With Working Patents (Class 148/593)
  • Publication number: 20090301613
    Abstract: A steel composition and method from making a dual phase steel therefrom. The dual phase steel may have carbon of about 0.05% by weight to about 0.12 wt %; niobium of about 0.005 wt % to about 0.03 wt %; titanium of about 0.005 wt % to about 0.02 wt %; nitrogen of about 0.001 wt % to about 0.01 wt %; silicon of about 0.01 wt % to about 0.5 wt %; manganese of about 0.5 wt % to about 2.0 wt %; and a total of molybdenum, chromium, vanadium and copper less than about 0.15 wt %. The steel may have a first phase consisting of ferrite and a second phase having one or more of carbide, pearlite, martensite, lower bainite, granular bainite, upper bainite, and degenerate upper bainite. A solute carbon content in the first phase may be about 0.01 wt % or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Jayoung Koo, Swarupa Soma Bangaru, Hyun-Woo Jin, Adnan Ozekcin, Raghavan Ayer, Douglas P. Fairchild, Danny L. Beeson, Douglas S. Hoyt, James B. LeBleu, JR., Shigeru Endo, Mitsuhiro Okatsu, Shinichi Kakihara, Moriyasu Nagae
  • Patent number: 7621323
    Abstract: A very low carbon steel alloy is provided for use in manufacturing tubular members such as oil country tubular goods. The tubular members may be radially expanded from at least twenty percent to forty percent. Sections or joints of casing formed from the steel alloy may be installed within a wellbore and radially expanded during completion of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: United States Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Gary M. Reavis, Bluford W. Lowery, Ralph R. Myers, Bowman A. Urech
  • Publication number: 20090277544
    Abstract: A high-tensile strength welded steel tube has excellent formability and torsional fatigue endurance after being formed into cross-sectional shape and then stress-relief annealed. A steel material used has a composition which contains C, Si, Al, 1.01% to 1.99% Mn, 0.041% to 0.150% Ti, 0.017% to 0.150% Nb, P, S, N, and O such that the sum of the content of Ti and that of Nb is 0.08% or more, the content of each of C, Si, and Al being within an appropriate range, the content of each of P, S, N, and O being adjusted to a predetermined value or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: JFE Steel Corporation, a corporation of Japan
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toyoda, Masatoshi Aratani, Yoshikazu Kawabata, Yuji Hashimoto, Koji Suzuki, Kei Sakata, Makio Gunji, Akio Sato, Tetsuro Sawaki
  • Publication number: 20090238714
    Abstract: A seamless steel tube for an airbag accumulator which can be manufactured by heat treatment of normalizing without quenching and tempering and which has a tensile strength of at least 850 MPa and resistance to bursting at ?20° C. has a stee; composition comprising, in mass %, C: 0.08-0.20%, Si: 0.1-1.0%, Mn: 0.6-2.0%, P: at most 0.025%, S: at most 0.010%, Cr: 0.05-1.0%, Mo: 0.05-1.0%, Al: 0.002-0.10%, at least one of Ca: 0.0003-0.01%, Mg: 0.0003-0.01%, and REM (rare earth metals): 0.0003-0.01%, at least one of Ti: 0.002-0.1% and Nb: 0.002-0.1%, with Ceq which is defined by the following Equation (1) being in the range of 0.45-0.63, with the metallurgical structure being a mixed structure of ferrite+bainite: Ceq=C+Si/24+Mn/6+(Cr+Mo)/5+(Ni+Cu)/15??(1) wherein the symbol for each element in Equation (1) indicates the number expressing the mass percent of the element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: SUMITOMO METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Arai, Takashi Takano
  • Publication number: 20090218014
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method for producing duplex stainless steel seamless pipe in which a duplex stainless steel billet can be inhibited from generating an oxide scale on the surface thereof during heating and the generation of outer surface flaw can also be prevented. The billet is heated in the a heating furnace for 1.5 hours or more and 4.0 hours or less at a heating temperature of 1250° C. or more and 1320° C. or less while regulating the average concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas in the atmosphere within the furnace to 0.01 volume % or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Naoya Hirase, Tetsuya Nakanishi, Kazuhiro Shimoda, Hirokazu Okada, Tomio Yamakawa, Yasuyoshi Hidaka
  • Patent number: 7566416
    Abstract: A steel pipe for an airbag inflator having a high strength of at least 900 MPa and preferably at least 1000 MPa in tensile strength along with a high toughness and exhibiting good resistance to bursting such that it has no propagation of cracks in a burst test at ?40° C. or below is manufactured by quenching a pipe of a steel comprising, in mass %, C: 0.05-0.20 %, Si: 0.1-1.0 %, P: at most 0.025 %, S: at most 0.010 %, Cr: 0.05-1.45 %, Al: at most 0.10 %, and one or both of Ti and Mn satisfying Ti?0.02% and 0.4%?Mn+40Ti?1.2% from a temperature of at least the Ac1 transformation point of the steel, tempering the pipe at a temperature lower than the Ac1 transformation point, applying cold working to it with a reduction of area of at most 65%, and subjecting it to stress relief annealing at a temperature lower than the Ac1 transformation point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Takano, Yuji Arai, Kunio Kondo, Keisuke Hitoshio
  • Patent number: 7563335
