US4412869A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aluminum alloy tube product and method
Assignee: Alcoa Corp
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Filing: 1980-12-23
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Granted: 1983-11-01
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Expires: 2000-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A method of producing aluminum tube product suitable for use in heat exchangers is disclosed. The product is characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon. The method comprises the steps of providing in billet form a body of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 2 to 13 wt. % Si, 0 to 4 wt. % Zn, at least 0.005 wt. % Sr, up to 1 wt. % Fe and up to 1 wt. % Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities and extruding said billet to a final product or after extruding the billet to a thick wall tube, drawing to a final product for use as tubes in a heat exchanger assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 William D. Vernam
- 👤 Ralph W. Rogers, Jr.
- 👤 Harry C. Stumpf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 07:18
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28F; F28F21/00; F28F21/08; F28F21/081; F28F21/084; C; C22; C22C; C22C21/00; C22C21/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S165/00; Y10S165/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of producing aluminum tube product characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon, comprising the steps of: (a) providing in billet form a body of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 2 to 13 wt.% Si, 0 to 4 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 1 wt.% Fe and up to 1 wt.% Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) extruding said billet into a thick-walled tube member; (c) drawing said tube member into thin-walled tube stock for use as tubes in a heat exchanger assembly.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of producing aluminum tube product characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon, comprising the steps of: (a) providing in billet form a body of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 2 to 13 wt.% Si, 0 to 4 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 1 wt.% Fe and up to 1 wt.% Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) extruding said billet into a thick-walled tube member; (c) drawing said tube member into thin-walled tube stock for use as tubes in a heat exchanger assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said billet is extruded into thin-walled tube stock.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein Sr is in the range of 0.005 to 0.25 wt.%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the billet is extruded at a temperature in the range of 550° F. to 900° F.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the billet is extruded at a temperature in the range of 700° F. to 850° F.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of procuding aluminum tube product characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon, comprising the steps of: (a) providing in billet form a body of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 3 to 7 wt.% Si, 0 to 0.5 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 0.8 wt.% Fe and up to 0.25 wt.% Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) extruding said billet into a thin-walled tube member at a temperature in the range of 750° F. to 850° F.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of procuding aluminum tube product characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon, comprising the steps of: (a) providing in billet form a body of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 3 to 7 wt.% Si, 0 to 0.5 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 0.8 wt.% Fe and up to 0.25 wt.% Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) extruding said billet into a thin-walled tube member at a temperature in the range of 750° F. to 850° F.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
120 words
In the method of producing a heat exchanger assembly having fins and thin-walled tube members wherein an aluminum alloy is formed to produce said tube members and wherein said members are provided by the steps comprising: (a) providing in billet form a body of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 2 to 13 wt.% Si, 0 to 4 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 1 wt.% Fe and up to 1 wt.% cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) extruding said billet into a thick-walled tube; and (c) drawing said tube into thin-walled tube stock, the tube stock characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
120 words
In the method of producing a heat exchanger assembly having fins and thin-walled tube members wherein an aluminum alloy is formed to produce said tube members and wherein said members are provided by the steps comprising: (a) providing in billet form a body of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 2 to 13 wt.% Si, 0 to 4 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 1 wt.% Fe and up to 1 wt.% cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities; (b) extruding said billet into a thick-walled tube; and (c) drawing said tube into thin-walled tube stock, the tube stock characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said billet is extruded into thin-walled tube stock.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein Sr is maintained in the range of 0.005 to 0.25 wt.%.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the billet is extruded at a temperature in the range of 550° F. to 900° F.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein in the heat exchanger assembly the fins are comprised of an aluminum base alloy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
129 words
In the method of producing a heat exchanger assembly having fins fabricated from an aluminum base alloy and having thin-walled tube members wherein an aluminum alloy is formed to produce said tube members and wherein said members are provided by the steps comprising: (a) providing in billet form a body of an aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 3 to 7 wt.% Si, 0 to 0.5 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 0.8 wt.% Fe and up to 0.25 wt.% Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities; and (b) extruding said billet into thin-walled tube stock at a temperature of not greater than 900° F. the tube stock characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
129 words
In the method of producing a heat exchanger assembly having fins fabricated from an aluminum base alloy and having thin-walled tube members wherein an aluminum alloy is formed to produce said tube members and wherein said members are provided by the steps comprising: (a) providing in billet form a body of an aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 3 to 7 wt.% Si, 0 to 0.5 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 0.8 wt.% Fe and up to 0.25 wt.% Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities; and (b) extruding said billet into thin-walled tube stock at a temperature of not greater than 900° F. the tube stock characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
85 words
A heat exchanger assembly having fins and thin-walled tube members wherein an aluminum alloy body is formed to produce the tube members, the body comprised of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 2 to 13 wt.% Si, 0 to 4 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 1 wt.% Fe and up to 1 wt.% Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities, the tube members characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
85 words
A heat exchanger assembly having fins and thin-walled tube members wherein an aluminum alloy body is formed to produce the tube members, the body comprised of aluminum base alloy consisting essentially of 2 to 13 wt.% Si, 0 to 4 wt.% Zn, 0.005 to 0.5 wt.% Sr, up to 1 wt.% Fe and up to 1 wt.% Cu, the balance essentially aluminum and incidental impurities, the tube members characterized by a substantially uniform distribution of relatively fine, generally equiaxed constituents comprised mainly of elemental silicon.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 13 wherein Sr is maintained in the range of 0.005 to 0.25 wt.%.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The heat exchanger assembly in accordance with claim 13 wherein said fins are fabricated from an aluminum base alloy.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-10-31 | 1987-05-02 | 1987-11-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-10-31 | 1991-05-02 | 1991-11-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-10-31 | 1995-05-02 | 1995-11-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |