US 10,478,916 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for joining components with friction pins

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsJoseph M. Polewarczyk, Hesham A. Ezzat

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Abstract

A system, apparatus, or method for joining components is provided. The system applies force along an axis, with a friction pin, to a first substrate, such as with a joiner or joining apparatus. The system also frictionally melts a portion of the first substrate adjacent the friction pin by rotating the friction pin about the axis at a first speed within the first substrate. The system also applies force to the second substrate along the axis and frictionally melts a portion of the second substrate adjacent the friction pin by rotating the friction pin at a second speed within the second substrate. The system embeds a portion of the friction pin within the first substrate and the second substrate. In some configurations, the first speed and the second speed are substantially equivalent. In other configurations, the first speed is different from the second speed.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method of joining components, comprising:

applying force along an axis, via a friction pin, to a first substrate, wherein the friction pin has a first portion with a constant first diameter and a second portion with a constant second diameter, and the second diameter is greater than the first diameter, such that there is a step between the first portion and the second portion of the friction pin;
frictionally melting a portion of the first substrate adjacent the first portion of the friction pin by rotating the friction pin about the axis at a first speed within the first substrate;
applying force along the axis, via the friction pin, to a second substrate;
frictionally melting a portion of the second substrate adjacent the first portion of the friction pin by rotating the friction pin at a second speed within the second substrate while the second portion of the friction pin is melting a portion the first substrate, wherein the second speed is different from the first speed;
and
embedding a portion of the friction pin within the first substrate and the second substrate, such that the first substrate and the second substrate are joined with the friction pin,
wherein the first substrate is formed from a first material and the second substrate is formed from a second material, different from the first material, and the first material has a higher melting temperature than the second material.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/801,821Filed 2 Nov 2017
Published: US 2019/0126384 A12 May 2019
Granted: 19 Nov 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

B21J 15/027
Riveting procedures: setting rivets by friction heating
B23K 20/1225
Using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding: particular aspects of welding with a non-consumable tool
B23K 20/1235
Controlling or monitoring the welding process: with temperature control during joining
B23K 20/124
Controlling or monitoring the welding process: at the beginning or at the end of a weld

Family

US 2019/0126384 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 May 2019
US 10,478,916 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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