Including Means To Provide Heat By Friction Between Relatively Moving Surfaces (i.e., Friction Welder) Patents (Class 228/2.1)
  • Patent number: 11969818
    Abstract: A split-type friction stir welding head with an adjustable stirring pin length includes a stirring head housing, where a clamping handle and a detachable stirring pin are successively mounted in the stirring head housing towards a welding direction, the clamping handle is provided with external threads on a periphery thereof and in drive connection with an adjusting plate through threads, the adjusting plate is limited, fixed and mounted in the stirring head housing, and a pore-diameter-adjustable aperture shoulder is mounted between a bottom of the stirring head housing and the detachable stirring pin in order to compensate for an outside gap between a stirring pin channel of the stirring head housing and the detachable stirring pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Hefei University of Technology
    Inventors: Jingfeng Wang, Beibei Li, Pengcheng He, Ao Liu
  • Patent number: 11958127
    Abstract: A shoulder-angle-adjustable friction stir welding head suitable for a fillet joint includes a stirring head body. A front end of the stirring head body is mounted with a movable shoulder, a stirring pin channel is arranged on the movable shoulder, and the stirring pin channel may allow a stirring pin of the stirring head body to pass through. The present disclosure can respond to welding tasks of the fillet joint of different angles and enlarges an application scope of the friction stir welding head in a manner that the front end of the stirring head body is mounted with the movable shoulder, the stirring pin channel is arranged on the movable shoulder, the stirring pin channel is used for allowing the stirring pin of the stirring head body to pass through, and the angle of the movable shoulder is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Hefei University of Technology
    Inventors: Beibei Li, Pengcheng He, Jingfeng Wang, Wenqi Qi, Guoqiang Li
  • Patent number: 11958126
    Abstract: A method for making a container for retaining anesthetic agent. The method includes creating two or more parts each having a mating surface, where the container is formed when the mating surfaces of the two or more parts are coupled together, and where a first part of the two or more parts is formed of a material having pores defined within the mating surface thereof. The method further includes processing the mating surface of the first part via friction stir welding to reduce the pores defined therein. The method further includes coupling the two or more parts together such that the mating surfaces contact to create the container configured to retain the anesthetic agent therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventor: Joseph J. Lacey
  • Patent number: 11938559
    Abstract: A stir pin includes a base end portion configured to be held rotatably about a first axis, a stirring portion provided to project from a shoulder member to be rotatable about the first axis together with the base end portion, and an intermediate portion including a second portion connected to the stirring portion to be rotatable about the first axis together with the stirring portion and having a second diameter passing through the first axis, and a first portion provided between and connected to the base end portion and the second portion to be rotatable about the first axis together with the base end portion and the second portion. The first portion has an end surface to which the second portion is connected and which has a maximum diameter larger than the second diameter. The end surface has a ring-shaped receiving surface configured to receive a material waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAZAKI MAZAK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seigo Ouchi, Eiji Matsubara, Masayasu Minatani, Toru Murakami
  • Patent number: 11919118
    Abstract: A method for joining or machining, in particular a friction stir welding method, using an apparatus, in which a tool, in particular a friction stir welding tool, is driven via a spindle with a spindle axis. To achieve high process reliability, even when the method is applied in poorly accessible positions, an adapter, in particular an angle head, is arranged between the spindle and the tool so that the tool axis about which the tool rotates does not coincide with the spindle axis. A force acting on the spindle is measured and the method is controlled depending on the force measured at the spindle. The apparatus for joining or machining, in particular for friction stir welding, includes a headstock with a spindle, which can be rotated about a spindle axis and a tool, in particular a friction stir welding tool, which can be driven about a tool axis by the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: STIRTEC GMBH
    Inventors: Gunter Figner, Christoph Zalar
  • Patent number: 11897050
    Abstract: A method for joining dissimilar metals according to the embodiment is a method for butt-joining, using frictional heat, a first member having a plate shape and containing first metal and a second member having a plate shape and containing second metal having a melting point higher than that of the first metal. The method for joining dissimilar metals includes: overlapping an end portion of the second member on an end portion of the first member; and pressurizing the second member toward the first member by bringing a rotating joining tool having a protruding portion at a tip end into contact with an overlapping portion of the second member with the first member. When the second member is pressurized toward the first member, the tip end of the rotating joining tool is not in contact with the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Taizo Tomioka
  • Patent number: 11897048
