METHOD FOR CONNECTING MEMBERS TOGETHER AND CONNECTION STRUCTURE

• US 20140356053A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Urayama, Hiroshi
• Application Number:
  US14/364,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20140356053A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/270
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/04 Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding , i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/36 heated by induction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3604 characterised by the type of elements heated by induction which remain in the joint
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3616 comprising discontinuous fibre-reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3676 being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3684 being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4835 Heat curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/564 hidden in the joint, e.g. dowels or Z-pins B29C65/603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/601 using extra riveting elements, i.e. the rivets being non-integral with the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/602 using hollow rivets B29C65/607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/72 by combined operations or combined techniques, e.g. welding and stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7437 the tool being a perforating tool perforating as mechanical pre-treatment B29C66/02242
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8215 Tensile tests
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/8223 Peel tests
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/028 Non-mechanical surface pre-treatments, i.e. by flame treatment, electric discharge treatment, plasma treatment, wave energy or particle radiation B29C65/14 takes precedence; non-mechanical surface treatment of plastics in general B29C59/08 - B29C59/16
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1162 Single bevel to bevel joints, e.g. mitre joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/21 said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/301 Three-dimensional joints, i.e. the joined area being substantially non-flat B29C66/5223, B29C66/5224, B29C66/5225 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 : Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 : characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 : Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 : characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72141 : Fibres of continuous length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72143 : Fibres of discontinuous lengths
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73143 : Dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/735 : characterised by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7352 : Thickness, e.g. very thin
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73771 : the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being amorphous
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73775 : the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 : characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 : characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/742 : to metals or their alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8244 : magnetically driven
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83221 : cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/919 : characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges specific electrical resistance values B29C66/81262
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/949 : characterised by specific time values or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/04 : Polymers of ethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/10 : Polymers of propylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/04 : Polymers of styrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 : PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 : Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 : ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2059/00 : Use of polyacetals , e.g. POM, i.e. polyoxymethylene or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 : Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 : PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 : containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/253 : Preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2305/00 : Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/02 : Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/477 : Fusion bond, e.g., weld, etc.

Abstract

Provided are a method for connecting members together that can easily form a connection structure, which has about the same high level of connection strength over the entire range of a position of superposition, in a short time, and a connection structure. The method is a method for connecting two or more members together, at least one of which is a fiber reinforced resin member containing a thermoplastic resin and also containing a reinforcing fiber material that serves as a heating element in the thermoplastic resin, at a position of superposition. The method includes pressing the members against each other while heating the members at a position of superposition using one of induction heating or dielectric heating and thus melting the thermoplastic resin with heat generated from the fiber material that serves as the heating element, thereby connecting the members together.

Claims

1. A method for connecting member together, the method being adapted to connect two or more members together at a position of superposition, at least one of the two or more members being a fiber reinforced resin member containing a thermoplastic resin and also containing a reinforcing fiber material that serves as a heating element in the thermoplastic resin, the method comprising:

pressing the members against each other while heating the members at the position of superposition using one of induction heating or dielectric heating and thus melting the thermoplastic resin with heat generated from the fiber material that serves as the heating element, thereby connecting the members together.

2. The method for connecting members together according to claim 1, wherein the fiber material contains one of carbon fibers, metal fibers, or ceramic fibers, or a mixture of two or more of the fibers.

3. The method for connecting members together according to claim 1, further comprising:

temporarily joining the two or more members together at the position of superposition using a self-piercing rivet before heating the members at the position of superposition; and

melting the thermoplastic resin using one of the induction heating or the dielectric heating and pressing the members against each other.

4. A connection structure of members including two or more members that are connected together at a position of superposition, at least one of the two or more members being a fiber reinforced resin member containing a thermoplastic resin and also containing a reinforcing fiber material that serves as a heating element in the thermoplastic resin, wherein

the connection structure of the members is formed by pressing the members against each other while heating the members at the position of superposition using one of induction heating or dielectric heating and thus melting the thermoplastic resin with heat generated from the fiber material that serves as the heating element.

5. The connection structure of members according to claim 4, wherein the members are directly connected together without other members or additives for connecting the members interposed between the members at the position of superposition.