Adjacent Functionally Defined Components Patents (Class 428/686)
  • Patent number: 6689490
    Abstract: Display Element for Employment in a Magnetic Anti-theft Security System A semi-hard magnetic alloy for activation strips in magnetic anti-theft security systems is disclosed that contains 8 to 25 weight % Ni, 1.5 to 4.5 weight % Al, 0.5 to 3 weight % Ti and balance iron. The alloy is distinguished over known, employed alloys by excellent magnetic properties and a high resistance to corrosion. Further, the inventive alloy can be excellently cold-worked before the annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Vacuumschmelze GmbH
    Inventors: Hartwin Weber, Gernot Hausch, Ottmar Roth
  • Patent number: 6673467
    Abstract: A metallic component exposed to high temperature steam is provided with a coating comprising a thin primer layer deposited on the surface of the metallic component and a thicker overlay layer on top of the primer layer. The primer layer consists of highly ductile, oxidation resistant material such that it remains free of any defects over a long period of exposure. The overlay layer consists of an oxidation resistant, less ductile, and low-cost material. It protects the thin primer layer from mechanical damage and chemical degradation. The primer layer protects the base material of the metallic component from oxidizing steam that may penetrate through cracks of the overlay layer. Due to suitable choice of coating materials and thicknesses of the layers the coating is low-cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventors: Richard Brendon Scarlin, Reinhard Knödler
  • Patent number: 6663981
    Abstract: A marker for use in a magnetic anti-theft security system has an amorphous ferromagnetic alloy alarm strip and at least one activation strip. The semi-hard magnetic alloy for the activation strip contains 8 to 25 weight % Ni, 1.5 to 4.5 weight % Al, 0.5 to 3 weight % Ti and balance of iron. The alloy is distinguished over known, employed alloys by excellent magnetic properties and a high resistance to corrosion. Further, the alloy can be excellently cold-worked before the annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Vacuumschmelze GmbH
    Inventors: Hartwin Weber, Gernot Hausch, Ottmar Roth
  • Patent number: 6635360
    Abstract: A brazing sheet comprises a thin covering material and a core material as well as an Al—Si alloy brazing material inserted between the thin covering material and the core material. The brazing material further contains Mg, Bi and/or Zn, Sn, In. When the above brazing material is molten in an inert gas atmosphere, this molten brazing material seeps onto the surface of the above thin covering material, whereby the brazing sheet is fluxlessly brazed to joint materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Sky Aluminum Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Takeno, Nobuyuki Kakimoto
  • Patent number: 6620527
    Abstract: A hillock-free wiring layer and method of forming the same are provided. The wiring layer includes at least two aluminum (Al) layers formed on a substrate, and each of the Al layers includes Al crystal particles. For any two Al layers of the wring layer, the one closer to the substrate is called the lower layer and the other one is called the higher layer. Besides, the Al crystal particles of the higher Al layer are larger and denser than that of the lower Al layer, and the lower Al layer has a higher resistance than that of the higher Al layer. By the invention, a wiring layer using either pure Al or an Al-based alloy is capable of preventing the occurrence of hillocks and reducing manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Cheng-Chi Wang
  • Patent number: 6620519
    Abstract: A method and system for inhibiting corrosion of aluminum and other metal-containing components and structures exposed to water is disclosed. In one embodiment, the silicate solution is used as a test fluid medium for structural testing of aluminum-alloy or other metal container structures including propellant tanks, in which a structure filled with the medium is then subjected to various structural load testing. In another embodiment, the silicate solution is used as a test medium for proof pressure hydrostatic or load testing of launch vehicle booster tanks. The silicate film protects the underlying base metal surface against corrosion during these tests. The film also protects the base metal surface in normal atmospheric conditions from exposure to humidity and other atmospheric moisture after removal of the test medium from the propellant tank following completion of testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Paresh R. Modi
  • Patent number: 6613452
