Having Nonsuperconducting Core Patents (Class 505/232)
  • Patent number: 6230033
    Abstract: A superconducting ceramic includes a laminate and a superconducting ceramic tape joined to the laminate. The laminate and superconductor tape are joined such that the tape is under a compressive stress. The compressive stress is of a greater amount than compressive stress which results from differences in thermal expansion of the tape and the laminate. The greater compressive stress can be achieved by putting the laminate under a greater tension than the superconducting ceramic tape during joining of the superconducting ceramic tape to the laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Scudiere, David M. Buczek, Gregory L. Snitchler, Paul J. Di Pietro
  • Patent number: 6187718
    Abstract: Superconducting composites comprising a high thermal conductivity carbon substrate and a layer of ceramic-type superconductor. Particularly attractive for use as a superconducting flexible conductor are composites comprising a high thermal conductivity, low resistivity carbon fiber disposed within a non-adherent sleeve layer formed of the superconducting ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: BP Amoco Corporation
    Inventor: David A. Schulz
  • Patent number: 6153825
    Abstract: A superconducting current lead includes a cylindrical support member 3, and superconducting wire material units 1 each of which is fixed onto the support member and each of which is composed of a single tape-like oxide superconducting wire material or a laminated tape-like oxide superconducting wire material, wherein tape surf aces of the superconducting wire material units are disposed in parallel with a circumferential direction in a cylindrical coordinate system, and the cylindrical support member is formed from a low thermal conductivity material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinari Ando, Hiroshi Tsuji, Takaaki Isono, Yukio Yasukawa, Kizen Sakaki, Masayuki Konno, Takeshi Kato, Kazuhiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6038462
    Abstract: A multifilamentary superconducting composite article comprising multiple substantially electrically decoupled domains, each including one or more fine, preferably twisted filaments of a desired superconducting oxide material. In a preferred embodiment, the article comprises a matrix, which substantially comprises a noble metal, a conductive jacketing layer surrounding the matrix, a plurality of discrete filament decoupling layers, each comprising an insulating material, disposed within the matrix to separate the matrix into a plurality of substantially electrically decoupled domains; a plurality of filaments, each comprising a desired superconducting oxide, which are disposed within and essentially encapsulated by the matrix and chemically isolated thereby from the decoupling layers, each of the electrically decoupled domains containing at least one filament.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory L. Snitchler, Gilbert N. Riley, Jr., Alexis P. Malozemoff, Craig J. Christopherson
  • Patent number: 6034588
    Abstract: A superconducting current lead is provided, in which a plurality of unit conductors serving as current paths and each formed from a tape-like oxide superconducting wire are disposed on a cylindrical support member 4 so that a tape surface of the superconducting wire material is made parallel with a circumferential direction in a cylindrical coordinate system, and magnetic members 3 are disposed between the plurality of unit conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinari Ando, Hiroshi Tsuji, Takaaki Isono, Kazuya Hamada, Yukio Yasukawa, Masanobu Nozawa
  • Patent number: 6027826
    Abstract: The invention provides methods to manufacture dense, complex c-axis oriented ceramic oxide layers with thickness greater than 2.5 microns (.mu.m) on a metallic substrate (composites) without the use of an interfacial barrier, buffer, or surface layer using a metalorganic deposition process and thermomechanical reaction treatments is disclosed. A porous amorphous metal oxide ceramic deposit is formed directly on the substrate by spray pyrolyzing a mixed metalorganic precursor solution onto the metallic substrate. The metallic substrate has been previously heated to temperatures greater than the boiling point of the organic solvent and are high enough to initiate in situ decomposition of the metalorganic precursor salts. The process does not apply the precursor solution to the substrate as a liquid coating that is pyrolyzed in subsequent processing steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Pierre L. deRochemont, Daniel E. Ryder, Michael J. Suscavage, Mikhail Klugerman
  • Patent number: 5935911
