Claims
- 1. A welding device, comprising:
a first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end capable of being engaged to a structure to be welded; and a second welding part coupled to said first welding part and having a second conductive end capable of being engaged to the structure to be welded, said first conductive end having a first base coupled to said first support, and a first contoured portion coupled to and extending away from said first base and including a first concave recess to nest with the structure to be welded.
- 2. A welding device according to claim 1, wherein
said second welding part has a second support, and said second conductive end has a second base coupled to said second support and a second contoured portion coupled to and extending away from said second base and including a second concave recess to nest with the structure to be welded.
- 3. A welding device according to claim 1, wherein,
said first welding part is integrally formed as a unitary, one-piece element.
- 4. A welding device according to claim 2, wherein
each of said first and second welding parts is integrally formed as a unitary, one-piece element.
- 5. A welding device according to claim 1, wherein
said first welding part is formed of copper.
- 6. A combination of a welding device and at least one weldable member, comprising:
a first weldable member having a first longitudinal axis and a first cross-section transverse to said longitudinal axis, said cross-section being closed, hollow, and having a first width; a welding device having a first welding part and a second welding part coupled to said first welding part, said first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end and said second welding part having a second conductive end, said first conductive end having a first base coupled to said first support and a first surface opposite to said first base and engaged with said first weldable member, said first surface extending along substantially the entire extent of said first width of said first weldable member.
- 7. A combination according to claim 6, further comprising:
a second weldable member having a second longitudinal axis and a second cross-section transverse to said second longitudinal axis, said second cross-section being hollow, closed, and having a second width; and said second welding part has a second support, said second conductive end has a second base coupled to said second support and a second surface opposite to said second base and engaged with said second weldable member, said second surface extending along substantially the entire extent of said second width of said second weldable member.
- 8. A combination according to claim 6, wherein
said first weldable member is a hydroformed tube.
- 9. A combination according to claim 6, wherein,
said first welding part is integrally formed as a unitary, one-piece element.
- 10. A welding device, comprising:
a first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end coupled to said first support and capable of being engaged with a structure to be welded; a transformer coupled to said first conductive end; and a force-applying mechanism coupled to said first support, said first welding part, said transformer, and said force-applying mechanism forming a single structure supported by and mounted on a mechanism and movable between first and second welding positions.
- 11. A welding device according to claim 10, wherein
said mechanism is a robotic mechanism.
- 12. A welding device according to claim 10, wherein
said first conductive end having a first base coupled to said first support, and a first contoured portion coupled to and extending away from said first base and including a first concave recess to nest with the structure to be welded.
- 13. A welding device according to claim 10, comprising:
a second welding part coupled to said first welding part and having a second support and a second conductive end, the second conductive end having a second base coupled to said second support and a second contoured portion coupled to and extending away from said second base and including a second concave recess to nest with the structure to be welded.
- 14. A welding device according to claim 13, wherein,
said first welding part is integrally formed as a unitary, one-piece element.
- 15. A welding device according to claim 10, wherein
said force applying mechanism is a force-applying cylinder.
- 16. A welding device according to claim 10, wherein
said first conductive end having a first base coupled to said first support, and a first contoured portion coupled to and extending away from said first base and including a first concave recess to nest with the structure to be welded, said force applying mechanism is a force-applying cylinder, and said mechanism is a robotic mechanism.
- 17. A combination of a welding device and at least one weldable member, comprising:
a first weldable member having a first longitudinal axis and a first cross-section transverse to said longitudinal axis, said cross-section being closed, hollow, and having first and second opposing sides; a welding device including a first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end, said first conductive end having a first base coupled to said first support and a first surface opposite to said first base and engaged with said first weldable member, said first surface being substantially coextensive with said first side of said first weldable member to permit electricity to flow through said first conductive end and said first weldable member.
- 18. A combination according to claim 17, further comprising:
a second weldable member having a second longitudinal axis and a second cross-section transverse to said second longitudinal axis, said second cross-section being hollow, closed, and having first and second opposing sides; and said welding device includes a second welding part having a second support and a second conductive end, said second conductive end having a second base coupled to said second support and a second surface opposite to said second base and engaged with said second weldable member, said second surface being substantially coextensive with said first side of said second weldable member to permit electricity to flow through said second conductive said second weldable member.
- 19. A combination according to claim 17, wherein
said first weldable member is a hydroformed tube.
- 20. A combination according to claim 17, wherein,
said first welding part is integrally formed as a unitary, one-piece element.
- 21. A method of welding, comprising:
providing a first weldable member having a first longitudinal axis and a first cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis, the cross-section being closed, hollow, and having first and second opposing sides; providing a welding device including a first welding part having a first support and a first conductive end, the first conductive end having a first base coupled to the first support and a first surface opposite to the first base; engaging the first surface of the welding device with the first side of the first weldable member such that the first surface is substantially coextensive with the first side of the first weldable member; and conducting electricity through the first conductive end of the welding device and the first weldable member by conducting electricity though the first surface of the welding device and the first side of the first weldable member.
- 22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:
providing a second weldable member having a second longitudinal axis and a second cross-section transverse to the second longitudinal axis, the second cross-section being hollow, closed, and having first and second opposing sides; providing a second welding part to the welding device, the second welding part having a second support and a second conductive end, the second conductive end having a second base coupled to the second support and a second surface opposite to the second base; and engaging the second surface of the welding device with the first side of the second weldable member such that the second surface is substantially coextensive with the first side of the second weldable member, and the electricity conducted through the first weldable member is conducted through the second weldable member and through the second conductive end of the welding device by conducting electricity though the first side of the first weldable member and the second surface of the welding device.
- 23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:
forming the first weldable member by hydroforming.
- 24. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:
inserting a welding material between the first and second weldable members; and the flow of electricity through the first and second weldable members forms a weld between the first and second weldable members at the location of the welding material upon the bonding of the welding material to both the first and second weldable members.
- 25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:
forming the first and second weldable member by hydroforming.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/518,646, filed Mar. 3, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09518646 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Child |
09754114 |
Jan 2001 |
US |