    Abstract: A friction stir welding apparatus includes a welding tool that includes a shoulder and a probe supported by the shoulder, is inserted into a plurality of welding target members, and moves while rotating to weld the plurality of welding target members, a spindle motor that is coupled to the welding tool to rotate the welding tool in a predetermined direction, a welding head that supports the spindle motor, and an apparatus body that supports the welding head, applies a drive signal to the spindle motor, and moves the welding tool along a welding line while rotating the welding tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Power Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Ishiguro, Shun Shinohara, Kohei Funahara, Shouzou Miyabe, Iwao Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11897049
    Abstract: The invention provides a retractable friction stir welding spindle, aims at the deficiencies and defects of the existing friction stir welding spindle technology, that is, when the welding is finished, the stirring needle leaves a keyhole at the end of the weld seam, which affects the forming performance of the workpiece, the overall structure design of the spindle is complicated with many transmission chains and low reliability which is difficult to realize modularization. The retractable friction stir welding spindle includes an electric spindle system and a retracting mechanism. The electric spindle system includes stirring shaft shoulder, hilt, front end cover, hollow spindle, motorized spindle shell, motor rotor, motor stator, tail end cover, etc. The retracting mechanism includes stirring needle, connecting ball head and electric cylinder. The invention has the advantages of simple structure and can be mainly divided into two modules to improve reliability and integrity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Shujun Chen, Bo Cheng, Xinhong Xie, Zirui Cao
  • Patent number: 11883901
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for increasing the speed and increasing the stability of the welding pin in friction stir welding with the following device features: a) a tool drive (1) has a retaining flange (2) for a cone-shaped tool cover (3) with a union nut (4); b) an annular retaining ring (12) surrounds a pin shank (6) with a tool shoe (7) secured to the diameter of the retaining ring (12), wherein the tool shoe (7) has a smoothing and compressing surface (11) in the region of the pin tip (10) for smoothing the weld seam, wherein the pin shank has the width of the tool shoe (7); c) the pin tip (10) has an annular friction surface (9) which surrounds a screw conveyor (8) for the output of material transport from the pin tip (10), which has a thread running in the opposite direction to the thread of the pin tip (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: GRENZEBACH MASCHINENBAU GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Weigl
  • Patent number: 11883902
    Abstract: The present application relates to a friction stir welding tool insert comprising a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, PCBN, composite material with a textured surface layer. The textured surface layer comprises a pre-defined repeating pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventors: Teresa Rodriguez Suarez, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Maria Louise Cann, Josquin Pfaff
  • Patent number: 11845142
    Abstract: The invention makes available a tool for friction stir welding, which makes it possible, with reduced effort, to connect two panel elements that butt up against one another with one another by means of friction stir welding, in the case of which a tunnel is formed in the region of the abutting side surfaces, by means of recesses formed in the manner of a channel in the side surfaces in question.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Nemak, S.A.B. de C.V.
    Inventor: Sven Schueddekopf
  • Patent number: 11846245
    Abstract: A method for a model-based open-loop and closed-loop control of an internal combustion engine includes the steps of: determining, via a combustion model, injection system setpoint values for controlling injection system actuators, according to a setpoint torque; adapting, during an operation of the internal combustion engine, the combustion model according to a model value, the model value being calculated from a first Gaussian process model for representing a base grid and a second Gaussian process model for representing adaptation data points; determining, by an optimizer, a minimized measure of quality by changing the injection system setpoint values within a prediction horizon, and, in an event that the minimized measure of quality is found, the injection system setpoint values are set as critical for adjusting an operating point of the internal combustion engine; and monitoring the model value in respect of a monotony which is predefined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Bergmann, Knut Graichen, Karsten Harder, Jens Niemeyer, Jörg Remele
  • Patent number: 11839929
    Abstract: A dissimilar metal welding method includes a preparing step and a working step. In the preparing step, a pin member is moved to a second metal material while being rotated, and a tool body is driven such that the tool body is moved in a direction away from the second metal material while being rotated. In the working step, a through-hole is formed in the second metal material by the pin member, and then a distal end of the pin member is dug into the first metal material to a predetermined depth position in the first metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takao Sekiguchi, Yoshitaka Muramatsu, Takuya Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11806803
