Bonded composite intake manifold
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorJohn Carl Lohr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plastic air intake assembly comprising, for example, upper and lower housing members with the upper member underside and the lower member upper side having a continuous 3-dimensional perimeter mating surface. The upper member mating surface being formed with a chamfered-shape in cross-section and the lower member mating surface being formed with a complementary chamfered-shape in cross-section. The mating surfaces are bonded together in an overlapping flush manner by suitable means, such as heat-cured adhesive, forming a continuous sealed scarf joint parting-line having a low profile with the mating surfaces lying in generally parallel planes with their associated housing wall portions.
Claims10
A plastic automotive air intake assembly comprising:
- first and second housing members, the first member having a continuous 3-dimensional perimeter mating surface on its underside and the second member having a continuous 3-dimensional perimeter mating surface on its upper side;
- each first and second member mating surface having a chamfered-shape in cross-section, with the mating surfaces being oriented in complementary opposed relation to each other;
- and
- the first member mating surface being in overlapping flush contact with the second member mating surface with bonding means between the mating surfaces, whereby the mating surfaces are secured in a continuous sealed scarf joint defining an assembly parting-line between the housing members.
An automotive air intake assembly comprising:
- an upper housing member having wall means terminating in an end portion formed with a continuous 3-dimensional perimeter mating surface on its under side having a chamfered-shape in cross-section, an intermediate housing member having first wall means terminating in an end portion formed with a continuous 3-dimensional perimeter mating surface on its upper side having a chamfer-shape in cross-section and second wall means formed with a continuous 3-dimensional perimeter mating surface on its underside formed with a chamfered-shape in cross-section, and a lower housing member having wall means terminating in a continuous 3-dimensional perimeter end portion formed with a mating surface on its upper side having a chamfered-shape in cross-section;
- the upper member mating surface formed in a complementary opposed mirror image manner with the intermediate member first wall means mating surface for flush overlapping bonding contact therewith forming a continuous sealed first scarf joint parting-line between the assembly upper and intermediate members, and the lower member mating surface formed in a complementary opposed mirror image manner with the intermediate member second wall means mating surface for flush overlapping bonding contact therewith forming a continuous sealed second scarf joint parting line between the assembly lower and intermediate members.
A method for manufacturing an automotive air intake assembly for an internal combustion engine consisting of:
- molding an upper housing member with wall means formed on its underside with a continuous perimeter 3-dimensional mating surface having a chamfer-shape in cross-section;
- molding an intermediate housing member with first and second wall means, the first wall means formed on its upper side with a continuous perimeter 3-dimensional mating surface having a chamfered-shape in cross-section, complementary to the first member mating surface, and the second wall means formed on its underside with a continuous perimeter 3-dimensional mating surface;
- molding a third lower housing member with wall means formed on its upper side with a continuous perimeter 3-dimensional mating surface having a chamfered-shape in cross-section, complementary to the intermediate member second wall means mating surface;
- applying a continuous bead of heat-activated adhesive on each mating surface;
- placing the upper member mating surface in overlapping flush adhesive contact with the intermediate member first wall means mating surface, defining a first scarf-joint parting line;
- placing the lower member in overlapping flush adhesive contact with the intermediate member second wall means mating surface, defining a second scarf-joint parting line;
- and
- subjecting the three member assembly to a source of heat so as to raise the adhesive to a predetermined temperature for a set time interval, whereby the adhesive is heat-cured bonding the first and second scarf joint mating surfaces at their associated parting lines completing the air intake assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.