Vibration welding systems and methods
AssigneeRohr, Inc.
InventorsShyan Bob Shen, Michael Van Tooren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for forming a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic hollow structure may comprise: abutting a first surface of a first flange of a shell and a second surface of a second flange of the shell with a mating component; disposing an end block laterally adjacent to the shell; applying a first load to a sidewall of the shell; applying a second load to the second flange of the shell; and vibrating one of the shell or the mating component while keeping a non-vibrating component stationary, the non-vibrating component including one of the shell or the mating component.
Claims15
A method for forming a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic hollow structure, comprising:
- abutting a first surface of a first flange of a shell and a second surface of a second flange of the shell with a mating component, the shell comprising the first flange, the second flange, and at least two sidewalls extending from the first flange to the second flange;
- disposing an end block laterally adjacent to the first flange of the shell;
- applying a first load to a sidewall in the at least two sidewalls of the shell, wherein a second sidewall in the at least two sidewalls remains un-loaded directly;
- applying a second load to the second flange of the shell;
- and
- vibrating one of the shell or the mating component while keeping a non-vibrating component stationary, the non-vibrating component including one of the shell or the mating component, wherein the first flange is coupled to the mating component in response to the vibrating.
A method for forming a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic hollow structure, comprising:
- abutting a first surface of a first flange of a shell and a second surface of a second flange of the shell with a mating component, the shell comprising the first flange, the second flange, and at least two sidewalls extending from the first flange to the second flange;
- applying a first load to a sidewall in the at least two sidewalls of the shell and a second load to the second flange without applying a third load to the first flange and without applying a fourth load to a second sidewall in the at least two sidewalls;
- restraining lateral movement of the first flange;
- and
- vibrating one of the mating component or the shell in a longitudinal direction to join at least a portion of the first flange to the mating component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.