IP Library Granted Patent US 11,813,693
Granted Patent B2
US 11,813,693 · App. 17/230,358 · Granted Nov 14, 2023

Friction stir welding tool member, and friction stir welding method using the same

Inventors: Hidetoshi Fujii (Osaka, JP); Yoshiaki Morisada (Osaka, JP); Kai Funaki (Kanagawa, JP); Masahiro Kato (Kanagawa, JP); Takayuki Fukasawa (Kanagawa, JP); Yutaka Abe (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignees: OSAKA UNIVERSITY; TOSHIBA MATERIALS CO., LTD.
B23K20/1255
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,813,693
App. No.
17/230,358
Granted
Nov 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A friction stir welding tool member according to the present embodiment has a shoulder portion and a probe portion concentrically projecting from an upper surface of the shoulder portion. The shoulder portion includes a curved surface processed portion that is curved to have a curved shape on an outer peripheral edge of the shoulder portion. A space occupancy occupied by the two-dimensional space in which neither the shoulder portion nor the probe portion exists is in a range of 30% to 70%, the space occupancy being determined based on a projection drawing of a side surface region surrounded from a tip of the probe portion to the curved surface processed portion of the shoulder portion.

Claims (14)

1. A friction stir welding tool member having a shoulder portion and a probe portion concentrically projecting from an upper surface of the shoulder portion, wherein

the shoulder portion includes a curved surface processed portion that is curved to have a curved shape on an outer peripheral edge of the shoulder portion,

the probe portion and the shoulder portion are made of a silicon nitride sintered body: having a crystallization ratio of a grain boundary phase of 50% or more; and having an average coefficient of linear expansion from room temperature to 800 degrees Celsius of 2 to 4×10 −6 /K,

a space occupancy occupied by a two-dimensional space in which neither the shoulder portion nor the probe portion exists is in a range of 30% to 70%, the space occupancy being determined based on a projection drawing of a rectangular side surface region having a tip of the probe portion and an outermost point P of the curved surface processed portion as diagonal points, the tip being on a central axis, and

a shoulder angle is in a range of −15° or more and +15° or less, the shoulder angle being formed by an inclined surface from a root of the probe portion to the curved surface processed portion and an orthogonal surface orthogonal to a central axis of the probe portion, a positive of the shoulder angle showing the inclined surface rising toward an outside.

2. The friction stir welding tool member according to claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter D of the shoulder portion is 5 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

3. The friction stir welding tool member according to claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter W of the probe portion is 2 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

4. The friction stir welding tool member according to claim 1 , wherein an average coefficient of linear expansion of the silicon nitride sintered body from room temperature to 200 degrees Celsius is in a range of 1 to 3×10 −6 /K.

5. A friction stir welding method, comprising

pressing the friction stir welding tool member according to claim 1 against a welded material, and integrally welding the welded material by using a frictional heat generated in a pressing portion.

6. The friction stir welding method according to claim 5 , wherein an advance angle of the friction stir welding tool member is within a range of 0.5° or more and 20° or less, or −20° or more and −0.5° or less.

7. The friction stir welding method according to claim 5 , wherein a thickness of the welded material is set to 0.1 to 20 mm.

8. The friction stir welding method according to claim 5 , wherein a total of a shoulder angle and an advance angle is within a range of −10° or more and 25° or less, the shoulder angle being formed by an inclined surface from a root of the probe portion to the curved surface processed portion and an orthogonal surface orthogonal to a central axis of the probe portion.

9. The friction stir welding method according to claim 6 , wherein when a shoulder angle is minus, the shoulder angle being formed by an inclined surface from a root of the probe portion to the curved surface processed portion and an orthogonal surface orthogonal to a central axis of the probe portion, −3≤|α|−|θ|≤3 is satisfied, where α is the shoulder angle and θ is an advance angle.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 27, 2026
From: TOSHIBA MATERIALS CO., LTD.
To: NITERRA MATERIALS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 074213/0800 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2021
From: FUJII, HIDETOSHI; MORISADA, YOSHIAKI; FUNAKI, KAI; KATO, MASAHIRO; FUKASAWA, TAKAYUKI; ABE, YUTAKA
To: OSAKA UNIVERSITY; TOSHIBA MATERIALS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055917/0859 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-194365 · Oct 15, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2019040211 · Oct 11, 2019
Related Publication 20210229210A1 · Jul 29, 2021