Patents Examined by Janelle Morillo
  • Patent number: 7694713
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for hardening an aluminum-based matrix alloy by the dispersion of metallized graphite (MG) with copper and optionally zinc or boron by the agitation in liquid state. By this means, the impregnating of MG particles (reinforcing phase) is increased, facilitating the homogenous distribution in the aluminum-base matrix alloy. The mechanical properties of aluminum or aluminum-based are increased alloys by the process of hardening by dispersion, without affecting the density and electrical conductivity of the alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Centro De Investigacion En Materiales Avanzados, Inc
    Inventors: Roberto Martinez Sanchez, David Rios Jara, Ivanovich Estrada Guel
  • Patent number: 7691214
    Abstract: An iron-containing heat-resistant aluminum-based alloy product consisting essentially of, in weight percent: up to 0.15% chromium, 0.80-1.20% copper, 0.80-1.20% iron, 2.20-2.80% magnesium, up to 0.10% manganese, 0.80-1.20% nickel, up to 0.15% silicon, up to 0.15% titanium, 5.50-7.00% zinc, up to 0.25% zirconium, and up to 0.25% scandium, with the balance being aluminum. Also, a manganese-containing heat-resistant aluminum-based alloy product consisting essentially of, in weight percent: up to 0.25% chromium, 0.80-1.20% copper, up to 0.30% iron, 2.30-2.90% magnesium, 2.70-3.10% manganese, 2.85-3.25% nickel, up to 0.15% silicon, up to 0.15% titanium, 6.10-7.10% zinc, up to 0.25% zirconium, and up to 0.25% scandium, with the balance being aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: John E. Ullman
  • Patent number: 7682469
    Abstract: A piston made of aluminum cast alloy having a main body section in an approximately cylindrical shape, atop face section provided and arranged so as to occlude one end of the main body section, and a pin boss section in which a pin hole is provided so as to penetrate through the main body section in a radial direction. The piston comprises an aluminum cast alloy containing Mg (Magnesium): equal to or less than 0.2 mass %, Ti (Titanium) 0.05-0.3 mass %, Si (Silicon): 10-21 mass %, Cu (Copper): 2-3.5 mass %, Fe (Iron): 0.1-0.7 mass %, Ni (Nickel): 1-3 mass %, P (Phosphorus): 0.001-0.02 mass %, Al (Aluminum): the remaining portions, and impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Hajime Ikuno, Yoshihiko Sugimoto, Hiroshi Hohjo
  • Patent number: 7678205
    Abstract: Aluminum alloy products, such as plate, forgings and extrusions, suitable for use in making aerospace structural components like integral wing spars, ribs and webs, comprises about: 6 to 10 wt. % Zn; 1.2 to 1.9 wt. % Mg; 1.2 to 2.2 wt. % Cu, with Mg?(Cu+0.3); and 0.05 to 0.4 wt. % Zr, the balance Al, incidental elements and impurities. Preferably, the alloy contains about 6.9 to 8.5 wt. % Zn; 1.2 to 1.7 wt. % Mg; 1.3 to 2 wt. % Cu. This alloy provides improved combinations of strength and fracture toughness in thick gauges. When artificially aged per the three stage method of preferred embodiments, this alloy also achieves superior SCC performance, including under seacoast conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Dhruba J. Chakrabarti, John Liu, Jay H. Goodman, Gregory B. Venema, Ralph R. Sawtell, Cynthia M. Krist, Robert W. Westerlund
  • Patent number: 7666353
    Abstract: An aluminum silicon die cast alloy having a very low iron content and relatively high strontium content that prevents soldering to dies into die casting process. The alloys of the present invention also have a modified eutectic silicon and modified iron morphology, when iron is present, resulting in low microporosity and high impact properties. The alloy comprises 6-22% by weight silicon, 0.05 to 0.20% by weight strontium and the balance aluminum. Preferably, the alloy of the present invention contains in weight percent: 6-20% silicon, 0.05-0.10% strontium, 0.40% maximum iron and most preferably 0.20% maximum iron, 4.5% maximum copper, 0.50% maximum manganese, 0.60% maximum magnesium, 3.0% maximum zinc, balance aluminum. On cooling from the solution temperature, the strontium serves to modify the eutectic silicon structure as well as create an iron phase morphology change if iron is present, facilitating feeding through the aluminum interdendritic matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Brunswick Corp
    Inventors: Raymond J. Donahue, Terrance M. Cleary, Kevin R. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7666267
    Abstract: An Al—Zn—Mg—Cu alloy with improved damage tolerance-strength combination properties. The present invention relates to an aluminium alloy product comprising or consisting essentially of, in weight %, about 6.5 to 9.5 zinc (Zn), about 1.2 to 2.2% magnesium (Mg), about 1.0 to 1.9% copper (Cu), preferable (0.9Mg?0.6)?Cu?(0.9Mg+0.05), about 0 to 0.5% zirconium (Zr), about 0 to 0.7% scandium (Sc), about 0 to 0.4% chromium (Cr), about 0 to 0.3% hafnium (Hf), about 0 to 0.4% titanium (Ti), about 0 to 0.8% manganese (Mn), the balance being aluminium (Al) and other incidental elements. The invention relates also to a method of manufacturing such as alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Aleris Aluminum Koblenz GmbH
    Inventors: Rinze Benedictus, Christian Joachim Keidel, Alfred Ludwig Heinz, Nedia Telioui
  • Patent number: 7648594
    Abstract: Extruded aluminum alloy which excels in machinability, caulking properties, and wear resistance, the extruded aluminum alloy including 3.0 to 6.0 mass % of Si, 0.1 to 0.45 mass % of Mg, 0.01 to 0.5 mass % of Cu, 0.01 to 0.5 mass % of Mn, and 0.40 to 0.90 mass % of Fe, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Keikinzoku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Higashi, Kinji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7648593
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy comprising Al, Sc, Gd, Zr, and optionally Mg. The aluminum alloy is strengthened by an aluminum solid solution matrix and a dispersion of Al3X precipitate having an L12 structure where X comprises Sc, Gd and Zr. Mg is a preferred addition to the alloy containing Gd and Zr. The alloying additions control strengthening and coarsening kinetics of the alloy through control of diffusivity in the aluminum matrix and coherency strain of the Al3X precipitate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Awadh B. Pandey
  • Patent number: 7625454
    Abstract: The present invention provides an aluminum casting alloy with a composition including 4%-9% Si; 0.1%-0.7% Mg; less than or equal to 5% Zn; less than 0.15% Fe; less than 4% Cu; less than 0.3% Mn; less than 0.05% B; less than 0.15% Ti; and the remainder consisting essentially of aluminum. The inventive AlSiMg composition provides increased mechanical properties (Tensile Yield Strength and Ultimate Tensile Strength) in comparison to similiarly prepared E357 alloy at room temperature and high temperature. The present invention also includes a shaped casting formed from the inventive composition and a method of forming a shaped casting from the inventive composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Jen C. Lin, Xinyan Yan, Cagatay Yanar, Larry D. Zellman, Xavier Dumant, Robert Tombari
  • Patent number: 7618502
    Abstract: The wear resistant aluminum alloy elongate body contains 7-13 mass % of Si, 0.001-0.3 mass % of iron, 2.0-5.0 mass % of Cu, 0.3-1.0 mass % of Mg, 0.001-0.3 mass % of Mn, 0.001-0.3 mass % of Cr, 0.003-0.03 mass % of Sr, 0.005-0.05 mass % of Ti, and the remaining part of Al and unavoidable impurity. The size of Si grains existing in the elongate body is, by the average value, at most 10 ?m and by the maximum value, at most 30 ?m, and the size of the Si grains in the range of down to 1.5 mm deep from the surface is, by the maximum value, at most 6 ?m. Further, crystal texture of Al alloy is one selected from the group consisting of hot rolled texture, re-crystallized texture and mixed texture of hot rolled texture and re-crystallized texture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Sato, Takayuki Kato, Norikazu Deto, Masashi Nojiri, Toshiya Ikeda, Yoshihiro Nakai, Yoshiki Kishikawa, Kiyotaka Utsunomiya
  • 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: 7614539
    Abstract: A method for forming an aluminum alloy article having improved mechanical properties using a solid-state joining process in which the problem of ductility reduction is minimized by conducting a thermal exposure treatment prior to solution heat treatment. This thermal exposure treatment, done at a temperature below the solution heat treatment temperature, releases stored energy in the aluminum-alloy material. The aluminum-alloy material then does not have sufficient energy to cause recrystallization and abnormal grain growth during the subsequent solution heat treatment process. The resultant aluminum-alloy material has a restored mechanical strength with only a minor, but acceptable, decrease in original ductility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Krishnan K. Sankaran, Richard J. Lederich, Kevin T. Slattery
  • Patent number: 7597770
    Abstract: This invention relates to the field of metallurgy, in particular to high strength weldable alloys with low density, of aluminium-copper-lithium system. These alloys can be used in air- and spacecraft engineering. The alloy comprises copper, lithium, zirconium, scandium, silicon, iron, beryllium, and at least one element from the group including magnesium, zinc, manganese, germanium, cerium, yttrium, titanium. A method for fabricating semiproducts is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignees: EADS Deutschland GmbH, All Russian Institute of Aviation Materials VIAM
    Inventors: Thomas Pfannen-Mueller, Rainer Rauh, Peter-Juergen Winkler, Roland Lang, Iosif Naumovitch Fridlyander, Evgeny Nikolaevitch Kablov, Vladimir Solomonovitch Sandler, Svetlana Nikolaevna Borovskikh, Valentin Georgievitch Davydov, Valery Vladimirovitch Zakharov, Marina Vladimirovna Samarina, Viktor Ignatovitch Elagin, Leonid Borisovitch Ber
  • Patent number: 7550110
    Abstract: The invention relates to alloys and associated products which are laminated, extruded or forged in Al—Zn—Mg—Cu alloy. Alloys of the invention generally comprise (in mass percentage): a) Zn 8.3-14.0=Cu 0.3-4.0=Mg 0.5-4.5 Zr 0.03-0.15 Fe+Si<0.25 b) at least one element selected from the group consisting of Sc, Hf, La, Ti, Ce, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Y and Yb, the content of each elements; if included, being between 0.02 and 0.7%, and c) the aluminum remainder and inevitable impurities, and wherein Mg/Cu<2.4 and (7.7?0.4 Zn)>(Cu+Mg)>(6.4?0.4 Zn). Products of the present invention are useful as structural elements (for example wing unit caisson, wing unit extrados) in aeronautical construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Alcan Rhenalu
    Inventors: Timothy Warner, Christophe Sigli, Bernard Bes
  • Patent number: 7547366
    Abstract: The invention provides a 2000 series aluminum alloy having enhanced damage tolerance, the alloy consisting essentially of about 3.0-4.0 wt % copper; about 0.4-1.1 wt % magnesium; up to about 0.8 wt % silver; up to about 1.0 wt % Zn; up to about 0.25 wt % Zr; up to about 0.9 wt % Mn; up to about 0.5 wt % Fe; and up to about 0.5 wt % Si, the balance substantially aluminum, incidental impurities and elements, said copper and magnesium present in a ratio of about 3.6-5 parts copper to about 1 part magnesium. The alloy is suitable for use in wrought or cast products including those used in aerospace applications, particularly sheet or plate structural members, extrusions and forgings, and provides an improved combination of strength and damage tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Jen C. Lin, John M. Newman, Paul E. Magnusen, Gary H. Bray
  • Patent number: 7520945
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to optimization of recrystallization rates on the fatigue crack growth resistance, in the particular case of a Al—Zn—Cu—Mg plate products, and especially on the evolution of da/dN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignees: Alcan Rhenalu, Alcan Rolled Products - Ravenswood, LLC
    Inventors: David Dumont, Vic Dangerfield
  • Patent number: 7514037
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an Ag alloy film. Particularly, it is preferably used as a reflective film or semi-transmissive reflective film for an optical information recording medium having high thermal conductivity/high reflectance/high durability in the field of optical information recording media, an electromagnetic-shielding film excellent in Ag aggregation resistance, and an optical reflective film on the back of a reflection type liquid crystal display device, or the like. The Ag alloy film of the present invention comprises an Ag base alloy containing Bi and/or Sb in a total amount of 0.005 to 10% (in terms of at %). Further, the present invention relates to a sputtering target used for the deposition of such an Ag alloy film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuki Tauchi, Katsutoshi Takagi, Junichi Nakai, Toshiki Sato
  • Patent number: 7503986
    Abstract: A method for producing a heat treated aluminum alloy product in a shortened period of time, the method comprising: (a) providing a heat treatable aluminum alloy; (b) working the heat treatable aluminum alloy at a solutionizing temperature to form a product; (c) first stage cooling the product to a critical temperature at which precipitation of second phase particles of the heat treatable aluminum alloy is negligible, wherein the first stage cooling comprises a first stage cooling rate from about 15° F. per second to about 100° F. per second; (d) second stage cooling the product to ambient temperature; (e) heating the product to an artificial aging temperature; and (f) artificially aging the product at the artificial aging temperature for a predetermined artificial aging time to form the heat treated aluminum alloy product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Alcoa, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, William D. Bennon, Shawn J. Murtha
  • Patent number: 7494552
    Abstract: Disclosed is an Al—Cu alloy of the AA2000-series alloys with high toughness and an improved strength, including the following composition (in weight percent) Cu 4.5-5.5, Mg 0.5-1.6, Mn?0.80, Zr?0.18, Cr?0.18, Si?0.15, Fe?0.15, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental elements and impurities, and wherein the amount (in weight %) of magnesium is either: (a) in a range of 1.0 to 1.6%, or alternatively (b) in a range of 0.50 to 1.2% when the amount of dispersoid forming elements such as Cr, Zr or Mn is controlled and (in weight %) in a range of 0.10 to 0.70%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Aleris Aluminum Koblenz GmbH
    Inventors: Rinze Benedictus, Christian Joachim Keidel, Alfred Ludwig Heinz, Alfred Johann Peter Haszler, Hinrich Johannes Wilhelm Hargarter
  • Patent number: 7494554
    Abstract: A method for the continuous manufacturing of complex cast articles utilizing one or more fluidized beds for heat treatment and aging purposes is herein disclosed. The inventive method contemplates in-line casting, heat treating, quenching, aging and machining of a complex cast aluminum alloy article, such as an engine block or engine block head. Specific advantages of the heat treatment and aging stops of the method of the present invention are herein disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond J. Donahue, Kevin R. Anderson