Seam-welding device

Abstract

To provide a seam-welding device that can perform resistance-welding in accordance with a shape of a work-piece to be welded and a required nugget width.SOLUTION: A seam-welding device 10 is provided with: a disk-like first electrode 16 comprising an outer peripheral surface 16A that contacts a first surface 24A of a first steel plate 24; a first dividing plate 20 which comprises an outer peripheral surface 20A formed in a circular arc shape when viewed from a thickness direction and enables the outer peripheral surface 20A to contact a second surface 26A at the opposite side of the first steel plate 24 in a second steel plate 26 overlapped with the first steel plate 24; and a second dividing plate 22 which comprises an outer peripheral surface 22A that is turned around the thickness direction with respect to the first dividing plate 20 to extend in a circumferential direction or the thickness direction of the outer peripheral surface 20A and formed in a circular arc shape when viewed from the thickness direction, which further has a second electrode 18 that can resistance-weld the first steel plate 24 to the second steel plate 26 while holding the first electrode 16, the first steel plate 24 and the second steel plate 26.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seam welding device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses an invention related to an electrode, in which a plurality of workpieces are clamped between the outer peripheral surfaces of a pair of disk-shaped electrodes and these workpieces are joined by resistance welding. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-99718 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, depending on the shape of the workpiece to be welded, there may be some areas that are difficult to weld with a disk-shaped electrode, or the required nugget width may differ.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a seam welding apparatus that can perform resistance welding in accordance with the shape of the workpiece to be welded and the required nugget width. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The seam welding apparatus of the first aspect comprises a disk-shaped first electrode having a first outer peripheral surface that contacts a first surface of a plate-shaped first workpiece, a first divided plate having a second outer peripheral surface that is arc-shaped when viewed from the thickness direction and that is capable of contacting a second surface of a plate-shaped second workpiece that is stacked on the first workpiece on the opposite side of the first workpiece with the second outer peripheral surface, and a second divided plate that is rotated around the thickness direction relative to the first divided plate and has a third outer peripheral surface that is continuous with the second outer peripheral surface in the circumferential direction or the thickness direction and is arc-shaped when viewed from the thickness direction, and is capable of resistance welding the first workpiece and the second workpiece together while clamping the first electrode and the second workpiece.

[0007] According to the seam welding apparatus of the first aspect, a first electrode and a second electrode are provided, and the first electrode is disk-shaped with a first outer peripheral surface that contacts the first surface of a plate-shaped first workpiece.

[0008] On the other hand, the second electrode is capable of coming into contact with a second surface of a plate-shaped second workpiece that is placed on top of the first workpiece, the second surface being on the opposite side to the first workpiece.

[0009] Therefore, in this aspect, the first workpiece and the second workpiece can be joined by resistance welding in a state where the first workpiece and the second workpiece are sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0010] However, if the second electrode is disk-shaped like the first electrode, it is possible that some parts may be difficult to weld depending on the shapes of the first and second workpieces. Also, it is possible that the nugget width required for the weld between the first and second workpieces may differ depending on the welding part.

[0011] In this embodiment, the second electrode includes a first divided plate and a second divided plate, and the first divided plate has a second outer peripheral surface that is arc-shaped when viewed in the thickness direction, and this second outer peripheral surface is capable of contacting the second surface of the second workpiece.

[0012] On the other hand, the second divided plate has a third outer peripheral surface that is arc-shaped when viewed in the thickness direction. When the second divided plate is rotated around the thickness direction relative to the first divided plate, the third outer peripheral surface is continuous with the second outer peripheral surface of the first divided plate in the circumferential direction or the thickness direction.

[0013] Therefore, in this embodiment, by rotating the second divided plate relative to the first divided plate around the thickness direction, the circumferential length or width of the outer peripheral surface of the second electrode that contacts the second surface of the second workpiece can be adjusted.

[0014] As a result, for example, when there is not enough space to insert the second electrode into the first workpiece, only the first divided plate can be used to weld the first workpiece and the second workpiece together, or when there is enough space to insert the second electrode into the first workpiece, both the first divided plate and the second divided plate can be used to weld the first workpiece and the second workpiece together.

