Clamping and Heating Apparatus For Joining Tools
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsVijitha Senaka Kiridena, Joy Hines Forsmark, Zhiyong Cedric Xia, Matthew John Zaluzec
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Abstract
A friction stir spot welding tool and a self-piercing riveting tool are disclosed for joining parts. The parts are clamped between a head and anvil support of the friction stir spot welding tool or the self-piercing riveting tool. A plurality of clamping and heating modules are attached to an attachment fixture on the head and the anvil support that heats the area around the pin of the friction stir spot welding tool or self-piercing riveting tool prior to and during the joining operation.
Claims20
An apparatus for joining a plurality of parts together using a tool having a head, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing attached to the head of the tool;
- a clamping stylus supported by the housing for engaging one of the parts at a spaced location from the tool;
- and
- a heating element provided on the clamping stylus that heats the clamping stylus and the one part to facilitate the tool joining the parts.
A tool for joining a plurality of parts together comprising:
- a spin stir spot welding head having a plurality of clamps that are moved with the welding head to engage a first side of the plurality of parts, a heating element that heats the first side of the part that is contacted by the clamps;
- and
- an anvil having a plurality of back-up clamps that are moved with the anvil to engage a second side of the plurality of parts and clamp the plurality of parts together when the plurality of parts is joined together.
A system for friction stir spot welding a plurality of parts together comprising:
- a friction stir spot welding head disposed to engage a first side of the plurality of parts;
- an anvil disposed on a second side of the plurality of parts that is opposite the first side of the plurality of parts;
- a plurality of clamping members that are disposed around the friction stir spot welding head that engage the first side;
- a plurality of back-up clamping members that are disposed around the anvil that engage the second side;
- and
- a heating element associated with each of the clamping members and each of the back-up clamping members that heat the plurality of parts when the clamping members and back-up clamping members engage the plurality of parts with the friction stir spot welding head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.