US 5,603,853 A · Method of high energy density radiation beam lap welding

Abstract

A method of welding at least two sheets using a high energy density radiation beam that preferably is a laser beam or an electron beam for producing a welded lap joint that is substantially completely fused across the width of overlap of the sheets preferably for enabling shaping or forming to be performed such that at least one of the sheets and at least portion of a weld line defined between the overlapped sheets are bent or three dimensionally contoured. In practicing a preferred embodiment of the method, the sheets are overlapped and welded by directing at least one radiation beam toward the overlapped sheets having sufficient power density and for a sufficient amount of time to weld the sheets such that they are substantially completely fused from front to back in the overlap region. As a result, the sheets form a blank that preferably is formed or shaped, such as by shaping, deep drawing, hydro-forming or roll forming, such that at least one of the sheets and a portion of the weld line of the sheets are bent or three dimensionally contoured. After shaping or forming, the sheets preferably form at least part of an article of manufacture.

Claims67

Dependent claims

A method of welding using a high energy density radiation beam comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a sheet having a sheet edge and another sheet having a sheet edge;
(b) overlapping one of the sheets with the other sheet such that the edge of one sheet underlies the other sheet and the edge of the other sheet overlies the one sheet forming a lap joint having a plane of overlap where the sheets overlap with the overlap forming an overlap interface and defining a weld line;
(c) training a high energy density radiation beam on at least one of the sheets for a period of time and with sufficient energy density to weld the sheets together where overlapped such that the sheets are substantially completely fused together across the cross sectional width of overlap of the sheets;
and
(d) forming or shaping the sheets after the high energy density radiation beam has been trained on at least one of the sheets with the sheets being formed such that at least one of the sheets and a portion of the weld line are bent or three dimensionally contoured during forming.

2 more elements

A method of welding using a high energy density radiation beam comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first sheet having a thickness t.sub.1 with the first sheet having a sheet edge, a second sheet having a sheet edge and being of a thickness t.sub.2 that is less than the thickness t.sub.1 of the first sheet, and an emitter of a beam of high energy density radiation for welding the sheets together;
(b) overlapping one of the sheets with the other sheet such that the edge of one sheet underlies the other sheet and the edge of the other sheet overlies the one sheet forming a plane of overlap where the sheets overlap, with the overlap between the sheets forming an overlap interface or a weld interface that defines a weld line and which has a cross sectional width of overlap of the weld interface that extends from the edge of the first sheet to the edge of the second sheet;
(c) orienting the sheets relative to the emitter of high energy density radiation such that at least one of the sheets is exposed to the emitter;
(d) training a high energy density radiation beam on at least one of the sheets for a period of time and with sufficient energy density to weld the sheets together where overlapped such that along a portion of the weld line the sheets are substantially completely fused across the cross sectional width of overlap of the sheets;
and
(e) forming or shaping at least one of the sheets and at least a portion of the weld line such that at least one of the sheets and a portion of the weld line are bent or three dimensionally contoured.

3 more elements

A method of welding using a high energy density radiation beam comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first sheet having a top surface, a bottom surface and a sheet edge, a second sheet having a top surface, a bottom surface and a sheet edge, and one of the sheets having a burr extending outwardly from adjacent its sheet edge, a clamp for engagement with the first sheet, another clamp for engagement with the second sheet, and an emitter of a beam of high energy density radiation for welding the sheets together;
(b) overlapping the sheets with a clamp in engagement with the first sheet, a clamp in engagement with the second sheet, and having one of the sheets overlapped with the other of the sheets such that the edge of the one sheet underlies the other sheet and the edge of the other sheet overlies the one sheet forming a lap joint having a plane of overlap where the sheets overlap each other, with the overlapped sheets spaced apart by a gap between the sheets with the burr on one sheet facing generally toward one of the top and bottom surfaces of the other sheet, and the overlap between the sheets forming a weld interface or overlap interface that defines a weld line and which has a cross sectional width of overlap of the overlap interface that extends from the edge of one of the sheets to the edge of the other of the sheets;
(c) orienting the sheets relative to the emitter such that a sheet edge of one of the sheets is exposed to the emitter;
and
(d) training a high energy density radiation beam angled acutely to the plane of overlap on the sheet edge of the first sheet and along the weld line for a period of time and with sufficient energy density to weld the sheets together where overlapped such that along at least a portion of the weld line the sheets are completely fused across the cross sectional width of the overlap interface of the sheets with there being no lip or portion of the width of the overlap interface of the sheets left unfused.

2 more elements

A method of welding using a high energy density radiation beam comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first sheet having a sheet edge and composed of a material having mechanical or metallurgical properties, a second sheet having a sheet edge and composed of a material having (1) mechanical or metallurgical properties and (2) at least one mechanical or metallurgical property that is different than the mechanical or metallurgical properties of the first sheet;
(b) overlapping one of the sheets with the other sheet such that the edge of one sheet underlies the other sheet and the edge of the other sheet overlies the one sheet forming a plane of overlap where the sheets overlap, with the overlap between the sheets forming an overlap interface that defines a weld line and which has a cross sectional width of overlap of the overlap interface that extends from the edge of one of the sheets to the edge of the other of the sheets;
(c) training a high energy density radiation beam on one of the sheets and along the weld line for a period of time and with sufficient energy density to weld the sheets together where overlapped such that along at least a portion of the weld line the sheets are completely fused across the cross sectional width of overlap of the sheets;
and
(d) forming or shaping at least one of the sheets and at least a portion of the weld line such that at least one of the sheets and at least a portion of the weld line are bent and possess a radius of curvature after forming or shaping is completed.

2 more elements

A method of welding using a laser beam comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a metal sheet having a cross sectional thickness, t.sub.1, and a sheet edge and another metal sheet having a cross sectional thickness, t.sub.2, and a sheet edge wherein each sheet has a cross sectional thickness of at least about 0.5 millimeter and no greater than about 5 millimeters;
(b) overlapping one of the sheets with the other sheet such that the edge of one sheet underlies the other sheet and the edge of the other sheet overlies the one sheet forming a lap joint having a plane of overlap where the sheets overlap, with the overlap forming a weld interface and defining a weld line, and the sheets overlapped such that the cross sectional width of overlap of the weld interface is at least about fifty percent of the thickness of the smallest of t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 and no greater than about twice the thickness of the largest of t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 ;
(c) training the laser beam angled acutely to the plane of overlap on at least one of the sheets for a period of time and with sufficient energy density to weld the sheets together where overlapped such that the sheets are substantially completely fused together across the cross sectional width of overlap of the sheets;
and
(d) forming or shaping the sheets such that at least one of the sheets and a portion of the weld line are bent or three dimensionally contoured.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of high energy density radiation beam lap welding

Life of this patent

Method of high energy density radiation beam lap welding

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims67