The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 10, 2009
Filed:
Sep. 13, 2004
Krishnan K. Sankaran, St. Louis, MO (US);
Richard J. Lederich, Des Peres, MO (US);
Kevin T. Slattery, St. Charles, MO (US);
Krishnan K. Sankaran, St. Louis, MO (US);
Richard J. Lederich, Des Peres, MO (US);
Kevin T. Slattery, St. Charles, MO (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A method for forming an aluminum alloy article having improved mechanical properties using a solid-state joining process in which the problem of ductility reduction is minimized by conducting a thermal exposure treatment prior to solution heat treatment. This thermal exposure treatment, done at a temperature below the solution heat treatment temperature, releases stored energy in the aluminum-alloy material. The aluminum-alloy material then does not have sufficient energy to cause recrystallization and abnormal grain growth during the subsequent solution heat treatment process. The resultant aluminum-alloy material has a restored mechanical strength with only a minor, but acceptable, decrease in original ductility.