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an electromagnetic pulse-aided friction stir lock welding processing device and method, which comprises an upper die body and a lower die body. The upper end of the lower die body is provided with a frustum-shaped settling tank. The lower end of the upper die body is provided with a tip inserted into the settling tank, an outer wall of the tip is fitted with an inner wall of the settling tank, a gap for placing parts to be processed is arranged between the upper die body and the lower die body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Nanchang Hangkong University
    Inventors: Yuhua Chen, Timing Zhang, Jinyang Hu, Jilin Xie, Shanlin Wang, Limeng Yin, Jinzhong Lu, Gang Wang, Kaiyu Luo, Jiaming Ni
  • Patent number: 11806802
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a joining method by which metal members can be suitably joined to each other. The present invention is characterized by including a friction stirring process in which the first metal member, the second metal member, and the auxiliary member are joined to one another by moving the rotary tool along the inner corner portion in a state where the tip side pin which is being rotated is inserted into the inner corner portion, is in contact with the first metal member, the second metal member, and the auxiliary member, and an outer circumferential face of the base side pin is pressed against the auxiliary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobushiro Seo, Keita Oikawa
  • Patent number: 11794275
    Abstract: A bonding device for joining together a first member (3), an intermediate member (4), and a second member (3) which are layered as a laminated assembly includes a probe (12, 41), an anvil (11, 11b, 11c, 11d), a shoulder member (13,13a, 61,64,68), a drive mechanism (14) configured to rotate the probe around the central axial line and move the probe toward and away from the second member along the central axial line, and an electric power supply (15) electrically connected to the anvil and the shoulder member to conduct electric current through the laminated assembly via the anvil and the shoulder member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Miyawaki, Mitsuru Sayama, Taichi Kurihara
  • Patent number: 11794271
    Abstract: The present invention is characterized by including a primary joining process to perform friction stirring to a first butted portion by moving a stirring pin one round around a sealing body with a predetermined depth along a set moving route set at an inner position relative to an outer peripheral side face in a state that only the stirring pin of a rotary tool being rotated is inserted into the sealing body and that an outer face of the stirring pin is slightly in contact with a step side face of a peripheral wall step portion. In the primary joining process, after only the stirring pin being rotated is inserted into a starting position set at a position on an inner side relative to the set moving route, the stirring pin is gradually inserted to the predetermined depth while an axis of the rotary tool is moved to a position on the set moving route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobushiro Seo, Hisashi Hori
  • Patent number: 11794273
    Abstract: Provided are a friction stir welding apparatus and a friction stir welding method that achieve highly accurate and highly reliable joining while minimizing an effect of bending of a pressing force receiving portion (carrying table) as a result of a press by a joining tool unit. The friction stir welding apparatus joins joining target members by friction stir welding. The friction stir welding apparatus is characterized by including: an apparatus main body; a control device that controls an operation of the friction stir welding apparatus; a C-shaped frame connected to the apparatus main body via a first vertical movement drive mechanism unit; a holder unit connected to one end of the C-shaped frame via a second vertical movement drive mechanism unit; and a joining tool held by the holder unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Power Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Odakura, Hiroki Abe, Akihiro Satou, Kohei Funahara, Koichi Ishiguro, Shun Shinohara, Yukihiro Sugimoto, Katsuya Nishiguchi, Koujirou Tanaka, Yasuhiro Morita
  • Patent number: 11794274
    Abstract: A dissimilar metal welding method includes a preparing step and a working step. In the preparing step, a pin member is moved to a second metal material while being rotated, and a tool body is driven such that the tool body is moved in a direction away from the second metal material while being rotated. In the working step, a through-hole is formed in the second metal material by the pin member, and then a distal end of the pin member is dug into the first metal material to a predetermined depth position in the first metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takao Sekiguchi, Yoshitaka Muramatsu, Takuya Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11766738
    Abstract: A method of friction-stir welding, FSW, a joint J, for example a T joint and/or a lap joint, between a first workpiece W1 and a second workpiece W2, is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: BAE Systems plc
    Inventor: Jonathan Peter Martin
  • Patent number: 11754102
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing a common connecting opening in two components, at least one of which is made from a plastically deformable material. In the method, at least the edge region of a first prefabricated opening of the first component is softened in order subsequently to introduce a mandrel which displaces the material softened by the heating so that a common connecting opening having a predetermined diameter is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Alexei Vichniakov, Nico Pahmeyer
  • Patent number: 11738419
