Laser trimming surface cleaning for adhesion to cast metals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9764383-B2
Application number	US-201414504477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2014
Priority date	Oct 2, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A method bonds a first member to a second member. The method provides a first member having a bonding surface. A second member is molded from a metal material so as to have a surface constructed and arranged to be bonded to the bonding surface. The surface of the second member is laser trimmed to remove material and to remove byproducts, resulting from molding the second member, from the surface of the second member to thereby define a clean, laser trimmed surface of the second member. A sealant is provided between and in contact with the bonding surface and the clean, laser trimmed surface. The sealant is permitted to cure to thereby bond the first member to the second member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of bonding a first member to a second member, the method comprising:
providing a first member having a bonding surface,
providing a second member molded from a metal material so as to have a surface constructed and arranged to be bonded to the bonding surface of the first member,
laser trimming, using a laser at a trimming speed of about 100 mm/sec, 31 Amps and a frequency of about 9000 Hz, the surface of the second member to remove material and to remove byproducts, resulting from molding the second member, from the surface of the second member to thereby define a clean, laser trimmed surface of the second member, and
providing a sealant between and in contact with the bonding surface of the first member and the clean, laser trimmed surface, the sealant configured to cure to thereby bond the first member to the second member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first member is provided as a cover and the second member is provided as a housing of a transmission control module for a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cover is composed of plastic material and the housing is cast aluminum.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of laser trimming to remove the byproducts removes at least a mold release agent from the surface of the second member.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of laser trimming to remove the byproducts removes thermally degraded contaminants from the surface of the second member.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of laser trimming defines a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys in the clean, laser trimmed surface.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the peaks and valleys are defined substantially in a uniform manner.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein each peak width is about 20 to 200 μm, each valley width is about 20 to 200 μm, and a height from peak to valley is about 20 to 200 μm.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealant is provided as a platinum cure silicone adhesive.

Assignees

• Continental automotive systems inc

Inventors

• Jiao Jinbao

Classifications

• B32B37/18

  involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only · CPC title

• B23K26/361

  for deburring or mechanical trimming (B23K26/351 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B22D31/002 Primary

  Cleaning, working on castings · CPC title

• H05K5/0082

  specially adapted for transmission control units, e.g. gearbox controllers · CPC title

• B23K26/16

  Removal of by-products, e.g. particles or vapours produced during treatment of a workpiece (by a fluid stream B23K26/142) · CPC title