# US 10,245,676 B2 · Friction stir welding device

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- Number: US 10,245,676 B2
- Document ID: US10245676B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/642,122
- Filed: 2017-07-05
- Published: 2017-10-19
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-09
- Assignees: IHI Corporation
- Applicants: IHI Corporation
- Inventors: Hiroshi Saito; Kunitaka Masaki; Koji Nezaki; Tadafumi Kanayama; Satoshi Yamanaka; Yasushi Tabei
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245676B2

## CPC

- B23K 20/1255: {Tools therefor, e.g. characterised by the shape of the probe}
- B23K 20/1245: {characterised by the apparatus}
- B23K 20/125: {Rotary tool drive mechanism}
- B23K 20/126: {Workpiece support, i.e. backing or clamping}
- B23K 20/1265: {Non-butt welded joints, e.g. overlap-joints, T-joints or spot welds}
- B23K 20/128: {making use of additional material}
- B23K 20/129: {specially adapted for particular articles or work}
- B23K 2101/28: Beams
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

## Abstract

In the present disclosure, friction stir welding tools having probes and stationary shoulders are disposed at corners between a first workpiece and a second workpiece. A welding device main body includes axially perpendicular movement units for moving spindle units, which hold the respective friction stir welding tools on a frame, in directions perpendicular to rotary shafts of probes, and axial movement units for moving the spindle units in directions parallel to the rotary shafts of the probes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A friction stir welding device comprising:
a workpiece holder configured to hold a first workpiece and a second workpiece whose end edge is butted and disposed in a posture making an angle intersecting a face of the first workpiece; and
a welding device main body configured to be relatively moved in directions in which corners formed by the first and second workpieces held by the workpiece holder extend,
wherein the welding device main body includes:
friction stir welding tools including stationary shoulders, which have workpiece contact faces brought into contact with both of the workpieces forming the corners, and rotatable probes and disposed at both the corners between which the second workpiece is sandwiched;
spindle units configured to rotate the probes of the friction stir welding tools;
axial movement units configured to move the spindle units in directions following rotary shafts of the probes within a plane perpendicular to a direction of relative movement of the welding device main body relative to the workpieces; and
axially perpendicular movement units configured to move the spindle units in directions perpendicular to the rotary shafts of the probes within the plane perpendicular to the direction of relative movement, and
wherein the axially perpendicular movement units include:
movable tables that are moved in the directions perpendicular to the rotary shafts of the probes within the plane perpendicular to the direction of relative movement; and
gravity compensation mechanisms that are mounted on the movable tables.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The friction stir welding device according to claim 1, wherein:
the axial movement units include movable tables that are moved in the directions following the rotary shafts of the probes within the plane perpendicular to the direction of relative movement of the welding device main body relative to the workpieces, and linear motion mechanisms that move the movable tables; and
the linear motion mechanisms include, along with a positioning control mode of instructing a targeted position to perform movement, at least one control mode of a pressing load-dependent control mode depending on pressing loads applied to the friction stir welding tools, and a spindle torque-dependent control mode depending on spindle torques needed to rotate the probes of the friction stir welding tools.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The friction stir welding device according to claim 1, wherein:
the axially perpendicular movement units include linear motion mechanisms that move the movable tables; and
the linear motion mechanisms include, along with a positioning control mode of instructing the targeted position to perform the movement, at least one control mode of a no-control mode and a load-dependent control mode according to loads applied between the linear motion mechanisms and the movable tables.