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US 2016/0101563 A1Published application
Apparatus and method for an infrared pressure weld reservoir
AssigneeContinental Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Zaitz, Shawn Griffin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid reservoir for a vehicle comprises a first reservoir portion and a second reservoir portion, wherein the first and the second reservoir portions define a reservoir to retain fluid for a washer system. The first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion are secured together using infrared welding.
Claims10
A fluid reservoir for a washer system comprising:
- a first reservoir portion;
- a second reservoir portion, wherein the first and the second reservoir portions define a reservoir to retain fluid for a washer system;
- and
- an overlapping portion of the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion, wherein the overlapping portion is a weld formed using an infrared weld.
1 more element
A method of infrared welding a fluid reservoir for a vehicle comprising:
- placing a first reservoir portion inside a first cavity defined by a first weld portion;
- placing a second reservoir portion inside a second cavity defined by a second weld portion;
- placing a first light array concentrically surrounding the first reservoir portion;
- placing a second light array concentrically inside the second reservoir portion;
- applying infrared heat with the first light array and the second light array until a predetermined temperature on the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion is reached;
- removing the first light array and the second light array from the first and second reservoir portions;
- moving the first weld portion and the second weld portion together until an overlapping portion formed is formed by the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion;
- placing a pair of slides to concentrically surround the overlapping portion;
- and
- filling the reservoir with pressurized air to weld the first reservoir portion to the second reservoir portion at the overlapping portion.
7 more elements
An infrared weld apparatus for a fluid reservoir comprising:
- a first weld portion defining a first weld cavity to receive a first reservoir portion;
- a second weld portion defining a second weld cavity to receive a second reservoir portion;
- a first light array located concentrically surrounding the first reservoir portion;
- a second light array located concentrically inside the second reservoir portion, parallel to the first light array, wherein the first light array and second light array are configured to apply infrared heat to the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion;
- and
- a pair of slides to concentrically surrounding an overlapping portion of the first reservoir portion and the second reservoir portion, when the first reservoir portion, first weld portion, second reservoir portion and second weld portion are assembled together;
- wherein pressurized air is pumped into the fluid reservoir after the first reservoir portion, first weld portion, second reservoir portion and second weld portion, and the slides are assembled together to weld the first reservoir portion to the second reservoir portion.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.