Friction stir welder and method for friction stir welding

Abstract

The present invention provides a friction stir welder that includes a stage on which at least two material pieces to be welded are mounted and stacked, a pressing member that covers and presses end faces of the material pieces to be welded that are mounted and stacked on the stage, and a rotary tool that is inserted into the stacked material pieces to be welded while rotating, so that a plastic flow is generated at an interfacing portion as well as in the vicinity thereof between the rotary tool and the material pieces to be welded, thereby to joint the material pieces to be welded to each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a friction stir welder and a slider according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the friction stir welder according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2A shows a state of the friction stir welder before a welding operation, and FIG. 2B shows a state of the friction stir welder during the welding operation.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part of the friction stir welder during the welding operation.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of an essential part of a friction stir welder according to a variation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part of a friction stir welder of a prior art.

Claims

1. A friction stir welder comprising: a stage on which at least two material pieces to be welded are mounted and stacked;a pressing member that covers and presses end faces of the material pieces to be welded that are mounted and stacked on the stage; anda rotary tool that is inserted into the stacked material pieces to be welded while rotating, so that a plastic flow of the material pieces to be welded is generated at an interfacing portion as well as in a vicinity thereof between the rotary tool and the material pieces to be welded, thereby to joint the material pieces to be welded to each other.

2. The friction stir welder according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member comprises: a base portion that covers and presses the end faces of the material pieces to be welded mounted and stacked on the stage; and

3. A friction stir welding method for welding at least two material pieces to be welded that are mounted and stacked on a stage comprising: a step of pressing the stacked material pieces to be welded by a pressing member that covers and presses end faces of the stacked material pieces to be welded;a step of inserting a rotary tool into the stacked material pieces to be welded while rotating the rotary tool; anda step of welding the material pieces to be welded to each other by generating a plastic flow of the material pieces to be welded at an interfacing portion as well as in a vicinity thereof between the rotary tool and the material pieces to be welded.

4. The friction stir welding method according to claim 3, wherein, in the step of pressing the stacked material pieces to be welded, the stacked material pieces to be welded are pressed in a stacked direction thereof.