Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Kou

Hiroaki Kou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9109274
    Abstract: The steel plate of the invention is a high-tension steel plate that has a tensile strength of 1100 MPa or more and is excellent in base metal toughness and HAZ toughness and preferably in abrasion resistance. The steel plate satisfies a predetermined requirement of components in the steel. The Ceq (IIW) represented by the following equation ranges from 0.40 to 0.45 both inclusive: Ceq(IIW)=[C]+{?×[Mn]}+{?×([Cr]+[Mo]+[V])}+{ 1/15+([Cu]+[Ni])} in which each parenthesis-symbol [ ] means the content by percentage of an element in the parentheses. Oxide grains having a maximum diameter of 2 ?m or less are present in a number density of 200/mm2 or more in the steel. The steel is composed of 29% or more by volume of martensite microstructure, and bainite microstructure as the balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Kou
  • Patent number: 8317945
    Abstract: Disclosed is a steel plate having a specific chemical component composition. The steel plate has an F value defined by the following expression (1) and satisfying the following condition: 3.20?(F value)?4.50, has a tempered bainite microstructure having an average equivalent area diameter of grains surrounded by high-angle boundaries with a difference in orientation between two grains of 15° or more of 4 ?m or less, and has a tensile strength of 585 MPa or more: F value=9.4×[Mo]+8.1×[V]+4.7×[Cr]??(1) wherein [Mo], [V] and [Cr] represent contents (percent by mass) of Mo, V, and Cr, respectively. The steel plate having this configuration surely has satisfactory drop weight properties and high base metal toughness only by controlling the contents of necessary alloy elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Kou
  • Publication number: 20110017356
    Abstract: Disclosed is a steel plate having a specific chemical component composition. The steel plate has an F value defined by the following expression (1) and satisfying the following condition: 3.20?(F value)?4.50, has a tempered bainite microstructure having an average equivalent area diameter of grains surrounded by high-angle boundaries with a difference in orientation between two grains of 15° or more of 4 ?m or less, and has a tensile strength of 585 MPa or more: F value=9.4×[Mo]+8.1×[V]+4.7×[Cr]??(1) wherein [Mo], [V] and [Cr] represent contents (percent by mass) of Mo, V, and Cr, respectively. The steel plate having this configuration surely has satisfactory drop weight properties and high base metal toughness only by controlling the contents of necessary alloy elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel Ltd.)
    Inventor: Hiroaki KOU