RESISTIVE IMPLANT WELDING FOR ASSEMBLIES OF PLASTIC COMPONENTS

摘要

A novel method and set of structures for performing resistive implant welding of two plastic components to form an assembly. A first one of the components to be welded includes a channel structure which receives the resistive implant and maintains it in a desired position until the welding operation is performed. The second component to be welded includes a complementary structure including a land which is sized to engage the channel structure and captive resistive implant on the first component. The two components are pre-weld positioned with the land in the channel structure and the positioned components are then placed in a press which exerts a pre-selected pressure on the interface between the channel and the land. Next, a pre-selected electric current is passed through the resistive implant to heat it and to bring the plastic material of the channel structure and the land to their molten points, where they intermingle through the resistive implant. The electrical current is removed and the weld is allowed to cool to its finished state and the welded assembly is removed from the press.