Joint configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035217-B2
Application number	US-201314422617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2013
Priority date	Aug 21, 2012
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a joint and welding configuration used during repair of metal and metal alloy plates specifically for providing a means of joining metal plates and filling voids in metal plates where access from one side is restricted. A joint arrangement suitable for repairing a void in at least one element, wherein said at least one element has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the thickness of the at least one element is at least 10 mm, further comprising two or more insert elements, each of said two or more insert elements each being friction stir welded at their abutted surfaces to said at least one element, characterized wherein said at least one element comprises at least one recess portion, wherein a Friction Stir Weld is caused from the direction of said first surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A joint arrangement suitable for repairing a void in at least one element, the joint arrangement comprising said at least one element, a first insert, and a second insert,
wherein the first insert has a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first upper surface between the first end and the second end, and a first lower surface between the first end and the second end,
wherein the second insert has a third end, a fourth end opposite the third end, a second upper surface between the third end and the fourth end, and a second lower surface between the third end and the fourth end,
wherein the first insert has a first friction stir weld at a first abutted surface between the first end of the first insert and said at least one element,
wherein the first insert has a second friction stir weld at a second abutted surface between the second end of the first insert and said at least one element,
wherein the second insert has a third friction stir weld at a third abutted surface between the third end of the second insert and said at least one element,
wherein the second insert has a fourth friction stir weld at a fourth abutted surface between the fourth end of the second insert and said at least one element,
wherein the first friction stir weld, the second friction stir weld, the third friction stir weld and the fourth friction stir weld are caused from the direction of said first upper surface of said at least one element, and
wherein the first upper surface of the first insert and the second lower surface of the second insert comprise a plurality of co-locating lugs and voids.

2. The joint according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least one element, said first insert and said second insert comprise at least one of a metal and a metal alloy.

3. The joint according to claim 1 wherein the joint further comprises stitching along a length of at least one of the first, second, third and fourth friction stir welded joints.

4. The joint according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first, second, third and fourth abutted surfaces are arranged at an angle (a) in the range of from 90° to 180° from the second lower surface of said at least one element.

5. The joint according to claim 1 ,
wherein one or more pins are inserted through said second insert element into said at least one element or said first insert element.

6. A vehicle, vessel or craft comprising at least one repaired void according to claim 1 .

7. A method of repairing a void in at least one element comprising a first upper surface and a second lower surface, the method comprising:
providing a first insert in said void, wherein the first insert has a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first upper surface between the first end and the second end, and a first lower surface between the first end and the second end, wherein said first insert has a thickness less than the thickness of said at least one element and the depth which is less than or equal to the depth of said friction stir weld;
forming a recess portion in said at least one element;
providing a second insert in said recess portion, wherein the second insert has a third end, a fourth end opposite the third end, a second upper surface between the third end and the fourth end, and a second lower surface between the third end and the fourth end;
forming a plurality of co-locating lugs and voids on the first upper surface of the first insert and the second lower surface of the second insert;
friction stir welding the first and second ends of the first insert to the at least one element along the abutted surfaces from the direction of said first surface of said at least one element;
providing an adhesive layer on at least one of the first upper surface of the first insert and the second lower surface of the second insert, the adhesive layer positioned between a first friction stir weld at the first end of the first insert and a second friction stir weld at the second end of the first insert; and
friction stir welding the third and fourth ends of the second insert element to the at least one element along the abutted surfaces, wherein the friction stir welding is performed from the direction of said first surface of the at least one element.

8. A vehicle, vessel or craft comprising at least one repaired void repaired by a method according to claim 7 .

9. A joint suitable for repairing a void in at least one element, wherein the thickness of the at least one element is greater than the depth of a friction stir weld joint, comprising a first insert and a second insert,
wherein the first insert has a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first upper surface between the first end and the second end, and a first lower surface between the first end and the second end,
wherein the second insert has a third end, a fourth end opposite the third end, a second upper surface between the third end and the fourth end, and a second lower surface between the third end and the fourth end,
wherein the first insert has a first friction stir weld at a first abutted surface between the first end of the first insert and said at least one element,
wherein the first insert has a second friction stir weld at a second abutted surface between the second end of the first insert and said at least one element,
wherein the second insert has a third friction stir weld at a third abutted surface between the third end of the second inert and said at least one element,
wherein the second insert has a fourth friction stir weld at a fourth abutted surface between the fourth end of the second insert and said at least one element, wherein said at least one element comprises at least one recess portion of width of at least the radius of a friction stir weld tool, wherein the friction stir weld is caused from the direction of said first surface, and
wherein the first upper surface of the first insert and the second lower surface of the second insert comprise a plurality of co-locating lugs and voids.

10. The joint according to claim 9 wherein at least one of said at least one element, said first insert, and said second insert comprise at least one of are selected from a metal and a metal alloy.

11. The joint according to claim 9 wherein the joint further comprises stitching along the length of the first, second, third, and fourth friction stir welded joints.

12. The joint according to claim 9 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth abutted surfaces are arranged at an angle (α) in the range of from 90° to 180° from a surface of said at least one element.

13. The joint according to claim 9 ,
wherein one or more pins are inserted through said second insert element into said at least one element or said first insert element.

14. A vehicle, vessel or craft comprising at least one repaired void according to claim 9 .

Assignees

• Bae Systems Plc

Inventors

• Johnson Darren

Classifications

• B23K20/122 Primary

  using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding · CPC title

• Y10T403/478

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B23K20/123

  Controlling or monitoring the welding process · CPC title

• Y10T29/49739

  Mechanically attaching preform by separate fastener · CPC title

• B23K20/128

  making use of additional material · CPC title