Friction welder having an electromagnetic drive which produces orbital motion
First Claim
1. Apparatus for friction welding of parts at an interface therebetween which comprises means for driving one of said parts with orbital motion in an orbital plane with respect to another of said parts while said parts are held in contact at said interface, said means for driving including electromagnetic generating means for producing orbital force in said orbital plane, said electromagnetic force generating means comprising a single body of magnetic material providing an armature having a central axis perpendicular to said orbital plane and a plurality of poles distributed circumferentially by 360°
- /N, where N is the number of said poles about said axis, N being equal to or greater than 3, and a stator being disposed around said armature, said stator having a plurality of poles each opposed to a different one of said armature poles;
means for holding said another of said parts; and
means for mounting said one of said parts to execute orbital motion in response to orbital force generated by orbital motion of said armature and wherein said mounting means is attached to said armature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electromagnetically actuated friction welder produces orbital motion at interfaces between parts (usually of thermoplastic material) to bond the parts by fusion generated by friction. This welder can also be operated alternatively to produce reciprocating vibratory forces thereby providing flexibility as to the selection of an orbital or reciprocating mode, depending upon the joint to be welded. The velocity of motion is controllable preferably around the resonant frequency of the driven structure by adjusting the frequency of the AC power which operates the electromagnetic drive motor of the welder. A plate which carries one of the parts to be welded and which is driven is flexurally mounted for movement in an orbital plane or planes containing the interfaces without substantial tilting by an array of stiff members, such as rods, located around the drive motor, attached to the plate at one end and to a tubular structure at the opposite ends thereof. The tubular structure is desirably attached to a massive support carried by the frame of the welder.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. Apparatus for friction welding of parts at an interface therebetween which comprises means for driving one of said parts with orbital motion in an orbital plane with respect to another of said parts while said parts are held in contact at said interface, said means for driving including electromagnetic generating means for producing orbital force in said orbital plane, said electromagnetic force generating means comprising a single body of magnetic material providing an armature having a central axis perpendicular to said orbital plane and a plurality of poles distributed circumferentially by 360°
- /N, where N is the number of said poles about said axis, N being equal to or greater than 3, and a stator being disposed around said armature, said stator having a plurality of poles each opposed to a different one of said armature poles;
means for holding said another of said parts; and
means for mounting said one of said parts to execute orbital motion in response to orbital force generated by orbital motion of said armature and wherein said mounting means is attached to said armature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- /N, where N is the number of said poles about said axis, N being equal to or greater than 3, and a stator being disposed around said armature, said stator having a plurality of poles each opposed to a different one of said armature poles;
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27. The method of friction welding of a pair of parts having thermoplastic material at surfaces thereof to be welded which comprises the steps of providing electromagnetic force generating means wherein said electromagnetic force generating means comprises a single body of magnetic material providing an armature having a central axis perpendicular to said orbital plane and a plurality of poles distributed circumferentially by 360°
- /N, where N is the number of said poles about said axis, N being equal to or greater than 3, and a stator being disposed around said armature, said stator having a plurality of poles each opposed to a different one of said armature poles;
holding said parts with said surfaces together in contacting relationship;
generating orbital force to provide orbital motion of said armature with respect to said stator;
generating frictional force to cause said surfaces of said parts to fuse by driving at least one of said parts with said armature and holding the other of said parts stationary so that said at least one of said parts executes orbital motion and orbits about axes perpendicular to said contacting surfaces and said frictional force is sufficient in amplitude to cause fusion at said surfaces, and terminating said frictional force and maintaining said parts which are being welded together after said frictional force terminates until they fuse together to form a weld. - View Dependent Claims (28)
- /N, where N is the number of said poles about said axis, N being equal to or greater than 3, and a stator being disposed around said armature, said stator having a plurality of poles each opposed to a different one of said armature poles;
Specification