1328517 九、發明說明： 【發明所屬之技術領域】 本發明係關於在製造方法期間用於將堆疊多孔物質分開 的分隔片組件，本發明的特別實例係關於用於分隔堆疊環 狀複合物材料預成型體的金屬環狀分隔片組件，特別是在 緻密化方法’如化學氣相滲過（CVI)期間。 該複合物材料預成型體可特別為環狀預成型體以製作煞 車碟片或其他摩擦組件。 【先前技術】 緻密化環狀預成型體以製作煞車碟片及其類似物的裝置 被揭示於如於，2003年8月14曰申請的美國專利申請案第 10/468,031號；其表示說明於圖i。 圖1為具外框10的加工室的高度圖示說明，其中包含由碳 纖維所製造的許多環狀預成型體或基材2〇,此量為具他們 個別中央通道（一般為垂直排列）的物質堆疊的型式。該堆疊 可由許多由一或更多中間支撐板12分開的疊置堆疊區段製 作。 該堆疊物質藉由間隔物30彼此分開。如圖2所示，該間隔 物30可被徑向放置，及他們的數目可變化。他們提供在整 個堆疊於相鄰基材間基本上固定高度的間隙22，且允許堆 ®的内部體積24’由一般排列的基材中央通道所構成，與 位於堆疊外部及外框10内部的外部體積26聯絡。 在圖1的實例中，外框10包含基材的單一堆疊。在另一型 式’許多基材的堆疊可側邊相鄰地放置於相同外框。 93554.doc 1328517 該外框10可藉由如由石墨製造的感受器丨4加熱，感受器 用做定義該外框10且其與位於圍繞感受器的外殼17外的感 應線圈16感應地耦合，其他加熱方法可被使用如熱電阻加 熱（焦耳作用）。 含一或更多碳的先驅體之氣體，典型上為碳氫化合物氣 體如甲烷及/或丙烷’被允許進入該外框1〇。在所示實例 中，准許進入係經由外框的底部1〇a進行。氣體通過由在外 框底部部分’在支撐基材堆疊的板U下方一個放置於另一 個上方的一或更多穿刺板所形成的預熱器區段18。由預熱 器板加熱的流體（其被加熱至存在於外框内部的溫度）自由 地流動進入該外框，同時進入内部體積24，進入外部體積 26，及進入間隙22，餘留氣體藉由經由在覆蓋1〇b形成的出 口之吸引自外框抽出。 間隔物30被個別地放置阻擋組件，大部分由氧化鋁製 造。然而，一旦形成，該氧化鋁阻擋組件為非常易脆的， 且因破裂的損失為相當高。事實上，在正常使用，習知氧 化鋁阻擋常維持不超過2或3個緻密化循環。此自然地提高 製造成本，因為氧化鋁阻擋必須被置換。 而且，在每一個預成型體層之間個別氧化鋁阻擋組件的 適當手動置換為相當耗時的，六個此種阻擋組件被示於圖 2’做為說明實例，及在實際實務中，多至十二個阻擋被使 用。時間負擔因要處理易脆阻擋且不破裂所需的格外注意 而加劇 個具十 。根據習知方法’ 一般，包括七個預成型體盤(每一 二至十四個預成型體堆疊）的完整緻密化方法需要 93554.doc 1328517 長至一至兩個工作天以設置。 關於個別間隔物組件30的使用之另一個問題為他們傾向 於引起由在其上所堆疊預成型體（及間隔物）的重量所引起 的在預成型體的變形（正確地凹下）。如可由圖2了解，在間 隔物組们0間周圍存在大量預成型體的未支樓區域。因該 預成型體材料-般為易曲折的，2因構成間隔物組件3〇的 氧化鋁不變形，縮排發生在對應於間隔物組件3〇的位置的 預成型體表面。這些變形，耗為些微的，必須在額外磨 光步驟被磨掉以得到有用於摩擦應用的所欲的平面表面。 結果，每一個預成型體的厚度較最後產品所需為厚，預期 發生在已知$法的變形及預期冑後機#步驟以移除這些變 形’該磨掉的材料表示經濟廢料。 【發明内容】 鑑於前文，本發明係關於一件式或單一環狀分隔片組件 以間隔堆疊環狀預成型體。 根據本發明分隔片組件一般具擁有相對的第一及第二表 面的平坦環狀型式，至少一個表面被成形為至少部分定義 徑向延伸氣體流動路徑以使分隔片組件的内部空間與外部 聯絡。 根據本發明分隔片组件較佳為在徑向尺寸類似於與其相 鄰的環狀預成型體，亦即，該分隔片組件較佳為具與環狀 預成型體類似的内部尺寸及類似的外部直徑。若該分隔片 組件未大體在尺寸上與環狀預成型體相同’較佳為使該分 隔片組件尺寸較小（亦即具内部直徑大於及/或外部直徑小 93554.doc 1328517 組件較該環狀預成型 於該環狀預成型體），而非使該分隔片 體為大（亦即徑向較寬）。 在本發明一個實例中，該分隔片組件係由具穿過形成的 開孔之金屬材料製造，編，旦不限於，金屬網材料。 該，屬材料可為裸的（亦即無塗覆，包括無去黏結塗覆），此 使得製造及整修相對應地更為簡單及花費較少。 【實施方式】 一般，根據本發明分隔片組件具某些基本有用特性。 與使用許多個別間隔物組件於堆疊中的每—個預成型體 相較 <牛式或單一結構大大促進以堆疊環狀預成型體的 力至負載如下文所指出，參考圖2敘述於下文的習知裝 置而要母個S知間隔物組件的手動置換，而且，因為習 知間隔物組件一般係由高度易脆材料如氧化鋁製造，在冗 長及單調的手動方法期間必須特別小心處理每一個間隔物 ，·且件以避免破裂。該間隔物組件亦為相當小及非常薄的（例 如l”X4"X〇.l") ’此亦使得處理他們為困難的。 使用根據本發明一件式分隔片組件，放置該分隔片組件 的單一動作取代根據習知方法放置個別間隔物組件的許多 置換動作。與以上文所討論習知方式一至兩天載入加工室 相較’在相等基準，根據本發明一件式分隔片組件之使用 減少載入時間至二至四小時。 此外’根據本發明一件式分隔片組件的結構更佳地支撐 堆疊於其上的一或更多環狀預成型體的重量於更大區域， 與個別間隔物組件的習知使用相較，如圖2所示。特別是， 93554.doc !狀—件式分隔片組件的徑向寬度應為約等於或些微窄於 %狀預成型體的徑向寬产， 卜 、 ,, 、·Ό果，母一個環狀預成型體在 I 口工室移除後變形較.少，此表示在緻密化方法後需要較 >的補救機械以得到有用的未變形表面。 =剛剛提及，該-件式分隔片組件較料具與環狀預成 + 度或疋些微較窄（如關於其外部及/ 或内部直徑約5毫米）。若 右該一件式分隔片組件較環狀預成 =㈣I㈣㈣分㈣於具來自緻密化氣體的分解於 '、上的餘留物累積（如教 1…、解碳）’此會減少分隔片組件的可用 年限或是需要額外的替彳本半酿 好、_ 貝㈤整修步驟以移除此種累積，此外，若 刀隔片組件向外彼向延伸超過該環狀預成型體的外部邊 緣’會引起在放置許多環狀預成型體堆疊於加工室以進行 =加工(如常常所進行)的問題，此會負面地影響製造效率 至較少的堆疊可祐 °的程度因為加工式内的間隔問 題。 一般，，根據本發明一件式分隔片組件包括於其一或兩個 义面的徑向延伸通道或其他特徵，就淨效用而言，至少部. 分定義將該一件式分隔片組件的徑向内部側與其徑向外部 側聯絡的氣體流動路徑。此處 動路徑係因為在某峰兄=的定義的氣體流 八~月’該軋體流動路徑亦由該環狀預 ^㈣其中-個的相反表面與該一件式分隔片組件的結 ^部分Ϊ義。.就淨效用而言，使用該一件式分隔片的 動路&之截面區段面積較佳為可與先前技藝排列所 現的戴面區段面積相比較。然而，此考量可依據個別情 93554.doc 1328517 況變化。 應了解所呈現的氣體流動路徑的總截面區段面積可由如 調整每一個通道的尺寸或其類似，或是由提供更多通道或 其類似而被影響。在此方面決定性因素為維持上方環狀預 成型體的所欲載體量。 一般而言，根據本發明一件式分隔片組件應由能耐高至 約1100C，及較佳為（安全目的）高至約12〇(rc至14〇〇t>c的溫 度之材料製造。所選擇材料較佳為在所提及操作溫度下具 與預成型體的最小反應。 適合用於所欲一件式分隔片組件的材料包括金屬材料 如’不限於，不鏽鋼、英高鎳（Inconel)合金、鈦鉬、鈕、 及鎢。 圖3a圖為根據本發明環狀分隔片組件6〇〇的另一個實例 之平面圖，及圖3b為包括其放大部分的相對應高度視圖。 %狀分隔片組件600—般由具約2〇%至約8〇%開孔面積的 穿孔金屬材料製I在其特別實例中，環狀分隔片組件_ 係由金屬網材料製造。 如上所述，用於製造環狀分隔片組件6〇〇的金屬材料必須 月匕耐冋至約11 〇〇 c，及較佳為（安全目的）高至約丨2〇〇。〇至 14〇〇°C的溫度。不鏽鋼、英高鎳（Inconel)合金、鈦、鉬、 钽、及鎢皆為合適金屬材料的適當例子。 環狀分隔片，组件600可由自一片原材料切割適當尺寸的 環狀形式而形成’可使用任何適當卫㈣割方法，包括， 不限於，電腦控制雷射切割。 93554.doc •10- 1328517 圖3a及圖3b說明使用網材料以製造環狀分隔片組件的〇 之實例，如可由圖3b的放大部分明顯看出，該網材料為根 據已知方法，特別是包括捲曲紋織方法製造的編織網，捲 曲紋織網表示纟網的至少一個方向預先成形㈣捲曲)織 線。參看，如說明於圖3b相對於線6〇4的捲曲線6〇2。因而， 在線602的彎曲實際上表示相鄰於橫向線6〇4的開放空間， 這些開放空間（其在環狀分隔片組件6〇〇的區域上中間連接） 總體地提供緻密化氣體可在環狀分隔片6〇〇的内部及其外 部間通過的通道。 一般，該環狀分隔片600的厚度為約線6〇2或6〇4直徑的兩 倍。在一個實例中，環狀分隔片組件6〇〇的總厚度係介於又 毫米及約6毫米間。 環狀分隔片組件600具與環狀預成型體些微不同的熱膨 服特性故在其間的黏著可忽略，及該碳環狀分隔片的去黏 結塗覆可被省略。而且，該金屬網可由如喷砂被容易地及 簡單地修復。 因為敏密化在該溫度發生’在該預成型體一些程度的金 屬污染是可能的，然而，咸信以在正常製造（如中間機械以 重新打開該預成型體的孔隙使得緻密化可進行）過程中損 失至表面機械及類似機械的材料量之觀點，此種污染深度 為可忽略的。結果為，無論何種污染一般被移除。 雖然本發明以關於咸信為其最實際的具體實施例敘述， 特別要注意，此僅為實例’及其合適修改及變化仍在所附 申請專利範圍的意旨及精神内。 93554.doc 1328517 【圖式簡單說明】 特別強調此處的圖式僅說明本發明實例及不欲以任何方 式建構為限制其定義，應注意此處的圖式在總圖或相關視 圖皆不必要依比例繪製。 本發明參考所附圖式將更佳了解，其中： 圖1說明緻密化堆疊環狀預成型體的加工室； 圖2說明一種個別間隔物組件裝置以分開說明於圖丨的堆 疊環狀預成型體；及 圖3a及圖3b說明根據本發明一件式分隔片組件的實例。 【主要元件符號說明】 10 外樞 10a 外框的底部 10b 覆蓋 11 板 12 中間支撐板 14 感受器 16 感應線圈 17 感受器外殼 18 預熱器區段 20 基材 22 間隙 24 内部體積 26 外部體積 30 間隔物組件 93554.doc 1328517 600 環狀分隔片阻件 602 線 604 線 93554.doc - 13-1328517 IX. Description of the Invention: [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a separator assembly for separating stacked porous materials during a manufacturing method, and a specific example of the present invention relates to a method for separating stacked annular composite materials A metal annular separator assembly of the shaped body, particularly during densification methods such as chemical vapor infiltration (CVI). The composite material preform can be particularly a ring shaped preform to make a brake disc or other friction component. [Prior Art] A device for densifying a ring-shaped preform to produce a brake disc and the like is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/468,031, filed on Jan. 14, 2003. Figure i. Figure 1 is a highly illustrated illustration of a processing chamber having an outer frame 10 containing a plurality of annular preforms or substrates 2 made of carbon fibers in the form of their individual central channels (generally vertically aligned). The type of material stacking. The stack can be made up of a plurality of stacked stack sections separated by one or more intermediate support plates 12. The stacked materials are separated from one another by spacers 30. As shown in Figure 2, the spacers 30 can be placed radially and their number can vary. They provide a gap 22 that is substantially fixed in height across the adjacent substrates and allows the internal volume 24' of the stack to be comprised of a generally aligned central channel of the substrate, with the exterior of the stack and the exterior of the exterior of the frame 10. Volume 26 contact. In the example of Figure 1, the outer frame 10 comprises a single stack of substrates. In another version, the stack of many substrates can be placed adjacent to each other on the same side. 93554.doc 1328517 The outer frame 10 can be heated by a susceptor 丨4, such as made of graphite, which is used to define the outer frame 10 and is inductively coupled to an induction coil 16 located outside the outer casing 17 of the