IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,327,655
Granted Patent B2
US 12,327,655 · App. 18/022,328 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Connection portion for superconducting wire and method for connecting superconducting wire

Inventors: Shinji Fujita (Tokyo, JP); Yota Ichiki (Tokyo, JP); Motomune Kodama (Tokyo, JP); Tsuyoshi Wakuda (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
H01B12/08H01B1/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,327,655
App. No.
18/022,328
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In the connection portion for a superconducting wire, a plurality of superconducting wires are integrated by a sintered body containing MgB 2 , end portions of the superconducting wires each having an outer peripheral surface of a superconducting filament exposed are inserted into a container in parallel. The container has an opening having a diameter larger than a wire diameter of the superconducting wires on at least one side in a longitudinal direction of the superconducting wires, and the sintered body is in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the superconducting filaments. The method for connecting a superconducting wire includes: exposing the outer peripheral surfaces of the superconducting filaments; inserting the superconducting wires into the container; filling the container with a raw material; and heat-treating the raw material to generate the sintered body. The raw material is pressurized in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the superconducting wires and then heat-treated.

Claims (40)

1. A connection portion for a superconducting wire in which a plurality of superconducting wires are integrated by a sintered body containing MgB 2 , wherein

each of the superconducting wires includes a superconducting filament, and end portions of the superconducting wires each having an outer peripheral surface of the superconducting filament exposed are inserted into a container in parallel,

the container has an opening having a diameter larger than a wire diameter of the superconducting wires on at least one side in a longitudinal direction of the superconducting wires inserted into the container,

the sintered body is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the superconducting filament of each of the superconducting wires inside the container,

the superconducting wires are inserted into a center side of the container to be separated from an inner wall surface of the container,

the sintered body is filled between the superconducting wires inserted into the container and the container,

the superconducting wires are positioned parallel to a pressurization direction of a raw material of MgB 2 used to form the sintered body, and

the superconducting filament is made from MgB 2 .

2. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 1 , wherein

the superconducting wire includes the superconducting filament and a metal sheath covering an outer periphery of the superconducting filament, and

a portion of the metal sheath positioned at an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the superconducting wire is removed such that the outer peripheral surface of the superconducting filament is exposed.

3. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 1 , wherein

the superconducting wire includes the superconducting filament and a metal sheath covering an outer periphery of the superconducting filament,

portions of the metal sheath that are positioned point-symmetrically with respect to a central axis of the superconducting wire are removed, and

the sintered body is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the superconducting filament on both sides of the central axis.

4. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 1 , wherein

the superconducting wire is fixed at one or more portions to the container or a lid member that seals the container.

5. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 1 , wherein

the sintered body has a filling rate of MgB 2 of 70% by volume or more.

6. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 1 , wherein

the superconducting filament is made from MgB 2 .

7. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 2 , wherein

the superconducting filament is made from MgB 2 .

8. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 3 , wherein

the superconducting filament is made from MgB 2 .

9. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 4 , wherein

the superconducting filament is made from MgB 2 .

10. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 2 , wherein

the sintered body has a filling rate of MgB 2 of 70% by volume or more.

11. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 3 , wherein

the sintered body has a filling rate of MgB 2 of 70% by volume or more.

12. The connection portion for a superconducting wire according to claim 4 , wherein

the sintered body has a filling rate of MgB 2 of 70% by volume or more.

13. A method for connecting a superconducting wire in which a plurality of superconducting wires are integrated by a sintered body containing MgB 2 , the method comprising:

removing a metal sheath of each of the superconducting wires to expose an outer peripheral surface of a superconducting filament;

inserting the superconducting wires, each having the superconducting filament exposed, into a container in parallel;

filling the container with a raw material of MgB 2 ; and

heat-treating the raw material filled in the container to generate the sintered body containing MgB 2 , wherein

the container has an opening having a diameter larger than a wire diameter of the superconducting wires on at least one side in a longitudinal direction of the superconducting wires inserted into the container, and

the raw material filled in the container is pressurized in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the superconducting wires by inserting a pressurizing jig or a lid member into the opening, and then heat-treated.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2024
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067728/0453 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2023
From: FUJITA, SHINJI; ICHIKI, YOTA; KODAMA, MOTOMUNE; WAKUDA, TSUYOSHI
To: HITACHI, LTD.
Reel/Frame 062752/0731 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-148180 · Sep 3, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230317318A1 · Oct 5, 2023
References Cited (18)
US 20030051901A1 · Morita · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20060240991A1 · Takahashi et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20080274900A1 · Shimoyama · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20090264297A1 · Nardelli · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20100216645A1 · Tenbrink · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100216647A1 · Tenbrink · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20120108435A1 · Ichiki et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20160293296A1 · Ichiki · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20180012682A1 · Ichiki et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190207331A1 · Ichiki et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006174546A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012094413A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017208156A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2015015627A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016143416A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017212869A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
Jiaying Ling, et al., “Monofilament MgB2 Wire for a Whole-Body MRI Magnet: Superconducting Joints and Test Coils”, IEEE Trans Appl Supercond. Jun. 2013; 23(3). [cited by applicant]
International Search Report of PCT/JP2021/029424 dated Oct. 19, 2021. [cited by applicant]