I didn't see anything there that answers his question?
Beg to differ:
16. A connecting rod formed from an aluminum alloy and covered with an integrally connected layer of a composite of aluminum oxide and a fluoropolymer.
0009] The aluminum alloy used in the present invention is preferably chosen from the 7000 series of alloys, under the AISI system for classifying alloy formulations. Examples of suitable 7000 series aluminum alloys exhibiting excellent qualities include 7075-T6511, 7050-T6, and 7055-T77511, with the 7075-T6511 alloy being most preferable.
[0010] The aluminum alloy components of the present invention are preferably made via the well known billet machining method using either extruded or cold finished plate stock which is completely machined into the finished connecting rod. The use of cold finished bar material is the ideal embodiment of this invention due to the tighter metal grain structure provided thereby. However, other useful methods of forming the aluminum alloy in the present invention include casting (molding from molten state), powdered metal manufacturing (compressing powder in die), and forging (compressing heated slug in die). All of these methods are well known in the art.
[0011] In the preferred cold billet machined embodiment of the present invention, the material is saw cut to an appropriate length and machined leaving an additional 0.02 inches of material on all surfaces to be finish machined in a later process. This initial rough machining removes the naturally occurring internal stresses of the billet allowing the finish machining operation to leave the connecting rod with the absolute minimum of manufacturing induced or naturally occurring internal stresses possible.
[0012] The initial rough-machined connecting rod preferably includes the cap as an integral part thereof. The cap is then removed from the forked elongated body by any of several methods which are conventional to the art, including sawing, laser cutting, and fracturing, preferably sawing.
[0026] The present process provides a connector rod having an aluminum alloy core that provides the strength and elasticity needed, and an aluminum oxide fluoropolymer composite outer shell providing increased hardness (for reduing deformation) and lubricity (for decreasing seizing), as well as added corrosion resistance. When the structural configuration of splayed bolts (for decreasing cap movement) is combined with the composite layered aluminum alloy, the resulting connector rod has significantly increased longevity.
