Friction-stir welding tool, friction stir welding device, and method for manufacturing welding material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604306-B2
Application number	US-201314775572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2013
Priority date	Apr 25, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A friction-stir welding tool includes a front shoulder; a rear shoulder in contact with plate materials; and a probe penetrating the plate materials between the front and rear shoulders, the probe connecting the front shoulder and the rear shoulder to each other. The probe has a first screw part provided on at least one axial end section, and at least one of the front shoulder and the rear shoulder has a second screw part in threaded engagement with the first screw part, the threaded engagement changing so that the rear shoulder and the front shoulder approach each other along the axial direction as the front shoulder and the rear shoulder rotate relative to each other, and the threaded engagement with the first screw part linking at least one of the rear shoulder and the front shoulder with the probe.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A friction-stir welding tool, comprising:
a front side shoulder extending in an axis direction;
a rear side shoulder which is provided to axially oppose the front side shoulder, and comes into contact with plate materials to interpose an abutment portion of the plate materials between the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder; and
a probe which is disposed to penetrate the plate materials between the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder, extends in the axis direction, and connects the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder to each other,
wherein the probe includes a first screw part provided on at least one end section in the axis direction and a stirring groove which is provided to a portion of the probe in which the first screw part is not provided,
wherein at least one of the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder includes a second screw part which is provided in a hole part formed in the axis direction from an end surface of the at least one of the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder, the second screw part is in threaded engagement with the first screw part, and a state of the threaded engagement is changed so that the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder axially move closer to each other as the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder rotate relative to each other, and the second screw part links at least one of the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder with the probe due to the threaded engagement between the first screw part and the second screw part,
wherein lead angles of the first screw part and the second screw part are set such that a state where a screwing force when the state of the threaded engagement is changed and the second screw part is screwed into the first screw part and a reaction force of a welding pressure of the rear side shoulder receiving from the plate material are balanced with each other becomes a state where the welding pressure of the rear side shoulder with respect to the plate material is suitable during the welding, and
wherein a diameter-expanding hole part having a larger constant inner diameter than an outer diameter of the stirring groove of the probe is formed between the second screw part and the end surface in the hole part.

2. The friction-stir welding tool according to claim 1 ,
wherein the front side shoulder includes the second screw part, and
wherein the rear side shoulder and the probe are integrated with each other.

3. The friction-stir welding tool according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rear side shoulder includes the second screw part, and
wherein the front side shoulder and the probe are integrated with each other.

4. The friction-stir welding tool according to claim 1 ,
wherein the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder includes the second screw part, and
wherein the probe includes the first screw part on both end sections in the axis direction.

5. A friction stir welding device, comprising:
a friction-stir welding tool according to claim 1 ;
a main body part which arranged at a front surface side of the plate material; and
a tool holding part which is attached to the main body part, holds the front side shoulder in the friction-stir welding tool, and rotates the front side shoulder with respect to the main body part with the axis as the center of rotation.

6. A method for manufacturing welding material using a friction-stir welding tool including a front side shoulder extending in an axis direction, a rear side shoulder which is provided to oppose the front side shoulder in the axis direction, and comes into contact with plate materials to interpose an abutment portion of the plate materials between the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder, and a probe which is disposed to penetrate the plate materials between the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder, extends in the axis direction, and connects the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder to each other, in which the probe includes a first screw part provided on at least one end section in the axis direction and a stirring groove which is provided to a portion of the probe in which the first screw part is not provided, at least one of the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder includes a second screw part which is provided in a hole part formed in the axis direction from an end surface of the at least one of the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder, and the second screw part is in threaded engagement with the first screw part to link the at least one of the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder with the probe, comprising:
a preparation step of disposing the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder to interpose the abutment portion of the plate materials between the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder in the axis direction, and allowing the probe to penetrate the plate materials;
a connection step of allowing the second screw part to be in threaded engagement with the first screw part, and connecting the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder to each other by using the probe;
an adjustment step of adjusting a fastening force between the first screw part and the second screw part; and
a welding step of rotating the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder about the axis and performing friction stir welding to weld the plate materials, in a state where the first screw part and the second screw part are fastened to each other at a predetermined fastening force, in the adjustment step,
wherein the welding step includes an automatic adjustment step of automatically changing the state of the threaded engagement between the first screw part and the second screw part so that the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder move closer to each other as the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder rotate relative to each other, and
wherein, in the automatic adjustment step, the portion of the probe in which the stirring groove is provided enters a diameter-expanding hole part which is formed between the second screw part and the end surface in the hole part and has a larger constant inner diameter than an outer diameter of the stirring groove of the probe in a case a thickness of the plate material becomes smaller than a size of the stirring groove in the axis direction.

7. The method for manufacturing welding material according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a reverse rotation step of rotating the front side shoulder and the rear side shoulder about the axis in a direction opposite to the direction of the welding step at a terminal of the welding portion after the plate materials are welded in the welding step.

8. A friction stir welding device, comprising:
a friction-stir welding tool according to claim 1 ;
a main body part which arranged over a front surface side of the plate material; and
a tool holding part which is attached to the main body part, holds the front side shoulder in the friction-stir welding tool, and rotates the front side shoulder with respect to the main body part with the axis as the center of rotation.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kato Yoshinori

Classifications

• B23K20/122

  using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding · CPC title

• B23K20/1255 Primary

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

• B23K37/0235 Primary

  the guide member forming part of a portal · CPC title

• B23K20/1245

  characterised by the apparatus · CPC title

• B23K20/126

  Workpiece support, i.e. backing or clamping · CPC title