Method and device for joining at least two adjoining work pieces by friction welding
AssigneeGKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH
InventorsChristoph Schilling, Jorge dos Santos
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a method and apparatus for joining at least two adjoining workpieces by friction welding, a rotatable shaft is provided at its front end with a friction welding tool which is biased toward the workpieces to plasticize an area of the workpiece into which the tool enters while the plasticized material is displaced and stored in, or around, the tool. Upon passing through the top workpiece and entering the lowermost work piece, the tool is removed and the stored plasticized material is returned to the void provided by the tool upon removal thereof from the workpieces for joining the workpieces.
Claims18
A method for joining at least two adjoining workpieces by friction welding in an area in which said at least two workpieces are disposed adjacent one another utilizing a pin-like projection, said method comprising the steps of rotating said pin-like projection, moving said pin-like projection toward said adjoining workpieces in the area where they are to be joined and moving said pin-like projection through the top workpiece and into the lowermost workpiece while plasticizing the material of said workpieces adjacent said rotating pin-like projection whereby some of said plasticized material is displaced and then retracting said pin-like projection from said workpieces and re-inserting the displaced plasticized material into the space voided by the retraction of said pin-like projection about at the same rate at which said pin-like projection is retracted.
A device for joining at least two adjoining workpieces by friction welding in a connecting area in which said adjoining workpieces are disposed closely adjacent one another, said device comprising a rotatable shaft having a rear end to be connected to drive means for rotating said shaft and a front end provided with a pin-like projection for contacting said workpieces and plasticizing part of said workpieces by friction generated by said pin-like projection when being rotated in contact with said workpieces, said pin-like projection being supported so as to be axially movable through at least a first workpiece disposed adjacent said pin-like projections and into a last lowermost workpiece, said pin-like projection being surrounded by a first sleeve element supported so as to be rotatable together with said pin-like projection but being movable axially in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of said pin-like projection.
A device for joining at least two adjoining work pieces by friction welding in a connecting area in which said workpieces are disposed closely adjacent one another, said device comprising a rotatable shaft having a rear end to be connected to drive means for rotating said shaft and a front end provided with a friction welding tool, said friction welding tool including a pin-like sleeve element mounted for rotation with said shaft, said sleeve element being axially movable into contact with the connecting area of said workpieces and, upon plastification of the workpiece material in contact with said sleeve, through the plasticized workpiece material of least the first workpiece and at least partially into the last workpiece for joining said workpieces upon retraction of said sleeve element from said workpieces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.