    Abstract: A starting material which is converted to a continuous body of an oxide superconductor by a heat treatment is filled in a tubular Ag sheath member. The diameter of the filled member is reduced by extrusion to form a wire. The wire is subjected to a heat treatment so that the starting material inside the sheath member is converted to a continuous body of an oxide superconductor. A superconducting wire constituted by the sheath member and the oxide superconductor filled inside the sheath member is obtained. A superconducting coil can be obtained by winding the superconducting wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yutaka Yamada, Satoru Murase, Hisashi Yoshino, Noburu Fukushima, Hiromi Niu, Shigeo Nakayama, Misao Koizumi
  • Patent number: 5932523
    Abstract: In order to provide a flexible oxide superconducting cable conductor which is reduced in ac loss, tape-shaped multifilamentary superconducting wires covered with a stabilizing metal are spirally wound on a flexible former. Each of the multifilamentary superconducting wires has a plurality of filaments. The filament contains an oxide superconductor. The superconducting wires are preferably wound on the former at a bending strain of not more than 0.3 %. In winding on the former, a prescribed number of tape-shaped multifilamentary superconducting wires are wound on a core member in a side-by-side manner, to form a first layer. Then, an insulating layer is provided on the first layer. This insulating layer can be formed by an insulating tape. A prescribed number of tape-shaped superconducting multifilamentary wires are wound on the insulating layer in a side-by-side manner, to form a second layer. The insulating layer is adapted to reduce ac loss of the conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jun Fujikami, Nobuhiro Shibuta, Kenichi Sato, Tsukushi Hara, Hideo Ishii
  • Patent number: 5874384
    Abstract: A superconducting tape or wire with a longitudinally extending outer layer of Ag or its alloys defining an inner region, an area of Ag or its alloys in said inner region extending longitudinally of said tape or wire separated from said outer layer of metal by freeze dried superconducting material. The inner Ag area may be a rod, a tube or a number of wires. The superconductor material is preferably B-2223.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: The University of Chicago
    Inventors: Uthamalingam Balachandran, Milan Lelovic, Nicholas G. Eror
  • Patent number: 5869430
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a tape-type high temperature superconducting wire is provided by applying compression work to a wire manufactured by drawing so that an oxide high temperature superconductor is divided into a plurality of superconductors by a stabilizing material of substantially equal thickness. According to another aspect, a high temperature superconducting wire is provided by packing a material which becomes a superconductor portion into a metal sheath which becomes the stabilizing material and applying drawing work thereto, followed by bundling an assembly of these wire in a metal sheath and applying drawing work thereto. The thickness of the superconductor portion is approximately 10% or less than the thickness of the wire. The critical current density is hardly decreased in the high temperature superconducting wire even if subjected to bending work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehito Mukai, Kenichi Sato, Nobuhiro Shibuta
  • Patent number: 5869432
    Abstract: A bulk high temperature superconductor single crystal having the formula MBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Y, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, and Yb; and, x has a number value from about 0.1 to about 1.0; are produced by a novel process incorporating: i) starting powders produced by combustion spray pyrolysis, ii) a novel setter powder, and/or iii) a monitored isothermal growth process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University
    Inventors: Ilhan A. Aksay, Edward P. Vicenzi, David L. Milius, John S. Lettow
  • Patent number: 5866515
    Abstract: A superconducting conductor fabricated from a plurality of wires, e.g., fine silver wires, coated with a superconducting powder. A process of applying superconducting powders to such wires, to the resulting coated wires and superconductors produced therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen E. Dorris, Dominick A. Burlone, Carol W. Morgan
  • Patent number: 5866252