[0015] Furthermore, for example, if it is desired to ensure the nugget width of the weld between the first workpiece and the second workpiece, the contact area between the second electrode and the second surface of the second workpiece can be ensured by making the third outer peripheral surface of the second divided plate continuous with the second outer peripheral surface of the first divided plate in the thickness direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As described above, the seam welding apparatus according to the present invention has the excellent effect of being able to perform resistance welding in accordance with the shape of the workpiece to be welded and the required nugget width. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing a configuration of a seam welding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of the seam welding device, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of the seam welding device. [Figure 2]1A and 1B are schematic views showing the configuration of a seam welding device according to the present embodiment, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing a first state of the seam welding device, and FIG. 1B is a side view showing a second state of the seam welding device. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a seam welding device according to a variation of the present embodiment, in which (A) is a perspective view showing the seam welding device in a first state, and (B) is a front view showing the seam welding device in a second state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An example of an embodiment of a seam welding apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. As shown in Figure 1(A), the "seam welding apparatus 10" according to this embodiment includes a robot arm (not shown), a drive unit (not shown) including a motor and the like provided at the tip of the robot arm, and a pair of power shafts 12 to which a driving force is applied from the drive unit via a coupling (not shown) made of an insulating material. These power shafts 12 are spaced apart in the height direction of the seam welding apparatus 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as the height direction), and are supported relative to the arms via bearings 14. The power shaft 12 on the lower side in the height direction is not shown in the figures.

[0019] Each of these power shafts 12 is made of steel and has a cylindrical shape, and the lower power shaft 12 in the height direction is provided with a "first electrode 16" that is circular and disk-shaped when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the power shaft 12 (hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal direction). The power shaft 12 is located at the center of the first electrode 16 when viewed in the longitudinal direction. A current flows to the first electrode 16 from a power supply brush (not shown) via the power shaft 12.

[0020] On the other hand, a "second electrode 18" is provided on the power shaft 12 on the upper side in the height direction. This second electrode 18 includes a "first divided plate 20" and a "second divided plate 22," each of which has a semicircular plate shape when viewed in the longitudinal direction.

[0021] In detail, as shown in Figure 2(A), the first divided plate 20 has an "outer peripheral surface 20A" as a second outer peripheral surface that is arc-shaped when viewed in its thickness direction (longitudinal direction), a flat portion 20B that follows a straight line connecting the ends of the outer peripheral surface 20A, and a central portion 20C that is provided in the center of the flat portion 20B and into which the power shaft 12 is fitted.

[0022] A power supply brush 23 is provided on the power shaft 12 at the bearing 14 side, and current flows from the power supply brush 23 to the first divided plate 20 via the power shaft 12.

[0023] Furthermore, the first divided plate 20 is capable of clamping the "first steel plate 24" as the first workpiece and the "second steel plate 26" as the second workpiece stacked in the vertical direction between its outer surface 20A and the "outer surface 16A" as the first outer surface of the first electrode 16.

[0024] The first steel plate 24 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface 16A, and hereinafter the contact surface of the first steel plate 24 with the outer peripheral surface 16A will be referred to as the "first surface 24A." The second steel plate 26 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface 20A of the first divided plate 20, and hereinafter the contact surface of the second steel plate 26 with the outer peripheral surface 20A will be referred to as the "second surface 26A."

[0025] On the other hand, the second divided plate 22 is disposed adjacent to the first divided plate 20 in the longitudinal direction on the bearing portion 14 side of the first divided plate 20. The second divided plate 22 includes an "outer peripheral surface 22A" as a third outer peripheral surface, a flat portion 22B, and a central portion 22C, and is basically configured in the same manner as the first divided plate 20, but a hub 28 is fitted into the central portion 22C.

[0026] The hub 28 is made of a cylindrical steel material extending in the longitudinal direction, and the power shaft 12 is inserted inside the hub 28 via an insulating collar (not shown). The hub 28 is also provided with a power supply brush 30, and current flows from the power supply brush 30 through the hub 28 to the second divided plate 22.

[0027] Meanwhile, a gear 32 is provided on the portion of the hub 28 on the bearing portion 14 side, and this gear 32 is provided with driving force from a motor 34 via a pinion 36 provided on the motor 34. The motor 34 is fixed to the power shaft 12 via a motor mount 38 made of an insulating material, and its drive can be controlled by a control unit (not shown).

[0028] The second electrode 18 configured as described above can rotate the second divided plate 22 around the power shaft 12 relative to the first divided plate 20 using the driving force of the motor 34, and can assume two states: a first state in which the outer peripheral surface 20A of the first divided plate 20 and the outer peripheral surface 22A of the second divided plate 22 are integrally continuous in the longitudinal direction, as shown in Figures 1(A) and 2(A), and a second state in which the outer peripheral surface 20A and the outer peripheral surface 22A are separated, as shown in Figures 1(B) and 2(B).

[0029] In addition, when a current flows between the first electrode 16 and the second electrode 18, resistance heat is generated in the first steel plate 24 and the second steel plate 26, causing the first steel plate 24 and the second steel plate 26 to be welded together.

[0030] (Actions and Effects of This Embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0031] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a first electrode 16 and a second electrode 18 are provided, and the first electrode 16 is disk-shaped with an outer peripheral surface 16A that contacts the first surface 24A of the plate-shaped first steel plate 24.

