Method and apparatus for bonding extrusion-molded or die-molded pieces

A method for bonding molded pieces, comprising the steps of:

• providing a mold which can be split into left and right molds, said right mold having a cutting blade formed on a left side thereof so as to be along outer circumferential surfaces of the molded pieces, said left mold having a blade bearing portion formed on a right side thereof for bearing said cutting blade, and said cutting blade and said blade bearing portion being movable left and right independently of said molds;
• setting a pair of molded pieces having sectional shapes coincident with each other into said left and right molds, respectively, in such a manner that end surfaces of said molded pieces to be bonded are put inside so as to face each other, wherein said pair of molded pieces each individually being an extrusion-molded piece or a die-molded piece;
• attaching said left and right split molds with each other while inserting a sheet material acting as a bonding medium therebetween, so that said end portions of said molded pieces to be bonded are brought into contact with each other through said sheet material, and that said sheet material is cut into a shape along the shape of said molded piece end surfaces by said cutting blade;
• applying heat to at least a portion of said molded pieces to integrate with each other;
• and
• sliding said cutting blade and said blade bearing portion to move left such that any burr of said sheet material produced during said integration is leveled.

An apparatus for bonding molded pieces, comprising:

• a mold which can be split into left and right molds adapted so that a pair of molded pieces to be bonded having sectional shapes coincident with each other can be respectively set therein with end surfaces of said molded pieces to be bonded being put inside so as to face each other;
• a sheet material setting mechanism for inserting a sheet material acting as a bonding medium between said left and right molds;
• a sliding blade portion which has a cutting blade disposed at a front end thereof for cutting said sheet material along shapes of end surfaces of said molded pieces to be bonded and set in said molds, said cutting blade being formed so as to be along outer circumferential surfaces of said molded pieces on a left side of said right mold, and said sliding blade portion being movable to left and right inside said right mold;
• a driving mechanism for moving said sliding blade portion to left and right;
• a sliding blade bearing portion which has a blade bearing portion at a front end thereof for bearing said cutting blade, said blade bearing portion being formed on a right side of said left mold so that said blade bearing portion, and said sliding blade bearing portion being movable to left and right inside said left mold;
• and
• a spring member for pressing said sliding blade bearing portion to right.