Method and system for forming laser beam weld lap-penetration joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10286483-B2
Application number	US-201615374230-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A method of forming an internally-arranged laser-beam weld from within a composite structure. The method includes arranging a welding apparatus within an internal passage of the composite structure, and emitting a laser beam from the welding apparatus to form the internally-arranged laser-beam weld between layers of the composite structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laser beam welding apparatus, comprising
a base;
a laser focusing head attached to the base and operable to emit a laser beam; and
a plurality of aligning structures attached to the base,
wherein each of the plurality of aligning structures includes a leg extending from the base of the welding apparatus, and a respective roller arranged at ends of the leg, wherein the respective rollers are structured and arranged to be engagable with corners of an internal passage of a composite structure.

2. The laser beam welding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of aligning structures are arranged along a longitudinal axis of the base of the welding apparatus.

3. The laser beam welding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the laser focusing head rotatably attached to the base, such that the laser focusing head is rotatably adjustable.

4. The laser beam welding apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a laser-beam transmitting fiber-optic cable and laser beam focusing arrangement, wherein the laser-beam transmitting fiber-optic cable is operable to receive a laser beam from a laser beam generator, and transmit the laser beam to the laser beam focusing arrangement.

5. The laser beam welding apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the laser beam focusing arrangement includes one or more lenses and a mirror.

6. The laser beam welding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam welding apparatus is configured as a semi-autonomous vehicle operable to traverse the passage.

7. The laser beam welding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam welding apparatus is configured to form a weld along a direction of travel of the laser beam welding apparatus as the laser beam welding apparatus traverses the internal passage of the composite structure.

8. The laser beam welding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam welding apparatus is configured to form a weld as the laser beam welding apparatus traverses the internal passage of the composite structure.

Assignees

• Hyperloop Tech Inc

Inventors

• Stol Israel
• Hammer Kristen
• SHAFRIR Daniel
• Gaunt Michael
• Ronacher Thomas
• Cothern Kyle

Classifications

• B23K26/0096 Primary

  Portable laser equipment, e.g. hand-held laser apparatus · CPC title

• B23K37/0276 Primary

  for working on or in tubes (B23K37/0211 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K2103/10

  Aluminium or alloys thereof · CPC title

• B23K26/0876

  in at least two axial directions · CPC title

• B23K2103/04

  Steel {or steel} alloys · CPC title