Patents by Inventor Mineo Asano

Mineo Asano 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: 11535919
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a 6xxx series aluminium sheet comprising the steps of homogenizing an ingot made from a 6XXX series aluminum alloy; cooling the homogenized ingot with a cooling rate in a range of from 150° C./h to 2000° C./h directly to the hot rolling starting temperature; hot rolling the ingot to a hot rolling final thickness and coiling at the hot rolling final thickness with such conditions that at least 50% recrystallization is obtained; cold rolling to obtain a cold rolled sheet. The method of the invention is particularly helpful to make sheets for the automotive industry which combine high tensile yield strength and good formability properties suitable for cold stamping operations, as well as high surface quality and high corrosion resistance with a high productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: CONSTELLIUM NEUF-BRISACH, UACJ CORP.
    Inventors: Gilles Guiglionda, Laurent Boissonnet, Sylvain Carisey, Yusuke Yamamoto, Yoshifumi Shinzato, Mineo Asano, Yoichiro Betsuki
  • Patent number: 11053576
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for producing an aluminum alloy rolled material for deformation molding, the method including: a step of performing homogenization treatment of an ingot including an aluminum alloy with predetermined composition; a step of cooling the aluminum alloy after the homogenization treatment so that an average cooling rate in an ingot thickness of ¼ part from 500° C. to 320° C. is 30° C./h to 2000° C./h; and a step of starting hot rolling at 370° C. to 440° C. and winding the hot-rolled aluminum alloy at 310 to 380° C., in which the method for producing an aluminum alloy rolled material for deformation molding further includes a step of retaining the aluminum alloy after the cooling step for 0.17 hours or more at a heating temperature before rolling set within a range of 370° C. to 440° C. before the hot rolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: UACJ Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamamoto, Yoshifumi Shinzato, Mineo Asano
  • Publication number: 20210189524
    Abstract: Provided is an aluminum alloy sheet excellent in formability, strength, and quality of appearance. The sheet is composed of an aluminum alloy containing 1.00 to 2.20 mass % of Fe and 0.10 to 1.00 mass % of Mn, with a balance of Al and unavoidable impurities. The sheet is fabricated by rolling. In each of the 0° direction, 45° direction, and 90° direction relative to the rolling direction, the sheet has a total elongation of 34% or more, and has a 0.01% proof stress of 60 MPa or more after application of 2% uniaxial strain and a subsequent heat treatment at 170° C. for 20 minutes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroki TAKEDA, Mineo ASANO, Hidetoshi UCHIDA, Kazutaka OHNO
  • Patent number: 10807142
    Abstract: A hot blow forming method for the aluminum alloy sheet carries out a hot blow forming to an aluminum alloy sheet using a first metal mold being a female mold for forming having a protruding surface portion on an inside surface thereof and a second metal mold for gas introduction. Immediately prior to the hot blow forming, a temperature (T1) of the aluminum alloy sheet and a temperature (T2) of the first metal mold satisfy a relation (T1)-(T2)?30° C. and the temperature (T2) is equal to or higher than 400° C. In the hot blow forming, the aluminum alloy sheet is made to be brought into contact with at least a part of the protruding surface portion of the first metal mold within 30 seconds from a start of the gas introduction from the second metal mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mineo Asano
  • Publication number: 20200157668
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an aluminum alloy plate having a composition containing Si: 0.03 to 0.35%, Fe: 0.03 to 0.35%, Mg: 3.0 to 5.0%, Cu: more than 0.09% and less than 0.50%, and Mn: more than 0.05% and 0.35% or less in terms of mass %, with the balance including Al and inevitable impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshifumi SHINZATO, Takeshi NAGAI, Mineo ASANO
  • Patent number: 10475547
    Abstract: An aluminum-alloy sheet for a bus bar has a chemical composition containing Mg: 0.3%-0.9% (mass %, likewise below), Si: 0.2%-1.2%, Cu: 0.2% or less, and Fe: 0.5% or less, the remainder being Al and unavoidable impurities. In addition, acicular particles containing Mg and Si are present in the Al matrix at 900-4,000 particles/?m2. In addition, Fe-based particles present in the above-mentioned Al matrix have an average circle-equivalent diameter of 5 ?m or less, and the number of particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of more than 2 ?m is 10,000 particles/mm2 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetaka Nakanishi, Mineo Asano
  • Patent number: 10415118
