| US 7,491,278 B2 | ||
| Method of heat treating an aluminium alloy member and apparatus therefor | ||
| Ingo Günther Kröpfl, Polch (Germany) | ||
| Assigned to Aleris Aluminum Koblenz GmbH, Koblenz (Germany) | ||
| Filed on Sep. 30, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/239,477. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/616228, filed on Oct. 07, 2004. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 04077719 (EP), filed on Oct. 05, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0070689 A1, Apr. 06, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. C22F 1/04 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 148—688 [148/689; 148/690; 148/698; 148/703] | 41 Claims |
| 1. A method of heat treating an aluminum alloy member having a main surface, comprising the steps of:
a) subjecting the member to a solution heat treatment,
b) quenching the member,
c) reheating the quenched member in a pre-ageing heat treatment step, and
wherein the pre-ageing heat treatment comprises coupling the main surface of the member to a main surface of a heating plate,
wherein the pre-ageing treatment is carried out outside any furnace, and wherein the aluminum alloy member and the heating
plate are coupled to each other by placing a protective layer between the aluminum alloy member and the heating plate,
wherein the protective layer is made from an isolating material selected from the group consisting of glass fabric, ceramics,
glass wool, mineral wool, and polymer fabric.
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