Continuous Casting Patents (Class 148/551)
  • Patent number: 11821061
    Abstract: Provided herein are anodized quality AA5xxx series aluminum alloys and methods for making the aluminum alloys. Also described herein are products prepared from the anodized quality AA5xxx series aluminum alloy sheets. Such products include consumer electronic parts, consumer electronic product parts, architectural sheet products, architectural sheet product parts, and automobile body parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Novelis Inc.
    Inventors: Daehoon Kang, YounGoo Hwang
  • Patent number: 11268171
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy foil has a composition containing 1.0% to 1.8% by mass of Fe, 0.10% to 0.20% by mass of Si, 0.005% to 0.05% by mass of Cu, and Mn regulated to be 0.01% by mass or less, with the balance consisting of Al and incidental impurities. With regard to crystal grains surrounded by high inclination angle grain boundaries which are grain boundaries having a misorientation of 15° or more in analysis of crystal orientation per unit area using electron backscatter diffraction, an average grain size of the crystal grains is 10 ?m or less, and a maximum grain size of the crystal grains/the average grain size of the crystal grains ?3.0. When a thickness of the foil is 30 ?m, elongations in directions making 0°, 45° and 90° with respect to a rolling direction are each 25% or more respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ALUMINUM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11255001
    Abstract: An aluminum-alloy foil that enables to satisfy both of high elongation and high strength even in the case of reducing the foil thickness. The chemical composition of the aluminum-alloy foil contains, in mass %, Fe: 1.0% or more and 2.0% or less, Cu: 0.1% or more and 0.5% or less, and Mn: 0.05% or less, the remainder being Al and unavoidable impurities. The aluminum-alloy foil has a foil thickness of 20 ?m or less, and satisfies the relation El?100×t/UTS. Here, t represents a foil thickness (?m), UTS represents a tensile strength (MPa), and El represents an elongation (%).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuichi Tanaka, Tetsuya Motoi
  • Patent number: 11208710
    Abstract: Provided are: an aluminum alloy substrate for a magnetic disk, including an aluminum alloy including 0.4 to 3.0 mass % of Fe with the balance of Al and unavoidable impurities; a method for producing the aluminum alloy substrate for a magnetic disk; and a magnetic disk in which an electroless Ni—P plating treatment layer and a magnetic layer formed thereon are disposed on a surface of the aluminum alloy substrate for a magnetic disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignees: UACJ CORPORATION, FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kotaro Kitawaki, Takuya Murata, Makoto Yonemitsu, Kouichiro Takiguchi, Takashi Nakayama, Kimie Imakawa, Yasuo Fujii, Hideyuki Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 11142815
    Abstract: The present invention, in some embodiments, is a method of forming an O temper or T temper product that includes obtaining a coil of a non-ferrous alloy strip as feedstock; uncoiling the coil of the feedstock; heating the feedstock to a temperature between a recrystallization temperature of the non-ferrous alloy and 10 degrees Fahrenheit below a solidus temperature of the non-ferrous alloy; and quenching the feedstock to form a heat-treated product having am O temper or T temper. The non-ferrous alloy strip used in the method excludes aluminum alloys having 0.4 weight percent silicon, less than 0.2 weight percent iron, 0.35 to 0.40 weight percent copper, 0.9 weight percent manganese, and 1 weight percent magnesium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: ARCONIC TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Gavin F. Wyatt-Mair, David A. Tomes, William D. Bennon, Raymond J. Kilmer, James C. Riggs, Ali Unal, John M. Newman, Thomas N. Rouns
  • Patent number: 10916357
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an aluminum alloy foil for an electrode current collector and a manufacturing method thereof, the foil having a high strength and high strength after a drying process after the application of the active material while keeping a high electrical conductivity. Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy foil for electrode current collector, including: forming by continuous casting an aluminum alloy sheet containing 0.03 to 1.0% of Fe, 0.01 to 0.2% of Si, 0.0001 to 0.2% of Cu, with the rest being Al and unavoidable impurities, performing cold rolling to the aluminum alloy sheet at a cold rolling reduction of 80% or lower, and performing heat treatment at 550 to 620° C. for 1 to 15 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: UACJ Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Seki, Satoshi Suzuki, Kenji Yamamoto, Tomohiko Furutani
  • Patent number: 10786051
    Abstract: Elements for a slide fastener are provided, which have high strength and improved abrasion resistance. More particularly, an element for a slide fastener includes as a base material, an aluminum alloy having a composition represented by a general formula: AlaSibCucMgd in which a, b, c and d are expressed in percentage by mass, a denotes a balance, 0.4?b?0.9, 0.15?c?0.8, 0.8?d?2.0, and unavoidable impurity elements may be contained; and the aluminum alloy containing a precipitate containing Mg and Si.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Fukuyama, Koichi Mikado, Yasuharu Yoshimura, Tetsuya Katsumi, Tatewaki Ido
  • Patent number: 10689738
    Abstract: The method relates to a method of forming an Al-alloy sheet component. The method comprises heating an Al-alloy sheet blank to its Solution Heat Treatment temperature at a heating station and, in the case of alloys not in a pre age hardened temper, maintaining the SHT temperature until Solution Heat Treatment is complete. The sheet blank is then transferred to a set of cold dies and forming is initiated within 10 s of removal from the heating station so that heat loss from the sheet blank is minimised. The cold dies are closed to form the sheet blank into a shaped component, said forming occurring in less than 0.15 s, and the formed component is held in the closed dies during cooling of the formed component. The claimed method will find application for any Aluminium alloy with a microstructure and mechanical properties that can be usefully modified by solution treatment and age-hardening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Imperial Innovations Ltd.
    Inventors: Alistair Foster, Trevor A. Dean, Jianguo Lin
  • Patent number: 10513767
    Abstract: A method for continuously solution heat-treating aluminium alloy sheet by continuously moving heat-treatable 7000-series aluminium alloy sheet through a continuous heat-treatment furnace arranged to heat the moving aluminium sheet to a set soaking temperature (TSET) in the temperature range of 370° C. to 560° C., the continuous heat-treatment furnace has an entry section and an exit section, the moving aluminium sheet moves substantially horizontally through the continuous heat-treatment furnace, and the moving aluminium sheet is rapidly cooled on leaving the exit section, and before or near the entry section of the continuous heat-treatment furnace the moving aluminium sheet is pre-heated to a temperature of 5° C. to 100° C. below the TSET using an average heat-up rate as function of the sheet thickness of at least Y=?31·ln(X)+50, wherein Y is the heat-up rate in ° C./sec and X is the sheet thickness in mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: ALERIS ALUMINUM DUFFEL BVBA
    Inventors: Philippe Meyer, Sunil Khosla
  • Patent number: 10450639
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, an assembly is provided comprising a first member including a 6xxx series aluminum alloy heat treated to have a yield strength of at least 200 MPa and an r/t (bendability) ratio of up to 0.4. One or more members may be secured to the first member with a rivet (e.g., a self-piercing rivet). The heat treated alloy may have a yield strength of at least 260 MPa and may have a bendability ratio of up to 0.3. A method of forming an assembly is also provided, including heat treating a 6xxx series aluminum alloy to produce an alloy having a yield strength of at least 200 MPa and an r/t (bendability) ratio of up to 0.4 and riveting a member including the heat treated alloy to one or more additional members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Nia R. Harrison, S. George Luckey, Jr., James Maurice Boileau, Aindrea McKelvey Campbell, Amanda Kay Freis
  • Patent number: 10307819
    Abstract: A method for semi-continuous casting of a strand of steel in a strand casting machine and a strand casting machine that carries out the method, the method includes pouring liquid steel into a mold while closing off the mold by a bar to form a fully solidified strand start area followed by a partially solidified strand; extracting the partially solidified strand from the mold; supporting and guiding the partially solidified strand in the strand guide; at the end of the casting, ending the pouring of liquid steel into the mold and forming a strand end; extracting the strand end from the mold; ending the extraction of the strand end; ending the secondary cooling; providing controlled or regulated cooling of the partially solidified strand until full solidification of the strand; and discharging the strand from the strand casting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: PRIMETALS TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Brugger, Susanne Hahn, Jens Kluge, Hans-Peter Kogler, Johann Poeppl, Guoxin Shan, Susanne Tanzer, Heinrich Thoene, Franz Wimmer
  • Patent number: 10294553
    Abstract: A method for continuously annealing aluminum alloy sheet at final thickness by continuously moving heat-treatable AlMgSi aluminum alloy sheet through a continuous annealing furnace arranged to heat the moving aluminum sheet to a set soaking temperature (TSET) in the temperature range of 500° C. to 590° C., the continuous annealing furnace has an entry section and an exit section, the moving aluminum sheet moves substantially horizontally through the continuous annealing furnace, wherein the moving aluminum sheet is rapidly cooled on leaving the exit section, wherein before or near the entry section of the continuous annealing furnace the moving aluminum sheet is pre-heated to a temperature of 5° C. to 100° C. below the TSET using an average heat-up rate as function of sheet thickness of at least Y=?31·ln(X)+50, wherein Y is the heat-up rate in ° C./sec and X is the sheet thickness in mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: ALERIS ALUMINUM DUFFEL BVBA
    Inventors: Philippe Meyer, Svetlana Emirovna Ebzeeva, Johan Petrus Mariette Guido Arras, Dirk Medard Gerard Florent Van Nieuwerburgh, Petra Backx
  • Patent number: 10280495
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy fin material for heat exchanger use having a 35 to 50 ?m thickness, a small springback at the time of corrugation, a suitable strength before brazing enabling easy fin formation, a high strength after brazing, and excellent erosion resistance, self corrosion resistance, and sacrificial anodic effect and a method of production of the same are provided. A fin material containing, by mass %, Si: 0.9 to 1.2%, Fe: 0.8 to 1.1%, Mn: 1.1 to 1.4%, and Zn: 0.9 to 1.1%, further limiting the impurity Mg to 0.05% or less, Cu to 0.03% or less, and ([Si]+[Fe]+2[Mn])/3 to 1.4% to 1.6%, and having a balance of unavoidable impurities and Al. A method of production prescribing hot rolling, cold rolling, intermediate annealing, and final cold rolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NOVELIS INC., NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Kokubo, Toshiya Anami, Hayaki Teramoto, Hideyuki Ota, Toshihide Ninagawa
  • Patent number: 10161693
