Welding assembly and method using separately actuatable rams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12186996-B2
Application number	US-202418426103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2024
Priority date	Jul 21, 2022
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A welding assembly is disclosed. The welding assembly includes a plurality of separately controllable actuators (e.g., pneumatic, having an axially movable ram) to press a corresponding portion of a first workpiece (e.g., a discrete flange of a first stiffener) against a second workpiece (e.g., an outer skin) for welding operations (e.g., via induction welding).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a panel, comprising:
positioning a plurality of flanges of a first stiffener in proximity to an outer skin, wherein said plurality of flanges are spaced proceeding along a length dimension of said first stiffener, and wherein each flange of said plurality of flanges is aligned with a different ram of a plurality of rams;
positioning a welding head in alignment with a first flange of said plurality of flanges;
actuating a first ram of said plurality of rams to press said first flange against said outer skin; and

operating said welding head to weld said first flange to said outer skin while said first flange is pressed against said outer skin by said first ram.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first stiffener is curved in said length dimension of said first stiffener, wherein said outer skin is curved in a circumferential dimension, and wherein said length dimension of said first stiffener extends in said circumferential dimension.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said actuating a first ram step comprises pneumatically actuating said first ram.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first ram exerts a first force along a first axis that intersects said first flange from said actuating a first ram step, wherein said welding head is in a first position when welding said first flange to said outer skin, and wherein said first axis is aligned with said welding head when in said first position.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said operating said welding head to weld said first flange to said outer skin comprises induction welding said first flange to said outer skin.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of second stiffeners are attached to said outer skin prior to said positioning step for said first stiffener, wherein said first stiffener comprises a plurality of pockets that are spaced from one another proceeding along said length dimension of said first stiffener, and wherein said positioning step for said first stiffener comprises disposing a different one of said plurality of second stiffeners in each of said plurality of pockets of said first stiffener.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said positioning step for said first stiffener comprises disposing said length dimension of said first stiffener orthogonal to a length dimension of said plurality of second stiffeners, and wherein each said flange of said plurality of flanges is disposed between a different adjacent pair of said plurality of second stiffeners.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
moving said welding head into alignment with a second flange of said plurality of flanges after welding said first flange to said outer skin;
actuating a second ram of said plurality of rams to press said second flange against said outer skin; and
operating said welding head to weld said second flange to said outer skin while said second flange is pressed against said outer skin by said second ram.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Huang Jonathan S
• Van Tooren Michael
• Elliott Dominic J
• Woods Jeffrey D

Classifications

• B29C65/7832

  by setting the overlap between the parts to be joined, e.g. the overlap between sheets, plates or web-like materials · CPC title

• B29C65/7882

  said parts to be joined moving in a circular path · CPC title

• B29C65/782

  by setting the gap between the parts to be joined (controlling or regulating the gap between the joining tools B29C66/92611) · CPC title

• B29C65/7802

  Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring · CPC title

• B29C66/41

  Joining substantially flat articles (B29C66/47 and subgroups take precedence); Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles (B29C66/51 and subgroups take precedence) · CPC title