Device for Positioning at Least Two Joining Parts During a Welding Process, and Method for Connecting at Least Two Joining Parts by Means of the Device

Abstract

A device for positioning at least two joining parts during a welding process includes a support element. The support element has a surface on which for the joining parts are positioned, a recess under the joining parts when a joining region of the joining parts are on the surface, and a fluid connection for supplying a fluid to the recess. When fluid in the recess is pressurized, during a welding process to connect the joining parts a weld melt is supported by the positive pressure.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A device for joining at least two joining parts, comprising: a support element having a surface configured receive and support the at least two joining parts for the placing of the joining parts, a recess open to the surface, and a fluid port in communication with the recess, wherein the surface, the recess and the fluid port are configured to cooperate with one another such that when the at least two joining parts are located on the surface and a fluid applied via the fluid port into the recess is pressurized, an overpressure in the recess is capable of supporting a weld melt at the one of the at least two joining parts in contact with the surface against weld melt sagging.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the recess is a groove in the support element.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the recess is delimited by the support element and the one of the at least two joining parts in contact with the surface.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein a fluid connection extends through the support element such that the fluid port is fluidically connected to the recess.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the support element includes a discharge opening connecting the recess to an environment of the device.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the support element includes a sealing lip configured to seal the recess and the at least against fluid leakage.

17. The device according to claim 11, further comprising: a pressure element configured to fix the at least two joining parts on the surface.

18. A method for connecting at least two joining parts, each of the at least two joining parts having a connecting region, using a device which includes a support element having a surface configured receive and support the at least two joining parts for the placing of the joining parts, a recess open to the surface, and a fluid port in communication with the recess, comprising the acts of: placing the at least two joining parts on the surface with their respective connecting regions located in the region of the recess, applying a fluid to the recess via the fluid port to generate an overpressure in the recess, and generating a weld melt joining the at least two joining parts using a welding process, wherein the overpressure supports the weld seam against weld melt sagging.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the act of: after welding, using the overpressure to discharge through a discharge opening in the support element any residual weld melt which has fallen into the recess.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the welding process is a laser welding process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a device according to a first example embodiment of the present invention, and

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a device according to a second example embodiment of the present invention, which comprises a discharge opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] FIGS. 1 and 2 each show a device 11 for placing joining parts 12 during a welding process. The devices 11 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 each comprise a support element 13, a recess 15 and a fluid port 16.

[0032] The support element 13 forms a surface 14 which, in the present case, serves as a bearing surface for the joining parts 12, which each have a connecting region 12a. The joining parts 12, in particular metal sheets composed of steel or aluminum, may thus be arranged on the surface 14 and delimit the recess 15, which is in the form of a groove which is introduced into the support element 13, toward the top. The joining parts 12 are additionally pushed downward onto the surface 14 by a pressure element 18, so that they are securely fixed on the surface 14. The recess 15 is delimited toward the bottom by the support element 13.

[0033] The recess 15 is generally sufficiently sealed by the joining parts 12, but it may be useful in particular in the case of complex geometries of the joining parts 12 to provide a sealing lip 21, which is mounted at an upper edge of the recess 15 at a transition from the recess 15 to the surface 14 of the support element 13 according to FIGS. 1 and 2. This results in particularly effective sealing of the recess 15, which makes it easier to produce an overpressure.

[0034] The fluid port 16 is used to apply a fluid, preferably a gas, in particular air, to the recess 15 in order to generate the overpressure in the recess 15. To this end, a fluid connection 20 extends from the fluid port 16 through the support element 13, which leads into the recess 15.

[0035] The devices 11 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 differ in that the device 11 according to FIG. 2 comprises a discharge opening 19 in the form of a discharge groove which is introduced into a lower region of the support element 13. The discharge opening 19 connects the recess 15 to an environment 22 of the device 11.

[0036] If at least two joining parts 12 are being connected to one another, these are initially arranged, in particular stacked, on the surface 14 so that the connecting regions 12a are located in the region of the recess 15. This means that at least the connecting region 12a of the joining part 12 which rests directly on the surface 14 has to be arranged such that it is in direct contact with the recess 15. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connecting regions 12a of the joining parts 12 which do not rest directly on the support element 13 are separated from the recess 15 by the underlying joining parts 12, but are located in a region of the recess 15 so that a weld seam 17 which passes through all of the joining parts 12 and connects them to one another can be generated.

[0037] A fluid is then applied to the recess 15 in order to generate an overpressure therein. The welding operation is commenced. In this respect, the melt is generated in the connecting regions 12a in order to form a weld seam 17 which connects the joining parts 12 to one another. In this case, a melt bath which is formed during the welding operation at the root 17a of the weld seam 17 adjoins the recess 15 on account of the arrangement of the connecting regions 12a. The melt bath is supported by the overpressure in the recess 15, in order to avoid sagging and sinking of the weld seam 17.

[0038] In this case, a high-quality welded connection is produced, it being possible to dispense with a melt bath support configured in the form of a wearing part. This consequently results in a reduced number of wearing parts to be exchanged and, in association therewith, reduced effort. In the configuration according to FIG. 2, the cleaning effort is also reduced in that residual melt which falls off from the melt is conveyed through the discharge opening 19 into the environment 22 by means of the overpressure prevailing in the recess 15.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

[0039] 11 Device for placing joining parts [0040] 12 Joining part [0041] 12a Connecting region [0042] 13 Support element [0043] 14 Surface [0044] 15 Recess [0045] 16 Fluid port [0046] 17 Weld seam [0047] 17a Root [0048] 18 Pressure element [0049] 19 Discharge opening [0050] 20 Fluid connection [0051] 21 Sealing lip [0052] 22 Environment