Method for welding thin tabs in wide slots
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorJeffrey S. Lund
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for reliably welding a relatively thin tab into a relatively wide slot is provided. The system and method forms a protrusion on the tab. When the tab with the protrusion is inserted into the slot, the protrusion causes the tab to be firmly pressed against one side of the slot. With the tab pressed firmly against the side of the slot, the tab can then be welded to the slot. Because the tab is pressed firmly against the side of the slot during welding, the reliability of the welding process is improved. The present invention is applicable to all welding procedures, but is particularly applicable to laser welding used in precision manufacturing. In those applications, the protrusion causes the tab to be firmly held against the side of the slot while the laser welds the tab and slot together.
Claims16
A method for attaching a tab to a slot, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) forming a protrusion on the tab;
- b) inserting the tab into the slot, the protrusion causing a first side of the tab to be pressed against a first side of the slot;
- and
- c) bonding the first side of the tab to the first side of the slot.
A method for welding a tab to a slot, the tab including a first side and a second side, and the slot including a first side and a second side, wherein the tab has a thickness and wherein the slot has a width, and wherein the tab thickness is substantially greater than the slot width, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) forming a protrusion on the tab second side, the protrusion having a top;
- b) inserting the tab into the slot, wherein when the tab is inserted into the slot the protrusion top abuts the slot second side causing the tab first side to be pressed against the slot first side;
- and
- c) laser welding the first side of the tab to the first side of the slot.
A method for welding a battery electrode to an interconnect, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a tab on the battery electrode, the tab having a thickness, the tab including a first side, a second side, and a leading edge;
- b) providing a slot in the interconnect, the slot having a width substantially greater than the tab thickness, the slot including a first side and second side;
- c) forming a protrusion on the tab second side, the protrusion having a top, wherein the protrusion is formed set back in the tab from the leading edge;
- d) inserting the tab into the slot in the interconnect, wherein when the tab is inserted into the slot the protrusion top abuts the slot second side causing the tab first side to be pressed against the slot first side;
- and
- e) welding the first side of the tab to the first side of the slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.