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy plate includes peritectic elements and Mg. Wherein plate thickness of the plate is represented as t (mm), a range within ±0.01×t from t/2 is represented as a central portion, a range within ±0.01×t from t/4 is represented as a quarter portion, and a range within 0.02×t from a top surface in the plate thickness direction is represented as a superficial portion, concentration of the peritectic elements is such that a concentration difference between in the central portion and in the quarter portion, and a concentration difference between in the central portion and in the superficial portion are 0.04% (mass %) or less. In addition, concentration of the Mg is such that a concentration difference between in the central portion and in the quarter portion, and a concentration difference between in the central portion and in the superficial portion of the plate thickness are 0.4% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: UACJ Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamamoto, Mineo Asano
  • Patent number: 10364485
    Abstract: An anodized aluminum alloy sheet exhibits excellent surface quality without showing a band-like streak pattern and is formed from a 5000 series aluminum alloy sheet that includes 1.0 to 6.0 mass % of Mg, wherein the concentration of Mg in a solid-solution state that is present in an outermost surface area of the aluminum alloy sheet varies in the widthwise direction of the aluminum alloy sheet in the form of a band having a width of 0.05 mm or more, and the difference in the concentration of Mg between adjacent bands is 0.20 mass % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mineo Asano, Yusuke Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20190185969
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet that exhibits excellent surface quality after anodizing, includes a peritectic element that undergoes a peritectic reaction with at least aluminum, and requires an anodic oxide coating is characterized in that the concentration of the peritectic element in a solid-solution state that is present in the outermost surface area of the aluminum alloy sheet varies in the widthwise direction of the aluminum alloy sheet in the form of a band having a width of 0.05 mm or less, and the difference in the concentration of the peritectic element between adjacent bands is 0.008 mass % or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Mineo ASANO, Yusuke YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10301706
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet that exhibits excellent surface quality after anodizing, includes a peritectic element that undergoes a peritectic reaction with at least aluminum, and requires an anodic oxide coating is characterized in that the concentration of the peritectic element in a solid-solution state that is present in the outermost surface area of the aluminum alloy sheet varies in the widthwise direction of the aluminum alloy sheet in the form of a band having a width of 0.05 mm or less, and the difference in the concentration of the peritectic element between adjacent bands is 0.008 mass % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO LIGHT METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Mineo Asano, Yusuke Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20190153577
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a 6xxx series aluminium sheet comprising the steps of homogenizing an ingot made from a 6XXX series aluminum alloy; cooling the homogenized ingot with a cooling rate in a range of from 150° C./h to 2000° C./h directly to the hot rolling starting temperature; hot rolling the ingot to a hot rolling final thickness and coiling at the hot rolling final thickness with such conditions that at least 50% recrystallization is obtained; cold rolling to obtain a cold rolled sheet. The method of the invention is particularly helpful to make sheets for the automotive industry which combine high tensile yield strength and good formability properties suitable for cold stamping operations, as well as high surface quality and high corrosion resistance with a high productivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Gilles GUIGLIONDA, Laurent BOISSONNET, Sylvain CARISEY, Yusuke YAMAMOTO, Yoshifumi SHINZATO, Mineo ASANO, Yoichiro BETSUKI
  • Publication number: 20190119800
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for producing an aluminum alloy rolled material for deformation molding, the method including: a step of performing homogenization treatment of an ingot including an aluminum alloy with predetermined composition; a step of cooling the aluminum alloy after the homogenization treatment so that an average cooling rate in an ingot thickness of 1/4 part from 500° C. to 320° C. is 30° C./h to 2000° C./h; and a step of starting hot rolling at 370° C. to 440° C. and winding the hot-rolled aluminum alloy at 310 to 380° C., in which the method for producing an aluminum alloy rolled material for deformation molding further includes a step of retaining the aluminum alloy after the cooling step for 0.17 hours or more at a heating temperature before rolling set within a range of 370° C. to 440° C. before the hot rolling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamamoto, Yoshifumi Shinzato, Mineo Asano
  • Publication number: 20190074101
    Abstract: During edgewise bending that is carried out on an aluminum alloy bus bar made of an aluminum alloy rectangular wire, an edgewise bending portion is heated to a temperature between 100 and 250° C. inclusive, and within 5 minutes after the heating, edgewise bending is carried out. In the aluminum alloy bus bar, the ratio A/B of Vickers hardness A in a heated portion to Vickers hardness B in a non-heated portion is at least 0.8. If necessary, flatwise bending is further carried out on the aluminum alloy bus bar, forming the bus bar into a predetermined shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Keita FUKAWA, Mineo ASANO, Gaku TORIKAI
