Brazing assembly process and product resulting from the process

Abstract

Title: Method of assembly by brazing and product resulting from the method The invention relates to a method of induction brazing of a first part (1) with a second part (2) at a contact line (3) at least the first part (1) has a relief (4), which forms a chamber (5), said chamber being at the contact line, comprising the following steps: - Deposition of a brazing wire (6) in said chamber, - Closing of the chamber by assembly of the second part (2) with the first part; - Heating of at least the brazing wire by induction so as to melt it; said contact line forms a plane (P) which virtually cuts the brazing wire (6) into two parts, each part representing between 40% and 60% of the entire cross-section of the brazing wire. Figure for abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Soldering assembly process and product resulting from the process

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of assembly by brazing and the resulting product, in particular a device for thermal regulation of electrical and / or electronic components, in particular in the automotive field.

[0002] The parts that can be assembled by brazing are all parts having a high melting point, in particular metal parts, allowing the use of a brazing wire having a lower melting point.

[0003] The electrical and / or electronic components that may be concerned by the present invention may be electrical energy storage elements, in particular battery elements, or power electronics, for example, but not limited to, semiconductors, such as diodes or transistors. They could also be computer server components.

[0004] The invention finds an advantageous application in the field of thermal regulation devices of a device, in particular due to the need in this field to have reliable sealing between two metal parts.

[0005] Indeed, an assembly by screwing or force can be unreliable, damage or even destroy one of the parts. In addition, for large production volumes, such a process can be expensive and / or time-consuming to carry out.

[0006] In the prior art, a solution has been proposed consisting of a brazing process in large furnaces. The parts to be brazed are pre-assembled and then heated entirely to the melting point of the brazing wire, which allows it to melt in order to bond the assembly.

[0007] A disadvantage of this solution is that brazing the complete part requires large furnaces, to be sized according to the size of the parts to be assembled. Another disadvantage is the energy cost of such a process, which results in a significant production carbon footprint.

[0008] The present invention makes it possible to solve at least some of the problems of the prior art by proposing an induction brazing process, therefore localized, which makes it possible to do without large traditional brazing furnaces and therefore to reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturing the assembled part.

[0009] The invention thus relates to a method for induction brazing a first part with a second part at a contact line at which the two parts are in contact to be assembled by brazing, at least the first part, in particular the two parts, has a relief, in particular a groove, which forms a chamber when the first part is brought into contact with the second part to be brazed, said chamber being at the contact line, the brazing method comprising the following steps: - Depositing a soldering wire in said chamber formed by said relief of the at least first part, - Closing the chamber by assembling the second part with the first part; - Heats at least the soldering wire by induction heating so as to melt it; the method being characterized in that the brazing wire is arranged in said chamber at the contact line in such a way that said contact line forms a plane (P) which virtually cuts the brazing wire into two parts, each part representing between 40% and 60% of the entire cross-section of the brazing wire, in particular between 45% and 55%.

[0010] This advantageously makes it possible to carry out a localized brazing process, which is less energy-intensive and more precise, which makes it possible to assemble several parts, some of which may be sensitive to temperature.

[0011] Furthermore, this method allows a complex component to be brazed in one go without the need for an oven to braze the entire device to be brazed, thanks to the brazing wire being placed inside the assembly of the two parts. This thus makes it possible to advantageously replace external laser-type welding solutions (which involve more steps in their process)

[0012] The wire thus enclosed in a groove or a relief allows the reduction of the spreading of the brazed material during its melting, in particular of the “flux”, outside the area to be brazed.

[0013] This brazing process is all the more advantageous since the brazing can be carried out vertically, horizontally, or at any other angle.

[0014] It is understood that "the chamber being at the line of contact" means that a wall of the chamber is formed by the two parts in contact with each other, so that the line of contact starts from said wall of the chamber.

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the cross-section of the brazing wire has a height of between 1.2 and 2.3 mm.

[0016] By height of the wire we mean the height of the section in the direction of assembly of the two parts, that is to say in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the contact line.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the wire is placed in contact with the contact line,

[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the height of the relief is between 0.5 mm and 1.2 mm.

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, a wall of the chamber opposite a wall forming the brazing line has a viewing recess configured to allow visual verification of the presence of the wire from a point of view external to the assembly of the two parts.

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, the viewing recess is present on only one side of the plane formed by the contact / brazing line.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, the viewing recess has a height at most equal to one of the parts of the wire, in particular to the part of the wire virtually crossed by the plane of the contact line and located on the side of the second part.

[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, the height of the chamber is greater than or equal to the height of the wire.

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the chamber has a width greater than the thickness of the wire, in particular at least 0.15 mm, preferably at least 0.2 mm.

[0024] Advantageously, this lateral clearance allows reliable assembly of the soldering wire in its chamber.

[0025] Furthermore, the width of the wire is less than the width of the chamber in which it is placed.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, the profile of the wire is slightly smaller in a radial direction than the profile of the chamber in which it is placed so as to be forcefully inserted and held on the profile of the chamber. The wire is thus held as close as possible to the contact line.

[0027] More particularly, when the wire forms a circular ring, the internal diameter of the ring is less than the external diameter of the brazing line so as to flare out when said ring is deposited in the chamber. This advantageously also makes it possible to obtain a spring effect which holds the ring in the chamber.

[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, the wire has a cross-section of circular, rectangular or oblong shape, preferably the shape is chosen from rectangular or oblong shape, more preferably rectangular.

[0029] According to one aspect of the invention, at least one of the parts has a chamfer at the level of the brazing line.

[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, only one of the parts has a chamfer at the level of the brazing line.

[0031] According to one aspect of the invention, the weld line has a length equal to or greater than three times the minimum thickness of the part (E) of the first or second part, preferably of the second part, above the contact line and forming the latter.

[0032] The invention also relates to a fluid connection forming element comprising two assembled parts brazed together by the induction brazing brazing method as described herein.

[0033] The invention also relates to a device for thermal regulation of an electronic and / or electrical component, such as an electrical storage module, comprising an element forming a fluidic connection resulting from the induction soldering process as described here.

[0034] The invention also relates to a thermal regulation assembly. This assembly may be intended to equip a vehicle, in particular an automobile.

[0035] The regulation assembly comprises at least one electronic and / or electrical component, such as an electrical storage module, and at least one thermal regulation device for said at least one component as described previously.

[0036] The invention may also relate to a battery pack comprising a plurality of energy storage cells and at least one thermal regulation device as defined previously comprising a dielectric fluid circuit and at least a first group and a second group of dielectric fluid spray nozzles arranged so as to spray the plurality of energy storage cells.

[0037] Herein, a module may be an energy storage cell. Alternatively, a module may comprise several energy storage cells. A module may further be defined as a container or housing comprising one or more electronic and / or electrical components.

[0038] Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, and the appended drawings among which:

[0039] [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates, according to a first embodiment, an assembly of the two parts and the brazing wire before the latter is melted.

[0040] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a detail according to a second embodiment before the melting step, in which the second part is not visible, and in which the first part comprises two brazing wires.

[0041] In these figures, identical elements have the same reference numbers.

[0042] The following embodiments are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference relates to the same embodiment, or that the features apply only to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined or interchanged to provide other embodiments.

[0043] In the description, certain elements can be indexed, for example first element or second element. In this case, it is a simple indexing to differentiate and naming similar but not identical elements. This indexing does not imply a priority of one element over another and such names can easily be interchanged without departing from the scope of the present invention. This indexing also does not imply an order in time.

[0044] [Fig. 1] schematically represents an embodiment of the method before the step of melting the brazing wire (6). Thus, the first part (1) here has a relief (4) in the form of a groove which allows the brazing wire (6) to be received which is deposited there. The second part is then placed in particular at the level of the contact line (3) so as to form the chamber 5, which contains the wire (6). The contact line (3) extends along a plane P which virtually separates the wire (6) into two parts. In this example, the two parts are substantially equal but they could represent between 40 and 60% of the section of the wire (6).

[0045] It is understood that in the context of the invention, the contact line (3) forms the brazing line which will bind the two parts (1, 2) together irreversibly.

[0046] In this present example, the two parts (1, 2) each comprise a chamfer at the level of the zone in contact with the wire and the contact line (3). This advantageously makes it possible to facilitate and improve the flow of the soldering wire thus melted in the contact line. Preferably, only one of the two parts comprises the chamfer (8), in particular the part above in the direction of gravity at the time of soldering.

[0047] This method also advantageously makes it possible to braze the parts with greater reliability without the risk of having too much material entering another area of ​​the parts (1, 2), here the lumen (L) of the fluid connection formed by the assembly of the two parts (1, 2).

[0048] In certain embodiments as illustrated in [Fig.l], a recess (7) is provided so as to be able to validate the presence of the brazing wire (6) before brazing. This recess (7) also makes it possible to validate the effective melting of said wire (7) after induction heating.

[0049] Thanks to the relief (4) forming the chamber (5), the recess (7) allows easy visual control without risking that too much material flows into the recess rather than into the contact line (3).

[0050] In certain embodiments not illustrated, the two parts (1, 2) comprise complementary structures configured to assemble reversibly so as to simplify the soldering process. Thus, once the wire (6) is introduced, the two parts (1, 2) are assembled so as to be able to be manipulated together for the purposes of induction soldering.

[0051] The assembly can thus be the simple placement of one part on the other, or a reversible fixing, for example by clipping the parts together.

[0052] The presence of at least one chamfer advantageously makes it possible to promote the capillary movement of the metal of the brazing wire when it melts. Preferably, the part bearing a chamfer is the highest part in the direction of gravity. In other words, the part above the plane of the brazing line is the part which has the chamfer.

[0053] In [Fig.l] the wire (6) has a rectangular section.

[0054] These shapes advantageously make it possible to increase the contact surface between the wire and the parts.

[0055] The wire (6) has a circular, rectangular or oblong section, preferably the shape is chosen from rectangular or oblong, even more preferably rectangular.

[0056] As a non-limiting example, [Fig. 2] represents a first part 2, which comprises two reliefs (4) which each comprise a wire (6) allowing a second part (2) or even a second and a third part to be brazed to this first part, each part being brazed, simultaneously or one after the other, to the first part (1).

[0057] The first part comprises several recesses (7) in order to be able to easily carry out visual verification on several different points of the area to be brazed and the brazing line.

[0058] In this [Fig.2], the first part (1) forms part of a collector of a thermal regulation device.

[0059] In other embodiments, the parts (1, 2) form other elements requiring an irreversible connection.

[0060] In certain embodiments, the two parts (1, 2) are made of metal, in particular aluminum, in particular aluminum of series 3xxx or 6xxx alloy.

[0061] The brazing wire is a continuous line of filler material whose melting temperature is lower than that of the materials constituting the first and second parts.

[0062] The soldering wire (6) can form a ring.

[0063] The wire can take any shape so as to follow the outline of the relief (4), for example the groove, of at least the first part (1).

[0064] Thus, in [Fig.2], a first wire (6) has a circular shape, while the other has a different shape, here a “D” shape.

[0065] In certain embodiments, the brazing wire (6) is made of metal, preferably 4xxx series aluminum such as 4343, 4045 or 4047, preferably 4047, also called AlSil2.

Claims

Claims

1. A method of induction brazing a first part (1) with a second part (2) at a contact line (3) at which the two parts are in contact to be assembled by brazing, at least the first part (1), in particular the two parts (1, 2), has a relief (4), in particular a groove, which forms a chamber (5) when the first part is brought into contact with the second part to be brazed, said chamber being at the contact line, the brazing method comprising the following steps: - Depositing a brazing wire (6) in said chamber formed by said relief of the at least first part (1), - Closing the chamber by assembling the second part (2) with the first part (1); - Heating at least the brazing wire by induction heating so as to melt it;The method being characterized in that the brazing wire (6) is arranged in said chamber (5) at the contact line (3) so that said contact line forms a plane (P) which virtually cuts the brazing wire (6) into two parts, each part representing between 40% and 60% of the entire cross-section of the brazing wire (6), in particular between 45% and 55%.;

2. Method according to the preceding claim, in which the section of the brazing wire (6) has a height of between 1.2 and 2.3 mm.

3. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the wire (6) is placed in contact with the contact line (3),

4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the height of the relief (4) is between 0.5 mm and 1.2 mm.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a wall of the chamber (5) opposite a wall forming the brazing line has a viewing recess (7) configured to allow visual verification of the presence of the wire from a point of view external to the assembly of the two parts.

6. Method according to the preceding claim, in which the viewing recess (7) is present on only one side of the plane formed by the contact / brazing line (3).

7. Method according to the preceding claim, in which the viewing recess (7) has a height at most equal to one of the parts of the wire (6), in particular to the part of the wire (6) virtually crossed by the plane of the contact line (3) and located on the side of the second part (2).

8. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the height of the chamber (5) is greater than or equal to the height of the wire (6).

9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the chamber (5) has a width greater than the thickness of the wire (6), in particular at least 0.15 mm, preferably at least 0.2 mm.

10. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the wire (6) has a circular, rectangular or oblong section, preferably the shape is chosen from rectangular or oblong, more preferably rectangular.

11. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the parts has a chamfer (8) at the brazing line.

12. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which only one of the parts (1, 2) has a chamfer (8) at the brazing line (3).

13. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the weld line (3) has a length equal to or greater than three times the minimum thickness of the part (E) of the first (1) or of the second part (2), preferably of the second part (2), above the contact line (3) and forming the latter.

14. A fluid connection forming element (10) comprising two assembled parts brazed together by the induction brazing method according to one of the preceding claims.

15. Device for thermal regulation of an electronic and / or electrical component comprising a fluidic connection-forming element (10) resulting from the induction soldering process according to the preceding claim.

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