With Working Patents (Class 148/670)
  • Publication number: 20120267001
    Abstract: A titanium alloy material for exhaust system parts which is excellent in oxidation resistance able to be used for an exhaust manifold, exhaust pipe, catalyst device, muffler, or other part characterized by containing, by mass %, Cu: 0.5 to 1.5%, Sn: 0.5 to 1.5%, Si: 0.1% to 0.6%, and O: 0.1% or less, a total of the contents of Cu and Sn being 1.4 to 2.7%, and having a balance of Ti and unavoidable impurities. A titanium alloy material for exhaust system parts which is excellent in oxidation resistance and cold workability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Hiroaki Otsuka, Hideki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8252126
    Abstract: A method of making sputter targets using rotary axial forging is described. Other thermomechanical working steps can be used prior to and/or after the forging step. Sputter targets are further described which can have unique grain size and/or crystal structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Global Advanced Metals, USA, Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Matera, Robert B. Ford, Charles E. Wickersham, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8252130
    Abstract: Surface processing of titanium alloy members for aerospace equipment imparts high wear resistance, lubricity and high fatigue strength. The method includes an oxygen diffusion step for causing oxygen to diffuse and penetrate in solid solution form into a surface of a titanium alloy member under an oxygen-containing gas atmosphere and a particle bombardment step for bombarding the surface of the titanium alloy member with an airflow containing particles. The aerospace equipment can include a flap rail member and slat rail member for aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Oguri, Takashi Kimura, Takahiro Sekigawa, Takayuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120160378
    Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing a nanocrystalline titanium alloy at low strain to have better strength. The present invention is characterized in that an initial microstructure is induced as martensites having a fine layered structure, and then a nanocrystalline titanium alloy is prepared at low strain by optimizing process variables through observation of the effects of strain, strain rate, and deformation temperature on the changes in the microstructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Postech Academy Industry Foundation
    Inventors: Chan Hee Park, Chong Soo Lee, Sung Hyuk Park, Young Soo Chun
  • Patent number: 8168012
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a binary single phase titanium-zirconium alloy suitable for the production of surgical implants. The alloy includes a zirconium content of less than 25% but more than 5% by weight, and 0.1% to 0.3% by weight of oxygen as a strength enhancing additive, and not more than 1% by weight of other strength enhancing additives and technical impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Straumann Holding AG
    Inventor: Samuel Steinemann
  • Publication number: 20120060981
    Abstract: Methods of refining the grain size of titanium and titanium alloys include thermally managed high strain rate multi-axis forging. A high strain rate adiabatically heats an internal region of the workpiece during forging, and a thermal management system is used to heat an external surface region to the workpiece forging temperature, while the internal region is allowed to cool to the workpiece forging temperature. A further method includes multiple upset and draw forging titanium or a titanium alloy using a strain rate less than is used in conventional open die forging of titanium and titanium alloys. Incremental workpiece rotation and draw forging causes severe plastic deformation and grain refinement in the titanium or titanium alloy forging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: ATI Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin M. Forbes Jones, John V. Mantione, Urban J. De Souza, Jean-Philippe Thomas, Ramesh Minisandram, Richard L. Kennedy, R. Mark Davis
  • Patent number: 8128764
    Abstract: A method for refining the microstructure of titanium alloys in a single thermomechanical processing step, wherein the titanium alloy comprises boron. In some embodiments, the method comprises the steps of first adding boron to the titanium alloy then subjecting the boron-containing titanium alloy to a thermomechanical processing step. Also provided is a method for achieving superplasticity in titanium alloys comprising the steps of selecting a boron-containing titanium alloy, determining the temperature and strain rate necessary to achieve beta superplasticity, and applying sufficient temperature and strain rate to the boron-containing titanium alloy to deform the alloy to the desired shape. Also provided methods of forming titanium alloy parts and the parts prepared by these methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventors: Daniel B. Miracle, Seshacharyulu Tamirisakandala, Radhakrishna B. Bhat, Jaimie S Tiley
  • Patent number: 8062440