  • Patent number: 10221472
    Abstract: A structural aluminum alloy plate includes 7.0% to 12.0% by mass of Zn, 1.5% to 4.5% by mass of Mg, 1.0% to 3.0% by mass of Cu, 0.05% to 0.30% by mass of Zr, 0.005% to 0.5% by mass of Ti, 0.5% or less by mass of Si, 0.5% or less by mass of Fe, 0.3% or less by mass of Mn, 0.3% or less by mass of Cr, and the balance that includes aluminum and inevitable impurities. A method of producing the structural aluminum alloy plate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetaka Nakanishi, Kazushige Norikane, Mineo Asano
  • Publication number: 20180315517
    Abstract: During edgewise bending that is carried out on an aluminum alloy bus bar made of an aluminum alloy rectangular wire, an edgewise bending portion is heated to a temperature between 100 and 250° C. inclusive, and within 5 minutes after the heating, edgewise bending is carried out. In the aluminum alloy bus bar, the ratio A/B of Vickers hardness A in a heated portion to Vickers hardness B in a non-heated portion is at least 0.8. If necessary, flatwise bending is further carried out on the aluminum alloy bus bar, forming the bus bar into a predetermined shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Keita Fukawa, Mineo Asano, Gaku Torikai
  • Publication number: 20170341123
    Abstract: A hot blow forming method for the aluminum alloy sheet carries out a hot blow forming to an aluminum alloy sheet using a first metal mold being a female mold for forming having a protruding surface portion on an inside surface thereof and a second metal mold for gas introduction. Immediately prior to the hot blow forming, a temperature (T1) of the aluminum alloy sheet and a temperature (T2) of the first metal mold satisfy a relation (T1)?(T2)?30° C. and the temperature (T2) is equal to or higher than 400° C. In the hot blow forming, the aluminum alloy sheet is made to be brought into contact with at least a part of the protruding surface portion of the first metal mold within 30 seconds from a start of the gas introduction from the second metal mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventor: Mineo ASANO
  • Publication number: 20170092386
    Abstract: An aluminum-alloy sheet for a bus bar has a chemical composition containing Mg: 0.3%-0.9% (mass %, likewise below), Si: 0.2%-1.2%, Cu: 0.2% or less, and Fe: 0.5% or less, the remainder being Al and unavoidable impurities. In addition, acicular particles containing Mg and Si are present in the Al matrix at 900-4,000 particles/?m2. In addition, Fe-based particles present in the above-mentioned Al matrix have an average circle-equivalent diameter of 5 ?m or less, and the number of particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of more than 2 ?m is 10,000 particles/mm2 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Hidetaka NAKANISHI, Mineo ASANO
  • Publication number: 20170016102
    Abstract: A structural aluminum alloy plate includes 7.0% to 12.0% by mass of Zn, 1.5% to 4.5% by mass of Mg, 1.0% to 3.0% by mass of Cu, 0.05% to 0.30% by mass of Zr, 0.005% to 0.5% by mass of Ti, 0.5% or less by mass of Si, 0.5% or less by mass of Fe, 0.3% or less by mass of Mn, 0.3% or less by mass of Cr, and the balance that includes aluminum and inevitable impurities. A method of producing the structural aluminum alloy plate is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Hidetaka Nakanishi, Kazushige Norikane, Mineo Asano
  • Patent number: 9362014
    Abstract: A plate-like electric conductor for a busbar having excellent electric conductivity, strength and bendability, and a busbar formed therefrom. The electric conductor formed from an aluminum alloy plate having a thickness of 0.5-12 mm is obtained by subjecting an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of Fe: 0.05-2.0%; Si: 0.05-0.6%; Cu: 0.01-0.35%; by mass, and the balance comprising Al and inevitable impurities to a hot rolling process. The electric conductor has the electric conductivity of 55-60% IACS, tensile strength not lower than 170 MPa and yield strength not lower than 155 MPa, in the as-rolled state at the room temperature, and does not suffer from cracking upon bending by 90° with an inner bending radius equal to its thickness, while having the electric conductivity of 55-60% IACS, tensile strength not lower than 160 MPa, and yield strength not lower than 145 MPa, after a heat treatment at 140-160° C. for not longer than 1,000 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: UACJ Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetaka Nakanishi, Mineo Asano, Hiroki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9180554
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy member including a sheet-like aluminum alloy member having ends joined by friction stir welding, and forming an anodic oxidation coating on a weld front surface or a weld back surface, the aluminum alloy member including 0.3 to 1.5 mass % of Mg, 0.2 to 1.2 mass % of Si, 0.5 mass % or less of Cu, and 0.2 mass % or less of Fe, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, Fe-containing second phase particles having a particle size (circle equivalent diameter) of more than 1 ?m, among second phase particles dispersed in a matrix of the aluminum alloy member, having an average particle size of 5 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mineo Asano, Yusuke Yamamoto, Toshihiko Fukuda