Electric heating – Metal heating – For bonding with pressure
Patent
1997-01-27
1998-03-10
Berhane, Adolf
Electric heating
Metal heating
For bonding with pressure
219 8641, B23K 1100
Patent
active
057264104
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE ART
This invention relates to a seam welding process and a seam welding apparatus for continuously welding together two plate-like workpieces by overlapping the workpieces at their edges and applying a welding current between a pair of roller electrodes while the overlapping edge portions of the two plate-like workpieces are squeezed, or squeezed to be mashed, by and between the pair of roller electrodes.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
High-speed welding is possible by seam welding in which two plate-like workpieces are continuously welded together at their overlapping edge portions while the edge portions are squeezed or squeezed to be mashed by and between a pair of roller electrodes, with a welding current being applied between the pair of roller electrodes. Since the seam welding is suitable for mass production, it is widely employed in production lines for steel plates, automobiles, etc.
In such seam welding, a force of the pair of roller electrodes applied to the overlapping edge portions of the two plate-like workpieces generates an expanding force at the edge portions. To prevent the overlapping edge portions of the two plate-like workpieces from moving away from each other, it is required to firmly hold the plate-like workpieces together. This requirement is particularly high, in a mash seam welding operation in which the two plate-like workpieces are continuously welded while the overlapping edge portions are squeezed so as to be mashed by the pair of roller electrodes, with a large force of expansion generated at the mashed edge portions in the direction away from each other.
Conventionally, therefore, two plate-like workpieces 12.sub.H, 12.sub.M are firmed held by upper and lower clamping members 120 of a clamping mechanism 122, as shown in FIG. 10. The two plate-like workpieces 12.sub.H, 12.sub.M are continuously welded together at their overlapping edge portions while the upper and lower clamping members 120 are moved relative to a pair of roller electrodes 20.sub.U, 20.sub.S. Examples of such a conventional seam welding apparatus are disclosed in JP-A-59-223179 and JP-A-61-52994.
In the conventional seam welding apparatus described above, however, the upper and lower clamping members 120 or the pair of roller electrodes 20.sub.U, 20.sub.S must be separated from the welded plate-like workpieces 12.sub.H, 12.sub.M and moved to the original position after the seam welding process is completed by relative movement of the clamping mechanism 122 and the roller electrodes 20.sub.U, 20.sub.S. Therefore, the seam welding apparatus is undesirably complicated or large-sized due to a feeding mechanism for effecting the relative movement of the clamping mechanism and electrodes. Where the roller electrodes 20.sub.U, 20.sub.S are adapted to be returned to the original position, there is a drawback that the production efficiency of the seam welding apparatus is lowered due to interruption of adjustment of the electrodes.
The present invention was made in the light of the above background. It is an object of the invention to provide a seam welding process and a seam welding apparatus, which permit continuous welding without relative movement of a clamping mechanism and roller electrodes, and which assure high production efficiency with small-sized equipment.
DISCLOSE OF THE INVENTION
The above object may be achieved according to the principle of the present invention, which provides a seam welding process of continuously welding two plate-like workpieces at overlapping edge portions thereof while the overlapping edge portions are squeezed by a pair of roller electrodes disposed rotatably about respective two parallel axes thereof, comprising: (a) a moving step of feeding the two plate-like workpieces in one direction toward the roller electrodes, by using a plurality of pairs of guide rollers to pinch the two plate-like workpieces in a direction of thickness thereof; (b) a guiding step of guiding the two plate-like workpieces being fed in the one direction in the moving step, such that the edge p
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Fukushima Toshihiro
Kondou Nobuhide
Natsumi Fumiaki
Tanzawa Masaki
Toda Munetaka
Berhane Adolf
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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