Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A superconducting composite conductor comprising: (a) several strands with a superconductive intermetallic compound of at least two elements each containing at least one core of at least one higher melting point element of the compound having, at least on its surface, a layer of the compound, embedded in an alloy of at least one lower melting point element of the compound and a carrier metal; and (b) at least one strand of a stabilizing metal of high thermal and electric conductivity which is normally conducting at the operating temperature of the superconducting composite conductor containing at least one region which extends along the strand and is enclosed by a layer inhibiting diffusion, the strand of stabilizing metal joined to the strands with the superconductive intermetallic compound by diffusion of at least one lower melting point element of the compound.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A superconducting composite conductor comprising: (a) several strands with a superconductive intermetallic compound of at least two elements each containing at least one core of at least one higher melting point element of the compound having, at least on its surface, a layer of the compound, embedded in an alloy of at least one lower melting point element of the compound and a carrier metal; and (b) at least one strand of a stabilizing metal of high thermal and electric conductivity which is normally conducting at the operating temperature of the superconducting composite conductor containing at least one region which extends along the strand and is enclosed by a layer inhibiting diffusion, the strand of stabilizing metal joined to the strands with the superconductive intermetallic compound by diffusion of at least one lower melting point element of the compound.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A composite conductor according to claim 1, wherein each strand with the superconductive compound is joined to at least one strand of stabilizing metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A composite conductor according to claim 1, wherein said strands are arranged to form a flat cable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A composite conductor according to claim 1, wherein the strands with the superconductive compound and the strands of stabilizing metal have the same cross section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A composite conductor according to claim 1, wherein the strands with the superconductive compound comprise a multiplicity of filamentary cores with a layer of the compound at least on the surface thereof embedded in a matrix of the alloy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A composite conductor according to claim 1, wherein the higher melting point element of the superconductive compound is selected from the group consisting of the metals niobium and vanadium and the lower melting point element is selected from the group consisting of the elements tin and gallium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A composite conductor according to claim 1, wherein the carrier metal of the alloy and the stabilizing metal are copper.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A composite conductor according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion inhibiting layer is selected from the group consisting of the metals tantalum, niobium and vanadium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A composite conductor according to claim 1, and further including at least one additional strand of reinforcement material in said conductor.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
237 words
A method of manufacturing a superconducting composite conductor comprising several strands with a superconductive intermetallic compound of at least two elements each containing at least one core of at least one higher melting point element of the compound having, at least on its surface, a layer of the compound, embedded in an alloy of at least one lower melting point element of the compound and a carrier metal; and at least one strand of a stabilizing metal of high thermal and electric conductivity which is normally conducting at the operating temperature of the superconducting composite conductor containing at least one region which extends along the strand and is enclosed by a layer inhibiting diffusion comprising: (a) placing several strands which contain at least one core of at least one higher melting point element of the superconductive compound, embedded in an alloy of a carrier metal and at least one lower melting point element of the compound, in abutting relationship to at least one strand which contains at least one region which extends along the strand and is enclosed by a diffusion inhibiting layer to form a composite conductor; (b) coating at least one kind of strand with a layer of at least one lower melting point element of the compound prior said step of placing; and (c) heat treating the composite conductor so formed to join the strands by diffusion and to produce the superconductive intermetallic compound.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
237 words
A method of manufacturing a superconducting composite conductor comprising several strands with a superconductive intermetallic compound of at least two elements each containing at least one core of at least one higher melting point element of the compound having, at least on its surface, a layer of the compound, embedded in an alloy of at least one lower melting point element of the compound and a carrier metal; and at least one strand of a stabilizing metal of high thermal and electric conductivity which is normally conducting at the operating temperature of the superconducting composite conductor containing at least one region which extends along the strand and is enclosed by a layer inhibiting diffusion comprising: (a) placing several strands which contain at least one core of at least one higher melting point element of the superconductive compound, embedded in an alloy of a carrier metal and at least one lower melting point element of the compound, in abutting relationship to at least one strand which contains at least one region which extends along the strand and is enclosed by a diffusion inhibiting layer to form a composite conductor; (b) coating at least one kind of strand with a layer of at least one lower melting point element of the compound prior said step of placing; and (c) heat treating the composite conductor so formed to join the strands by diffusion and to produce the superconductive intermetallic compound.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method according to claim 10, comprising: (a) performing a first heat treatment at a temperature below the formation temperature of the superconductive compound for joining the strands by diffusion; and (b) performing a second heat treatment at a temperature above this temperature for producing the superconductive compound.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said first heat treatment is combined with hot deformation for sizing and shaping the conductor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 11, wherein said second heat treatment is performed only after the conductor has been given its final form.