susceptor, other heating methods. Can be used such as thermal resistance heating (Joule effect). A gas containing a precursor of one or more carbons, typically a hydrocarbon gas such as methane and/or propane', is allowed to enter the outer frame. In the illustrated example, admission is permitted via the bottom 1a of the outer frame. The gas passes through a preheater section 18 formed by one or more piercing plates placed one above the other under the plate U of the support substrate at the bottom portion of the outer frame. The fluid heated by the preheater plate, which is heated to the temperature present inside the outer frame, flows freely into the outer frame while entering the inner volume 24, entering the outer volume 26, and entering the gap 22, with the remaining gas being The suction is extracted from the outer frame via the attraction formed at the cover 1 〇b. The spacers 30 are individually placed with a barrier assembly, mostly made of alumina. However, once formed, the alumina barrier assembly is very brittle and the loss due to cracking is quite high. In fact, in normal use, conventional aluminum oxide barriers often maintain no more than 2 or 3 densification cycles. This naturally increases the manufacturing cost because the alumina barrier must be replaced. Moreover, proper manual replacement of individual alumina barrier assemblies between each preform layer is quite time consuming, and six such barrier assemblies are shown in Figure 2' as an illustrative example, and in practice, as much as Twelve blocks are used. The time burden is exacerbated by the extra attention required to deal with brittle barriers and failure to break. According to the conventional method 'generally, a complete densification method comprising seven preform disks (each of two to fourteen preform stacks) requires 93554.doc 1328517 to be set up for one to two working days. Another problem with the use of the individual spacer assemblies 30 is that they tend to cause deformation (correctly recessed) in the preform caused by the weight of the preforms (and spacers) stacked thereon. As can be seen from Figure 2, there are a large number of unstabilized areas of the preform around the spacer group 0. Since the preform material is generally tortuous, 2 because the alumina constituting the spacer assembly 3 is not deformed, the shrinkage occurs at the surface of the preform corresponding to the position of the spacer assembly 3〇. These deformations, which are somewhat insignificant, must be worn away in an additional polishing step to obtain the desired planar surface for friction applications. As a result, the thickness of each of the preforms is thicker than that required for the final product, and it is expected that the deformation of the known $ method and the expected post-step # step to remove these deformations 'the worn-out material represent economic waste. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, the present invention relates to a one-piece or single annular separator assembly in which annular preforms are stacked at intervals. The separator assembly in accordance with the present invention generally has a flat annular pattern having opposing first and second surfaces, at least one of which is shaped to at least partially define a radially extending gas flow path for contacting the interior space of the separator assembly with the exterior. The separator assembly according to the present invention preferably has an annular preform similar in radial dimension to it, i.e., the separator assembly preferably has an internal dimension similar to that of the annular preform and a similar exterior diameter. If the separator assembly is not substantially the same size as the annular preform, it is preferred to make the separator assembly smaller in size (i.e., having an inner diameter greater than and/or an outer diameter that is small 93554.doc 1328517 component compared to the ring Instead of making the separator sheet large (i.e., radially wide), it is preformed in the annular preform. In one embodiment of the invention, the separator assembly is fabricated from a metallic material having openings formed therethrough, and is not limited to, a metal mesh material. The genus material can be bare (i.e., uncoated, including no debonding coating), which makes manufacturing and refurbishing relatively simple and less expensive. [Embodiment] Generally, the separator assembly according to the present invention has some basic useful characteristics. Compared to each of the preforms using a plurality of individual spacer assemblies in the stack, the <bovine or single structure greatly facilitates the force to load of the stacked annular preforms as indicated below, as described below with reference to Figure 2 The prior art device requires manual replacement of the spacer assembly, and because conventional spacer assemblies are typically made of highly fragile materials such as alumina, special care must be taken during lengthy and monotonous manual methods. A spacer, and a piece to avoid rupture. The spacer assembly is also relatively small and very thin (eg, l"X4"X〇.l") 'This also makes handling them difficult. Using the one-piece separator assembly according to the present invention, the spacer assembly is placed The single action replaces many of the displacement actions of the individual spacer components according to conventional methods. Compared to the conventional method discussed above for one to two days loading into the processing chamber, the one-piece spacer assembly according to the present invention is on an equal basis. Use reducing the loading time to two to four hours. Further, the structure of the one-piece separator assembly according to the present invention more preferably supports the weight of one or more annular preforms stacked thereon in a larger area, The conventional use of individual spacer components is shown in Figure 2. In particular, the radial width of the 93554.doc-piece separator assembly should be approximately equal to or slightly narrower than the diameter of the % preform. To the wide-yielding, Bu,,,, and Ό果, the mother's annular preform is less deformed after being removed from the I-chamber, which means that after the densification method, it is necessary to use a remedial machine to get useful Undeformed surface. = As just mentioned, the piece-and-part separator assembly is narrower than the ring pre-+ or 疋 (as for its outer and/or inner diameter of about 5 mm). The component is more