    Abstract: A method of forming a dual chamber seamless tube (64) includes providing a slug of steel (56) and cold working a first end (70) of the slug (56) to form a first chamber (114) and cold working a second end (72) of the slug (56) to form a second chamber (116). The first and second chambers (114 and 116) are axially aligned and separated by a wall portion (126) of the tube (64).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Eric C. Erike
  • Publication number: 20090120541
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high-strength steel plate having excellent resistance to cutting crack, excellent Charpy absorbed energy, excellent DWTT properties, a low yield ratio, and a tensile strength of 900 MPa or more, a method of producing the steel plate, and a high-strength steel pipe using the steel plate. As solving means, a steel plate contains, by % by mass, 0.03 to 0.12% of C, 0.01 to 0.5% of Si, 1.5 to 3% of Mn, 0.01 to 0.08% of Al, 0.01 to 0.08% of Nb, 0.005 to 0.025% of Ti, 0.001 to 0.01% of N, and at least one component of 0.01 to 2% of Cu, 0.01 to 3% of Ni, 0.01 to 1% of Cr, 0.01 to 1% of Mo, and 0.01 to 0.1% of V; wherein the contents of Ca, O, and S satisfy the equation below; the microstructure includes ferrite and a second hard phase, the area fraction of ferrite being 10 to 50%; cementite in the second phase has an average grin size of 0.5 ?m or less; and the total amount of Nb and the like contained in carbides thereof present in steel is 10% or less of the total content in steel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: JEF STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junji Shimamura, Shigeru Endo, Mitsuhiro Okatsu
  • Publication number: 20090114318
    Abstract: A seamless steel pipe for line pipe having a high strength and good toughness and corrosion resistance even though having a thick wall has a chemical composition comprising, in mass percent, C: 0.02-0.08%, Si: at most 0.5%, Mn: 1.5-3.0%, Al: 0.001-0.10%, Mo: greater than 0.4% to 1.2%, N: 0.002-0.015%, Ca: 0.0002-0.007%, and a remainder of Fe and impurities, wherein the contents of the impurities are at most 0.03% for P, at most 0.005% for S, at most 0.005% for O and less than 0.0005% for B and wherein the value of Pcm calculated by the following Equation (1) is at least 0.185 and at most 0.250. The steel pipe has a microstructure which primarily comprises bainite and which has a length of cementite of at most 20 micrometers: Pcm=[C]+[Si]/30+([Mn]+[Cr]+[Cu])/20+[Mo]/15+[V]/10+5[B]??(1) wherein [C], [Si], [Mn], [Cr], [Cu], [Mo], [V] and [B] are numbers respectively indicating the content in mass percent of C, Si, Mn, Cr, Cu, Mo, V and B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Yuji Arai, Kunio Kondo, Nobuyuki Hisamune
  • Publication number: 20090044883
    Abstract: In a method of making a seamless hot-finished steel pipe a billet heated to a shaping temperature is pierced by a first shaping to a thick-walled hollow ingot which subsequently undergoes a radial forging process using an internal tool inserted in the hollow ingot and at least two forging jaws of a forging machine. The forging jaws act on the outer surface area of the hollow ingot, wherein the hollow ingot is turned and axially advanced in a clocked manner in the idle stroke phase of the forging jaws.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: V & M DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Christoph Prasser, Rolf Kummerling, Stefan Wiedenmaier, Pierre Lefebvre, Rupert Wieser, Robert Koppensteiner
  • Publication number: 20090032150
    Abstract: An oil country tubular good for expansion according to the invention is expanded in a well. The oil country tubular good for expansion has a composition containing, in percentage by mass, 0.05% to 0.08% C, at most 0.50% Si, 0.80% to 1.30% Mn, at most 0.030% P, at most 0.020% S, 0.08% to 0.50% Cr, at most 0.01% N, 0.005% to 0.06% Al, at most 0.05% Ti, at most 0.50% Cu, and at most 0.50% Ni, and the balance consisting of Fe and impurities, and a structure having a ferrite ratio of at least 80%. The oil country tubular good for expansion has a yield strength in the range from 276 MPa to 379 MPa and a uniform elongation of at least 16%. Therefore, the oil country tubular good according to the invention has a high pipe expansion characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Taro Ohe, Keiichi Nakamura, Hideki Takabe, Toshiharu Abe, Tomoki Mori, Masakatsu Ueda
  • Patent number: 7485197
    Abstract: In a martensitic stainless steel tube according to the present invention, the content is determined by each of elements C, Si, Mn and Cr, and the bubble content ratio is further prescribed in accordance with the scale thickness on the outer surface of the steel tube, so that defects can be detected with high precision in the non-destructive inspection, such as ultrasonic test or the like. This allows the non-destructive inspection to be carried out with high efficiency. Moreover, there is another advantage that the weather resistance can be enhanced. The steel tube according to the present invention and the manufacturing method thereof can be suitably used in all of the technical fields in which a martensitic stainless steel tube having equal chemical composition is treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mutsumi Tanida
  • Patent number: 7475478
