Method for welding synthetic resin member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235536-B2
Application number	US-201816636551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2018
Priority date	Aug 14, 2017
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A protrusion on a first member made of synthetic resin wherein a laser beam is applied to a side surface of the protrusion in a state in which a top surface of the protrusion of the first member is abutted against a second member made of synthetic resin, so as to melt at least the entire top surface of the protrusion and melt a portion of the second member in contact with the protrusion by heat of the melted top surface of the protrusion, followed by solidification of the melted portions, whereby the first member and the second member are welded together.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A synthetic resin member welding method for welding together a first member made of synthetic resin and a second member made of synthetic resin, the method comprising:
providing a protrusion on the first member; and
applying a laser beam to a side surface of the protrusion while a top surface of the protrusion of the first member is abutted against the second member to melt at least the entire top surface of the protrusion and melt a portion of the second member, the portion being in contact with the top surface, followed by solidification of the melted portions, whereby the first member and the second member are welded together, wherein
the first member and the second member are the same synthetic resin material,
the first member and the second member are not transparent to the laser beam, and
a path of the laser beam does not intersect the second member at the melt portion of the second member.

2. The synthetic resin member welding method claim 1 , wherein
the protrusion extends in a predetermined direction, and
a laser beam is applied to a side surface of the protrusion and is scanned in the predetermined direction for melting at least the entire top surface of the protrusion and melting the portion of the second member in contact with the top surface by heat of the melted top surface, followed by solidification of the melted portions, whereby the first member and the second member are welded together.

3. The synthetic resin member welding method according to claim 2 , wherein
laser beams are individually applied to opposite side surfaces of the protrusion and are scanned in the predetermined direction for melting at least the entire top surface of the protrusion and melting the portion of the second member in contact with the top surface by heat of the melted top surface, followed by solidification of the melted portions, whereby the first member and the second member are welded together.

4. The synthetic resin member welding method according to claim 2 , wherein a groove extending along the protrusion is formed on the second member, so that at least a portion of melted synthetic resin material flows into the groove.

5. The synthetic resin member welding method according to claim 2 , wherein
the protrusion extends zigzag in relation to a predetermined rectilinear direction, and
the laser beam is scanned along the predetermined rectilinear direction.

6. The synthetic resin member welding method according to claim 2 , wherein
a projecting portion extending in an extending direction of the protrusion is provided on the first member or the second member such that the projecting portion projects from a surface of the first member or the second member and the projecting portion is lower in protruding height than the protrusion, and
of the protrusion and the projecting portion, only the protrusion is melted, whereas the projecting portion is not melted.

7. The synthetic resin member welding method according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of a spot of the laser beam is positioned on a boundary between the first member and the second member.

8. The synthetic resin member welding method according to claim 1 , wherein a distal end portion of the protrusion is smaller in width than a proximal end portion of the protrusion.

9. The synthetic resin member welding method according to claim 1 , wherein the first member and the second member are formed of a carbon fiber reinforced plastic that contains carbon fibers, and the protrusion is formed integrally with a body of the first member.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Univ Nagoya Nat Univ Corp
• Toray Industries
• Ishikawa Prefecture
• Mitsubishi Motors Corp
• Suzuki Motor Corp
• Teijin Ltd

Inventors

• Mori Takayuki
• Hirosaki Kenichi
• Okumura Wataru
• Mori Daisuke
• Iwano Yoshihiro
• Amaoka Kazuaki

Classifications

• B29C66/919

  characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges (specific electrical resistance values B29C66/81262) · CPC title

• B29C66/81463

  comprising a plurality of single pressing elements, e.g. a plurality of sonotrodes, or comprising a plurality of single counter-pressing elements, e.g. a plurality of anvils, said plurality of said single elements being suitable for making a single joint · CPC title

• B29C66/43

  Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles (B29C66/45 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/73921

  characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics · CPC title

• B29C66/81415

  being bevelled · CPC title