Patent ID: 7416769

Claim:
A hollow frame member adapted to be used in a friction stir welding, comprising: at an end portion of said hollow frame member adapted to be used in the friction stir welding, said hollow frame member has a raised portion which projects to an outer side in a thickness direction of said hollow frame member from one side face of said hollow frame member, extending beyond said one side face in said thickness direction, and is provided integrally on said end portion of said hollow frame member, said raised portion of said hollow frame member is a portion adapted to have a rotary tool inserted therein in the thickness direction so as to carry out the friction stir welding, at said end portion of said hollow frame member, said hollow frame member includes a vertical plate, said vertical plate being located such that said rotary tool is above the vertical plate and the vertical plate supports a load during the friction stir welding, and during the friction stir welding, material of said raised portion of said hollow frame member fills any gaps, between said hollow frame member and another hollow frame member to be friction stir welded to said hollow frame member, which exist when said hollow frame member and said another hollow frame member abut each other.