    Abstract: A hafnium alloy target containing either or both of Zr and Ti in a gross amount of 100 wtppm-10 wt % in Hf, wherein the average crystal grain size is 1-100 ?m, the impurities of Fe, Cr and Ni are respectively 1 wtppm or less, and the habit plane ratio of the plane {002} and three planes {103}, {014} and {015} lying within 35° from {002} is 55% or greater, and the variation in the total sum of the intensity ratios of these four planes depending on locations is 20% or less. As a result, obtained is a hafnium alloy target having favorable deposition property and deposition speed, which generates few particles, and which is suitable for forming a high dielectric gate insulation film such as HfO or HfON film, and the manufacturing method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Okabe, Shuichi Irumata, Yasuhiro Yamakoshi, Hirohito Miyashita, Ryo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20110277891
    Abstract: A method for producing a component of a titanium-aluminum base alloy comprising hot isostatically pressing the alloy to form a blank, subjecting the blank to a hot forming by a rapid solid-blank deformation, followed by a cooling of the component to form a deformation microstructure with high recrystallization energy potential, thereafter subjecting the component to a heat treatment in the range of the eutectoid temperature (Teu) of the alloy, followed by cooling in air, to form a homogeneous, fine globular microstructure composed of phases GAMMA, BETA0, ALPHA2 and having an ordered atomic structure at room temperature. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: BOEHLER SCHMIEDETECHNIK GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Helmut CLEMENS, Wilfried WALLGRAM, Martin SCHLOFFER
  • Patent number: 8048240
    Abstract: A method of forming an article from an ??? titanium including, in weight percentages, from about 2.9 to about 5.0 aluminum, from about 2.0 to about 3.0 vanadium, from about 0.4 to about 2.0 iron, from about 0.2 to about 0.3 oxygen, from about 0.005 to about 0.3 carbon, from about 0.001 to about 0.02 nitrogen, and less than about 0.5 of other elements. The method comprises cold working the ??? titanium alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: ATI Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Hebda, Randall W. Hickman, Ronald A. Graham
  • Publication number: 20110240181
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating a titanium alloy part, the method comprising: heating the part to a temperature T1 so that the temperature of the part is substantially uniform, performing an initial forging operation on the part, followed immediately by quenching the part down to ambient temperature; and heating the part to a temperature T2, followed by a final forging operation on the part at the temperature T2 followed immediately by quenching the part, the final forging operation being suitable for giving the part its final shape; the temperature T1 being higher than the ?-transus temperature of the alloy, the temperature T2 being lower than the ?-transus temperature, the only heating of the part to above the ?-transus temperature being the heating to the temperature T1, the initial forging preceding the final forging, and the initial forging being performed as soon as the temperature of the part is substantially uniform, the method being characterized in that the quenching immediately
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventor: Philippe Gallois
  • Publication number: 20110192509
    Abstract: A method for forging a thermomechanical part and including: providing a billet produced in a titanium alloy having a beta transus temperature; carrying out at least one operation of forging a blank of the billet at a temperature T1 lower than the beta transus temperature Tb from before carrying out the forging operation whereby a blank is completed; carrying out a final forging the blank at a temperature T2 greater than the beta transus temperature Tb from before carrying out the forging operation whereby a blank is completed. The forging operation from the blank-forging carries out, on every point of the billet, a deformation greater than a minimum deformation rate. The method can be used for a rotating part of a turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Xavier Baudequin, Gilbert Leconte
  • Publication number: 20110180188
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of a method for increasing the strength and toughness of a titanium alloy include plastically deforming a titanium alloy at a temperature in an alpha-beta phase field of the titanium alloy to an equivalent plastic deformation of at least a 25% reduction in area. After plastically deforming the titanium alloy in the alpha-beta phase field, the titanium alloy is not heated to or above the beta transus temperature of the titanium alloy. After plastic deformation, the titanium alloy is heat treated at a heat treatment temperature less than or equal to the beta transus temperature minus 20° F. (11.1° C.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: ATI Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: David J. Bryan
  • Patent number: 7976649
