AU757401B2 - Structure body - Google Patents

Description

I

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 DIVISIONAL APPLICATION NAME OF APPLICANT: Hitachi, Ltd.

ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street Melbourne, 3000.

INVENTION TITLE: "Structure body" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: P:OPE\D71714-00'.O&iv 310102.doC- -1- STRUCTURE BODY Background of the Invention: Technical Field The present invention relates to a structure body particularly, but not exclusively, a hollow extruded frame member, on friction stir welding is carried out. The structure body may form part of a railway vehicle or a building structure, etc. in which aluminum alloy hollow extruded frame members or the like are connected using 10 friction stir welding.

Prior Art A friction stir welding method is a method in which a e ee round rod (called as "a rotary tool") is inserted into a welding portion and moved, in a rotating manner, along a welding line of a hollow extruded frame member, so that a S. welding portion is heated, softened and plastically e e fluidized so as to subsequently form a solid weld. The rotary tool is comprised of a small diameter portion which is applied/inserted into the welding portion and a large diameter portion which is positioned at an outside of the small diameter portion of the rotary tool. The small diameter portion and the large diameter portion of the rotary tool have the same axis.

A boundary between the small diameter portion and the large diameter portion of the rotary tool is inserted a little into the welding portion. The above stated technique is disclosed, for example in Japanese application patent laid-open publication No. Hei 9-309164 (EP 0797043 A2) A difference between friction stir welding and arc welding is that a large load acts on the hollow extruded frame members to be subjected to stir welding, this load P:\OPER\DK71714- di 310102.dmc- -2acts mainly on an application/insertion direction (an axial center direction) of the rotary tool. In other words, the application/insertion force of the rotary tool acts on the hollow extruded frame members to be subjected the welding.

The hollow extruded frame member preferably has two face plates and a rib for connecting the two face plates.

When friction stir welding is applied, the above stated insertion force may act on a portion of one of the face plates surrounding a welding portion and the rib for connecting the face plates, to cause deformation of a joint portion of the frame member. As a result, it is necessary to prevent such deformation of the joint portion.

A means for prevention of the above deformation is shown in the above stated Japanese application patent laidopen publication No. Hei 9-309164 (EP 0797043 A2). This means resides in the provision of a vertical plate (it is called a longitudinal rib) between the two face plates at a location of the welding portions. This longitudinal rib is one of ribs for connecting the two face plates. The 20 longitudinal rib is arranged on an axial center of the rotary tool. With this method, since the longitudinal rib supports the above stated insertion force, the deformation o of the joint portion can be prevented.

However, since the large load acts concentrically on the longitudinal rib, a high stress generates on the connection portion of the longitudinal rib in which a stress concentration exists and the face plate. As a result, there is a possibility of the destruction of the longitudinal rib.

One means for preventing the destruction of the longitudinal rib, is to provide a curved connection portion between the longitudinal rib and the face plate. The connection portion is formed with a circular arc having a P:\OPER:DDFR1714.0 di. 310102.doc- -3large diameter which is recessed in a side of the hollow extruded frame member so that the longitudinal rib and the face plate are connected smoothly and the stress concentration on the connection portion between the longitudinal rib and the face plate is migrated.

However, the larger the diameter of the above stated circular arc, the more a cross-sectional area of the rib needs to increase to maintain strength and, accordingly the weight of the rib increases. As such, there is a limitation on the weight/structure performance of the hollow extruded frame member. In other words, there is a limitation of the light weight structural performance of the structure body which is comprised of such hollow extruded frame members.

Summary of the Invention: In accordance with the invention, there is provided a structure member having two sheet face plates connected by a 0.004rib and a connection portion interconnecting one of the sheet face plates and said rib so as to form a curved line, which is recessed in a solid side of said member, wherein the structure member is adapted to be secured to a second structure member adjacent the connection portion by friction a.stir welding and said curved line is connected to a linear line in a side face of said rib, which is inclined relative to the face plates.

In another aspect, there is provided a second member coupled to the first structure member by friction stir welding.

Brief Description of the Drawing: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a welding portion of a structure body; P:\OPER\DH\71714.O0div 310102.doc- -4- Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the structure body of Figure 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a railway vehicle; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a welding portion of another structure body; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a welding portion of another structure body; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the structure body of Figure 10 Description of the Invention: Referring to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3, a railway vehicle structure body 500 comprises of a side structure body 501 for constituting a side- face, a roof structure body 502 for constituting a roof, a stand frame 503 for constituting a floor, and a side structure body 504 for constituting an end portion in a longitudinal direction.

Each of the side structure body 501, the roof structure body 502, and the stand frame 503 is constituted respectively by welding plural extruded frame members. A longitudinal direction of the extruded frame member is formed toward a longitudinal direction of the railway .vehicle structure body 500. The extruded frame member is a hollow extruded frame member made of an aluminum alloy.

A structure of hollow extruded frame members 10 and for constituting the side structure body 501 will be explained. Other portions and other structure bodies are similar to that of the above stated side structure body 501.

The hollow extruded frame member 10 is comprised of two sheet face plates 11 and 12 and plural ribs 13 and 14 for connecting the above stated two face plates 11 and 12. The hollow extruded frame member 20 is comprised of two sheet P:'OPER\Df\71 714-00 i 3 10102.docface plates 21 and 22 and plural ribs 23 and 24 for connecting the above stated two face plates 21 and 22.

A connection portion between the rib 24 at an end and the face plates 21 and 22 forms seats (recessed portions) and 26 of the recessed portion. End portions of the recessed portions 25 and 26 have projection chips 25a and which are projected in a direction of the adjacent hollow extruded frame member The two sheet face plates 11 and 12 are substantially in parallel. The rib 13 is arranged in a truss structure and a pitch of the truss structure is the same. The rib 14 oooo is substantially orthogonal in the two face plates 11 and 12. The two sheet face plates 21 and 22 are substantially in parallel. The rib 23 is arranged in a truss structure and a pitch of the truss structure is the same. The rib 24 is substantially orthogonal in the two face plates 21 and 22.

A plate thickness of the rib 24 of the end portion of the hollow extruded frame member 20 is thicker than a plate 20 thickness of other portions ribs 13, 14 and 23.

The end portions of the face plates 11 and 12 are overlapped with the seats 25 and 26. The end portions of the chip ends of the face plates 11 and 12 are butted to the end portions of the face plates 21 and 22. The butted portion is carried out according to the friction stir welding. The end portion of the face plate 21 is positioned with in a range of an extension line of the thickness of the rib 24 at the end portion. A face of the end portion of the face plate 21 is substantially orthogonal to the face plate 21.

The end portion of the face plate 22 is positioned with in a range of an extension line of the thickness of the rib P:kOPE\D\71714-00dis 310102dc -6- 24 at the end portion. A face of the end portion of the face plate 21 is substantially orthogonal to the face plate 21.

Next, a detailed structure of the connection portion between the face plates 21 and 22 and the rib 24 will be explained.

The connection portion between the face plate 21 and the rib 24 defines a smooth curved line constituted by circular arcs 31 and 32 and a smooth curved line constituted by circular arcs 33 and 34. The visible outline line of the connection portion between the face plate 22 and the rib 24 is constituted of a smooth curved line constituted by the circular arcs 31 and 32 and a smooth curved line constituted by the circular arcs 33 and 34.

The circular arcs 31 and 32 form a connection line between one face of the rib 24 and the face plate 21. The S"circular arcs 33 and 34 form a connection line between another face of the rib 24 and the projection chip 25b. The circular arcs 31, 32, 33 and 34 are recessed in a solid side 20 of the hollow extruded frame member ego• Similarly, the circular arcs 31 and 32 form a connection line between one face of the rib 24 and the face plate 22. The circular arcs 33 and 34 form a connection line between another face of the rib 24 and the projection chip 26b. The circular arcs 31, 32, 33 and 34 are recessed in a solid side of the hollow extruded frame member A diameter of the circular arc 31 at a side of the face plate 21 is smaller than a diameter of the circular arc 32 at a side of the rib 24 and a diameter of the circular arc 33 at a side of the projection ship 25b is smaller than a diameter of the circular arc 34 at the side of the rib 24.

Further, the projection chip 25b can be said as a part of PAOPER\DI\71714.Odi, 310102 do.

-7the face plate.

A diameter of the circular arc 31 at a side of the face plate 22 is smaller than a diameter of the circular arc 32 at a side of the rib 24 and a diameter of the circular arc 33 at a side of the projection chip 26b is smaller than a diameter of the circular arc 34 at the side of the rib 24.

Further, the projection chip 26b can be said as a part of the face plate.

During the friction stir welding operation, to the butt portion of the two hollow extruded frame members 10 and an axial center of a rotary tool 50 is positioned.

o, Accordingly, a large load in an axial direction of the rotary tool 50 acts concentrically to the rib 24. As a *000 result, a high stress generates at a position of a near vicinity of the rib 24. However, the connection portion between the end portions of the face plates 21 and 22 and the rib 24 on the high stress generation position serves to distribute or migrate the stress. Since the diameters of the circular arcs 32 and 34 at the side of the rib 24 are t::o 20 formed large, the stress concentration of the connection portion between the end portions of the face plates 21 and 22 and the rib 24 is migrated and the generated stress *0*S becomes small. On the other hand, since the diameters of the circular arcs 31 and 23 at the side of the face plate 21 and the side of the projection chip 25b are comparatively smaller, the cross-sectional areas of these portions may be reduced. More particularly, the provision of smaller diameter circular arcs, allows for the cross-sectional area of the joint portion to be reduced and, accordingly, the weight of the joint portion becomes small.

