US 11,833,605 B2
Method for welding a titanium component with a titanium nitride coating
Hailiang Zhao, Plymouth, MN (US)
Assigned to Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/348,317.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/048,410, filed on Jul. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0001481 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 11/16 (2006.01); B32B 15/01 (2006.01); B23K 11/34 (2006.01); B23K 101/34 (2006.01); B23K 103/14 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 11/163 (2013.01) [B23K 11/34 (2013.01); B32B 15/01 (2013.01); B23K 2101/34 (2018.08); B23K 2103/14 (2018.08); Y10T 428/12806 (2015.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A workpiece comprising Ti or a Ti alloy, wherein the workpiece comprises:
a surface with at least one coating layer comprising titanium nitride; and
a conditioned connection zone in both a region of the surface and a portion of the at least one coating layer within the region,
wherein the region of the surface is smaller than the entire surface,
wherein the conditioned connection zone comprises a Ti—N solid solution alloy, and
wherein the conditioned connection zone is formed by heating the region of the surface and the portion of the at least one coating layer within the region such that the titanium nitride in the portion of the at least one coating layer is dissolved and mixed with the Ti or Ti alloy in the region of the surface and causes the conditioned connection zone to have at least one of a higher electrical resistance than the coating layer or a lower liquidus temperature than the coating layer.