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. 09, 2002
Filed:
May. 25, 2000
Gary A. Aman, Roseville, MI (US);
Jimmie B. Fletcher, Waterford, MI (US);
James D. Scannell, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI (US);
Unova IP Corp., Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Abstract
A rotary welding apparatus for joining two metallic workpieces together by forming a semi-circular weld at a semi-circular interface formed at mating surfaces of the workpieces. A turntable is rotated by a turntable drive. The turntable supports and indexes three lower tools around a circular path between a load station and a weld station. Each lower tool supports two workpieces to be welded together. A workpiece rotary drive connects to whichever of the lower tools is at the weld station then rotates that lower tool about a workpiece axis. A laser emitter supported adjacent the weld station directs a laser beam at a circular or semi-circular interface between respective mating surfaces of the two workpieces and welds the workpieces together as the workpiece rotary drive rotates them. The laser emitter is supported on a laser emitter mount near the weld station in a position directing a laser beam at the interface of the workpiece mating surfaces. The laser emitter mount has two support points spaced radially from each other relative to the laser emitter to stabilize the laser emitter for improve welding accuracy.