Patents by Inventor Toru HIOKI
Toru HIOKI 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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Patent number: 11660705Abstract: A laser welding method is provided to ensure a sufficient joining strength between metal plates by increasing the area of a joining region while preventing “burn through” of a molten metal. In the laser welding method by applying a laser beam to a surface of multiple metal plates superimposed on each other, a scanning locus with the laser beam is sequentially shifted from an inner circular scanning locus to an outer one in a predetermined joining region on the metal plates, and an emission interval is provided to temporally stop the metal-plate-surface irradiation when the scanning locus is shifted. Thus, every time the scanning locus is shifted, the molten metal due to the previous irradiation is cooled and increases its viscosity. Accordingly, the “burn through” is prevented regardless of increase of the area of the joining region, which results in a sufficient joining strength between the metal plates.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2019Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koki Nakada, Toru Hioki, Atsushi Kawakita, Shuhei Ogura, Takashi Goto
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Patent number: 11511371Abstract: In a laser welding method, generation of relatively large blow holes in a welding part is prevented while decrease in productivity is reduced. The laser welding method for lap welding, using a laser beam LB, of a plurality of metal plates and including an aluminum alloy cast plate includes: a melting path of scanning and irradiating circularly a superimposed part of the aluminum alloy plate and the aluminum alloy cast plate with a first laser beam LB1 to form a molten pool of the molten aluminum alloy plate and the molten aluminum alloy cast plate; and a stirring path of scanning and irradiating circularly the molten pool with a second laser beam LB2 having a scanning speed V2 faster than a scanning speed V1 of the first laser beam LB1 to stir the molten pool.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2019Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JTDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru Hioki, Shuhei Ogura, Atsushi Kawakita, Koki Nakada, Takashi Goto, Ryosuke Kawai
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Patent number: 11440129Abstract: An electrode tip portion is provided with a projection portion and a plurality of recess portions. The plurality of the recess portions are independent of one another, and are provided at the electrode tip portion in a dispersed manner. The projection portion is a region other than regions where the recess portions are provided, and is configured to be equipped with a continuous surface that continues in regions among the plurality of the recess portions.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2019Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru Hioki, Manabu Ooga, Tomonori Yanagawa, Shun Kato, Takashi Goto, Hideaki Matsuoka
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Patent number: 11247292Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for resistance spot welding in which preliminary current application is executed and then main welding is executed in accordance with master patterns of various parameters obtained during the preliminary current application. The main welding is executed under welding conditions of the master patterns, and whether a welding abnormality has occurred and whether the welding abnormality is likely to occur are determined. When the welding abnormality is likely to occur, the welding conditions for the main welding are corrected so as to prevent the welding abnormality. When the welding abnormality is unlikely to occur, the welding conditions for the main welding are corrected so as to match the master patterns.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Nomura, Shuhei Ogura, Atsushi Kawakita, Naoya Kato, Toru Hioki, Kenji Fukushima, Shun Kato, Takashi Goto
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Patent number: 11247293Abstract: A highly corrosion-resistant spot weldment can be produced at low cost without occurrence of prominent protrusions and the like on the surface. The spot weldment is joined by a nugget formed inside stacked sheet materials through bringing a pair of electrodes arranged opposite to each other into pressure contact with the stacked sheet materials from outside and energizing the stacked sheet materials from the electrodes. The nugget has a diameter that is ?4?t (t: thickness of sheet material) and a flattening level of 3.5 to 8, which is a ratio of diameter to thickness. Both outer surface parts of the sheet materials are free from protrusions formed due to bulging of molten metal. Even when the electrodes are made of a copper alloy, the increased amount of Cu in the outer surface parts is 0.2 mass % or less with respect to the component composition before spot welding.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideaki Matsuoka, Tatsuyuki Amago, Takashi Asada, Toru Hioki, Manabu Ooga, Shuhei Ogura
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Patent number: 11229976Abstract: Partial welding of partially joining together two metal plates by melting at least one area inside a joining region of the metal plates is performed. After a lapse of a predetermined time from completion of the partial welding, main welding of joining together the metal plates by melting the joining region entirely is performed.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2019Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru Hioki, Atsushi Kawakita, Shuhei Ogura, Ryosuke Kawai, Takashi Goto, Kazuho Takishita
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Patent number: 11135671Abstract: A resistance spot welding method includes sandwiching metal plates put on top of one another between a pair of electrodes and performing resistance spot welding sequentially on a plurality of welding points close to each other on the metal plates by performing a current application between the electrodes so as to join the metal plates to each other. A welding current value to form a welding nugget at a welding point to be subjected to the resistance spot welding second or later among the welding points is set to be higher than a first welding current value to form a first welding nugget at a first welding point to be subjected to the resistance spot welding first among the welding points.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2019Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru Hioki, Shuhei Ogura, Atsushi Kawakita, Yoichi Tsutsumi, Takashi Goto