    Abstract: A method for making structural automotive components and the like includes providing a blank of air hardenable martensitic stainless steel in the annealed condition. The steel blank has a thickness in the range of 0.5-5.0 mm., and is formed utilizing stamping, forging, pressing, or roller forming techniques or the like into the form of an automotive structural member. The automotive structural member is then hardened by application of heat, preferably to between 950° C. and 1100° C. for standard martensitic stainless steels. Thereafter, the automotive structural member is preferably cooled at a rate greater than 25° C. per minute to achieve a Rockwell C hardness of at least 39. The automotive structural member may undergo additional heat treating processes including high temperature or low temperature tempering processes which may incorporate electro-coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: KVA, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. McCrink, Danny Codd
  • Publication number: 20090000709
    Abstract: A billet containing, by mass %, 8.0 to 16.0% of Cr with a value represented by the formula of “Cr+4Si?(22C+0.5Mn+1.5Ni+30N)” of not more than 9.0%, wherein the symbols of the elements represent the contents, by mass %, of the elements in the steel, is heated by means of a heating furnace conditioned so as to have a soaking temperature of 1100 to 1300° C. and an in-furnace time (min) of not less than “0.5×Diameter of the billet (mm)”. Thereafter, by means of a centering machine capable of forming a center hole having a diameter of not less than “0.34×Diameter of the billet (mm)” at one end face of the said billet where piercing starts by punch of 60 to 110° punching angle, a center hole is formed at the said face of the billet, followed by piercing and rolling by an inclined roll type piercing mill of not more than 8.0% plug tip draft rate. The thus-produced high-Cr seamless pipe or tube has excellent internal surface properties with minimized internal surface defects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Taro Ohe, Koji Nakakaike
  • Patent number: 7470336
    Abstract: A martensitic alloy in which the ASTM grain size number is at least 5, including (wt. %) up to about 0.5% C, at least about 5% Cr, at least about 0.5% Ni, up to about 15% Co, up to about 8% Cu, up to about 8% Mn, up to about 4% Si, up to about 6% (Mo+W), up to about 1.5% Ti, up to about 3% V, up to about 0.5% Al, and at least about 40% Fe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Steel Technology LLC
    Inventor: Robert F. Buck
  • Publication number: 20080283161
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a high strength seamless steel pipe excellent in hydrogen-induced cracking resistance, characterized by consisting of, by mass %, C: 0.03-0.11%, Si: 0.05-0.5%, Mn: 0.8-1.6%, P: 0.025% or less, S: 0.003% or less, Ti: 0.002-0.017%, Al: 0.001-0.10%, Cr: 0.05-0.5%, Mo: 0.02-0.3%, V: 0.02-0.20%, Ca: 0.0005-0.005%, N: 0.008% or less and O (Oxygen): 0.004% or less, and the balance Fe and impurities, and also characterized in that the microstructure of the steel is bainite and/or martensite, ferrite is precipitated at grain boundaries and yield stress is 483 MPa or more. Further, to ensure high strength of the steel, the seamless steel pipe preferably contains, by mass %, at least one of Cu: 0.05-0.5% and Ni: 0.05-0.5%. To produce the above-mentioned steel pipe, it is desirable to limit a starting temperature of quenching after rolling, a cooling rate and a tempering temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Nobutoshi Murao, Nobuyuki Hisamune, Hajime Osako, Kunio Kondo
  • Publication number: 20080283160
    Abstract: A bent pipe corresponding to at least API X100 grade and having a base metal with high strength and toughness and a weld metal with high toughness is provided. A steel plate prepared by cooling after hot rolling at a cooling rate at the central portion in the plate thickness direction of at most 5° C. per second at 700-500° C. is formed into a bend mother pipe, which is then heated to 900-1100° C. and subjected to bending, then it is cooled to a temperature of at most 300° C. at a cooling rate in the central portion of the thickness direction of at least 5° C. per second at 700-500° C., after which it is tempered at 300-500° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Nobuaki Takahashi, Akio Yamamoto, Masahiko Hamada
  • Publication number: 20080257459
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the following seamless steel pipes excellent in strength, toughness and weldability, particularly suitable for submarine flow lines, and a manufacturing method thereof. An as-quenched seamless steel pipe having a chemical composition consisting of, by mass %, C: 0.03 to 0.08%, Mn: 0.3 to 2.5%, Al: 0.001 to 0.10%, Cr: 0.02 to 1.0%, Ni: 0.02 to 1.0%, Mo: 0.02 to 0.8%, Ti: 0.004 to 0.010%, N: 0.002 to 0.008%, Ca: 0.0005 to 0.005%, and the balance Fe and impurities, with not more than 0.25% of Si, not more than 0.05% of P, not more than 0.005% of S, less than 0.005% of Nb, and less than 0.0003% of B as the impurities, and having a microstructure consisting of not more than 20 volume % of polygonal ferrite, not more than 10 volume % of a mixed microstructure of martensite and retained austenite, and the balance bainite. B can be 0.0003 to 0.001%. Mg and/or REM can be contained. The manufacturing method is characterized by the cooling rate during quenching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Yuji Arai, Kunio Kondo, Nobuyuki Hisamune
  • Patent number: 7431781
    Abstract: A common-rail injection system is provided for a diesel engine and has excellent internal pressure fatigue resisting characteristics, vibrational fatigue resisting characteristics and cavitation resisting property and sheet face flawing resisting property, and can be made thin and light in weight. A main pipe rail is manufactured by transformation induced plastic type strength steel. After the main pipe rail is processed, residual austenite is generated by heat treatment, and the reduction processing of stress concentration of a branch hole and a main pipe rail side flow passage crossing portion is performed. Further, it is preferable that an induced plastic transformation is generated on the inner surface of the main pipe rail by autofrettage processing, and compression residual stress is left.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: USUI Kokusai Sangyo Kaisha Limited
    Inventors: Masayoshi Usui, Kikuo Asada, Teruhisa Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20080226396
    Abstract: The present invention describes an upset SCR of novel low carbon chemical composition and microstructure as well as method of manufacturing the same, which achieves higher improvement in the fatigue life as it is integral with the riser pipe section at the Touch Down Zone. The low carbon upset SCR achieves its desired properties by the thermal treatment which it is subjected to. The novel low carbon chemical composition and microstructure comprises in weight per cent, carbon 0.04-0.10, manganese 0.40-0.70, silicon 0.15-0.35, chromium 0.40-0.70, molybdenum 0.40-0.70, nickel 0.10-0.40, nitrogen 0.008 max, aluminum 0.010-0.045, sulfur 0.005 max, phosphorus 0.020 max, titanium 0.003-0.020, niobium 0.020-0.035, vanadium no more than 0.10, copper 0.20 max, tin 0.020 max, and carbon equivalent 0.43 max and PCM no more than 0.23 and having a yield strength of at least of 65000 psi, the ultimate tensile strength of at least 77000 psi and YS/UTS ratio below 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: TUBOS DE ACERO DE MEXICO S.A.
    Inventors: Alfonso Izquierdo Garcia, Hector Manuel Quintanilla Carmona
  • Publication number: 20080216928
    Abstract: A seamless steel pipe for line pipe having high strength and stable toughness and having resistance to sulfide corrosion cracking at low temperatures to room temperature is provided. A seamless steel pipe according to the present invention has a chemical composition comprising, in mass percent, C: 0.03-0.08%, Si: 0.05-0.5%, Mn: 1.0-3.0%, Mo: greater than 0.4% to 1.2%, Al: 0.005-0.100%, Ca: 0.001-0.005%, a remainder of Fe and impurities including N, P, S, O, and Cu, with the impurities containing at most 0.01% of N, at most 0.05% of P, at most 0.01% of S, at most 0.01% of O, and at most 0.1% of Cu, and having a microstructure comprising a bainitic-martensitic dual phase structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Kenji Kobayashi, Tomohiko Omura, Kunio Kondo, Yuji Arai, Nobuyuki Hisamune
  • Patent number: 7399372
    Abstract: A metallic bellows, composed of precipitation hardening stainless steel, includes ridge portions and valley portions formed alternately and continuously, an average grain size of 10 to 15 ?m, and compressive residual stress of not less than 500 MPa provided to at least surfaces of the ridge portions and the valleys by surface working.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Okada
  • Patent number: 7396421
    Abstract: A duplex stainless steel containing C, Si, Mn, P, S, Al, Ni, Cr, Mo, N (nitrogen, O (oxygen), Ca, Mg, Cu, B, and W, and the balance Fe and impurities, where a number of oxide-based inclusions, which have a total content of Ca and Mg of 20 to 40% by mass and also have a long diameter of not less than 7 ?m, is not more than a 10 per 1 mm2 of the cross section perpendicular to the working direction, or further, the number of oxide-based inclusions, which have a content of S of not less than 15% by mass and also have a long diameter of not less than 1 ?m, is not more than 10 per 0.1 mm2 of the cross section perpendicular to the working direction. Particularly, the contents of Cu, B and W are desirably 0.2 to 2%, 0.001 to 0.01%, and 0.1 to 4% by mass, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiko Omura, Satoshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7393421
    Abstract: A process that combines tubular body pressure induced shaping at elevated temperatures with a controlled rapid quenching operation using a gaseous quenching medium in a common unit. The achievable cooling rate permits the in-die shaping and quenching of tubular structural components of martensitic steels without requiring the use of a separate discrete quenching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Wuhua Yang
  • Patent number: 7393420
    Abstract: Steel tubes for bearing element parts according to the present invention, wherein the specific compositions are limited and an accumulation intensity of {211} face along with an impact property at ambient temperature in the longitudinal direction of steel tube are specified, can be provided as a source material for bearing element parts, which have excellent machinability and fatigue life in rolling contact, being incorporated without adding a free-cutting element specifically nor without reducing productivity since the spheroidizing for the same annealing duration with that of conventional spheroidizing treatment can be applied. Accordingly, by applying a manufacturing method or a cutting-machining method according to the present invention, bearing element parts such as races, rollers and shafts can be produced with less cost and efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Daito, Takashi Nakashima
  • Publication number: 20080121318
    Abstract: A seamless steel pipe produced by heating a steel billet, which has a chemical composition C: 0.15 to 0.20%, Si: not less than 0.01% to less than 0.15%, Mn: 0.05 to 1.0%, Cr: 0.05 to 1.5%, Mo: 0.05 to 1.0%, Al?0.10%, V: 0.01 to 0.2%, Ti: 0.002 to 0.03%, B: 0.0003 to 0.005% and N: 0.002 to 0.01%, further optionally one or more of Ca, Mg and REM in a specific amount, under the provision that the conditions “C+(Mn/6)+(Cr/5)+(Mo/3)?0.43” and “Ti×N<0.0002?0.0006×Si” are satisfied, with the balance being Fe and impurities, wherein P?0.025%, S?0.010% and Nb<0.005% among the impurities, to a temperature of 1000 to 1250° C. followed by pipe-making rolling at a final rolling temperature 900 to 1050° C., and then quenching the resulting steel pipe directly from a temperature not lower than the Ar3 transformation point followed by tempering at a temperature range from 600° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Yuji Arai, Keiichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7371293
    Abstract: Cold finished seamless steel tubes are made such that the residual stress F to be generated at the stage of the correction process after cold working is controlled to be 30 MPa or more and the scattering thereof is 30 MPa or less, when measured by Crampton method. Further, by adjusting the average grain size of spheroidized carbides, the dimensional change which emerges in lathe turning of the outside and inside diameter of relevant steel tubes due to the residual strain can be suppressed, and the strict roundness as well as the excellent machinability can be secured at the final processing stage of the work pieces for bearing parts. Consequently, steel tubes with high dimensional accuracy and less dimensional change at the final steps such as lathe turning, heat treatment and the like, can be made for use as bearing parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakashima, Kouichi Kuroda, Kenichi Beppu
  • Patent number: 7316143
    Abstract: A seamless steel tube comprising, in mass %, C: 0.30 to 0.50%, Si: 0.5% or less, Mn: 0.3 to 2.0%, P: 0.025% or less, S: 0.005% or less, Cr: 0.15 to 1.0%, Al: 0.001 to 0.05%, Ti: 0.005 to 0.05%, N: 0.02% or less, B: 0.0005 to 0.01% and O (oxygen): 0.0050% or less, wherein Beff defined in following equation (a) or (b) takes a value of 0.0001 or more, where Beff=B?10.8×(N?14×Ti/47.9)/14—(a) when Neff=N?14×Ti/47.9?0, and Beff=B—(b) when Neff=N?14×Ti/47.9<0, thus enabling to provide seamless steel tubes having excellent cold workability, hardenability, toughness and torsion fatigue strength and being most suitable for hollow shaft blanks for use in making one-piece type hollow drive shafts as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunio Kondo, Yuji Arai
  • Publication number: 20070267110
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a high-strength, as-welded steel pipe product, with a minimum yield strength in excess of 80 ksi (552 MPa), suitable for use in oil and gas well casings, without the need for a post-weld heat treatment which would otherwise be required to obtain an as-welded pipe having that level of strength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Steven S. Hansen, Joseph D. Russo
  • Patent number: 7201812
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a seamless steel tube, wherein a tubing material for the seamless steel tube is produced by a hot working process from a material having less workability, such as a high Cr—high Ni—high C alloy steel including Cr at a content not less than 15 weight % and Ni at a content not less than 20 weight % or a ferritic stainless steel including Cr at a content not less than 16 weight %, and then cold drawn at a reduction rate of not less than 15% and further cold rolled after applying an appropriate heat treatment, so that a round or an inner grooved steel tube is obtained. It is preferable that the hot extrusion process is employed for the hot working process and a cold Pilger mill is employed for the cold rolling process. In the cold rolling process, the crackings or damage resulting from the reduced toughness of the tubing material as well as the breakage of a mandrel in producing the round or the inner grooved tube can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidenori Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7169239
    Abstract: A very low carbon steel alloy is provided for use in manufacturing tubular members such as oil country tubular goods. The tubular members may be radially expanded from at least twenty percent to forty percent. Sections or joints of casing formed from the steel alloy may be installed within a wellbore and radially expanded during completion of the wellbore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Lone Star Steel Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gary M. Reavis, Bluford W. Lowery, Ralph R. Myers, Bowman A. Urech
  • Patent number: 7048810
    Abstract: A method for processing a hot formed, high-tensile-strength steel having an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of at least about 730 MPa (105 ksi) and excellent toughness to retain essentially all the strength and toughness is provided. This processing is needed for the fabrication of high strength fittings that are used in the construction of linepipe for transport of natural gas, crude oil, as well as other applications. Furthermore, the hot formed high strength steel may be weldable with a Pcm of less than or equal to 0.35.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Clifford W. Petersen, Jayoung Koo, Narasimha-Rao V. Bangaru, Michael J. Luton
  • Patent number: 7018488
