Patents Examined by Brian Walck
  • Patent number: 8636853
    Abstract: An Mg alloy provided with high strength and high ductility by matching the strength and ductility in tensile deformation and compressive deformation at the same levels is provided. The Mg alloy of the present invention is characterized by having a chemical composition consisting of Y: 0.1 to 1.5 at % and a balance of Mg and unavoidable impurities and having a microstructure with high Y regions with Y concentrations higher than an average Y concentration distributed at nanometer order sizes and intervals. The present invention further provides an Mg alloy characterized by having a chemical composition consisting of Y: more than 0.1 at % and a valance of Mg and unavoidable impurities, having a microstructure with high Y regions with Y concentrations higher than an average Y concentration distributed at nanometer order sizes and intervals and having an average recrystallized grain size within the range satisfying the following formula 1: ?0.87c+1.10<log d<1.14c+1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, National Institute for Materials Science
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shoji, Akira Kato, Toshiji Mukai, Hidetoshi Somekawa
  • Patent number: 8637163
    Abstract: An alloy with a high glass forming ability characterized by containing a group of elements A with atomic radii of less than 0.145 nm of a total of 20 to 85 atm %, a group of elements B with atomic radii of 0.145 nm to less than 0.17 nm of a total of 10 to 79.7 atm %, and a group of elements C with atomic radii of 0.17 nm or more of a total of 0.3 to 15 atm %; when the elements with the greatest contents in the group of elements A, group of elements B, and group of elements C are respectively designated as the “element a”, “element b”, and “element c”, by the ratio of the content of the element a in the group of elements A (for example, Zn and/or Al), the ratio of the content of the element b in the group of elements B (for example, Mg), and the ratio of the content of the element c in the group of elements C (for example, Ca) all being 70 atm % or more; and by the liquid forming enthalpy between any two elements selected from the element a, element b, and element c being negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Tokuda, Koichi Nose, Yuichi Sato, Makoto Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8636852
    Abstract: The high strength galvanized steel sheet contains C: more than 0.015% and lower than 0.100%, Si: 0.3% or lower, Mn: lower than 1.90%, P: 0.015% or more and 0.05% or lower, S: 0.03% or lower, sol.Al: 0.01% or more and 0.5% or lower, N: 0.005% or lower, Cr: lower than 0.30%, B: 0.0003% or more and 0.005% or lower, and Ti: lower than 0.014% in terms of mass %, and satisfies 2.2?[Mneq]?3.1 and 0.42?8[% P]+150B*?0.73. The steel microstructure contains ferrite and a second phase, in which the second phase area ratio is 3 to 15%, the ratio of the area ratio of martensite and retained ? to the second phase area ratio is more than 70%, and 50% or more of the area ratio of the second phase exists in the grain boundary triple point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Ono, Kenji Takahashi, Kaneharu Okuda, Shoichiro Taira
  • Patent number: 8637418
    Abstract: A method for treating a catalyst base that comprises a contact area of porous material. A fluid, such as a flue gas stream, can be conducted along the contact area. A catalytically relevant substance is introduced into pores of the catalyst base using a transport fluid and remains on pore wall areas after removal of the transport fluid. The introduction is carried out such that an amount of the catalytically relevant substance relative to the surface remains on the pore wall areas as a function of location within the pore and decreases within the pore after exceeding a specific pore depth. A blocking fluid can first be introduced into pore regions beyond the specific pore depth, thus blocking these regions when transport fluid containing the catalytically relevant substance is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: STEAG Energy Services GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Brüggendick, Maik Blohm
  • Patent number: 8637417
    Abstract: A method for treating a catalyst base that comprises a contact area of porous material. A fluid, such as a flue gas stream, can be conducted along the contact area. A catalytically relevant substance is introduced into pores of the catalyst base using a transport fluid and remains on pore wall areas after removal of the transport fluid. The introduction is carried out such that an amount of the catalytically relevant substance relative to the surface remains on the pore wall areas as a function of location within the pore and decreases within the pore after exceeding a specific pore depth. A blocking fluid can first be introduced into pore regions beyond the specific pore depth, thus blocking these regions when transport fluid containing the catalytically relevant substance is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Steag Energy Services GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Brüggendick, Maik Blohm
  • Patent number: 8636854
    Abstract: A method for coating a flat steel product manufactured from a high strength steel with a metallic coating, wherein the flat steel product is initially subjected to a heat treatment, in order then, in the heated state, to be hot-dip galvanized with the metallic coating in a melting bath containing overall at least 85% zinc and/or aluminum. The heat treatment includes heating the steel product in a reducing atmosphere, followed by converting a surface of the flat product to an iron oxide layer by a heat treatment lasting 1 to 10 secs in an oxidizing atmosphere, followed by annealing in a reducing atmosphere over a period of time which is longer than the duration of the formation of the iron oxide layer such that the iron oxide layer is reduced at least on its surface to pure iron, followed by cooling the product to a melting bath temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel AG