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy fin material for heat exchangers, containing 0.5 to 1.5 mass % of Si; more than 1.0 mass % but not more than 2.0 mass % of Fe; 0.4 to 1.0 mass % of Mn; and 0.4 to 1.0 mass % of Zn, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein a metallographic microstructure before braze-heating is such that a density of second phase particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of less than 0.1 ?m is less than 1×107 particles/mm2, and that a density of second phase particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of 0.1 ?m or more is 1×105 particles/mm2 or more, wherein a tensile strength before braze-heating, TSB (N/mm2), a tensile strength after braze-heating, TSA (N/mm2), and a fin sheet thickness, t (?m), satisfy: 0.4?(TSB?TSA)/t?2.1, and wherein the sheet thickness is 150 ?m or less; and a method of producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Fukumoto, Junichi Mochizuki, Akio Niikura
  • Patent number: 10160580
    Abstract: Multi-layer laminate materials, which include an aluminum foil layer having particular tensile strength properties, are described. The aluminum foil layer in combination with other layers provides important benefits in manufacturing operations, such as filling tubes made by forming a cylinder from the laminate materials and heat sealing the side and end edges. These benefits are obtained in many cases without the need to increase foil weight or layer thickness. The laminate materials preserve the flexibility of conventional tubes, for example toothpaste tubes, as required to dispense products from a tube opening with the application of manual squeezing forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Albea Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: John Suter, Michael Hoard
  • Patent number: 10145630
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy fin material for heat exchangers, containing 0.5 to 1.5 mass % of Si; 0.1 to 1.0 mass % of Fe; 0.8 to 1.8 mass % of Mn; and 0.4 to 2.5 mass % of Zn, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein a metallographic microstructure before braze-heating is such that a density of second phase particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of less than 0.1 ?m is less than 1×107 particles/mm2, and that a density of second phase particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of 0.1 ?m or more is 5×104 particles/mm2 or more, wherein a tensile strength before braze-heating, TSB (N/mm2), a tensile strength after braze-heating, TSA (N/mm2), and a sheet thickness of the fin material, t (?m), satisfy a relationship: 0.4?(TSB?TSA)/t?2.1, and wherein the sheet thickness is 150 ?m or less; and a method of producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Fukumoto, Junichi Mochizuki, Akio Niikura
  • Patent number: 10131970
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing AlMn strip or sheet for making components by brazing, as well as the products obtained by said method. In particular this method is related to fin materials used in heat exchangers. The fins can be delivered with or without a cladding depending on application. Rolling slabs are produced from a melt which contains 0.3-1.5% Si, ?0.5% Fe, ?0.3% Cu, 1.0-2.0% Mn, ?0.5% Mg, ?4.0% Zn, ?0.3% each of elements from group IVb, Vb, or VIb elements, and unavoidable impurity elements, as well as aluminum as the remainder in which the rolling slabs prior to hot rolling are preheated at a preheating temperature of less than 550° C., preferably between 400 and 520° C., more preferably between 450 and 520° C. to control the number and size of dispersoid particles, and the preheated rolling slab is hot rolled into a hot strip. The strip is thereafter cold rolled into a strip with a total reduction of at least 90%, and the cold rolled strip is heat treated to obtain a 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Gränges Sweden AB
    Inventors: Anders Oskarsson, Hans-Erik Ekström, Richard Westergård, Stian Tangen
  • Patent number: 10125410
    Abstract: This invention relates to metallurgy, more specifically, to wrought aluminum base alloys, and can be used for the fabrication of products with up to 350° C. working temperature range. The technical result achieved in the first and second objects of this invention is providing a new heat resistant aluminum base alloy the wrought semifinished products of which (sheets, rods, wire, die forgings products or pipes) have high strength, heat resistance and electrical conductivity. Said technical result is achieved in the first object of this invention as follows. The aluminum base alloy contains copper, manganese, zirconium, silicon, iron and chromium in the following amounts, wt. %: Copper 0.6-1.5 Manganese 1.2-1.8 Zirconium 0.2-0.6 Silicon 0.05-0.25 Iron 0.1-0.4 Chromium 0.01-0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Inventors: Nikolay Alexandrovich Belov, Alexander Nikolaevich Alabin
  • Patent number: 10041154
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet includes an aluminum alloy substrate having a composition containing, by mass percentage, 3.0 to 4.0% of magnesium, 0.2 to 0.4% of manganese, 0.1 to 0.5% of iron, not less than 0.03% but less than 0.10% of copper, and less than 0.20% of silicon, with the remainder being aluminum and unavoidable impurities. A peak concentration of a copper concentration distribution in a thickness direction in a region at a depth of 15 nm to 200 nm from the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate is equal to or more than 0.15%, and the aluminum alloy substrate has a recrystallized structure with an average grain size of 15 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD., NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hirayama, Pizhi Zhao, Takeshi Handa, Toshiya Anami, Yusuke Nagaishi, Koji Itakura, Hirokazu Miyagawa, Tsutomu Hattori, Shigenori Yoshizawa, Akio Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 9698426
