US5618634A — Composite zinc- or zinc alloy-electroplated metal…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 174 words

A method for producing a composite zinc or zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet comprising subjecting a metal sheet to electroplating with zinc or a zinc alloy in a plating solution which contains at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of alkynes, alkynols, amines and salts thereof, thio compounds, heterocyclic compounds, and aromatic carboxylic acids and salts thereof in an amount in the range of 0.001-10 wt % to form, on at least one surface of the metal sheet, a composite zinc or zinc alloy plated coating having a coating weight of 0.5-200 g/m 2 and containing 0.001-10 wt % of co-deposited carbon, the composite zinc alloy plated coating having a carbon-rich surface layer wherein the carbon content is higher than the rest of the plating, the electroplating being performed by using a pulse current having an off-time of 1 msec to 1 second and a duty factor of at least 0.5 or a superimposed AC current having a frequency of 1-100 Hz and a current variation peak of ±1% to ±50%.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 174 words

A method for producing a composite zinc or zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet comprising subjecting a metal sheet to electroplating with zinc or a zinc alloy in a plating solution which contains at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of alkynes, alkynols, amines and salts thereof, thio compounds, heterocyclic compounds, and aromatic carboxylic acids and salts thereof in an amount in the range of 0.001-10 wt % to form, on at least one surface of the metal sheet, a composite zinc or zinc alloy plated coating having a coating weight of 0.5-200 g/m 2 and containing 0.001-10 wt % of co-deposited carbon, the composite zinc alloy plated coating having a carbon-rich surface layer wherein the carbon content is higher than the rest of the plating, the electroplating being performed by using a pulse current having an off-time of 1 msec to 1 second and a duty factor of at least 0.5 or a superimposed AC current having a frequency of 1-100 Hz and a current variation peak of ±1% to ±50%.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the zinc alloy is an alloy of Zn with one or more alloying metal elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cr, and Sn.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 2, wherein the alloying metal element or elements are selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, and Co.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the organic compound is present in the plating solution in an amount of 0.05-10 wt %.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 4, wherein the amount of the organic compound is 0.1-10 wt % for alkynes and alkynols, 3-10 wt % for amines, 0.2-5 wt % for thio compounds, 1.5-10 wt % for heterocyclic compounds, and 3-8 wt % for aromatic carboxylic acids.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 112 words

An electroplated metal plate which comprises a metal sheet having, on at least one surface thereof, a composite zinc or zinc alloy plated coating having a coating weight of 0.5-200 g/m 2 and containing 0.001-10 wt % of co-deposited carbon and up to 10 wt % in total of one or more alloying metal elements, the composite zinc alloy plated coating having a carbon-rich surface layer wherein the carbon content is higher than the rest of the plating, and the η phase present in the composite zinc alloy plated coating has an orientation index of not greater than 0.8 for the (00·2) plane and not less than 0.2 for the (10·1) plane.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 112 words

An electroplated metal plate which comprises a metal sheet having, on at least one surface thereof, a composite zinc or zinc alloy plated coating having a coating weight of 0.5-200 g/m 2 and containing 0.001-10 wt % of co-deposited carbon and up to 10 wt % in total of one or more alloying metal elements, the composite zinc alloy plated coating having a carbon-rich surface layer wherein the carbon content is higher than the rest of the plating, and the η phase present in the composite zinc alloy plated coating has an orientation index of not greater than 0.8 for the (00·2) plane and not less than 0.2 for the (10·1) plane.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 32 words

The electroplated metal sheet of claim 6, wherein the metal sheet is a steel sheet and the composite zinc or zinc alloy plated coating has a weight of 5-200 g/m 2 .

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 55 words

The electroplated metal sheet of claim 6, wherein the metal sheet is a plated steel sheet having a plated coating selected from the group consisting of a zinc coating, an aluminum coating, and a zinc or aluminum alloy coating, on which the composite plated coating is formed with a weight of 0.5-20 g/m 2 .

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

The electroplated metal sheet of claim 6, wherein the composite zinc or zinc alloy plated coating contains 0.05-5 wt % of co-deposited carbon.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

The electroplated metal sheet of claim 9, wherein the composite zinc or zinc alloy plated coating contains 0.5-3 wt % of co-deposited carbon.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 61 words

A composite organic-inorganic coated metal sheet comprising the composite zinc or zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet of claim 6, a chromate film formed with a weight of 10-200 mg/m 2 as Cr on the composite zinc or zinc alloy plated coating of the metal sheet, and an organic resin coating formed with a thickness of 0.1-2 μm on the chromate film.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 17 words

The composite organic-inorganic coated metal sheet of claim 11, wherein the organic resin is an epoxy resin.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

The electroplated metal sheet of claim 6, wherein the carbon-rich surface layer has a thickness of 0.1-5 μm.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 61 words

The electroplated metal sheet of claim 6, wherein the composite zinc alloy plated coating is electroplated using a pulsed DC current or current having an off-time of 1 msec to 1 second and a duty factor of at least 0.5 or using an superimposed AC current having a frequency of 1-100 Hz and a current variation peak of ±1% to ±50%.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 96 words

A composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet comprising a metal sheet having, on at least one surface thereof, a composite zinc alloy plated coating having a coating weight of 0.5-200 g/m 2 and containing 0.001-10 wt % of co-deposited carbon and including 0.4 to 2 % Co, wherein the composite zinc alloy plated coating has a carbon-rich surface layer with a thickness of 0.1-10 μm, said thickness constituting from 5 % to 50% of the thickness of the plated coating, and the carbon-rich surface layer having a carbon content higher than the rest of the plating.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 96 words

A composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet comprising a metal sheet having, on at least one surface thereof, a composite zinc alloy plated coating having a coating weight of 0.5-200 g/m 2 and containing 0.001-10 wt % of co-deposited carbon and including 0.4 to 2 % Co, wherein the composite zinc alloy plated coating has a carbon-rich surface layer with a thickness of 0.1-10 μm, said thickness constituting from 5 % to 50% of the thickness of the plated coating, and the carbon-rich surface layer having a carbon content higher than the rest of the plating.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

The composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet of claim 15, wherein the composite zinc alloy plated coating further includes Fe, Ni or mixture thereof.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 56 words

The composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet of claim 15, wherein the thickness of the carbon-rich surface layer is 0.1-5 μm and constitutes from 5 % to 40% of the thickness of the plated coating, and the carbon content in the carbon-rich surface is at least two times the mean carbon concentration of the plated coating.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 57 words

A composite organic-inorganic coated metal sheet comprising the composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet of claim 15, a chromate film formed with a weight of 10-200 mg/m 2 as Cr on the composite zinc alloy plated coating of the metal sheet, and an organic resin coating formed with a thickness of 0.1-2 μm on the chromate film.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 61 words

The electroplated metal sheet of claim 15, wherein the composite zinc alloy plated coating is electroplated using a pulsed DC current or current having an off-time of 1 msec to 1 second and a duty factor of at least 0.5 superimposed or using an AC current having a frequency of 1-100 Hz and a current variation peak of ±1% to ±50%.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 103 words

A composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet comprising a metal sheet having, on at least one surface thereof, a composite zinc alloy plated coating having a coating weight of 0.5-200 g/m 2 and containing 0.001-10 wt % of co-deposited carbon and 0.2-10 wt % in total of one or more alloying metal elements, wherein the η phase present in the composite zinc alloy plated coating has an orientation index of not greater than 0.8 for the (00·2) plane and not less than 0.2 for the (10·1) plane, and the carbon-rich surface layer having a carbon content higher than the rest of the plating.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 103 words

A composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet comprising a metal sheet having, on at least one surface thereof, a composite zinc alloy plated coating having a coating weight of 0.5-200 g/m 2 and containing 0.001-10 wt % of co-deposited carbon and 0.2-10 wt % in total of one or more alloying metal elements, wherein the η phase present in the composite zinc alloy plated coating has an orientation index of not greater than 0.8 for the (00·2) plane and not less than 0.2 for the (10·1) plane, and the carbon-rich surface layer having a carbon content higher than the rest of the plating.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 25 words

The composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet of claim 20, wherein the one or more alloying metal element are selected from Fe, Co, and Ni.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 36 words

The composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet of claim 20, wherein the η phase has an orientation index of not greater than 0.7 for the (00·2) plane and not less than 0.25 for the (10·1) plane.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 57 words

A composite organic-inorganic coated metal sheet comprising the composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet of claim 20, a chromate film formed with a weight of 10-200 mg/m 2 as Cr on the composite zinc alloy plated coating of the metal sheet, and an organic resin coating formed with a thickness of 0.1-2 μm on the chromate film.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 21 words

The composite zinc alloy electroplated metal sheet of claim 20, wherein the carbon-rich surface layer has a thickness of 0.1-5 μm.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-04-07	2000-10-07	2001-04-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-04-07	2004-10-07	2005-04-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-04-07	2008-10-07	2009-04-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Composite zinc- or zinc alloy-electroplated metal sheet and method for the production thereof

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