Method and apparatus for joining materials

Abstract

A method and apparatus for joining sealingly incompatible plastic materials is disclosed. A coextruded connector (10) with separate, telescopically related layers (12,14) is affixed to one of the materials. The outer layer (14) of connector (10) is composed of a polymer specifically selected to melt or deform at a temperature lower than that of inner layer (12). The connector is frictionally fit within a second material to be joined and the connection is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt or deform outer layer (14) without melting inner layer (12). Outer layer 14 is thereby securely fused to the second material or blood container. A secondary embodiment is disclosed for joining materials of similar composition. Two coextruded connectors (40,46), having telescopically related layers composed of different polymer materials, are formed, as above, but the layer sequence of each connector is opposite to the other. The connectors (40,46) are sized to frictionally fit one within the other and the layers (42,48) in facing contact are composed of a material selected to melt or deform at a temperature lower than the nonfacing layers (44,50). For joining, the connectors (40,46) are affixed to the materials to be joined and then fit one within the other. The connection is then heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the lower melting, facing layers (42,48) to fuse together.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.