Patents Examined by Janelle Morillo
  • Patent number: 9249484
    Abstract: New 7xxx aluminum alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new 7xxx aluminum alloy bodies may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new 7xxx aluminum alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: ALCOA INC.
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, John M. Newman, Ralph R. Sawtell, Jen C. Lin
  • Patent number: 9243312
    Abstract: There is provided an aluminum alloy casting consisting essentially of 7.0 to 11.5 mass % of Si, 0.9 to 4.0 mass % of Mg, 0.1 to 0.65 mass % of Fe, 0.1 to 0.8 mass % of Mn and the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, or consisting essentially of 7.0 to 11.5 mass % of Si, 0.9 to 4.0 mass % of Mg, 0.1 to 0.65 mass % of Fe, 0.1 to 0.8 mass % of Mn, 0.3 to 1.0 mass % of Cu and the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, and containing eutectic Si grains having an aspect ratio of 2.0 or smaller and an average grain size of 1.0 micrometer or smaller. There is also provided an automotive part formed with the aluminum alloy casting and a production method of the aluminum alloy casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignees: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Nagaishi, Shigeyuki Nakagawa, Koji Itakura, Haruyasu Katto, Satoru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9242678
    Abstract: In a car body or component thereof with at least one first component of sheet metal of a first aluminum alloy and at least one second component of sheet metal of a second aluminum alloy, the first and second aluminum alloys are of type AlMgSi and in the sheet metal of the second aluminum alloy a substantial part of the elements Mg and Si, which are required to achieve artificial ageing in solid solution, is present in the form of separate Mg2Si and/or Si particles in order to avoid artificial ageing. By reduction of the hardening capacity of the second component during artificial ageing of the body as part of the paint baking cycle, the car body has an improved impact protection for pedestrians in comparison with solutions according to the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Novelis Inc.
    Inventors: Corrado Bassi, Juergen Timm
  • Patent number: 9217622
    Abstract: Improved 5xxx aluminum alloys and products made therefrom are disclosed. The new 5xxx aluminum alloy products may achieve an improved combination of properties due to, for example, the presence of copper. In one embodiment, the new 5xxx aluminum alloy products are able to achieve an improved combination of properties by solution heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk C. Mooy, Roberto J. Rioja, Ralph R. Sawtell, Francine S. Bovard, Gregory B. Venema, David A. Linde
  • Patent number: 9214251
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy conductor, containing: 0.01 to 0.4 mass % of Fe, 0.1 to 0.3 mass % of Mg, 0.04 to 0.3 mass % of Si, 0.1 to 0.5 mass % of Cu, and 0.001 to 0.01 mass % of Ti and V in total, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities, wherein the conductor contains three kinds of intermetallic compounds A, B, and C, in which the intermetallic compounds A, B, and C have a particle size of 0.1 ?m or more but 2 ?m or less, 0.03 ?m or more but less than 0.1 ?m, and 0.001 ?m or more but less than 0.03 ?m, respectively, and area ratios a, b, and c of the intermetallic compounds A, B, and C, in an arbitrary region in the conductor, satisfy: 0.1%?a?2.5%, 0.1%?b?3%, and 1%?c?10%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Shigeki Sekiya, Kuniteru Mihara, Kyota Susai
  • Patent number: 9206494
    Abstract: A strip for the production of a substrate for lithographic printing plates consisting of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and has at least to some extent a microcrystalline surface layer as a result of hot and/or cold roll passes. When analyzed in a two-dimensional microprobe analysis according to the mapping method of a surface region of the microcrystalline surface of the strip, the surface portion having an intensity ratio I/Ibulk(avg) of greater than 3 in the spectral range of the K?1 line of the X-ray emission spectrum of oxygen of the measured microcrystalline surface layer is less than 10%, preferably less than 7%, wherein, during the two-dimensional microprobe analysis, an excitation voltage of 15kV, a beam current of 50 nA and a beam cross section of 1 ?m is used with a step size of 16.75 ?m for the electron beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Hydro Aluminium Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Kernig, Henk-Jan Brinkman
  • Patent number: 9194028
    Abstract: New 2xxx aluminum alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new 2xxx aluminum alloy bodies may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new 2xxx aluminum alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, John M. Newman, Ralph R. Sawtell, Jen C. Lin
  • Patent number: 9194029
