Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A process of fabricating aluminum sheet for aluminum containers comprising: (a) providing an aluminum alloy consisting esentially of magnesium 0.4-1.0%; magnesium 1.3-2.5%, said manganese and magnesium being present in a total concentration of 2.0-3.3% and in a ratio of magnesium to manganese of between 1.4:1 and 4.4:1; silicon 0.15-1.0%; iron 0.1-0.9%; and copper 0.05-0.4%; (b) casting said alloy at 700°-750° C. into an ingot; (c) preheating said ingot to 550°-600° C.; (d) hot rolling, between 450° C. and 510° C., said ingot to a slab; (e) immediately continuously hot rolling said slab to a strip of cold rolling gauge; and (f) cold rolling said strip of cold rolling gauge to at least 40% reduction to form cold rolled sheet which then has properties required for manufacturing the cold rolled sheet into a container component.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A process of fabricating aluminum sheet for aluminum containers comprising: (a) providing an aluminum alloy consisting esentially of magnesium 0.4-1.0%; magnesium 1.3-2.5%, said manganese and magnesium being present in a total concentration of 2.0-3.3% and in a ratio of magnesium to manganese of between 1.4:1 and 4.4:1; silicon 0.15-1.0%; iron 0.1-0.9%; and copper 0.05-0.4%; (b) casting said alloy at 700°-750° C. into an ingot; (c) preheating said ingot to 550°-600° C.; (d) hot rolling, between 450° C. and 510° C., said ingot to a slab; (e) immediately continuously hot rolling said slab to a strip of cold rolling gauge; and (f) cold rolling said strip of cold rolling gauge to at least 40% reduction to form cold rolled sheet which then has properties required for manufacturing the cold rolled sheet into a container component.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising annealing said strip before said cold rolling.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 1 comprising the step of annealing between cold rolling reductions and further comprising a cold rolling reduction after annealing of 40-60% and an overall cold rolling reduction of at least 89%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising: cold rolling a first portion of said strip to form can body stock; and cold rolling a second portion of said strip to form can end stock.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 4 further comprising: drawing-and-ironing said first portion of said strip to form a can body; and forming said second portion of said strip into an easy-opening end.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 4 further comprising the step of annealing between cold rolling reductions only the first portion of said strip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
8 words
The products of the process of claim 4.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said preheating takes place between 550°-600° C. for 4 to 6 hours.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said hot rolling comprises a hot breakdown reduction to a slab and further comprising continuously hot rolling said slab for 70-96% reduction to said cold rolling gauge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said annealing is carried out at 315°-400° C. for 2 to 4 hours.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said cold rolling is to a 60-95% reduction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 1 further characterized by a minimum 25% alpha transformation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of annealing said strip between cold rolling reductions at 350°-500° C. for 3 to 90 seconds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of: solution heat treating said cold rolled strip at 510°-610° C. to put soluble alloying elements into solid solution.