U.S. patent application number 09/892758 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-03 for architectural titanium.
This patent application is currently assigned to Dynamet Technology, Inc.. Invention is credited to Abkowitz, Stanley, Abkowitz, Susan M., Heussi, Harold L..
Application Number | 20020000269 09/892758 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26908950 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020000269 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Abkowitz, Stanley ; et
al. |
January 3, 2002 |
Architectural titanium
Abstract
A method has been developed to produce an attractive surface on
titanium or titanium alloys. The material involves repeated thermal
treatment in vacuum above the beta transformation temperature
followed by cooling below this transformation temperature. This
treatment produces an attractive large grained, speckled surface.
The method can be applied to titanium sheet for construction
purposes or to titanium or titanium alloy components in art,
architecture, components for automotive trim and casing for
cellular phones or computers.
Inventors: |
Abkowitz, Stanley;
(Lexington, MA) ; Heussi, Harold L.; (Essex,
MA) ; Abkowitz, Susan M.; (Winchester, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow,
Garrett & Dunner, L.L.P.
1300 I Street, N.W.
Washington
DC
20005-3315
US
|
Assignee: |
Dynamet Technology, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
26908950 |
Appl. No.: |
09/892758 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60214384 |
Jun 28, 2000 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
148/421 ;
148/669 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C22F 1/183 20130101;
E04C 3/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
148/421 ;
148/669 |
International
Class: |
C22F 001/18; C22C
014/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for producing an architecturally desirable surface
finish in a titanium containing component, said method comprising:
thermally treating the titanium containing component at a
temperature above the beta transition temperature for the titanium
containing component and subsequently cooling through this
transition temperature to the alpha or alpha/beta range.
2. An article comprising a titanium containing component made in
accordance with the method of claim 1.
3. The article of claim 2, wherein said article is a cellular phone
casing.
4. The article of claim 2, wherein said article is automotive trim,
a watch case, a watch band, a computer case, a household component,
or an object of art.
5. The article of claim 4, wherein said object of art is hanging
art or a sculpture.
6. A titanium sheet for sidewall construction comprising a titanium
containing component made in accordance with the method of claim
1.
7. The titanium sheet of claim 6 having a speckled appearance.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) to provisional application number 60/214,384,
filed Jun. 28, 2000.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention is a method of thermally treating titanium,
titanium alloys and titanium composites to produce an aesthetically
attractive speckled surface and articles made therefrom.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0003] Titanium and titanium alloy sheet are finding increasing
application in building and architectural construction. Selected
newly designed office buildings and museums are sometimes clad with
titanium sheet. Further enhancement of the appearance over
conventional titanium would offer a highly desirable characteristic
of added value.
[0004] Titanium and its alloys microstructually exist in two
phases. The alpha phase has a close packed hexagonal structure
while the beta phase has a body centered cubic structure. Heating
this material to above approximately 180.degree. F. (the exact
temperature will depend on the composition of the titanium alloy)
produces beta (body centered cubic) structure which on cooling
undergoes transformation to the alpha/beta (hexagonal closed pack)
structure.
[0005] The Inventors have found that repeated heating and cooling
of these materials or heating for longer times in vacuum at
temperatures well over the beta transformation (heating typically
at 220.degree. F.) causes the grain size to grow larger. The
average diameter of the grain size can thus be made to vary from
0.5 mm for one or two cycles or short times to 25 mm or larger as
additional thermal cycles or longer times are employed. These large
grains produce an attractive sparkled texture to the titanium
sheet.
[0006] The thermal treatments can also be applied to fabricated
components of titanium that include watch cases, computer
containers and telephone components such as cell phone bodies. The
attractive "bright speckled" titanium can be used as processed or
can be further anodized by conventional technology to produce a
variety of colors while still retaining the speckled titanium
surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a
thermally treated sheet product or components of titanium and its
alloys with an architecturally and aesthetically desirable surface
finish. In addition, the resulting titanium sheet product may
exhibit beneficial mechanical and wear properties normally
associated with titanium and its alloys. Therefore, the attractive
finish of the thermally treated sheet product or components
resulting from the inventive process can be used in articles such
as computer cases, watch cases, cell phones and as automotive
interior and exterior trim.
[0008] It is understood that both the forgoing general description
and the following detailed description are exemplary and
explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention as
claimed.
[0009] The inventors have discovered that the cyclic thermally
treated titanium components result in an attractive article with a
speckled grained surface. To produce small speckled grains
treatment comprises only 1 or 2 cycles or heating above the beta
transformation temperature for short times are determined to be
sufficient. Where large speckled grains are desired, additional
cycles or higher temperature and longer times can be applied until
the preferred grain size for the particular article is
achieved.
[0010] Preferably, each thermal cycle in performed in vacuum and
comprises a heating rate, a maximum temperature, holding at the
maximum temperature for a controlled interval of time, followed by
a controlled cooling rate. To control the actual grain size
achieved, thermal cycling (number of cycles), maximum temperature,
and the holding time interval at the maximum temperature are
varied.
[0011] Articles which can be made according to the inventive
process include, but are not limited to cases for watches or
computers, components (or sheets) for building structures, articles
such as automotive trim, and accessories such as doorknobs,
bathroom fixtures and other household components.
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