Method of forming at least one channel within a substrate and a system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11020888-B2
Application number	US-201816033914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2018
Priority date	Jul 12, 2018
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A method of forming at least one channel within a substrate includes coupling a fitting to a mold, and securing together the fitting and an insert via threads. A system includes a mold configured to form the substrate. The method also includes inserting a component into an opening of the fitting. Part of the component is disposed outside of the opening of the fitting, and the component is utilized to define the at least one channel within the substrate. The method further includes molding at least one material to the component and the insert to form the substrate. Furthermore, the method includes removing the fitting from the insert while the insert remains molded to the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming at least one channel within a substrate, the method comprising:
coupling a fitting to a mold;
securing together the fitting and an insert via threads;
inserting a component into an opening of the fitting, wherein part of the component is disposed outside of the opening of the fitting, and the component is utilized to form the at least one channel within the substrate;
molding at least one material to the component and the insert to form the substrate; and
removing the fitting from the insert while the insert remains molded to the substrate.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein molding the at least one material to the component and the insert further comprises molding the at least one material directly to the component and the insert to form the substrate.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising inserting the component through a hole of the insert, wherein part of the component is disposed outside of the hole of the insert.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising removing the component from the hole of the insert.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising placing a retainer member around the component to maintain a position of the component relative to the fitting and the insert.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 further comprising removing the retainer member from the component after molding the at least one material to the component and the insert.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising removing the component from the substrate, thereby forming the at least one channel in the substrate.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the component is further defined as a sacrificial component, wherein removing the component from the substrate further comprises igniting the sacrificial component to cause deflagration of the sacrificial component, thereby forming the at least one channel in the substrate.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the component is further defined as a sacrificial component, wherein removing the component from the substrate further comprises melting the sacrificial component and removing the melted sacrificial component from the substrate, thereby forming the at least one channel in the substrate.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 :
wherein the fitting is further defined as a pin having a head and the opening of the pin is closed at one end of the pin;
wherein coupling the fitting to the mold further comprises threading the pin to threads of the mold;
wherein inserting the component into the opening of the fitting further comprises inserting the component into the opening of the pin;
wherein securing together the fitting and the insert via the threads further comprises securing together the pin and the insert via the threads;
wherein securing together the pin and the insert via the threads occurs after threading the pin to the threads of the mold;
further comprising inserting the component through a hole of the insert, wherein part of the component is disposed outside of the hole of the insert;
wherein inserting the component into the opening of the pin occurs before inserting the component through the hole of the insert;
further comprising placing a retainer member around the component to maintain a position of the component relative to the pin and the insert;
wherein placing the retainer member around the component occurs before molding the at least one material to the component and the insert;
further comprising unscrewing the pin from the mold via the head;
wherein unscrewing the pin from the mold occurs after molding the at least one material to the component and the insert;
wherein removing the fitting from the insert while the insert remains molded to the substrate further comprises unscrewing the pin from the insert via the head;
further comprising removing the retainer member from the component after molding the at least one material to the component and the insert;
further comprising removing the component from the hole of the insert and the substrate, thereby forming the at least one channel in the substrate; and
wherein removing the component from the hole of the insert and the substrate occurs after unscrewing the pin from the mold and unscrewing the pin from the insert.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 :
further comprising coupling a ball-lock pin to the mold;
wherein coupling the fitting to the mold further comprises coupling the ball-lock pin to the fitting via at least one recess of the fitting;
wherein coupling the ball-lock pin to the fitting occurs after coupling the ball-lock pin to the mold;
further comprising inserting the component through a hole of the insert, wherein part of the component is disposed outside of the hole of the insert;
wherein inserting the component through the hole of the insert and inserting the component into the opening of the fitting occurs before coupling the ball-lock pin to the fitting;
further comprising placing a retainer member around the component to maintain a position of the component relative to the fitting and the insert;
wherein placing the retainer member around the component occurs before molding the at least one material to the component and the insert;
wherein placing the retainer member around the component occurs before inserting the component through the hole of the insert and the opening of the fitting;
wherein removing the fitting from the insert while the insert remains molded to the substrate further comprises unscrewing the fitting from the insert via at least one slot of the fitting;
wherein unscrewing the fitting from the insert occurs after molding the at least one material to the component and the insert;
further comprising removing the retainer member from the component after molding the at least one material to the component and the insert;
further comprising removing the component from the hole of the insert and the substrate, thereby forming the at least one channel in the substrate; and
wherein removing the component from the hole of the insert and the substrate occurs after unscrewing the fitting from the insert.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1 :
wherein the component is further defined as a tube;
wherein inserting the component into the opening of the fitting further comprises inserting the tube into the opening of the fitting;
wherein molding the at least one material to the component and the insert further comprises molding the at least one material to the tube and the insert to form the substrate, and the tube remains molded to the substrate to form the at least one channel in the substrate;
further comprising inserting the tube through a hole of the insert, wherein part of the tube is disposed outside of the hole of the insert;
further comprising placing a retainer member around the tube to maintain a position of the tube relative to the fitting and the insert;
wherein placing the retainer member around the tube occurs before molding the at least one material to the component and the insert;
wherein removing the fitting from the insert while the insert remains molded to the substrate further comprises unscrewing the fitting from the insert;
wherein unscrewing the fitting from the insert occurs after molding the at least one material to the tube and the insert; and
further comprising removing the retainer member from the tube after molding the at least one material to the tube and the insert.

13. A system comprising:
a mold configured to form a substrate;
a fitting coupled to the mold, and the fitting defines an opening;
an insert and

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Coppola Anthony M
• Kia Hamid G

Classifications

• B29C2045/14147

  using pins or needles penetrating through the insert · CPC title

• B29C45/14467

  Joining articles or parts of a single article (B29C45/14377, B29C45/14385, B29C45/14581, B29C45/14614 and B29C45/006 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29L2023/007

  Medical tubes other than catheters (catheters B29L2031/7542) · CPC title

• B29C45/44

  for undercut articles · CPC title

• B29C45/14475

  Joining juxtaposed parts of a single article, e.g. edges of a folded container blank · CPC title