    Abstract: A system and method for producing a corrosion-resistant article includes a metal substrate and a multi-layer resistant coating disposed over the metal substrate. The coating is operable to resist corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of the metal substrate. The coating includes a first layer comprising a material galvanically similar to the metal substrate. The coating also includes a second layer disposed over the first layer. The second layer comprises a metal anodic to the metal substrate. The corrosion resistant article may also include a corrosion resistant interface layer at the boundary of the first and second layers. The interface layer may be formed by diffusing a portion of the second layer into the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: John Douglas Weir
  • Patent number: 6607829
    Abstract: Tellurium-containing nanocrystallites are produced by injection of a precursor into a hot coordinating solvent, followed by controlled growth and annealing. Nanocrystallites may include CdTe, ZnTe, MgTe, HgTe, or alloys thereof. The nanocrystallites can photoluminesce with quantum efficiencies as high as 70%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Moungi G. Bawendi, Frederic V. Mikulec, Sungjee Kim
  • Publication number: 20030143420
    Abstract: A composition and process for inhibiting the corrosion of metallic substrates is revealed. The process utilizes an aqueous treatment solution comprising chitosan which has been reacted with an additive selected from the group consisting of phosphorus-containing compounds and sulfur-containing compounds and mixtures thereof. More preferably, the phosphorus-containing compound is a phosphonic acid and the sulfur-containing compound is a mercapto, thio, or thienyl containing compound or a mercapto functional silane. The composition and process are particularly useful in providing corrosion protection for aluminum and aluminum alloys.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventor: Gerald Wojcik
  • Publication number: 20030129445
    Abstract: A semi-hard magnetic alloy for activation strips in magnetic anti-theft security systems is disclosed that contains 8 to 25 weight % Ni, 1.5 to 4.5 weight % Al, 0.5 to 3 weight % Ti and balance iron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: Hartwin Weber, Gernot Hausch, Ottmar Roth
  • Patent number: 6565991
    Abstract: A composite doctor blade comprises a steel support band configured with a width and thickness suitable for mounting in a blade holder, with tensile and yield strengths suitable for a selected doctoring application. A wear resistant strip of high speed steel is integrally joined to an edge of the support band. The wear resistant strip has tensile and yield strengths higher than those of the support band, and has a hardness of between about 55 to 75 Rc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Kadant Web Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Bilal Mehmood
  • Patent number: 6565983
    Abstract: An electrical contact element for electrically connecting an electric device and providing current transmission in an electric device wherein the electrical contact element comprises a metallic body, and wherein at least one contact surface, present on the body, is completely or partially coated with a friction-reducing layer. The friction-reducing layer comprises a metal salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: ABB AB
    Inventors: Sylva Arnell, Bengt Stridh
  • Publication number: 20030092957
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a brachytherapy device comprising a substrate comprising at least one radioactive coating layer formed thereon. The radioactive coating layer has a total radioactivity that varies in at least one dimension of the device. Methods of making radioactive coatings, such as electrochemical deposition, electroless deposition and sol-gel are also disclosed. Suitable substrates include medical devices, such as catheters, stents, brachytherapy devices and guidewires, or components thereof. The disclosed methods produce medical devices capable of generating asymmetric, or targeted, radiation fields that correspond to the morphology of a tumor. Methods of using these devices to treat cancer of the breast, brain, prostate, uterine, head and neck are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Neal A. Scott, Janet M. Hampikian
  • Patent number: 6548186
    Abstract: In a spin valve, at least one AP pinned sublayer and/or one AP free sublayer comprise high resistivity alloys of the type AB, wherein A is selected from the group consisting of CoFe, NiFe, and CoFeNi, and B is selected from the group consisting of B, Ta, Nb, Zr, and/or Hf. The resistivity value of the highly resistive layer is typically between about 30 &mgr;&OHgr;-cm and 100 &mgr;&OHgr;-cm. The highly resistive layers reduce the shunting of the sense current away from the rest of the structure, and prevent electrons from being shunted away from the active region of the spin valve and, thus, reducing &Dgr;R/R. The spin valve of this layered structure can increase the overall sheet resistance and optimize the &Dgr;R/R value of the spin valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Joseph Carey, Bruce Alvin Gurney, Robert John Wilson
