Quenched steel pipe member, vehicle axle beam using quenched steel pipe member, and method for manufacturing quenched steel pipe member

1. A quenched steel pipe member,

wherein the quenched steel pipe member is formed of a GI galvanized steel pipe,

in a middle section in a longitudinal direction of the GI galvanized steel pipe, a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction has a substantially V shape including a contact section at which opposite parts of an inner circumferential surface of the GI galvanized steel pipe come into contact with each other,

the contact section is bonded using a Fe—Zn alloy phase, and

a micro Vickers hardness at a location 50 μm deep from a base material surface layer is 95% or more of a micro Vickers hardness at a location 200 μm deep from the base material surface layer.

2. The quenched steel pipe member according to claim 1 ,

wherein the micro Vickers hardness at the location 50 μm deep from the base material surface layer of the GI galvanized steel pipe is 500 Hv or more.

3. The quenched steel pipe member according to claim 1 or 2 ,

wherein the contact section is formed throughout a length that is 50% or more of a total length of the GI galvanized steel pipe.

4. A vehicle axle beam,

wherein the quenched steel pipe member according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is used.

5. A method for manufacturing a quenched steel pipe member, the method comprising:

press-forming a GI galvanized steel pipe so that, in a middle section in a longitudinal direction of the GI galvanized steel pipe, a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction has a substantially V shape including a contact section at which opposite parts of an inner circumferential surface of the GI galvanized steel pipe come into contact with each other;

heating and holding the press-formed GI galvanized steel pipe under conditions in which a plated zinc amount A (g/m 2 ), a maximum heating temperature T (° C.) that is 850° C. or higher, and a holding time t (hr) at the maximum heating temperature satisfy the following formula (1); and

cooling the heated and held GI galvanized steel pipe through water cooling, thereby bonding the contact section using a Fe—Zn alloy phase,

( T+ 273.15)×(log t+ 20)/ A≦ 340  Formula (1).

6. The method for manufacturing a quenched steel pipe member according to claim 5 ,

wherein, in the cooling, the heated and held GI galvanized steel pipe is water-cooled to 200° C. or lower at a cooling rate of 30° C./s or more.

7. The method for manufacturing a quenched steel pipe member according to claim 5 or 6 ,

wherein the plated zinc amount A is 60 g/m 2 or more.

8. The method for manufacturing a quenched steel pipe member according to any one of claims 5 to 7 ,

wherein, in the press-forming, the GI galvanized steel pipe is press-formed so that the contact section is formed throughout a length that is 50% or more of a total length of the GI galvanized steel pipe.

9. The method for manufacturing a quenched steel pipe member according to any one of claims 5 to 8 ,

wherein, in the heating and holding, the GI galvanized steel pipe is electrically heated.

10. The method for manufacturing a quenched steel pipe member according to any one of claims 5 to 9 ,

wherein, in the heating and holding, the press-formed GI galvanized steel pipe is electrically heated so as to be held in a temperature range of an Ac3 point of steel or higher for 3 seconds to 30 seconds.

11. The method for manufacturing a quenched steel pipe member according to any one of claims 5 to 10 ,

wherein the GI galvanized steel pipe has chemical composition having an Ac3 point of 850° C. or lower.