    Inventors: Ronny Leuschner, Manfred Meurer, Wilhelm Warnecke, Sabine Zeizinger, Gernot Nothacker, Michael Ullmann, Norbert Schaffrath
  • Patent number: 8636855
    Abstract: Methods of enhancing mechanical properties of aluminum alloy high pressure die castings are disclosed herein. An aluminum alloy composition forming a casting comprises, by weight of the composition, at least one of a magnesium concentration greater than about 0.2%, a copper concentration greater than about 1.5%, a silicon concentration greater than about 0.5%, and a zinc concentration greater than about 0.3%. After solidification, a casting is cooled to a quenching temperature between about 300° C. and about 500° C. Upon attainment of the quenching temperature, the casting is removed from the die and immediately quenched in a quench media. Following quenching, the casting is pre-aged at a reduced temperature between about room temperature and about 100° C. Thereafter, the casting is aged via at least one substantially isothermal aging at one or more elevated temperatures between about 150° C. and about 240° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Qigui Wang, Wenying Yang
  • Patent number: 8506732
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for metallurgical heat treatment of coil springs, or similarly shaped workpieces and articles of manufacture, by electric resistance heating along the entire length of the workpiece so that the ends of the workpiece can be heat treated to the same degree and quality as the section of the workpiece between its two ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Radyne Corporation
    Inventor: Jerry G. Warner
  • Patent number: 8480823
    Abstract: A metal induction forming method includes providing a metal sheet, cold forming the metal sheet by applying shaping pressure to the metal sheet, heating the metal sheet while applying shaping pressure to the metal sheet and quenching the metal sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Marc R. Matsen, William Dykstra
  • Patent number: 8480819
    Abstract: In a cold-rolled steel sheet in relation with the present invention, metallurgical structure of the steel sheet is made a mixture structure including bainite, residual austenite and tempered martensite, particularly, when the metallurgical structure is observed with a scanning electron microscope, bainite is constituted of composite structure of high temperature range forming bainite with 1 ?m or above average distance between neighboring residual austenite and/or carbide and low temperature range forming bainite with below 1 ?m average distance between neighboring residual austenite and/or carbide, and when the area ratio of the high temperature range forming bainite with respect to total metallurgical structure is made a and the total area ratio of the low temperature range forming bainite and the tempered martensite with respect to the total metallurgical structure is made b, a: 20-80%, b: 20-80%, and a+b: 70% or above are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichi Futamura
  • Patent number: 8475609
    Abstract: A method of treating an Al/Zn-based alloy coated product that includes an Al/Zn-based alloy coating on a substrate is disclosed. The method includes the steps of rapid intense heating of the alloy coating for a very short duration, and rapid cooling of the alloy coating, and forming a modified crystalline microstructure of the alloy coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Bluescope Steel Limited
    Inventors: Qiyang Liu, Ross McDowall Smith, Bryan Andrew Shedden
  • Patent number: 8470104
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a high strength valve spring for a vehicle engine is provided, which includes (a) forming a high strength wire rod in the form of a spring using a roller type jig, (b) cutting an end of the formed spring using a rotary type cutting blade, (c) performing residual stress removal heat treatment at 390° C. to 410° C. for 20 to 40 minutes, (d) performing shot peening for applying compression stress to a surface of the spring with fine ball particles, and (e) performing hot setting for applying, in advance, plastic deformation to the spring. Accordingly, the damage of the spring during the spring forming process is prevented, and the hardness deterioration of the spring during the residual stress removal heat treatment process is also prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jung Suk Lee
  • Patent number: 8460485
    Abstract: A Co—Cr—Mo alloy with nitrogen addition composed of 26 to 35% by weight of Cr, 2 to 8% by weight of Mo, 0.1 to 0.3% by weight of N, and balance of Co is subjected to solution treatment and then subjected to isothermal aging treatment holding the alloy at 670 to 830° C. for a predetermined period of time to form a multi-phase structure composed of an ?-phase and a Cr nitride by means of an isothermal aging effect. After cooling, the alloy subjected to reverse transformation treatment in which the alloy is heated at a temperature range of 870 to 1100° C. for reverse transformation to a single ?-phase from the multi-phase structure composed of an ?-phase and a Cr nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Tohoku University
    Inventors: Shingo Kurosu, Akihiko Chiba, Hiroaki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8460484