[0032] On the other hand, the second electrode 18 is capable of coming into contact with a second surface 26A of a plate-shaped second steel plate 26 overlapping the first steel plate 24, the second surface 26A being on the opposite side to the first steel plate 24.

[0033] Therefore, in this embodiment, the first steel plate 24 and the second steel plate 26 can be joined by resistance welding while being sandwiched between the first electrode 16 and the second electrode 18.

[0034] Incidentally, it is conceivable that the nugget width required for the welded portion between the first steel plate 24 and the second steel plate 26 will differ depending on the welding location.

[0035] In this embodiment, the second electrode 18 includes a first divided plate 20 and a second divided plate 22. The first divided plate 20 includes an outer peripheral surface 20A that is arc-shaped when viewed in the longitudinal direction, and the outer peripheral surface 20A is capable of coming into contact with the second surface 26A of the second steel plate 26.

[0036] On the other hand, the second divided plate 22 has an outer peripheral surface 22A that is arc-shaped when viewed in the longitudinal direction. When the second divided plate 22 is rotated around the longitudinal direction relative to the first divided plate 20, the outer peripheral surface 22A is made continuous with the outer peripheral surface 20A of the first divided plate 20 in the longitudinal direction, as shown in Figures 1(A) and 2(A).

[0037] Therefore, in this embodiment, by rotating the second divided plate 22 around the longitudinal direction relative to the first divided plate 20, the width of the outer peripheral surface that contacts the second surface 26A of the second steel plate 26 in the second electrode 18 can be adjusted.

[0038] As a result, when it is desired to secure the nugget width of the weld between the first steel plate 24 and the second steel plate 26, the contact area between the second electrode 18 and the second surface 26A of the second steel plate 26 can be secured by making the outer peripheral surface 22A of the second divided plate 22 continuous with the outer peripheral surface 20A of the first divided plate 20 in the longitudinal direction.

[0039] <Derivative example of this embodiment> A derivative example of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0040] In the seam welding apparatus 10 according to this modified example, the first divided plate 20 and the second divided plate 22 constituting the second electrode 18 are formed in a sector shape with a central angle θ of 90° as viewed from the longitudinal direction. The first divided plate 20 and the second divided plate 22 are arranged so as to overlap in the rotation direction of the power shaft 12.

[0041] The second electrode 18 configured as described above can be in a first state shown in FIG. 3(A) in which the outer peripheral surface 20A of the first divided plate 20 and the outer peripheral surface 22A of the second divided plate 22 are integrally continuous in the rotational direction of the power shaft 12 (the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface 20A), and a second state shown in FIG. 3(B) in which the outer peripheral surface 20A and the outer peripheral surface 22A are separated.

[0042] With this configuration, the second electrode 18 can ensure a sufficient circumferential length of the outer peripheral surface used for welding in the first state.

[0043] However, as shown in FIG. 3(B), when joining the "battery module case 40" as the first workpiece and the "cooling plate 42" as the second workpiece, if the second electrode 18 remains in the first state, it is conceivable that there will be some areas that are difficult to weld.

[0044] Here, in this embodiment, by rotating the second divided plate 22 around the longitudinal direction relative to the first divided plate 20 to set it in the second state, only the first divided plate 20 or the second divided plate 22 can be used to weld the battery module case 40 and the cooling plate 42 together.

[0045] As described above, the seam welding apparatus 10 according to this embodiment can perform resistance welding in accordance with the shape of the workpiece to be welded and the required nugget width. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 10 Seam welding equipment 16 1st electrode 16A Outer surface (first outer surface) 18 2nd electrode 20 1st division plate 20A outer circumferential surface (second outer circumferential surface) 22 Second division plate 22A Outer surface (3rd outer surface) 24 First steel plate (first work) 24A 1st page 26 Second steel plate (second work) 26A 2nd side 40 Battery module case (first work) 42 Cooling plate (second work)

Claims

[Claim 1] a disk-shaped first electrode having a first outer peripheral surface that contacts a first surface of a plate-shaped first workpiece; a first divided plate having a second outer peripheral surface that is arcuate when viewed from the thickness direction and capable of contacting a second surface of a plate-like second workpiece that is stacked on the first workpiece on the opposite side to the first workpiece with the second outer peripheral surface; and a second divided plate having a third outer peripheral surface that is continuous with the second outer peripheral surface in the circumferential direction or in the thickness direction and that is arcuate when viewed from the thickness direction by being rotated relative to the first divided plate around the thickness direction, wherein the second electrode is capable of resistance welding the first workpiece and the second workpiece together while sandwiching the first electrode and the second workpiece; A seam welding device having:

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