US 12,460,664 B2
Process for welding dissimilar materials with nested dovetails
Scott A. Whalen, West Richland, WA (US); Kenneth A. Ross, West Richland, WA (US); M. D. Reza-E-Rabby, Richland, WA (US); and Yuri Hovanski, Mapleton, UT (US)
Assigned to Battelle Memorial Institute, Richland, WA (US)
Filed by Battelle Memorial Institute, Richland, WA (US)
Filed on Oct. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/494,629.
Application 18/494,629 is a division of application No. 15/694,565, filed on Sep. 1, 2017, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/533,851, filed on Jul. 18, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/393,409, filed on Sep. 12, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0052862 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. B23K 20/12 (2006.01); F16B 5/00 (2006.01); F16B 5/08 (2006.01); F16B 17/00 (2006.01); B23K 103/20 (2006.01)
CPC F16B 5/0012 (2013.01) [B23K 20/12 (2013.01); B23K 20/1265 (2013.01); F16B 5/08 (2013.01); F16B 17/008 (2013.01); B23K 2103/20 (2018.08)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
engaging a first surface of a first material having a higher melting temperature with a second surface of a second material having a lower melting temperature, wherein:
the first surface defines nested dovetail grooves in the first material;
a first dovetail groove of the nested dovetail grooves defines a base and sidewalls in a vertical cross-section; and
a second dovetail groove of the nested dovetail grooves defined within the base of the first dovetail groove;
wherein the method comprises friction stir welding the second material and the first material with a friction stir welding tool that:
plunges to a depth greater than a thickness of the second material; and
plunges into the second dovetail groove such that edges of the tool contact corners of the second dovetail groove resulting in formation of hooks of the first material that extend upward into the second material.