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AssigneeCook Incorporated
InventorTodd A. Hall
Estimating the term…
A joint and a laminate including a nickel-titanium alloy such as Nitinol and a method for preparing the surface of a nickel-titanium alloy member for bonding solder material and, electively, another similar or dissimilar member thereto. The method includes applying a halogen containing flux to the titanium oxide coated surface of a nickel-titanium alloy member and heating the flux to its activation temperature. The flux removes and suspends the titanium oxide therein and deposits a metal from the halogen containing flux on the oxidation free surface. The activated flux also coats the member surface for protection from further oxidation. A bonding material such as a tin-silver solder is flowed onto the tinned surface to displace the activated flux. Electively, another member is applied to the molten solder to form a joint between the two members. The residual flux is cleaned from the joint to prevent further deterioration of the base metal. The solder joint includes the base nickel-titanium alloy metal, the metal from the halogen containing flux, and the solder material. Electively, any other member may be applied to this joint in the molten state to form a metallic bond therebetween.
A laminate comprising:
A method of preparing a surface of a nickel-titanium alloy member having an annealing temperature and a contaminant on the surface thereof for bonding a layer of another metal thereto, the method comprising the steps of:
A method for soldering an alloy member including nickel and titanium and having oxidation on the surface thereof to an other member, said alloy member having at least one of superelastic and shape memory properties and an annealing temperature above which said superelastic and shape memory properties are impaired, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.