Method and arrangement for pre-curing an adhesive layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10245818-B2
Application number	US-201514967330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2015
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

The invention provides a method for pre-curing an adhesive layer bonding a first component to a second component. The adhesive layer is heated by treating an adhesive layer component as heating the first component with a pair of electrodes that are in electrical contact with a surface of the first component, the pair of electrodes applying a predetermined electrical current (I1, I2) to the first component. The invention further provides an arrangement for pre-curing a layer of adhesive.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for pre-curing an adhesive layer bonding a first component to a second component before main curing, comprising:
heating the adhesive layer by treating an adhesive layer component with a pair of electrodes,
wherein the pair of electrodes applies a predetermined electrical current to the first component,
wherein a first electrical current (I 1 ) is applied to the first component with the pair of electrodes for raising a temperature of the adhesive layer above an activation threshold (AT) and thereafter a second electrical current (I 2 ) is applied to the first component with the pair of electrodes for maintaining the temperature of the adhesive layer within a predetermined temperature range (TR) above the activation threshold (AT),
wherein the first electrical current (I 1 ) is applied to the first component for a time duration (t 1 ) of about 1000 ms to 7000 ms,
wherein the second electrical current (I 2 ) is applied at a predetermined number of pulses, and each of the pulses is applied to the first component for a time duration (t 2 ) of 300 ms to 700 ms, and
wherein a mechanical pressure (P) is applied to a surface of the first component and a surface of the second component for a predetermined time duration (t 3 ) during pre-curing of the adhesive layer.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature range (TR) is less than a degradation temperature (DT) of the adhesive layer.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a one-component epoxy, a two-component epoxy, a one-component polyurethane, a two-component polyurethane or a two-component acrylic.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein, when the adhesive layer comprises the one-component epoxy, the activation threshold (AT) of the adhesive layer is about 180° C., the degradation temperature (DT) of the adhesive layer is greater than about 240° C., and the predetermined temperature range is of about 180° C. to 240° C.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein, when the adhesive layer comprises the two-component epoxy, the activation threshold (AT) of the adhesive layer is about 120° C., the degradation temperature (DT) of the adhesive layer is greater than about 200° C., and the predetermined temperature range is of about 120° C. to 200° C.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein when the adhesive layer comprises the one-component polyurethane, the degradation temperature (DT) of the adhesive layer is greater than about 160° C., and the activation threshold (AT) of the adhesive layer is about 100° C., the predetermined temperature range is of about 100° C. to 160° C.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein, when the adhesive layer comprises the two-component polyurethane, the degradation temperature (DT) of the adhesive layer is greater than about 140° C., and the activation threshold (AT) of the adhesive layer is about 90° C., the predetermined temperature range is of about 90° C. and 140° C.

8. The method according to claim 3 , wherein, when the adhesive layer comprises the two-component acrylic, the activation threshold (AT) of the adhesive layer is about 60° C., the degradation temperature (DT) of the adhesive layer is greater than about 120° C., and the predetermined temperature range is of about 60° C. to 120° C.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrical current (I 1 ) is of about 500 A to 5500 A.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein there is a pause of about 1 ms to 2000 ms between applying the first electrical current (I 1 ) and the second electrical current (I 2 ).

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrical current (I 2 ) is applied at the predetermined number of pulses of about 250 A to 1450 A.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein, after each of the pulses, there is a pause of about 100 ms to 900 ms and the predetermined number of pulses is 10 to 50 pulses.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center Gmbh
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Vaughan Andrew
• Richeton Julien

Classifications

• B32B2363/00

  Epoxy resins · CPC title

• B32B2605/00

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B32B2309/04

  Time · CPC title

• B32B2307/542

  Shear strength · CPC title

• B32B9/005

  comprising one layer of ceramic material, e.g. porcelain, ceramic tile (layered products with at least two ceramic layers composed mainly of ceramic B32B18/00) · CPC title