    Abstract: A device for performing a method for producing a lamination pack, wherein in the method laminations are cut from an electric strip or sheet; the laminations are placed on top of each other to form a lamination stack; the laminations are connected by material fusion to each other by: locally plasticizing a material of the laminations in an edge region of the laminations by generating friction heat by a tool; mixing the locally plasticized material, at least of the laminations neighboring each other, with the tool; and allowing the plasticized material to cool and fuse the laminations in the edge region to form the lamination pack. The device has a punch press and/or a receptacle for one or a plurality of lamination stacks. The device further has a welding tool that is rotatably driven about an axis of the welding tool and moveable transverse to the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Kienle + Spiess GmbH
    Inventor: Björn Böker
  • Patent number: 11712748
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a liquid-cooled jacket, to reduce the size of a recessed groove on a surface of a metal member and also to reduce roughness of a jointed surface. The method includes: a placing step of placing a sealing body on a jacket body, a first main joining step of performing friction stirring by moving a main joining rotary tool around to a first overlapped portion, and a second main joining step of performing friction stirring to a second overlapped portion. The main joining rotary tool has a base-end-side pin and a tip-end-side pin. A taper angle of the base-end-side pin is greater than a taper angle of the tip-end-side pin and a stairs-like pin step portion is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the base-end-side pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Hori, Nobushiro Seo, Kosuke Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 11707798
    Abstract: A liquid cooling jacket is produced by forming a first butted portion where a step side face of a peripheral wall portion and an outer peripheral side face of a sealing body butt each other and a third butted portion where a step side face of a support pillar portion and a hole wall of the hole portion of the sealing body portion butt each other with a gap, and friction-stirring by inserting a tip side pin and a base side pin of a primary joining rotary tool that is rotating into the sealing body and moving the primary joining rotary tool along the third butted portion with an outer circumferential face of the tip side pin being kept off the step side face while having a second aluminum alloy of the sealing body flow into the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Hori, Nobushiro Seo, Kosuke Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 11660700
    Abstract: A welding and deburring system is provided for joining first and second work pieces to one another. The system includes a friction stir welding tool for joining the first and second work pieces to one another at a weld. The system further includes a deburring tool attached to the friction stir welding tool and removing a material flash generated at the weld. The system further includes one or more nozzles disposed in a fixed position relative to the friction stir welding tool, with the nozzles directing a cryogenic fluid to at least one of the friction stir welding tool, the deburring tool, the first work piece, the second work piece, and the weld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: DUS OPERATING INC.
    Inventors: James R. Norman, Yingchun Chen, Samantha Lynne DesRochers, Lenny Vanneste
  • Patent number: 11654507
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a liquid-cooling jacket (1) where heat transfer fluid flows in a hollow part (14) defined by a jacket body (2) and a sealing body (3) includes: an overlapping process in which the sealing body (3) is placed on an end surface (11a) of a peripheral wall part (11) in such a way that the end surface (11a) and a back surface of the sealing body (3) are overlapped each other to form a first overlapped part (H1); and a primary joining process in which primary joining is performed by friction stirring in such a way that a rotary tool (FD) is moved once around a recessed part (13) along the first overlapped part (H1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Hori, Nobushiro Seo, Kosuke Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 11642838
    Abstract: A process control system and a method for process control of a solid-state additive manufacturing system capable of performing various additive processes, such as joining, additive manufacturing, coating, repair and others, are disclosed. The process control system is capable of simultaneous measuring, monitoring and controlling multiple process variables, viz. material temperature, actuator down force, tool force (or torque), tool position, tool angular and transverse velocity, spindle torque (angular velocity), filler flow rate, filler composition, track width, inert gas flow rate and others. A feeding system for continuous supply of filler material to the solid-state additive manufacturing system is also disclosed. The filler material can be in a form of a powder, granules, briquettes, beads, flakes, wires, rods, films, scrap pieces, sheets, blocks or their combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Meld Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic Lalande, Christopher Garguilo, Chase Cox, Nanci Hardwick, Anita T Broach
  • Patent number: 11633802
    Abstract: A method for operating a double-action friction stir welding device including a welding tool having a pin member and a shoulder member, a projection/retraction mechanism for causing the pin member to project/retract relative to the shoulder member, a rotation mechanism for rotating a welding tool, and an advancing/retracting mechanism for advancing/retracting the welding tool, the method including cleaning at least one of the outer circumferential surface of the pin member and the inner circumferential surface of a through hole of the shoulder member on the basis of the level of an adhesion parameter correlated with the degree of adhesion of the material of a welding object, caused by friction stir welding, on the outer circumferential surface of the pin member and the inner circumferential surface of the through hole of the shoulder member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Okada, Syuhei Yoshikawa, Masahiro Miyake, Masahiro Takagi
