Patents Examined by Andrew Wessman
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Patent number: 6755890Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, whereby the non-ferrous metal content of the slag generated in the production of non-ferrous metals such as copper or nickel in a suspension smelting furnace is reduced by charging metallurgical coke, with a size ranging from 1-25 mm, into the furnace. Baffles can be positioned from the roof of the furnace downwards, by means of which small particles containing copper and nickel are prevented from drifting to the back of the furnace and being tapped with the slag. The baffles force the small particles to settle in the reduction zone of the furnace.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2002Date of Patent: June 29, 2004Assignee: Outokumpu OyjInventors: Pekka Hanniala, Ilkka Kojo, Risto Saarinen
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Patent number: 6749661Abstract: A method and an apparatus for advantageously introducing a flame and a high velocity oxidizing gas into a furnace for metal melting, refining and processing, particularly steel making in an electric arc furnace. The steel making process of an electric arc furnace is made more efficient by shortening the time of the scrap melting phase and introducing an effective high velocity oxidizing gas stream into the process sooner to decarburize the melted metal. In one implementation of an apparatus, improved efficiency is obtained by mounting a fixed burner/lance closer to the hot face of the furnace refractory at an effective injection angle. This mounting technique shortens the distance that the flame of the burner has to melt through the scrap to clear a path to the molten metal and shortens the distance the high velocity oxygen from the lance travels to the slag-metal interface thereby increasing its penetrating power.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2001Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Process Technology International, Inc.Inventor: Valery G. Shver
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Patent number: 6682585Abstract: An improved method of processing both primary and secondary nonferrous metal and alloys of said metals using a refining gas is provided. The improvement involves refining said non-ferrous metal and alloys with a gaseous mixture including at least one compound selected from the group consisting of ClF3, ClF, COF2, F3COF, CF2(OF)2, SO2F2, NF3, SO2ClF, SOF2, SOF4, NOF, F2 and SF4.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2002Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: John Peter Hobbs, James Francis Heffron, Zbigniew Zurecki
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Patent number: 6673310Abstract: Disclosed is a high-temperature solder material which is composed of tin, zinc and silver, or of 0.01 to 2 wt % germanium or aluminum and the balance tin, or tin and zinc at a ratio of 80/20 to 70/30. The tin/zinc/silver solder has a composition ratio that the ratio of till to zinc is within a range of 97/3 to 79/21 by weight, and the ratio of the sum of tin and zinc to silver is within a range of 88/12 to 50/50 by weight, or that the ratio of tin to zinc is within a range of 70/30 to 5/95 by weight, and the ratio of silver to the sum of tin, zinc and silver is 15% by weight or less. The solder material is used for producing electric or electronic devices and equipments.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2000Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masahiro Tadauchi, Izuru Komatsu, Hiroshi Tateishi, Kouichi Teshima, Kazutaka Matsumoto, Tetsuji Hori
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Patent number: 6652621Abstract: A method of manufacturing a material for a magnesium alloy member, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: heating a solid-liquid coexistent magnesium alloy up to a temperature in the range of from the solidus temperature or more to the liquidus temperature thereof or less; homogeneously dispersing carbon fibers into the solid-liquid coexistent magnesium alloy, wherein the carbon fibers have been cut into arbitrary lengths or powdered and have not been subjected to surface treatment; and then cooling the magnesium alloy.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2001Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Inventors: Hiroji Oishibashi, Yutaka Matsuda
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Patent number: 6638337Abstract: The additives, in particulate solid form, are conveyed pneumatically in a divergent stream from a pneumatic gun to impinge upon the molten iron and mix therewith. The gun is spaced above a surface of molten iron such that the pneumatically conveyed stream including the additive has a central axis which is either horizontal (or at an acute angle to the horizontal). The gun is prefereably adjustable for adjustment of the stream angle, and the stream may be either added to pouring metal or to cover a surface of the molten iron.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2002Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Qual-Chem LimitedInventors: Stephen David Bray, Keith Harris
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Patent number: 6635121Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the decarburization of steel components in a furnace during heat treating processes. The concentration of CO2 and/or CO in the furnace is monitored in a first batch in order to determine periods of elevated CO2/CO concentrations, and inert gas is injected in subsequent batches during the previously determined periods of elevated CO2/CO concentrations.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2000Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignees: American Air Liquide, Inc., L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Yannick Rancon, Hunter Spoon
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Patent number: 6635129Abstract: A wire rod steel superior in straightness, after being subjected to cold drawing. This wire rod steel comprises: C: 0.15 mass % or less (not including 0 mass %), Si: 0.05 mass % or less (including 0 mass %), Mn: 0.3-2 mass %, P: 0.2 mass % or less (including 0 mass %), S: 0.08-0.5 mass %, Al: 0.05 mass % or less (including 0 mass %), N: 0.01 mass % or less (not including 0 mass %), inevitable impurities and Fe as the balance. Its ferrite grain size number of the wire rod steel is No. 11 or less according to ISO 643.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2000Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: Kobe Steel Ltd.Inventors: Mutsuhisa Nagahama, Masato Kaiso, Yoshinori Onoe, Shigehiro Mori
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Patent number: 6632265Abstract: The nickel powder is characterized in that the rate of the nickel particles whose particle size is not less than 1.2 time the average particle size as determined by the observation with an SEM is not more than 5% of the total number of nickel particles and that the rate of nickel particles whose particle size is not more than 0.8 time the average particle size is not more than 5% of the total number of nickel particles. The nickel powder is produced by bringing a slurry, containing nickel hydroxide, which is prepared by adding an aqueous solution of a nickel salt to an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, into contact with a hydrazine reducing agent under the temperature conditions of not less than 55° C. to reduce the nickel hydroxide.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2001Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Assignee: Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Mukuno, Takayuki Araki, Yoshiharu Toshima
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Patent number: 6632396Abstract: Titanium-based alloy contains, % by mass: aluminum 2.2 to 3.8; vanadium 4.5 to 5.9; moloybdenum 4.5 to 5.9; chromium 2.0 to 3.6; iron 0.2 to 0.8; zirconium 0.0l to 0.08; carbon 0.01 to 0.25; oxygen 0.03 to 0.25; titanium being the balance. The alloy possesses high ability to volume deformation in cold state (is easily rolled into rods), does not have tendency to form high-melting inclusions and is efficiently enforced with thermal treatment with obtaining of high level of strength and plasticity characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2001Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Inventors: Vladislav Valentinovich Tetjukhin, Jurv Ivanovich Zakharov, Igor Vasilievich Levin
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Patent number: 6630039Abstract: A method of producing an aluminum base alloy extruded product. The method comprises (a) providing a body of an aluminum base alloy; (b) homogenizing the body at an elevated temperature not exceeding its eutectic temperature for a sufficient period of time to provide a homogeneous distribution of the readily soluble alloy elements, (c) rapidly cooling the body; (d) reheating the body to a reheat temperature of at least 700° F. for a period of at least 0.5 hours; (e) extruding the body from the reheat temperature; (f) solution heat treating the body; and (g) quenching and aging the body.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2001Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignee: Alcoa Inc.Inventors: David A. Lukasak, David A. King
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Patent number: 6627012Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fabricating lightweight alloy feedstock for gun frames. Specifically, the method for producing the work stock proposed in the present invention enables a gun manufacturer to readily machine or forge a suitable gun frame. The properties attained in the final product allow the gun manufacturer to reduce the overall weight of the gun without sacrificing durability.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2000Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Inventors: Wm. Troy Tack, Lawrence S. Kramer
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Patent number: 6627005Abstract: A steel wire of pearlite structure containing 0.8-1.0 mass % of C and 0.8-1.5 mass % of Si is disclosed. In the cross section of the steel wire the average hardness in a region up to 100 &mgr;m from the surface thereof is at least 50 higher that that in a deeper region based on micro-Vickers hardness. The steel wire is manufactured by working a wire rod having the abovementioned chemical composition through shaving, patenting and drawing processes, then strain-relief annealing the resultant wire, and thereafter subjecting the thus annealed wire to a short peening process. The steel wire can be produced through a drawing process without applying a quenching and tempering process, and are superior in heat resistance and fatigue strength.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2000Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Nozomu Kawabe, Teruyuki Murai