    Abstract: A steel tube having a composition which contains: 0.05 to 0.30% of C; 1.8 to 4.0% of Mn; Si; and Al is subjected to a diameter-reducing rolling process in which the total diameter-reduction rate is no less than 20% and the temperature at which the diameter-reducing rolling process is finished is no higher than 800° C., whereby a structure constituted of martensite and/or bainite or further of ferrite is obtained as a transformation product from the deformed ?. As a result, a steel tube having tensile strength of 1000 MPa or more and excellent three-point-bending property can be obtained. The composition of the steel tube of the present invention may further include at least one type of element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ni, Cr and Mo, or at least one type of element selected from the group consisting of Nb, V, Ti and B, or at least of one type selected from the group consisting of REM and Ca.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Toyooka, Masanori Nishimori, Yoshikazu Kawabata, Akira Yorifuji, Motoaki Itadani, Takatoshi Okabe, Masatoshi Aratani
  • Patent number: 6958099
    Abstract: A steel material and a steel pipe made by using the same are provided which are to be used in severe oil well environments. Such a highly tough oil well steel pipe can be produced by rolling the base material, quenching the rolling product from the austenite region and tempering the same so that the relationship between the content of Mo [Mo] in the carbides precipitated at austenite grain boundaries and the austenite grain size (according to ASTM E 112) can be defined by the formula (a) given below. In this manner, steel pipes suited for use even under oil well environments becoming more and more severe can be produced while satisfying the requirements that the cost should be rationalized, the productivity improved and energy saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Nakamura, Kaori Kawano, Tomohiko Omura, Toshiharu Abe
  • Patent number: 6936119
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and a device for producing metal, non-rotationally symmetric rings with a constant wall thickness along their circumference, particularly cam rings, starting from a hot-rolled pipe from which individual portions are severed, mechanically machined and subsequently hardened and tempered. Ring blanks of equal width are severed from the pipe and are mechanically machined on all sides, and the non-rotationally symmetric shape is produced by cold forming, the pipe or the severed ring blank having a structure suitable for cold forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Mannesmannrohren-Werke AG
    Inventors: Wilfried Förster, Joachim Schlegel, Dieter Wamser, Roland Stephan
  • Patent number: 6921444
    Abstract: A method of performing manufacturing operations on a workpiece made of a high strength alloy is disclosed in which a local area of a workpiece is heated to micro-structurally soften the local area. The local area of the workpiece becomes softened and more ductile. A manufacturing operation involving deformation of the heat softened area is performed with the metal in the heat softened region being more ductile and having less strength than the surrounding portions thereof. Manufacturing operations may include riveting, clinching, hydro-forming, and magnetic pulse joining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Armando Mateo Joaquin, Paul George Sanders
  • Patent number: 6899773
    Abstract: An iron based, fine-grained, martensitic stainless steel essentially free of delta ferrite has a nominal composition of (wt. %): 0.05<C<0.15; 7.5<Cr<15; 2<Ni<5; Co<4; Cu<1.2; Mn<5; Si<1; (Mo+W)<4; 0.01<Ti<0.75; 0.135<(1.17Ti+0.6Zr+0.31Ta+0.31Hf)<1; V<2; Nb<1; N<0.02; Al<0.2; Al and Si both present such that (Al+Si)>0.01; B<0.1; P<0.1; S<0.03; and the balance essentially iron and impurities. This steel is different from other martensitic stainless steels because thermal mechanical treatment is used to refine the grains and precipitate a relatively uniform dispersion of fine, coarsening-resistant, MX-type particles. The steel combines high strength and impact toughness with good corrosion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Advanced Steel Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Robert F. Buck
  • Patent number: 6890393
    Abstract: An iron based, fine-grained, alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Advanced Steel Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Robert F. Buck
  • Patent number: 6878219
    Abstract: In order to manufacture a steel pipe for an air bag which can cope with increase in the pressure of gas blown into an air bag and decreases in the wall thickness of an accumulator, a steel having a composition, mass %, of: C: 0.05-0.20%, Si: 0.1-1.0%, Mn: 0.20-2.0%, P: at most 0.025%, S: at most 0.010%, Cr: 0.05-1.0%, Al: at most 0.10%, if necessary at least one of Mo: at most 0.50%, Ni: at most 1.5%, Cu: at most 0.5%, V: at most 0.2%, Ti: at most 0.1%, Nb: at most 0.1%, and B: at most 0.005%, and also if necessary, at least one of Ca: at most 0.01%, Mg: at most 0.01%, and REM (rare earth elements): at most 0.01%, and a remainder of Fe and impurities is used to produce a steel pipe, and the pipe is then subjected to cold working to predetermined dimensions, then to heating to a temperature of at least the Ac1 transformation temperature followed by quenching, and then to tempering at a temperature no higher than the Ac1 transformation temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunio Kondo, Miyuki Yamamoto, Takashi Takano, Kenichi Beppu, Susumu Hirano, Keisuke Hitoshio, Hidetoshi Kurata
  • Patent number: 6846371
    Abstract: A method of producing a high-strength high-toughness martensitic stainless steel seamless pipe which includes heating a martensitic stainless steel raw material to an austenitic range and subjecting the raw material to piercing and elongating to form an original pipe. The original pipe is cooled to form a structure substantially composed of martensite in the original pipe. The original pipe is reheated to a temperature in the dual-phase range between the Ac1 transformation point and the Ac3 transformation point, and is subjected to finishing rolling at an initial rolling temperature T (° C.) between the Ac1 transformation point and the Ac3 transformation point. The original pipe is then cooled to form a processed pipe. The processed pipe is tempered at a temperature below the Ac1 transformation point. The reduction in area R in the finishing rolling step may be in the range of 10% to 90%, and the initial rolling temperature T and the reduction in area R may satisfy the relationship 800?T?0.625R?850.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Miyata, Mitsuo Kimura, Takaaki Toyooka
  • Patent number: 6780261
    Abstract: A metallurgical process for producing a metallic implantable medical device, such as a stent, in a condition wherein the metallic alloy of the device has improved mechanical properties. The starting material is formed into an oversized tube which is drawn to finished outer diameter. The drawing process cold works the tube to produce a material having a high dislocation density and a yield strength that is above approximately 125 ksi. Next, the drawn tube is heat treated at a temperature of approximately one-half the absolute melting temperature of the alloy. The heat treatment causes dislocations to rearrange, forming sub-grains and re-crystallization of the grain structure. Upon cooling, a material is obtained having a yield strength between approximately 45-70 ksi and an elongation exceeding 40 percent. The material also has good resistance to fatigue fracture due to the fine grains and sub-grains that are established during the heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Trozera
  • Patent number: 6758921
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a bending-resistant, torsionally yielding tubular profiled member as a transverse support of a twist beam rear axle of a passenger car, a tube blank of tempering steel is cold formed to a tubular profiled member with a torsionally yielding central longitudinal section of a U-shaped cross-section and with opposed torsion-proof end sections. At least partial sections of the tubular profiled member are annealed at a temperature level between 850° C. and 960° C. The tubular profiled member is then hardened in water at a temperature above the AC3 point and subsequently tempered at a temperature between 200° C. and 550° C. for a duration of more than five minutes. As an alternative, a tube blank of case hardening steel is used, and at least partial sections of the tubular profiled member formed from this tube blank are case-hardened during a heat treatment with carburization of the surface of the tubular profiled member and subsequent quenching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Benteler AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Streubel, Wigbert Christophliemke
  • Publication number: 20040099355
    Abstract: The invention provides a high-carbon steel pipe having superior cold workability and induction hardenability, and a method of producing the steel pipe. The method comprises the steps of heating or soaking a base steel pipe having a composition containing C: 0.3 to 0.8%, Si: not more than 2%, and Mn: not more than 3%, and then carrying out reducing rolling on the base steel pipe at least in the temperature range of (Ac1 transformation point—50° C.) to Ac1 transformation point with an accumulated reduction in diameter of not less than 30%. A structure in which the grain size of cementite is not greater than 1.0 &mgr;m is obtained, thus resulting in improved cold workability and induction hardenability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Applicant: JFE Steel Corporation, a corporation of Japan
    Inventors: Takaaki Toyooka, Yoshikazu Kawabata, Akira Yorifuji, Masanori Nishimori, Motoaki Itadani, Takatoshi Okabe, Masatoshi Aratani, Yasue Koyama
  • Publication number: 20040074570
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) includes a low-carbon steel tube (24). The low-carbon steel tube (24) yields plastically more than about 5% before fracturing at temperatures down to about −40° C. when stress is applied to the low-carbon steel tube sufficient to cause the low carbon steel tube to so yield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Applicant: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: Eric C. Erike
  • Publication number: 20040031544
    Abstract: A high-strength steel pipe excellent in weldability on site and a method for producing the steel pipe by improving the reliability of the low temperature toughness of a steel are provided. For example, the steel pipe includes elements to enhance hardenability for furthering high-strengthening and also improving toughness at a weld heat affected zone subjected to double or more layer welding. In the method, the steel is made to consist of a structure composed of bainite and/or martensite by containing prescribed amounts of C, Si, Mn, P, S, Ni, Mo, Nb, Ti, Al and N, and, as occasion demands, one or more of B, V, Cu, Cr, Ca, REM, and Mg, and regulating C, Si, Mn, Cr, Ni, Cu, V and Mo. Such elements enhancing hardenability, by a specific relational expression. The diameter of prior austenite grains may be regulated in a prescribed range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Takuya Hara, Hitoshi Asahi
