Patent Description:
In various formed bodies used for vehicles and the like, there have been considered, for the purpose of weight reduction, dissimilar metal joining between a steel material and a lightweight metal material such as an aluminum alloy or a magnesium alloy, dissimilar material joining between a steel material or a lightweight metal material and a resin material, and the like. Further weight reduction can be expected by joining dissimilar materials of a steel material or a lightweight metal material and a resin material.

Therefore, a method of manufacturing a new composite component by joining and integrating a metal formed body and a resin formed body has been considered. For example, as a method of increasing a processing speed and also increasing a joining strength in different directions, a method of roughening a surface of a metal formed body and a method of manufacturing a composite formed body have been proposed in which the surface of the metal formed body is roughened by continuously irradiating the surface of the metal formed body with laser light at an irradiation speed of <NUM>,<NUM>/sec or more with use of a continuous wave laser (see, for example, <CIT> and <CIT>).

<CIT> forming the basis for the preamble of claim <NUM> discloses a metal member for joining comprising a surface that comprises a smooth part and an uneven part, the uneven part including a plurality of concavities and a plurality of protrusions. <CIT> discloses a joined body of different materials including a metal layer and a resin layer and the metal layer has etching grooves with a width of entrance of from <NUM> to <NUM>. <CIT> discloses a member including concavities and protrusions for a face press connection. <CIT> discloses a composite molded body in which a metal molded body and a resin molded body are joined wherein the metal body has a plurality of grooves and projections on opposite sides of the respective groove. <CIT> discloses a metal member including projections and the maximum height of the projections is about <NUM>.

However, in <CIT> and <CIT>, in a case in which the metal formed body is roughened, although a convex shape is formed at the surface of the metal formed body, a convex shape is hardly formed at a position higher than the reference surface in some cases. Therefore, joining characteristic between the roughened metal formed body and the resin formed body or the like may be insufficient.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above conventional circumstances, and an object of the disclosure is to provide a metal member for joining having excellent joining strength with a resin member, and a joined body obtained by joining the metal member for joining and the resin member to each other.

A metal member for joining according to the invention is defined in claim <NUM>.

A joined body according to the invention is defined in claim <NUM>.

The disclosure can provide a metal member for joining having excellent joining strength with a resin member, and a joined body obtained by joining the metal member for joining and the resin member to each other.

Embodiments of the disclosure are described below in detail. It is noted here, however, that the disclosure is not restricted to the below-described embodiments. In the below-described embodiments, the constituents thereof (including element steps and the like) are not indispensable unless otherwise specified. The same applies to the numerical values and ranges thereof, without restricting the disclosure.

In the disclosure, those numerical ranges that are expressed with "to" each denote a range that includes the numerical values stated before and after "to" as the minimum value and the maximum value, respectively.

In a set of numerical ranges that are stated stepwisely in the disclosure, the upper limit value or the lower limit value of a numerical range may be replaced with the upper limit value or the lower limit value of other numerical range. Further, in a numerical range stated in the disclosure, the upper limit or the lower limit of the numerical range may be replaced with a relevant value indicated in any of Examples.

In the disclosure, a component may include a plurality of different substances corresponding thereto. When there are plural kinds of substances that correspond to a component of a composition, the indicated content ratio or content amount of the component in the composition means, unless otherwise specified, the total content ratio or content amount of the plural kinds of substances existing in the composition.

In the disclosure, particles corresponding to a component may include a plurality of different kinds of particles. When there are plural kinds of particles that correspond to a component of a composition, the indicated particle size of the component in the composition means, unless otherwise specified, a value determined for a mixture of the plural kinds of particles existing in the composition.

In the disclosure, "(meth)acrylic" means at least one of acrylic and methacrylic.

A metal member for joining according to the disclosure includes a surface that includes a smooth part and an uneven part, the uneven part including a plurality of concavities and a plurality of protrusions in which when a surface of the smooth part is defined as a reference surface, a given number of the protrusions satisfy the following formula (<NUM>).

In formula (<NUM>), X represents a maximum width of the protrusions at the same height as the reference surface, and Y represents a maximum width of the protrusions in a direction parallel to the reference surface.

