Patents by Inventor Muneo Matsushita
Muneo Matsushita has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230339037Abstract: Provided are a resistance spot welding method and a method for manufacturing a resistance spot welded joint. At least one of the steel sheets used is a high strength steel sheet. The method includes a main current application step in which current is applied with a current Iw and a tempering post-heat treatment step. The tempering post-heat treatment step includes a cooling process and a heating process and can include at least one of a transition process and a holding process. In the heating process, a current is applied at a current value It, shown in formula (2), for a current application time tt. 0.8×Iw?It?1.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2021Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicant: JFE STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Reiko ENDO, Muneo MATSUSHITA, Yasuaki OKITA, Hiroshi MATSUDA
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Publication number: 20230286077Abstract: Provided is a double-side friction stir welding method of metal sheets or metal plates to each other, and a double-side friction stir device for performing the double-side friction stir welding. According to the present invention, a pair of rotating tools facing each other is respectively arranged on a top-surface side and a bottom-surface side of a butted portion or an overlapping portion, which comprises a joint portion of two metal sheets or two metal plates, the pair of rotating tools is moved in a welding direction while being rotated at the butted portion or the overlapping portion, and while the metal sheets or the metal plates are softened by frictional heat generated between the rotating tools and the metal sheets or the metal plates, softened parts are stirred by the rotating tools to produce a plastic flow to join the metal sheets or the metal plates to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2023Publication date: September 14, 2023Applicant: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda
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Publication number: 20220371119Abstract: A double-sided friction stir welding method, methods for producing a cold-rolled steel strip and a coated steel strip, a double-sided friction stir welding apparatus, and facilities for producing a cold-rolled steel strip and a coated steel strip. The double-sided friction stir welding method includes pressing two rotating tools, which are disposed on a first surface and a second surface of a butt portion or overlap portion of the steel strips, against the butt portion or overlap portion of steel strips and moving the rotating tools in the welding direction while rotating the rotating tools in opposite directions to each other, so that an unwelded portion of the steel strips is softened by frictional heat generated between the rotating tools and the unwelded portion of the steel strips, and the softened portion is stirred with the rotating tools to generate plastic flow so as to weld the steel strips together.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2020Publication date: November 24, 2022Applicant: JFE STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Muneo MATSUSHITA, Shohei IWATA, Yasushi KITANI
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Patent number: 11446757Abstract: There is provided a friction stir welding method in which, when double-sided friction stir welding is performed, enough plastic flow to obtain a welded state uniform in the thickness direction of metal sheets can be obtained, in which an increase in welding speed is achieved while the occurrence of defects during welding is prevented, and in which sufficient strength and improvement in welding workability can be achieved. There is also provided a friction stir welding device suitable for the friction stir welding.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2018Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda
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Publication number: 20220228233Abstract: This application relates to a resistance spot weld, a resistance spot welding method, a resistance spot welded joint, and a method for manufacturing the resistance spot welded joint. In the resistance spot weld, at least one of steel sheets is a high-strength steel sheet having a prescribed chemical composition. In at least one of a nugget edge region corresponding to a faying interface, the nugget edge region has a metal microstructure including tempered martensite as a main phase. The hardness Hv of the nugget edge region and the hardness Hmw of martensite in the nugget as a whole satisfy formula (4). In at least one of a strong HAZ region corresponding to the faying interface, the hardness Hh of the strong HAZ region and the hardness Hmh of martensite in a prescribed steel sheet satisfy formula (8).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2020Publication date: July 21, 2022Applicant: JFE STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Reiko ENDO, Muneo MATSUSHITA, Hiroshi MATSUDA
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Patent number: 11241755Abstract: An object is to provide a friction stir welding method and apparatus that provide sufficient strength and good welding workability by advantageously eliminating plastic flow deficiency generated as a result of insufficient heating of workpieces. In friction stir welding for steel sheets (3,3) as workpieces, a pair of facing rotary tools (1,15) are inserted into a non-welded part from both one surface side and the other surface side of the steel sheets (3,3), the rotary tools move in a welding direction while rotating, and in addition, a preheating process for heating steel sheets (3,3) is performed by heating means (5) provided in front of the rotary tools (1,15). The configuration of the pair of facing rotary tools (1,15) and the surface temperature, area, position, and so forth of a heated region in the preheating process are strictly controlled.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2017Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda, Koichi Taniguchi
