Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A process for improving the wear performance of a copper-tin alloy, said process comprising: providing material formed from an alloy consisting essentially of about 2% to about 11% tin, about 0.03% to about 0.75% phosphorous and the balance essentially copper; and forming a lubricating type film on at least one surface of said material, said forming step comprising subjecting said material to a heat treatment at a temperature in the range of about 400° C. to about 650° C. in an atmosphere having a dew point in the range of about -75° C. to about +95° C. and an oxygen level less than about 300 ppm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A process for improving the wear performance of a copper-tin alloy, said process comprising: providing material formed from an alloy consisting essentially of about 2% to about 11% tin, about 0.03% to about 0.75% phosphorous and the balance essentially copper; and forming a lubricating type film on at least one surface of said material, said forming step comprising subjecting said material to a heat treatment at a temperature in the range of about 400° C. to about 650° C. in an atmosphere having a dew point in the range of about -75° C. to about +95° C. and an oxygen level less than about 300 ppm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said heat treatment step comprises: subjecting said material to a heat treatment at a temperature in the range of about 500° C. to about 600° C. in an atmosphere having a dew point in the range of about -57° C. to about +21° C. and an oxygen level in the range of about 0.001 ppm to about 225 ppm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 further being characterized by: said wear performance being improved as said phosphorous content of said alloy increases.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 further being characterized by: said wear performance being improved as said oxygen level of said atmosphere increases.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 further being characterized by: said wear performance being improved as said heat treatment temperature increases.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 1 further being characterized by: said wear performance being improved as said dew point of said atmosphere decreases and said temperature increases.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said material providing step comprises: providing said material from an alloy consisting essentially of about 3.5% to about 9% tin, about 0.08% to about 0.5% phosphorous and the balance essentially copper.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said lubricating type film forming step comprises: forming a plurality of discrete tin sweat nodules on said at least one surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said lubricating type film forming step comprises: forming a thin layer of a tin-containing amorphous film on said at least one surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising: cold working said material to a desired gage; and subjecting said material at said desired gage to said heat treatment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 10 further comprising: hot working said material prior to said cold working.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 10 further comprising: casting said alloy into a continuous strip material; and said cold working step comprising cold rolling said cast strip material.