The metal member for joining according to the disclosure has excellent joining strength with the resin member when the surface that includes the smooth part and the uneven part in the metal member for joining is joined to the resin member. The reason why the metal member for joining according to the disclosure has excellent joining strength with the resin member is for example assumed as follows. In the metal member for joining according to the disclosure, a given number of the protrusions have a region (hereinafter also referred to as "specific region") in which the maximum width Y in a direction parallel to the reference surface is larger than the maximum width X of the protrusions at the same height as the reference surface (hereinafter, the protrusion having such a region is also referred to as "specific protrusion"). As a result, it is assumed that the surface area of the portion to be joined to the resin member is increased, and the joining strength with the resin member becomes excellent, as compared with a metal member for joining, without any protrusions, a metal member for joining that has a protrusion whose width becomes smaller toward the tip side like a taper and does not have any specific protrusions formed in the metal member for joining according to the disclosure, or the like.

Hereinafter, the metal member for joining according to the disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the following embodiment, as an example of the metal member for joining, the metal member for joining according to the disclosure will be described on the basis of a metal member for joining formed by irradiating a surface of a metal member including aluminum with laser light to provide an uneven part. However, a material constituting the metal member for joining, a method of manufacturing the metal member for joining, and the like are not limited.

The size of the members in each figure is conceptual, and the relative relationship of size between members is not limited to this.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional photograph obtained by photographing a cross section of the surface having the smooth part and the uneven part in one embodiment of the metal member for joining from a position higher than the reference surface. In <FIG>, a cross section of a portion including the smooth part and the uneven part on the surface having the smooth part and the uneven part is shown.

<FIG> is an enlarged cross-sectional photograph of the uneven part in one embodiment of the metal member for joining, and corresponds to an electron micrograph of the uneven part of an aluminum test piece in Example <NUM> described below. In <FIG>, the portion where the reference surface is extended to the whole of the surface having the smooth part and the uneven part in the metal member for joining, is shown as the reference line.

As shown in <FIG>, a smooth part <NUM> and an uneven part <NUM> are exist in one surface of the metal member for joining. As shown in <FIG>, a plurality of concavities <NUM> and a plurality of protrusions <NUM> are respectively exist in the uneven part <NUM>. Further, the protrusions <NUM> exist, in which the maximum width Y of the protrusions <NUM> in a direction parallel to the reference surface is larger than the maximum width X of the protrusions <NUM> at the same height as the reference surface, that is, satisfies X < Y. As shown in <FIG>, the protrusions <NUM> have bent structures at a side of a leading end.

Further, as shown in <FIG>, the protrusions <NUM> have the aforementioned specific region, at least a part of the specific region faces at least a part of the concavities adjacent to the protrusions <NUM>. As a result, an anchor effect is suitably exhibited by the resin member entering between the specific region and the concavities, and the joining strength with the resin member is likely to be improved.

An average depth of the concavities <NUM> is from <NUM> to <NUM>, more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>, and still more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is aluminum, the average depth of the concavities is preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>, more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>, and still more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is copper, the average depth of the concavities is preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>, more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>, and still more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is copper-zinc alloy, the average depth of the concavities is preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>, more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>, and still more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

An average height of the protrusions <NUM> is from <NUM> to <NUM>, and preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>. The average height of the protrusions <NUM> may be lower than the average depth of the concavities <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is aluminum, the average height of the protrusions is from <NUM> to <NUM>, and preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is copper, the average height of the protrusions is from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is copper-zinc alloy, the average height of the protrusions is from <NUM> to <NUM>, and preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In the disclosure, the depth of the concavity means the distance between the reference surface and the surface that is parallel to the reference surface and passes through the lowest position of the concavity when observing a cross section orthogonal to the reference surface.

In the disclosure, the height of the protrusion means the distance between the reference surface and the surface that is parallel to the reference surface and passes through the highest position of the protrusion when observing a cross section orthogonal to the reference surface.

In the disclosure, the average depth of the concavities means the arithmetic mean value of the depth of the five concavities.

In the disclosure, the average height of the protrusions means the arithmetic mean value of the height of the five protrusions.

In the uneven part <NUM>, when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the reference surface, the density of the protrusions <NUM> are each independently preferably form <NUM> protrusions/mm<NUM> to <NUM> protrusions/mm<NUM>, more preferably from <NUM> protrusions/mm<NUM> to <NUM> protrusions/mm<NUM>, and still more preferably from <NUM> protrusions/mm<NUM> to <NUM> protrusions/mm<NUM>.