  • Patent number: 6692592
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a high Cr system seamless steel pipe having a high inside surface quality with a high efficiency and at a reduced production cost is provided. An initial material including Cr at a content of 10 to 20%, and impurities S and P at respective contents of not more than 0.050% is used to form a finished pipe, and when using parameters, the total soaking period &Sgr;t1 (hours) for soaking the initial material to form a primary pipe material as a billet or bloom and the total soaking period &Sgr;t2 (hours) for soaking the primary pipe material, a finished pipe is formed at a heating temperature of 1,200° C. under the condition that the following equation (b) is satisfied: F = f + 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Kidani, Koichi Ikeda, Toshiharu Abe
  • Patent number: 6682610
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a hollow stabilizer comprises a primary pipe manufacturing process for subjecting a seam-welded pipe to hot reduction working, thereby obtaining a primary pipe, and winding the primary pipe in a coil, a cold drawing process for subjecting the primary pipe to cold drawing so that the rate of reduction in area is not lower than 30%, thereby obtaining a thick-walled pipe having a wall thickness ratio of 0.20 to 0.27 higher than that of the seam-welded pipe and tensile strength of 800 N/mm2 to 1,000 N/mm2 is obtained, an internal shot peening process to be carried out as required, a bending process for bending the thick-walled pipe into a desired stabilizer shape in a cold state, an annealing process for subjecting the pipe to stress relieving annealing at a temperature of 300° C. to 450° C., after the bending process, and a shot peening process for shot-peening the annealed pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanji Inoue
  • Publication number: 20040000361
    Abstract: A metallurgical process for producing a metallic implantable medical device, such as a stent, in a condition wherein the metallic alloy of the device has improved mechanical properties. The starting material is formed into an oversized tube which is drawn to finished outer diameter. The drawing process cold works the tube to produce a material having a high dislocation density and a yield strength that is above approximately 125 ksi. Next, the drawn tube is heat treated at a temperature of approximately one-half the absolute melting temperature of the alloy. The heat treatment causes dislocations to rearrange, forming sub-grains and re-crystallization of the grain structure. Upon cooling, a material is obtained having a yield strength between approximately 45-70 ksi and an elongation exceeding 40 percent. The material also has good resistance to fatigue fracture due to the fine grains and sub-grains that are established during the heat treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventor: Thomas Trozera
  • Publication number: 20030221753
    Abstract: A steel pipe containing fine ferrite crystal grains, which has excellent toughness and ductility and good ductility-strength balance as well as superior collision impact resistance, and a method for producing the same are provided. A steel pipe containing super-fine crystal grains can be produced by heating a base steel pipe having ferrite grains with an average crystal diameter of di (&mgr;m), in which C, Si, Mn and Al are limited within proper ranges, and if necessary, Cu, Ni, Cr and Mo, or Nb, Ti, V, B, etc. are further added, at not higher than the Ac3 transformation point, and applying reducing at an average rolling temperature of &thgr;m (° C.) and a total reduction ratio Tred (%) within s temperature range of from 400 to Ac3 transformation point, with di, &thgr;m and Tred being in a relation satisfying a prescribed equation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: KAWASAKI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Toyooka, Akira Yorifuji, Masanori Nishimori, Motoaki Itadani, Yuji Hashimoto, Takatoshi Okabe, Taro Kanayama, Masahiko Morita, Saiji Matsuoka, Nobuki Tanaka, Osamu Furukimi, Takaaki Hira
  • Publication number: 20030217795
    Abstract: The present invention provides a line pipe of, e.g., the API standard X60 to X100 class. The line pipe has an excellent deformability, as well as excellent low temperature toughness and high productivity, a steel plate used as the material of the steel pipe. Methods for producing the steel pipe and the steel plate are also provided. In particular, a high-strength steel plate excellent in the deformability has a ferrite phase is dispersed finely, and accounts for 5% to 40% in area percentage in a low temperature transformation structure mainly composed of a bainite phase. For example, most grain sizes of the ferrite phase are smaller than the average grain size of the bainite phase. A high-strength steel pipe excellent in deformability is also provided, in which a large diameter steel pipe is produced through forming the steel plate into a pipe shape. The steel pipe has the above-referenced structure, and satisfies the conditions that YS/TS is 0.95 or less and YS×uEL is 5,000 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventors: Hitoshi Asahi, Yasuhiro Shinohara, Takuya Hara