Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Hiroki Goto

Hiroshi Mitsuyoshi

Yasuo Masuda

Upper and lower shell members of aluminum-plated steel panels have respective flanges overlapping each other and welded to each other by a laser beam, thereby forming a fuel tank. One of the flanges has a stepped region spaced from the other of the flanges, thereby defining a gap between the stepped region and the other flange. The laser beam is applied to the flanges closely to the gap for discharging unwanted components such as aluminum from a welded area of the flanges into the gap. Therefore, the amount of aluminum contained in the welded area is reduced to increase the bonding strength of the welded area.

Weldment produced by beam welding

Upper and lower shell members of aluminum-plated steel panels have respective flanges overlapping each other and welded to each other by a laser beam, forming a fuel tank. One of the flanges has a stepped region spaced from the other of the flanges, defining a gap between the stepped region and the other flange. The laser beam is applied to the flanges closely to the gap for discharging unwanted components such as aluminum from a welded area of the flanges into the gap. Therefore, the amount of aluminum contained in the welded area is reduced to increase the bonding strength of the welded area.

Growing community of inventors

Kumamoto, Japan

Hiroki Goto