Method of welding a sensor bracket to an axle

Abstract

A sensor bracket for mounting an anti-lock braking sensor is welded to an axle with a welding method that causes a portion of a bracket preform to be consumed to form the weld joint. In one preferred embodiment, an outer end of a stem of the bracket is formed of a material that will be made molten by an arc between the bracket and the axle. A fluxing agent is preferably mounted on an extreme end of the stem to initially ignite and clean the area on the axle, and further insure that the other portions of the bracket will become molten. The method preferably includes supplying a current through the bracket preform and bringing the bracket preform towards the axle. The axle is grounded, and as the bracket preform is brought adjacent to the axle, an arc is formed between the two. Outer portions of the bracket preform thus become molten. A fixture for mounting the bracket preform continues to bring the bracket preform towards the axle for a predetermined period of time. After predetermined period of time, the current is disconnected. The bracket fixture continues to hold the bracket against the axle such that the weld joint may solidify. The inventive use of a welding method in which the bracket preform is consumed to secure the bracket preform to the axle provides for a secure connection. Moreover, this welding method allows the use of automated assembly techniques to secure the sensor bracket to the axle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.