SOLID BRAZED LAMINATE STRUCTURES

Abstract

An example method of manufacturing a solid brazed laminate structure includes stacking a first lamina on a second lamina with an interfacial spacing between them, aligning mating portions of the first lamina and the second lamina, and introducing a braze material at least partially into the interfacial spacing to join the first lamina and the second lamina together. One example solid brazed laminate structure includes a lock assembly. Another example solid brazed structure includes a gear assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a step of manufacturing a solid brazed laminate structure, including aligning securing portions of a plurality of lamina.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of manufacturing the solid brazed laminate structure including interlocking the plurality of lamina together.

FIG. 3 shows an example of brazing a first and second lamina together.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a solid brazed laminate structure.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a machined opening within a solid brazed laminate structure.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a padlock including a padlock body fabricated from a solid brazed laminate structure.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of an example of a lock plate used to assemble the pad lock body of the pad lock of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the lock plate of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows an overhead view of a gear produced using the inventive technique.

FIG. 10 shows a side view of the gear of FIG. 9.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a solid brazed laminate structure, comprising: (a) placing a first lamina adjacent to a second lamina with an interfacial spacing between the first lamina and the second lamina;(b) introducing a braze material at least partially into the interfacial spacing;(c) melting the braze material to form a liquid braze material;(d) flowing the liquid braze material into the interfacial spacing; and(e) cooling the liquid braze material to join the first lamina and the second lamina together.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of: (f) aligning a first mating portion of the first lamina with a second mating portion of the second lamina.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein step (f) includes securing the first mating portion to the second mating portion before step (b).

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (b) includes introducing the braze material to a side of the first lamina and a side of the second lamina.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein step (d) comprises moving the liquid braze material from the side of the first lamina further into the interfacial spacing.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (c) occurs without melting the first lamina or the second lamina.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, including the step of: g) machining at least one of the first lamina or the second lamina after step (e).

8. The method as recited in claim 1, including the step of: (h) forming a hole in at least one of the first lamina and the second lamina after step (e).

9. A laminated structure comprising: a first stamped metal lamina;a second stamped metal lamina spaced from said second stamped metal lamina to form an interfacial spacing between said first stamped metal lamina and said second stamped metal lamina; anda braze material spaced between said first stamped metal lamina and said second stamped metal lamina.

10. The laminated structure of claim 9 wherein said first stamped metal lamina has a first mating portion aligned with a second mating portion of said second stamped metal lamina.

11. The assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said braze material has a braze material melting temperature and at least one of said first stamped metal lamina and said second stamped metal lamina has a lamina melting temperature, wherein said braze material melting temperature is less than said lamina melting temperature.

11. The laminated structure of claim 9 wherein said first stamped metal lamina comprises a first lock plate of a lock assembly and said second stamped metal lamina comprises a second lock plate of said lock assembly.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein said first lock plate comprises a first mating portion and said second lock plate comprises a second mating portion, said first mating portion at least partially receiving said second mating portion.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein said first lock plate and said second lock plate each include an opening, said opening being at least partially aligned when said first lock plate and said second lock plate are stacked to produce a cavity within said lock body.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 13, including a locking mechanism and a shackle, and at least one of said locking mechanism or said shackle are at least partially received in said cavity, said shackle being selectively lockable within said locking mechanism.

15. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said first stamped metal lamina comprises a first gear plate having teeth of a gear and said second stamped metal lamina comprises a second gear plate having teeth of said gear.

16. The assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein said first gear plate comprises a first mating portion and said second gear plate comprises a second mating portion, said first mating portion at least partially receiving said second mating portion.