Friction stir weld tool and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016354860-A1
Application number	US-201615169808-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 1, 2016
Priority date	Jun 2, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A friction stir welding tool and method for forming a friction stir weld joint includes a rotatable body having a rotatable shoulder for maintaining surface contact and maintaining plunge depth and a rotatable pin extending from the rotatable shoulder. The rotatable pin is integrally formed with the rotatable shoulder. The tool further includes a stationary body annularly disposed around the rotatable body. The stationary body has a stationary shoulder annularly disposed around the rotatable shoulder for further maintaining surface contact and managing plunge depth.

First claim

1 . A friction stir weld tool for forming a friction stir weld joint, the tool comprising:
a rotatable body having a rotatable shoulder for maintaining surface contact and managing plunge depth and a rotatable pin extending from the rotatable shoulder, the rotatable pin integrally formed with the rotatable shoulder; and a stationary body annularly disposed around the rotatable body, the stationary body having a stationary shoulder annularly disposed around the rotatable shoulder for further maintaining surface contact and managing plunge depth.

2 . The friction stir weld tool of claim 1 wherein the rotatable body includes a rotatable annular fillet disposed between the rotatable shoulder and the rotatable pin and integrally formed with the rotatable shoulder and the rotatable pin.

3 . The friction stir weld tool of claim 2 wherein the rotatable annular fillet is appropriately sized to urge mixed material at the friction stir weld joint to move radially outwardly.

4 . The friction stir weld tool of claim 3 wherein the stationary shoulder and the rotatable shoulder are relatively sized and arranged to urge mixed material from at a friction stir weld joint axially in a direction away from the stationary and rotatable bodies.

5 . A friction stir weld method for forming a friction stir weld joint, comprising:
at least partially overlapping a first sheet and a second sheet; inserting a rotatable pin into at least the first sheet; engaging a surface of the first sheet with a rotatable shoulder integrally formed with the rotatable pin to manage plunge depth of the rotatable pin, the rotatable pin extending from the rotatable shoulder; engaging the surface of the first sheet with a stationary shoulder annularly disposed around the rotatable shoulder to further manage plunge depth; and moving the rotatable pin along a predefined weld path to form the friction stir weld joint between the first sheet and the second sheet.

6 . The friction stir weld method of claim 5 wherein inserting the rotatable pin into at least the first sheet includes inserting a rotatable annular fillet disposed between the rotatable shoulder and the rotatable pin into the first surface, the rotatable annular fillet integrally formed with the pin and the rotatable shoulder.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Boettcher Eric J
• Seid Alan P

Classifications

• B23K20/1255 Primary

  Tools therefor, e.g. characterised by the shape of the probe · CPC title

• B23K2101/18

  Sheet panels · CPC title

• B23K20/2336

  both layers being aluminium · CPC title

• B23K2103/04

  Steel {or steel} alloys · CPC title

• B23K20/227

  with ferrous layer · CPC title