Simultaneous laser cutting and welding of metal foil to edge of a plate

Patent · 31 December 1995

OSTI ID:870347

Pernicka, John C ^[1]; Benson, David K ^[2]; Tracy, C Edwin ^[2]

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1. Fort Collins, CO
2. Golden, CO

A method of welding an ultra-thin foil to the edge of a thicker sheet to form a vacuum insulation panel comprising the steps of providing an ultra-thin foil having a thickness less than 0.002, providing a top plate having an edge and a bottom plate having an edge, clamping the foil to the edge of the plate wherein the clamps act as heat sinks to distribute heat through the foil, providing a laser, moving the laser relative to the foil and the plate edges to form overlapping weld beads to weld the foil to the plate edges while simultaneously cutting the foil along the weld line formed by the overlapping beads.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Institute
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-83CH10093
• Assignee: Midwest Research Institute (Kansas City, MO)
• Patent Number(s): US 5500503
• OSTI ID: 870347
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/219/52/
002
beads
bottom
bottom plate
clamping
clamps
comprising
cutting
distribute
distribute heat
edge
edges
foil
form
formed
heat
heat sink
insulation
insulation panel
laser
laser cutting
line
line formed
metal
metal foil
method
moving
overlapping
panel
panel comprising
plate
providing
relative
sheet
simultaneous
simultaneous laser
simultaneously
simultaneously cut
simultaneously cutting
sinks
steps
thicker
thickness
top
top plate
ultra-thin
ultra-thin foil
vacuum
vacuum insulation
weld
weld bead
weld line
welding