# US 11,999,114 B2 · Welding device and welding method

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- Number: US 11,999,114 B2
- Document ID: US11999114B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/845,235
- Filed: 2022-06-21
- Published: 2023-06-29
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-12-28
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
- Inventors: Ryota Ozaki; Sho Yamaguchi; Jun Matsuoka; Tomoya Iwanaga
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999114B2

## CPC

- B29C 65/224: {being a resistive ribbon, a resistive band or a resistive strip}
- B29C 70/30: Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
- B29C 65/30: Electrical means {(B29C65/38 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/524: {Joining profiled elements}
- B29C 66/721: {Fibre-reinforced materials (B29C66/729 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics}
- B29C 66/81261: {Thermal properties, e.g. thermal conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient}
- B29C 66/81264: {Mechanical properties, e.g. hardness}
- B29C 66/81821: {of the welding jaws}
- B29C 66/81871: {of the welding jaws}
- B29C 66/8322: {Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis}
- B29C 66/863: {Robotised, e.g. mounted on a robot arm}
- B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials
- B29L 2009/00: Layered products
- B29L 2031/3076: {Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08)}
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A welding device includes a first graphite heater and a second graphite heater that come into contact with a first member and a second member; and a first die and a second die, which sandwich the first and second graphite heaters with the first and second members interposed therebetween. The first and second graphite heaters have graphite sheets that generate heat by electric power, insulating materials, outer covers, and inner covers, and are configured such that structures of the graphite sheets covered by the insulating materials are interposed between outer covers and inner covers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A welding device for welding stacked materials to each other that contain a thermoplastic resin, the welding device comprising:
a first unit;
a second unit, the materials being interposed between the first unit and the second unit;
wherein the first unit includes a first heating unit configured to come into contact with one of the materials, and a first mold arranged with the first heating unit,
wherein the second unit includes a second heating unit configured to come into contact with another of the materials, and a second mold arranged with the second heating unit,
wherein the first heating unit and the second heating unit each have a sheet-like heat generating body configured to generate heat by electric power, insulating layers interposing the heat generating body therebetween, and a contact layer on which the insulating layers interposing the heat generating body therebetween are laminated, and
wherein the contact layers are provided in the first heating unit and the second heating unit, each having thermal conductivity of 10 W/m×K or greater at normal temperature and Young's modulus of 30 GPa or greater at normal temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The welding device according to claim 1 further comprising a heat insulation material provided between the first heating unit and the first mold.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The welding device according to claim 1 further comprising an inline plate having an end contact face configured to abut against end faces of the materials.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The welding device according to claim 3, wherein the inline plate has a plate portion forming the end contact face and a second heat insulation material laminated on the plate portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The welding device according to claim 1 further comprising a side block having a side contact face configured to abut against side faces of the materials.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The welding device according to claim 5, wherein the side block has a plate forming the side contact face and a third heat insulation material laminated on the plate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The welding device according to claim 1, wherein each of the materials has a side wall arranged vertically so as to cover a side of the first or second mold, the welding device further comprising a pushing member configured to push the side wall of each of the materials in a direction away from the first or second mold.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A welding method for welding the materials to each other by the welding device according to claim 1, the welding method comprising:
causing the heat generating bodies of the first and second heating units to generate heat; and
pushing the first and second heating units by the first and second molds to the materials.