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:
Aug. 07, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 14, 1999
Marshall Gordon Jones, Scotia, NY (US);
Robert Gerard Sheldon, Woodstock, GA (US);
Carl Edward Erikson, Schenectady, NY (US);
Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
A method for welding a first metallic material to a second metallic material where at least one of the first and second metallic materials have at least one surface which has an optical pattern thereon. The method comprises the steps of: arranging the first and second metallic materials into a final position in which they will be welded along a joint; directing focused energy at the joint from a Nd-YAG pulsed laser having an energy output in a range from about 10 Joules to about 30 Joules and a pulse length in a range from about 5 ms to about 9 ms; and traversing the joint at a predetermined welding speed while directing the focused energy such that a weld spot overlap in a range from about 50% to about 90% is maintained, resulting in a welded joint wherein a heat effect zone about the welded joint is minimized further resulting in minimal distortion and damage to an area of the optical pattern proximate to the welded joint. Also provided is a method for repairing any weld defects in the welded joint with the same Nd-YAG pulsed laser.