Patents Examined by Kathleen McNelis
  • Patent number: 7326307
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat resistant cast steel having not only good heat resistance but also good thermal fatigue resistance, which is suitable as the material for engine parts, particularly, such as exhaust gas manifold and turbo-housing, which are repeatedly exposed to such a high temperature as 900° C. or higher. The heat resistant cast steel comprises, by weight percent, C: 0.2-1.0%, Ni: 8.0-45.0%, Cr: 15.0-30.0%, W: up to 10% and Nb: 0.5-3.0%, provided that [%C]-0.13[%Nb]: 0.05-0.95%, the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, and the cast structure contains dispersed therein, by atomic percent, MC-type carbides: 0.5-3.0% and M23C6-type carbides: 0.5-10.0%. The matrix of the steel is an austenitic phase mainly composed of Fe—Ni—Cr and the steel has the mean coefficient of thermal expansion in the range from room temperature to 1050° C. up to 20.0×10?4 and a tensile strength in the temperature range up to 1050° C. 50 MPa or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Daido Steel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeki Ueta, Shuji Hamano, Toshiharu Noda
  • Patent number: 7294168
    Abstract: The invention relates to the removal of bivalent copper from copper chloride solution in connection with the hydrometallurgical production of copper. In the copper production process, a copper-bearing raw material is leached with a chloride-bearing solution. The copper chloride solution formed in the leaching, which contains both mono- and bivalent copper, undergoes bivalent copper removal at least in part by precipitation, and the copper(I) chloride solution is conduced to further treatment. Precipitation of the bivalent copper occurs as alkaline copper chloride precipitation. The alkaline copper (II) chloride formed is leached as copper(II) chloride either separately or in connection with raw material leaching, and is used in copper raw material leaching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Outotec Oyj
    Inventor: Matti Hämäläinen
  • Patent number: 7291202
    Abstract: A process for mutual separation of platinum group metals (PGM), wherein highly stable compounds and steps are used to efficiently remove impurity elements while preventing increase of impurity content relative to that of the PGM in the mother liquor and also preventing decomposition of a chloro complex, and palladium, platinum, iridium, ruthenium and rhodium are separated mutually in such a way that each of the separated PGM has a sufficient purity to be a commercial product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Asano, Shinichi Heguri, Yoshiaki Manabe, Masushi Kasai, Harumasa Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 7282080
    Abstract: PGMs can be extracted from a source material by heat-treating the source material to form a residue containing PGMs in a cyanide leachable condition and, thereafter, cyanide leaching the residue using a solution containing cyanide to form a pregnant cyanide leach liquor containing PGMs in solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: PlatTech Pty Ltd
    Inventors: John Derek Lewins, Alan Bax
  • Patent number: 7247211
    Abstract: A steel sheet with a thickness of at least 0.30 mm is made of an ultra-low carbon steel with a chemical composition including C: at most 0.010%, Si: at most 0.5%, Mn: at most 1.5%, P: at most 0.12%, S: at most 0.030%, Ti: at most 0.10%, Al: at most 0.08%, and N: at most 0.0080%. The total number of non-metallic inclusions observed under a microscope in sixty fields in a sample prepared in accordance with JIS G0555 is at most 20. During manufacture of the steel, the amount of FeO+MnO in slag in a ladle at the time of continuous casting is controlled to at most 15%, and the throughput at the time of casting is made at most 5 tons per minute. The steel sheet does not develop pin hole defects or press cracks caused by inclusions when used for applications such as motor housings or oil filter housings requiring severe press forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Syuji Nakai, Tatsuo Kanai, Yoshihiko Higuchi, Sei Hiraki
  • Patent number: 7244317
    Abstract: A dispensable brazing paste useful in lamp manufacturing includes a brazing powder and a water soluble vehicle that has water, glycerin, a binder, and a dispersant that includes ammonium stearate and ammonium citrate. Preferably, the brazing powder is 84-87 wt % of the paste, the water is 3-5 wt %, the glycerin is 3-4 wt %, the binder is 1-2 wt %, and the dispersant is 4-6 wt %, and a weight of the water is within a range of 60-90% of a weight of the dispersant. The brazing paste does not include the troublesome organic solvents of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventor: Raj Pal Singh Gaur
  • Patent number: 7238222
    Abstract: A process for producing liquid steel is disclosed. Carbon monoxide and oxygen may be combusted in a high temperature reactor. Iron and iron oxide materials, along with scrap steel if desired, may be placed in the high temperature reactor. Carbon dioxide produced in the high temperature reactor may be circulated through a back reactor vessel. Coke masses may be placed in the back reactor vessel. The coke may be formed by circulating heated carbon monoxide counter current to crushed coal in a rotary kiln. The carbon dioxide circulated through the back reactor vessel reacts with the coke to form carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide may be conveyed to the high temperature reactor to be combusted with oxygen to produce the heat for forming the liquid steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Inventor: Oren V. Peterson
  • Patent number: 7235212
    Abstract: A nanocarbide precipitation strengthened ultrahigh-strength, corrosion resistant, structural steel possesses a combination of strength and corrosion resistance comprising in combination, by weight, about: 0.1 to 0.3% carbon (C), 8 to 17% cobalt (Co), 0 to 5% nickel (Ni), 6 to 12% chromium (Cr), less than 1% silicon (Si), less than 0.5% manganese (Mn), and less than 0.15% copper (Cu), with additives selected from the group comprising about: less than 3% molybdenum (Mo), less than 0.3% niobium (Nb), less than 0.8% vanadium (V), less than 0.2% tantalum (Ta), less than 3% tungsten (W), and combinations thereof, with additional additives selected from the group comprising about: less than 0.2% titanium (Ti), less than 0.2% lanthanum (La) or other rare earth elements, less than 0.15% zirconium (Zr), less than 0.005% boron (B), and combinations thereof, impurities of less than about: 0.02% sulfur (S), 0.012% phosphorus (P), 0.015% oxygen (O) and 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Ques Tek Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Charles J. Kuehmann, Gregory B. Olson, Herng-Jeng Jou
  • Patent number: 7235117
    Abstract: This invention relates to a novel porous, sulpha sponge iron compound derived from haematite having the following composition given below: and having trace elements such as Au, Pt and Ag therein, by dissolving said haematite in concentrated hydrochloric acid. The acidic solution is treated with alcoholic ammonia and glacial acetic acid. The sulpha sponge iron compound has Fe2/Fe3 cores forming interstatially stabilized clusters. The invention also includes a process for desulphurising natural gas by adsorbing sulphur containing contaminants in the novel sulpha sponge iron compound either at the drilling site or on a bed containing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Good Earth Chemicals Private Limited
    Inventor: Nadathur Venkata Raghavan Therani
  • Patent number: 7217312
    Abstract: A method of recycling metallic coated scrap pieces wherein the coating layer liquidus temperature is lower than the core layer solidus temperature, such as brazing sheet scrap pieces, or metallic coated scrap pieces wherein the upper part of the melting range of the coating layer overlaps the lower part of the melting range of the core layer, by at least partially removing the coating layer from the core layer of the scrap pieces making use of a heat resistant metallurgical vessel having an opening for introducing the scrap pieces into the vessel and an exit for discharging essentially molten alloy. The vessel being rotatable around an axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignees: Corus Aluminium Voerde GmbH, Aleris Aluminum Koblenz GmbH
    Inventors: Jakob Boetje, Patrik Schraven
  • Patent number: 7217388
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method in which a strengthened platinum material can be produced, in which no blisters occur on the surface of the material even after heat treatment of 1,400° C. or higher and a metal oxide such as zirconium oxide is finely dispersed, and which has excellent high-temperature creep properties, when the strengthened platinum material is produced using a melt-sprayed platinum alloy powder. The method for producing a strengthened platinum material includes oxidizing a platinum alloy powder obtained by melt-spray, wet-milling the platinum alloy powder by adding an organic solvent, sintering, and forging, wherein the wet-milled platinum alloy fine powder is charged into a heat resistant container and heated to 1,200 to 1,400° C. in a vacuum atmosphere to be subjected to degassing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.
