FRICTION STIR WELDING TOOL

• US 20140217151A1
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company), Saga Tekkohsho Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company), Saga Tekkohsho Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyahara, Tetsuya, Sayama, Mitsuru, Fukunaga, Daisuke, Ohhama, Shosuke, Matsufuji, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,899,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 228/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/008 with arrangements for transmitting torque
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/11 Retention by threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/12 the heat being generated by friction; Friction welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/1255 Tools therefor, e.g. characterised by the shape of the probe

Abstract

Disclosed is a friction stir welding tool (10) equipped with a probe (13) and a holder (16). At the tip of the probe (13) there is a pin part (11) and at the base there are probe-side protrusions (24) and probe-side recesses (25). At the tip of the holder (16) there are holder-side recesses (27) which mate with the probe-side protrusions (24), and holder-side protrusions (28) which mate with the probe-side recesses (25). External force applied to the probe (13) is transmitted from the probe-side protrusions (24) to the holder-side recesses (27) and from the probe-side recesses (25) to the holder-side protrusions (28).

Claims

1. A friction stir welding tool for joining materials to be joined by rotating a pin part at a high speed to generate frictional heat to thereby cause plastic flow in the materials to be joined, the tool comprising:

a probe having the pin part at a distal end thereof, the probe having, at a base portion thereof, probe-side protrusions, probe-side recesses, and a female screw part;

a columnar holder having, at a distal end thereof, holder-side recesses and holder-side protrusions, respectively, fitted with the probe-side protrusions and the probe-side recesses, the holder further having a through-hole extending along a center axis thereof; and

a bolt inserted through the through-hole and having a male screw part at a distal end thereof, the male screw part being threaded into the female screw part to thereby retain the probe on the distal end of the holder.

2. The friction stir welding tool as defined in claim 1, further comprising a hollow knock pin interposed between the distal end of the holder and the base portion of the probe, wherein the probe has a center axis aligned with the center axis of the holder via the knock pin.

3. The friction stir welding tool as defined in claim 1, wherein the probe is made of a material having a higher tempering temperature than a material of the holder.

4. The friction stir welding tool as defined in claim 3, wherein the material having a higher tempering temperature is an nickel-based alloy.