# US 6,720,520 B1 · Method and device for welding sheets

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- Number: US 6,720,520 B1
- Document ID: US6720520B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/913,984
- Filed: 2001-12-27
- Granted: 2004-04-13
- Earliest claimed: 1999-03-08
- Assignees: Elpatronic AG
- Inventors: Romeo Bucher; Bruno Kaegi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6720520B1

## CPC

- B23K 15/0053: {Seam welding}
- B23K 26/24: Seam welding
- B23K 37/0408: {for planar work}
- B23K 2101/185: {Tailored blanks}
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

## Abstract

A method for welding a pair of metal sheets together along an edge of each metal sheet is provided that includes the steps of: 1) determining a line for each of the edges to be welded using one or more sensors: 2) selecting one of the edges to be welded as a dominant edge and the other edge to be welded as a non-dominant edge: and 3) welding the metal sheets together along the dominant edge and the non-dominant edge. The present invention further includes an apparatus capable of performing the present method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for welding metal sheets to form tailored blanks, comprising:
detecting the edge line of both sheets in the welding machine;
identifying the edge line of one of the sheets as the dominant edge line;
reworking the other edge to match it to the dominant edge; and
then welding the sheet.

### Claim 2

A method for welding a pair of metal sheets together along an edge of each metal sheet, comprising the steps of:
sensing the edge to be welded of each metal sheet;
determining a line for each of the edges to be welded;
selecting one of the edges to be welded as a dominant edge, and the other edge to be welded as a non-dominant edge;
reworking the non-dominant edge to substantially match the dominant edge;
welding the metal sheets together along the dominant edge and the non-dominant edge.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of discarding the metal sheet with the non-dominant edge if the line determined for the non-dominant edge deviates more than a predetermined amount.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the step of reworking the non-dominant edge to substantially match the dominant edge includes machining the non-dominant edge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the machining includes pressing with a pressing tool.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the step of welding the metal sheet together along the dominant edge and the non-dominant edge includes guiding a welding beam at least in part based upon the line of the dominant edge.

### Claim 7

A method for welding a pair of metal sheets together along an edge of each metal sheet, comprising the steps of:
determining a line for each of the edges to be welded using one or more sensors;
selecting one of the edges to be welded as a dominant edge, and the other edge to be welded as a non-dominant edge;
determining if a gap between the edges to be welded exceeds a predetermined amount;
replacing the metal sheet having the non-dominant edge with a replacement metal sheet;
determining a line for the edge of the replacement sheet to be welded and repeating the step of determining a gap and also the step of replacing the metal sheet having the non-dominant edge, if necessary, until the gap is equal to or less than the predetermined amount;
welding the metal sheets together along the dominant edge and the non-dominant edge.