Bonding method of dissimilar materials made from metals and bonding structure thereof

• US 8,058,584 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Kenji, Nakagawa, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): RALIS, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US12/049,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20080241572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 219/78.01, 219/86.1, 219/91.2, 219/91.22, 219/117.1, 219/118
• US Class Current: 219/118
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/115 by means of two electrodes placed opposite one another on both sides of the welded parts
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/20 of different metals
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/20 Ferrous alloys and aluminium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12028 Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12389 having variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree

Abstract

Disclosed is a bonding method for dissimilar materials made from metals and its resulting structures. The materials to be bonded are formed by layering three or more sheets such that a dissimilar material interface and a same material interface are formed. A first current is conducted between a three-sheet layered plate material wherein an aluminum alloy plate, a zinc plated steel plate and a bare steel plate, for example, are layered in order. A nugget is formed in an interface between the zinc plated steel plate and the bare steel plate, which are the same materials. Then, a second current greater than the first current is conducted, and a nugget is formed in an interface between the aluminum alloy plate and the zinc plated steel plate.

Claims

1. A method of bonding dissimilar materials made from metals, the method comprising:

layering a plurality of plate materials, wherein at least two of the plurality of plate materials are a first metallic material and at least one of the plurality of plate materials is a second metallic material having a melting point lower than the first metallic material, to form a dissimilar material interface and a same material interface;

forming a layered seam by a resistance welding operation in which a contact resistance of the dissimilar material interface is lower than a contact resistance of the same material interface, wherein the resistance welding operation comprises;

conducting a first current across at least three layers of the plurality of plate materials after layering to form a nugget in the same material interface; and

conducting a second current greater than the first current across the at least three layers of the plurality of plate materials to form a nugget in the dissimilar material interface.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the contact resistance of the same material interface while conducting the first current; and

switching the first current to the second current according to a decrease in the contact resistance of the same material interface.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

roughening a surface of at least one of the first metallic material and the second metallic material forming the dissimilar material interface prior to conducting the first current and the second current, wherein a roughness of the surface is greater than a surface roughness of at least one of the at least two of the plurality of plate materials forming the same material interface.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

smoothing a surface of at least one of the at least two of the plurality of plate materials forming the same material interface prior to conducting the first current and the second current, wherein a roughness of the surface is finer than a surface roughness of at least one of the first metallic material and the second metallic material forming the dissimilar material interface.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

interposing a material that increases an electric resistance of the dissimilar material interface into the dissimilar material interface prior to conducting the first current and the second current.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first metallic material is steel and the second metallic material is an aluminum alloy.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first metallic material is steel and the second metallic material is a magnesium alloy.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

interposing a third material that eutecticly fuses with at least one of the first metallic material and the second metallic material forming the dissimilar material interface into the dissimilar material interface prior to conducting the first current and the second current.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

introducing a seal material between the material and another of the first metallic material and the second metallic material material forming the dissimilar material interface prior to conducting the first current and the second current.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

interposing a third material into the dissimilar material interface prior to conducting the first current and the second current.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the third material is a material plated on a surface of the first metallic material forming the dissimilar material interface.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the third material is at least one of copper (Cu), tin (Sn), silver (Ag), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn).