Patents by Inventor Kazuhito Imai

Kazuhito Imai 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: 9902135
    Abstract: A galvanized steel sheet for hot forming, the galvanized steel sheet including a galvanized film provided on a surface of a steel sheet, wherein the steel sheet has a chemical composition consisting of, in mass %, C: 0.02% to 0.58%, Mn: 0.5% to 3.0%, sol. Al: 0.005% to 1.0%, a predetermined element(s) as necessary; Si: less than or equal to 2.0%, P: less than or equal to 0.03%, S: less than or equal to 0.004%, N: less than or equal to 0.01%, and the balance: Fe and impurities, wherein a content of Mn in a portion from an interface of the steel sheet and the galvanized film to a depth of 5 ?m is more than or equal to 0.3 mass %, wherein the galvanized film has a plating coverage of 40 g/m2 to 110 g/m2, an Al content of more than or equal to 150 mg/m2 within the galvanized film, and an Al concentration of less than or equal to 0.5 mass %, and wherein the galvanized steel sheet is used for an application in which the galvanized steel sheet is heated to 700° C. or above and is then subjected to hot forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Kazuhito Imai, Hitomi Nishibata
  • Publication number: 20150314568
    Abstract: A galvanized steel sheet for hot forming, the galvanized steel sheet including a galvanized film provided on a surface of a steel sheet, wherein the steel sheet has a chemical composition consisting of, in mass %, C: 0.02% to 0.58%, Mn: 0.5% to 3.0%, sol. Al: 0.005% to 1.0%, a predetermined element(s) as necessary; Si: less than or equal to 2.0%, P: less than or equal to 0.03%, S: less than or equal to 0.004%, N: less than or equal to 0.01%, and the balance: Fe and impurities, wherein a content of Mn in a portion from an interface of the steel sheet and the galvanized film to a depth of 5 ?m is more than or equal to 0.3 mass %, wherein the galvanized film has a plating coverage of 40 g/m2 to 110 g/m2, an Al content of more than or equal to 150 mg/m2 within the galvanized film, and an Al concentration of less than or equal to 0.5 mass %, and wherein the galvanized steel sheet is used for an application in which the galvanized steel sheet is heated to 700° C. or above and is then subjected to hot forming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TAKAHASHI, Kazuhito IMAI, Hitomi NISHIBATA
  • Patent number: 9045817
    Abstract: A heat treated galvannealed steel material having excellent post-painting corrosion resistance and a high strength which is suitable for use as an automotive part and a method for its manufacture are provided. A galvannealed steel material having a galvannealed coating on at least one side thereof is heat treated by heating at least a portion thereof to a temperature range in which hardening is possible. The coating remaining on the surface of at least a part of the portion which underwent heat treatment has a coating weight of at least 20 g/m2 and at most 80 g/m2 per side and an Fe content of at least 15% and at most 35%, an ? phase is present in the coating, and the centerline average roughness Ra of the surface of the coating is at most 1.5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tamotsu Toki, Atsushi Tomizawa, Nobusato Kojima, Kazuya Ishii, Kazuhito Imai, Toyomitsu Nakamura, Naoaki Shimada
  • Patent number: 8741075
    Abstract: A method of producing a hot press-formed member having good corrosion resistance comprises subjecting a zinc-based plated steel sheet to heat treatment by heating to a temperature region of 600-750° C. at a rate of temperature increase up to 600° C. of at most 50° C. per second followed by cooling to 550° C. or below to form a steel blank which has a zinc oxide layer in its uppermost surface portion and below it a zinc-iron alloy phase having an Fe content of at least 25 mass %. This steel blank is heated to a temperature of at least its Ac3 point, then press formed immediately at a temperature of at least its Ac3 point, and then rapidly cooled. The hot press-formed member has a surface region with zinc oxide and iron-zinc solid solution phases and not containing an intermetallic compound phase or a pure zinc phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignees: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Toyoda Iron Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhito Imai, Masanobu Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20130280548
    Abstract: A bent metal member has a body formed from a tubular metal material and has a shape which is bent two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally. The surface of the body has a Zn-based coating which contains an ? phase and which satisfies the following condition: coating weight: at most 90 g/m2 per side, Fe content: 8-35 mass %, and a surface roughness Ra prescribed by WS B 0601: at most 2.0 ?m. The bent metal member can have a closed cross section, an open cross section, or a shaped cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Toyomitsu NAKAMURA, Atsushi Tomizawa, Naoaki Shimada, Nobusato Kojima, Kazuya Ishii, Kazuhito Imai, Tamotsu Toki
