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:
Nov. 04, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 08, 2002
Daniel J. Stiers, Tecumseh, CA;
James T. Williamson, Urbana, OH (US);
Unova IP Corp., Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Abstract
A hemming and in-situ laser welding method and apparatus for hemming peripheral flanges of an outer steel panel over peripheral edges of an inner steel panel and laser welding the resulting hemmed joints. A lower die supports an outer metal panel in a position to be hemmed over an edge of an inner panel. An upper die is mounted on a movable support for reciprocal motion and hems the outer panel by folding a flange of the outer panel over onto an edge region of the inner panel when the upper die moves from a raised position to a down position. A laser unit welds the flange of the outer panel to the edge region of the inner panel with the upper die in its down position holding the two panels together.