  • Patent number: 11618094
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solder ball feeding device, comprising a solder ball reservoir for receiving an amount of solder balls and a metering device for dispensing a metered feeding amount of solder balls to a discharge device, wherein the metering device comprises an ultrasound device and a dispensing nozzle with a dispensing cannula, the ultrasound device serving to apply vibrations to the dispensing nozzle, and the solder ball reservoir or the dispensing nozzle of the solder ball reservoir being provided with a pressure connection which serves to introduce a pressurized gas into the solder ball feeding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Pac Tech—Packaging Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Ghassem Azdasht
  • Patent number: 11602904
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for joining a metal component and a polymer component, and a structure comprising said components. In the method, an extrusion die plate with a through hole is placed between the metal component and the polymer component. A probe is rotated and plunged across the thickness of the metal component and eventually through said through hole of the extrusion die plate, thereby extruding a part of the metal component through said through hole of the extrusion die plate into the polymer component. The probe has a rotation axis having an offset to the centre of the through hole during the rotating and plunging action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: AALTO UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION SR
    Inventor: Pedro Vilaca
  • Patent number: 11597032
    Abstract: A method of at least partially filling an opening in a workpiece made of metal, the opening being at least partially defined by one or more opening walls having one or more opening wall surfaces. The method includes providing an insert bondable with the workpiece, the insert having one or more insert engagement surfaces formed for engagement with the opening wall surface. The opening wall surface and the insert engagement surface are heated to a hot working temperature. The insert is subjected to an engagement motion, to move the insert engagement surface relative to the opening wall surface. While the insert is subjected to the engagement motion, the insert is also subjected to a translocation motion to move the insert at least partially into the opening, for engaging the insert engagement surface with the opening wall surface, for at least partially creating a metallic bond between the insert and the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventor: Paul Po Cheng
  • Patent number: 11554451
    Abstract: A reciprocating welding device using a microcontroller to control a stepper motor to control a welding head for the stationary welding of a workpiece, the microcontroller allowing for adjustment of the welding head reciprocating stroke speed, the width of each stroke, and a pause from 0-1 second at the sides to control the wash of the welding edges, having a manipulator, the welding head and the oscillator contained in a single unit and provided on a multiple adjustment portable stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventor: Frank Simon
  • Patent number: 11541608
    Abstract: A welding apparatus is suitable for welding polymeric materials, and particularly but not exclusively those that may be thin or brittle. A welding apparatus is provided for welding polymeric materials along a weld zone of the polymeric material. The welding apparatus has a carrier for supplying heat to the weld zone to cause melting of the polymeric material, wherein the heating element is arranged to reciprocate relative to the carrier between a retracted and an extended configuration, such that as the element moves from the retracted to the extended configuration the heating element melts and penetrates the surface of the polymeric material. The carrier also has a trailing contact surface trailing the heating element along the weld zone arranged to constrain molten polymeric material in the weld zone. The heating element is also arranged to reciprocate relative to the trailing contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: PINWELD LIMITED
    Inventor: Keven Chappell
  • Patent number: 11534981
    Abstract: A friction stir spot welding apparatus including a controller that (A) operates a rotary driver and a tool driver such that a pin and a shoulder are brought into contact with a welded workpiece; (B) operates, after the step (A), the rotary driver and the tool driver such that the pin separates from the welded workpiece; and (C) operates, after the step (B), the rotary driver and the tool driver such that the pin advances toward the welded workpiece. The controller controls the tool driver such that pressing force applied to the welded workpiece from the pin and the shoulder in the step (C) is smaller than that in the step (B) and/or controls the rotary driver such that rotational frequencies of the pin and the shoulder in the step (C) are lower than those in the step (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Okada, Masahiro Miyake
  • Patent number: 11534855