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a superplastically formable strip or a superplastically formable foil from TiAl6V4 with a thickness of no more than 0.9 mm, preferably less than or equal to 0.5 mm, comprises the steps: a) hot rolling a sheet metal made of TiAl6V4; b) thermal pre-treatment of the hot-rolled sheet metal at a temperature between 650 and 850° C.; and c) cold rolling the hot-rolled and thermally pre-treated sheet metal at a forming rate of at least 30%, wherein the forming rate per single pass amounts to between 1 and 15%, to form a strip or a foil with a thickness of no more than 0.9 mm, wherein the cold-rolled strip or the cold-rolled foil is not annealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: GfE Fremat GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Klose, Ella Rehtanz, Christiane Rothe, Ines Eulitz, Werner Beck
  • Publication number: 20110146853
    Abstract: A method for refining the microstructure of titanium alloys in a single thermomechanical processing step, wherein the titanium alloy comprises boron. In some embodiments, the method comprises the steps of first adding boron to the titanium alloy then subjecting the boron-containing titanium alloy to a thermomechanical processing step. Also provided is a method for achieving superplasticity in titanium alloys comprising the steps of selecting a boron-containing titanium alloy, determining the temperature and strain rate necessary to achieve beta superplasticity, and applying sufficient temperature and strain rate to the boron-containing titanium alloy to deform the alloy to the desired shape. Also provided methods of forming titanium alloy parts and the parts prepared by these methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: OHIO UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Daniel B. Miracle, Seshacharyulu Tamirisakandala, Radhakrishna B. Bhat, Jaimie S. Tiley
  • Publication number: 20110146854
    Abstract: A system and method for shaping a net or near-net titanium part, the method comprising machining a piece of titanium into a titanium part having non-uniform thickness, heating the titanium part to a target temperature within a target temperature range between an auto-relief temperature of the titanium part and a minimum temperature required for super plastic forming of the titanium part, and lowering a die into the titanium part with sufficient force to shape the titanium part. The system for shaping the titanium part may comprise a multiple-axis machine, a die, electrical clamps, sensors, and a control system for adjusting heating temperatures based on information received from the sensors regarding the titanium part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Rahbar Nasserrafi, Darrell A. Wade, Thanh A. Le, Derek D. Donaldson, Gary W. Sundquist
  • Patent number: 7910052
    Abstract: A near-beta titanium alloy having higher strength than ‘Ti-17’ is provided, while suppressing cost increase. Such a near-&bgr; titanium alloy consists of, in weight percent, 0.5-7% of V, 0.5-2.5% of Fe, 0.5-5% of Mo, 0.5-5% of Cr, 3-7% of Al, and the balance of Ti and impurities. When the weight % of V content is expressed as XV, the weight % of Fe content is expressed as XFe, the weight % of Mo content is expressed as XMo, and the weight % of Cr content is expressed as XCr; the value of XV+2.95XFe+1.5 XMo+1.65XCr is 9-17%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20110017369
    Abstract: There is provided a titanium plate having both high strength and good workability. The titanium plate is made of a titanium material in a plate shape, the titanium material consisting of by mass: more than 0.10% and less than 0.60% iron; more than 0.005% and less than 0.20% oxygen; less than 0.015% carbon; less than 0.015% nitrogen; less than 0.015% hydrogen; and balance titanium and unavoidable impurities, provided that the iron content is greater than the oxygen content, wherein the titanium plate has a two-phase structure of an ? phase and a ? phase and the circle-equivalent mean diameter of ? phase grains is 10 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Shirai, Satoshi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20100316525
    Abstract: A hot-forged TiAl-based alloy having excellent oxidation resistance and high strength at high temperatures, and a process for producing such an alloy. A TiAl-based alloy comprising Al: (40+a) atomic % and Nb: b atomic %, with the remainder being Ti and unavoidable impurities, wherein a and b satisfy formulas (1) and (2) below. 0?a?2??(1) 3+a?b?7+a??(2) Also, a TiAl-based alloy comprising Al: (40+a) atomic % and Nb: b atomic %, and further comprising one or more elements selected from the group consisting of V: c atomic %, Cr: d atomic % and Mo: e atomic %, with the remainder being Ti and unavoidable impurities, wherein a to e satisfy formulas (3) to (9) shown below. 0?a?2??(3) 3+a?b+1.0c+1.8d+3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicants: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD., TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kentaro Shindo, Toshimitsu Tetsui, Masao Takeyama
  • Patent number: 7785530
    Abstract: A method for preparing ultra-fine, submicron grain titanium or titanium-alloy articles (78) used for joining or assembling of detail components. Coarse-grained titanium or titanium-alloy materials (52) are severely mechanically deformed using cryogenic milling into an ultra-fine, submicron grain powder, degassed and consolidated under controlled pressure and temperature. The resulting fasteners, articles, or components manufactured from such material have improved material performance characteristics associated with this ultra-fine, submicron grain material structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Steven Glenn Keener
  • Patent number: 7779542
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a dental instrument having a desired machined configuration, without twisting the instrument. A blank of superelastic material is brought to an annealed state comprising a phase structure including a rhombohedral phase alone or in combination with austenite and/or martensite, or a combination of martensite and austenite. In this annealed state, a portion of the annealed material is removed at low temperature, for example less than about 100° C., and advantageously at ambient temperature, to form a final machined configuration for the instrument. The instrument is then heat treated and rapidly quenched to a superelastic condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Ormco Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos A. Aloise, Gary T. Garman
  • Publication number: 20100108208
    Abstract: Methods for the manufacture of the above-mentioned titanium alloy for use in combustion engine exhaust systems are disclosed herein. An exemplary method of the disclosed subject matter for the manufacture of titanium alloy for use in a high temperature and high stress environment includes performing a first heat treatment of the titanium alloy at a first temperature, rolling the titanium alloy to a desired thickness, performing a second heat treatment of the titanium alloy at a second temperature, and performing a third heat treatment of the titanium alloy at a third temperature. In some embodiments, the first temperature is selected such that recrystallization and softening of the titanium alloy is optimized without substantial coarsening of second phase particles and can be approximately 1500-1600° F. In some embodiments, the rolling of the titanium alloy reduces the thickness of the titanium alloy by at least than 65%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: TITANIUM METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoji Kosaka, Stephen P. Fox
  • Patent number: 7708845
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing thin sheets of high-strength titanium alloys. The method includes the steps of preparing initial blanks, assembling the initial blanks into a pack within a sheath, and heating and hot rolling the pack of the initial blanks in the sheath. The method is characterized in that, in the step of preparing the initial blanks, blanks having an (?-phase grain size of not more than 2 ?m are produced by hot rolling a forged or die-forged slab to a predetermined value of a relative thickness hB/hF, where hB is a thickness in mm of the initial blank before said pack hot rolling and hF is a final sheet thickness in mm, and by heat treating the initial blanks followed by rapidly cooling; and in that the step of pack hot rolling is conducted in quasi-isothermal conditions in longitudinal and transverse directions, while changing a rolling direction by about 90° after a predetermined total reduction in one direction is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Vladislav Valentinovich Tetyukhin, Igor Vasilievich Levin, Alexander Nikolaevich Kozlov, Andrey Vladimirovich Zaitsev, Alexander Vladimirovich Berestov
  • Patent number: 7682473
    Abstract: A method for forming a finished implant prosthesis which comprises: (a) providing an unforged alloy consisting essentially of Ti(x %)Al(y %)Nb wherein x is between about 45 to 54% by atoms, y is between about 15 to 25% by atoms and the balance is niobium; (b) forging the alloy at an elevated temperature below a melting point of the alloy in a shape which is an implant preform; and (c) machining the implant preform to provide a machined implant; and (d) finishing the exposed surfaces of the implant so as to provide the exposed surfaces with a finish which provides biocompatibility, to thereby form the implant prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventor: Carl J. Boehlert
  • Patent number: 7618504
    Abstract: A TiAl based alloy having excellent strength as well as an improvement in toughness at room temperature, in particular an improvement in impact properties at room temperature, and a production method thereof, and a blade using the same are provided. This TiAl based alloy has a microstructure in which lamellar grains having a mean grain diameter of from 1 to 50 ?m are closely arranged. The alloy composition is Ti-(42-48)Al-(5-10)(Cr and/or V) or Ti-(38-43)Al-(4-10)Mn. The alloy can be obtained by subjecting the alloy to high-speed plastic working in the cooling process, after the alloy has been held in an equilibrium temperature range of the ? phase or the (?+?) phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Tetsui, Kentaro Shindo, Masao Takeyama
