Thermal assisted self-piercing riveting for high strength 7xxx aluminum
AssigneeNovelis Inc.
InventorsFeng Wu, Kevin Duan, Ming Gan, Yan Lin, Yu Guo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-piercing riveting system includes a localized melting system that locally melts a target location on a metal substrate and a driver that drives a rivet into to the metal substrate after the target location is locally melted. A method of forming a joint with a self-piercing riveting system includes locally melting a target location on the at least two metal substrates. The method also includes driving a rivet into the target location, optionally with a driver, after locally melting the target location such that the rivet pierces the at least two metal substrates at the target location.
Claims22
A self-piercing riveting system comprising:
- a localized melting system configured to locally melt a target location on a metal substrate;
- and
- a driver configured to drive a rivet into the metal substrate at the target location, after the target location is locally melted, to form a joint.
A method of joining at least two metal substrates, the method comprising:
- locally melting a target location on the at least two metal substrates;
- and
- driving a rivet into the target location with a driver after locally melting the target location such that the rivet pierces the at least two metal substrates at the target location.
(canceled)
A method of joining at least two metal substrates, the method comprising:
- welding the at least two metal substrates at a target location for a welding time of greater than 0 seconds and less than 1 second and such that a temperature of the target location is at least 500° C.;
- and
- driving a rivet into the target location after welding such that the rivet pierces the at least two metal substrates at the target location.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.