Oxidized-zirconium-alloy article and method therefor

• US 9,422,198 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RGP Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: RGP Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Garino, Jonathan P., Ruggiero, Robert A. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WIESE, NOAH S
• Application Number:
  US14/679,335
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/16 Blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/32 Rotors
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 16/00 Alloys based on zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 8/10 Oxidising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03

Abstract

Described are articles having, at least, an outer surface comprising unalloyed oxidized Zirconium with Niobium having a thickness and configurations suitable for sports equipment, golf clubs, aircraft, boat hulls, motor vehicle, propellers, helicopter rotors, and various other non-medical applications.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a head including a face portion having an outer surface comprised of a ceramic-oxidized zirconium alloy consisting of about between 70-98 weight percent unalloyed Zirconium and about 2-30 weight percent Niobium.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the outer surface is about 5 μ

m-to-10 μ

m thick.

3. An article having, at least, an outer surface comprising:

a ceramic-oxidized zirconium alloy consisting of about between 70-90 weight percent unalloyed Zirconium and about 10-30 weight percent Niobium, wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of a skin of an airplane, an outer surface of a boat hull, an outer surface of a motor vehicle, an outer surface of a propeller, and an outer surface of helicopter rotor.

4. An article having, at least, an outer surface comprising:

a ceramic-oxidized zirconium alloy consisting of about between 70-98 weight percent unalloyed Zirconium and about 2-30 weight percent Niobium, wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of coatings for kitchen ware, and encasing members for computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones, and cell phones.