  • Patent number: 6541124
    Abstract: A drill resistant plate, which presents a rough surface of hardened particles to drilling attack, and which tends to snap or destroy drill bits before they can began drilling. The plate is made by brazing hard particles into a matrix of brazing material attached to a steel plate. Nickel-Silver brazing material is used to form the matrix on the steel plate, and tungsten carbide particles of 8-10 mesh are secured within the matrix, with the hard particles of tungsten carbide partially exposed, presenting a roughened surface with angular pieces of tungsten carbide to the drilling attack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Rhino Metals, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald K. Suggs
  • Publication number: 20030024666
    Abstract: The invention provides fluororesin fiber paper excellent in adhesion to a copper foil, heat resistance, chemical resistance, low water absorption and electric insulation and capable of being used as a substrate of a printed board suitable for use in high frequency, of which a low dielectric loss is required. The fluororesin fiber paper is a porous sheet obtained by forming a slurry comprising fluororesin fiber into a sheet by a wet paper making method and sintering the resultant sheet and has an average pore diameter of 0.5 to 50 &mgr;m and a maximum pore diameter of at most 250 &mgr;m. A copper-clad laminate for printed board is produced by laminating the fluororesin fiber paper and a copper foil having a ten point mean height of surface roughness profile (Rz) of 0.5 to 8.0 &mgr;m on each other by means of vacuum hot pressing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Applicant: TOMOEGAWA PAPER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Suzuki, Hajime Tsuda
  • Patent number: 6497966
    Abstract: The invention provides a composite, laminated armor panel (10) for absorbing and dissipating kinetic energy from projectiles (12), the panel (10) comprising a first outwardly-positioned layer (14) made of a hard material selected from a ceramic material and a metal having a Rockwell-C hardness of at least 27, an intermediate layer (16) softer than the first layer (14), made of a material selected from aluminium and metals having a Rockwell-C hardness of less than 27 and a third backing layer (18) of tough woven textile material, wherein the three layers (14,16,18) are laminated together and wrapped on at least four sides in a further tough woven textile material (20) which is bonded to the outer surfaces of the composite, laminated armor panel (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Inventor: Michael Cohen
  • Patent number: 6475644
    Abstract: Radioactive coating solutions and sol-gels, and corresponding methods for making a substrate radioactive by the application of the radioactive coating solutions and sol-gels thereto. The radioactive coating solution comprises at least one carrier metal and a radioisotope, which may be soluble or insoluble, and may further comprise a reducing agent. The radioactive sol-gel comprises at least one metal alkoxide and a radioisotope, which may be soluble or insoluble. Methods of making a substrate radioactive by coating with radioactive coating solutions or sol-gels are also disclosed, including electrodeposition, electroless deposition, spin coating and dip coating. In a particular embodiment, the radioactive coating formed by the method is a composite coating. Radioactive substrates are also disclosed, comprising a substrate and one or more radioactive coatings, which coatings may be the same or different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Radiovascular Systems, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Janet M. Hampikian, Neal A. Scott
  • Patent number: 6423427
    Abstract: A composite doctor blade comprises a steel support band configured with a width and thickness suitable for mounting in a blade holder, with tensile and yield strengths suitable for a selected doctoring application. A wear resistant strip of high speed steel is integrally joined to an edge of the support band. The wear resistant strip has tensile and yield strengths higher than those of the support band, and has a hardness of between about 55 to 65 Rc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Kadant Web Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Bilal Mehmood
  • Patent number: 6419806
    Abstract: Method of forming a two-piece hollow cathode sputter target assembly and the assembly formed thereby. The sputter target assembly includes an outer shell having a substantially cylindrical side wall and is composed of a relatively low purity metallic material. A sputtering insert includes a substantially cylindrical side wall and is concentrically received within, and bonded to, the outer shell. The sputtering insert is composed of a relatively high purity metallic material as used for depositing a thin layer or film onto a desired substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Tosoh SMD, Inc.
