Friction stir welding interlocking joint design and method
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsCharles D. Rosen, Edward Litwinski, Juan M. Valdez
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Abstract
The present invention provides novel joint designs and methods for holding together and drawing together interface edges of workpieces during friction stir welding. The method includes providing an interface edge (30A) on a first workpiece (20A), and an interface edge (30B) on a second workpiece (20B) that is complementary with the interface edge of the first workpiece. The interface edges cooperate with consumable pins (38) to hold the first and second workpieces together. In a preferred embodiment, the interface edges cooperate to draw the first and second workpieces together when a load in a direction normal to the interfaces is applied along the mated interfaces.
Claims23
A friction stir welding joint comprising:
- a first workpiece having an interface edge including at least one slanted edge;
- and
- a second workpiece having an interface edge mated with the interface edge of the first workpiece;
- wherein a load normal to the mated interfaces causes the first workpiece and the second workpiece to be drawn together.
A friction stir welding joint comprising:
- a first workpiece having an interface edge;
- a second workpiece having an interface edge mated with the interface edge of the first workpiece;
- and
- one or more consumable pins inserted through the first and second workpieces along the mated interfaces.
A method of friction stir welding workpieces, the method comprising:
- (a) providing an interface edge on a first workpiece, the interface edge including at least one slanted edge;
- (b) providing an interface edge on a second workpiece that is complementary with the interface edge of the first workpiece;
- (c) mating the interface edge of the first workpiece with the interface edge of the second workpiece;
- (d) drawing the first workpiece and second workpiece together by applying a force normal to the mated interfaces;
- and
- (e) forming a friction stir weld along the mated interfaces.
A method of friction stir welding workpieces, the method comprising:
- (a) providing an interface edge on a first workpiece;
- (b) providing an interface edge on a second workpiece that is complementary with the interface edge of the first workpiece;
- (c) mating the interface edge of the first workpiece with the interface edge of the second workpiece;
- (d) inserting one or more consumable pins through the first and second workpieces along the mated interfaces;
- and
- (e) forming a friction stir weld along the mated interfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.