Similarly, since the diameters of the circular arcs 31 and 32 at the side of the face plate 22 and the side of the P:1OPER\DNH171714.00 d 310102 d-c -8projection chip 26b are formed small, the cross-sectional areas of these portions also become small. As stated above, since the outline line is constituted by two circular arcs, the cross-sectional area of the joint portion becomes small, accordingly the weight of the joint portion becomes small.

As another alternative idea, it is considered that the circular arc of the connection portion between the face plates 21 and 22, the projection chips 25b and 26b and the rib 24 are connected with one large circular arc (a single smooth circular arc having only one large diameter). With this construction, the generation stress can be equal to the generation stress of the above stated embodiment according to the present invention. Accordingly, in this another alternative idea, the cross-sectional area of this portion 15 becomes large, but the weight reduction in the structure body can not attained.

In the above, the method of welding the two connection S. portions of the hollow extruded frame members 10 and 20 is carried out according to the friction stir welding, however, S" 20 other welding methods can be employed.

Further, the face plates 11 and 12 and the face plates 21 and 22 are described as being parallel, however, one face plate may be inclined relative to another face plate.

In Fig. 4 is shown an example which is a case where the circular arcs 32 and 34 are replaced with linear line. The linear lines 35 and 36 are inclined against the rib 24.

Other parts of this structure are similar to those shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the rib of the end portion forms part of the truss structure and friction stir welding is performed in a vicinity of an apex of this truss structure.

P:'OPERIOH\1714-O0di 310102d- -9- The hollow extruded frame member 100 comprises two face plates 101 and 102 and plural ribs 103, 104 and 105. The hollow extruded frame member 110 comprises two face plates 111 and 112 and plural ribs 113, 114 and 115 for connecting the face plates 111 and 112.

The face plates 101 and 102 are substantially parallel.

The end portion of the face plate 112 at an outer side of the car is projected in the side of the adjacent hollow extruded frame member 110- from the end portion of the face plate 101. The projections 102b of each face plate are butted and are according to the friction stir welding from the upper portion (the inner side of the car).

The ribs 103, 104 and 105 are inclined against the two face plates 101 and 102 and are arranged to form part of the truss structure. An intersecting point between the rib 105 at the end portion of the rib 104 is formed with a recessed portion. This recessed portion forms a seat 117 for mounting a connection plate 200. The connection plate 200 is overlapped to the seat 107. This overlapped portion is 20 then secured according to the friction stir welding using the rotary tool Similarly, the ribs 113, 114 and 115 are inclined against the two face plates 111 and 112 and form part of the truss structure. An intersecting point between the rib 115 at the end portion and the rib 114 is formed with a recessed portion. This recessed portion forms a seat 117 for mounting the connection plate 200. The connection plate 200 is overlapped to the seal 117. This overlapped portion is secured using the friction stir welding, using the rotary tool The plate thickness of the ribs 104 and 105 is greater than the plate thickness of other portion rib 103. The P:\OPERDH71714-00 div 310102 docinclination angle of the rib 105 against the face plate 102 is formed larger than the inclination angle of the rib 104.

Accordingly, the plate thickness of the rib 105 is greater than the plate thickness of the rib 104.

The plate thickness of the ribs 114 and 115 is greater than the plate thickness of other portion rib 113. The inclination angle of the rib 115 against the face plate 112 is formed larger than the inclination angle of the rib 114.

Accordingly, the plate thickness of the rib 115 is greater than the plate thickness of the rib 114.

The welding procedure of the structure body will be explained. The face plates 102 and 112 of the hollow extruded frame members 100 and 200 are mounted on a bed stand and the projections 102b and 112b of the face plates are butted. With this condition, the rotary tool 50 is applied and then the friction stir welding is carried out.

Next, the connection plate 200 is mounted on the seats 107 and 117, and preliminary fixture welding is applied to the face plates 101 and 111. This preliminary fixture welding is carried out intermittently along to the welding o line.

:Next, from the upper portion (the inner side of the *car) the rotary tool 50 is applied to the connection plate 200 so as to carry out friction stir welding to the seat 107. The application/insertion position of the rotary tool is a vicinity of the position of the intersecting point (the position of the apex of the truss structure) of the two ribs 103 and 104.

Next, from the upper portion (the inner side of the car) the rotary tool 50 is applied to the connection plate 200 so as to friction stir weld the seat 117. The insertion position of the rotary tool 50 is a vicinity of the position PAOPERDH\7I 714-G0 di 3 10102,do-.

-11of the intersecting point (the position of the apex of the truss structure) of the two ribs 204 and 205.

Next, the detailed constructions of the connection portion between the end portion of the face plate 11 and the rib 115 of the connection portion between the face plate 112 and the rib 115 is described.

The outline defined by the connection portion, between the end portion of the face plate 111 and the rib 115, is constituted by a smooth curved line formed of circular arcs 131 and 132 and a smooth curved line constituted by the circular arcs 133 and 134. The circular arcs 131, 132, 133 and 134 are the circular arcs which are recessed in the solid side of the hollow extruded frame member 110. The diameter of the circular arc 131 is smaller than the diameter of the circular arc 132 and the diameter of the circular arc 133 is formed smaller than the diameter of the circular arc 134.

The line defined by the connection portion, between the face plate 112 (112b) and the rib 115, is constituted by a 20 smooth curved line formed by the circular arcs 135 and 136 and a smooth curved line constituted of the circular arcs 137 and 138. The circular arcs 135, 136, 137 and 138 are recessed in the solid side of the hollow extruded frame member 110. The diameter of the circular arc 135 is formed smaller than the diameter of the circular arc 136 and the diameter of the circular arc 137 is formed smaller than the diameter of the circular arc 138.

The outline defined by the connection portion between the end portion of the face plate 111 and the rib 114 is constituted by a smooth curved line formed by the circular arcs 141 and 142 and a smooth curved line constituted of the circular arcs 143 and 144. The circular arcs 141, 142, 143 P\OPERDH71714-00 i 310102 do- -12and 144 are recessed in the solid side of the hollow extruded frame member 110. The diameter of the circular arc 141 is formed smaller than the diameter of the circular arc 142 and the diameter of the circular arc 143 is formed smaller than the diameter of the circular arc 144.

The outline defined by the connection portion between the face plate 112 and the rib 114 is constituted of a smooth curved line formed by the circular arcs 145 and 146 and a smooth curved line constituted of the circular arcs 147 and 148. The circular arcs 145, 146, 147 and 148 are recessed in the solid side of the hollow extruded frame member 110. The diameter of the circular arc 145 is formed smaller than the diameter of the circular arc 146 and the diameter of the circular arc 147 is formed smaller than the 0 e diameter of the circular arc 148.

The construction of the hollow extruded frame member 100 is similar to the construction of the hollow extruded frame member 110.

With the above stated construction, since the 20 connection portion of the face plate 111 (112)and the ribs 114 and 115 is formed with smooth curved lines defined by circular arcs which are recessed in the solid side of the hollow extruded frame member 110, and the diameter of the circular arc at the high stress generation position is formed to be relatively small, the stress construction can be mitigated and the generation stress can be small.

Accordingly, the weight structure of the joint portion becomes small.

Further, since the insertion force of the rotary tool 50 in this embodiment according to the present invention is supported by the two ribs 114 and 115 which are arranged in the axial center of the rotary tool 50, in comparison with P.'OP1R DH,71714-O'di' 310102.doc- 13the construction in which, as shown in the embodiment according to the present invention of Fig. 1, the application force of the rotary tool 50 is supported by only one rib, the plate thickness of the ribs 114 and 115 can be formed thin and a light weight structure of the hollow extruded frame member can be achieved.

In the above, the welding method of the three connection portions of the hollow extruded frame members 100 and 110 is carried out according to the friction stir welding, the welding method of one portion or two portions of the three welding methods can, however, employ arc welding or the like.

eo Also, the welding method for securing the flat plate 200 (the connection plate) is carried out according to the overlap friction stir welding, however it can employ butt friction stir welding. Further, the welding method of the welding portion of the hollow extruded frame member 100 and 110 is carried out by butt friction stir welding, however it can employ the overlap friction stir welding.

20 Additionally, the face plates 101 and 102 and the face plates 111 and 112 are described as being parallel, however it can correspond to a case in which one face plate is ***inclined with another face plate.

Many modifications and variations may be made to the above described structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinbefore described.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising,,, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of P:OPER\DH\7714-00 di 310102 doc- 14integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

e• S

Claims (2)

1. A structure member having two sheet face plates connected by a rib and a connection portion interconnecting one of the sheet face plates and said rib so as to form a curved line, which is recessed in a solid side of said member, wherein the structure member is adapted to be secured to a second structure member adjacent the connection portion by friction stir welding and said curved line is connected to a linear line in a side face of said rib, which is inclined relative to the face plates.

2. A structure body, including a first structure member, as claimed in claim 1, and a second member coupled to the first structure member by friction stir welding. DATED this 31st day of January, 2002 HITACHI, LTD. By DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the applicant oo