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Patent number: 10946478Abstract: Objects to be welded are joined together by laser welding to form adjacent nuggets. When a distance between central axes of the adjacent nuggets is p and a diameter of the adjacent nuggets in the objects to be welded is d, the adjacent nuggets are formed so as to satisfy an equation 1.0<p/d?1.6.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2017Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kohei Hisada, Toru Hioki, Masaki Morino
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Publication number: 20210046585Abstract: While a laser-beam application position is moved along a locus which circularly or elliptically circles around a locus center so as to cross a weld line that is a boundary between a first metal plate and a second metal plate overlapped with each other, the locus center is moved in a direction parallel to a weld line. A moving direction of the laser-beam application position is set such that the laser beam is first applied to the first metal plate and then to the second metal plate when the laser beam passes through an unmelted zone of the first metal plate and the second metal plate. The unmelted zone is located downstream of a range through which the laser beam has already passed in the direction parallel to the weld line.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2020Publication date: February 18, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru HIOKI, Shuhei OGURA, Hiroki TORIYAMA, Ryosuke KAWAI, Shun KATO
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Patent number: 10857624Abstract: While a laser-beam application position is moved along a locus which circularly or elliptically circles around a locus center so as to cross a weld line that is a boundary between a first metal plate and a second metal plate overlapped with each other, the locus center is moved in a direction parallel to a weld line. A moving direction of the laser-beam application position is set such that the laser beam is first applied to the first metal plate and then to the second metal plate when the laser beam passes through an unmelted zone of the first metal plate and the second metal plate. The unmelted zone is located downstream of a range through which the laser beam has already passed in the direction parallel to the weld line.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2018Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru Hioki, Shuhei Ogura, Hiroki Toriyama, Ryosuke Kawai, Shun Kato
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Patent number: 10843293Abstract: A laser welding method for welding a plurality of objects to be welded by applying a laser beam scanned by a scanning unit to the plurality of objects to be welded while moving the scanning unit in a welding direction along a welding path, the laser welding method including the steps of: performing a step of preliminary-fixation-welding on a predetermined place in the welding direction of the objects to be welded, and a step of main-welding on a place corresponding to the preliminarily-fixed place of the object to be welded within a scanning range of the scanning unit while moving the scanning unit. Further, when the place corresponding to the preliminarily-fixed place of the object to be welded is main-welded, the place is main-welded in a state where both sides of the place to be main-welded are restrained.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2016Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kohei Hisada, Toru Hioki, Kazuyuki Ogusu
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Publication number: 20200156179Abstract: A transfer processing unit of a processing tool for an electrode for resistance spot welding that is configured to mold, through transfer processing, a projection portion and a plurality of recess portions at an electrode tip portion bulging into a projecting shape is provided with a plurality of protrusions that are configured to mold the plurality of the recess portions respectively. A virtual plane that links tips of the plurality of these protrusions with one another assumes a shape coinciding with a surface shape of the electrode tip portion bulging into the projecting shape before transfer processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2019Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru HIOKI, Manabu OOGA, Shun KATO
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Publication number: 20200156178Abstract: An electrode tip portion is provided with a projection portion and a plurality of recess portions. The plurality of the recess portions are independent of one another, and are provided at the electrode tip portion in a dispersed manner. The projection portion is a region other than regions where the recess portions are provided, and is configured to be equipped with a continuous surface that continues in regions among the plurality of the recess portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2019Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru HIOKI, Manabu OOGA, Tomonori YANAGAWA, Shun KATO, Takashi GOTO, Hideaki MATSUOKA
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Publication number: 20200114458Abstract: A highly corrosion-resistant spot weldment can be produced at low cost without occurrence of prominent protrusions and the like on the surface. The spot weldment is joined by a nugget formed inside stacked sheet materials through bringing a pair of electrodes arranged opposite to each other into pressure contact with the stacked sheet materials from outside and energizing the stacked sheet materials from the electrodes. The nugget has a diameter that is ?4?t (t: thickness of sheet material) and a flattening level of 3.5 to 8, which is a ratio of diameter to thickness. Both outer surface parts of the sheet materials are free from protrusions formed due to bulging of molten metal. Even when the electrodes are made of a copper alloy, the increased amount of Cu in the outer surface parts is 0.2 mass % or less with respect to the component composition before spot welding.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideaki MATSUOKA, Tatsuyuki AMAGO, Takashi ASADA, Toru HIOKI, Manabu OOGA, Shuhei OGURA
