Friction stir welding equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10994367-B2
Application number	US-201816013483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2018
Priority date	Aug 10, 2016
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

A friction stir welding equipment according to an embodiment includes a spindle unit, a holder, and a moving part; the spindle unit is capable of rotating a tool; the holder is connectable to the tool via a radial bearing and is capable of holding at least one of a side surface of a processing member or a rim of an upper surface of the processing member; and the moving part is capable of changing relative positions of the tool and the holder with respect to the processing member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A friction stir welding equipment, comprising:
a spindle unit capable of rotating a tool, the tool including a shank having a circular columnar configuration;
a holder connectable to the tool via a radial bearing, the holder being capable of holding at least one of a side surface of a processing member or a rim of an upper surface of the processing member, the holder including:
a plurality of claws capable of contacting the processing member,
a housing having a tubular configuration, the shank being insertable through the housing,
the radial bearing disposable between the shank and an interior wall of the housing,
a base part having a tubular configuration and being provided in an interior of the housing, an end part of the plurality of claws on a side opposite to the side surface of the processing member being provided at the base part, and
an urging part provided in the interior of the housing, the urging part being capable of urging the base part toward the side surface of the processing member; and

a moving part capable of changing relative positions of the tool and the holder with respect to the processing member.

2. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the radial bearing is a radial ball bearing.

3. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the urging part is a compression coil spring.

4. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the base part is provided movably through the interior of the housing in an axial direction.

5. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of claws and the base part are formed as one body.

6. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , wherein
the spindle unit includes a spindle, and
a hole is provided in an end surface of the spindle on a side of the holder, the shank being provided in the hole.

7. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , wherein
the spindle unit includes a spindle, and
a collet chuck is provided at an end part of the spindle on a side of the holder, the collet chuck being capable of holding the shank.

8. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , wherein
the spindle unit includes a spindle, and
the friction stir welding equipment further comprises a thrust bearing provided between an end surface of the housing and an end surface of the spindle.

9. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 8 , wherein the thrust bearing is a thrust ball bearing.

10. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first imaging unit capable of imaging the processing member;
a second imaging unit capable of imaging an end part of the tool on the side surface of the processing member; and
a movable alignment mark disposable between the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit.

11. The friction stir welding equipment according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first movable reflector disposable between the processing member and an end part of the tool on the side surface of the processing member;
a second movable reflector disposable on the side surface of the processing member of the first movable reflector;
a first detector capable of irradiating laser light beam on the first movable reflector and capable of receiving reflected laser light beam from the end part of the tool; and
a second detector capable of irradiating laser light beam on the second movable reflector and capable of receiving reflected laser light beam from the processing member.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Tomioka Taizo

Classifications

• B23K20/125

  Rotary tool drive mechanism · CPC title

• B23K20/128

  making use of additional material · CPC title

• B23K20/1215

  for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding · CPC title

• B23K20/2333

  one layer being aluminium, magnesium or beryllium · CPC title

• B23K2103/15

  Magnesium or alloys thereof · CPC title