Friction stir joining apparatus

Abstract

In the friction stir joining apparatus of the present invention, a rotation control unit variably controls a rotational speed of a rotor; and a straight movement control unit controls a straight movement of the rotor so as to control a pressure applied by the rotor to the object. The tip portion of the rotating rotor is pressed against a workpiece, thus spot joining is executed. The apparatus can execute frictional stirring joining without practical trouble under simple control.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A friction stir joining apparatus comprising: 
 a rotor having a tip portion;    a rotation motor for rotating said rotor about a rotation axis;    a straight movement motor for moving said rotor along said rotation axis, said tip portion of a rotating rotor being pressed against an object to be joined so that said object is softened and stirred by a frictional heat at a contact between said tip portion and said object;    a rotation control unit for variably controlling a rotational speed of said rotor; and    a straight movement control unit for controlling a straight movement of said rotor so as to control a pressure applied by said rotor to said object.    
     
     
         2 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a support member fixedly supporting said rotation motor and said straight movement motor, said rotor being supported by said support member so as to be able to rotate about and move along said rotation axis;    a rotation transmitting unit for transmitting a rotary power from said rotation motor to said rotor while allowing said rotor to move along said rotation axis; and    a straight movement transmitting unit for transmitting a straight movement power from said straight movement motor to said rotor while allowing said rotor to rotate about said rotation axis.    
     
     
         3 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a receiver fixedly mounted on said support member so as to receive said object which is positioned between said rotor and said receiver; and    a rotation shaft extending along said rotation axis, said rotor being mounted on said rotation shaft, said rotation transmitting unit transmitting said rotary power from said rotation motor to said rotation shaft while allowing said rotation shaft to move along said rotation axis; and    wherein said straight movement transmitting unit includes: 
 a screw shaft of hollow shape for moving said rotor straight, said rotation shaft being inserted in said screw shaft; and  
 a nut member rotatably supported by said support member and screwed on said screw shaft so as to form a ball screw, said nut member being configured to be rotated by said straight movement motor.  
   
     
     
         4 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, by use of at least one of said rotation control unit and said straight movement control unit, said apparatus detects whether said tip portion of said rotor is joined with said object due to fusion.  
     
     
         5 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said rotation control unit during a joining operation detects whether said rotational speed of said rotor is within a predetermined range of rotational speed or not and when said rotation control unit judges that said rotational speed is not within said predetermined range of rotational speed, said rotation control unit stops said joining operation.  
     
     
         6 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said straight movement control unit during a joining operation detects whether pressure is within a predetermined range of pressure or not and when said straight movement control unit judges that said pressure is not within said predetermined range of pressure, said straight movement control unit stops said joining operation.  
     
     
         7 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during a joining operation.  
     
     
         8 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said straight movement control unit outputs in an early stage of said joining operation a speed instruction value of triangular wave shape having an inclined wave portion which increases said rotation speed of said rotor with time.  
     
     
         9 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said straight movement control unit changes said pressure during a joining operation.  
     
     
         10 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during a joining operation; and 
 wherein said straight movement control unit changes said pressure during said joining operation.    
     
     
         11 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor with time during said joining operation.  
     
     
         12 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during said joining operation so as to decrease said rotation speed of said rotor with time.  
     
     
         13 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during said joining operation so as to increase said rotation speed of said rotor with time.  
     
     
         14 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during said joining operation so that said rotational speed is set at high speed, low speed, and high speed in this order with time.  
     
     
         15 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said rotation control unit controls said rotational speed of said rotor during said joining operation so that said rotational speed is changed in steps or continuously with time.  
     
     
         16 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said straight movement control unit outputs in an early stage of said joining operation a speed instruction value of a wave shape having an inclined wave portion which increases said rotation speed of said rotor with time.  
     
     
         17 . The friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said wave shape of said speed instruction is triangular.  
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling a friction stir joining apparatus including a rotor having a tip portion; a rotation motor for rotating said rotor about a rotation axis; a straight movement motor for moving said rotor along said rotation axis, said tip portion of a rotating rotor being pressed against an object to be joined so that said object is softened and stirred by a frictional heat at a contact between said tip portion and said object, comprising: 
 a rotation control step of variably controlling a rotational speed of said rotor using a rotation control unit; and    a straight movement control step of controlling a straight movement of said rotor so as to control a pressure applied by said rotor to said object using a straight movement control unit.    
     
     
         19 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said friction stir joining apparatus further comprises a support member fixedly supporting said rotation motor and said straight movement motor, said rotor being supported by said support member so as to be able to rotate about and move along said rotation axis; a rotation transmitting unit for transmitting a rotary power from said rotation motor to said rotor while allowing said rotor to move along said rotation axis; and a straight movement transmitting unit for transmitting a straight movement power from said straight movement motor to said rotor while allowing said rotor to rotate about said rotation axis.  
     
     
         20 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said friction stir joining apparatus further comprises a receiver fixedly mounted on said support member so as to receive said object which is positioned between said rotor and said receiver; and a rotation shaft extending along said rotation axis, said rotor being mounted on said rotation shaft, said rotation transmitting unit transmitting said rotary power from said rotation motor to said rotation shaft while allowing said rotation shaft to move along said rotation axis; and 
 wherein said straight movement transmitting unit includes a screw shaft of hollow shape for moving said rotor straight, said rotation shaft being inserted in said screw shaft; and a nut member rotatably supported by said support member and screwed on said screw shaft so as to form a ball screw, said nut member being configured to be rotated by said straight movement motor.    
     
     
         21 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein, by use of at least one of said rotation control unit and said straight movement control unit, said apparatus detects whether said tip portion of said rotor is joined with said object due to fusion.  
     
     
         22 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said rotation control unit during a joining operation detects whether said rotational speed of said rotor is within a predetermined range of rotational speed or not and when said rotation control unit judges that said rotational speed is not within said predetermined range of rotational speed, said rotation control unit stops said joining operation.  
     
     
         23 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said straight movement control unit during a joining operation detects whether pressure is within a predetermined range of pressure or not and when said straight movement control unit judges that said pressure is not within said predetermined range of pressure, said straight movement control unit stops said joining operation.  
     
     
         24 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during a joining operation.  
     
     
         25 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said straight movement control unit outputs in an early stage of said joining operation a speed instruction value of triangular wave shape having an inclined wave portion which increases said rotation speed of said rotor with time.  
     
     
         26 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said straight movement control unit changes said pressure during a joining operation.  
     
     
         27 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during a joining operation; and 
 wherein said straight movement control unit changes said pressure during said joining operation.    
     
     
         28 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor with time during said joining operation.  
     
     
         29 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during said joining operation so as to decrease said rotation speed of said rotor with time.  
     
     
         30 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during said joining operation so as to increase said rotation speed of said rotor with time.  
     
     
         31 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein said rotation control unit changes said rotational speed of said rotor during said joining operation so that said rotational speed is set at high speed, low speed, and high speed in this order with time.  
     
     
         32 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said rotation control unit controls said rotational speed of said rotor during said joining operation so that said rotational speed is changed in steps or continuously with time.  
     
     
         33 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein said straight movement control unit outputs in an early stage of said joining operation a speed instruction value of a wave shape having an inclined wave portion which increases said rotation speed of said rotor with time.  
     
     
         34 . The method of controlling said friction stir joining apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein said wave shape of said speed instruction is triangular.