    Abstract: This invention permits superconducting ceramics, as well as other ceramic materials, to be spray deposited onto indefinitely large sheets of metallic substrate from a carboxylic acid salt solution. Elemental metal precursors of the superconductor are introduced into the solution as carboxylic acid salts. The deposit formed on the malleable metallic substrate is then thermomechanically calcined to form c-axis textured metal-superconductor composite sheet structures. These composite sheet structures can be formed by pressing together two ceramic-substrate structures, ceramic face-to-face, to form a metal-ceramic-metal sheet structure, or by overlaying a metal sheet over the deposited structure. Once the structure has been thermomechanically calcined, the c-axis of the superconductor is oriented parallel to the vector defining the plane of the metal sheet, i.e., perpendicular to the surface of the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: L. Pierre de Rochemont, Michael J. Suscavage, Daniel F. Ryder, Jr., Mikhail Klugerman
  • Patent number: 5849670
    Abstract: In order to provide a crystal oriented high quality thallium group superconducting wire having a high critical current density, thallium group superconducting film is formed on oxide single crystal fiber having plane facets and polygonal cross section in the thallium group superconducting wire, wherein c-axis of the thallium group superconducting film is oriented perpendicularly, and a- and b-axis are oriented in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the above fiber, respectively, and resulting to obtain a high quality thallium group superconducting wire with Jc of 10.sup.5 A/cm.sup.2 or more at 77K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., International Superconductivity Technology Center
    Inventors: Toshihide Nabatame, Junichi Kawashima, Izumi Hirabayashi, Yuh Shiobara, Shoji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5834405
    Abstract: A superconducting multilayer ceramic substrate is disclosed, prepared by firing a laminate of at least two polymer bonded cast sheets of a ceramic dielectric oxide powder, at least one sheet of which has a metallization pattern provided thereon, to thereby form a superconducting oxide reaction layer at the interface between the sintered ceramic material and the embedded metallic conductor lines of the metallization pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Byung Tae Ahn, Robert Bruce Beyers, Emanuel Israel Cooper, Edward August Giess, Eugene John O'Sullivan, Judith Marie Roldan, Lubomyr Taras Romankiw
  • Patent number: 5798678
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing superconducting magnetic coils from strain-tolerant, superconducting multi-filament composite conductors is described. The method involves winding the precursor to a multi-filament composite conductor and an insulating material or its precursor around a mandrel in order to form a coil, and then exposing the coil to high temperatures and an oxidizing environment. The insulating material or its precursor is chosen to permit exposure of the superconductor precursor filaments to the oxidizing environment, and to encase the matrix-forming material enclosing the filaments, which is reversibly weakened during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Michael D. Manlief, Gilbert N. Riley, Jr., John Voccio, Anthony J. Rodenbush
  • Patent number: 5455223
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention is a precursor powder to an oxide superconductor, namely a coated particle comprising a metal oxide particle core (including a mixed metal oxide, e.g., BSCCO-2212 or YBCO-123) on which is deposited a secondary metal oxide coating (e.g., M.sub.n CuO.sub.x or CuO). The metal oxide particle and secondary metal oxide coating together comprise metallic elements having a stoichiometry appropriate for the formation of a desired oxide superconductor. The metal oxide reacts with the secondary metal oxide under suitable conditions (e.g., heating) to form the desired oxide superconductor (e.g., BSCCO-2223 or YBCO-124). In another aspect, the invention is a method for preparing such a coated particle, comprising: preparing a precursor solution comprising a metal .mu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Rupich, Gilbert N. Riley, Jr., William L. Carter
  • Patent number: 5374612
    Abstract: A superconductor wire comprising an inner core and an outer ring covering the core, wherein one of the inner core and the outer ring comprises a sintered silver powder and the other of the inner core and the outer ring on the core comprises a sintered oxide superconductor powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Ito, Masami Ishii, Tetsuo Oka, Takeo Nakagawa, Lihong Zhang
  • Patent number: RE36814
    Abstract: Excellent films of a high Tc superconductor are easily produced on metal coated substrates at a temperature below 700.degree. C. These metal buffer films are made of Pt, Au, Ag, Pd, Ni or Ti. The film superconductivity is significantly improved by the metal buffer layer. Since it is easy to form this metal coating on a substrate, the invention can increase the potential number of usable substrates such as fibers, amorphous solids or semiconductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hatta, Hidetaka Higashino, Kumiko Hirochi, Hideaki Adachi