Jaroslav J Urbanek

US Patent:

20020017344, Feb 14, 2002

Filed:

May 15, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/859017

Inventors:

Alok Gupta - Kingston, CA
Helene Lagace - Kingston, CA
Paul Jeffrey - Kingston, CA
Jaroslav Urbanek - Anna Maria FL, US
Christopher Davenport - Rugby, GB

International Classification:

C22F001/04

US Classification:

148/551000, 148/698000

Abstract:

A method of producing a sheet article or other elongated product of solution heat treated aluminum alloy substantially free of permanent thermal distortion. The method involves subjecting an article made of a heat-treatable aluminum alloy to a solution heat treatment, cooling the article in a gas from the solutionizing temperature to an upper critical temperature below which precipitation of second phase particles of the alloy may occur, further cooling the article in a gas/liquid from the upper temperature to a lower critical temperature below which precipitation of the components may no longer occur, and optionally additionally cooling the article to a temperature below the lower critical temperature. The cooling of the article in the gas is carried out at a rate of cooling at which the yield strength of the article remains high enough to resist permanent deformation caused by thermal stress generated within the article by the cooling.