The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 30, 2018
Filed:
Aug. 25, 2014
Applicant:
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Inventors:
Michael R. Eller, New Orleans, LA (US);
Randy J. Brown, Slidell, LA (US);
Kevin John Schuengel, Bay St. Louis, MS (US);
Assignee:
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B23K 20/12 (2006.01); F28F 9/18 (2006.01); B23P 15/26 (2006.01); B23K 101/14 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
F28F 9/18 (2013.01); B23K 20/122 (2013.01); B23K 20/126 (2013.01); B23K 20/128 (2013.01); B23K 20/129 (2013.01); B23P 15/26 (2013.01); F28F 9/185 (2013.01); B23K 2201/14 (2013.01); F28F 2275/062 (2013.01);
Abstract
A process that uses friction stir welding to connect a tube, for example a thin gauge tube having a wall thickness of about 2.54 mm (0.100 inch) or less, to another element, such as a tube sheet of a heat exchanger. The process employs a tubular anvil that is installed into the end of the tube and which, in one embodiment, can provide material during the friction stir welding process. After the weld is complete, the weld zone between the tubular anvil and the tube is machined away and the anvil tube removed.