Capacitor Discharge Weld for Connecting Tubular Twist Beam Profiles to Cast Trailing Arm Via Adapter Ring

• US 20100098483A1
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Magna International Incorporated
• Inventors: Toepker, Dieter
• Granted Patent: US 8,475,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/271
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/14 Projection welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/16 taking account of the properties of the material to be welded
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/20 of different metals
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/26 Storage discharge welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/006 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/04 Steel or steel alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/06 Cast-iron alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/18 Dissimilar materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/20 Bonding soldering by means of radiant energy B23K1/005; joining of preformed plastics parts by heating using laser beam B29C65/16
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/282 of tube sections
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/32 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/22 characterised by the composition or nature of the material
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/30 with the principal constituent melting at less than 1550 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1081 Arc welding by means of accumulated energy
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/167 and of a non-consumable electrode
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/173 and of a consumable electrode
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/051 Trailing arm twist beam axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/21 Trailing arms connected by a torsional beam, i.e. twist-beam axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/20 Constructional features of semi-rigid axles, e.g. twist beam type axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/8201 by welding

Abstract

A suspension component for a vehicle includes a cast iron body, a high strength steel tube and an adapter ring. The adapter ring includes a protrusion engaged with a face of the cast iron body. The protrusion is heated to a plasticized state as a capacitor is discharged through the protrusion and the face. The adapter ring is welded to the body upon cooling of the adapter ring. The high strength steel tube is fixed to the adapter ring.

Claims

1. A suspension component for a vehicle, comprising:

a cast iron body having a face;

an adapter ring having a protrusion engaged with the face of the body, the protrusion being heated to a plasticized state as a capacitor is discharged through the protrusion and the face, the adapter ring being welded to the body upon cooling of the adapter ring; and

a high strength steel tube fixed to the adapter ring.

2. The suspension component of claim 1 wherein the body has a tubular boss terminating at the face, the tubular boss and the adapter ring having substantially similarly sized outer diameters.

3. The suspension component of claim 1 wherein the protrusion is shaped as an uninterrupted ring.

4. The suspension component of claim 3 wherein a cross-section of the protrusion is triangularly shaped.

5. The suspension component of claim 4 wherein a contact circle between the body and the adapter ring is defined at an intersection of two legs of the triangularly shaped cross-section.

6. The suspension component of claim 5 wherein an included angle between the two legs ranges between 30 and 90 degrees.

7. The suspension component of claim 1 wherein the adapter ring includes an aperture extending therethrough adapted to receive an electrode of the capacitor, the electrode adapted to be electrically coupled to the body.

8. The suspension component of claim 1 wherein the body includes a first flange adapted to be coupled to a vehicle component other than the tube.

9. The suspension component of claim 1 wherein the high strength steel tube is constructed from a micro alloyed steel including one of ferrite, bainite and martensite.

10. The suspension component of claim 1 wherein the high strength steel tube is constructed from 22MnB5.

11. The suspension component of claim 1 wherein the adapter ring includes a pilot positioned within the high strength steel tube, an end face of the tube engaging a land formed on the adapter ring.

12. The suspension component of claim 1 wherein the adapter ring is constructed from steel having a maximum carbon content of 0.28 percent.

13. A method of assembling a suspension component for a vehicle, the method comprising:

aligning a cast iron body with a low carbon steel adapter ring;

engaging a protrusion of the adapter ring with a face of the body;

discharging a capacitor through the interface of the protrusion and the face to cause a portion of the protrusion to enter a plastic state;

forcing the body and the adapter ring toward one another to weld the adapter ring to the body; and

mounting a tube constructed from a material different than the adapter ring to the adapter ring.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the protrusion is shaped as an uninterrupted ring.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein a cross-section of the protrusion is triangularly shaped.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a contact circle between the body and the adapter ring is defined at an intersection of two legs of the triangularly shaped cross-section.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein an included angle between the two legs ranges between 30 and 90 degrees.

18. The method of claim 13 further including welding the tube to the adapter ring after the adapter ring has been capacitor discharge welded to the body.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein welding the tube to the adapter ring includes laser welding.

20. The method of claim 13 further including engaging an inner circumferential surface of the tube with a pilot portion of the adapter ring.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the pilot portion has an outer diameter less than an outer diameter of the adapter ring.

22. The method of claim 13 further including engaging an end face of the tube with a land formed on the adapter ring.

23. The method of claim 13 further including passing a first electrode through an aperture formed in the adapter ring, electrically connecting the first electrode to the body, electrically connecting a second electrode to the adapter ring and discharging the capacitor through the first and second electrodes.

24. The method of claim 13 further including discharging the capacitor in 4 to 15 milliseconds.

25. The method of claim 13 further including pressing out plasticized adapter ring material to allow the adapter ring and the body to move toward one another.

26. The method of claim 13 wherein the tube is constructed from 22MnB5 material.