Laser welding catheter on inflatable balloon carrier

Abstract

The invention relates to a laser welded conduit on an inflatable bladder carrier. A method includes disposing at least one laser weldable conduit along a contact interface with a laser weldable polymer film layer of a seat inflatable bladder carrier, directing a laser beam toward the laser weldable polymer film layer, and moving the laser beam along a weld path intersecting the contact interface. A laser beam penetrates the laser weldable polymer film layer and irradiates at least one laser weldable conduit. The laser beam causes local heating and welding along the welding path at the contact interface to fuse the laser weldable polymer film layer and the conduit together.

Description

background

[0001] Car seats may include massage components with inflatable units or bladders. The bladders are connected to a valve assembly via fluid supply lines. A pump supplies air to the valve assembly, which directs the air to the bladder to be inflated. The bladders can be sequentially inflated and deflated to provide the desired massage effect to the seat occupant. Attached Figure Description

[0002] From the following detailed description, various features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings, accompanying the detailed description, can be briefly illustrated below.

[0003] Figure 1 A seat for a car is shown.

[0004] Figure 2 The seat's seat cushion system is shown.

[0005] Figure 3 The laser welding process for attaching conduits to the carrier of a seat inflatable airbag is shown.

[0006] Figure 4 Images show several conduits laser-welded to the carrier of the seat's inflatable airbag.

[0007] Figure 5 An example welding path for a conduit is shown.

[0008] Figure 6 A fixture for holding conduits and carriers used in welding processes is shown. Detailed description

[0009] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments described. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the various embodiments described can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, processes, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0010] "One or more" includes functions performed by one element, functions performed by more than one element (e.g., in a distributed manner), several functions performed by one element, several functions performed by several elements, or any combination of the foregoing.

[0011] It should also be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., are used herein to describe various elements in certain circumstances, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first contact may be referred to as a second contact, and similarly, a second contact may be referred to as a first contact, without departing from the scope of the various embodiments described. Both a first contact and a second contact are contacts, but they are not the same contact.

[0012] The terminology used in the description of the various embodiments described herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various described embodiments and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It should be further understood that, when used in this specification, the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and / or “comprising” specify the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0013] As used herein, the term "if" may optionally be interpreted as "when," "in response to determining," or "in response to detecting," depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if [the condition or event] is detected" may optionally be interpreted as "when determined," "in response to determining," "when [the condition or event] is detected," or "in response to detecting [the condition or event]," depending on the context.

[0014] Figure 1 An example seat 20 for use in a motor vehicle is shown. In this example, seat 20 includes a seat back 22 and a seat base 24. A seat frame 26 supports a cushion 28 in the seat back 22, which is covered by a trim piece 30a. In the seat base 24, the frame 26 supports a bottom seat cushion 34, which is covered by a seat trim piece 30b. Although the example seat 20 is for a motor vehicle, it should be understood that the example can be applied to other types of vehicles, such as, but not limited to, motorcycles, boats, aircraft, or locomotives.

[0015] Figure 2A seat system 36 for incorporation into seat 20 is shown. Seat system 36 includes a bladder system 38 comprising one or more inflatable bladders 40 and air ducts 42 in fluid communication with the bladders 40 for inflating and deflating the bladders 40. For example, the air duct 42 is a laser-weldable tube, such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which has good strength and flexibility; however, polyamide (PA), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) may be used alternatively to provide greater stiffness. The bladders 40 are formed from polymer films (e.g., TPU) selectively bonded together to form expandable cells. The bladders 40 are attached to a carrier 44, which comprises one or more laser-weldable polymer film layers, which may also be TPU.

[0016] Air conduit 42 is attached to and in fluid communication with a valve assembly (not shown). The valve assembly is fluidly connected to one or more pumps. The processor is connected to the pumps and valves to open and close the valves to selectively supply air to the bladder 40 via air conduit 42.

[0017] Air duct 42 is attached to carrier 44 to maintain passage 42 to bladder 40 along the desired route without interference from other components that may be assembled in the seat 20 adjacent to seat system 36. For example, excessive pressure applied to any of the ducts 42 may cause the duct 42 to "squeeze" and obstruct airflow into and out of bladder 40.

[0018] Figure 3 An example method for attaching a conduit 42 to a carrier 44 in a seat system 36 is described. For example, the method includes arranging the laser-weldable conduit 42 along a contact interface 46 with the carrier 44. This interface is the area on which the conduit 42 contacts the carrier 44.

[0019] Next, the laser beam 48 is directed to the carrier 44 and moved relative to the carrier 44 along the welding path P intersecting the contact interface 46. The carrier 44 is substantially transparent to the laser beam 48, which penetrates the carrier 44 and irradiates the conduit 42. Along the welding path P at the contact interface 46, the laser beam 48 causes rapid localized heating of the carrier 44 and the conduit 42, which causes localized melting in the carrier 44 and the conduit 42. Upon solidification, this localized melting fuses the carrier 44 and the conduit 42 together to form a weld point 50. Figure 3 ).

[0020] The conduit 42 may include an additive that makes the conduit 42 opaque to and thus absorbs the laser beam 48 of the wavelength used for welding. The additive may be dispersed through the polymer in the conduit 42 or provided as a surface coating on the conduit 42. Exemplary additives include, but are not limited to, carbon black. The carrier 44 does not need to be completely transparent to the laser beam 48, as long as the nominal amount of laser absorption does not generate sufficient heat to melt the conduit 42 outside the interface 46. As an example, for the purposes of this disclosure, 85% or greater transmittance is considered transparent, and less than 85% is opaque. The wavelength of the laser beam 48 can vary depending on the type of polymer used to manufacture the conduit 42 and the carrier 44, as well as the type of additive (if used). As an example, the laser beam 48 has a wavelength from 1000 nm to 2000 nm. Figure 4 A cross-sectional view is shown passing through several conduits 42 that have been laser-welded to the carrier 44.

[0021] For example, a “weld point” is the area where the carrier 44 and the conduit 42 are fused together. The term “laser-weldable” means that the polymers can be welded together by laser welding (e.g., by melting and fusion). For example, the carrier 44 and the conduit 42 are made of the same polymer, such that there is substantially uniform melting and fusion between the carrier 44 and the conduit 42. Alternatively, different polymers can be used, as long as they can be melted and fused together without significant thermal damage to the polymers or thermally induced collapse of the conduit 42.

[0022] Figure 5 Examples of welding paths P1 and P2 relative to conduit 42 are shown. Welding path P1 extends generally perpendicular to the length direction of conduit 42 (i.e., across the axial direction of conduit 42), while welding path P2 extends generally parallel to the length (axial) direction. For example, welding path P1 can be used to weld a single conduit 42 or to weld a group of several conduits 42 that extend adjacent to each other and are otherwise laterally non-joined, and welding path P2 can be used to weld a single conduit 42. The chosen welding direction can also depend on the laser welding configuration. For example, the laser is emitted through a pneumatic optics element that helps clamp the carrier 44 onto the conduit 42. Such optics are known to those skilled in the art and can be spherical or cylindrical. Spherical shapes produce spot welds, while cylindrical shapes produce line welds. Cylindrical shapes help to produce stronger weld points for welding path P1.

[0023] exist Figure 6In another example shown, the carrier 44 and the conduit 42 are arranged in a clamp 52. For example, the clamp 52 includes a cavity 54 for receiving the bladder 40 and a recess 56 for receiving the conduit 42. The conduit 42 can be fluidly connected to the bladder 40 before or after the welding process, such as via a port or other inlet for connecting the conduit 42 to the bladder 40. The clamp 52 facilitates the proper positioning of the carrier 44 and the conduit 42 for the welding process.

[0024] Laser welding does not require the application of significant pressure to the conduit 42 during the welding process. Other welding techniques, such as ultrasonic welding, require pressure during the welding process. This pressure, combined with the thermal softening of the conduit, can lead to partial collapse of the conduit and a reduction in the cross-sectional flow area of ​​the airflow passage through the conduit. In contrast, laser welding is a low-pressure process that avoids substantial collapse of the conduit. As a result, laser welding is able to maintain the cross-sectional flow area of ​​the airflow passage through conduit 42. For example, as... Figure 4 As shown, the conduit 42 has an uncollapsed cross-sectional area 42a with a generally oval shape. As another example, the uncollapsed cross-sectional area 42a is characterized by the absence of any concave sides (inwardly recessed into the channel). As a result, the laser-welded conduit 42 maintains its cross-sectional flow area, thereby facilitating efficient and rapid inflation and deflation of the bladder 40.

[0025] Although combinations of features are shown in the illustrated examples, not all of them need to be combined to achieve the benefits of the various embodiments of this disclosure. In other words, a system designed according to embodiments of this disclosure will not necessarily include all of the features shown in any of the drawings or all of the portions schematically illustrated in the drawings. Furthermore, selected features of one example embodiment may be combined with selected features of other example embodiments.

[0026] The foregoing description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples will become apparent to those skilled in the art and need not depart from this disclosure. The scope of legal protection afforded to this disclosure can be determined solely by examining the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: arranging at least one laser-weldable conduit along a contact interface of a laser-weldable polymer film layer of a seat inflatable bladder carrier; and directing a laser beam at the laser-weldable polymer film layer and moving the laser beam along a weld path intersecting the contact interface, the laser beam penetrating the laser-weldable polymer film layer and impinging the at least one laser-weldable conduit, and along the weld path at the contact interface, the laser beam causing localized heating and mutual welding of the laser-weldable polymer film layer and the laser-weldable conduit. the arranging includes securing the laser-weldable polymer film layer and the at least one laser-weldable conduit in a fixture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the weld path is transverse to an axial direction of the at least one laser-weldable conduit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the weld path is along an axial direction of the at least one laser-weldable conduit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, the laser-weldable conduit and the at least one laser-weldable polymer film layer are formed of a common polymer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the laser-weldable conduit and the at least one laser-weldable polymer film layer are formed of TPU.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, the laser-weldable conduit and the at least one laser-weldable polymer film layer are formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of TPU, PBT, ABS, and PA.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, the seat inflatable bladder carrier includes at least one inflatable bladder.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising fluidly connecting the at least one laser-weldable conduit to an inflatable bladder on the laser-weldable polymer film layer. the laser-weldable conduit includes an air passage having an un-collapsed cross-section at the at least one laser-welded joint, and the un-collapsed cross-section has an oblate shape.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the un-collapsed cross-section has no concave side.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, the at least one laser-weldable conduit includes a plurality of laser-weldable conduits extending adjacent to and laterally unjoined to each other.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein, 13. An article comprising: a seat inflatable bladder carrier including a laser-weldable polymer film layer and at least one inflatable bladder carried on the laser-weldable polymer film layer; and at least one laser-weldable conduit attached to the laser-weldable polymer film layer along at least one laser-welded joint, the at least one laser-weldable conduit including an air passage fluidly connected to the at least one inflatable bladder, the air passage having an un-collapsed cross-section at the at least one laser-welded joint. the un-collapsed cross-section has an oblate shape.

14. The article of claim 13, wherein, the un-collapsed cross-section has no concave side.

15. The article of claim 13, wherein, the laser-weldable conduit and the at least one laser-weldable polymer film layer are formed of a common polymer selected from the group consisting of TPU, PBT, ABS, and PA.

16. The article of claim 13, wherein, the at least one laser-weldable conduit includes a laser-absorbing additive.

17. The article of claim 13, wherein, the weld path is transverse to an axial direction of the at least one laser-weldable conduit.

18. The article of claim 13, wherein, the weld path is along an axial direction of the at least one laser-weldable conduit.

19. The article of claim 13, wherein, ​

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