Tool Assembly Used With Friction Stir Welding
First Claim
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1. A tool assembly for friction stir welding comprising:
- a holder having an axis and one end adapted to be rotatably driven by a rotary drive mechanism about said axis of said holder,a tool having an axis and a friction stir welding tip at one end,a fastener which detachably and coaxially secures the other ends of said holder and said tool together, said fastener having a first part secured to said other end of said holder and a second part secured to said other end of said tool.
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Abstract
A tool assembly which is particularly suitable for friction stir welding applications. The tool assembly includes a holder having an axis and one end adapted to be rotatably driven by a rotary drive mechanism about the holder axis. A tool having an axis is also provided and includes a tool tip at one end. A fastener detachably and coaxially secures the holder and tool together. This fastener includes a first part secured to the second end of the holder and a second part secured to the second end of the tool.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A tool assembly for friction stir welding comprising:
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a holder having an axis and one end adapted to be rotatably driven by a rotary drive mechanism about said axis of said holder, a tool having an axis and a friction stir welding tip at one end, a fastener which detachably and coaxially secures the other ends of said holder and said tool together, said fastener having a first part secured to said other end of said holder and a second part secured to said other end of said tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A tool assembly comprising:
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a holder having an axis and one end adapted to be rotatably driven by a rotary drive mechanism about said axis of said holder, a tool having an axis and a tool tip at one end, a fastener which detachably and coaxially secures the other ends of said holder and said tool together, said fastener having a first part secured to said other end of said holder and a second part secured to said other end of said tool. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A friction stir welding tool comprising:
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a shank having an axis and one end adapted to be rotatably driven by a rotary drive mechanism about said axis, a friction stir welding tip attached to the other end of said shank, said friction stir welding tip having at least two flat annular surfaces of decreasing diameter so that said annular surfaces are coaxial and axially spaced apart from each other and joined by a cylindrical surface, a threaded pin extending coaxially outwardly from the smaller diameter annular surface, wherein a radiused surface is formed at the junction of said cylindrical surface with each annular surface. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method for welding components together by friction stir welding comprising the steps of:
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attaching one end of a holder having an axis to a robotic arm such that said robotic arm rotatably drives said holder about said axis under program control, said holder having a first fastener part at its other end, providing a plurality of friction stir welding tools in a crib at a predetermined location relative to the robotic arm, each tool having a second fastener part complementary to said first fastener part, activating said robotic arm to selectively attach the first fastener part to the second fastener part on a selected tool, performing a manufacturing operation with the selected tool, thereafter activating said robotic arm to return said selected tool to said crib, and disengaging said selected tool from said holder. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A tool assembly for friction stir welding comprising:
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a tool having an axis and a friction stir welding tip at one end, a threaded fastener at the other end of said tool. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification