Overmold interface for fluid carrying system

• US 20080178942A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mercury Plastics LLC (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Derek A., Thomas, Kurt J., Pinette, Thomas C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,748,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/377
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14598 Coating tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/769 Sanitary equipment diapers B29L2031/4878
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7043 Guards and shields
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A fluid carrying system is disclosed including a fluid transport component and an overmold component.

Claims

1. A fluid carrying system, comprising:

a fluid transport component including a body portion with a fluid conduit therein, the body portion having an end portion including a longitudinal axis; and

an overmold component including;

a body including a first portion overlapping a portion of an exterior of the body portion of the fluid transport component and a second portion extending beyond the end portion of the body portion of the fluid transport component; and

a fluid conduit located in the body of the overmold component, the fluid conduit of the overmold component having a longitudinal axis, the fluid conduit of the overmold component being in fluid communication with an exterior of the body of the overmold component and with the fluid conduit of the fluid transport component, wherein the body of the overmold component is asymmetrical about a first plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component, wherein the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component is generally coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the end portion of the fluid transport component.

2. The fluid carrying system of claim 1, wherein the fluid transport component is made of a flexible material.

3. The fluid carrying system of claim 2, wherein the fluid transport component is made of a polymeric material.

4. The fluid carrying system of claim 1, wherein the fluid transport component is made of a PEX material.

5. The fluid carrying system of claim 4, wherein the fluid transport component has a circular cross-section.

6. The fluid carrying system of claim 1, further comprising a spout body having a recess, wherein the fluid transport component and the overmold component are received in the recess of the spout body.

7. The fluid carrying system of claim 6, wherein a diameter of the fluid conduit of the overmold component is generally equal to a diameter of the fluid conduit of the fluid transport component.

8. The fluid carrying system of claim 1, wherein the body of the overmold component includes a flat sealing surface being bounded by an outer perimeter, the fluid conduit of the overmold component being in fluid communication with the exterior of the body of the overmold component at a location within the outer perimeter of the flat sealing surface.

9. The fluid carrying system of claim 8, wherein the flat sealing surface is further bounded by an inner perimeter, the location wherein the fluid conduit of the overmold component is in fluid communication with the exterior of the body of the overmold component is spaced apart from the flat sealing surface.

10. The fluid carrying system of claim 8, wherein an angle between the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component and the flat sealing surface of the overmold component is less than ninety degrees.

11. The fluid carrying system of claim 10, wherein the angle is at least equal to an inverse cosine of a limiting extent of the fluid conduit of the overmold component divided by a limiting extent of a sealing region of the flat sealing surface.

12. The fluid carrying system of claim 11, wherein the limiting extent of the sealing region corresponds to an inner perimeter of the flat sealing surface, the inner perimeter being circular and wherein the fluid conduit of the overmold component is cylindrical and the limiting extent of the fluid conduit of the overmold component is a diameter of the fluid conduit of the overmold component.

13. The fluid carrying system of claim 8, wherein the overmold component is symmetrical about a second plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component and normal to the flat sealing surface of the overmold component.

14. A method of making a fluid carrying system;

providing a non-metallic fluid transport component including a body portion with a fluid conduit therein;

positioning at least a portion of the fluid transport component in a mold; and

overmolding an overmold component on an end portion of the fluid transport component, the overmold component including a first end having an interface and a fluid conduit formed in the overmold component, the fluid conduit of the overmold component having a longitudinal axis angled relative to the interface and generally coaxial with a longitudinal axis of an end portion of the fluid transport component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the interface includes a flat surface, the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component being angled relative to the flat surface at an angle of less than ninety degrees.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the angle is at least equal to an inverse cosine of a limiting extent of the fluid conduit of the overmold component divided by a limiting extent of a sealing region of the flat surface of the interface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the flat surface is a sealing surface and the limiting extent of the sealing region is an inner perimeter of the flat surface.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of overmolding the overmold component on the end portion of the fluid transport component includes the steps of:

providing a first mold component and a second mold component, the first mold component and the second mold component cooperating to define a partial shape of the overmold component;

providing a third mold component which defines a shape of the interface and the fluid conduit of the overmold component;

positioning a portion of the third mold component in the fluid conduit of the non-metallic fluid transport component;

forming a closed mold with the first mold component, the second mold component, and the third mold component;

forming the overmold component in the closed mold; and

forming an open mold by placing the first mold component, the second mold component, and the third mold component in a spaced apart arrangement.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the overmold component is asymmetrical about a first plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the overmold component is symmetrical about a second plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component and normal to a flat sealing surface of the interface.

21. A fluid carrying system, comprising:

a fluid transport component including a body portion with a fluid conduit therein, the body portion having an end portion including a longitudinal axis; and

an overmold component including;

a body including a first portion overlapping a portion of an exterior of the body portion of the fluid transport component and a second portion extending beyond the end portion of the body portion of the fluid transport component; and

a fluid conduit formed in the body of the overmold component, the fluid conduit of the overmold component having a longitudinal axis, the fluid conduit of the overmold component being in fluid communication with an exterior of the body of the overmold component and with the fluid conduit of the fluid transport component, wherein the body of the overmold component includes a first end including a sealing surface and a terminal end of the fluid conduit of the overmold component.

22. The fluid carrying system of claim 21, wherein the sealing surface is a flat sealing surface.

23. The fluid carrying system of claim 22, wherein the overmold component is asymmetrical about a first plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component.

24. The fluid carrying system of claim 23, wherein the overmold component is symmetrical about a second plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component and normal to the flat sealing surface.

25. The fluid carrying system of claim 22, wherein the flat sealing surface surrounds the terminal end of the fluid conduit of the overmold component.

26. The fluid carrying system of claim 25, wherein the flat sealing surface is bounded by an inner perimeter, the terminal end of the fluid conduit of the overmold component is spaced apart from the flat sealing surface.

27. The fluid carrying system of claim 22, wherein an angle between the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component and the flat sealing surface of the overmold component is less than ninety degrees.

28. The fluid carrying system of claim 27, wherein the angle is at least equal to an inverse cosine of a limiting extent of the fluid conduit of the overmold component divided by a limiting extent of a sealing region of the flat sealing surface.

29. The fluid carrying system of claim 21, wherein the longitudinal axis of the fluid conduit of the overmold component is generally coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the fluid transport component.

30. The fluid carrying system of claim 29, wherein a diameter of the fluid conduit of the overmold component is generally equal to a diameter of the fluid conduit of the fluid transport component.

31. The fluid carrying system of claim 21, wherein the fluid transport component is made of a non-metallic material.

32. The fluid carrying system of claim 31, wherein the fluid transport component is made of a polymeric material.

33. The fluid carrying system of claim 31, wherein the fluid transport component is made of a PEX material.