Vibration welding systems and methods
AssigneeRohr, Inc.
InventorsSHYAN BOB SHEN, MICHAEL VAN TOOREN
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims5
A fiber-reinforced thermoplastic hollow structure, comprising:
- a shell comprising a first flange, a second flange, and sidewalls, the shell comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material;
- and
- a mating component coupled to the first flange and the second flange and including a first internal surface, and the first internal surface and internal surfaces of the sidewalls defining a cavity, the first flange and the mating component defining a first weld seam, the first weld seam being between 20% and 80% of a lateral length of the first flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.