as shown in FIG. 3A. By forming the CIM part 210 including a plurality of parts, a hollow cavity 220 is formed in the CIM part 210 as shown in FIG. 3B. Advantageously, the hollow cavity allows for rapid extraction (or elution) of the CIM core near the end of the investment casting process.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 4, the CIM core 210 shown in FIG. 2 is placed in a crucible 225 and is packed with aluminum oxide particles 230 that help stabilize the CIM core 210 during the curing process. Yes. In embodiments, the CIM core 210 is cured for about 1 day to about 5 days, or about 3 days.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 5, the CIM core 210 of FIG. 2 is placed in the tooling device 235, and can hold the CIM core 210 in place. The tooling device can have an upper portion 216 and a lower portion 215. With the CIM core 210 held in place, the wax material 240 is injected into the tooling device to form wax (or foam), ie, the CIM core 210 is surrounded by a layer of wax 240. To do.

[0057] In an embodiment, the wax 240 is injected into the tooling device 235 with the CIM core 210 held in place using a ceramic pin or a pull back (or pull back) finger. Referring to FIG. 5, positioning pins 246 are provided to hold the core 210 at a predetermined position. In one embodiment, a pressure balance method is used to form a wax (or foam) master. In another embodiment, a first layer of wax is formed surrounding the first portion of the CIM core with the CIM core 210 disposed in the tooling device. The second (uncovered) portion of the CIM core is then coated with a second layer of wax. The second layer can be formed using the tooling device used to form the first layer of wax, or using another tooling device. Upon formation of the second layer of wax, a portion of the first layer of wax can melt (or soften) and fuse with the first layer of wax, thereby surrounding the CIM core 210. A substantially uniform layer of wax 240 is formed. In an embodiment, a layer of wax 240 surrounding a CIM core 210 using a thermal, ultrasonic, chemical, or mechanical bonding method to fuse or bond a plurality of waxes (or foams) together. Can be formed. One or more wax masters or foam masters can be joined by a tree that facilitates manufacture. A tree having one or more wax masters or foam masters can be subordinate to a type tree assembly as described herein. The assembly process coats the wax with the outer shell, hardens the shell, removes the wax, fires the shell, casts the body by casting molten stainless steel into the mold, hardens the molten steel, The removal of the template can then be included in the desired order. A single faucet body can be formed by this process. In some embodiments, the faucet body is made of stainless steel. The investment casting process allows the use of a variety of metals or metal alloys, such as those described herein, including low lead content metals or metal alloys, in forming the faucet body.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 6, a wax (or foam if using the vanishing foam method) master with a CIM core 210 is covered with a shell 245 comprising a ceramic material, thereby causing the investment 250 to Forming. The shell can be formed by soaking in zircon or any other way of forming the shell. In one embodiment, the ceramic material is zircon. In an embodiment, the ceramic material is cured after being applied to the wax master. The curing temperature and time can be selected to prevent the wax material from substantially melting or expanding, which may otherwise deform the shell 245.

Next, the wax 240 is removed in a state where the shell 245 is formed so as to surround the wax 240. The shell 245 can be coupled to the CIM core at one or more connection points, for example, locating pins 246 shown in FIG. The wax 240 can be removed by applying heat to the wax 240. In the embodiment, the wax 240 is removed by heating the wax 240 quickly. By removing the wax 240, an empty space (not shown) is created between the CIM core and the shell.

[0060] Next, a metal material is supplied to the empty space with the wax 240 removed. The metal material can be supplied by melting. In an embodiment, the composition of the metal material is selected to supply stainless steel between the CIM core 210 and the shell 245.

[0061] Next, in a state in which the metal material fills the empty space between the CIM core 210 and the shell 245, for example, a hammer (mechanical hammer), a tumbler (a machine that rolls components so that the components collide with each other) ) Or mechanically removing the shell 245 using a striking member such as a striking pin. By removing the shell, a cast faucet having a CIM core 210 is obtained.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 7, a cast water tap 255 having a CIM core 210 is immersed in an alkaline solution 260 containing KOH. The alkaline solution can be agitated using, for example, a motor to facilitate the CIM material being extracted leaving the cavity of the cast faucet 255. The alkaline solution causes the outer portion of the CIM core 210 to decompose and, if the CIM core 210 includes an internal cavity 220 (see FIG. 3B), also the inner portion of the CIM core 210. This destroys the CIM material. If the CIM core 210 includes an internal cavity 220, the casting hole in the CIM core 210 allows an alkaline solution to flow into the internal cavity 220 of the CIM core 210.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 8, with the CIM core 210 removed, one or more outer surfaces 265 of the cast faucet 255 can be electroplated and one or more of the cast faucets 255 can be electroplated. The inner surface 270 can be chemically plated. In an embodiment, the chemical plating forms a layer of nickel on one or more inner surfaces 270 of the cast faucet 255 that prevents the formation of rust on the one or more inner surfaces 270. Can contribute.

[0064] While preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are presented by way of example only. Many variations, modifications and substitutions will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Of course, various alternatives to the aspects and embodiments of the invention described herein can be employed to implement the invention. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that methods and structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be protected thereby.

Claims (7)

A method of manufacturing an integrated faucet body,
Forming a mold material surrounding one or more hollow cores;
Forming a shell surrounding the mold material, the shell and the hollow core being joined at one or more locations;
Removing the mold material from the shell and hollow core, the remaining shell and hollow core forming an investment;
Casting the faucet body within the investment, the faucet body including one or more internal chambers thereby forming at least a cold water inlet, a hot water inlet, and a hot water outlet;
Including methods.   The method of claim 1, wherein the mold is formed surrounding a plurality of hollow cores.   The method of claim 1, wherein the mold material is a wax or foam.   The method of claim 1, wherein the faucet body comprises stainless steel having a lead content of less than about 0.25%.   The method of claim 1, wherein the faucet body includes one or more chambers that are undercut.   The method of claim 1, wherein the hollow core is formed using ceramic injection molding.   The method of claim 1, wherein the shell is a ceramic material.

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