Spin-welded electrical ground assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017141484-A1
Application number	US-201715420656-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2017
Priority date	Jan 31, 2014
Publication date	May 18, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A friction-welded ground assembly that includes an alloy substrate with a clearance hole; an aluminum alloy weld nut having a bolt bore and an outer wall; and a grounding bolt. The bore is located substantially within the clearance hole and a portion of the outer wall is joined to the substrate at a friction-welded attachment. Further, the bolt is threaded within the bore. In addition, a method for making a ground includes the steps: rotating an aluminum alloy weld nut having an outer wall at a predetermined speed; lowering the outer wall of the rotating nut into contact with an aluminum alloy substrate to generate a frictional force for a friction time; arresting the rotation of the nut; and applying an axial forging force to the outer wall and the substrate for a forging time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A friction-welded ground assembly, comprising:
an aluminum alloy substrate with a clearance hole; an aluminum alloy weld nut comprising a bolt bore and an outer wall; and a grounding bolt threaded within the bore, wherein the bore is within the hole and a portion of the outer wall is joined to the substrate at a spin-welded joint formed by solid state diffusion.

2 . The ground assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bolt bore of the weld nut is adapted for spin-welding by a hex-shaped driving element.

3 . The ground assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bolt bore of the weld nut is adapted for spin-welding by a star-shaped driving element.

4 . The ground assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a vehicular component.

5 . The ground assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spin-welded joint is formed by solid state diffusion at an elevated temperature without melting between the outer wall and the substrate.

6 . The ground assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spin-welded joint comprises a push-out load of at least 500 lbs, the joint formed by rotation of the weld nut in contact with the clearance hole at: (a) a rotational speed between about 15000 rpm to about 18000 rpm, (b) a frictional force between about 3 bars and 4 bars and (c) an axial forging force between about 3 bars and 6 bars.

7 . The ground assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the spin-welded, metallurgical joint can carry a push out load of at least 200 lbs.

8 . The ground assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the spin-welded, metallurgical joint can carry a push out load of at least 500 lbs.

9 . A friction-welded ground assembly, comprising:
an aluminum alloy substrate with a clearance hole; an aluminum alloy weld nut comprising a bolt bore and an outer wall; and a grounding bolt threaded within the bore, wherein the bore is within the hole and a conically-shaped portion of the outer wall is joined to the substrate at a spin-welded joint formed by solid state diffusion.

10 . The ground assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the substrate is a vehicular component.

11 . The ground assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the spin-welded joint is formed by solid state diffusion at an elevated temperature without melting between the outer wall and the substrate.

12 . The ground assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the spin-welded joint comprises a push-out load of at least 500 lbs, the joint formed by rotation of the weld nut in contact with the clearance hole at: (a) a rotational speed between about 15000 rpm to about 18000 rpm, (b) a frictional force between about 3 bars and 4 bars and (c) an axial forging force between about 3 bars and 6 bars.

13 . The ground assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the spin-welded, metallurgical joint can carry a push out load of at least 200 lbs.

14 . The ground assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the spin-welded, metallurgical joint can carry a push out load of at least 500 lbs.

15 . A friction-welded ground assembly, comprising:
an aluminum alloy substrate with a clearance hole; an aluminum alloy weld nut comprising a bolt bore and a straight-edged outer wall; a grounding bolt threaded within the bore, wherein the bore is within the hole and a flat portion of the outer wall parallel to the substrates is joined to the substrate at a spin-welded joint formed by solid state diffusion.

16 . The ground assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the substrate is a vehicular component.

17 . The ground assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the spin-welded joint is formed by solid state diffusion at an elevated temperature without melting between the outer wall and the substrate.

18 . The ground assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the spin-welded joint comprises a push-out load of at least 500 lbs, the joint formed by rotation of the weld nut in contact with the clearance hole at: (a) a rotational speed between about 15000 rpm to about 18000 rpm, (b) a frictional force between about 3 bars and 4 bars and (c) an axial forging force between about 3 bars and 6 bars.

19 . The ground assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the spin-welded, metallurgical joint can carry a push out load of at least 200 lbs.

20 . The ground assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the spin-welded, metallurgical joint can carry a push out load of at least 500 lbs.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dupuis Lawrence J
• Danyo Michael William
• Lazarz Kimberly Ann
• Rewalt Steven

Classifications

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• B23K20/1295

  Welding studs · CPC title

• H01R13/6215

  using one or more bolts · CPC title

• H01R4/029 Primary

  Welded connections (H01R4/021 - H01R4/028 take precedence) · CPC title

• B23K2201/38

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic