Weldable Connector for Tube Joint Fatigue

A gusset plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the two tubes. The gusset plate is welded to each tube at accessible locations rather than welding the tubes directly together. This mediator allows the joint to achieve high strength through multiple weld connections while avoiding the manufacturing difficulty of direct tube-to-tube welds in hard-to-reach positions.

The gusset plate is designed with varying thickness and geometry to optimize stress distribution. The plate is thickest at the weld locations to handle the concentrated loads, and tapers or thins in regions where stress is lower. This local variation in quality allows the joint to achieve high fatigue life by reducing stress concentrations while maintaining ease of manufacture through a relatively simple plate component.

The patent employs standard tube components and conventional welding procedures rather than expensive laser cutting and specialized apertured tube constructions. By using readily available tubes and standard fillet welds with gusset plates, the solution achieves sufficient frame strength through proven, cost-effective manufacturing methods rather than relying on expensive precision laser-cut components.

The gusset plate serves as a programming-friendly intermediary for robotic welding. Instead of requiring the robot to navigate complex three-dimensional tube corners, the gusset plate provides flat, accessible welding surfaces with well-defined geometries. The robot welds the gusset plate to the tubes at convenient locations, which simplifies path programming and positioning while maintaining high productivity through automated welding processes.