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Patent number: 6627007Abstract: A method has been developed for surface modifications of high temperature resistant alloys, such as FeCrAl alloys, in order to increase their resistance to corrosion at high temperatures. Coating it with a Ca-containing compound before heat-treating builds a continuos uniform and adherent layer on the surface of the alloy, that the aluminum depletion of the FeCrAl alloy is reduced under cyclic thermal stress. By this surface modification the resistance to high temperature corrosion of the FeCrAl alloy and its lifetime are significantly increased.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: Sandvik ABInventors: Jan Andersson, Magnus Cedergren
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Patent number: 6623567Abstract: A method for high concentration carburizing and quenching of steel is provided which is carried out by a treatment process including the steps of carbonitriding the steel at temperatures of from about 800 to about 880° C., and subsequently quenching the steel at a temperature higher than the carbonitriding temperature. In the carbonitriding step, the steel is treated with carbon concentrations in a carburizing atmosphere taken as about 0.7 to about 1.2% and with 3 to 8% of ammonia gas (NH3) being added, for example. This dissolves network-like carbide in austenite and, when the austenite is transformed into martensite by quenching, distributes the dissolved carbide in the form of granules approximately uniformly in the martensite.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: Nakamura Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shotaro Nakamura, Noboru Kuwayama
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Patent number: 6620218Abstract: The invention concerns a method of improving the dynamic properties of compacted and sintered products having a density between 6.8 and 7.6 g/cm3, preferably between 7.0 and 7.4 g/cm3. According to this method an iron based powder, graphite and a solid particular lubricant having a vaporizing temperature less the sintering temperature, preferably less than about 800° C. is compacted and sintered and the maximum particle size of the lubricant is selected so that the largest pores of a compacted and sintered product prepared from the composition are equal to or less than the largest pores obtained in a compacted and sintered product prepared from the composition without lubricant. The invention also concerns composition of an iron based powder, graphite and a solid particular lubricant having a vaporizing temperature less the sintering temperature, preferably less than about 800° C. and a maximum particle size less than about 0.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Höganäs ABInventors: Owe Mårs, Björn Lindqvist, Åsa Ahlin
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Patent number: 6620220Abstract: A nickel powder dispersion prepared by adding an organic solvent to an aqueous nickel powder dispersion consisting of a ultrafine nickel powder having a mean particle diameter of no more than one micrometer and an aqueous solvent, in such a state that the organic solvent has replaced at least part of the aqueous solvent. The dispersion may further contain a surface active agent. The nickel powder dispersion possesses very good nickel powder dispersibility. When used in forming an electrically conductive paste, it shows excellent dispersibility in the paste dispersant. Multilayer ceramic capacitors fabricated using the paste are protected against shortcircuiting or delamination which can otherwise result from electrode surface irregularities.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Toho Titanium Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takayuki Ito, Hideo Takatori
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Patent number: 6616729Abstract: A method of grain refining cast magnesium alloy includes adding to a magnesium alloy melt containing aluminum and manganese, pure carbon powder, or a carbon source in combination with niobium pentoxide or vanadium pentoxide.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2002Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignees: Seiko Idea Center Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuichi Motegi, Kiichi Miyazaki, Yoshitomo Tezuka, Kiyotaka Yoshihara, Eiji Yano
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Patent number: 6613274Abstract: The invention provides a cast iron alloy comprising 3.0-3.8% carbon, 06-25% silicon, 0.2-0.65% manganese, 0.01-0.1% tin, <0.025% sulfur, 0.001-0.020% magnesium, 0.1-1.2% copper, 0.04-0.2% chromium, and balance up to 100% of iron and incidental impurities. The matrix structure is a continously variable ferrite/pearlite mixture and the content of carbides is less than 1%. The graphite shape of the alloy is 1 50% flake graphite, 50-99% compacted graphite and at most 10% spheroidal graphite. Such an alloy is easier to machine and less prone to shrinkage than an ordinary compacted graphite cast iron.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2002Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Sintercast ABInventor: Steve Dawson
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Patent number: 6607693Abstract: A titanium alloy according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises an element of Va group (the vanadium group) in an amount of 30-60% by weight and the balance of titanium substantially, exhibits an average Young's modulus of 75 GPa or less, and exhibits a tensile elastic limit strength of 700 MPa or more. This titanium alloy can be used in a variety of products, which are required to exhibit a low Young's modulus, a high elastic deformability and a high strength, in a variety of fields.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2001Date of Patent: August 19, 2003Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo KenkyushoInventors: Takashi Saito, Tadahiko Furuta, Kazuaki Nishino, Hiroyuki Takamiya