End effector, welding system, and method for welding composite components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938684-B2
Application number	US-202117391787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2021
Priority date	Aug 2, 2021
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

An end effector for welding composite components includes an end effector housing and a welding member mounted to the end effector housing. The end effector further includes a leading roller mounted to the end effector housing forward of the welding member and at least one follower roller mounted to the end effector housing aft of the welding member. The end effector further includes at least one first cooling air jet positioned to direct a first stream of cooling air toward the at least one follower roller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An end effector for welding composite components, the end effector comprising:
an end effector housing extending in a welding direction between and to a forward housing end and an aft housing end;
an induction welding member mounted to the end effector housing, the induction welding member including an induction coil;
a leading roller mounted to the end effector housing forward of the induction coil in the welding direction;
at least one follower roller, each follower roller of the at least one follower roller mounted to the end effector housing aft of the induction coil in the welding direction, the at least one follower roller including a first follower roller disposed adjacent the induction welding member such that the induction coil is disposed between the leading roller and the first follower roller in the welding direction; and
at least one first cooling air jet disposed between the induction welding member and the first follower roller in the welding direction, the at least one first cooling air jet positioned to direct a first stream of cooling air toward and onto the first follower roller.

2. The end effector of claim 1 , further comprising at least one second cooling air jet configured to direct a second stream of cooling air toward a surface of the composite components.

3. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one follower roller further includes a second follower roller.

4. The end effector of claim 3 , wherein the first follower roller has a first diameter and the second follower roller has a second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter.

5. The end effector of claim 3 , further comprising a follower belt wrapped around the at least one follower roller and connecting each follower roller of the at least one follower roller.

6. The end effector of claim 3 , wherein the first follower roller is made of a first material and the second follower roller is made of a second material which is different than the first material.

7. The end effector of claim 6 , wherein the second material is harder than the first material.

8. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the leading roller and the at least one follower roller are mounted to the end effector housing with a force control member configured to bias the one or both of the leading roller and the at least one follower roller in a bias direction away from the end effector housing.

9. The end effector of claim 1 , further comprising a follower shoe mounted to the end effector housing aft of the at least one follower roller, the follower shoe including a contact surface facing away from the end effector housing.

10. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the leading roller and the at least one follower roller has a non-constant diameter.

11. A welding system comprising:
a welding fixture configured to retain a stack of adjacent composite components;
a robotic arm which is movable relative to the welding fixture; and
an end effector mounted to a distal end of the robotic arm, the end effector comprising:
an end effector housing extending in a welding direction between and to a forward housing end and an aft housing end;
an induction welding member mounted to the end effector housing, the induction welding member including an induction coil;
a leading roller mounted to the end effector housing forward of the induction coil in the welding direction and configured to roll along a surface of the stack;
at least one follower roller, each follower roller of the at least one follower roller mounted to the end effector housing aft of the induction coil in the welding direction, the at least one follower roller including a first follower roller disposed adjacent the induction welding member such that the induction coil is disposed between the leading roller and the first follower roller in the welding direction, the first follower roller including a rolling surface configured to roll along the surface of the stack; and
at least one first cooling air jet disposed between the induction welding member and the first follower roller in the welding direction, the at least one first cooling air jet configured to direct a stream of cooling air toward and onto the rolling surface.

12. The welding system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one follower roller includes a second follower roller.

13. The welding system of claim 12 , wherein the first follower roller has a first diameter and the second follower roller has a second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter.

14. The welding system of claim 12 , wherein the end effector further comprises a follower belt wrapped around the at least one follower roller and connecting each follower roller of the at least one follower roller.

15. The welding system of claim 12 , wherein the first follower roller is made of a first material and the second follower roller is made of a second material which is harder than the first material.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Zhao Wenping
• Gangloff Jr John J
• Klecka Michael A
• Wang Zhigang
• Chakraborty Abhijit

Classifications

• B29C66/82 Primary

  Pressure application arrangements, e.g. transmission or actuating mechanisms for joining tools or clamps · CPC title

• B25J11/005

  Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks · CPC title

• B25J15/0019

  End effectors other than grippers · CPC title

• B29C65/32

  Induction · CPC title

• B29C66/0342

  Cooling, e.g. transporting through welding and cooling zone · CPC title