  • Patent number: 8490457
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bent metal member comprises supporting the outer surface of a tubular metal material having a Zn-Fe alloy coating layer at two locations spaced in the axial direction of the metal material. The metal material is fed in its axial direction and heated at a position between the two locations to a temperature range of at least the Ac3 point at a heating speed such that the rate of temperature increase is at least 3.0×102° C. per second, held so that the time for which the surface of the metal material is at a temperature of 8.0×102° C. or higher is at most 2 seconds, and then rapid cooled. A bending moment is imparted to the healed portion in two or three dimensions to manufacture a bent metal member having on its surface a Zn-based layer which contains an ?, phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Toyomitsu Nakamura, Atsushi Tomizawa, Naoaki Shimada, Nobusato Kojima, Kazuya Ishii, Kazuhito Imai, Tamotsu Toki
  • Publication number: 20120325377
    Abstract: A method of producing a hot press-formed member having good corrosion resistance comprises subjecting a zinc-based plated steel sheet to heat treatment by heating to a temperature region of 600-750° C. at a rate of temperature increase up to 600° C. of at most 50° C. per second followed by cooling to 550° C. or below to form a steel blank which has a zinc oxide layer in its uppermost surface portion and below it a zinc-iron alloy phase having an Fe content of at least 25 mass %. This steel blank is heated to a temperature of at least its Ac3 point, then press formed immediately at a temperature of at least its Ac3 point, and then rapidly cooled. The hot press-formed member has a surface region with zinc oxide and iron-zinc solid solution phases and not containing an intermetallic compound phase or a pure zinc phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicants: TOYODA IRON WORKS CO., LTD., SUMITOMO METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhito IMAI, Masanobu Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20120009435
    Abstract: A bent metal member which is obtained by bending accompanied by heat treatment of a zinc-based coated metal material and which is suitable for use in components of automobiles due to having a high strength and excellent post-painting corrosion resistance is manufactured. The outer surface of a tubular metal material having on its surface a Zn—Fe alloy coating layer with a coating weight of 30-90 g/m2 per side, an Fe content of 8-20%, and a surface roughness Ra of at most 0.8 ?m is supported at two locations spaced in the axial direction of the metal material so that the material can move in its axial direction, the metal material is heated between the two locations to a temperature range of at least the Ac3 point at a heating speed such that the rate of temperature increase is at least 3.0×102° C. per second while feeding the metal material in its axial direction, holding so that the length of time for which the surface of the metal material is at 8.0×102° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Toyomitsu NAKAMURA, Atsushi TOMIZAWA, Naoaki SHIMADA, Nobusato KOJIMA, Kazuya ISHII, Kazuhito IMAI, Tamotsu TOKI
  • Publication number: 20110048585
    Abstract: A heat treated galvannealed steel material having excellent post-painting corrosion resistance and a high strength which is suitable for use as an automotive part and a method for its manufacture are provided. A galvannealed steel material having a galvannealed coating on at least one side thereof is heat treated by heating at least a portion thereof to a temperature range in which hardening is possible. The coating remaining on the surface of at least a part of the portion which underwent heat treatment has a coating weight of at least 20 g/m2 and at most 80 g/m2 per side and an Fe content of at least 15% and at most 35%, an ? phase is present in the coating, and the centerline average roughness Ra of the surface of the coating is at most 1.5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Tamotsu Toki, Atsushi Tomizawa, Nobusato Kojima, Kazuya Ishii, Kazuhito Imai, Toyomitsu Nakamura, Naoaki Shimada
  • Patent number: 7673485
    Abstract: Hot press forming of a steel material is made possible by coating the surface of the steel material with a plated layer of zinc or a zinc alloy and forming thereon a barrier layer which prevents the vaporization of zinc even when heated to 700-1000° C. Corrosion resistance can also be guaranteed without requiring post treatment, and hot press forming of high tensile steel sheet and stainless steel sheet is made possible. The barrier layer is formed by forming an upper plated layer, by surface oxidation, by contact with an oxidizing agent, by contact with Zn and an oxidizing agent, by anodic electrolysis, by cathodic electrolysis, or by coating with a ZnO sol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhito Imai, Tamotsu Toki, Yukihiro Yoshikawa, Masaru Takahashi, Toshinobu Nishibata, Nobusato Kojima
  • Patent number: 7399535
    Abstract: A hot press-formed article having improved corrosion resistance and coating adhesion when coated is obtained by hot press forming of a zinc-based plated steel material. It has a zinc-based plating layer comprising an iron-zinc solid solution phase and atop it a zinc oxide layer. The average thickness of the zinc oxide layer which is the outermost layer is at most 2 ?m. A hot press-formed article having a good appearance and excellent corrosion resistance, coating adhesion, post-coating corrosion resistance, and weldability has a layer (2) consisting essentially of an iron-zinc solid solution phase atop a base material steel sheet (1). It also has a zinc oxide layer (3) with an average thickness of at most 5 ?m as an uppermost layer, but it does not have a substantial amount of an iron-zinc intermetallic compound phase. The total amount of Al contained in the iron-zinc solid solution layer (2) and the zinc oxide layer (3) is at most 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignees: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd., Toyota Jodosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyoda Iron Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Yoshikawa, Kazuhito Imai, Kunihiro Fukui, Tamotsu Toki, Shuntaro Sudo, Akira Obayashi, Masanobu Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20060121305
    Abstract: A hot press-formed article having improved corrosion resistance and coating adhesion when coated is obtained by hot press forming of a zinc-based plated steel material. It has a zinc-based plating layer comprising an iron-zinc solid solution phase and atop it a zinc oxide layer. The average thickness of the zinc oxide layer which is the outermost layer is at most 2 ?m. A hot press-formed article having a good appearance and excellent corrosion resistance, coating adhesion, post-coating corrosion resistance, and weldability has a layer (2) consisting essentially of an iron-zinc solid solution phase atop a base material steel sheet (1). It also has a zinc oxide layer (3) with an average thickness of at most 5 ?m as an uppermost layer, but it does not have a substantial amount of an iron-zinc intermetallic compound phase. The total amount of Al contained in the iron-zinc solid solution layer (2) and the zinc oxide layer (3) is at most 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Yukihiro Yoshikawa, Kazuhito Imai, Kunihiro Fukui, Tamotsu Toki, Shuntaro Sudo, Akira Obayashi, Masanobu Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20050252262
    Abstract: Hot press forming of a steel material is made possible by coating the surface of the steel material with a plated layer of zinc or a zinc alloy and forming thereon a barrier layer which prevents the vaporization of zinc even when heated to 700-1000° C. Corrosion resistance can also be guaranteed without requiring post treatment, and hot press forming of high tensile steel sheet and stainless steel sheet is made possible. The barrier layer is formed by forming an upper plated layer, by surface oxidation, by contact with an oxidizing agent, by contact with Zn and an oxidizing agent, by anodic electrolysis, by cathodic electrolysis, or by coating with a ZnO sol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Kazuhito Imai, Tamotsu Toki, Yukihiro Yoshikawa, Masaru Takahashi, Toshinobu Nishibata, Nobusato Kojima
  • Publication number: 20040166360
    Abstract: Hot press forming of a steel material is made possible by coating the surface of the steel material with a plated layer of zinc or a zinc alloy and forming thereon a barrier layer which prevents the vaporization of zinc even when heated to 700-1000° C. Corrosion resistance can also be guaranteed without requiring post treatment, and hot press forming of high tensile steel sheet and stainless steel sheet is made possible. The barrier layer is formed by forming an upper plated layer, by surface oxidation, by contact with an oxidizing agent, by contact with Zn and an oxidizing agent, by anodic electrolysis, by cathodic electrolysis, or by coating with a ZnO sol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuhito Imai, Tamotsu Toki, Yukihiro Yoshikawa, Masaru Takahashi, Toshinobu Nishibata, Nobusato Kojima