than a ring pre-formed = (four) I (four) (four) points (four) in the accumulation of residuals from the densified gas on the ', (such as teach 1 ..., carbon solution) 'this will reduce the useful life of the separator assembly or need additional The replacement is half-baked, _bei (five) refurbishment steps to remove such accumulation, and if the knife spacer assembly extends outwardly beyond the outer edge of the annular preform, The preforms are stacked in the processing chamber for the problem of = processing (as often done), which can negatively affect the manufacturing efficiency to a lesser degree of stacking because of the spacing problem within the processing. Generally, according to this Inventing a one-piece separator assembly comprising radially extending passages or other features in one or both of its faces, in terms of net utility, at least a portion defining the radially inner side of the one-piece separator assembly Radial external side contact gas flow The path is here because the gas flow in the definition of a certain peak = the monthly flow path of the rolling body is also caused by the opposite surface of the annular pre-(4) and the one-piece separator assembly. In terms of net utility, the cross-sectional area of the moving path & using the one-piece separator is preferably comparable to the area of the worn section of the prior art arrangement. This consideration may vary depending on the individual circumstances 93554.doc 1328517. It should be understood that the total cross-sectional area of the gas flow path presented may be such as to adjust the size of each channel or the like, or to provide more channels or the like. In this respect, the decisive factor is to maintain the desired amount of carrier of the upper annular preform. In general, the one-piece separator assembly according to the present invention should have an energy resistance of up to about 1100 C, and preferably (safe Purpose) Manufacture of materials up to a temperature of about 12 〇 (rc to 14 〇〇 t > c). Preferably, the material selected has a minimum reaction with the preform at the operating temperatures mentioned. Materials suitable for use in the desired one-piece separator assembly include metallic materials such as 'not limited to, stainless steel, Inconel alloy, titanium molybdenum, button, and tungsten. Fig. 3a is a plan view showing another example of the annular separator piece assembly 6A according to the present invention, and Fig. 3b is a corresponding height view including an enlarged portion thereof. The % separator sheet assembly 600 is generally made of a perforated metal material having an open area of from about 2% to about 8% by weight. In its particular embodiment, the annular separator assembly is made of a metal mesh material. As described above, the metal material used for the manufacture of the annular separator assembly 6 must have a durability of about 11 〇〇 c, and preferably (safety purpose) as high as about 丨2 。. 〇 to a temperature of 14 ° C. Stainless steel, Inconel alloys, titanium, molybdenum, niobium, and tungsten are all suitable examples of suitable metallic materials. The annular spacer, assembly 600 can be formed by cutting an appropriately sized annular form from a piece of material. Any suitable defensive method can be used, including, without limitation, computer controlled laser cutting. 