    Abstract: A production method of the present invention includes a step of obtaining an aluminum alloy melt having an alloy composition containing Fe: 0.2 to 0.35 mass %, Cu: 0.05 to 0.20 mass %, Mn: 0.3 to 0.6 mass %, Mg: 1.3 to 2.0 mass %, Zn: 4.6 to 5.1 mass %, and Zr: 0.1 mass % or more, a sum of Zr and Ti being 0.2 mass % or less, the composition satisfying a relation of ([Mg mass %]??0.5×[Zn mass %]+3.8) and a relation of ([Ti mass %]/[Zr mass %]?0.2), and the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities, and a step of obtaining an aluminum alloy ingot having a structure that has a DAS of 40 ?m or less and an average crystal grain diameter of 8 ?m or less by continuously casting the aluminum alloy melt at a casting rate satisfying ([maximum casting rate (mm/min)]??1.43×[casting diameter (mm)]+500), and a step of obtaining an aluminum alloy cast member by subjecting the aluminum alloy ingot to a homogenization treatment in which the ingot is held for 1 hour at a temperature of 450 to 600° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventor: Hideki Takemura
  • Patent number: 9163304
    Abstract: High strength forged aluminum alloys and methods for producing the same are disclosed. The forged aluminum alloy products may have grains having a high aspect ratio in at least two planes, generally the L-ST and the LT-ST planes. The forged aluminum alloy products may also have a high amount of texture. The forged products may realize increased strength relative to conventionally prepared forged products of comparable product form, composition and temper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin M. Bush, Edward L. Colvin, Roberto J. Rioja, Ralph R. Sawtell
  • Patent number: 9147504
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy, an aluminum alloy wire, an aluminum alloy stranded wire, a covered electric wire, and a wire harness that are of high toughness and high electrical conductivity, and a method of manufacturing an aluminum alloy wire are provided. The aluminum alloy wire contains not less than 0.005% and not more than 2.2% by mass of Fe, and a remainder including Al and an impurity. It may further contain not less than 0.005% and not more than 1.0% by mass in total of at least one additive element selected from Mg, Si, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, Ag, Cr, and Zr. The Al alloy wire has an electrical conductivity of not less than 58% IACS and an elongation of not less than 10%. The Al alloy wire is manufactured through the successive steps of casting, rolling, wiredrawing, and softening treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignees: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC TOYAMA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Misato Kusakari, Yoshihiro Nakai, Taichirou Nishikawa, Yoshiyuki Takaki, Yasuyuki Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 9138833
    Abstract: Disclosed is an aluminum alloy brazing sheet for heat exchanger which excels in resistance to corrosion from its inside and simultaneously attains satisfactory erosion resistance and high strength. This includes a core material of an Al alloy containing predetermined amounts of Si, Mn, Cu, Mg, and Ti; a clad material of an Al alloy containing predetermined amounts of Si, Mn, and Zn, having a predetermined thickness, and lying on one side of the core material so as to constitute an inner side of a tube member of the heat exchanger; and a filler material of an Al alloy containing a predetermined amount of Si, having a predetermined thickness, and lying on the other side of the core material so as to constitute an outer side of the tube member. The crystal grain size of the core material after brazing under specific conditions is 50 ?m or more but less than 300 ?m in a rolling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Koshigoe, Toshiki Ueda, Shimpei Kimura
  • Patent number: 9127346
    Abstract: This invention provides sputtering target materials having high reflectance and excellent heat resistance, which are formed of Ag base alloys formed by adding a specific, minor amount of P to Ag and alloying them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: ISHIFUKU METAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichi Hasegawa, Nobuo Ishii
  • Patent number: 9090950
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for suppressing abnormal grain growth in friction stir welded aluminum alloys by inserting an intermediate annealing treatment (“IAT”) after the welding step on the article. The IAT may be followed by a solution heat treatment (SHT) on the article under effectively high solution heat treatment conditions. In at least some embodiments, a deformation step is conducted on the article under effective spin-forming deformation conditions or under effective superplastic deformation conditions. The invention further provides a welded article having suppressed abnormal grain growth, prepared by the process above. Preferably the article is characterized with greater than about 90% reduction in area fraction abnormal grain growth in any friction-stir-welded nugget.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Stephen J Hales, Harold Dale Claytor, Joel A. Alexa
  • Patent number: 9085328
    Abstract: In a car body or component thereof with at least one first component of sheet metal of a first aluminum alloy and at least one second component of sheet metal of a second aluminum alloy, the first and second aluminum alloys are of type AlMgSi and in the sheet metal of the second aluminum alloy a substantial part of the elements Mg and Si, which are required to achieve artificial ageing in solid solution, is present in the form of separate Mg2Si and/or Si particles in order to avoid artificial ageing. By reduction of the hardening capacity of the second component during artificial ageing of the body as part of the paint baking cycle, the car body has an improved impact protection for pedestrians in comparison with solutions according to the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Novelis Inc.
