Patents by Inventor Philip E. Bretz
Philip E. Bretz 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).
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Patent number: 5055257Abstract: Superplastic forming of aluminum work stock is improved by including therein about 0.05% to about 10% or 15% scandium together with up to 0.2 or 0.25% zirconium. In preferred practices, soluble elements such as magnesium are also included in the aluminum alloy. One or more of the elements from the group of scandium, yttrium, gadolinium, holminum, dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, lutetium, and terbium, may be included in addition to or in lieu of scandium. Heat treatable aluminum alloys such as 7XXX alloys and 2XXX alloys can be made superplastic by including scandium and zirconium to provide very high strength in superplastically formed products.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1989Date of Patent: October 8, 1991Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Dhruba J. Chakrabarti, James T. Staley, Stephen F. Baumann, Ralph R. Sawtell, Philip E. Bretz, Craig L. Jensen
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Patent number: 4961792Abstract: An aluminum base alloy wrought product having improved corrosion resistance in addition to combinations of strength and toughness. The product comprises 0.2 to 5.0 wt. % Li, 0.05 to 6.0 wt. % Mg, at least 2.45 wt. % Cu, 0.05 to 0.16 wt. % Zr, 0.05 to 12 wt. % Zn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities and has the ability to develop improved combinations of strength and toughness in response to an aging treatment. Prior to an aging step, the product having imparted thereto a working effect equivalent to stretching so that after an aging step it has improved combinations of strength and toughness.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 1988Date of Patent: October 9, 1990Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Roberto J. Rioja, Alex Cho, Philip E. Bretz
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Patent number: 4939032Abstract: Composite materials having improved fracture toughness are formed by dispersing ductile inclusions in a less ductile matrix. The matrices may be formed from metals, such as high-strength aluminum alloys or ceramics. Bonding should be present between the inclusions and the matrix so that cracks in the composite material must pass through the inclusions.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 1987Date of Patent: July 3, 1990Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Jocelyn I. Petit, Philip E. Bretz, Henry G. Paris, Ralph R. Sawtell, Diana K. Denzer
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Patent number: 4897126Abstract: An aluminum base alloy wrought product having improved corrosion resistance in addition to combinations of strength and toughness. The product comprises 2.2 to 3.0 wt. % Li, 0.4 to 2.0 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 1.6 wt. % Cu, 0 to 2.0 wt. % Mn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities and has the ability to develop improved combinations of strength and toughness in response to an aging treatment. Prior to an aging step, the product having imparted thereto a working effect equivalent to stretching so that after an aging step it has improved combinations of strength and toughness.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1988Date of Patent: January 30, 1990Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Philip E. Bretz, Ralph R. Sawtell, Warren H. Hunt, Jr.
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Patent number: 4874440Abstract: Superplastic forming of aluminum work stock is improved by including therein about 0.05% to about 10% or 15% scandium. In preferred practices, soluble elements such as magnesium are also included in the aluminum alloy. One or more of the elements from the group of scandium, yttrium, gadolinium, holminum, dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, lutetium, and terbium, may be included in addition to or in lieu of scandium.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 1987Date of Patent: October 17, 1989Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Ralph R. Sawtell, Philip E. Bretz, Craig L. Jensen
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Patent number: 4869870Abstract: An aluminum base alloy suitable for forming into a wrought product having improved combinations of strength and fracture toughness is provided. The alloy is comprised of 0.2 to 5.0 wt. % Li, 0.05 to 6.0 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 5.0 wt. % Cu, 0 to 2.0 wt. % Mn, 0 to 1.0 wt. % Zr, 0.05 to 12.0 wt. % Zn, 0.05 to 1.0 wt. % Hf, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 1988Date of Patent: September 26, 1989Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Roberto J. Rioja, Philip E. Bretz, John Jacoby
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Patent number: 4832910Abstract: Disclosed is an aluminum-lithium alloy containing a predetermined amount of lanthanides which provides the alloy with an improved combination of strength and fracture toughness relative to a baseline alloy not containing lanthanides but otherwise having the alloy's composition.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1985Date of Patent: May 23, 1989Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Roberto J. Rioja, Philip E. Bretz, John E. Jacoby
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Patent number: 4797165Abstract: An aluminum base alloy wrought product having improved corrosion resistance in addition to combinations of strength and toughness. The product comprises 2.2 to 3.0 wt. % Li, 0.4 to 2.0 wt. % Mg, 0.2 to 1.6 wt. % Cu, 0 to 2.0 wt. % Mn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities and has the ability to develop improved combinations of strength and toughness in response to an aging treatment. Prior to an aging step, the product having imparted thereto a working effect equivalent to stretching so that after an aging step it has improved combinations of strength and toughness.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 1984Date of Patent: January 10, 1989Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Philip E. Bretz, Ralph R. Sawtell, Warren H. Hunt, Jr.
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Patent number: 4693747Abstract: Disclosed is a metal alloy product having increased resistance to fatigue crack growth and having coarse grains distributed in a fine grain structure, the coarse grains having a different alloy composition from the fine grain structure.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 1985Date of Patent: September 15, 1987Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Philip E. Bretz, Jocelyn I. Petit, Ralph R. Sawtell, Asuri K. Vasudevan
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Patent number: 4689090Abstract: Superplastic forming of aluminum work stock is improved by including therein about 0.05% to about 10% or 15% scandium. In preferred practices, soluble elements such as magnesium are also included in the aluminum alloy.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 1986Date of Patent: August 25, 1987Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Ralph R. Sawtell, Philip E. Bretz, Craig L. Jensen
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Patent number: 4648913Abstract: An aluminum base alloy wrought product suitable for aging and having the ability to develop improved strength in response to an aging treatment without impairing fracture toughness properties is disclosed. The product is comprised of 0.5 to 4.0 wt. % Li, 0 to 5.0 wt. % Mg, up to 5.0 wt. % Cu, 0 to 1.0 wt. % Zr, 0 to 2.0 wt. % Mn, 0 to 7.0 wt. % Zn, 0.5 wt. % max. Fe, 0.5 wt. % max. Si, the balance aluminum and incidental impurities. The product has imparted thereto, prior to an aging step, a working effect equivalent to stretching an amount greater than 3% in order that, after said aging, improved strength and fracture toughness combinations are obtained.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 1984Date of Patent: March 10, 1987Assignee: Aluminum Company of AmericaInventors: Warren H. Hunt, Jr., Ralph R. Sawtell, Philip E. Bretz