Patents Examined by Rebecca Lee
  • Patent number: 8999082
    Abstract: A method for producing superheater tubes and connecting pipes and assembling superheater tubes inside a steam generator tube wall includes preparing tubes composed of precipitation-hardened nickel-based alloys in a solution-annealed state for the straight tubes, the bends, and the connecting pipes in a workshop and preparing sleeves composed of a material that is not to be heat treated in a shop. The bends and the connecting pipes are manufactured in the workshop using bending tools. The superheater tubes are manufactured in the workshop by connecting the straight tubes and the bends with weld seams, and connecting the sleeves with the connecting pipes with weld seams. The superheater tubes and the connecting pipes having sleeves are precipitation hardened in the workshop in a first heating device. The superheater tubes are connected with the connecting pipes on the assembly site inside the steam generator tube walls with a weld seam and the sleeves are connected with the take-up device with a weld seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Ruben Hartwig, Andreas Helmrich, Daniel Mutter, Alois Schalk
  • Patent number: 8999233
    Abstract: Nanostructured Mn—Al, Mn—Al—C permanent magnets are disclosed. The magnets have high coercivities (about 4.8 kOe and 5.2 kOe) and high magnetization values. An intennetallic composition includes a ternary transition metal modified manganese aluminum alloy Mn—Al—Fe, Mn—Al—Ni, or Mn—Al—Co having at least about 80% of a magnetic ? phase and permanent magnetic properties. The alloy may have a saturation magnetization value of at least 96 emu/g with approximately 5% ternary transition metal replacing Al. The alloy may also have a saturation magnetization value of at least 105 emu/g with 10% ternary transition metal replacing Al.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmouth College
    Inventor: Ian Baker
  • Patent number: 8986472
    Abstract: The present invention is directed at metal alloys that are capable of forming spinodal glass matrix microconstituent structure. The alloys are iron based and include nickel, boron, silicon and optionally chromium. The alloys exhibit ductility and relatively high tensile strengths and may be in the form of sheet, ribbon, wire, and/or fiber. Applications for such alloys are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James Branagan, Brian E. Meacham, Jason K. Walleser, Alla V. Sergueeva, Andrew T. Ball, Grant G. Justice
  • Patent number: 8980170
    Abstract: Methods of producing metal nanowires, compositions, and articles are disclosed. Such methods allow production of metal nanowires with reproducibly uniform diameter and length, even in the presence of catalyst concentration variation. Such metal nanowires are useful for electronics applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Carestream Health, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Whitcomb, William D. Ramsden, Doreen C. Lynch
  • Patent number: 8974612
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide at a low cost a low-alloy steel having a high strength and excellent high-pressure hydrogen environment embrittlement resistance characteristics under a high-pressure hydrogen environment. The invention is a high-strength low-alloy steel having high-pressure hydrogen environment embrittlement resistance characteristics, which has a composition comprising C: 0.10 to 0.20% by mass, Si: 0.10 to 0.40% by mass, Mn: 0.50 to 1.20% by mass, Ni: 0.75 to 1.75% by mass, Cr: 0.20 to 0.80% by mass, Cu: 0.10 to 0.50% by mass, Mo: 0.10 to 1.00% by mass, V: 0.01 to 0.10% by mass, B: 0.0005 to 0.005% by mass and N: 0.01% by mass or less, and further comprising one or two of Nb: 0.01 to 0.10% by mass and Ti: 0.005 to 0.050% by mass, with the balance consisting of Fe and unavoidable impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: The Japan Steel Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Takasawa, Yoru Wada, Ryoji Ishigaki, Yasuhiko Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8968642
    Abstract: A TiC-based cermet body includes TiC and WC so that the atomic ratio Ti/W is between 2 to 5, and cobalt as the binder phase is present in an amount of between 5 to 25 vol %. Further, the cermet body has at least one element from group V of the periodic table, Mx, so that the atomic ratio Ti/Mx is between 4 to 20 and the atomic ratio W/Mx is between 1 to 6. The cermet body also has Cr in an amount such that the atomic Cr/Co ratio is from 0.025 to 0.14. The cermet body includes both undissolved TiC cores with a rim of (Ti,W,Mx)C alloy as well as (Ti,W,Mx)C grains which have been formed during sintering. A method of making a cermet body is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB
    Inventors: Malin Mårtensson, Gerold Weinl
  • Patent number: 8961710
    Abstract: A carburized component with improved fatigue strength has a base steel containing, by mass %, C: 0.15-0.25%, Si: 0.03-0.50%, Mn: more than 0.60% and not more than 1.5%, P?0.015%, S: 0.006-0.030%, Cr: 0.05-2.0%, Al?0.10%, N?0.03%, and O?0.0020%, and optionally at least one element selected from Mo, Cu, Ni, B, Ti, Nb and V, the balance being Fe and impurities. A surface hardened layer portion satisfies: (a) average carbon concentration in the region from the outermost surface to a point of 0.2 mm depth of 0.35-0.60 mass %, (b) surface roughness Rz?15 ?m, and (c) ?r(0)??800 MPa, ?r(100)??800 MPa, and residual stress intensity index Ir?80000, wherein Ir is calculated by [Ir=?|?r(y)|dy], where y ?m is the depth from the outermost surface and ?r(y) is the residual stress for the points from the outermost surface to a depth of 100 ?m with the range of y from 0 to 100 (?m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignees: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Sintokogio, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Neishi, Takanari Hamada, Hidekazu Sueno, Yuji Kobayashi, Hideaki Sugiura
  • Patent number: 8961649
    Abstract: A method for recovering base metal values from oxide ore is provided by the present disclosure. The ore includes a first metal selected from the group consisting at least one of iron and aluminum and a second metal selected from the group consisting of at least one of nickel, cobalt and copper. The method includes the steps of: contacting the oxide ore with hydrogen chloride gas to obtain chlorides of the first and second metals and subjecting at least the first and second metals to pyrohydrolysis at a predetermined temperature to decompose the chlorides of the first metal into oxides. The method also includes the step of mixing the oxides of the first metal and the chlorides of the second metal in an aqueous solution to dissolve the chlorides of the second metal and recovering the dissolved ions of the second metal from the aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Vale Canada Limited
    Inventors: Antonio Clareti Pereira, Flavia Dutra Mendes, Tiago Valentim Berni, Ahmed Vahed
  • Patent number: 8961716
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of uniformly heating, rheologically softening, and thermoplastically forming metallic glasses rapidly into a net shape using a rapid capacitor discharge forming (RCDF) tool are provided. The RCDF method utilizes the discharge of electrical energy stored in a capacitor to uniformly and rapidly heat a sample or charge of metallic glass alloy to a predetermined “process temperature” between the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material and the equilibrium melting point of the alloy in a time scale of several milliseconds or less. Once the sample is uniformly heated such that the entire sample block has a sufficiently low process viscosity it may be shaped into high quality amorphous bulk articles via any number of techniques including, for example, injection molding, dynamic forging, stamp forging, sheet forming, and blow molding in a time frame of less than 1 second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: William L. Johnson, Marios D. Demetriou, Joseph P. Schramm
  • Patent number: 8927850
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a photovoltaic module capable of reducing an area occupied by interconnectors. The photovoltaic module of the present invention comprises light-transmitting substrate, strings including a plurality of solar cells interconnected through tab connector, and rear surface member. A plurality of the strings is electrically connected through interconnectors and arranged on a rear surface side so as not to overlap each other. The photovoltaic module is sealed with a sealant between the light-transmitting substrate and the rear surface member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Nakajima, Shihomi Nakatani, Shingo Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8926898
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lightweight aluminum based alloy that is high in strength and elongation properties at high temperatures of around 200° C. to 300° C. and has excellent workability in hot working. Disclosed also is a heat-resistant aluminum based alloy excellent in wear resistance and rigidity. Specifically, an aluminum based alloy contains, in terms of percent by mass, 5% to 10% of Mn; 0.5% to 5% of V; 0.5% to 5% of Cr; 0.5% to 5% of Fe; 1% to 8% of Si; 0.5% to 5% of Ni, with the balance being aluminum and inevitable impurities. The aluminum based alloy has a structure including 35 to 80 percent by volume of an intermetallic compound phase with the balance being an aluminum metal matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Takagi, Katsura Kajihara, Hideo Hata
  • Patent number: 8920869
    Abstract: This invention provides an Osseo-inductive metal implant for a living body and the producing method thereof and, more particularly, the Osseo-inductive metal implant for a living body according to the present invention is produced by forming, on the surface of the metal implant, the layer of metal oxide and the layer of bio-active material injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials
    Inventors: Eung-Sun Byon, Yong-Soo Jeong, Jong-Kuk Kim, Young-Taeg Sul, Beom-Seok Chang, Lee-Ra Cho
  • Patent number: 8906294
    Abstract: A magnesium alloy material having excellent impact resistance is provided. The magnesium alloy material is composed of a magnesium alloy that contains more than 7.5% by mass of Al and has a Charpy impact value of 30 J/cm2 or more. Typically, the magnesium alloy material has an elongation of 10% or more at a tension speed of 10 m/s in a high-speed tensile test. The magnesium alloy is composed of a precipitate, typically made of an intermetallic compound containing at least one of Al and Mg, and contains particles having an average particle size of 0.05 ?M or more and 1 ?m or less dispersed therein. The total area of the particles accounts for 1% by area or more and 20% by area or less. The magnesium alloy material containing fine precipitate particles dispersed therein has high impact absorption capacity through dispersion strengthening and has excellent impact resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Mizuno, Nobuyuki Okuda, Koji Mori, Masahiro Yamakawa, Masayuki Nishizawa, Takayasu Sugihara, Kohji Inokuchi, Nozomu Kawabe
  • Patent number: 8900378
    Abstract: A structural material is provided, the strength and toughness of which are well-balanced at a high level, suitable in particular for seat frames in automobiles, aircrafts and the like. Specifically disclosed is a structural material produced by integrally joining thin steel members in a part thereof and, after joining, thermally heating a part thereof so that the heat-treated part differs from the other parts in strength and toughness. Unlike a structural material, the strength of which as a whole has been uniformly improved by heat treatment, the above-described structural material consists of a part having a high strength and a part having low strength. Thus, a structural material, the strength and toughness of which are well-balanced at a high level can be obtained. Since the strength and toughness are well-balanced at a high level, the structural material is suitable particularly for seat frames in automobiles, aircrafts and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Tooling Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsunori Fujita, Yumi Ogura, Seiji Kawasaki, Shigeyuki Kojima, Soichi Makita, Shigeru Maeda, Hideyuki Yamane, Seiya Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8894959
    Abstract: There is provided a silicon production method which comprises producing semiconductor grade silicon while producing solar grade silicon by converting a portion of trichlorosilane into silicon for solar cells. There is also provided an industrially advantageous method that removes contaminants from a chlorosilane circulating system which produces trichlorosilane in producing silicon from trichlorosilane by a vapor deposition method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tokuyama Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Wakamatsu, Hiroyuki Oda
  • Patent number: 8883072
    Abstract: The present invention provides, in a ?? phase precipitation strengthening type Ni-base alloy, an alloy excellent in heat treatment capability and weldability and suitable for joint with a ferritic steel. Further, the present invention provides a welded turbine rotor having the strength, ductility, and toughness simultaneously over the whole welded structure when a precipitation strengthening type Ni-base alloy having a heatproof temperature of 675° C. or higher is joined to a ferritic steel. A Ni-base alloy according to the present invention contains cobalt, chromium, aluminum, carbon, boron, and at least either tungsten or molybdenum with the remainder being nickel and inevitable impurities, having an alloy composition including 12 to 25 percent by mass of Co, 10 to 18 percent by mass of Cr, 2.0 to 3.6 percent by mass of Al, 0.01 to 0.15 percent by mass of C, 0.001 to 0.03 percent by mass of B, the total amount of tungsten and molybdenum being 5.0 to 10 percent by mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Sato, Shinya Imano, Hiroyuki Doi
  • Patent number: 8882939
    Abstract: A zirconium alloy that is resistant to shadow corrosion for a boiling water nuclear reactor fuel assembly component, the alloy being characterized in that: its composition in percentages by weight is as follows: Nb=0.4%-4.5% Sn=0.20%-1.7% Fe=0.05%-0.45% Fe+Cr+Ni+V=0.05%-0.45%, with Nb?9×[0.5?(Fe+Cr+V+Ni)] S=traces-400 ppm C=traces-200 ppm Si=traces-120 ppm O=600 ppm-1800 ppm the balance being Zr and impurities from processing; in that, during fabrication, after its last hot deformation, it is subjected to one or more heat treatments lying in the range 450° C. to 610° C. for a total duration of at least 4 h, with at least one cold rolling operation with a rolling ratio of at least 25%; and in that a final heat treatment operation is performed at a temperature in the range 450° C. to 610° C. for 1 minute to 20 hours. A fuel assembly component made of the alloy, a fuel assembly including the component, and the use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Areva NP
    Inventors: Pierre Barberis, Véronique Rebeyrolle, Petra-Britt Hoffmann, Jean-Jérôme Vermoyal
  • Patent number: 8883106
    Abstract: A catalytic reactor (16) is provided for purposes of effecting therewith the removal of nitrogen oxides from a process gas (F) that includes at least two catalyst bed segments (48, 50, 52), each of which is provided with a closing device (60, 62, 64). The catalytic reactor (16) is operative for causing said process gas (F) to flow through a first catalyst bed segment (48). Said process gas (F) is at a first temperature at which the sulphur trioxide that is entrained in said hot process gas is at least partially precipitated out on to the catalytic material that said first catalyst bed segment (48) embodies. Periodically said closing device (60) is operated in order to thereby isolate said first bed segment (48) from the flow therethrough of said hot process gas (F). A regeneration system (34, 36, 38) is also provided that is operative for purposes of causing a regenerating gas to flow through the first bed segment (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: John Buschmann, Lawrence Joseph Czarnecki, Mou Jian, Frederic Zenon Kozak
  • Patent number: 8865101
    Abstract: The invention features methods and systems for producing commercial quality carbon dioxide (CO2) of 90% to +99% purity using, wet calcium carbonate lime mud produced in a manufacturing operation, for instance, Kraft pulp mill lime mud (a.k.a., “lime mud”) as a feedstock to a multi-stage lime mud calcination process. This process may be fueled with waste water treatment plant (WWTP), sludge biomass, precipitated lignins, coal, or other low cost solid fuels. High reactivity “soft-burned” lime product (“calcine”) required in the mill's chemical recovery circuit is also produced, and steam and heated boiler feed-water is generated and exported to the mill's steam distribution and generation system as well as hot process water for use in the mill's boiler house and manufacturing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Inventor: Robert A. Rossi
  • Patent number: 8864921
    Abstract: A method for annealing a strip of steel having a variable thickness in its length direction with at least thicker and thinner sections, wherein the strip has been cold rolled to form the thicker and thinner sections, one thicker and one thinner section having a length of at most a few meter. The annealing is performed by continuous annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Tata Steel Ijmuiden B.V.
    Inventors: Hai Wu, Camile Wilbert José Hol, Pieter Jacob Van Popta, Willem Cornelis Verloop