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. 20, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 28, 2002
Hideyuki Nakamura, Yamaguchi, JP;
Sumio Okuno, Yamaguchi, JP;
Toshiaki Makino, Yamaguchi, JP;
Toshiaki Sagawa, Yamaguchi, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Upon forming a railway car composed of plural hollow shape members , annealed hollow shape members are used to form the ends of an underframe . The hollow shape members are disposed so that their longitudinal orientation equals the longitudinal direction of the car body. The underframe is formed by disposing plural hollow shape members adjacent one another in the width direction and welding them together by friction stir welding. When the hollow shape members receive impact load, the ends of the members deform into concertinas, thereby absorbing the impact force. At this time, the friction stir welded portions also receive the impact force, but cracks are not created at the friction-stir-weld joints, and the weld joints do not prevent the hollow shape members from deforming into concertinas.