    Inventor: Haruki Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 7214254
    Abstract: A method of reducing mercury levels in a mercury contaminated material using microwave energy. The method comprises the steps of (a) placing the mercury contaminated material in a microwave reactor; (b) providing a stream of gas in the microwave reactor, the stream causing agitation of the mercury contaminated material; and (c) exposing the mercury contaminated material to microwave radiation so as to raise the temperature to at least 357° C., producing a vapour phase which contains mercury and a treated material. The method also allows for a simultaneous reduction of mercury and carbon levels in the material to be treated as well as the use of a carbon-free material in the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Hendrix Holding Company, Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Tranquilla
  • Patent number: 7204892
    Abstract: A hoop for a CVT belt including foreign matter existing in a nitrided hardened layer and surface of the hoop, the foreign matter comprises at least one of an oxide-type foreign matter, a nitride-type foreign matter, and a carbide-type foreign matter. The oxide-type foreign matter has a particle size of 25 ?m or less, the nitride-type foreign matter and/or the carbide-type foreign matter have particle sizes of 17 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Ishii, Yoshihiro Odagiri
  • Patent number: 7192464
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composition for use in pressed powder metallurgy. The composition includes a plurality of substantially dry, discrete agglomerates, a portion of which include a first metal particle adhered to a second metal particle by a binder that includes a polysaccharide. The composition can be used to form green compacts that exhibit excellent green strength and high density. The present invention also provides a process for the preparation of the composition, a method of forming a metal part using the composition and metal parts formed according to the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Apex Advanced Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Dennis L. Hammond
  • Patent number: 7182824
    Abstract: A molten zinc alloy, which contains 4–22 mass % Al, 1–7 mass % Mg and optionally one ore more of Ti, B and Si at very small ratios, is held at a temperature Th higher than (a solidification-beginning temperature Ts.b.+85° C.) for homogenization, and then cooled down to a temperature Tc equal to (Ts.b.+20–65° C.). After the molten alloy is poured in a mold, it is naturally cooled and solidified to an ingot, while its upper part is being heated. Once an upper surface of the zinc alloy in the mold begins to solidify, it is optionally cooled with water. The produced ingot has a structure without cracks or cavities, so that it is safely fed to a molten pool for replenishment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Andoh, Atsushi Komatsu, Katsuyuki Takezaki, Yasutaka Kawaguchi, Yasuhiro Yamamoto, Ryuuji Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 7175685
    Abstract: A bulk silicon material for making silicon ingots, consisting of silicon pellets, and a method for making the pellets from an agglomerate-free source of high purity silicon powder by feeding a controlled amount of silicon powder that is free of intentional additives and binders into a pellet die, and dry compacting the powder at ambient temperature with pressure to produce a pellet that has a density of about 50–75% of the theoretical density of elemental silicon, a weight within a range of about 1.0 gram to about 3.0 grams and preferably of about 2.3 grams, a diameter in the range of 10 mm to 20 mm and preferably of about 14 mm, and a height in the range of 5 mm to 15 mm and preferably of about 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: GT Solar Incorporated
    Inventors: Alleppey V Hariharan, Mohan Chandra, Kedar P Gupta
  • Patent number: 7175690
    Abstract: A pretreatment process for solid lump feed material for a gas and pellet/lump-based direct reduction process, comprising preheating feed material to a temperature of from about 200 C to about 500 C, without reduction, in a non-reducing atmosphere prior to charging the feed material to gas-based direct reduction furnace, thereby minimizing the formation of fines within the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Rio Tinto Brasil
    Inventors: Stephen M. Potter, John Y. Clark
  • Patent number: 7175691
    Abstract: A method of producing stainless steel includes the steps of melting a raw material in an electric furnace to form molten steel, and then refining the molten steel by a refining furnace to produce stainless steel in a stainless steel producing process. In the method, a carbonaceous reducing agent is added to a zinc-containing waste material produced in the stainless steel producing process, the resultant mixture is agglomerated by a briquette press to form agglomerates incorporated with a carbonaceous material, the agglomerates incorporated with the carbonaceous material are heated in a rotary hearth furnace to reduce and evaporate zinc to form dezincified agglomerates, and then the dezincified agglomerates are charged as a coolant in an oxidation period of the refining furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Itsuo Miyahara
  • Patent number: 7175803
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of manufacturing an x-ray tube component, such as an evacuated housing and the like. The component has a radiation shielding layer, which is comprised of a plurality of powder metals, at least one of which is comprised of powder metal component that is substantially non-transmissive to x-radiation. The powder metal includes, for example, tungsten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher F. Artig, Deborah L. Salmon
  • Patent number: 7175801
    Abstract: Method for producing a porous titanium material for example a support. Starting from a titanium powder this powder is sintered under vacuum conditions in an inert/reducing atmosphere. Titanium hydride is added as powder and decomposes during sintering. The hydride ions provide a very reducing atmosphere preventing any titanium oxide or carbide/nitride composition to be formed at elevated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland
    Inventors: Zbigniew Rak, Louis David Berkeveld, Gerrit Snijders