What is claimed is:
1. A particle, wherein the composition of the particle comprises in percentage by mass:
20 to 70% of Mo;
0.5 to 3% of C;
5 to 40% of Ni;
1 to 20% of Mn;
a balance of Fe; and
impurities.
2. The particle as defined in claim 1, wherein the composition of the particle further comprises 40% or less of Co.
3. A particle, wherein the composition of the particle comprises in percentage by mass:
20 to 60% of Mo;
0.2 to 3% of C;
5 to 40% of Ni;
1 to 15% of Mn;
0.1 to 10% of Cr;
a balance of Fe; and
impurities.
4. The particle as defined in claim 3, wherein the composition of the particle further comprises at least one of 40% or less of Co and 4% or less of Si.
5. A wear-resistant iron-based sintered alloy comprising:
a base; and
a plurality of particles,
wherein the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy includes, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the iron-based sintered alloy as represented by 100%, 4 to 30% of Mo, 0.2 to 3% of C, 1 to 20% of Ni, 0.5 to 12% of Mn, a balance of Fe, and impurities;
wherein the base, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the base as represented by 100%, comprises 0.2 to 5% of C, 0.1 to 12% of Mn, a balance of Fe, and impurities;
wherein the plurality of particles, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the plurality of particles as represented by 100%, comprises 20 to 70% of Mo, 0.5 to 3% of C, 5 to 40% of Ni, 1 to 20% of Mn, a balance of Fe, and impurities; and
wherein the particles are dispersed in the base with an area ratio of 10 to 60%.
6. The wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 5, further comprising:
24% or less of Co, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the sintered alloy,
and wherein the plurality of particles, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the plurality of particles as represented by 100%, further comprises 40% or less of Co.
7. The wear-resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 5, wherein the value , which is the ratio of an amount of Mn contained in the base of the sintered alloy to an amount of Mn contained in the plurality of particles dispersed in the base, is within a range of 0.05 to 1.0, in percentage by mass.
8. The wear-resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 6, wherein the value , which is the ratio of an amount of Mn contained in the base of the sintered alloy to an amount of Mn contained in the plurality of particles dispersed in the base, is within a range of 0.05 to 1.0, in percentage by mass.
9. A valve seat comprising the alloy of claim 5.
10. A cylinder head comprising the valve seat of claim 9.
11. An internal combustion device comprising the cylinder head of claim 10 and a source of a combustible fuel in fluid communication with the cylinder head, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas.
12. A wear-resistant iron-based sintered alloy comprising:
a base; and
a plurality of particles,
wherein the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the iron-based sintered alloy as represented by 100%, includes 4 to 30% of Mo, 0.2 to 3% of C, 1 to 20% of Ni, 0.5 to 9% of Mn, 0.05 to 5% of Cr, a balance of Fe, and impurities;
wherein the base, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the base as represented by 100%, comprises 0.2 to 5% of C, 0.1 to 10% of Mn, a balance of Fe, and impurities;
wherein the plurality of particles, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the plurality of particles as represented by 100%, comprises 20 to 60% of Mo, 0.2 to 3% of C, 5 to 40% of Ni, 1 to 15% of Mn, 0.1 to 10% of Cr, a balance of Fe, and impurities; and
wherein the hard particles are dispersed in the base with an area ratio of 10 to 60%.
13. The wear-resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 12, further comprising:
at least one of 24% or less of Co and 2% or less of Si, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the sintered alloy,
and wherein the plurality of particles, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the plurality of particles as represented by 100%, further comprises at least one of 40% or less of Co and 4% or less of Si.
14. The wear-resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 12, wherein the value , which is the ratio of an amount of Mn contained in the base of the sintered alloy to an amount of Mn contained in the plurality of particles dispersed in the base, is within a range of 0.05 to 1.0, in percentage by mass.
15. The wear-resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 13, wherein the value , which is the ratio of an amount of Mn contained in the base of the sintered alloy to an amount of Mn contained in the plurality of particles dispersed in the base, is within a range of 0.05 to 1.0, in percentage by mass.
16. A valve seat comprising the alloy of claim 12.
17. A cylinder head comprising the valve seat of claim 16.
18. An internal combustion device comprising the cylinder head of claim 17 and a source of a combustible fuel in fluid communication with the cylinder head, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas.
19. A method of producing a wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy, comprising the steps of:
preparing a mixture by mixing, in percentage by mass, an iron powder, 0.2 to 2% of a carbon powder, and 10 to 60% of a powder of a plurality of particles, the plurality of particles comprising 20 to 70% of Mo, 0.5 to 3% of C, 5 to 40% of Ni, 1 to 20% of Mn, a balance of Fe, and impurities;
molding said mixture to form a green compact; and
sintering the green compact so as to form a wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy.
20. The method of producing a wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 19, wherein the sintered alloy formed comprises, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the iron-based sintered alloy as represented by 100%, 4 to 30% of Mo, 0.2 to 3% of C, 1 to 20% of Ni, 0.5 to 12% of Mn, a balance of Fe, and impurities.
21. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 19, wherein the iron powder used in the step preparing the mixture is a pure iron powder.
22. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 19, wherein the iron powder used in the step preparing the mixture is a low alloy steel powder.
23. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 19, wherein the plurality of particles further comprise 40% or less of Co.
24. The method of producing a wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 23, wherein the sintered alloy formed comprises, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the iron-based sintered alloy as represented by 100%, 4 to 30% of Mo, 0.2 to 3% of C, 1 to 20% of Ni, 0.5 to 12% of Mn, 24% or less of Co, a balance of Fe, and impurities.
25. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 23, wherein the iron powder used in the step preparing the mixture is a pure iron powder.
26. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 23, wherein the iron powder used in the step preparing the mixture is a low alloy steel powder.
27. A method of producing a wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy, comprising the steps of:
preparing a mixture by mixing, in percentage by mass, an iron powder, 0.2 to 2% of a carbon powder, and 10 to 60% of a powder of a plurality of particles, the plurality of particles comprising 20 to 60% of Mo, 0.2 to 3% of C, 5 to 40% of Ni, 1 to 15% of Mn, 0.1 to 10% of Cr, a balance of Fe, and impurities;
molding said mixture to form a green compact; and
sintering the green compact so as to form a wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy.
28. The method of producing a wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 27, wherein the sintered alloy formed comprises, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the iron-based sintered alloy as represented by 100%, 4 to 30% of Mo, 0.2 to 3% of C, 1 to 20% of Ni, 0.5 to 9% of Mn, 0.05 to 5% of Cr, a balance of Fe, and impurities.
29. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 27, wherein the iron powder used in the step preparing the mixture is a pure iron powder.
30. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 27, wherein the iron powder used in the step preparing the mixture is a low alloy steel powder.
31. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 27, wherein the plurality of particles further comprise at least one of 40% or less of Co and 4% or less of Si.
32. The method of producing a wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 31, wherein the sintered alloy formed comprises, in percentage by mass and with respect to the total mass of the iron-based sintered alloy as represented by 100%, 4 to 30% of Mo, 0.2 to 3% of C, 1 to 20% of Ni, 0.5 to 9% of Mn, 0.05 to 5% of Cr, at least one of 24% or less of Co and 2% or less of Si, a balance of Fe, and impurities.
33. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 31, wherein the iron powder used in the step preparing the mixture is a pure iron powder.
34. The method of producing the wear resistant iron-based sintered alloy as defined in claim 31, wherein the iron powder used in the step preparing the mixture is a low alloy steel powder.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system for determining at least one geographic area served by each of a plurality of receiver units, comprising:
a central system, including a processor and a memory, for distributing national content to the plurality of receiver units and for instructing the receiver units to generate local content, wherein the central system instructs the receiver units to generate local content that includes a unique ID associated with the receiver unit providing the local content; and
the plurality of receiver units, each receiver unit serving at least one geographic area wherein each receiver unit generates local content that displays the unique ID associated with the receiver unit to a plurality of end viewers served by the receiver unit;
wherein the central system receives from a subset of the end viewers served by the receiver units communications identifying the unique IDs that were communicated by the receiver units and the geographic areas where the unique IDs were displayed and the central system determines at least one geographic area served by each of the receiver units by associating the unique ID for each receiver unit with the geographic areas identified in the communications from the subset of the end viewers having the same unique ID, and
wherein the central system maintains a database that associates each of the unique IDs with the at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit associated with the unique ID.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein each receiver unit delivers targeted programming to the end viewers it serves based on the geographic areas served by the receiver unit.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the database is a central database having an entry for each receiver unit that associates the at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit with the unique ID for the receiver unit.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the information stored in the central database for a selected receiver unit is communicated to the selected receiver unit.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein each receiver unit stores information on the at least one geographic area served by that receiver unit.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications received by the central system from the subset of the end viewers are received using a different method of communication than used to communicate the unique IDs to the end viewers.
7. A method for obtaining information to determine at least one geographic area served by each of a plurality of receiver units, comprising:
providing a unique ID for each of the receiver units;
transmitting a request to at least a subset of a plurality of end viewers served by each receiver unit to communicate information to a central system by:
transmitting the unique ID that identifies the receiver unit to the subset of end viewers served by the receiver unit so that the unique ID is displayable on a television to the subset of end viewers served by the receiver unit;
at the central system:
receiving the information from the subset of the end viewers, wherein the information received from one of the subset of the end viewers includes a particular ID displayed to the end viewer and the geographic area where the particular ID was displayed;
based on the received information that includes the particular ID, identifying at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit having the particular ID, and
maintaining a database that associates the particular ID with the at least one geographic areas served by the receiver unit having the particular ID.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the geographic areas are identified by zip codes.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
displaying a map that identifies the at least one geographic areas served by the receiver unit having the particular ID.
10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
using the at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit having the particular ID to identify demographic information associated with the at least one geographic area and
associating the demographic information with the receiver unit having the particular ID.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein requesting that each end viewer communicate information, comprises:
requesting that each end viewer provide the information via a communications means selected from the group consisting of: a web site, telephone, mail and e-mail.
12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
providing targeted programming to the end viewers served by the receiver unit having the particular ID based on the at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit.
13. The method of claim 7 wherein the information received at the central system from the subset of the end viewers is received using a different method of communication than used to transmit the unique ID to the end viewers.
14. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions, said instructions comprising instructions for:
instructing a plurality of receiver units to generate local content to a plurality of end viewers, wherein the local content includes a unique ID associated with the receiver unit providing the local content;
receiving from a subset of the end viewers served by the receiver units communications identifying the unique IDs that were communicated by the receiver units and the geographic areas where the unique IDs were displayed;
determining at least one geographic area served by each of the receiver units by associating the unique ID for each receiver unit with the geographic areas identified in the communications from the subset of the end viewers having the same unique ID; and
maintaining a database that associates each of the unique IDs with the at least one geographic area served by the receiver unit associated with the unique ID.
15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the communications received from the subset of the end viewers is received using a different method of communication than used to transmit the unique ID to the end viewers.
16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 further comprising instructions for:
for a selected one of the receiver units associated with a select ID, using the database entry for the selected receiver unit and communicating the at least one geographic area associated with the select ID to the selected receiver unit.
17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the geographic area where the unique ID was displayed is identified using a zip code.