Patents by Inventor Philip E. Bretz

Philip E. Bretz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5055257
    Abstract: Superplastic forming of aluminum work stock is improved by including therein about 0.05% to about 10% or 15% scandium together with up to 0.2 or 0.25% zirconium. In preferred practices, soluble elements such as magnesium are also included in the aluminum alloy. One or more of the elements from the group of scandium, yttrium, gadolinium, holminum, dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, lutetium, and terbium, may be included in addition to or in lieu of scandium. Heat treatable aluminum alloys such as 7XXX alloys and 2XXX alloys can be made superplastic by including scandium and zirconium to provide very high strength in superplastically formed products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Dhruba J. Chakrabarti, James T. Staley, Stephen F. Baumann, Ralph R. Sawtell, Philip E. Bretz, Craig L. Jensen
  • Patent number: 4961792
    Abstract: An aluminum base alloy wrought product having improved corrosion resistance in addition to combinations of strength and toughness. The product comprises 0.2 to 5.0 wt. % Li, 0.05 to 6.0 wt. % Mg, at least 2.45 wt. % Cu, 0.05 to 0.16 wt. % Zr, 0.05 to 12 wt. % Zn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities and has the ability to develop improved combinations of strength and toughness in response to an aging treatment. Prior to an aging step, the product having imparted thereto a working effect equivalent to stretching so that after an aging step it has improved combinations of strength and toughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Roberto J. Rioja, Alex Cho, Philip E. Bretz
  • Patent number: 4939032
    Abstract: Composite materials having improved fracture toughness are formed by dispersing ductile inclusions in a less ductile matrix. The matrices may be formed from metals, such as high-strength aluminum alloys or ceramics. Bonding should be present between the inclusions and the matrix so that cracks in the composite material must pass through the inclusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Jocelyn I. Petit, Philip E. Bretz, Henry G. Paris, Ralph R. Sawtell, Diana K. Denzer
  • Patent number: 4897126
    Abstract: An aluminum base alloy wrought product having improved corrosion resistance in addition to combinations of strength and toughness. The product comprises 2.2 to 3.0 wt. % Li, 0.4 to 2.0 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 1.6 wt. % Cu, 0 to 2.0 wt. % Mn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities and has the ability to develop improved combinations of strength and toughness in response to an aging treatment. Prior to an aging step, the product having imparted thereto a working effect equivalent to stretching so that after an aging step it has improved combinations of strength and toughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Philip E. Bretz, Ralph R. Sawtell, Warren H. Hunt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4874440
    Abstract: Superplastic forming of aluminum work stock is improved by including therein about 0.05% to about 10% or 15% scandium. In preferred practices, soluble elements such as magnesium are also included in the aluminum alloy. One or more of the elements from the group of scandium, yttrium, gadolinium, holminum, dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, lutetium, and terbium, may be included in addition to or in lieu of scandium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Ralph R. Sawtell, Philip E. Bretz, Craig L. Jensen
  • Patent number: 4869870
    Abstract: An aluminum base alloy suitable for forming into a wrought product having improved combinations of strength and fracture toughness is provided. The alloy is comprised of 0.2 to 5.0 wt. % Li, 0.05 to 6.0 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 5.0 wt. % Cu, 0 to 2.0 wt. % Mn, 0 to 1.0 wt. % Zr, 0.05 to 12.0 wt. % Zn, 0.05 to 1.0 wt. % Hf, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Roberto J. Rioja, Philip E. Bretz, John Jacoby
  • Patent number: 4832910
    Abstract: Disclosed is an aluminum-lithium alloy containing a predetermined amount of lanthanides which provides the alloy with an improved combination of strength and fracture toughness relative to a baseline alloy not containing lanthanides but otherwise having the alloy's composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Roberto J. Rioja, Philip E. Bretz, John E. Jacoby
  • Patent number: 4797165
    Abstract: An aluminum base alloy wrought product having improved corrosion resistance in addition to combinations of strength and toughness. The product comprises 2.2 to 3.0 wt. % Li, 0.4 to 2.0 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 1.6 wt. % Cu, 0 to 2.0 wt. % Mn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities and has the ability to develop improved combinations of strength and toughness in response to an aging treatment. Prior to an aging step, the product having imparted thereto a working effect equivalent to stretching so that after an aging step it has improved combinations of strength and toughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Philip E. Bretz, Ralph R. Sawtell, Warren H. Hunt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4693747
    Abstract: Disclosed is a metal alloy product having increased resistance to fatigue crack growth and having coarse grains distributed in a fine grain structure, the coarse grains having a different alloy composition from the fine grain structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Philip E. Bretz, Jocelyn I. Petit, Ralph R. Sawtell, Asuri K. Vasudevan
  • Patent number: 4689090
    Abstract: Superplastic forming of aluminum work stock is improved by including therein about 0.05% to about 10% or 15% scandium. In preferred practices, soluble elements such as magnesium are also included in the aluminum alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Ralph R. Sawtell, Philip E. Bretz, Craig L. Jensen
  • Patent number: 4648913
    Abstract: An aluminum base alloy wrought product suitable for aging and having the ability to develop improved strength in response to an aging treatment without impairing fracture toughness properties is disclosed. The product is comprised of 0.5 to 4.0 wt. % Li, 0 to 5.0 wt. % Mg, up to 5.0 wt. % Cu, 0 to 1.0 wt. % Zr, 0 to 2.0 wt. % Mn, 0 to 7.0 wt. % Zn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities. The product has imparted thereto, prior to an aging step, a working effect equivalent to stretching an amount greater than 3% in order that, after said aging, improved strength and fracture toughness combinations are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Warren H. Hunt, Jr., Ralph R. Sawtell, Philip E. Bretz