93554.doc • 10-1328517 Figures 3a and 3b illustrate an example of a crucible that uses a mesh material to make an annular separator assembly, as can be apparent from the enlarged portion of Figure 3b, which is based on known methods, particularly A woven mesh made by a crimp weave method, the crimped woven mesh representing a preformed (four) crimped woven thread in at least one direction of the crepe web. See, for example, the volume curve 6〇2 of Figure 3b with respect to line 6〇4. Thus, the curvature of the line 602 actually represents an open space adjacent to the transverse line 6〇4, which is interconnected intermediately on the area of the annular spacer assembly 6〇〇) generally providing a densified gas in the ring A passage through which the inside of the separator 6 〇〇 and the outside thereof pass. Generally, the thickness of the annular separator 600 is about twice the diameter of the line 6〇2 or 6〇4. In one example, the annular separator assembly 6 has a total thickness between about millimeters and about 6 millimeters. The annular separator assembly 600 has slightly different thermal expansion characteristics from the annular preform, so that the adhesion therebetween is negligible, and the debonding coating of the carbon annular separator can be omitted. Moreover, the metal mesh can be easily and simply repaired by, for example, sand blasting. Since sensitization occurs at this temperature, some degree of metal contamination in the preform is possible, however, in normal manufacturing (such as intermediate machinery to reopen the pores of the preform so that densification can proceed) From the point of view of the amount of material lost to surface machinery and similar machinery during the process, the depth of such contamination is negligible. As a result, no matter what kind of pollution is generally removed. Although the present invention has been described in terms of its specific embodiments, it is to be noted that the present invention is only intended to be in the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 93554.doc 1328517 [Simplified description of the drawings] It is emphasized that the drawings herein are merely illustrative of the examples of the invention and are not intended to be construed in any way to limit the definition thereof. It should be noted that the drawings herein are not necessarily in the general or related drawings. Draw on a scale. The invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a processing chamber for densifying stacked annular preforms; Figure 2 illustrates an individual spacer assembly device for separately illustrated stacked annular preforms illustrated in the drawings And Figures 3a and 3b illustrate an example of a one-piece separator assembly in accordance with the present invention. [Main component symbol description] 10 External pivot 10a Bottom of the outer frame 10b Cover 11 Plate 12 Intermediate support plate 14 Receptor 16 Induction coil 17 Receptor housing 18 Preheater section 20 Substrate 22 Gap 24 Internal volume 26 External volume 30 Spacer Component 93054.doc 1328517 600 annular spacer block 602 line 604 line 93554.doc - 13-