    Inventors: Corrado Bassi, Juergen Timm
  • Patent number: 9039850
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy forging material of the present invention is constituted by an aluminum alloy cast product obtained by subjecting an aluminum alloy ingot having a structure in which a secondary dentrite arm spacing (DAS) is 40 ?m or less and an average grain diameter of crystallized substances is 8 ?m or less to homogenization treatment for holding the ingot for one hour or more under temperature conditions of 450 to 510° C., wherein the ingot is obtained by continuously casting a molten aluminum alloy having an alloy composition consisting of: Si: 0.80 to 1.15 mass %; Fe: 0.2 to 0.5 mass %; Cu: 3.8 to 5 mass %; Mn: 0.8 to 1.15 mass %; Mg: 0.5 to 0.8 mass %; Zr: 0.05 to 0.13 mass %; and Ti contained in such an amount that a sum of Ti and Zr is 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventor: Hideki Takemura
  • Patent number: 9039848
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy wrought product including, in wt. %, Mg 3.0 to 7.0, Zn 0.6 to 2.8, Mn 0 to 1.0, Cu 0 to 2.0, Sc 0 to 0.6, at least one element selected from the group of Zr 0.04 to 0.4, Cr 0.04 to 0.4, Hf 0.04 to 0.4 and Ti 0.01 to 0.3; Fe maximum 0.3, Si maximum 0.3, inevitable impurities, and balance aluminum. The range for the Zn-content in wt. % is a function of the Mg-content according to: lower-limit of the Zn-range: [Zn]=0.34[Mg]?0.4, and upper-limit of the Zn-range: [Zn]=0.34[Mg]+0.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: ALERIS ALUMINUM KOBLENZ GMBH
    Inventors: Andrew Norman, Alastair Wise, Achim Burger, Sabine Spangel
  • Patent number: 9023484
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming aluminum ingot having shaped ends to avoid alligatoring during rolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Tri-Arrows Aluminum Inc.
    Inventors: Gyan Jha, J. David Brown, Shridas Ningileri, Weimin Yin, Randall Bowers
  • Patent number: 8999079
    Abstract: New 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Alcoa, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, John M. Newman, Ralph R. Sawtell, Jen C. Lin
  • Patent number: 8992704
    Abstract: The present invention solves the problem of melting of Al in heating before hot-stamping, which had been a problem in the past in applying hot-stamping to Al-plated steel sheet, and provides Al-plated steel sheet for hot-stamping and a method of hot-stamping using that Al-plated steel sheet to solve the problem of delayed fracture due to residual hydrogen, and, furthermore, a method of a rapid heating hot-stamping using that Al-plated steel sheet. The Al-plated steel sheet of the present invention is produced by annealing the Al-plated steel sheet as coiled in a box-anneal furnace for the time and at the temperature indicated in FIG. 5, and alloying of a plated Al and a steel sheet. Further, a method of rapid heating hot-stamping in the present invention is characterized by cutting out a stamping blank of an Al-plated steel sheet, and heating that blank in heating before hot-stamping by an average temperature with a rising rate of 40° C./sec or more and a time of exposure to an environment of 700° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Maki, Masayuki Abe, Kazuhisa Kusumi, Yasushi Tsukano
  • Patent number: 8974728
    Abstract: The invention relates to hot-dip cast aluminum alloy for anticorrosion treatment on engineering parts resistant to marine climate and a preparation method thereof, wherein said cast aluminum alloy contains Al, Zn, Si, Mg, RE, Ti, Ni and nanometer oxide particle reinforcing agent, said nanometer oxide particle reinforcing agent is selected from one or two of TiO2 and CeO2, the mass percentage of the components is as follows: Zn: 35-58%, Si: 0.3-4.0%, Mg: 0.1-5.0%, RE: 0.02-1.0%, Ti: 0.01-0.5%, Ni: 0.1-3.0%, and the total content of the nanometer oxide particle reinforcing agent: 0.01-1.0%; and the balance consists of Al and unavoidable impurities. The coating using cast aluminum alloy prepared by the invention has sufficient corrosion resistance and scour resistance in marine climate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Jiangsu Linlong New Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lixin Feng, Minyan Zhang, Qiang Miao