    Abstract: The present invention provides an aluminum alloy foil for electrode current collector, high in strength and superior in heat resistance after the active material coating/drying process of the manufacture of the battery, a manufacturing method thereof, and a lithium ion secondary battery. According to the present invention, an aluminum alloy foil for electrode current collector, including 0.1 to 0.5 mass % (hereinafter mass % is referred to as %) of Fe, 0.01 to 0.5% of Si, 0.01 to 0.2% of Cu, 0.01 to 0.5% of Mn, with the rest being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein tensile strength of an aluminum alloy foil and a heat treatment selected from 24 hours at 100° C., 3 hours at 150° C., and 15 minutes at 200° C., is 210 MPa or higher, a manufacturing method thereof, and a lithium ion secondary battery are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: UACJ CORPORATION, UACJ FOIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiko Furutani, Kenji Yamamoto, Satoshi Suzuki, Masakazu Seki
  • Patent number: 9303299
    Abstract: A method of production of inexpensive aluminum alloy is provided which enables precipitation of fine particles of Al—Fe—Si-based compounds and primary crystal Si to an aluminum alloy melt which is comprised of Si: 10 to 20 mass %, Fe: 0.5 to 4 mass %, P: 0.003 to 0.02 mass %, and further, if necessary, one or more of Mn, Ni, and Cr or furthermore, if necessary, one or more of Mg, Ti, Cr, Zr, and V, and has a balance of Al and unavoidable impurities. To the melt is added 0.01 to 1 mass %, in terms of silicide, of a substance, which includes fine particles of a metal silicide which are present as a solid phase in the melt, when the Al—Fe—Si-based compound is crystallized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Oda, Tomohiro Isobe, Hiroshi Okada
  • Publication number: 20150114522
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a grain-refined aluminum-zinc-magnesium-copper alloy sheet, including manufacturing an aluminum alloy sheet from an aluminum-zinc-magnesium-copper alloy melt by twin-roll strip casting, primarily rolling the aluminum alloy sheet manufactured in step 1, cold rolling the aluminum alloy sheet manufactured in step 2, and performing a heat treatment on the aluminum alloy sheet manufactured in step 3, thereby reducing processing time and cost by using twin-roll casting. Since grain refinement and homogenization of the sheet manufactured by the twin-roll casting are maximized by sequentially performing warm rolling, cold rolling, and a heat treatment on the sheet, elongation may be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Hyoung-Wook Kim, Yun-Soo Lee, Cha Yong Lim, Jae Hyung Cho
  • Publication number: 20150114523
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet for motor vehicles is produced by casting a melt, containing 3.0-3.5 mass % Mg, 0.05-0.3 mass % Fe, 0.05-0.15 mass % Si, and less than 0.1 mass % Mn, a balance substantially being inevitable impurities and Al, into a slab having a thickness of 5 to 15 mm in a twin-belt caster so that cooling rate at ¼ depth of thickness of the slab is 20 to 200° C./sec; winding the cast thin slab into a coiled thin slab subjected to cold rolling with a roll having a surface roughness of 0.2 to 0.7 ?m Ra at a cold rolling reduction of 50 to 98%; subjecting the cold rolled sheet to final annealing either continuously in a CAL at a holding temperature of 400 to 520° C. within 5 minutes or in a batch annealing furnace at a holding temperature of 300 to 400° C. for 1 to 8 hours; and subjecting the resulting sheet to straightening with a leveler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: NIPPON LIGHT METAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Pizhi ZHAO, Toshiya ANAMI, Kazumitsu MIZUSHIMA, Akira GOTO, Hitoshi KAZAMA, Kunihiro YASUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20150107731
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy fin material for a heat exchanger having suitable strength before brazing enabling easy fin formation, having high strength after brazing, having a high thermal conductivity (electrical conductivity) after brazing, and having superior sag resistance, erosion resistance, self corrosion prevention, and sacrificial anode effect, a method of production of the same, and a method of production of a heat exchanger using the fin material are provided, that is, an aluminum alloy fin material having a chemical composition of Si: 0.7 to 1.4 wt %, Fe: 0.5 to 1.4 wt %, Mn: 0.7 to 1.4 wt %, and Zn: 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, Mg as an impurity limited to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki SUZUKI, Tomohiro SASAKI, Masae NAGASAWA, Nobuki TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 8999083
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy fin material for a heat exchanger having suitable strength before brazing enabling easy fin formation, having high strength after brazing, having a high thermal conductivity (electrical conductivity) after brazing, and having superior sag resistance, erosion resistance, self corrosion prevention, and sacrificial anode effect, a method of production of the same, and a method of production of a heat exchanger using the fin material are provided, that is, an aluminum alloy fin material having a chemical composition of Si: 0.7 to 1.4 wt %, Fe: 0.5 to 1.4 wt %, Mn: 0.7 to 1.4 wt %, and Zn: 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, Mg as an impurity limited to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Suzuki, Tomohiro Sasaki, Masae Nagasawa, Nobuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20150075677
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet which has high strength enabling application to automobile body sheet and which is excellent in press-formability and shape fixability and a method of production of the same are provided. Aluminum alloy sheet having a composition of ingredients which contains Mg, Fe, and Ti, restricts the impurity Si to less than 0.20 mass %, and has a balance of Al and unavoidable impurities and a metal structure with an average grain size of less than 15 ?m and having second phase particles with a circle equivalent diameter of 3 ?m or more in a number of less than 300/mm2 and having a tensile strength of 240 MPa or more, a yield strength of less than 130 MPa, an elongation of 30% or more, and a plane strain fracture limit at a strain rate of 20/sec of 0.20 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hirayama, Takeshi Handa, Toshiya Anami
  • Publication number: 20150020930
    Abstract: New 7xxx aluminum alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new 7xxx aluminum alloy bodies may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new 7xxx aluminum alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, John M. Newman, Ralph R. Sawtell, Jen C. Lin
  • Publication number: 20140367000
    Abstract: New Al—Li alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new Al—Li alloy bodies may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new Al—Li alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, John M. Newman, Ralph R. Sawtell, Jen C. Lin
  • Publication number: 20140366999
    Abstract: New 2xxx aluminum alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new 2xxx aluminum alloy bodies may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new 2xxx aluminum alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, John M. Newman, Ralph R. Sawtell, Jen C. Lin
  • Publication number: 20140366998
    Abstract: New 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new 6xxx aluminum alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, John M. Newman, Ralph R. Sawtell, Jen C. Lin
  • Publication number: 20140366997
    Abstract: New HT aluminum alloy bodies and methods of producing the same are disclosed. The new HT aluminum alloy bodies contain 0.20-2.0 wt. % Mg, 0.10-1.5 wt. % Si, 0.01-1.0 wt. % Fe, and, 0.10-1.0 wt. % Cu, wherein, when Si+Cu<0.60 wt. %, then Fe+Mn?1.5 wt. %, optionally with up to 1.5 wt. % Mn, optionally with up to 1.5 wt. % Zn, wherein at least one of the Mg, the Si, the Fe, the Cu, the optional Mn, and the optional Zn is the predominate alloying element of the aluminum alloy sheet other than the aluminum, and may be produced by preparing the aluminum alloy body for post-solutionizing cold work, cold working by at least 25%, and then thermally treating. The new HT aluminum alloy bodies may realize improved strength and other properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Rajeev G. Kamat, John M. Newman, Ralph R. Sawtell, Jen C. Lin, Lynette M. Karabin, Thomas N. Rouns
  • Publication number: 20140326368
    Abstract: A method for producing an aluminum-alloy shaped product, includes a step of forging a continuously cast rod of aluminum alloy serving as a forging material, in which the aluminum alloy contains Si in an amount of 10.5 to 13.5 mass %, Fe in an amount of 0.15 to 0.65 mass %, Cu in an amount of 2.5 to 5.5 mass % and Mg in an amount of 0.3 to 1.5 mass %, and heat treatment and heating steps including a step of subjecting the forging material to pre-heat treatment, a step of heating the forging material during a course of forging of the forging material and a step of subjecting a shaped product to post-heat treatment, the pre-heat treatment including treatment of maintaining the forging material at a temperature of ?10 to 480° C. for two to six hours.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventor: Yasuo OKAMOTO
  • Patent number: 8869875
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy for producing an aluminum strip for lithographic print plate carriers, a method for producing an aluminum alloy for lithographic print plate carriers, in which, during the production of the aluminum alloy, after the electrolysis of the aluminum oxide, the liquid aluminum, up to the casting of the aluminum alloy, is supplied to a plurality of purification steps, as well as an aluminum strip for lithographic print plate carriers and a corresponding use of the aluminum strip for lithographic print plate carriers include a carbide content of less than 10 ppm, and preferably less than 1 ppm. As a result, the aluminum alloy, the method for producing the aluminum alloy, the aluminum strip, and corresponding use of the aluminum strip for lithographic print plate carriers described herein allow for the use of virtually gas-tight coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Hydro Aluminium Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Kernig, Werner Droste, Henk-Jan Brinkman
