Friction stir weld tool and method
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsEric J. Boettcher, Alan P. Seid
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A friction stir welding tool and method for forming a friction stir weld joint includes a rotatable body having a rotatable shoulder for maintaining surface contact and maintaining plunge depth and a rotatable pin extending from the rotatable shoulder. The rotatable pin is integrally formed with the rotatable shoulder. The tool further includes a stationary body annularly disposed around the rotatable body. The stationary body has a stationary shoulder annularly disposed around the rotatable shoulder for further maintaining surface contact and managing plunge depth.
Claims6
A friction stir weld tool for forming a friction stir weld joint, the tool comprising:
- a rotatable body having a rotatable shoulder for maintaining surface contact and managing plunge depth and a rotatable pin extending from the rotatable shoulder, the rotatable pin integrally formed with the rotatable shoulder;
- and
- a stationary body annularly disposed around the rotatable body, the stationary body having a stationary shoulder annularly disposed around the rotatable shoulder for further maintaining surface contact and managing plunge depth.
A friction stir weld method for forming a friction stir weld joint, comprising:
- at least partially overlapping a first sheet and a second sheet;
- inserting a rotatable pin into at least the first sheet;
- engaging a surface of the first sheet with a rotatable shoulder integrally formed with the rotatable pin to manage plunge depth of the rotatable pin, the rotatable pin extending from the rotatable shoulder;
- engaging the surface of the first sheet with a stationary shoulder annularly disposed around the rotatable shoulder to further manage plunge depth;
- and
- moving the rotatable pin along a predefined weld path to form the friction stir weld joint between the first sheet and the second sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.