    Abstract: A shaped part with different microstructures is made by continuously conveying a succession of hardenable steel blanks having first and second regions through a furnace such that the blanks reach an outlet of the furnace each with both of the respective first and second regions heated to an austenitization temperature. Then the blanks are positioned with the second regions thereof in a chamber of a holding unit and the first regions outside the chamber, and, while holding the second regions in the chamber and the first regions outside the chamber the second regions are heated and maintained at the austenitization temperature and the first regions are cooled with air to a temperature at which their microstructures become ferritic-pearlitic. Thereafter the blanks are transferred from the holding unit to a press where they are hardened and finish shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kirchoff Automotive Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Loecker, Marc Horlacher
  • Patent number: 8449699
    Abstract: A cold-rolled steel sheet includes, on a percent by mass basis: C: 0.0010% to 0.0030%, Si: 0.05% or less, Mn: 0.1% to 0.3%, P: 0.05% or less, S: 0.02% or less, Al: 0.02% to 0.10%, N: 0.005% or less, and Nb: 0.010% to 0.030% and the remainder composed of Fe and incidental impurities, wherein values in a rolling direction and a direction perpendicular to the rolling direction are within a range of 1.0 to 1.6, and a mean value Elm of elongations in the rolling direction, a direction at 45° with respect to the rolling direction, and the direction perpendicular to the rolling direction is 40% or more, where Elm=(ElL+2×ElD+ElC)/4 and ElL: elongation in the rolling direction, ElD: elongation in the direction at 45° with respect to the rolling direction, and ElC: elongation in the direction perpendicular to the rolling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Taro Kizu, Koichiro Fujita, Eiko Yasuhara, Kazuhiro Hanazawa, Masatoshi Kumagai, Kenji Tahara, Hideharu Koga
  • Patent number: 8435443
    Abstract: An iron-based high-temperature alloy has the following chemical composition (values given being in % by weight): 20 Cr, 4 to 8 Al, at least one of the elements Ta and Mo with a sum of 4 to 8, 0-0.2 Zr, 0.02-0.05 B, 0.1-0.2 Y, 0-0.5 Si, remainder Fe. The alloy can be produced at low cost and is distinguished in comparison with the known prior art by outstanding oxidation resistance and good mechanical properties at high temperatures up to 1000° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Mohamed Youssef Nazmy, Andreas Kuenzler, Markus Staubli
  • Patent number: 8418746
    Abstract: This invention discloses an L,R,C method and equipment for casting amorphous, ultracrystallite and crystallite metal slabs or other shaped metals. A workroom (8) with a constant temperature of tb=?190° C. and a constant pressure of pb=1 bar, and liquid nitrogen of ?190° C. and 1.877 bar is used as a cold source for cooling the casting blank. A liquid nitrogen ejector (5) ejects said liquid nitrogen to the surface of ferrous or non-ferrous metallic slabs or other shaped metals (7) with various ejection quantity v and various jet velocity k. Ejected liquid nitrogen comes into contact with the casting blank at cross section c shown in FIG. 2. This method adopts ultra thin film ejection technology, with a constant thickness of said film at 2 mm and ejection speed Kmax of said liquid nitrogen at 30 m/s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Inventor: Zhuwen Ming
  • Patent number: 8361419
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing cerium carbonate powder by mixing a cerium precursor solution with a carbonate precursor solution to cause precipitation, wherein at least one solvent used in the cerium precursor solution and the carbonate precursor solution is an organic solvent. Cerium carbonate powder obtained from the method, cerium oxide powder obtained from the cerium carbonate powder, a method for preparing the cerium oxide powder, and CMP slurry comprising the cerium oxide powder are also disclosed. The method for preparing cerium carbonate using an organic solvent, allows the resultant cerium carbonate powder to have a size and shape controllable from the initial nucleation step. Additionally, it is possible to easily control the size and shape of cerium oxide powder obtained from the cerium carbonate powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Myoung Hwan Oh, Jun Seok Nho, Jong Pil Kim, Jang Yul Kim, Seung Beom Cho
  • Patent number: 8357249
    Abstract: A high strength aluminum alloy is suitable for ultra thick gauge wrought product. The alloy can have 6 to 8 wt % zinc, 1 to 2 wt % magnesium, and dispersoid forming elements such as Zr, Mn, Cr, Ti, and/or Sc with the balance made of aluminum and incidental elements and/or impurities. The alloy is suitable for many uses, including in molds for injection-molded plastics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Constellium Rolled Products Ravenswood, LLC
    Inventors: Alex Cho, Kenneth Paul Smith, Victor B. Dangerfield
  • Patent number: 8333853
    Abstract: Aluminum alloy having an improved combination of properties are provided. In one aspect, a method for producing the alloy includes preparing an aluminum alloy for artificial aging and artificially aging the alloy. In one embodiment, the artificially aging step includes aging the aluminum alloy at a temperature of at least about 250° F., and final aging the aluminum alloy at a temperature of not greater than about 225° F. and for at least about 20 hours. These aluminum alloys realize an improved combination of properties, including improved strength with at least equivalent fatigue crack growth resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Cindie Giummarra, Roberto J. Rioja, Gary H. Bray, Paul E. Magnusen