  • Patent number: 7601232
    Abstract: Described herein are methods for forming titanium alloy tubes having an ?-? grain structure. The methods include the steps of hot-working a titanium alloy workpiece at a temperature below the ?-transus temperature of the workpiece and above the recrystallization temperature of the workpiece to produce an ?-? titanium alloy preform hollow. Subsequently, the ?-? titanium alloy preform hollow is flowformed, thereby forming a ?-? titanium alloy tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Dynamic Flowform Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew V. Fonte, John F. Heymans, George L. Durfee
  • Patent number: 7560000
    Abstract: A titanium alloy part has a compressive stress of approximately 270 MPa or more within a depth of about 100 ?m from a surface thereof. Since a large compressive stress exists in the area of the surface, the titanium alloy part exhibits a high fatigue strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaharu Suzuki, Shuhei Adachi
  • Publication number: 20090139617
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a binary single phase titanium-zirconium alloy suitable for the production of surgical implants. The alloy includes a zirconium content of less than 25% but more than 5% by weight, and 0.1% to 0.3% by weight of oxygen as a strength enhancing additive, and not more than 1% by weight of other strength enhancing additives and technical impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: STRAUMANN HOLDING AG
    Inventor: Samuel Steinemann
  • Publication number: 20090133786
    Abstract: A titanium material production method for producing homogeneous fine grain titanium material in which the titanium material has a grain size in a range from about 5 ?m to about 20 ?m. The method comprises providing a titanium material blank; conducting a first heat treatment on the titanium material blank to heat the titanium material blank to a ?-range; quenching the titanium material blank from the ?-region to the ?+?-region; forging the titanium material blank; and conducting a second heat treatment on the titanium material blank. The titanium material production method subjects the titanium material blank to superplasticity conditions during part of the titanium material production method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Patrick Bewlay, John Broddus Deaton, JR., Robert Snee Gilmore, Michael Francis Xavier Gigliotti, Gennady A. Salishchev, Oskar A. Kaibyshev
  • Patent number: 7479194
    Abstract: A damage tolerant microstructure for a lamellar alloy, such as a lamellar ?TiAl alloy, is provided in accordance with the present invention. The alloy comprises a matrix and a plurality of grains or lamellar colonies, a portion of which exhibit a nonplanar morphology within said matrix. Each of the lamellar colonies contains a multitude of lamella with irregularly repeating order. The ?TiAl platelets have a triangular (octahedral) unit cell and stack with ? twins. The ?2Ti3Al platelets are irregularly interspersed. The unit cell for ?2Ti3Al is hexagonal. Each of the layers has a curved, nonplanar structure for resisting crack formation and growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel P. DeLuca
  • Patent number: 7465234
    Abstract: A hybrid fastening system comprising a female fastener component, i.e., swage collar, fabricated from a titanium or titanium-alloy material, preferably Ti-3A1-2.5V, and a mating titanium or titanium-alloy material male fastener component, i.e., threaded pin, each preferably pre-coated with an organic coating material comprising an organic, phenolic resin. The threaded pin component is installed through two or more structural components to be joined. The swage collar component is then deformed or swaged onto the threads of the pre-coated threaded pin component to achieve the same, if not improved, fastener/joint performance characteristics of existing lockbolt systems using aluminum-alloy material swage collar components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Steven G. Keener, Cesare Peralta
  • Patent number: 7422644
    Abstract: The present invention provides non-axially symmetrical manufactured parts of thickness less than 10 mm, made of ? or quasi-? titanium alloy, having a core microstructure constituted by whole grains presenting a slenderness ratio greater than 4 and an equivalent diameter lying in the range 10 ?m to 300 ?m. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing the parts by forging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Blandine Barbier, Philippe Gallois, Claude Mons, Agathe Venard, Pascal Vignolles
  • Publication number: 20080035250
    Abstract: A process for casting titanium alloy based parts includes the steps of melting a quantity of titanium alloy to form a molten titanium alloy; adding to the molten titanium alloy a quantity of boron in an amount of about 0.2 weight percent to about 1.3 weight percent of the molten titanium alloy to form a molten boron modified titanium alloy; and casting a boron modified titanium alloy based part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Tai-Tsui Aindow, Prabir R. Bhowal
  • Publication number: 20070286761
    Abstract: A method of producing a high strength, high stiffness and high ductility titanium alloy, comprising combining the titanium alloy with boron so that the boron concentration in the boron-modified titanium alloy does not exceed the eutectic limit. The carbon concentration of the boron-modified titanium alloy is maintained below a predetermined limit to avoid embrittlement. The boron-modified alloy is heated to a temperature above the beta transus temperature to eliminate any supersaturated excess boron. The boron-modified titanium alloy is deformed at a speed slow enough to prevent microstructural damage and reduced ductility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Daniel B. Miracle, Seshacharyulu Tamirisakandala, Radhakrishna B. Bhat, Dale J. McEldowney, Jerry L. Fields, William M. Hanusiak, Rob L. Grabow, C. Fred Yolton, Eric S. Bono
  • Patent number: 7303638
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing the cold-formability of Ti 6-2-4-2 sheet material are described herein. Embodiments of these methods comprise cold-forming a predetermined, pretreated Ti 6-2-4-2 alloy into a cold-formed shape; subjecting the cold-formed shape to a post-forming annealing cycle comprising: heating the cold-formed shape to about 1450±25 ° F.; holding the cold-formed shape at about 1450±25° F. for about 15±2 minutes; and cooling the cold-formed shape to room temperature. Embodiments of these methods further comprise subjecting the predetermined Ti 6-2-4-2 alloy to a pre-forming annealing cycle comprising: heating the predetermined alloy to a pre-forming annealing temperature of about 1550-1750° F.; holding the predetermined alloy at the pre-forming annealing temperature for about 30 minutes; and cooling the predetermined alloy to room temperature. These methods allow components comprising 90° bend angles, having a bend factor as low as about 6.2 T, to be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James Olaf Hansen, David William Anderson
  • Patent number: 7261782
    Abstract: A titanium alloy obtained by a cold-working step, in which 10% or more of cold working is applied to a raw titanium alloy, comprising a Va group element and the balance of titanium substantially, and an aging treatment step, in which a cold-worked member, obtained after the cold-working step, is subjected to an aging treatment so that the parameter “P” falls in a range of from 8.0 to 18.5 at a treatment temperature falling in a range of from 150° C. to 600° C.; and characterized in that its tensile elastic limit strength is 950 MPa or more and its elastic deformation capability is 1.6% or more. This titanium alloy is of high elastic deformation capability as well as high tensile elastic limit strength, and can be utilized in a variety of products extensively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: JungHwan Hwang, Tadahiko Furuta, Kazuaki Nishino, Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 7241328
    Abstract: A method for preparing ultra-fine, submicron grain titanium or titanium-alloy articles (78) used for joining or assembling of detail components. Coarse-grained titanium or titanium-alloy materials (52) are severely mechanically deformed using cryogenic milling into an ultra-fine, submicron grain powder, degassed and consolidated under controlled pressure and temperature. The resulting fasteners, articles, or components manufactured from such material have improved material performance characteristics associated with this ultra-fine, submicron grain material structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Steven Glenn Keener
  • Patent number: 7168142
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metallic blank into a shaped article useful as an enclosure for an implantable medical device is described. The method entails a plurality of steps in a particular order to obtain certain finish characteristics. Some of them are a surface roughness for bond ability and/or a uniform surface finish on the drawn section of the blank. The preset steps must be completed in a particular order; otherwise the desired characteristics are not provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Greatbatch-Globe Tool, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael R. Nowaczyk
  • Patent number: 7115177
    Abstract: In a method for the treatment of metallic materials especially for the consolidation of the texture of the materials, a blank of the metallic material is heated to a transformation temperature and the blank is then subjected to twisting preferably while, at the same time, being compressed. In this way, the texture can be refined to a large degree in a simple and inexpensive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Gkss-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH
    Inventors: Fritz Appel, Stephen Eggert, Uwe Lorenz, Michael Oehring
  • Patent number: 7077937
