MULTI-STAGE RESISTANCE WELDING OF SANDWICH-TYPE METAL SHEETS
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sandwich panels may include an intermediate thermoplastic layer disposed between two metallic cover layers. Some methods for welding a sandwich panel to a metallic component may involve heating a region of the sandwich panel with a preheating current so that the thermoplastic layer is softened and by compression of the cover layers is displaced from the welding region. A tack-welding current flowing between first and second welding electrodes may weld the cover layers together, and a welding current may be used to weld the metallic cover layers to the metallic component. In some cases, the first welding electrode may be in contact with one of the metallic cover layers, and the second welding electrode may be in contact with the metallic component. As a result, the sandwich panel may be joined to the metallic component in a short cycle time without blisters and faults arising in the sandwich component.”
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Citations
25 Claims
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1-11. -11. (canceled)
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12. A method for resistance welding a sandwich panel to a metallic component, wherein the sandwich panel comprises an intermediate thermoplastic plastics-material layer disposed between two metallic cover layers, the method comprising:
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heating a region of the sandwich panel to be welded with a preheating current in such a manner that the intermediate thermoplastic plastics-material layer is softened; compressing the two metallic cover layers of the sandwich panel so as to displace the intermediate thermoplastic plastics-material layer from the region of the sandwich panel to be welded, wherein the two metallic cover layers are compressed and pressed onto one another by using a first welding electrode and a second welding electrode to apply a welding force; tack welding the two metallic cover layers of the sandwich panel by using a tack-welding current between the first and second welding electrodes; and welding the two metallic cover layers and the metallic component together by an electric welding current flowing by way of the first and second welding electrodes, the first welding electrode being in contact with one of the two metallic cover layers of the sandwich panel and the second welding electrode being in contact with the metallic component. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for resistance welding a sandwich panel to a metallic component, wherein the sandwich panel comprises an intermediate thermoplastic plastics-material layer disposed between two metallic cover layers, the method comprising:
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heating a region of the sandwich panel to be welded with a preheating current in such a manner that the intermediate thermoplastic plastics-material layer is softened; compressing the two metallic cover layers of the sandwich panel by using a first welding electrode and a second welding electrode to apply a welding force so as to displace the intermediate thermoplastic plastics-material layer from the region of the sandwich panel to be welded; tack welding the two metallic cover layers of the sandwich panel by transmitting a tack-welding current between the first and second welding electrodes; and welding the two metallic cover layers and the metallic component together by transmitting an electric welding current between the first and second welding electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification