US6258180B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Wear resistant ductile iron
Assignee: Waupaca Foundry Inc
•
Filing: 1999-05-28
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Granted: 2001-07-10
•
Expires: 2019-05-28
Abstract
Abstract Austempered ductile iron castings having primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed throughout an ausferritic matrix, and methods of making the same, are described. The dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process is prevented or lessened by altering the chemical composition of the ductile iron, employing a stabilizing agent, by altering the processing parameters of the austempering process, or any combination thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Al Wilde
- 👤 Dan Korpi
- 👤 Brian Schultz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:36
CPC Classifications
C; C21; C21D; C21D5/00; C21D2211/00; C21D2211/001; C21D2211/003; C21D2211/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
22 words
A cast iron component that has undergone an austempering process, comprised of primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed throughout a substantially ausferritic matrix.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
A cast iron component that has undergone an austempering process, comprised of primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed throughout a substantially ausferritic matrix.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The component of claim 1 , further comprising a primary iron carbide stabilizing agent, wherein the stabilizing agent prevents or lessens the dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The component of claim 2 , wherein the stabilizing agent is added prior to the austempering process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The component of claim 2 , wherein the stabilizing agent is comprised of molybdenum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The component of claim 4 , wherein the molybdenum comprises about 0.3 to about 0.5 weight percent of the ausferritic matrix.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the ausferritic matrix comprises less than about 2.4 weight percent silicon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the ausferritic matrix comprises about 0.5 to about 0.6 weight percent manganese.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the iron is comprised substantially of ductile iron.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise at least about 10 volume percent of the ausferritic matrix.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise at least about 20 volume percent of the ausferritic matrix.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise up to about 50 volume percent of the ausferritic matrix.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise about 10 to about 50 volume percent of the ausferritic matrix.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise about 20 to about 50 volume percent of the ausferritic matrix.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the ausferritic matrix has a nodularity of at least 95%.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the ausferritic matrix has a nodularity of at least 80%.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the ausferritic matrix has a nodularity of at least 70%.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the ausferritic matrix has a nodularity in the range of about 70 to about 95%.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the ausferritic matrix has a nodularity in the range of about 80 to about 95%.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The component of claim 1 , wherein the ausferritic matrix has a nodularity in the range of about 70 to about 80%.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
59 words
A cast ductile iron component that has undergone an austempering process, comprised of primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed throughout a substantially ausferritic matrix, wherein a primary iron carbide stabilizing agent is added prior to the austempering process, wherein the stabilizing agent prevents or lessens the dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
A cast ductile iron component that has undergone an austempering process, comprised of primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed throughout a substantially ausferritic matrix, wherein a primary iron carbide stabilizing agent is added prior to the austempering process, wherein the stabilizing agent prevents or lessens the dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The component of claim 20 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise about 10 to about 50 volume percent of the ausferritic matrix.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The component of claim 20 , wherein the ausferritic matrix has a nodularity in the range of about 70 to about 95%.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of forming a cast iron component, comprising: providing an amount of iron characterized by having either a ferritic, pearlitic, or a combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix with primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein; and austempering the iron to produce a substantially ausferritic matrix with the primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of forming a cast iron component, comprising: providing an amount of iron characterized by having either a ferritic, pearlitic, or a combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix with primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein; and austempering the iron to produce a substantially ausferritic matrix with the primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 23 , further comprising: providing an amount of primary iron carbide stabilizing agent; and adding the stabilizing agent to the iron, wherein the stabilizing agent is added in a sufficient amount so as to prevent or lessen the dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the stabilizing agent is added prior to the austempering process.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the iron is comprised substantially of ductile iron.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise about 40 to about 70 volume percent of the ferritic, pearlitic, or combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix prior to austempering.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 23 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise about 10 to about 50 volume percent of the ausferritic matrix after austempering.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
48 words
A product produced by: providing an amount of iron characterized by having either a ferritic, pearlitic, or a combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix with primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein; and austempering the iron to produce a substantially ausferritic matrix with the primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
A product produced by: providing an amount of iron characterized by having either a ferritic, pearlitic, or a combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix with primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein; and austempering the iron to produce a substantially ausferritic matrix with the primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of forming a cast iron component, comprising: providing an amount of iron characterized by having either a ferritic, pearlitic, or a combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix with primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein; providing an amount of primary iron carbide stabilizing agent; adding the stabilizing agent to the iron; and austempering the iron to produce a substantially ausferritic matrix with the primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein, wherein the stabilizing agent is added in a sufficient amount so as to prevent or lessen the dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of forming a cast iron component, comprising: providing an amount of iron characterized by having either a ferritic, pearlitic, or a combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix with primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein; providing an amount of primary iron carbide stabilizing agent; adding the stabilizing agent to the iron; and austempering the iron to produce a substantially ausferritic matrix with the primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein, wherein the stabilizing agent is added in a sufficient amount so as to prevent or lessen the dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein the stabilizing agent is added prior to the austempering process.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein the iron is comprised substantially of ductile iron.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise about 40 to about 70 volume percent of the ferritic, pearlitic, or combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix prior to austempering.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 30 , wherein the primary iron carbides comprise about 10 to about 50 volume percent of the ausferritic matrix after austempering.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
95 words
A product produced by: providing an amount of iron characterized by having either a ferritic, pearlitic, or a combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix with primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein; providing an amount of primary iron carbide stabilizing agent; adding the stabilizing agent to the iron; and austempering the iron to produce a substantially ausferritic matrix with the primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein, wherein the stabilizing agent is added in a sufficient amount so as to prevent or lessen the dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
95 words
A product produced by: providing an amount of iron characterized by having either a ferritic, pearlitic, or a combined ferritic and pearlitic matrix with primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein; providing an amount of primary iron carbide stabilizing agent; adding the stabilizing agent to the iron; and austempering the iron to produce a substantially ausferritic matrix with the primary iron carbides uniformly dispersed therein, wherein the stabilizing agent is added in a sufficient amount so as to prevent or lessen the dissolution of the primary iron carbides into the ausferritic matrix during the austempering process.
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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) | 2004-07-09 | 2005-01-08 | 2005-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-07-09 | 2009-01-08 | 2009-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-07-09 | 2013-01-08 | 2013-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |