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:
Apr. 25, 2000
Filed:
May. 14, 1998
Robert James Heideman, Kewaskum, WI (US);
Jason Winton Scott, Elkhorn, WI (US);
Christopher Brian Smith, Wauwatosa, WI (US);
Thomas Michael Thessin, Menomonee Falls, WI (US);
Brahmanpalli Narasimhamurthy Ranganathan, Germantown, WI (US);
Donald Frederic Bishofberger, Waukesha, WI (US);
Tower Automotive, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Abstract
A stir weld tool of the present invention is used to weld two pieces of metal together through frictional heating, plasticizing, mixing, and forging of the plasticized metal into a uniform weldment. The stir weld is accomplished by rotating the stir weld tool with a pin having at least one boss on its surface to create the mechanical friction in the metal in contact with the rapidly rotating pin. As the rotating pin travels along the weld joint, the plasticized metal of the work pieces is extruded to the back face of the pin while undergoing a mechanical stirring and forging from action imparted by the at least one boss on the surface of the pin, and while confined from above by the pressure exerted on the metal by a shoulder on the stir weld tool.