Patents Examined by Alexander Polyansky
  • Hollow drilling steel rod and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 8430977
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hollow drilling steel rod including a stem portion and a thread portion positioned at an end portion in an axial direction with respect to the stem portion, the hollow drilling steel rod being constituted of a steel having a specific composition described in the present specification, in which the thread portion includes a thread having been subjected to a high frequency quenching, and the thread portion and the stem portion separate from each other have been joined by a friction welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Hisada, Yoneo Hiwasa, Satoshi Nagase, Noritaka Takahata
  • Method of heat treating magnesium alloys
    Patent number: 8414717
    Abstract: A method for the low temperature heat treatment of an age-hardenable magnesium based alloy, including following steps: (a) providing a solution heat-treated and quenched age-hardenable magnesium based alloy; and (b) subjecting said alloy to low temperature ageing below 100°C. for a period of time sufficient to develop an enhanced ageing response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Inventor: Joka Buha
  • Thermomechanical methodology for stabilizing shape memory alloy (SMA) response
    Patent number: 8409372
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for stabilizing the strain-temperature response for a shape memory alloy are provided. To perform stabilization of a second sample of the shape memory alloy, a first sample of the shape memory alloy is selected for isobaric treatment and the second sample is selected for isothermal treatment. When applying the isobaric treatment to the first sample, a constant stress is applied to the first sample. Temperature is also cycled from a minimum temperature to a maximum temperature until a strain on the first sample stabilizes. Once the strain on the first sample stabilizes, the isothermal treatment is performed on the second sample. During isothermal treatment, different levels of stress on the second sample are applied until a strain on the second sample matches the stabilized strain on the first sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administraton of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Santo A Padula, II
  • High-strength pearlitic steel rail having excellent delayed fracture properties
    Patent number: 8404178
    Abstract: The invention provides a high-strength pearlitic steel rail, which is inexpensive, and has a tensile strength of 1200 MPa or more, and is excellent in delayed fracture properties. Specifically, the rail contains, in mass percent, C of 0.6 to 1.0%, Si of 0.1 to 1.5%, Mn of 0.4 to 2.0%, P of 0.035% or less, S of 0.0005 to 0.010%, and the remainder is Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein tensile strength is 1200 MPa or more, and size of a long side of an A type inclusion is 250 mm or less in at least a cross-section in a longitudinal direction of a rail head, and the number of A type inclusions, each having a size of a long side of 1 mm to 250 mm, is less than 25 per observed area of 1 mm2 in the cross-section in the longitudinal direction of the rail head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Honjo, Tatsumi Kimura, Shinichi Suzuki, Nobuo Shikanai
  • Production facility and production process for hot dip galvannealed steel plate
    Patent number: 8402909
    Abstract: The present invention provides a production facility of hot dip galvannealed steel plate able to produce hot dip galvannealed steel plate on production conditions optimal at all times despite rapid changes in the steel type, plating deposition, and other external factors, wherein the production facility 1 of hot dip galvannealed steel plate is provided with a soaking/cooling furnace 7 for treating steel plate I running after leaving a rapid heating furnace 6 by at least one of soaking and cooling. Further, the soaking/cooling furnace 7 is configured to enable a change of the ratio in the furnace of the soaking region 15 for soaking steel plate I by soaking means 21 at a soaking temperature of 500° C. to 650° C. and the cooling region 16 for cooling the steel plate I by spray nozzles 22 by a 5° C./sec or more average cooling rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Onozawa, Yoshitaka Kimura
  • Apparatus for and method of conditioning shape memory alloy wire
    Patent number: 8388773
    Abstract: An apparatus for and method of conditioning a thermally activated shape memory alloy wire for use in an application, wherein the apparatus includes an adjustable hard-stop and the preferred method includes pre-determining a minimum activating current, allowable strain, and a loading magnitude and form based on the wire configuration and application, and further includes applying a double-exponential model to determine a final recoverable strain over fewer cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan E. Luntz, John Andrew Shaw, Diann Brei, Christopher Burton Churchill, Anupam Pathak, Nilesh D. Mankame, Alan L. Browne, Nancy L. Johnson, Paul W. Alexander, Xiujie Gao, Pablo D. Zavattieri
  • Steel wire material for spring and its producing method
    Patent number: 8382918
    Abstract: The steel wire material for a spring of the invention contains; C: 0.37-0.54%, Si: 1.7-2.30%, Mn: 0.1-1.30%, Cr: 0.15-1.1%, Cu: 0.15-0.6%, Ti: 0.010-0.1%, Al: 0.003-0.05%, and the balance including iron with inevitable impurities, wherein ferrite decarburized layer depth is 0.01 mm or less, whole decarburized layer depth is 0.20 mm or less, and fracture reduction of area is 25% or more. It alternately may contain; C: 0.38-0.47%, Si: 1.9-2.5%, Mn: 0.6-1.3%, Ti: 0.05-0.15%, Al: 0.003-0.1%, and the balance including iron with inevitable impurities, wherein ferrite decarburized layer depth is 0.01 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nao Yoshihara, Fujio Koizumi, Hirokazu Inoue, Katsuya Takaoka, Shoji Miyazaki, Sayaka Nagamatsu
  • Angled probe for vessel
    Patent number: 8372333
    Abstract: A vessel comprises a probe oriented downward from an outside surface of the vessel to an inside surface of the vessel. A method of operating a vessel, the vessel comprising a vessel wall having an inside surface and an outside surface, comprises: defining a hole extending through the vessel wall, the hole being oriented at a downward angle from the outside surface to the inside surface; and placing a probe in the hole; and preventing slag buildup around the probe during operation of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Wade Albert Taber
  • Gas injection lance
    Patent number: 8366992
    Abstract: A hot gas injection lance (26) for injecting hot gas into a vessel (11) is made of three modules (26A, 26B and 26C) which all fabricated separately and brought together in successive steps and connected together by releasable fastenings. Lance module (26A) is a main duct module providing an elongate duct (31) through which to direct hot gas into an upper region of the vessel. Lance module (26B) is a gas inlet module through which to direct hot gas into duct (31) of module (26A). Lance module (26C) is a central module which includes an elongate central tubular structure (33) that extends within the gas flow duct (31) and carries at its lower end a series of swirl imparting tubular structure (33) that extends within the gas flow duct (31) and carries at its lower end a series of swirl imparting vanes (34) for imparting swirl to the gas flow exiting the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Technological Resources Pty. Limted
    Inventor: Trevor Williams
  • High-strength pearlitic steel rail having excellent delayed fracture properties
    Patent number: 8361382
    Abstract: A steel rail including a composition of, in mass percent, C of 0.6% to 1.0%, Si of 0.1% to 1.5%, Mn of 0.4% to 2.0%, P of 0.035% or less, S of 0.010% or less, Ca of 0.0010% to 0.010%, and the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein the tensile strength is 1200 MPa or more, and the size of a long side of a C type inclusion is 50 ?m or less in at least a cross-section in a longitudinal direction of a rail head, and the number of Ca type inclusions, each having a size of a long side of 1 ?m to 50 ?m, is 0.2 to 10 per observed area of 1 mm2 in the cross-section in the longitudinal direction of the rail head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Honjo, Tatsumi Kimura, Shinichi Suzuki, Nobuo Shikanai
  • Copper alloy having high strength, high electric conductivity and excellent bending workability
    Patent number: 8357248
    Abstract: A copper alloy having high strength, high electrical conductivity, and excellent bendability, the copper alloy containing, in terms of mass %, 0.4 to 4.0% of Ni; 0.05 to 1.0% of Si; and, as an element M, one member selected from 0.005 to 0.5% of P, 0.005 to 1.0% of Cr, and 0.005 to 1.0% of Ti, with the remainder being copper and inevitable impurities, in which an atom number ratio M/Si of elements M and Si contained in a precipitate having a size of 50 to 200 nm in a microstructure of the copper alloy is from 0.01 to 10 on average, the atom number ratio being measured by a field emission transmission electron microscope with a magnification of 30,000 and an energy dispersive analyzer. According to the invention, it is possible to provide a copper alloy having high strength, high electrical conductivity, and excellent bendability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Aruga, Akira Fugono, Takeshi Kudo, Katsura Kajihara
  • High tensile strength steel having favorable delayed fracture resistance and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 8357252
    Abstract: High tensile strength steels that have both favorable delayed fracture resistance and a tensile strength of 600 MPa or higher and are suitably used in construction machinery, tanks, penstocks, and pipelines, as well as methods for manufacturing such steels are provided. The safety index of delayed fracture resistance (%) is 100×(X1/X0), where X0: reduction of area of a specimen substantially free from diffusible hydrogen, and X1: reduction of area of a specimen containing diffusible hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Nagao, Kenji Oi, Kenji Hayashi, Nobuo Shikanai
  • Refractory component with locking surface and method of forming the same
    Patent number: 8354056
    Abstract: A method of securing a precast refractory shape within a refractory structure, comprising the steps of forming a precast refractory shape by casting a refractory shape to have a plurality of spaced-apart cavities formed in an outer surface thereof; positioning the precast refractory within a refractory structure; and casting a refractory material around the precast refractory shape such that the refractory material covers the outer surface of the precast refractory and fills the cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: North American Refractories Co.
    Inventor: Ronald L. Barrett
  • Revert blend algorithm and apparatus using the algorithm
    Patent number: 8352064
    Abstract: A revert alloy is used in the manufacture of a target alloy having a different composition. The weight percent of the elemental constituents of this first alloy and a second or target alloy are obtained, and the ratio of the percentage by weight of each elemental constituent in the first alloy to the second alloy is determined. The lowest ratio is used to determine the amount of the first alloy that is melted and the necessary elemental constituents that are added to the melt to produce the desired composition of the target alloy. The melt is solidified to produce the target alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Dale A. Schenk, John J. Schirra
  • Method of heat treating magnesium alloys
    Patent number: 8349101
    Abstract: A method for the low temperature heat treatment of an age-hardenable magnesium based alloy, including following steps: (a) providing a solution heat-treated and quenched age-hardenable magnesium based alloy; and (b) subjecting said alloy to low temperature ageing below 100°C. for a period of time sufficient to develop an enhanced ageing response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Inventor: Joka Buha
  • Forged product and crankshaft manufactured from it
    Patent number: 8343255
    Abstract: When the density (DO) of the inclusions whose major axis exceeds 5 ?m observed in the axis position of a section perpendicular to the axial direction of a forged product is made 70 nos/cm2 or below and the radius of the forged product is made R, the ratio of the density (DR) of the inclusions whose major axis exceeds 5 ?m observed in the R/3 position from the axis position toward the radial direction and the density DO satisfies an inequality (1) below. 0.5?DR/DO?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Abiko, Michio Nishihara, Eiji Otsuki, Shunsuke Hori, Tomoya Shinozaki, Tetsushi Deura
  • Lithographic printing plate support, method of manufacturing the same, and presensitized plate
    Patent number: 8338073
    Abstract: A lithographic printing plate support in which surface unevenness due to surface treatment has been suppressed and a presensitized plate of excellent sensitivity are produced from an aluminum alloy plate containing iron, silicon, titanium and boron by specifying the state in which TiB2 particles are present in the surface layer and the width of the crystal grains, and by having specific indicators relating to the respective concentrations of iron and silicon in the surface layer following graining treatment fall within specific ranges. In a method of manufacturing the lithographic printing plate support, an aluminum alloy melt having specified alloying ingredients is subjected to a specified casting process to have the amount of the alloying ingredients in solid solution following cold rolling fall within specified ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Sawada, Akio Uesugi
  • Method and plant for heat treatment of metallic elements
    Patent number: 8337645
    Abstract: A plant for the heat treatment of metallic elements (E) includes: at least a chamber (3) for containing the metallic elements (E) having at least one access opening (A1); a heater (4) of the chamber (3), operating on the chamber (3) for bringing the same at a predetermined temperature; a conveyor (15), connected with a respective actuator and acting on the metallic elements (E) for transferring these latter at the exiting and/or entering with respect to the chamber (3). The conveyor (15) has been positioned outside the chamber (15) during the functioning of the plant (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Estral S.p.A.
    Inventor: Armando Vincoli
  • Method for concentrating oxygen isotope or isotopes
    Patent number: 8337802
    Abstract: The method for concentrating an oxygen isotope or isotopes of the present invention combines the step of concentrating 17O and/or the step of depleting 18O that utilizes photodissociation of ozone by a laser beam with an oxygen distillation step that concentrates the oxygen isotope. At this time, it is preferable to carry out a step of isotope scrambling in addition to the above. When both a step of concentrating 17O and a step of depleting 18O are carried out, whichever thereof may be done first prior to the other. Also these steps may be placed either before or after the oxygen distillation step. Moreover, at least one of said oxygen distillation step, the concentrating 17O step, the depleting 18O step and the isotope scrambling step is preferably carried out twice or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kihara, Shigeru Hayashida, Takashi Kambe, Hiroshi Kawakami, Shigeyoshi Arai
  • Die reinforcing method and die repairing method
    Patent number: 8337639
    Abstract: A mixed powder layer is applied by coating to a cavity of a forging die made of an Fe-base alloy, at least to the region of the cavity to be reinforced or repaired, the mixed powder layer comprising the first element powder capable of being converted into a carbide to enhance the hardness of the forging die and the second element powder having a melting point lower than that of the first element powder. Die reinforcing is carried out by forging a work by using a forging die covered with the mixed powder layer and heat-treating the die by utilizing the working heat generated in the forging to thereby make the layer reflow and diffuse the carbide in the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimasa Kumaki, Mitsuo Kuwabara, Kazuo Matsushita