Welding method, welding device, and method for manufacturing battery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10010974-B2
Application number	US-201214401189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2012
Priority date	May 15, 2012
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is a technique for quickly detecting a defect of a portion welded by laser beam welding. Specifically disclosed is a welding step in which a welding device is used, the welding device welding an object to be welded with a pulsed laser. In the welding step, a first photodetector receives only infrared rays having a wavelength allowing detection of a keyhole formed in a molten pool from among infrared rays radiating from a welded portion during the welding of the object, and an analyzer determines quality of the welded portion on the basis of intensity of the infrared rays received by the first photodetector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A welding method, comprising:
welding an object using a pulsed laser;
transmitting one part of infrared rays with wavelength of 1200 nm to 1600 nm generated during the welding of the object with a first optical filter;
measuring intensity of the transmitted one part of the infrared rays with a first photodetector receiving the transmitted infrared rays; and
determining quality of welded portion of the object based on the measured intensity of the transmitted infrared rays with an analyzer;
wherein the first optical filter is arranged on paths of the infrared rays radiated from the welded portion during the welding of the object and transmits the infrared rays with wavelength of 1200 nm to 1600 nm to allow detection of a keyhole formed in a molten pool during the welding of the object.

2. The welding method according to claim 1 , further comprising
detecting a penetration shortage occurring in the welded portion based on the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays during one pulse output of the pulsed laser with the analyzer.

3. The welding method according to claim 2 , further comprising
calculating a first integrated value by integrating the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays during the one pulse output of the pulsed laser with respect to time by the analyzer,
comparing the first integrated value with a first threshold by the analyzer,
determining whether or not the penetration shortage occurs, wherein if the first integrated value is more than the first threshold, the penetration shortage does not occur in the welded portion, and if the first integrated value is less than or equal to the first threshold, the penetration shortage occurs in the welded portion.

4. The welding method according to claim 1 , further comprising
detecting an underfill occurring in the welded portion based on the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays from a point in time just after the one pulse output of the pulsed laser until after a lapse of a predetermined time with the analyzer.

5. The welding method according to claim 4 , further comprising
calculating a second integrated value by integrating the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays from a point in time just after the one pulse output of the pulsed laser until after the lapse of the predetermined time with respect to time by the analyzer,
comparing the second integrated value with a second threshold by the analyzer,
determining whether or not the underfill occurs, wherein if the second integrated value is less than the second threshold, the underfill does not occur in the welded portion, and if the second integrated value is more than or equal to the second threshold, the underfill occurs in the welded portion.

6. The welding method according to claim 4 , wherein a continuous wave laser is superimposed on the pulsed laser, and the underfill occurred in the welded portion is detected on the basis of intensity of the continuous wave laser reflecting on the welded portion from a point in time just after the one pulse output of the pulsed laser until after the lapse of the predetermined time.

7. The welding method according to claim 1 , further comprising
reducing an output value of the pulsed laser when the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays with wavelength of 1200 nm to 1600 nm is increased than a predetermined value during the one pulse output of the pulsed laser.

8. A welding device for welding an object using a pulsed laser, comprising:
an optical system which irradiates the object using the pulsed laser, and reflects infrared rays with a wavelength of 1200 nm to 1600 nm radiating from a welded portion of the object;
a first photodetector which receives the infrared rays having a wavelength of 1200 nm to 1600 nm and allows detection of a keyhole formed in a molten pool from among the infrared rays reflected by the optical system; and
an analyzer which determines quality of the welded portion based on intensity of the infrared rays received by the first photodetector.

9. The welding device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a second photodetector,
wherein the optical system superimposes a continuous wave laser on the pulsed laser, and reflects the continuous wave laser reflected on the object to the second photodetector,
wherein the second photodetector receives the continuous wave laser reflected by the optical system, and
wherein the analyzer detects the underfill occurring in the welded portion on the basis of intensity of the continuous wave laser received by the second photodetector.

10. A welding method, comprising:
welding an object using a pulsed laser;
transmitting one part of infrared rays generated during the welding of the object with a first optical filter;
measuring intensity of the transmitted one part of the infrared rays with a first photodetector receiving the transmitted infrared rays;
determining quality of a welded portion of the object based on the measured intensity of the transmitted infrared rays with an analyzer;
detecting an underfill occurred in the welded portion based on the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays from a point in time just after the one pulse output of the pulsed laser until after a lapse of a predetermined time with the analyzer;
calculating a second integrated value by integrating the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays from a point in time just after the one pulse output of the pulsed laser until after the lapse of the predetermined time with respect to time by the analyzer;
comparing the second integrated value with a second threshold by the analyzer; and
determining whether or not the underfill occurs, wherein if the second integrated value is less than the second threshold, the underfill does not occur in the welded portion, and if the second integrated value is more than or equal to the second threshold, the underfill occurs in the welded portion,
wherein the first optical filter is arranged on paths of the infrared rays radiated from the welded portion during the welding of the object and transmits the predetermined wavelength infrared rays to allow detection of a keyhole formed in a molten pool during the welding of the object.

11. The welding method according to claim 10 , further comprising detecting a penetration shortage occurred in the welded portion based on the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays during one pulse output of the pulsed laser with the analyzer.

12. The welding method according to claim 11 , further comprising
calculating a first integrated value by integrating the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays during the one pulse output of the pulsed laser with respect to time by the analyzer,
comparing the first integrated value with a first threshold by the analyzer,
determining whether or not the penetration shortage occurs, wherein if the first integrated value is more than the first threshold, the penetration shortage does not occur in the welded portion, and if the first integrated value is less than or equal to the first-threshold, the penetration shortage occurs in the welded portion.

13. The welding method according to claim 10 , further comprising
reducing an output value of the pulsed laser when the intensity of the transmitted infrared rays is increased than a predetermined value during the one pulse output of the pulsed laser.

14. A welding method, comprising:
welding an object using a pulsed laser;
transmitting one part of infrared rays generated during the welding of the object with a first optical filter;
measuring intensity of the transmitted one part of the infrared rays with a firs

Assignees

• Nakamura Hideo
• Sugiyama Tooru
• Matsumoto Seiichi
• Yamamoto Noriaki
• Shibata Yoshinori
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakamura Hideo
• Sugiyama Tooru
• Matsumoto Seiichi
• Yamamoto Noriaki
• Shibata Yoshinori

Classifications

• B23K31/125

  Weld quality monitoring · CPC title

• B23K2103/08

  Non-ferrous metals or alloys · CPC title

• B23K26/034 Primary

  Observing the temperature of the workpiece · CPC title

• B23K2101/36

  Electric or electronic devices · CPC title

• B23K26/21 Primary

  by welding · CPC title