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Publication number: 20210362266Abstract: The present invention provides a resistance spot welding method. A resistance spot welding method according to the present invention in which a sheet combination of two or more overlapping steel sheets is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes and joined together by applying current while applying pressure, the method including a main current application step in which current application is performed with a current Iw (kA), and subsequently, a post-tempering heat treatment step in which after cooling is performed for a cooling time tct (ms) shown in formula (1) below, current application is performed with a current It (kA) shown in formula (2) below for a current application time tt (ms) shown in formula (3) below: 800?tct . . . formula (1), 0.5×Iw?It?Iw . . . formula (2), and 500?tt . . . formula (3).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2019Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Reiko Endo, Muneo Matsushita, Koichi Taniguchi, Hiroshi Matsuda, Rinsei Ikeda
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Publication number: 20210260685Abstract: A welding process used in a method of manufacturing a steel sheet assembly includes spot welding steel sheets performed for a heat time of 0.08 seconds or more using a convex electrode with a tip radius of curvature of 20 mm or more or a flat electrode such that the weld force F (kN) for initial 0.03 seconds of the heat time satisfies formula: F<0.00125×(1+0.75×tall)+3 where TS (MPa) denotes an average strength of the steel sheets and represents a weighted mean value of a thickness of each of the steel sheets, and tall (mm) denotes a total thickness of the steel sheets (the sum of the thicknesses of the steel sheets).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: Hiroshi Matsuda, Yasuaki Okita, Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda, Kenji Oi
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Publication number: 20210023650Abstract: Disclosed are rotating tools for double-sided friction stir welding that are applied to double-sided friction stir welding, which is a technique for welding two metal plates by rotating a pair of rotating tools, which oppose each other, in opposite directions, a double-sided friction stir welding apparatus that uses the rotating tools, and a double-sided friction stir welding method. A pair of rotating tools for double-sided friction stir welding that are used in double-sided friction stir welding, which is a technique for welding metal plates by using a pair of rotating tools that are each disposed on one of first and second surfaces of an unwelded portion of the metal plates such that the rotating tools rotate in opposite directions, include end portions each of which is formed in a circular and planar shape. The end portions are each made of a material harder than the metal plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2019Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda, Hiroshi Matsuda, Daiki Yamagishi
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Publication number: 20200306871Abstract: An object is to provide a friction stir welding method and apparatus that provide sufficient strength and good welding workability by advantageously eliminating plastic flow deficiency generated as a result of insufficient heating of workpieces. In friction stir welding for steel sheets (3,3) as workpieces, a pair of facing rotary tools (1,15) are inserted into a non-welded part from both one surface side and the other surface side of the steel sheets (3,3), the rotary tools move in a welding direction while rotating, and in addition, a preheating process for heating steel sheets (3,3) is performed by heating means (5) provided in front of the rotary tools (1,15). The configuration of the pair of facing rotary tools (1,15) and the surface temperature, area, position, and so forth of a heated region in the preheating process are strictly controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2017Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo MATSUSHITA, Rinsei IKEDA, Koichi TANIGUCHI
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Patent number: 10766099Abstract: A friction stir welding apparatus that includes a rotary tool and a heating device. The heating device is placed in front of the rotary tool to heat steel sheets that are used as a workpiece. The rotary tool is moved in the welding direction so that steel sheet is softened by frictional heat. Additionally, the surface temperature, the area, and the position of the heated region during the heating process are strictly controlled. The heating of the steel sheets by the welding apparatus provides sufficient strength and good welding workability by advantageously eliminating plastic flow defects generated due to insufficient heating of workpieces.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2016Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Koichi Taniguchi, Rinsei Ikeda
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Publication number: 20200238434Abstract: Provided is a double-side friction stir welding method of metal sheets or metal plates to each other, and a double-side friction stir device for performing the double-side friction stir welding. According to the present invention, a pair of rotating tools facing each other is respectively arranged on a top-surface side and a bottom-surface side of a butted portion or an overlapping portion, which comprises a joint portion of two metal sheets or two metal plates, the pair of rotating tools is moved in a welding direction while being rotated at the butted portion or the overlapping portion, and while the metal sheets or the metal plates are softened by frictional heat generated between the rotating tools and the metal sheets or the metal plates, softened parts are stirred by the rotating tools to produce a plastic flow to join the metal sheets or the metal plates to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2018Publication date: July 30, 2020Applicant: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda
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Publication number: 20200215644Abstract: There is provided a friction stir welding method in which, when double-sided friction stir welding is performed, enough plastic flow to obtain a welded state uniform in the thickness direction of metal sheets can be obtained, in which an increase in welding speed is achieved while the occurrence of defects during welding is prevented, and in which sufficient strength and improvement in welding workability can be achieved. There is also provided a friction stir welding device suitable for the friction stir welding.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2018Publication date: July 9, 2020Applicant: JFE STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Muneo MATSUSHITA, Rinsei IKEDA
