Granted Patent B2

US 6,861,159 · App. 10/254,824 · Granted Mar 1, 2005

Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company

Abstract

Claims (392)

1. A corrosion-resistant metal strip having a base metal strip coated with a corrosion-resistant metal alloy and a heat created intermetallic layer between said metal alloy coating and said base metal strip, said base metal strip having a surface that includes copper prior to said metal alloy coating being coated on said base metal strip, said metal alloy coating including at least about 15 weight percent tin, an at least an effective amount of zinc to form a multi-phase metal alloy coating after said metal ahoy coating cools on said base metal strip, said tin content plus said zinc content at least about 90 weight percent, said heat created intermetallic layer including a majority of copper plus zinc and having a thickness of up to about 10 microns.

2. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 1 , wherein said base metal strip includes a majority of copper.

3. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 2 , wherein said base metal strip is a copper strip.

4. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 1 , wherein said metal alloy coating has an average thickness of less than about 30 microns.

5. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 3 , wherein said metal alloy coating has an average thickness of less than about 30 microns.

6. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 1 , wherein said base metal strip has an average thickness of less than about 2540 microns, said base metal strip thickness being greater than said metal alloy coating thickness.

7. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 5 , wherein said base metal strip has an average thickness of less than about 2540 microns, said base metal strip thickness being greater than said metal alloy coating thickness.

8. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 1 , wherein said heat created intermetallic layer includes at least about 75 weight percent copper plus zinc.

9. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 7 , wherein said heat created intermetallic layer includes at least about 75 weight percent copper plus zinc.

10. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 1 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least about 20 weight percent zinc.

11. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 9 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least about 20 weight percent zinc.

12. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 10 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least about 40 weight percent zinc.

13. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 1 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least one metal additive to positively affect the chemical and/or physical properties of said metal alloy coating; said metal additive including a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, bismuth, chromium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

14. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 9 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least one metal additive to positively affect the chemical and/or physical properties of said metal alloy coating; said metal additive including a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, bismuth, chromium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

15. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 11 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least one metal additive to positively affect the chemical and/or physical properties of said metal alloy coating; said metal additive including a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, bismuth, chromium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

16. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 1 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

15-90

Zinc

 9-85

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Magnesium

0-2

Nickel

0-2

Titanium

 0-1.

17. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 15 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

15-90

Zinc

 9-85

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Magnesium

0-2

Nickel

0-2

Titanium

 0-1.

18. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 16 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

45-55

Zinc

45-55

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Boron

  0-0.01

Cadmium

  0-0.1

Carbon

  0-0.5

Chromium

  0-0.5

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Lead

  0-0.5

Magnesium

  0-0.4

Manganese

  0-0.1

Molybdenum

  0-0.1

Nickel

0-2

Silicon

  0-0.5

Titanium

0-1

Vanadium

   0-0.1.

19. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 17 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

45-55

Zinc

45-55

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Boron

  0-0.01

Cadmium

  0-0.1

Carbon

  0-0.5

Chromium

  0-0.5

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Lead

  0-0.5

Magnesium

  0-0.4

Manganese

  0-0.1

Molybdenum

  0-0.1

Nickel

0-2

Silicon

  0-0.5

Titanium

0-1

Vanadium

   0-0.1.

20. A corrosion-resistant metal strip having a base metal strip coated with a corrosion-resistant metal alloy and a heat created intermetallic layer formed between said base metal strip and said metal alloy coating, said base metal strip formed of a majority of copper and having a surface which includes copper prior to being coated with said metal alloy coating, said metal alloy coating including about 9-80 weight percent zinc and at least about 15 weight percent tin, said tin content plus said zinc content of said metal alloy coating at least about 90 weight percent, said base metal strip having an average thickness of about 381-2540 microns, said metal alloy coating having an average thickness of about 2-1250 microns, said base metal strip having a thickness greater than said metal alloy coating thickness, said heat created intermetallic layer including a majority of copper plus zinc and having an average thickness of about 0.3-20 microns.

21. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 2 , wherein said base metal strip is a copper strip.

22. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 20 , wherein said metal alloy coating has an average thickness of less than about 30 microns.

23. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 21 , wherein said metal alloy coating has an average thickness of less than about 30 microns.

24. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 20 , wherein said heat created intermetallic layer includes at least about 75 weight percent copper plus zinc.

25. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 23 , wherein said heat created intermetallic layer includes at least about 75 weight percent copper plus zinc.

26. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 20 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least about 20 weight percent zinc.

27. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 25 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least about 20 weight percent zinc.

28. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 20 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least one metal additive to positively affect the chemical and/or physical properties of said metal alloy coating; said metal additive including a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, bismuth, chromium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

29. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 25 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least one metal additive to positively affect the chemical and/or physical properties of said metal alloy coating; said metal additive including a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, bismuth, chromium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

30. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 27 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least one metal additive to positively affect the chemical and/or physical properties of said metal alloy coating; said metal additive including a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, bismuth, chromium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, titanium, and mixtures thereof.

31. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 20 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

15-90

Zinc

 9-85

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Magnesium

0-2

Nickel

0-2

Titanium

 0-1.

32. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 30 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

15-90

Zinc

 9-85

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Magnesium

0-2

Nickel

0-2

Titanium

 0-1.

33. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 31 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

45-55

Zinc

45-55

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Boron

  0-0.01

Cadmium

  0-0.1

Carbon

  0-0.5

Chromium

  0-0.5

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Lead

  0-0.5

Magnesium

  0-0.4

Manganese

  0-0.1

Molybdenum

  0-0.1

Nickel

0-2

Silicon

  0-0.5

Titanium

0-1

Vanadium

   0-0.1.

34. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 32 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

45-55

Zinc

45-55

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Boron

  0-0.01

Cadmium

  0-0.1

Carbon

  0-0.5

Chromium

  0-0.5

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Lead

  0-0.5

Magnesium

  0-0.4

Manganese

  0-0.1

Molybdenum

  0-0.1

Nickel

0-2

Silicon

  0-0.5

Titanium

0-1

Vanadium

   0-0.1.

35. A corrosion-resistant metal strip having a copper base metal strip coated with a multi-phase tin-zinc alloy coating and a heat created intermetallic layer formed between said copper base metal strip and said tin-zinc alloy coating, said metal alloy including at least about 15 weight percent tin and at least an amount of zinc to form said multi-phase tin-zinc alloy, said tin content plus said zinc content at least about 90 weight percent, said tin-zinc alloy including at least one metal additive to positively affect the chemical and/or physical properties of said tin-zinc alloy, said metal additive including a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, bismuth, chromium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, titanium, and mixtures thereof, said copper base metal strip having an average thickness of about 381-1270 microns, said tin-zinc coating having an average thickness of about 2-77 microns, said heat created intermetallic layer including a majority of copper plus zinc and having an average thickness of about 0.3-20 microns, said thickness of said tin-zinc alloy coating being greater than said thickness of said heat created intermetallic layer.

36. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 35 , wherein said metal alloy coating has an average thickness of less than about 30 microns.

37. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 35 , wherein said heat created intermetallic layer includes at least about 75 weight percent copper plus zinc.

38. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 36 , wherein said heat created intermetallic layer includes at least about 75 weight percent copper plus zinc.

39. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 35 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least about 20 weight percent zinc.

40. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 38 , wherein said metal alloy coating includes at least about 20 weight percent zinc.

41. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 35 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

15-90

Zinc

 9-85

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Magnesium

0-2

Nickel

0-2

Titanium

 0-1.

42. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 40 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

15-90

Zinc

 9-85

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Magnesium

0-2

Nickel

0-2

Titanium

 0-1.

43. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 41 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

45-55

Zinc

45-55

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Boron

  0-0.01

Cadmium

  0-0.1

Carbon

  0-0.5

Chromium

  0-0.5

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Lead

  0-0.5

Magnesium

  0-0.4

Manganese

  0-0.1

Molybdenum

  0-0.1

Nickel

0-2

Silicon

  0-0.5

Titanium

0-1

Vanadium

   0-0.1.

44. The corrosion-resistant metal strip as defined in claim 42 , wherein said metal alloy comprises:

Tin

45-55

Zinc

45-55

Aluminum

0-2

Antimony

0-2

Bismuth

  0-1.7

Boron

  0-0.01

Cadmium

  0-0.1

Carbon

  0-0.5

Chromium

  0-0.5

Copper

0-2

Iron

0-1

Lead

  0-0.5

Magnesium

  0-0.4

Manganese

  0-0.1

Molybdenum

  0-0.1

Nickel

0-2

Silicon

  0-0.5

Titanium

0-1

Vanadium

   0-0.1.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (197)