    Inventors: Melvin K. Holcomb, William E. Barnes, Steven L. Bardus
  • Patent number: 6387540
    Abstract: There is disclosed a sacrificial corrosion-protective aluminum alloy for heat exchangers which contains Zn more than 4.0 wt % but 15.0 wt % or less, 0.1 to 3.0 wt % of Fe, and 0.2 to 3.0 wt % of Ni, with the balance being made of aluminum and unavoidable impurities. There is also disclosed an aluminum alloy composite material in which the said aluminum alloy is used as the sacrificial material and a heat exchanger using the aluminum alloy composite material. According to the aluminum alloy composite material, it is possible to prevent erosion of heat-exchanger tubes when refrigerant in tube is strongly alkaline and is flowing at a high flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Yoshidomi, Junichiro Hirohashi
  • Patent number: 6379821
    Abstract: This invention relates to a large-diameter, thick-wall martensitic stainless steel welded pipe. For this welded pipe, the size of the raised weld bead portion on the inside surface is restricted to be small based on a conditional formula derived by considering the bead width and height and the yield strength of the base metal and of the weld metal. As a result, the base metal portion and pipe inside surface seam portion of this welded pipe are superior in corrosion resistance, in particular stress corrosion cracking resistance (SCC resistance). The sulfide stress corrosion resistance (sour gas resistance) and carbon dioxide corrosion resistance can be further improved by selecting the chemical compositions. This welded pipe is very well suited for use as a pipe for a pipeline for conveying a crude oil and a natural gas with no dehydration treatment, which is highly corrosive to metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Kushida, Tomohiko Omura, Kunio Kondo, Kazuhiro Ogawa, Masahiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 6361882
    Abstract: A high-strength aluminum alloy clad material for heat exchangers which excels in corrosion resistance and formability before brazing and has improved strength after brazing. The aluminum alloy clad material is made up of a core material and a brazing material, with one or both sides of the core material clad with the brazing material. The core material is made up of an aluminum alloy containing from 0.3% to less than 0.6% of Mn, from more than 0.6% to 1.0% of Cu, less than 0.1% of Si, 0.3% or less of Fe, and from 0.06% to 0.35% of Ti, with the remainder being Al and impurities; and the brazing material used to clad the core material is made up of an Al—Si aluminum alloy in which the Ca content is limited to 0.006% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Light Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshifusa Shoji, Kohichi Maeda, Toshihiko Fukuda
  • Patent number: 6361883
    Abstract: A composite sheet steel of maraging steel has an outer layer and an inner layer, wherein the outer layer is harder than the inner layer and the inner layer is more tenacious than the outer layer. An intermediate layer is positioned between the inner layer and the outer layer, wherein the intermediate layer is thinner than the inner and the outer layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Aktiengesellschaft der Dillinger Hüttenwerke
    Inventors: Christoph Dilg, Uwe Hofmann, Claus Just, Hans-Jürgen Rögele, Helmut Schönberger, Jürgen Vogt
  • Patent number: 6335104
    Abstract: A method for preparing a copper pad surface for electrical connection that has superior diffusion barrier and adhesion properties is provided. In the method, a copper pad surface is first provided that has been cleaned by an acid solution, a protection layer of a phosphorus or boron-containing metal alloy is then deposited on the copper pad surface, and then an adhesion layer of a noble metal is deposited on top of the protection layer. The protection layer may be a single layer, or two or more layers intimately joined together formed of a phosphorus or boron-containing metal alloy such as Ni-P, Co-P, Co-W-P, Co-Sn-P, Ni-W-P, Co-B, Ni-B, Co-Sn-B, Co-W-B and Ni-W-B to a thickness between about 1,000 Å and about 10,000 Å. The adhesion layer can be formed of a noble metal such as Au, Pt, Pd and Ag to a thickness between about 500 Å and about 4,000 Å.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos J. Sambucetti, Daniel C. Edelstein, John G. Gaudiello, Judith M. Rubino, George Walker
  • Patent number: 6329077
    Abstract: A plate shaped compression mold, a process for producing the same and a process for making laminate therewith. The plate-shaped compression mold for producing sheet laminate including synthetic resin with a metal coating on at least one surface thereof has a surface for contacting the metal coating of the sheet laminate, which surface has a Rockwell C hardness of higher than about 44 and a thermal coefficient of linear expansion which differs from that of the metal coating by not more than about 2.5×10−6/K, thereby substantially preventing warping or wrinkling of the metal coating during the compression molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Bohler Bleche GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Kügler, Werner Josef Jerlich
