Electromagnetic pulse welding of fluid joints

• US 7,847,223 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fischer, Allen, Bolser, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Van; Quang T
• Application Number:
  US11/865,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20080036204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 219603-617, 219633-635, 219/670, 219672-676, 285/256, 228/107, 336/84.C
• US Class Current: 219/607
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 26/14 applying magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/046 Connecting tubes to tube-like fittings
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/06 by means of high energy impulses, e.g. magnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 13/00 Non-disconnectible pipe-joints, e.g. soldered, adhesive or caulked joints joints for rigid pipes of plastics F16L47/00; non-disconnectible pipe-joints to walls or other pipes, the joined pipe axis being perpendicular to the plane of the wall or to the axis of the other pipe F16L41/082
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 13/02 Welded joints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53987 Tube, sleeve or ferrule

Abstract

A metallurgically formed fluid circuit joint includes a hollow fitting (298), a tubular conduit (297), and a metallurgically formed tube/fitting mesh (296). The tube/fitting mesh (296) includes a fitting portion of the hollow fitting (298) and a tube portion of the tubular conduit (297) that is electromagnetically formed with the fitting portion.

Claims

1. A magnetic forming system for creating a non-sealant based metallurgically formed fluid circuit joint between a wall of the end portion of a metal tube and the wall of a fitting portion of a hollow metal fitting wherein said tubular portion is partially inserted into said fitting portion of said metal fitting whereby the wall portions of the tube and the fitting are combined into a single shared wall element comprising:

an induction coil forming an electromagnetic current; and

a field concentrator assembly electrically coupled to said induction coil and forming an electromagnetic field in response to said electromagnetic current, said field concentrator assembly comprising;

a field concentrator focusing said electromagnetic current to form said electromagnetic field; and

a nest configured to contain the tube at least partially positioned within the fitting; and

an inward constraining mandrel positioned within said fitting and said tube;

said field concentrator and nest concentrating the magnetically exerted pressure to a specific location on at least one of said tube and fitting to produce a sufficient amount of magnetic compressive or expansive force to conform and to deform at least one of said tube and fitting to generate a solid state atomic bonded, cold weld in which the wall portions of the fitting and the tube are metallurgically combined to form the fluid circuit joint, and wherein said mandrel limits the inward displacement of said fitting and said tube.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said field concentrator imposes said electromagnetic field to compress the fitting on the tube to form the fluid circuit joint.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein said nest resides at least partially within said field concentrator.

4. A system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a controller generating a current pulse signal; and

a current supply circuit generating an energy pulse in response to said current pulse signal;

said induction coil generating said electromagnetic field in response to said current pulse.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein said field concentrator imposes said electromagnetic field to compress said fitting prior to metallurgical welding thereof.

6. A system as in claim 1 further comprising:

an end-forming device expanding said fitting prior to insertion of said tube into said fitting; and

said field concentrator imposing said electromagnetic field on said fitting to metallurgically weld said fitting with said tube to form said fluid circuit joint.

7. A system as in claim 1 further comprising an insert electrically coupled to said field concentrator and imposing said electromagnetic field on said fitting to form said fluid circuit joint.

8. A system as in claim 7 wherein said field concentrator is external to said nest and said insert is coupled at least partially within said nest.

9. A magnetic forming system for creating a non-sealant based metallurgically formed fluid circuit joint between a wall of the end portion of a metal tube and wall of the fitting portion of a hollow metal fitting wherein said tubular portion is partially inserted into said fitting portion of said metal fitting whereby the wall portions of the tube and the fitting are combined into a single shared wall element, comprising:

an end former expanding at least a portion of the tube;

an induction coil forming an electromagnetic current;

a field concentrator assembly electrically coupled to said induction coil and forming an electromagnetic field in response to said electromagnetic current, said field concentrator assembly comprising;

a concentrator focusing said electromagnetic current to form said electromagnetic field;

a nest configured to contain the fitting at least partially positioned within said portion; and

an inward constraining mandrel positioned within said fitting and said tube;

said field concentrator and nest concentrating the magnetically exerted pressure to a specific location on at least one of said tube and fitting to produce a sufficient amount of magnetic compressive or expansive force to conform and to deform at least one of said tube and fitting to generate a solid state, atomic bonded cold weld in which the wall portions of the fitting and the tube are metallurgically combined to form the fluid circuit joint, and wherein said mandrel limits the inward displacement of said fitting and said tube.

10. A system as in claim 9 wherein said field concentrator imposes said electromagnetic field to compress said portion on the fitting to form the fluid circuit joint.

11. A system as in claim 9 wherein the fitting comprises a tube overlap region having at least one groove.

12. A system as in claim 9 wherein the fitting comprises:

a tube overlap region comprising;

a radius edge associated with an end of the tube;

a plurality of grooves; and

a break edge guiding insertion of the fitting into the tube.

13. A system as in claim 9 further comprising:

a controller generating a current pulse signal; and

a current supply circuit generating a current pulse in response to said current pulse signal;

said induction coil generating said electromagnetic field in response to said current pulse.

14. A system as in claim 9 wherein said field concentrator imposes said electromagnetic field to compress said tube prior to metallurgical welding thereof.

15. A system as in claim 9 further comprising an insert electrically coupled to said field concentrator and imposing said electromagnetic field on said tube to form said fluid circuit joint.

16. A system as in claim 15 wherein said field concentrator is external to said nest and said insert is coupled at least partially within said nest.