  • Patent number: 8852365
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy comprises aluminum, magnesium, scandium, and an enhancing system. The magnesium is from about 0.5 percent to about 10.0 percent by weight based on the aluminum alloy. The scandium is from about 0.05 percent to about 10.0 percent by weight based on the aluminum alloy. The enhancing system is from about 0.05 percent to about 1.5 percent by weight based on the aluminum alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Krishnan K. Sankaran, Kevin T. Slattery
  • Publication number: 20140261908
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an aluminum alloy foil for an electrode current collector and a manufacturing method thereof, the foil having a high strength and high strength after a drying process after the application of the active material while keeping a high electrical conductivity. Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an aluminum alloy foil for electrode current collector, including: forming by continuous casting an aluminum alloy sheet containing 0.03 to 1.0% of Fe, 0.01 to 0.2% of Si, 0.0001 to 0.2% of Cu, with the rest being Al and unavoidable impurities, performing cold rolling to the aluminum alloy sheet at a cold rolling reduction of 80% or lower, and performing heat treatment at 550 to 620° C. for 1 to 15 hours.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: UACJ FOIL CORPORATION, UACJ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakazu Seki, Satoshi Suzuki, Kenji Yamamoto, Tomohiko Furutani
  • Patent number: 8828157
    Abstract: A method for producing an aluminum-alloy shaped product, includes a step of forging a continuously cast rod of aluminum alloy serving as a forging material, in which the aluminum alloy contains Si in an amount of 10.5 to 13.5 mass %, Fe in an amount of 0.15 to 0.65 mass %, Cu in an amount of 2.5 to 5.5 mass % and Mg in an amount of 0.3 to 1.5 mass %, and heat treatment and heating steps including a step of subjecting the forging material to pre-heat treatment, a step of heating the forging material during a course of forging of the forging material and a step of subjecting a shaped product to post-heat treatment, the pre-heat treatment including treatment of maintaining the forging material at a temperature of ?10 to 480° C. for two to six hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventor: Yasuo Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8784582
    Abstract: A heat exchanger use high strength aluminum alloy fin material having a high strength and excellent in thermal conductivity, erosion resistance, sag resistance, sacrificial anodization effect, and self corrosion resistance, characterized by containing Si: 0.8 to 1.4 wt %, Fe: 0.15 to 0.7 wt %, Mn: 1.5 to 3.0 wt %, and Zn: 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, limiting the Mg as an impurity to 0.05 wt % or less, and having a balance of ordinary impurities and Al in chemical composition, having a metal structure before brazing of a fibrous crystal grain structure, a tensile strength before brazing of not more than 240 MPa, a tensile strength after brazing of not less than 150 MPa, and a recrystallized grain size after brazing of 500 ?m or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Suzuki, Yoshito Oki, Tomohiro Sasaki, Masae Nagasawa
  • Publication number: 20140166162
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet includes an aluminum alloy substrate having a composition containing, by mass percentage, 3.0 to 4.0% of magnesium, 0.2 to 0.4% of manganese, 0.1 to 0.5% of iron, not less than 0.03% but less than 0.10% of copper, and less than 0.20% of silicon, with the remainder being aluminum and unavoidable impurities. A peak concentration of a copper concentration distribution in a thickness direction in a region at a depth of 15 nm to 200 nm from the surface of the aluminum alloy substrate is equal to or more than 0.15%, and the aluminum alloy substrate has a recrystallized structure with an average grain size of 15 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hirayama, Pizhi Zhao, Takeshi Handa, Toshiya Anami, Yusuke Nagaishi, Koji Itakura, Hirokazu Miyagawa, Tsutomu Hattori, Shigenori Yoshizawa, Akio Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 8691031
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet is manufactured by preparing a slab having a thickness of 5 to 15 mm with a continuous casting machine by a continuous casting process using molten alloy containing 0.40% to 0.65% of Mg, 0.50% to 0.75% of Si, 0.05% to 0.20% of Cr, and 0.10% to 0.40% of Fe, a remainder being Al; winding the slab into a coil; cold-rolling the slab into a sheet; subjecting the sheet to solution heat treatment in such a manner that the sheet is heated to a temperature of 530° C. to 560° C. at a heating rate of 10° C./sec or more and then maintained at the temperature for five seconds or more; quenching the sheet with water; coiling up the sheet; maintaining the sheet at a temperature of 60° C. to 110° C. for 3 to 12 hours; and then cooling the sheet to room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Nippon Light Metal Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Novelis Inc.
    Inventors: Pizhi Zhao, Toshiya Anami, Ichiro Okamoto, Hitoshi Kazama, Kunihiro Yasunaga, Noboru Hayashi, Kevin Gatenby, Simon Barker, Edward Luce
  • Publication number: 20140000768
    Abstract: Heat treatable aluminum alloy strips and methods for making the same are disclosed. The heat treatable aluminum alloy strips are continuously cast and quenched, with optional rolling occurring before and/or after quenching. After quenching, the heat treatable aluminum alloy strip is neither annealed nor solution heat treated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph R. Sawtell, John M. Newman, Thomas N. Rouns, Raymond J. Kilmer
  • Publication number: 20130334091
    Abstract: Heat treatable aluminum alloy strips and methods for making the same are disclosed. The heat treatable aluminum alloy strips are continuously cast and quenched, with optional rolling occurring before and/or after quenching. After quenching, the heat treatable aluminum alloy strip is neither annealed nor solution heat treated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: ALCOA INC.
    Inventors: Ralph R. Sawtell, John M. Newman, Thomas N. Rouns, Raymond J. Kilmer
  • Patent number: 8524015
    Abstract: An aluminum-magnesium alloy sheet having a high strength prior to baking treatment, and having a high bake softening resistance. Contains, as a percentage of mass, 2-5% magnesium, more than 0.05% and 1.5% or less iron, 0.05-1.5% manganese, and crystal grain refiner, the remainder comprising aluminum and inevitable impurities, and among the inevitable impurities, less than 0.20% silicon being contained, the total amount of iron and manganese being greater than 0.3%, the amount of iron dissolved in solid solution being 50 ppm or greater, 5000 or more intermetallic compounds with a circle-equivalent diameter of 1-6 ?m existing per square millimeter, and the average diameter of the recrystallized grains being 20 ?m or smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Pizhi Zhao, Masaru Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20130112323
    Abstract: The present invention provides an aluminum alloy sheet for forming which is a high-Mg-content Al—Mg alloy sheet reduced in ?-phase precipitation and improved in press formability. This aluminum alloy sheet for forming comprises an Al—Mg alloy containing 6.0-15.0 mass % Mg. In each of square regions, each side of which has the dimension of the whole sheet width (W), that are set in a surface of the alloy sheet, the concentration of Mg is measured at width-direction measurement points, Px, set at given intervals a and b respectively in the sheet-width direction and the sheet-length direction, and the average of the values of Mg concentration measured at the plurality of width-direction measurement points (Px) is taken as a width-direction average Mg concentration (Co).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Abe, Makoto Morishita
  • Patent number: 8425698
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet having excellent press formability and stress corrosion cracking resistance, comprises 3.3 to 3.6 percent by weight of Mg and 0.1 to 0.2 percent by weight of Mn, furthermore, 0.05 to 0.3 percent by weight of Fe and 0.05 to 0.15 percent by weight of Si, and the remainder comprises Al and incidental impurities, wherein the sizes of intermetallic compounds is 5 ?m or less, the recrystallized grain size is 15 ?m or less in the region at a depth of 10 to 30 ?m below the sheet surface, and the surface roughness is Ra 0.2 to 0.7 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignees: Nippon Light Metal Co., Ltd, Novelis Inc., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pizhi Zhao, Toshiya Anami, Ichiro Okamoto, Hitoshi Kazama, Kunihiro Yasunaga, Noboru Hayashi, Kevin Gatenby, Mark Gallerneault, Simon Barker
  • Patent number: 8420011
    Abstract: The present invention provides an Al—Mg series alloy sheet of high-Mg with improved press formability and homogeneity which can be applied to automobile outer panels and inner panels. This is an Al—Mg series aluminum alloy sheet having 0.5 to 3 mm in thickness cast by twin-roll continuous casting and cold rolled, comprising over 8% but not more than 14% Mg, 1.0% or less Fe, and 0.5% or less Si with the remainder being Al and unavoidable impurities wherein the mean conductivity of the aluminum alloy sheet is in the range of at least 20 IACS % but less than 26 IACS %, the strength-ductility balance (tensile strength×total elongation) as a material property of the aluminum alloy sheet is 11000 (MPa %) or more, and the homogeneity and press formability of the sheet have been improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Morishita, Katsushi Matsumoto, Shigenobu Yasunaga, Takashi Inaba