A maximum width X of the protrusions <NUM> at the same height as the reference surface is preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is aluminum, the maximum width X of the protrusions at the same height as the reference surface may be from <NUM> to <NUM>, or may be from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is copper, the maximum width X of the protrusions at the same height as the reference surface may be from <NUM> to <NUM>, or may be from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is copper-zinc alloy, the maximum width X of the protrusions at the same height as the reference surface may be from <NUM> to <NUM>, or may be from <NUM> to <NUM>.

A maximum width Y of the protrusions in a direction parallel to the reference surface is not particularly limited as long as it is larger than the maximum width X, and preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is aluminum, the maximum width Y of the protrusions in a direction parallel to the reference surface may be from <NUM> to <NUM>, or may be from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is copper, the maximum width Y of the protrusions in a direction parallel to the reference surface may be from <NUM> to <NUM>, or may be from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the metal constituting the metal member for joining is copper-zinc alloy, the maximum width Y of the protrusions in a direction parallel to the reference surface may be from <NUM> to <NUM>, or may be from <NUM> to <NUM>.

The given number of the protrusions preferably satisfy the following formula (<NUM>) in terms of joining strength with the resin member.

In formula (<NUM>), X and Y are the same as X and Y in formula (<NUM>).

The maximum width X may be the maximum width of the protrusions <NUM> at the same height as the reference surface in the direction intersecting the groove direction, preferably in the direction orthogonal to the groove direction.

A ratio of the aforementioned specific protrusions (protrusions <NUM> in <FIG>) in whole protrusions is not particularly limited and, in terms of joining strength with the resin member, may be <NUM>% by number or more, or may be <NUM>% by number or more. The ratio of the aforementioned specific protrusions in whole protrusions may be <NUM>% by number or less.

A metal constituting the metal member for joining is not limited, and can be selected appropriately from known metal materials in accordance with application of the joined body formed with use of the metal member for joining. Examples of the metal constituting the me tal member for joining include iron, aluminum, zinc, titanium, copper, magnesium, and alloy s including these metals. Examples of the alloy include various stainless steels and copper-zi nc alloys.

The surface having the smooth part and the uneven part of the metal member for joi ning may be subjected to surface treatment such as plating treatment or alumite treatment.

A shape of the metal member for joining is not limited, and can be selected appropri ately in accordance with the application of the joined body formed with use of the metal me mber for joining. Examples of the shape of the metal member for joining include a plate sha pe, a spherical shape, a shape having a curved surface, and a shape having a step.

The surface having the uneven part of the metal member for joining may be a flat su rface.

A method of forming the uneven part on the metal member is not limited. Examples of the method of forming the uneven part on the metal member include a method of irradiati ng the surface of the metal member with laser light to provide the uneven part as described a bove.

Hereinafter, various conditions and the like when adopting a method of irradiating th e surface of the metal member with laser light to provide the uneven part will be described.

The following various conditions are set appropriately in terms of a type of metal co nstituting the metal member for joining, the depth of the concavities, the height of the protrus ions, period and height of a partition wall provided as needed and the like.

In a case in which the uneven part is provided by irradiating the surface of the metal member with laser light, a pulse laser or a continuous wave (CW) laser may be used. In a ca se in which the CW laser is used, the CW laser may be a modulated CW laser in which powe r of the laser is periodically changed.

In the case in which the CW laser is used, an irradiation speed (scan speed) of the C W laser is not limited.

The irradiation speed of the CW laser is preferably from <NUM>/sec to <NUM>,<NUM>/s ec.

When the irradiation speed of the CW laser is <NUM>/sec or more, a processing spe ed of the metal member is likely to be increased. When the irradiation speed of the CW laser is <NUM>,<NUM>/sec or less, at least a part of the protrusions is likely to satisfy the relationship o f the aforementioned formula (<NUM>), and the joining strength with the resin member is likely to be further improved.

An irradiation output of the laser is not limited.

For example, in the case in which the CW laser is used, the laser output is preferably from 300W to <NUM>,000W.

When the laser output of the CW laser is 300W or more, the irradiation speed of the CW laser is easily increased, and the processing speed of the metal member is likely to be in creased. When the laser output of the CW laser is <NUM>,000W or less, an irradiation facility of a laser light is likely to be miniaturized.

A spot diameter of the laser is not limited.

For example, the spot diameter of the laser is preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the modulated CW laser is used, a modulation method may be a si ne wave, a triangular wave, or a rectangular wave.

A frequency of the modulated CW laser is preferably from <NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM>.

In the modulated CW laser, a minimum value of the laser output when a maximum v alue of the laser output is <NUM> is preferably <NUM> or more but less than <NUM>, more preferably fro m <NUM> to <NUM>, and still more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In a case in which the surface of the metal member is irradiated with laser light, the uneven part may be provided by wobbling.

The laser light may be repeatedly emitted to a part irradiated once with the laser ligh t. In a case in which the laser light is repeatedly emitted, the number of repetitions is prefera bly from <NUM> to <NUM> and more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

As the laser, a solid laser such as a ruby laser, a yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) las er, or a titanium sapphire laser, a liquid laser such as a dye laser, a gas laser such as a helium neon laser, an argon ion laser, a carbon dioxide gas laser, a nitrogen laser, or an excimer laser , a semiconductor laser, a fiber laser, or the like can be used.

When the uneven part is provided by irradiating the surface of the metal member wit h the laser light, compressed air may be supplied to a part irradiated with the laser light on th e surface of the metal member. A pressure of the supplied compressed air is preferably from <NUM> MPa to <NUM> MPa in terms of efficiently removing metal powder generated by irradiation with the laser light.

When the laser light is linearly emitted, a scanning interval of the laser light is prefer ably larger than the spot diameter of the laser light.

A joined body according to the disclosure includes the metal member for joining acc ording to the disclosure, and the resin member joined to the surface having the smooth part a nd the uneven part of the metal member for joining.

Since the resin member is joined to the surface having the smooth part and the uneve n part of the metal member for joining, the joined body according to the disclosure has an ex cellent joining strength between the metal member for joining and the resin member.

A type of the resin constituting the resin member is not limited, and a conventionall y known resin can be appropriately selected and used in accordance with the application of th e joined body.

Examples of the resin include a thermosetting resin, a thermoplastic resin, and elasto mer.

Specific examples of the thermosetting resin include a phenol resin, an unsaturated i mide resin, a cyanate resin, an isocyanate resin, a benzoxazine resin, an oxetane resin, an ami no resin, an unsaturated polyester resin, an allyl resin, a dicyclopentadiene resin, a silicone re sin, a triazine resin, a melamine resin, a resorcinol resin, and an epoxy resin.

Specific examples of the thermoplastic resin include a polyimide resin, a polyamidei mide resin, a polyamide resin, a polyetherimide resin, a polybenzoxazole resin, a polybenzim idazole resin, a polystyrene resin, an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin, an acry lonitrile-styrene copolymer resin, a polyethylene resin, a polypropylene resin, a polyvinyl chl oride resin, a polyvinylidene chloride resin, a polycarbonate resin, a (meth) acrylic resin, a p olyester resin, a polyacetal resin, and a polyphenylene sulfide resin.

Specific examples of the elastomer include silicone rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), nitrile rubber (NBR), and urethane rubber.

The resin member may contain other conventionally known components other than t he resin in accordance with the application of the joined body. Examples of other component s include particulate fillers, fibrous fillers, and release agents.

Examples of other components further include a curing agent that cures the thermos etting resin, a curing accelerator that accelerates curing of the thermosetting resin, and a surf ace treatment agent that modifies a surface of an inorganic material.

The content of other components other than the resin included in the resin member may be appropriately set in accordance with the application of the joined body.

A method of manufacturing the joined body is not limited, and a normal method of molding a resin formed body can be adopted, such as an injection molding method, a blow m olding method, a compression molding method, a transfer molding method, an extrusion mol ding method, or a cast molding method. A resin composition including a resin and, if necess ary, other components may be applied to the surface provided with the uneven part, of the me tal member for joining provided with the uneven part, as described above by an insert moldin g method to manufacture a joined body.

Furthermore, the metal member for joining provided with the uneven part may be br ought into contact with the resin member, and then the metal member for joining and the resi n member may be joined by ultrasonic welding, vibration welding, induction welding, high-f requency welding, laser welding, heat welding, spin welding, or the like.

The metal member for joining and the resin member may be joined by heating and s oftening a part of the resin member to be joined to the metal member for joining and then bri nging the resin member and the metal member for joining into contact with each other while pressurizing the resin member and the metal member for joining.

