Patent ID: 7337539

Claim:
A method of producing a coolable annular support for internally cooled piston rings and comprising an annular body embodied as a circular ring; a cooling channel plate in the form of a circular ring and having a predominantly U-shaped cross-section, wherein said cooling channel plate is provided with openings; and respective tubular bodies or plate-shaped bodies disposed on or in said openings, the method including the steps of: welding end portions of said legs of said cooling channel plate with edge portions of said annular body via laser beams of at least one laser in a continuous wave operation, accompanied by a supply of an inert gas and metal powder as an additive, in such a way that by guiding said laser beams predominantly or entirely onto said annular body, a first weld seam is produced by a partial melting or fusing of said annular body, a partial melting or fusing of said cooling channel plate, and a melting or fusing of applied metal powder; providing a path of movement of said annular support or of said laser beams of greater than 360°; and interconnecting a wall of a respective tubular body or a plate-shaped body with a rim portion of a respective one of said openings via at least one second weld seam.