  • Patent number: 8366842
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing aluminum alloy strip for a lithographic printing plate supports includes a filter, a launder connected to the filter, a liquid level controller connected to the launder, and a melt feed nozzle connected to the liquid level controller. The liquid level controller includes a step to trap settled particles within an aluminum melt which forms the alloy strip. The launder has a length L (m) which satisfies the condition 4?L?V×270×1.2×D, where V is the flow velocity in meters per second of the aluminum melt in the launder and D is the depth in meters of the aluminum melt in the launder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Sawada, Akio Uesugi
  • Publication number: 20130022301
    Abstract: With regard to an Al—Cr—Zr based alloy having annealing temper, a high temperature strength at 180 to 200 degrees C. is ensured. An aluminum alloy for a plain bearing having improved fatigue resistance is to be provided. An aluminum alloy for a plain bearing solving the problems has a composition of 3 to 7 mass % Mg, 0.1 to 0.3 mass % Cr, and 0.1 to 0.3 mass % Zr, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities. A principal structure of the aluminum alloy consist of an Al matrix containing solute Mg, minute particles of Cr, and Zr.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: TAIHO KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Tomikawa, Shinichiro Sakamoto, Katsumi Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120291924
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet is manufactured by preparing a slab having a thickness of 5 to 15 mm with a continuous casting machine by a continuous casting process using molten alloy containing 0.40% to 0.65% of Mg, 0.50% to 0.75% of Si, 0.05% to 0.20% of Cr, and 0.10% to 0.40% of Fe, a remainder being Al; winding the slab into a coil; cold-rolling the slab into a sheet; subjecting the sheet to solution heat treatment in such a manner that the sheet is heated to a temperature of 530° C. to 560° C. at a heating rate of 10° C./sec or more and then maintained at the temperature for five seconds or more; quenching the sheet with water; coiling up the sheet; maintaining the sheet at a temperature of 60° C. to 110° C. for 3 to 12 hours; and then cooling the sheet to room temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicants: NIPPON LIGHT METAL CO., LTD., NOVELIS INC., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Pizhi ZHAO, Toshiya ANAMI, Ichiro OKAMOTO, Hitoshi KAZAMA, Kunihiro YASUNAGA, Noboru HAYASHI, Kevin GATENBY, Simon BARKER, Edward LUCE
  • Publication number: 20120261037
    Abstract: A heat exchanger use high strength aluminum alloy fin material having a high strength and excellent in thermal conductivity, erosion resistance, sag resistance, sacrificial anodization effect, and self corrosion resistance, characterized by containing Si: 0.8 to 1.4 wt %, Fe: 0.15 to 0.7 wt %, Mn: 1.5 to 3.0 wt %, and Zn: 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, limiting the Mg as an impurity to 0.05 wt % or less, and having a balance of ordinary impurities and Al in chemical composition, having a metal structure before brazing of a fibrous crystal grain structure, a tensile strength before brazing of not more than 240 MPa, a tensile strength after brazing of not less than 150 MPa, and a recrystallized grain size after brazing of 500 ?m or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Suzuki, Yoshito Oki, Tomohiro Sasaki, Masae Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 8206519
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making an aluminum alloy product having a gauge below 200 ?m. It also relates to an aluminum alloy product having a gauge below the same value and to containers for food packaging application made from the aluminum alloy product. The invention is process of manufacturing an aluminum alloy comprising the following steps: continuous casting an aluminum alloy melt of the following composition, (in weight %): Fe 1.0-1.8, Si 0.3-0.8, Mn up to 0.25, other elements less than or equal to 0.05 each and less than or equal to 0.15 in total, balance aluminum, cold rolling the cast product without an interanneal step to a gauge below 200 ?m and final annealing the cold rolled product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Novelis, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew David Howells, Hoellrigl Guenther, Armelle Daniélou, Florence Lauret