Direct inject joint architecture enabled by quick cure adhesive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12311612-B2
Application number	US-202117548180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2021
Priority date	Dec 18, 2020
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for assembling components are described. An apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure comprises a first structure having a first tongue, a second tongue, and a third tongue, the second tongue being between the first tongue and the third tongue, a second structure having a first groove, a second groove, and a third groove, the second groove being between the first groove and the third groove, a first adhesive, coupled to the first tongue and the first groove and coupled to the third tongue and the third groove when the first structure is coupled to the second structure, and a second adhesive coupled to the second tongue and the second groove when the first structure is coupled to the second structure, wherein the first adhesive is injected into the first groove and the third groove and the second adhesive is injected into the second groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for coupling a first component having a first groove, a second groove, and a third groove, and a second component having a first tongue, a second tongue, and a third tongue, comprising:
injecting a first adhesive into the first groove and the third groove;
coupling the first component and the second component such that the first tongue enters into the first groove and contacts the first adhesive, and the third tongue enters into the third groove and contacts the first adhesive;
curing the first adhesive in the first groove and the third groove;
injecting a second adhesive into the second groove through at least the first groove or the third groove.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the first adhesive comprises exposing the first adhesive to ultraviolet (UV) light.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising passing the UV light through the first groove and through the second groove to expose the first adhesive in the third groove to the UV light.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising reflecting the UV light from at least a surface of the first groove or the second groove.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising reflecting the UV light from at least a surface of the first tongue or the second tongue.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising structurally coupling the first component and the second component with the second adhesive.

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Czinger Lukas Philip

Classifications

• B29C65/542

  by injection · CPC title

• B29C64/153

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• F16B11/006

  by gluing (gluing of plastics material B29C65/48) · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title