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:
Dec. 08, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 16, 2006
Yen-lung Chen, Troy, MI (US);
Douglas L. Faulkner, Oak Park, MI (US);
Peter M. Parlow, Columbus, MI (US);
Mark W. Verbrugge, Troy, MI (US);
Xiaohong Q. Gayden, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
John D. Fickes, Brighton, MI (US);
Peter H. Foss, Oxford, MI (US);
Yen-Lung Chen, Troy, MI (US);
Douglas L. Faulkner, Oak Park, MI (US);
Peter M. Parlow, Columbus, MI (US);
Mark W. Verbrugge, Troy, MI (US);
Xiaohong Q. Gayden, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
John D. Fickes, Brighton, MI (US);
Peter H. Foss, Oxford, MI (US);
GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
In an assembly of facing metal sheets separated by a polymer layer, welded metallurgical bonds are formed between the metal sheets by use of a friction stir weld tool. A rotating tool penetrates the first sheet, locally displaces the encountered portion of polymer film and penetrates into the second sheet. The affected metal of the two sheets is momentarily plasticized and stirred, and the plasticized metal of the two sheets combines to form a weld between the metal sheets. The interposed polymer film may be intended to serve as an adhesive or a vibration damping medium or the like. The facing metal sheets can be layers of facing laminated metal sheet structures that each comprise two metal sheets bonded by an adhesive interlayer.