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US 6,669,075 B2Granted
Tapered friction stir welding tool
AssigneeConcurrent Technologies Corporation
InventorKevin Colligan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A friction stir welding tool is provided for joining together workpieces utilizing friction stir welding processes. The inventive tool includes a support body rotatable about a first axis and having a distal end defining a shoulder. A rotatable pin extends from the distal end of the support body downward and away from the shoulder. The shoulder of the support body includes at least one section that is tapered, with the taper extending downward toward the pin.
Claims25
A friction stir welding tool comprising:
- a support body rotatable about a first axis, the support body having an end defining a shoulder;
- and
- a rotatable pin extending from the end of the support body downward from the shoulder,
- wherein the shoulder of the support body is tapered, with the taper extending from an outer edge of the support body downward toward the pin, and wherein the tapered shoulder includes a face having at least one groove formed therein.
1 more element
A friction stir welding tool comprising:
- a support body rotatable about a first axis, the support body having an end defining a shoulder;
- and
- a rotatable pin extending from the end of the support body downward from the shoulder,
- wherein the shoulder of the support body includes at least one section that is tapered, with the taper extending downward toward the pin, wherein the shoulder includes a face having at least one groove formed therein.
1 more element
A friction stir welding tool comprising:
- a support body rotatable about a first axis, the support body having an end defining a shoulder;
- and
- a rotatable pin extending from the end of the support body downward from the shoulder,
- wherein the shoulder of the support body includes at least one section that is tapered, with the taper extending downward toward the pin, and
- wherein the shoulder includes (a) a substantially flat section and (b) a tapered section having a taper extending downward toward the pin, the substantially flat and tapered sections being concentric and displaced radially from the pin to an outer edge of the support body.
2 more elements
A friction stir welding tool comprising:
- a support body rotatable about a first axis, the support body having an end defining a shoulder;
- and
- a rotatable pin extending from the end of the support body downward from the shoulder,
- wherein the shoulder of the support body includes at least one section that is tapered, with the taper extending downward toward the pin, and
- wherein the shoulder includes a first tapered section having a first taper extending downward toward the pin and formed at a first angle from a plane perpendicular to the first axis, and a second tapered section having a second taper extending downward toward the pin and formed at a second angle, different from the first angle, from a plane perpendicular to the first axis, the first and second sections being concentric and displaced radially from the pin to an outer edge of the support body.
2 more elements
A friction stir welding tool comprising:
- a support body rotatable about an axis, the support body having an end defining a shoulder;
- a rotatable pin extending from the end of the support body downward from the shoulder;
- and
- a bottom support member connected to a distal end of the pin such that the pin is disposed between the support body and the bottom support member, wherein the bottom support member is rotatable about the axis and includes a bottom shoulder facing the shoulder of the support body, and wherein at least one of the bottom shoulder of the bottom support member and the shoulder of the support body includes at least one portion that is tapered,
- wherein if the bottom shoulder of the bottom support member is tapered, the taper extends from an outer edge of the bottom support member upward toward the pin, wherein the tapered bottom shoulder includes a face having at least one groove formed therein, and
- wherein if the shoulder of the support body is tapered, the taper extends from an outer edge of the support body downward toward the pin, wherein the tapered shoulder includes a face having at least one groove formed therein.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.