In terms of preventing deformation of the protrusions in the uneven part and improvi ng the joining strength, the joined body is preferably manufactured by the insert molding met hod.

In a case in which a thermosetting resin is used as a component of the resin member, the metal member for joining and the resin member may be joined by the above method, and then the resin member may be cured by heat treatment.

Examples of the applications of the joined body according to the disclosure include various formed bodies used in vehicles and the like, and specific examples thereof include a side door, a hood, a roof, a back door, a luggage door, a bumper, and a crash box, but are not limited thereto.

Hereinafter, the disclosure will be described based on Examples, but the disclosure i s not limited thereto. Further, in the following Examples, parts and % indicate parts by mass and % by mass unless otherwise specified.

Doughnut-shaped test pieces <NUM> including aluminum (AL <NUM>), copper (C <NUM>), and brass (C <NUM>) having an outer diameter of <NUM>, an inner diameter of <NUM>, and a th ickness of <NUM> in accordance with ISO19095 as illustrated in <FIG> were prepared.

On the test piece <NUM>, an uneven part <NUM> was formed under the following condition s using a fiber laser (ML6811C (CW laser) manufactured by Amada Miyachi Co. A width of the uneven part <NUM> was set to <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an example of an electron micrograph of the uneven part of the alu minum test piece of Example <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates an example of an electron micrograph of th e uneven part of the copper test piece of Example <NUM>. <FIG> and <FIG> illustrate an example o f an electron micrograph of the uneven part of the brass test piece of Example <NUM>. <FIG> illust rates an example of an electron micrograph of the uneven part of the aluminum test piece of Comparative Example <NUM>.

As is apparent from <FIG>, in at least a part of the protrusions, it turns out that t he maximum width Y of the protrusions in a direction parallel to the reference surface is larg er than the maximum width X of the protrusions at the same height as the reference surface.

The results of the maximum width X and the maximum width Y in the specific protr usions are shown in Table <NUM>.

The electron micrographs of the test pieces were taken at an acceleration voltage of <NUM> kV with use of JSM-IT100 manufactured by JEOL Ltd.

On the other hand, as is apparent from <FIG>, in the aluminum test piece of Compara tive Example <NUM>, the maximum width of the protrusions in a direction parallel to the reference surface is smaller than the maximum width of the protrusions at the same height as the refer ence surface represented by the white line.

Regarding Examples <NUM> to <NUM> and Comparative Example <NUM>, the average height of the p rotrusions (the arithmetic mean value of the height of the five protrusions) and the average de pth of the concavities (the arithmetic mean value of the depth of the five concavities) were de termined as described above.

Subsequently, a resin part <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG> was injection-molded under t he conditions of a resin heating temperature of <NUM> and a mold temperature of <NUM> with u se of an injection molding machine LA60 manufactured by Sodick Co. to cover the une ven part of each test piece provided with the uneven part. A size of the resin part <NUM> was <NUM> in outer diameter and <NUM> in thickness. As the resin, a POM resin (standard grade M9 <NUM>-<NUM>) manufactured by Polyplastics Co.

By using each test piece on which the resin part was formed, the joining strength wa s evaluated by the following method.

AG-5kNIS manufactured by SHIMADZU CORPORATION was used to perform a t ensile test at a test speed of <NUM>/min, the average value (N=<NUM>) of the joining strength of test pieces that are joined bodies was determined.

The average value of the joining strength of the aluminum test piece of Example <NUM> w as <NUM> MPa.

The average value of the joining strength of the copper test piece of Example <NUM> was <NUM> MPa.

The average value of the joining strength of the brass test piece of Example <NUM> was <NUM><NUM> MPa.

Claim 1:
A metal member (<NUM>) for joining, comprising:
a surface that comprises a smooth part and an uneven part (<NUM>), the uneven part including a plurality of concavities (<NUM>) and a plurality of protrusions (<NUM>)
wherein, when a surface of the smooth part is defined as a reference surface, a given number of the protrusions satisfy the following formula (<NUM>): <MAT>
wherein, in formula (<NUM>), X represents a maximum width of the protrusions at the same height as the reference surface, and Y represents a maximum width of the protrusions in a direction parallel to the reference surface,
wherein X is from <NUM> to <NUM>,
wherein Y is from <NUM> to <NUM>,
wherein an average depth of the concavities is from <NUM> to <NUM>, and
wherein an average height of the protrusions is from <NUM> to <NUM>.