  • Patent number: 6316126
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy clad material for heat exchangers exhibiting excellent erosion-corrosion resistance, corrosion resistance, pitting resistance, and brazability, which is suitably used as an aluminum alloy clad sheet for forming a constituent member, in particular, a tube for an aluminum heat exchanger such as a radiator and heater, and as a pipe for circulating a working fluid in the aluminum heat exchanger or a pipe connected to the heat exchangers. The aluminum alloy clad sheet comprises a sacrificial anode material clad on one side of a core material, wherein the core material comprises an Al—Mn alloy and the sacrificial anode material comprises an aluminum alloy, for example, an aluminum alloy comprising 3.0-12.0% of Si with the remaining portion consisting of Al and impurities, or an aluminum alloy comprising 3.0-12.0% of Si, 1-10% of Zn, and 0.15-1.2% of Fe with the remaining portion consisting of Al and impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Sumitomo Light Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Hasegawa, Haruhiko Miyachi, Hisao Kato, Hirokazu Tanaka, Hiroshi Ikeda, Yoshifusa Shoji
  • Patent number: 6303237
    Abstract: A compound tube including a layer of a Fe—Cr alloy and a layer of load-carrying component, with the optional addition of further layers. The Fe—Cr alloy preferably has a composition including, in weight-%: less than 0.3% carbon, 15-60% chromium, less than 10% nickel, less than 5% molybdenum, less than 5% silicon, less than 0.3% nitrogen, less than 5% manganese, and the remainder iron with naturally occurring impurities. The compound tubes are very resistant to carbonization and metal dusting, and are suited for use as bayonet tubing, superheater tubing, and reforming tubing in steam formation environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Sandvik AB
    Inventors: Urban Forsberg, Johan Lindén
  • Patent number: 6296953
    Abstract: A compound tube comprises a layer of a Fe—Cr—Al-alloy and a layer of a load-carrying component and optionally one or several additional layers. The Fe—Cr—Al-alloy has the following analysis in weight-%: carbon<0.3, chromium 5-30, nickel<10, manganese<5, molybdenum<5, aluminium 3-20 , silicon<5, nitrogen<0.3, cerium+bafnium+yttrium<1.0, titanium 0.005-1.0, zirconium 0.005-1.0, niobium 0.005-1.0, the remainder iron, and naturally occurring impurities. These tubes are very resistant towards carbonization and “metal dusting” and are being used to advantage for bayonet tubing, superheat tubing and reformer tubing in steam formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Sandvik AB
    Inventors: Johan Lindén, Urban Forsberg
  • Publication number: 20010012568
    Abstract: A thermal barrier coating system for a superalloy substrate is disclosed. The superalloy is preferably of the type that is capable of forming an adherent alumina layer. A bond coat is applied to a local area of the substrate, so that a portion of the substrate remains exposed. The localized area is defined to be the area(s) at which a TBC typically fails first, e.g., the leading and trailing edges of an airfoil, or other area. An alumina layer is formed on the remaining portion of the substrate, and also on the bond coat. A ceramic layer is then applied on the alumina layer. Even if the ceramic material is removed, the localized bond coat remains, and reduces the rate at which the underlying substrate oxidizes. A coated article is also disclosed, as is a system that utilizes a conventional superalloy and aluminide coating with the localized bond coat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Sudhangshu Bose, Dinesh K. Gupta, Jeanine T. Marcin, Nicholas E. Ulion
  • Patent number: 6255005
    Abstract: Provided is a composite magnetic member made of a single material combining a ferromagnetic portion and a non-magnetic portion in which the ferromagnetic portion has better soft magnetism than conventional members and the non-magnetic portion has the same stable characteristic as conventional members. A method of producing the ferromagnetic portion of the member and a method of forming the non-magnetic portion are also provided. The composite magnetic member is made of an Fe—Cr—C-base alloy steel containing 0.1 to 5.0 weight % Al and has a ferromagnetic portion with a maximum magnetic permeability of not less than 400 and a non-magnetic portion with a magnetic permeability of not more than 2. In this member the number of carbides with a grain size of not less than 0.1 &mgr;m is regulated to not more than 50 in an area of 100 &mgr;m2 and the proportion of the number of carbides with a grain size of not less than 1.0 &mgr;m to the number of all carbides is controlled to not less than 15%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin-ichiro Yokoyama, Tsutomu Inui, Hideya Yamada
  • Patent number: 6245441
    Abstract: This is a composite magnetic member excellent in corrosion resistance having a chemical composition consisting essentially, by weight, of 0.30 to 0.80% C, more than 16.0% but not more than 25.0% Cr, 0.1 to 4.0% Ni, 0.1 to 0.06% N, at least one kind not more than 2.0% in total selected from the group consisting of Si, Mn and Al, and the balance Fe and impurities, and having a ferromagnetic portion and a non-magnetic portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignees: Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-ichiro Yokoyama, Tsutomu Inui, Yoshihiro Tanimura
  • Patent number: 6242108
    Abstract: An abrasion resistant coating is created by adding a ductile phase to a brittle matrix phase during spray coating where an Al—Cu—Fe quasicrystalline phase (brittle matrix) and an FeAl intermetallic (ductile phase) are combined. This composite coating produces a coating mostly of quasicrystal phase and an inter-splat layer of the FeAl phase to help reduce porosity and cracking within the coating. Coatings are prepared by plasma spraying unblended and blended quasicrystal and intermetallic powders. The blended powders contain 1, 5, 10 and 20 volume percent of the intermetallic powders. The unblended powders are either 100 volume percent quasicrystalline or 100 volume percent intermetallic; these unblended powders were studied for comparison to the others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Daniel J. Sordelet, Matthew F. Besser
  • Patent number: 6238808
    Abstract: Provided are a substrate with a zinc oxide layer, in which at least a zinc oxide layer is provided on a support substrate, wherein the zinc oxide layer comprises a zinc oxide layer having the c axis perpendicular to the support substrate and a zinc oxide layer having the c axis slantindicular to the support substrate in the order from the side of the support substrate; and a photovoltaic device in which a semiconductor layer is formed on the substrate with the zinc oxide layer. Thus provided is the inexpensive photovoltaic device with excellent reflective performance and optical confinement effect and with high photoelectric conversion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kozo Arao, Hideo Tamura, Noboru Toyama, Yuichi Sonoda, Yusuke Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 6238786
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for gloss coating articles or a portion of an article's surface and articles produced from this method. A corrosion-inhibiting polishing base coat is applied in a known fashion, after which a high-gloss layer produced by atomization, preferably magnetron atomization, is applied. Then, a transparent, wear-resistant top coat layer is applied in a known fashion. The articles can also be pretreated, if desired, and given a protective or other layers. By using this method, parts for vehicles, especially vehicle wheels, can be produced in a great variety of colors and with improved qualities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Fritz Kaeumle, Reinhold Separautzki, Klaus Goedicke, Fred Fietzke
  • Patent number: 6224992
    Abstract: The invention is a composite body panel, a sheet product from which the composite body panel is formed, and a vehicle incorporating at least one such composite body panel thereon. The composite body panel includes a substrate having an inner and an outer surface. A lamination is applied to at least the inner and, in an alternative embodiment, the outer surfaces of the substrate. The lamination includes a material having a uniform surface which is well suited for formation, but which is not as strong as the substrate. The formation of the composite body panel further includes the step of applying a coating to the lamination, and then, forming the substrate/lamination/coating material into the desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Delbeke, Roy A. Hambric, Robert F. Mallon
  • Patent number: 6210810
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance device comprising at least two ferromagnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic layer, the coercive force of one of the ferromagnetic layers being enhanced by a coercive force enhancement layer of an antiferromagnetic material disposed adjacent to the one of the ferromagnetic layer thereby pinning magnetization inversion in the one of the ferromagnetic layer, the other ferromagnetic layer serving as a free ferromagnetic layer in which magnetization inversion is allowed, wherein the spin orientation in the coercive force enhancement layer is aligned in a multilayer fashion into a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the coercive force enhancement layer. A method of producing such a device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Ikarashi, Naoya Hasegawa, Akihiro Makino
  • Patent number: 6168873
    Abstract: An electrode substrate comprises a backing substrate carrying thereon a metal electrode layer and/or a recording layer, the layer or layers having a smooth surface area with a surface roughness of less than 1 nm by more than 1 &mgr;m2. The smooth surface of the metal electrode layer and/or the recording layer is formed by firstly forming the layer on another substrate having a corresponding smooth surface and then peeling another substrate off the layer after the layer is bonded to the surface of the backing substrate, whereby the smooth surface profile of another substrate is transferred to the surface of the layer formed on the backing substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ikeda, Takehiko Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 6150037
    Abstract: Clad material comprises a metal substrate which is provided with a multiplicity of perforated openings therein and a metal foil which is laminated on the metal substrate to close the perforated openings. To produce such a clad material, at least one surface of the metal substrate and corresponding one surface of the metal foil are respectively subjected to a dry etching and the metal substrate and the metal foil are laminated in such a manner that the etched surfaces face each other. Alternately, only one surface of the metal substrate is subjected to a dry etching and the metal substrate and the metal foil are laminated in such a manner that the etched surface of the metal substrate defines a laminating surface. It may be possible to provide a nickel plating on the metal substrate or the metal foil. The clad material can be effectively used for producing safety valve chips which rupture accurately at low pressures which fall in a stable pressure range on a mass production basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Toyo Kohan Co., LTD
    Inventors: Kinji Saijo, Kazuo Yoshida, Nobuyuki Yoshimoto, Yoshihiko Isobe
  • Patent number: 6114048
    Abstract: The invention provides for a functionally-graded metal substrate that is made of at least two metal compositions, a functional insert and a surrounding body that surrounds the functional insert. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a functional insert powder composition of loose powder metal is placed in a compact of a surrounding body powder composition and both metal compositions are sintered in a sintering furnace to form a sintered part. The sintered part is infiltrated in part or in whole with a molten metal compound to produce a functionally graded metal substrate having a density of at least 90% of theoretical. A heat-generating component such as a chip can be attached to the metal substrate for use in microelectronic packaging. When the functionally-graded metal substrate has two discrete compositions of copper/tungsten the surrounding body which has a CTE that ranges from about 5.6ppm/.degree. C. to about 7 ppm/.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Brush Wellman, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Jech, Jordan P. Frazier, Richard H. Sworden, Juan L. Sepulveda
  • Patent number: 6080496
    Abstract: A method for preparing and coating metal cookware having an interior cooking surface and for the application of a lubricative coating is disclosed. The method includes mechanically spraying the interior cooking surface with an aluminum oxide material to produce a roughened surface and applying by thermal spraying a metallic abrasion resistant layer of substantially pure titanium, titanium oxide and/or titanium nitride. Also disclosed is a cooking utensil having a substrate and an intermediate layer deposited on the substrate by thermally spraying the substrate with a mechanically durable material, said mechanically durable material being selected from the group consisting of chemically pure titanium, titanium-aluminum, nickel-titanium, and titanium 6-4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Regal Ware, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles J. Hupf, Daryl E. Crawmer, Leonard C. Brumbaugh
  • Patent number: 6045925
    Abstract: Composite nanoparticles comprising an elemental metal core surrounded by a metal-containing shell material are described wherein the particles have an average diameter of from about 5-500 nm; the core metal is preferably selected from the group consisting of the transition metals and especially Fe, Co and Ni, whereas the shell material is advantageously a metal such as an alkaline earth metal, or a metal salt such as a metal oxide or metal halide. The shell material is preferably more oxophilic than the elemental core material, enabling the core metal to remain purely metallic. These core/shell composite particles can be used to fabricate magnetizable recording media such as tapes and disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Kansas State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Klabunde, Dajie Zhang, Christopher Sorensen
  • Patent number: 5922477
    Abstract: Relatively thin (e.g., thickness of less than about 2.5 mm, and typically no greater than about 1.0 mm) plates for synthetic fiber-forming spin packs include a first metal layer exhibiting a relatively slow photochemical etching property and a second metal layer exhibiting a relatively fast photochemical etching property which are adhered (laminated) to one another to form a composite substrate structure. The differential etch rates as between the first and second metal layers permit relatively dimensionally larger distribution channels and relatively dimensionally precise through holes to be formed in the composite substrate. In this regard, the second metal layer permits the formation via photochemical etching of dimensionally deeper and/or wider polymer distribution channels. The first metal layer, on the other hand, allows for the formation of relatively dimensionally precise through holes via concurrent (simultaneous) etching with the second metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew B. Hoyt, Charles F. Helms, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5869197
    Abstract: An acrylic rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of acrylic rubber containing cross-linkable groups and 2 to 40 parts by weight of tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate has quite an unexpected effect on prevention of fixation of its vulcanized rubber moldings to metallic materials or resin moldings when brought into direct contact with the latter due to the presence of tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate in the acrylic rubber containing cross-linkable groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Mikuni, Shingo Kawano
  • Patent number: 5750272
    Abstract: Active and adaptive vibration damping devices are provided. The damping devices include heterostructures having a layer of ferroelastic or SME material coupled with a first and second layer of ferroelectric material having a layer of dielectric material therebetween. Methods of making the active and adaptive vibration damping devices are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventor: A. Peter Jardine
  • Patent number: 5738929
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance effect element includes a non-magnetic substrate, a ferromagnetic dispersion layer or a ferromagnetic layer, and a non-magnetic metal film. The ferromagnetic dispersion layer is a layer of a ferromagnetic metal or alloy that is independently and dispersedly formed on the substrate. The alternative ferromagnetic layer is a layer of a ferromagnetic metal or alloy that is formed on the substrate with a textured surface. The non-magnetic metal film is made of at least one atomic element having a non-soluble relation with the ferromagnetic metal or alloy, and is formed on the non-magnetic substrate and the ferromagnetic dispersion layer or the ferromagnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Maeda, Satoru Oikawa, Minoru Kume
  • Patent number: 5662988
    Abstract: The magneto-optical recording medium is provided with a readout layer which shows the in-plane magnetization and which changes from the in-plane magnetization to the vertical magnetization when its temperature rises higher than a predetermined temperature by irradiation of the light beam, a memory layer which records information thereon magneto-optically, an intermediate layer which keeps in-plane magnetization from room temperatures to its Curie temperature, and an writing layer which has a Curie temperature higher than that of the memory layer and has coercive force lower than that of the memory layer. Since the intermediate layer becomes a domain wall in optical modulation recording, it prevents the memory layer and the writing layer from forming a domain wall, so information can be recorded in good condition. Moreover, a portion of the readout layer besides a center portion of the light beam shows the in-plane magnetization and masks the memory layer at playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichiro Nakayama, Hiroyuki Katayama, Akira Takahashi, Kenji Ohta, Yoshiteru Murakami
  • Patent number: 5656381
    Abstract: A magnetoresistance-effect element includes a substrate, and a magnetoresistance-effect film disposed on the substrate. The magnetoresistance-effect film includes an alloy film containing ferromagnetic metal atoms and non-magnetic metal atoms, which have the property relative to each other that they are mutually insoluble in both solid and liquid phases. The magnetoresistance-effect film further includes at least three soft magnetic films arranged as discontinuous areas in contact with the alloy film and magnetically coupled therewith for reducing an operating magnetic field strength of the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Maeda, Minoru Kume
  • Patent number: 5648156
    Abstract: A metal base board comprising a metal plate, a circuit conductor section, and an insulating layer provided between the circuit conductor and the metal plate wherein the insulating layer comprises an organic insulating material with flaky inorganic fillers added therein and the flaky inorganic fillers are stacked in the insulating layer in a stratified state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5618636
    Abstract: A thin film multi-layer structure includes a plurality of metal thin film layers, and a plurality of layers made of polyimide. The plurality of metal thin film layers and the plurality of layers made of polyimide are stacked in a predetermined order, the plurality of layers made of polyimide being grouped into a first group and a second group including at least a layer located at a top of the plurality of layers. A Young's modulus value of the polyimide of which each layer in the second group is made is less than that of the polyimide of which each layer in the first group is made and a thermal expansion coefficient of the polyimide of which each layer in the first group is made is less than that of the polyimide of which each layer in the second group is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Manabu Watanabe, Kazuaki Satoh