Method and apparatus for laser strip splicing
AssigneeJoining Technologies, Inc.
InventorsScott Boynton, Scott Poeppel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A splicing apparatus for joining a trailing end of a downstream metal strip to the leading end of an upstream metal strip includes a base having a working surface, a cover assembly operatively connected to the base and movable between an open position and a closed position, a fixed platen fixedly secured to the working surface, a moving platen slidably connected to the working surface, and a laser device for both cutting said downstream and upstream metal strips and for welding said metal strips together, the laser device including a laser source and a laser head in communication with the laser source, the laser head being connected to said cover assembly.
Claims22
A strip splicing apparatus for joining a trailing end of a downstream metal strip to the leading end of an upstream metal strip, comprising:
- a base having a working surface;
- a cover assembly pivotally connected to said base and movable between an open position and a closed position;
- a fixed platen fixedly secured to said working surface;
- a moving platen slidably connected to said working surface;
- and
- a laser device for both cutting said downstream and upstream metal strips and for welding said metal strips together, said laser device including a laser source and a laser head in communication with said laser source, said laser head being housed in and connected to said cover assembly.
A method of splicing a trailing end of a downstream metal strip to the leading end of an upstream metal strip utilizing a splicing apparatus having a base having a working surface including a fixed platen and a moving platen and a cover assembly pivotally connected to said base, the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning said downstream strip on said fixed platen;
- positioning said upstream strip on said moving platen;
- cutting said trailing end of said downstream strip with a laser having a laser head housed in said cover assembly to create a downstream cut edge;
- cutting said leading end of said upstream strip with said laser to create an upstream cut edge;
- aligning said upstream cut edge with said downstream cut edge;
- and
- welding said downstream strip to said upstream strip using said laser to create a spliced web.
A method of laser strip splicing, said method comprising the steps of:
- cutting an upstream end of a downstream metal strip and a downstream end of an upstream metal strip utilizing a splicing apparatus having a base and a cover assembly pivotally connected to said base and movable between an open position and a closed position;
- and
- welding said downstream metal strip to said upstream metal strip to create a web;
- wherein said step of cutting and said step of welding are carried out by a single fiber laser having a laser head housed in said cover assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.