Rotating tool for friction stir welding and friction stir welding method using same
AssigneeUacj Corporation
InventorToshihiko FUKUDA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Providing a rotary tool for friction stir spot-welding, which makes it possible to join together two aluminum members superposed on each other, with a high degree of joint strength. The rotary tool has a probe which is provided in a central part of a distal end portion of a cylindrical tool body so as to extend coaxially with the tool body and which has a stepped structure consisting of an intermediate probe and a central probe which extend coaxially with each other. Distal end faces of the tool body and the intermediate probe respectively give a first shoulder surface and a second shoulder surface which are gradually recessed in a radially inward direction and connected to proximal portions of the respective intermediate and central probes.
Claims14
A rotary tool for friction stir spot-welding, which is used to perform a friction stir spot-welding operation on a stack of two aluminum members, the rotary tool having a cylindrical tool body rotatable about its axis, and a probe which is provided in a central part of a distal end portion of the tool body so as to extend coaxially with the tool body, and which is inserted into the stack of the two aluminum members, the rotary tool being characterized in that:
- the probe has a stepped structure consisting of:
- a cylindrical intermediate probe having an outside diameter smaller than that of the tool body and projecting from the distal end portion of the tool body so as to extend coaxially with the tool body;
- and a cylindrical central probe having an outside diameter smaller than that of the intermediate probe and projecting from the intermediate probe so as to extend coaxially with the intermediate probe;
- and
- a distal end face of the tool body gives a first shoulder surface which is gradually recessed in a radially inward direction and which is connected to a proximal portion of the intermediate probe at a position radially inwardly spaced apart from an outer periphery of the distal end face of the tool body, while a distal end face of the intermediate probe gives a second shoulder surface which is gradually recessed in a radially inward direction and which is connected to a proximal portion of the central probe at a position radially inwardly spaced apart from an outer periphery of the distal end face of the intermediate probe.
A friction stir spot-welding method practiced on a stack of two aluminum members by using a rotary tool having a cylindrical tool body rotatable about its axis, and a probe which is provided in a central part of a distal end portion of the tool body so as to extend coaxially with the tool body, and which is inserted into the stack, the method being characterized in that:
- the probe of the rotary tool has a stepped structure consisting of:
- a cylindrical intermediate probe having an outside diameter smaller than that of the tool body and projecting from the distal end portion of the tool body so as to extend coaxially with the tool body;
- and a cylindrical central probe having an outside diameter smaller than that of the intermediate probe and projecting from the intermediate probe so as to extend coaxially with the intermediate probe;
- a distal end face of the tool body gives a first shoulder surface which is gradually recessed in a radially inward direction and which is connected to a proximal portion of the intermediate probe at a position radially inwardly spaced apart from an outer periphery of the distal end face of the tool body, while a distal end face of the intermediate probe gives a second shoulder surface which is gradually recessed in a radially inward direction and which is connected to a proximal portion of the central probe at a position radially inwardly spaced apart from an outer periphery of the distal end face of the intermediate probe;
- and
- a distal end portion of the central probe is inserted into one of the two aluminum members that is located on a forward side in a direction of insertion of the central probe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.