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Publication number: 20200114461Abstract: An electrode tip for resistance spot welding includes a main body with tip and base portions. The tip portion has a bottomed and substantially cylindrical shape. The base portion has a substantially cylindrical shape and merges into the tip portion. The main body is made of a copper alloy such as chromium copper. The tip portion has a bottom part and a barrel part. The bottom part has a pressure-contact surface that is not recessed with respect to a workpiece to be pressed. The barrel part has a substantially cylindrical shape and merges into the bottom part. The electrode tip may have an inner diameter ratio (inner diameter of the barrel part to an outer diameter of the base portion) of 0.4 to 0.6, and may also have a bottom thickness ratio (thickness of the bottom part to the outer diameter of the base portion) of 0.15 to 0.5.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2019Publication date: April 16, 2020Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideaki MATSUOKA, Tatsuyuki AMAGO, Takashi ASADA, Toru HIOKI, Manabu OOGA, Shuhei OGURA
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Publication number: 20190366479Abstract: In a laser welding method, generation of relatively large blow holes in a welding part is prevented while decrease in productivity is reduced. The laser welding method for lap welding, using a laser beam LB, of a plurality of metal plates and including an aluminum alloy cast plate includes: a melting path of scanning and irradiating circularly a superimposed part of the aluminum alloy plate and the aluminum alloy cast plate with a first laser beam LB1 to form a molten pool of the molten aluminum alloy plate and the molten aluminum alloy cast plate; and a stirring path of scanning and irradiating circularly the molten pool with a second laser beam LB2 having a scanning speed V2 faster than a scanning speed V1 of the first laser beam LB1 to stir the molten pool.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru HIOKI, Shuhei OGURA, Atsushi KAWAKITA, Koki NAKADA, Takashi GOTO, Ryosuke KAWAI
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Publication number: 20190329361Abstract: A laser welding method is provided to ensure a sufficient joining strength between metal plates by increasing the area of a joining region while preventing “burn through” of a molten metal. In the laser welding method by applying a laser beam to a surface of multiple metal plates superimposed on each other, a scanning locus with the laser beam is sequentially shifted from an inner circular scanning locus to an outer one in a predetermined joining region on the metal plates, and an emission interval is provided to temporally stop the metal-plate-surface irradiation when the scanning locus is shifted. Thus, every time the scanning locus is shifted, the molten metal due to the previous irradiation is cooled and increases its viscosity. Accordingly, the “burn through” is prevented regardless of increase of the area of the joining region, which results in a sufficient joining strength between the metal plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2019Publication date: October 31, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koki Nakada, Toru Hioki, Atsushi Kawakita, Shuhei Ogura, Takashi Goto
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Publication number: 20190308271Abstract: Partial welding of partially joining together two metal plates by melting at least one area inside a joining region of the metal plates is performed. After a lapse of a predetermined time from completion of the partial welding, main welding of joining together the metal plates by melting the joining region entirely is performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2019Publication date: October 10, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru HIOKI, Atsushi KAWAKITA, Shuhei OGURA, Ryosuke KAWAI, Takashi GOTO, Kazuho TAKISHITA
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Publication number: 20190275606Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for resistance spot welding in which preliminary current application is executed and then main welding is executed in accordance with master patterns of various parameters obtained during the preliminary current application. The main welding is executed under welding conditions of the master patterns, and whether a welding abnormality has occurred and whether the welding abnormality is likely to occur are determined. When the welding abnormality is likely to occur, the welding conditions for the main welding are corrected so as to prevent the welding abnormality. When the welding abnormality is unlikely to occur, the welding conditions for the main welding are corrected so as to match the master patterns.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji NOMURA, Shuhei OGURA, Atsushi KAWAKITA, Naoya KATO, Toru HIOKI, Kenji FUKUSHIMA, Shun KATO, Takashi GOTO
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Publication number: 20190247948Abstract: A resistance spot welding method includes sandwiching metal plates put on top of one another between a pair of electrodes and performing resistance spot welding sequentially on a plurality of welding points close to each other on the metal plates by performing a current application between the electrodes so as to join the metal plates to each other. A welding current value to form a welding nugget at a welding point to be subjected to the resistance spot welding second or later among the welding points is set to be higher than a first welding current value to form a first welding nugget at a first welding point to be subjected to the resistance spot welding first among the welding points.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2019Publication date: August 15, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru HIOKI, Shuhei Ogura, Atsushi Kawakita, Yoichi Tsutsumi, Takashi Goto