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. 08, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 05, 2001
Timothy E. Hatten, Arlington, TX (US);
William J. Arbegast, Carriere, MS (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Grand Praire, TX (US);
Abstract
A friction stir welding tool includes a body having an upper surface defining an entrance opening and a lower surface, and a pin having a lower surface defining an exit opening, wherein the pin extends from the lower surface of the body. The friction stir welding tool further includes a passageway defined by the body and the pin from the entrance opening to the exit opening and is capable of allowing a filler material to pass therethrough. A friction stir welding method includes applying a frictional heating source to a workpiece to plasticize a volume of the workpiece and applying the frictional heating source to a filler material to plasticize the filler material. The method further includes introducing the filler material into the volume of the workpiece and incorporating the filler material into the volume of the workpiece.