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Publication number: 20190111514Abstract: An object is to provide a friction stir welding method and apparatus that provide sufficient strength and good welding workability by advantageously eliminating plastic flow deficiency generated as a result of insufficient heating of workpieces. In friction stir welding for steel sheets (3, 3) as workpieces, a pair of facing rotary tools (1, 15) are inserted into a non-welded part from both one surface side and the other surface side of the steel sheets (3, 3), the rotary tools move in a welding direction while rotating, and in addition, a preheating process for heating steel sheets (3, 3) is performed by heating means (5) provided in front of the rotary tools(1, 15). The configuration of the pair of facing rotary tools (1, 15) and the surface temperature, area, position, and so forth of a heated region in the preheating process are strictly controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2017Publication date: April 18, 2019Applicant: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda, Koichi Taniguchi
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Patent number: 10207353Abstract: An oval nugget can reliably be obtained with this indirect spot welding method. In this indirect spot welding method, an electrode end portion of a welding electrode includes a tip of the welding electrode, and as viewed from the tip, the electrode end portion has a two-step dome shape formed by a first curved surface with a curvature radius r1 (mm) located within a range of a circle of radius R (mm) centering on the tip and a second curved surface with a curvature radius r2 (mm). 2?t?R?6?t (1), 30?r1 (2), and 6?r2?12 (3), where t is the sheet thickness (mm) of a thinner metal sheet.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2014Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda
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Patent number: 10207354Abstract: In the indirect spot welding apparatus, a lower limit in a stable pressing force region where the pressing force of the spot welding electrode against the metal sheets can be controlled within a tolerance of ±10% ranges from 70 N to 200 N and an upper limit in the stable pressing force region ranges from 800 N to 2000 N, and an overshoot OS(%)=(PL?AL)/AL×100 of the pressing force occurring when the spot welding electrode is pressed against the metal sheets is controlled to be 10% or less.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2014Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda
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Patent number: 10189111Abstract: This indirect spot welding is for welding members including at least two overlapping steel sheets that have a ferrite phase as a main phase by holding a welding electrode (23) against a steel sheet (21) from one side while applying pressure with the electrode (23), attaching a feeding point (24) to a steel sheet (22) at the other side at a location remote from the electrode (23), and allowing current to flow between the electrode (23) and the feeding point (24). This welding includes contacting magnetic rigid bodies (26-1, 26-2) to a peripheral area of the electrode (23) from the one side against which the electrode (23) is held and securing an overlapping region in the peripheral area of the electrode (23) by a magnetic force produced by the rigid bodies (26-1, 26-2), thereby obtaining a weld having fully satisfactory strength, regardless of the rigidity of the members.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2014Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda, Akihide Yoshitake
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Patent number: 10005151Abstract: A friction stir welding method for steel sheets includes inserting a rotating tool into an unwelded portion where two or more steel sheets are overlapped or butted together; moving the rotating tool along portions to be welded while rotating the tool so that a softened portion is formed in the steel sheets by friction heat generated between the rotating tool and the steel sheets, and the steel sheets are welded together by utilizing a plastic flow generated by the softened portion being stirred; and preheating the unwelded portion before welding by the rotating tool by a pair of heating devices disposed over and under the unwelded portion and ahead of the rotating tool in the advancing direction to enable high speed welding without the risk of generation of welding defects and damage to the welding tool.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2014Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: JFE Steel CorporationInventors: Koichi Taniguchi, Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda
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Publication number: 20180043466Abstract: A friction stir welding apparatus that includes a rotary tool and a heating device. The heating device is placed in front of the rotary tool to heat steel sheets that are used as a workpiece. The rotary tool is moved in the welding direction so that steel sheet is softened by frictional heat. Additionally, the surface temperature, the area, and the position of the heated region during the heating process are strictly controlled. The heating of the steel sheets by the welding apparatus provides sufficient strength and good welding workability by advantageously eliminating plastic flow defects generated due to insufficient heating of workpieces.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2016Publication date: February 15, 2018Applicant: JFE STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Muneo MATSUSHITA, Koichi TANIGUCHI, Rinsei IKEDA
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Publication number: 20170348790Abstract: A steel sheet assembly includes a plurality of lapped steel sheets which have a tensile strength of 1,470 MPa or less and a thickness of 0.3 mm to 5.0 mm, the steel sheet assembly being formed by applying, in advance, an adhesive and a carbon-supplying agent to a surface of either or both of the steel sheets to be lapped and then welding the steel sheets. A weld of the assembly has a nugget diameter of 2.8?t (mm) or more, where t (mm) denotes the thickness of a thinner one of the steel sheets on both sides of a weld interface, and the amount of C is increased by 0.02 % by mass or more as compared to the steel sheets before being applied with the adhesive and the carbon-supplying agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2016Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Hiroshi Matsuda, Yasuaki Okita, Muneo Matsushita, Rinsei Ikeda, Kenji Oi