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present disclosure, a friction stir processing tip is provided for a friction stir processing device. The friction stir processing tip includes a body having a central longitudinal axis, a friction stir processing portion of the body, and a connecting portion of the body configured to connect to a tip holder of the friction stir processing device. The connecting portion includes splines configured to receive a torque from the tip holder for rotating the body about the central longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Mazak Corporation
    Inventors: David Rosal, Scott Packer, Rodney Dale Fleck, Russell J. Steel
  • Patent number: 11498153
    Abstract: A head piece and a welding tool, in particular an FSW tool, equipped therewith, and a welding method. The head piece has a through-opening for a plasticizing welding means, in particular a rotating welding pin. The head piece also has a profiled end face which faces the workpiece during welding and has end face regions of different heights and a sloping shoulder, which conducts the plasticized material of the workpiece and connects the end face regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Richter, Stefan Fröhlke, Junhua Gao, Stefan Habersetzer
  • Patent number: 11465367
    Abstract: A vibration welding device includes a base plate, a vibrating body, and a plurality of position adjusting jigs. The vibrating body is capable of vibrating while holding an interior part which is an object to be welded. The base plate is disposed below the vibrating body. The base plate holds an instrument panel which is an object to be welded. The position adjusting jigs are connected to the vibrating body so as to be adjustable in position. The plurality of position adjusting jigs are disposed independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koshi Sato, Tetsuro Hosaka, Takahiro Hasuda, Hiroaki Takekata
  • Patent number: 11440132
    Abstract: Provided are a friction stir welding apparatus and a friction stir welding method capable of highly accurate position control in a Z-axis direction (vertical direction) of a joining tool when a joint target member is subjected to friction stir welding by the friction stir welding apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Power Solutions Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Ishiguro, Shun Shinohara, Kohei Funahara, Tomio Odakura, Yoshinori Oyama, Takayuki Ikariyama, Yoshiaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11440133
    Abstract: A friction stir processing (FSP) tool includes a working material. The working material has a matrix phase and a particulate phase. The matrix phase includes tungsten and an alloy material. The particulate phase is located within the matrix phase, and the particulate phase has an indentation hardness less than 45 GPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Mazak Corporation
    Inventors: Qingyuan Liu, Russell J. Steel, Rodney Dale Fleck
  • Patent number: 11370013
    Abstract: Method of manufacturing of components used in the field of aviation aircraft and, specifically, an aircraft engine nacelle lipskin. Instead of spinning flat plates, this method uses spinning a cylinder, thus eliminating waste material. It also eliminates the need for rivet lines which results in better laminar flow. Further, there is a reduction of other costs in addition to reducing drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Standex International Corporation
    Inventor: Richard J. Morganti
  • Patent number: 11370058
    Abstract: A method for loading feedstock bars into an additive friction stir deposition machine (AFSD) is described. The method comprises containing a plurality of feedstock bars in a container disposed adjacent to a spindle of the additive friction stir deposition machine. The method further comprises moving one feedstock bar of the plurality of feedstock bars into axial alignment with the spindle of the additive friction stir deposition machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Rogie I. Rodriguez, Bruno Zamorano Senderos
  • Patent number: 11331747
    Abstract: A self-reacting friction stir welding (SR-FSW) tool includes a crown shoulder having a central bore and a pin that extends through the crown shoulder's central bore. The central bore includes a first region at a first axial end of the crown shoulder, a second region axially adjacent to the first region, and a third region axially adjacent to the second region. The first region and third region have a diameter that provides sliding contact with the pin. The pin and crown shoulder have an annular gap there between at the second region of the central bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventor: Josef Benjamin Cobb
  • Patent number: 11260468
    Abstract: A friction stir welding tool comprises a cylindrical shank, a shoulder portion disposed at a distal end of the shank, a pin extending from the shoulder, a cutting insert mounted within a concave portion at the distal end of the shank, and a scribe cutter mounted at a distal end of the cutting insert. The cutting insert extends distally through a channel in the pine, and the scribe cutter extends from a distal end surface of the pin in an offset position. The distal end surface of the pin is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: University of North Texas
    Inventors: Michael Frank, Tianhao Wang, Rajiv Mishra
  • Patent number: 11130193
    Abstract: A friction stir welding tool includes a housing and a stir pin. The housing includes a first surface, a housing hole formed in the housing and having a housing hole opening on the first surface, and a discharge hole through which the housing hole is in communication with an outside of the housing. The stir pin includes a pin holder and a pin body. The pin holder has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is configured to be connected to a rotation spindle. The pin body is provided in the housing hole, is detachably attached to the second end portion, and is rotatable together with the pin holder around the rotation axis. The pin body includes a stir portion that protrudes from the first surface via the housing hole opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAZAKI MAZAK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayasu Hachiya, Eiji Matsubara, Toru Murakami, Seigo Ouchi
  • Patent number: 11084121
    Abstract: A friction stir spot welding method includes a welding step of forming a build-up portion on a workpiece by friction-stirring the workpiece, using a pin and a shoulder, while pressing a surface of the workpiece with an end face of a clamp, and filling a portion of the workpiece being softened in a chamber portion of the clamp by press-fitting at least one of the pin and the shoulder into a plastic flow portion of the workpiece. and the friction stir spot welding method further includes a pressing step of pressing a surface of at least one of a region of the build-up portion, which is frictionally stirred by the shoulder, and an adjacent region of the build-up portion against the end face of the clamp with the pin and the shoulder retracted into an accommodation space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Hirano, Etsuko Yamada
  • Patent number: 11065714
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the residue-free friction stir welding of workpieces with different thicknesses, having the following method steps: a) two workpieces (6) to be welded are mounted such that the workpieces can be approached by a holding bell (3) for the friction stir welding tool and the drive head (2) thereof, b) after the welding device is started up, a welding pin tip (5) is immersed into the plastified material of the two workpieces (6) to be connected, wherein a welding shoe (4) is used which has a trapezoidal structure that extends in the diagonal direction of the welding shoe (4) for receiving the welding pin tip (5), and a circular opening (14) is mounted in a web with a smoothing surface (13) which has a front edge (12) that is part of a stepped Spahn guide stage (11), c) in order to improve the method, a welding shoe (4) is used in which the stepped Spahn guide stage (11) has material conducting channels on the front edge (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: GRENZEBACH MASCHINENBAU GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Weigl
  • Patent number: 11059126
    Abstract: A production method of a joint material includes a tab installation step of installing an end tab on a pair of workpieces to be joined at a joining line therebetween by friction stir welding, a tool installation step of installing a probe of a tool for friction stir welding at a cutout portion; an approach step of moving the tool while rotating itself from an opening into the cutout portion; a waiting step of causing the tool for friction stir welding to standby in the cutout portion at an extension line; and a joining step of starting movement of the tool along the joining line at a time at which a temperature of the workpieces at a joining portion in front of the tool in an advancing direction of the tool in the waiting step is a predetermined temperature or more and joining the workpieces with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kato
  • Patent number: 11052494
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for semi-automated tack welding of plies of a thermoplastic composite layup are described. An example welding tool includes a stabilization foot, a housing, a compaction foot, and a welder. The stabilization foot has a stabilization surface. The housing has a central axis. The housing is movable relative to the stabilization surface along the central axis of the housing. The compaction foot has a central axis and a compaction surface. The compaction surface is movable relative to the stabilization surface and to the housing along the central axis of the compaction surface. The welder has a central axis and a welding surface. The welding surface is movable relative to the stabilization surface, to the housing, and to the compaction surface along the central axis of the welder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel D. Bloch, Roger A. Burgess, Samuel J. Easley, Eric E. Moyes, Randall D. Wilkerson
  • Patent number: 10953489
    Abstract: A set of fittings for an FSW tool (friction-stir-welding tool) includes an adapter that can be inserted into a tool-receiving element and is designed to receive a welding rod, and a shoulder cap that includes a through-opening for the welding rod and the adapter. The shoulder cap includes a welding shoulder region adjacent to the through-opening on the outer surface. The adapter can be rotated in relation to the shoulder cap, about a longitudinal axis extending concentrically to the through-opening. The inner contour of the through-opening and a radial outer contour of the adapter have a conical shape at least on the end facing the welding point. In this way, a conical annular gap is created between the adapter and the shoulder cap, the width of which is adjustable by positioning the adapter along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Fröhlke, Stefan Habersetzer, Bernd Richter
  • Patent number: 10919108
    Abstract: A friction stir spot welding device which welds an object to be welded, by softening the object by friction heat and by stirring the object, has a tool with a cylindrical shape, the tool being rotatable around an axis thereof, advanceable along a direction of the axis, and retractable along the direction of the axis, a temperature detector which detects a temperature of the tool when a welding step for the object starts, and a controller configured to compare the temperature of the tool which is detected by the temperature detector to a predetermined reference temperature to set a plunging force applied by the tool to press the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Okada, Shuhei Yoshikawa, Kenichi Kamimuki