Claims
- 1. A low-loss bulk amorphous metal magnetic component comprising a plurality of substantially similarly shaped layers of heat treated amorphous metal strips having a nanocrystalline microstructure therein, the amorphous metal strips laminated together to form a polyhedrally shaped part wherein said low-loss bulk amorphous metal magnetic component when operated at an excitation frequency “f” to a peak induction level Bmax has a core-loss less than “L” wherein L is given by the formula L=0.0074 f (Bmax)1.3+0.000282 f1.5 (Bmax)2.4, said core loss, said excitation frequency and said peak induction level being measured in watts per kilogram, hertz, and teslas, respectively.
- 2. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 1, each of said amorphous metal strips having a composition defined essentially by the formula: M70-85 Y5-20 Z0-20, subscripts in atom percent, where “M” is at least one of Fe, Ni and Co, “Y” is at least one of B, C and P, and “Z” is at least one of Si, Al and Ge; with the provisos that (i) up to 10 atom percent of component “M” can be replaced with at least one of the metallic species Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ta, Hf, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, and W, (ii) up to 10 atom percent of components (Y+Z) can be replaced by at least one of the non-metallic species In, Sn, Sb and Pb and (iii) up to about one (1) atom percent of the components (M+Y+Z) can be incidental impurities.
- 3. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 2, wherein each of said amorphous metal strips has a composition containing at least 70 atom percent Fe, at least 5 atom percent B, and at least 5 atom percent Si, with the proviso that the total content of B and Si is at least 15 atom percent.
- 4. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 3, wherein each of said amorphous metal strips has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe80B11Si9.
- 5. A low-loss bulk amorphous metal component as recited by claim 2, wherein each of said amorphous metal strips has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe100−u−x−y−z−wRuTxQyBzSiw, wherein R is at least one of Ni and Co, T is at least one of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, and W, Q is at least one of Cu, Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt, u ranges from 0 to about 10, x ranges from about 3 to 12, y ranges from 0 to about 4, z ranges from about 5 to 12, and w ranges from 0 to less than about 8.
- 6. A low-loss bulk amorphous metal component as recited by claim 2, wherein each of said amorphous metal strips has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe100−u−x−y−z−wRuTxQyBzSiw, wherein R is at least one of Ni and Co, T is at least one of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, and W, Q is at least one of Cu, Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt, u ranges from 0 to about 10, x ranges from about 1 to 5, y ranges from 0 to about 3, z ranges from about 5 to 12, and w ranges from about 8 to 18.
- 7. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 1, wherein said component has the shape of a three-dimensional polyhedron with at least one rectangular cross-section.
- 8. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 1, wherein said component has the shape of a three-dimensional polyhedron with at least one trapezoidal cross-section.
- 9. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 1, wherein said component has the shape of a three-dimensional polyhedron with at least one square cross-section.
- 10. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 1, wherein said component includes at least one arcuate surface.
- 11. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 1, wherein said magnetic component has a core-loss of less than or approximately equal to 1 watt-per-kilogram of amorphous metal material when operated at a frequency of approximately 60 Hz and at a flux density of approximately 1.4 T.
- 12. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 1, wherein said magnetic component has a core-loss of less than or approximately equal to 12 watts-per-kilogram of amorphous metal material when operated at a frequency of approximately 1,000 Hz and at a flux density of approximately 1.0 T.
- 13. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 1, wherein said magnetic component has a core-loss of less than or approximately equal to 70 watts-per-kilogram of amorphous metal material when operated at a frequency of approximately 20,000 Hz and at a flux density of approximately 0.30 T.
- 14. A method of constructing a bulk amorphous metal magnetic component comprising the steps of:(a) cutting amorphous metal strip material to form a plurality of cut strips having a predetermined length; (b) stacking said cut strips to form a bar of stacked amorphous metal strip material; (c) annealing said stacked bar such that the strips form a nanocrystalline structure therein; (d) impregnating said stacked bar with an epoxy resin and curing said resin impregnated stacked bar; and (e) cutting said stacked bar at predetermined lengths to provide a plurality of polyhedrally shaped magnetic components having a predetermined three-dimensional geometry.
- 15. A method of constructing a bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 14, wherein said step (a) comprises cutting amorphous metal strip material using a cutting blade, a cutting wheel, a water jet or an electro-discharge machine.
- 16. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component constructed in accordance with the method of claim 14, wherein said low-loss bulk amorphous metal magnetic component when excited at a frequency f to a peak induction level Bmax has a core-loss less than L wherein L is given by the formula L=0.0074 f (Bmax)1.3+0.000282 f1.5 (Bmax)2.4, said core loss, said excitation frequency and said peak induction level being measured in watts per kilogram, hertz, and teslas, respectively.
- 17. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 16, wherein each of said cut strips has a composition defined essentially by the formula: M70-85 Y5-20 Z0-20, subscripts in atom percent, where “M” is at least one of Fe, Ni and Co, “Y” is at least one of B, C and P, and “Z” is at least one of Si, Al and Ge; with the provisos that (i) up to 10 atom percent of component “M” can be replaced with at least one of the metallic species Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ta, Hf, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, and W, (ii) up to 10 atom percent of components (Y+Z) can be replaced by at least one of the non-metallic species In, Sn, Sb and Pb; and (iii) up to about one (1) atom percent of the components (M+Y+Z) can be incidental impurities.
- 18. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 17, wherein each of said cut strips has a composition containing at least 70 atom percent Fe, at least 5 atom percent B, and at least 5 atom percent Si, with the proviso that the total content of B and Si is at least 15 atom percent.
- 19. A bulk amorphous magnetic component as recited by claim 18 wherein each of said cut strips has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe80B11Si9.
- 20. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 16, wherein said component has the shape of a three-dimensional polyhedron with at least one rectangular cross-section.
- 21. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 16, wherein said component has the shape of a three-dimensional polyhedron with at least one trapezoidal cross-section.
- 22. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 16, wherein said component has the shape of a three-dimensional polyhedron with at least one square cross-section.
- 23. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 16, wherein said component includes at least one arcuate surface.
- 24. A method of constructing a bulk amorphous metal magnetic component comprising the steps of:(a) winding amorphous metal strip material about a mandrel to form a generally rectangular core having generally radiused corners; (b) annealing said wound, rectangular core such that the amorphous metal strip material forms a nanocrystalline structure therein; (c) impregnating said wound, rectangular core with an epoxy resin and curing said epoxy resin impregnated rectangular core; (d) cutting the short sides of said generally rectangular core to form two polyhedrally shaped magnetic components having a predetermined three-dimensional geometry that is the approximate size and shape of said short sides of said generally rectangular core; (e) removing the generally radiused corners from the long sides of said generally rectangular core; and (f) cutting the long sides of said generally rectangular core to form a plurality of magnetic components having said predetermined three-dimensional geometry.
- 25. A method of constructing a bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 24, wherein at least one of said steps (d) and (f) comprises cutting amorphous metal strip material using a cutting blade, a cutting wheel, a water jet or an electro-discharge machine.
- 26. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component constructed in accordance with the method of claim 24, wherein said low-loss bulk amorphous metal magnetic component when excited at a frequency f to a peak induction level Bmax has a core-loss less than L wherein L is given by the formula L=0.0074 f (Bmax)1.3+0.000282 f1.5 (Bmax)2.4, said core loss, said excitation frequency and said peak induction level being measured in watts per kilogram, hertz, and teslas, respectively.
- 27. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 26, wherein said amorphous metal strip material has a composition defined essentially by the formula: M70-85 Y5-20 Z0-20, subscripts in atom percent, where “M” is at least one of Fe, Ni and Co, “Y” is at least one of B, C and P, and “Z” is at least one of Si, Al and Ge; with the provisos that (i) up to 10 atom percent of component “M” can be replaced with at least one of the metallic species Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ta, Hf, Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, and W, (ii) up to 10 atom percent of components (Y+Z) can be replaced by at least one of the non-metallic species In, Sn, Sb and Pb; and (iii) up to about one (1) atom percent of the components (M+Y+Z) can be incidental impurities.
- 28. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 27, wherein said amorphous metal strip material has a composition containing at least 70 atom percent Fe, at least 5 atom percent B, and at least 5 atom percent Si, with the proviso that the total content of B and Si is at least 15 atom percent.
- 29. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 28, wherein said amorphous metal strip material has a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe80B11Si9.
- 30. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 26, wherein said predetermined three-dimensional geometry is generally rectangular.
- 31. A bulk amorphous metal magnetic component as recited by claim 26, wherein said predetermined three-dimensional geometry is generally square.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 09/186,914, filed Nov. 6, 1998, now pending, entitled “Bulk Amorphous Metal Magnetic Components.”
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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09/186914 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/477905 |
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US |