Laser welding high reflectivity metals

Claim 1

A method of welding a high reflectivity metal member by laser radiation comprising cladding a surface of the member with a layer of low reflectivity metal to a thickness of at least 0.0005 inch, directing a beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation from a laser through said layer into said member to melt the materials of the layer and member in the area contacted by the beam, removing said beam, and allowing the melted materials to solidify to form an integral weld nugget comprising an alloy of the materials.

Claim 2

A method of welding a high reflectivity metal member by laser radiation comprising cladding a surface of the member with a layer of low reflectivity metal to a thickness of at least 0.0005 inch, directing a beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation from a laser through said layer into said member to melt the materials of the layer and member in the area contacted by the beam, removing said beam, and allowing the melted materials to solidify to form an integral weld nugget comprising an alloy of the materials.

Claim 6

A method of welding together a pair of high reflectivity metal members by laser radiation comprising cladding a surface of each member with a layer of low reflectivity metal to a thickness of at least 0.0005 inch, disposing said members in side-by-side relation to form a junction therebetween with said layers being located in a common plane, directing a beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation from a laser through both of said layers and into the members at the junction between the members to melt the materials of the layers and members in the area contacted by the beam, removing said beam, and allowing the melted materials to solidify to form a weld nugget comprising an alloy of the materials joining the members together in an integral bond.

Claim 7

A method of welding together a pair of high reflectivity metal members by laser radiation comprising cladding a surface of each member with a layer of low reflectivity metal to a thickness of at least 0.0005 inch, disposing said members in side-by-side relation to form a junction therebetween with said layers being located in a common plane, directing a beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation from a laser through both of said layers and into the members at the junction between the members to melt the materials of the layers and members in the area contacted by the beam, removing said beam, and allowing the melted materials to solidify to form a weld nugget comprising an alloy of the materials joining the members together in an integral bond.

Claim 11

A method of welding together a pair of high reflectivity metal members by laser radiation comprising cladding a surface of one of said members with a layer of low reflectivity metal to a thickness of at least 0.0005 inch, disposing the clad member in overlying relation atop the unclad member with said layer being disposed on the side of the clad member away from the unclad member to form a junction between said members at adjacent surfaces, directing a beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation from a laser through said layer, said clad member, and said junction into the unclad member to melt the materials of the layer and members in the area contacted by the beam, removing said beam, and allowing the melted materials to solidify to form a weld nugget comprising an alloy of the materials joining the members together in an integral bond.

Claim 12

A method of welding together a pair of high reflectivity metal members by laser radiation comprising cladding a surface of one of said members with a layer of low reflectivity metal to a thickness of at least 0.0005 inch, disposing the clad member in overlying relation atop the unclad member with said layer being disposed on the side of the clad member away from the unclad member to form a junction between said members at adjacent surfaces, directing a beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation from a laser through said layer, said clad member, and said junction into the unclad member to melt the materials of the layer and members in the area contacted by the beam, removing said beam, and allowing the melted materials to solidify to form a weld nugget comprising an alloy of the materials joining the members together in an integral bond.

Claim 16

A method of welding together a pair of high reflectivity metal members by laser radiation comprising cladding a surface of at least one of said members with a low reflectivity metal to a thickness of at least 0.0005 inch, disposing the members in the desired abutting relation with the clad surface being in the path of a beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation from a laser and with the abutting surfaces forming a junction between the members in the area to be welded, operating the laser to direct the beam through said layer and into said members through the junction therebetween to melt the materials of the layer and members in the area contacted by the beam, discontinuing operation of said laser, and allowing the melted materials to solidify to form a weld nugget comprising an alloy of the materials joining the members together in an integral bond.

Claim 17

A method of welding together a pair of high reflectivity metal members by laser radiation comprising cladding a surface of at least one of said members with a low reflectivity metal to a thickness of at least 0.0005 inch, disposing the members in the desired abutting relation with the clad surface being in the path of a beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation from a laser and with the abutting surfaces forming a junction between the members in the area to be welded, operating the laser to direct the beam through said layer and into said members through the junction therebetween to melt the materials of the layer and members in the area contacted by the beam, discontinuing operation of said laser, and allowing the melted materials to solidify to form a weld nugget comprising an alloy of the materials joining the members together in an integral bond.