Method and apparatus for joining at least two plastic parts
AssigneeKocher-Plastik Maschinenbau GmbH
InventorsKarl Köppel, Frank Mark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for joining at least two plastic parts (1, 5) along a predeterminable common joining point using infrared radiation (IR), is characterized in that each of the plastic parts (1, 5) to be joined is heated using infrared radiation at least along the joint by radiation sources without touching the respective plastic parts (1, 5). One radiation source is operated independently and spatially separated from the other radiation source. The radiation sources emit their respective infrared radiation to the respective plastic parts (1, 5) without contact and following the contour of the joint. The degree of heating by the respective infrared radiation is selected such that the joint is formed when the plastic parts (1, 5) are brought together.
Claims31
An apparatus for joining two plastic parts along a predeterminable common joining point using infrared radiation, the apparatus comprising:
- ring-shaped first and second heating elements having first and second IR radiation elements being inside the first and second heating elements, respectively, and following contours of respective plastic parts to be irradiated without contacting the respective plastic parts, the first and second IR radiation elements being operable independently and being spatially separated from one another, each of the first and second radiation elements having first and second radiation surfaces oriented at an angle relative to one another, capable of generating and directing heat in different angular directions and capable of being parallel to joining surfaces of the respective plastic parts to be joined and oriented at angles relative to one another equal to the angle of the first and second radiation surfaces of the respective IR radiation element.
A method for joining first and second plastic parts along predetermined joining surfaces of the first and second plastic parts using infrared radiation, the method comprising the steps of:
- using an apparatus for joining two plastic parts along the joining surfaces using infrared radiation, the apparatus comprising:
- ring-shaped first and second heating elements having first and second IR radiation elements being inside the first and second heating elements, respectively, and following contours of the joining surfaces of the respective plastic parts to be irradiated without contacting the respective plastic parts, the first and second IR radiation elements being operable independently and being spatially separated from one another, each of the first and second radiation elements having first and second radiation surfaces being oriented at an angle relative to one another and being parallel to the joining surfaces of the respective plastic parts to be joined and oriented at angles relative to one another equal to the angle of the first and second radiation surfaces of the respective IR radiation elements;
- separately and independently heating the first and second plastic parts with the first and second IR radiation elements, respectively, generating and directing IR radiation in different angular directions along the contours of the joining surfaces of the first and second plastic parts without the first and second IR radiation element touching or contacting the first and second plastic parts, respectively, by infrared radiation to extents or degrees sufficient for forming a welded joint when the joining surfaces of the first and second plastic parts are brought together;
- and
- contacting the respective joining surfaces of the first and second plastic parts together after the heating of the first and second plastic parts.
A combination, comprising:
- two plastic parts to be joined along a predeterminable common joining surfaces using infrared radiation;
- and
- an apparatus including ring-shaped first and second heating elements having first and second IR radiation elements being inside the first and second heating elements, respectively, and following contours of the respective joining surfaces of the plastic parts to be irradiated without contacting the respective plastic parts, the first and second IR radiation elements being operable independently and being spatially separated from one another, each of the first and second radiation elements having first and second radiation surfaces being oriented at an angle relative to one another, generating and directing IR radiation in different angular directions and being parallel to the respective joining surfaces of the respective plastic parts to be joined and oriented at angles relative to one another equal to the angle of the first and second radiation surfaces of the respective IR radiation element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.