Barbed metal insert overmolding using crosslinked polymers

• US 8,844,111 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mercury Plastics LLC (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mercury Plastics, Inc.
• Inventors: Christian, Earl Jr., Yunk, Robert E. Jr., Rowley, William W., Gardner, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): COZART, JERMIE E
• Application Number:
  US13/312,490
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 294/47, 295/271, 295/272, 264/236, 264/279, 285/242, 285/293.1, 285/294.1
• US Class Current: 29/447
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0877 using electron radiation, e.g. beta-rays
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/02 Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing during moulding, e.g. in a mouldcold vulcanisation B29C35/18 ; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0266 Local curing for repairing B29C73/34
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0028 In-mould coating, e.g. by introducing the coating material into the mould after forming the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14598 Coating tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 71/04 by wave energy or particle radiation , e.g. for curing or vulcanising preformed articles during moulding, e.g. in a mould B29C35/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 33/34 with bonding obtained by vulcanisation, gluing, melting, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 47/22 using shrink-down material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49865 by temperature differential [e.g., shrink fit]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material

Abstract

The invention described herein relates to method by which a leak-proof connection may be made to a refrigeration device using shape memory characteristics of crosslinking and overmolding to affect the leak-proof connection.

Claims

1. A process for securing a water conduit to another water conduit comprising the steps of:

overmolding a polymeric attachment means having a bore onto a tube at or adjacent one end of said tube;

crosslinking at least a portion of said tube and said attachment means setting a permanent internal diameter of said bore and shape memory characteristics in said portion;

inserting a shaft of a connector into said bore, an inside diameter of said bore being equal to or smaller than an outside diameter of said shaft; and

applying an external or internal stimulus to at least said portion to contract said bore about said shaft.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein

said external stimulus is a temperature in excess of a transition temperature (T_trans).

3. The process of claim 1 wherein

said internal stimulus is time.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein

said step of crosslinking said tube is between 20-98% crosslinking.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein

said step of crosslinking said tube is between 40-90% crosslinking.

6. The process of claim 3 wherein

said step of crosslinking said tube is between 65-89% crosslinking.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein

said shaft of said connector is metallic and further comprises raised retention means.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein

said shaft is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and brass;

and

said retention means is selected from the group of laterally-extending ribs and raised barbs.

9. A process for securing a fitting into a polymeric profile comprising the steps of:

overmolding a polymeric attachment means having a bore onto a profile at or adjacent one end of said profile;

crosslinking at least a portion of said profile and said attachment means setting a permanent internal diameter of said bore and shape memory characteristics in said portion;

inserting a shaft of a connector into said bore, an inside diameter of said bore being equal to or smaller than an outside diameter of said shaft; and

applying an external or internal stimulus to at least said portion to contract said bore about said shaft.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein

said external stimulus is a temperature in excess of a transition temperature (T_trans).

11. The process of claim 9 wherein

said internal stimulus is time.

12. The process of claim 9 wherein

said step of crosslinking said profile is between 20-98% crosslinking.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein

said step of crosslinking said profile is between 40-90% crosslinking.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein

said step of crosslinking said profile is between 65-89% crosslinking.

15. The process of claim 9 wherein

said shaft of said connector is metallic and further comprises raised retention means.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein

said shaft is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and brass;

and

said retention means is selected from the group of laterally-extending ribs and raised barbs.

17. The process of claim 9 wherein

said profile is a tube.