Method and apparatus for laser welding hoses in an air induction system
AssigneeSiemens VDO Automotive Corporation
InventorJames K. Vanderveen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Laser welding is used to attach an air induction component to a hose member. The air induction component includes a wall with an opening that cooperates with the hose member. The hose member includes a flange that directly engages the wall of the induction component on a surface surrounding the opening. One of the hose or induction component is made from a laser transparent material and the other of the hose or induction component is formed from a laser absorbing material. Contour through transmission welding is used to generate a laser beam that passes through the transparent material, heats the absorbing material, which in turn heats the transparent material and forms a laser weld.
Claims31
An air induction system comprising:
- a first component having a wall with an opening;
- a second component engaging said wall at an attachment interface surrounding said opening;
- and
- a laser weld area formed at said attachment interface for securely attaching said first and second components together.
An air induction system comprising:
- an induction component made from a polyolefin material and having a wall with an opening;
- a hose made from an elastomeric material and defining a central axis, said hose including a flange formed about one hose end wherein said flange directly engages said wall around a perimeter of said opening to define an attachment interface;
- and
- a laser weld area formed at said attachment interface to securely attach said hose to said induction component.
A method for attaching a first induction component to a second induction component in an air induction system comprising the steps of:
- positioning a first induction component over an opening formed within a wall of a second induction component;
- and
- laser welding the first and second induction components together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.