Welding element and welding method for connecting a weld element to a workpiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517973-B2
Application number	US-201916526155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2019
Priority date	Jan 30, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A welding element is operable for being connected to a workpiece using a welding method. The welding element comprises: a head and a shaft like anchor portion. The head includes a welding surface, a stop surface that is remote from the welding surface, and a plurality of pointed projections evenly and uniformly distributed over the entire welding surface. The shaft-like anchor portion extends along a longitudinal axis between a first end region and a second end region, with the first end region connected to the stop surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding element weldable to a workpiece, wherein the welding element comprises:
a head including a welding surface, a stop surface that is remote from the welding surface, and a plurality of pointed projections evenly and uniformly distributed over and covering the entire welding surface; and
a shaft-portion which extends along a longitudinal axis (Xa) between a first end region and a second end region, the first end region connected to the stop surface.

2. The welding element according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of projections extend along a plurality of straight lines uniformly distributed over the welding surface.

3. The welding element according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of projections are oriented in parallel rows and separated by two groups of intersecting grooves, wherein the grooves of the first group extend parallel to each other, wherein the grooves of the second group extend parallel to each other, and wherein the grooves of the first group are perpendicular to the grooves of the second groove.

4. The welding element according to claim 1 , wherein the welding surface forms a bulge, and wherein the plurality of projections are arranged on the bulge.

5. The welding element according to claim 4 , wherein the bulge has a circular radial cross section, and wherein the bulge is centered on the longitudinal axis.

6. The welding element according to claim 1 , wherein each projection of the plurality of projections has a pyramid shape with a square base.

7. The welding element according to claim 6 , wherein each projection comprises four flat lateral surfaces that form a point of the projection, and wherein two opposing lateral surfaces define an interior angle (α) of between 75 to 85 degrees.

8. The welding element according to claim 1 , wherein each projection of the plurality of projections have a projection height (Hv) of between 0.3 to 1.0 millimetres (mm).

9. The welding element according to claim 7 , wherein the points of two adjacent projections are mutually spaced by between 0.5 millimetres and 2.0 millimetres.

10. The welding element according to claim 1 , wherein the welding surface is an annular surface and partially defines a central recess in the head.

11. A method for welding a welding element to a workpiece, the method comprising the following steps:
providing a welding element comprising:
a head including a welding surface, a stop surface that is remote from the welding surface, and a plurality of pointed projections evenly and uniformly distributed over and covering the entire welding surface; and
a shaft portion which extends along a longitudinal axis (Xa) between a first end region and a second end region, the first end region connected to the stop surface;

providing a workpiece comprising a first surface and a second surface, and defining a sheet thickness (Tb),
providing an arc welding device,
arranging the welding surface of the welding element on the first surface of the workpiece,
actuating the arc welding device,
arc welding the welding element to the workpiece by melting at least some of the projections and pressing the welding element against the workpiece.

12. The method of welding according to claim 11 , wherein the projections have a projection height (Hv) along the longitudinal axis (Xa), and the method further includes the step of selecting the welding element with the projection height (Hv) on the basis of the sheet thickness (Tb).

13. The method of welding according to claim 11 , wherein the workpiece includes a zinc layer on the second surface.

14. A welding element weldable to a workpiece, wherein the welding element comprises:
a head including a welding surface, a stop surface that is remote from the welding surface, and a plurality of pointed projections evenly and uniformly distributed over and covering the entire welding surface, and each projection of the plurality of pointed projections has a pyramid shape with a square base; and
a shaft portion which extends along a longitudinal axis (Xa) between a first end region and a second end region, the first end region connected to the stop surface.

15. The welding element according to claim 14 , wherein each projection comprises four flat lateral surfaces that form a point of the projection, and wherein two opposing lateral surfaces define an interior angle (α) of between 75 to 85 degrees.

16. The welding element according to claim 15 , wherein the points of two adjacent projections are mutually spaced by between 0.5 millimetres and 2.0 millimetres.

17. The welding element according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of projections extend along a plurality of straight lines uniformly distributed over the welding surface.

18. The welding element according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of projections are oriented in parallel rows and separated by two groups of intersecting grooves, wherein the grooves of the first group extend parallel to each other, wherein the grooves of the second group extend parallel to each other, and wherein the grooves of the first group are perpendicular to the grooves of the second groove.

19. The welding element according to claim 14 , wherein the welding surface forms a bulge, and wherein the plurality of projections are arranged on the bulge.

20. The welding element according to claim 19 , wherein the bulge has a circular radial cross section, and wherein the bulge is centred on the longitudinal axis.

21. The welding element according to claim 14 , wherein each projection of the plurality of projections have a projection height (Hv) of between 0.3 to 1.0 millimetres (mm).

22. The welding element according to claim 14 , wherein the welding surface is an annular surface and partially defines a central recess in the head.

Assignees

• Newfrey Llc

Inventors

• Eissara Bah

Classifications

• B23K9/207 Primary

  Features related to studs · CPC title

• B23K9/20

  Stud welding · CPC title

• B23K35/0288

  Welding studs · CPC title

• B23K11/166

  of galvanized or tinned materials · CPC title

• B23K20/1295 Primary

  Welding studs · CPC title