    Abstract: A large surface area electrode well-suited to electrochemical applications is produced by winding many turns of a metallic fiber tow on to a sheet metal rectangle. In the preferred embodiment, an anode that can be used to purify water by electrochemical production of hydroxyl free radical is made by winding titanium fiber tow on to a rectangular substrate made of titanium sheet, and applying a suitable multilayered electrocatalytic coating. Made of other metals, an electrode of this description can also serve as the cathode of an electrochemical cell, or as a battery plaque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Inventors: Oleh Weres, Henry Edward O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 7029558
    Abstract: The purpose is to provide a cathode electrode for manufacturing an electrodeposited copper foil which is possible to be continuously and stably usable for a long duration of 3000 hours or longer to subsequently lessen the frequency of maintenance work execution as low as possible and to contribute to lower the running cost of the electrodeposited copper foil manufacture. As the means for achieving the purpose, a cathode electrode made of a titanium material is employed for obtaining an electrodeposited copper foil using an electrolytic copper solution and the titanium material having 7.0 or higher crystal grain size number and 35 ppm or lower initial hydrogen content is used for manufacturing the cathode electrode for manufacturing an electrodeposited copper foil. Further, also provided is a manufacturing method of the titanium material to be employed for the cathode electrode made of a titanium material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignees: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., LTD, Nippon Stainless Steel Kozai Co., LTD, Sumitomo Metal Industries, LTD
    Inventors: Sakiko Tomonaga, Satoru Fujita, Hiroshi Tanaka, Yutaka Kiminami, Isamu Kanekatsu, Atsuhiko Kuroda
  • Patent number: 7014722
    Abstract: In finifsh-cogging a high-purity titanium material into a cylindrical form as the final shape, if cylindrical cogging is performed in all stages of warm forging or if cylindrical cogging is performed in the initial stage of the warm forging, there is no need of peripherally restricting the cylindrical cogging material, so that even if longitudinal upset-forging is effected with an upsetting ratio of 2, the condition that the major diameter/minor diameter ratio of the section after forging is not more than 1.01 can be satisfied, developing superior upset-forgeability. This makes it possible, in producing disk-like targets for sputtering, to minimize cutting loss produced during the rolling and machining and to maximize the yield of products; therefore, the material can be widely used as a semiconductor material for electrodes and the like using a high-purity titanium material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Titanium Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Arimoto, Tadashi Ogasawara, Isao Uemura, Youji Mitani, Takashi Oonishi
  • Patent number: 6997995
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing components with a high load capacity from ?+? TiAl alloys, especially for producing components for aircraft engines or stationary gas turbines. According to this method, enclosed TiAl blanks of globular structure are preformed by isothermal primary forming in the ?+?? or ? phase area. The preforms are then shaped out into components with a predeterminable contour by means of at least one isothermal secondary forming process, with dynamic recrystallization in the ?+?? or ? phase area. The microstructure is adjusted by solution annealing the components in the ? phase area and then cooling them off rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignees: Leistrits Turbinenkomponenten Remscheid GmbH, Rolls-Royce Deutschland LTD & Co KG
    Inventors: Peter Janschek, Lothar Knippschild, Karl Schreiber, Dan Roth-Fagaraseanu
  • Patent number: 6984272
    Abstract: A titanium material for a target has a microstructure in which the grain size is small and uniform and also has a macrostructure of the surface of the titanium material which is non-patterned and is excellent in surface property. A titanium ingot in which Vacuum Arc Remelting or Electron Beam Melting is performed is roughly forged at a temperature from 700° C. up to the ? transformation temperature, and is then forged for finishing at room temperature to 350° C., and is finally annealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Toho Titanium Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichi Takahashi, Takao Iwabuchi, Kensuke Ushijima
  • Patent number: 6979375
    Abstract: A titanium alloy member is characterized in that it comprise 40% by weight or more titanium (Ti), a IVa group element and/or a Va group element other than the titanium, wherein a summed amount including the IVa group element and/or the Va group element as well as the titanium is 90% by weight or more, and one or more members made in an amount of from 0.2 to 2.0% by weight and selected from an interstitial element group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon, and that its basic structure is a body-centered tetragonal crystal or a body-centered cubic crystal in which a ratio (c/a) of a distance between atoms on the c-axis with respect to a distance between atoms on the a-axis falls in a range of from 0.9 to 1.1. This titanium alloy member has such working properties that conventional titanium alloys do not have, is flexible, exhibits a high strength, and can be utilized in a variety of products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Tadahiko Furuta, Yoshiki Seno, JungHwan Hwang, Kazuaki Nishino, Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 6974507
    Abstract: A damage tolerant microstructure for a lamellar alloy, such as a lamellar ?TiAl alloy, is provided in accordance with the present invention. The alloy comprises a matrix and a plurality of grains or lamellar colonies, a portion of which exhibit a nonplanar morphology within said matrix. Each of the lamellar colonies contains a multitude of lamella with irregularly repeating order. The ?TiAl platelets have a triangular (octahedral) unit cell and stack with ? twins. The ?2Ti3Al platelets are irregularly interspersed. The unit cell for ?2Ti3Al is hexagonal. Each of the layers has a curved, nonplanar structure for resisting crack formation and growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel P. DeLuca
  • Patent number: 6939419
    Abstract: The invention relates to plastic metal working, more specifically to methods for producing parts of the disk- or shell-type having conical, hemispherical, and also combined parts, such as disk-and-shaft ones. The invention is instrumental in producing large axially symmetric parts from hard-to-work multiphase alloys. The method consists in that the billet is heated in a temperature range above 0.4 m.p. but below the temperature at which a total content of precipitates or an allotropic modification of the matrix of a multiphase alloy is not below 7%. Then the preheated billet is rolled, while controlling its temperature and the tool load, as well as the rolling speed. Once rolled the billet is heat-treated at a temperature depending on the microstructure of the billet material resulting from rolling. Prerolling preparing of a specified microstructure of the billet material is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignees: General Electric Company, Institute of Metals Superplascity Problems of Academy of Science
    Inventors: Farid Zainullaevich Utyashev, Oscar Akramovich Kaibyshev, Vener Anvarovich Valitov
  • Patent number: 6918974
    Abstract: An alpha-beta titanium alloy workpiece, preferably furnished in the form of a cast ingot, is processed by mechanically working in the beta phase field and in the alpha-beta phase field, and thereafter quenching from the beta phase field. The workpiece is thereafter mechanically worked at a first alpha-beta phase field temperature in the alpha-beta phase field and quenched from the first alpha-beta phase field temperature. The workpiece is thereafter mechanically worked at a second alpha-beta phase field temperature in the alpha-beta phase field, wherein the second alpha-beta phase field temperature is lower than the first alpha-beta phase field temperature, and optionally quenched from the second alpha-beta phase field temperature. The resulting microstructure is a distribution of globularized coarse alpha-phase particles and globularized fine alpha-phase particles in fine transformed beta grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Andrew Philip Woodfield
  • Patent number: 6911100
    Abstract: A method for producing predetermined internal stresses in a prosthetic device for implantation. The method includes first determining internal stresses which are preferred in prosthetics to instill a particular strength and longevity to the prosthetic. In particular, internal stresses may be used to increase the strength of smaller prosthetic devices. Additionally, once the preferred internal stresses are determined, the internal stresses can be cold worked into subsequent prosthetic devices to instill the same characteristics. Once parts are manufactured, internal stresses can be measured to validate manufacturing process and serve as verification for quality control purposes. Producing prosthetic devices, including predetermined internal stresses through work hardening the prosthetic devices, is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Biomet, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip Martin Gibbs, Dave Wayne Schroeder
  • Patent number: 6863987
    Abstract: Titanium resistant to discoloration in an atmospheric environment characterized by having an average carbon concentration of 14 at % or less in a range to a depth of 100 nm from the surface and having an oxide film of a thickness of 12 to 40 nm at its surface. Titanium resistant to discoloration in an atmospheric environment characterized in that, in X-ray diffraction of its surface, a ratio (X1/X2) of a (200) peak intensity X1 of TiC to a (110) peak intensity X2 of titanium is not more than 0.18 and by having an oxide film of a thickness of 12 to 40 nm at its surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Kaneko, Teruhiko Hayashi, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Kiyonori Tokuno, Junichi Tamenari, Kinichi Kimura, Hiroshi Shimizu, Shoichi Maruyama