Manifold and method for manufacturing manifold

Abstract

To provide a manifold for restraining reduction in welding strength, even if accuracy of a joining surface of a member for constituting a housing is reduced.SOLUTION: A housing MH including a first housing 10 in which a first opening S1 is formed and a second housing 20 in which a second opening S2 is formed, the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 being integrated by welding joint surfaces SW of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 to each other to form a fluid space LS therein, in the housing MH, a rib R protruding outward along a surface parallel to the joint surface SW is formed on at least one of the outer peripheral side of the opening edge of the first opening S1 and the outer peripheral side of the opening edge of the second opening S2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a manifold and a method for manufacturing the manifold. [Background technology]

[0002] US Patent No. 5,949,999 shows a configuration in which a first section and a second section are joined together as an integrated coolant bottle assembly that includes a reservoir for storing or flowing a coolant medium.

[0003] In this patent document 1, specific configurations are described in which the first section of the reservoir and the second section of the reservoir are joined, joined, or abutted at the reservoir interface, such as a welded interface, adhesive interface, hot formed interface, hot plate welded interface, thermal welded interface, sonic welded interface, ultrasonic welded interface, etc., and / or the two sections of the reservoir are joined together. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-520261 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] For example, a manifold for controlling the flow of coolant in a vehicle can be configured to have a housing that allows fluid to flow, an input port through which fluid is supplied from the outside, and an output port through which the fluid is discharged, a valve unit that switches the flow path, and a pump unit that applies pressure to the fluid to cause it to flow.

[0006] In addition, it is also conceivable that the housing of this manifold may be formed by joining two members made of thermoplastic resin using a heat welding technique.

[0007] However, when the two components that make up the housing are manufactured by molding, at least one of the two components may be slightly deformed. If two components that are not properly shaped due to such deformation are welded together, the two components may not be joined in a state where they are properly in close contact (in other words, a sufficient welding area may not be secured), and the welding strength between the joining surfaces may be reduced.

[0008] There is a concern that a housing with reduced welding strength between the joining surfaces may develop cracks during use.

[0009] For these reasons, there is a need for a manifold and a method for manufacturing a manifold in which the reduction in welding strength is suppressed even if the precision of the joining surfaces of the members that make up the housing is reduced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A characteristic configuration of the manifold according to the present invention is that it has a first housing having a first opening formed therein and a second housing having a second opening formed therein, wherein the first housing and the second housing are integrated by welding the respective joining surfaces of the first opening and the second opening together to form a fluid space therein, and a rib that protrudes outward along a plane parallel to the joining surfaces is formed on at least one of the outer circumferential side of the opening edge of the first opening and the outer circumferential side of the opening edge of the second opening.

[0011] According to this configuration, even if one of the first and second housings is deformed and the first opening and the second opening are not properly attached, pressure can be applied to the rib in a direction that pressurizes the first opening and the second opening when joining them by thermal welding, for example. By applying pressure in this manner, welding can be achieved while properly attaching the first opening and the second opening, and a sufficient welding area can be ensured. Therefore, a manifold has been constructed in which a decrease in welding strength is suppressed even if the precision of the joining surfaces of the members that make up the housing is reduced.

[0012] A characteristic configuration of the manifold manufacturing method of the present invention is the above-mentioned manifold manufacturing method, which includes a heating step of heating the joining surface of the first opening in the first housing and the joining surface of the second opening in the second housing to a melting temperature, and a crimping step of crimping the joining surface of the first opening and the joining surface of the second opening together after the heating step, in which a force is applied to the rib in a direction perpendicular to the joining surfaces in the crimping step.

[0013] According to this configuration, in the heating step, the joining surfaces of the first opening and the second opening are heated to a melting temperature. In the subsequent crimping step, the joining surfaces of the first opening and the second opening are crimped together, and in conjunction with this crimping, a force is applied to the rib in a direction perpendicular to the joining surfaces. This configuration therefore enables joining with sufficient contact between the joining surfaces. In other words, even if at least one of the first housing and the second housing is deformed and the joining surfaces of the first opening and the second opening do not properly adhere to each other, applying pressure to the rib enables joining with the joining surfaces in contact. This provides a manifold manufacturing method that suppresses a decrease in weld strength even if the precision of the joining surfaces of the housing components is reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a flow path switching valve of a manifold. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the upper housing and the lower housing in a welded state. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the upper housing and the lower housing before welding. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper housing and the lower housing in a separated state. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the first opening and the second opening in a heating step. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the first opening and the second opening in the welding step. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of a manifold and a method for manufacturing the manifold according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As described below, the manifold controls the flow of fluid that performs heat exchange in a battery or the like in an electric vehicle. However, the manifold is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0016] [Basic configuration] 1 and 2, a manifold M is configured by providing a housing MH with a plurality of cylindrical ports 1, a pair of flow path switching valves 2, and a pair of pumps 3. This manifold M supplies a fluid Lc to a flow path chamber LS (an example of a fluid space) formed in the housing MH when the pump 3 is driven, and the flow of the fluid Lc is controlled by the flow path switching valves 2.

[0017] The manifold M is mounted on an electric vehicle (hereinafter, also referred to as an "electric vehicle") that runs on electricity. The manifold M is configured to enable the circulation of fluid Lc between objects to be cooled (not shown), such as a battery, inverter, and traction motor (not shown), mounted on the electric vehicle, and a heat dissipation unit (not shown), such as a radiator or chiller.

[0018] The traction motor is a drive source that enables the electric vehicle to run when supplied with electric power, and the inverter converts DC power from the battery into three-phase AC and supplies it to the traction motor. The battery is configured as a rechargeable secondary battery and supplies power to the inverter and other devices as needed.

[0019] Electric vehicles include, for example, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

[0020] A cooling fluid such as long-life coolant (LLC) is used as the fluid Lc in the manifold M. The fluid Lc is not limited to cooling fluids such as long-life coolant (LLC), and may be a refrigerant such as insulating oil of a paraffin type or the like, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), or hydrofluoroolefin (HFO).

[0021] [Manifold] The housing MH that constitutes the manifold M can be used in any position, but in this embodiment, it is provided on the electric vehicle in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this embodiment, the vertical relationship of the manifold M, the positional relationship of each part, etc. will be described based on this position.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the housing MH has a flow path chamber LS (fluid space) formed therein by integrating an upper housing 10 (an example of a first housing) made of a thermoplastic resin with a lower housing 20 (an example of a second housing) made of the same thermoplastic resin material as the upper housing 10 using thermal welding technology.

[0023] The upper housing 10 (first housing) and the lower housing 20 (second housing) are molded products made of glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin. Note that the fibers used for reinforcement are not limited to glass fibers, and high-strength fibers such as carbon fibers may also be used.

[0024] [Manifold: Upper housing] 1 to 5, the upper housing 10 before welding has an upper wall portion 11 at the top, a first outer wall portion 12 in the form of a vertical wall on the periphery, and a plurality of first inner walls 13 that divide the space inside the housing, and has a first opening S1 that opens downward. The upper housing 10 has a pair of cylindrical portions 14 that extend into the housing interior from the upper wall portion 11, and bottom plate portions 15 that are integrally formed with the bottoms of the cylindrical portions 14.

[0025] 2, the cylindrical portion 14 has a plurality of openings formed on its outer periphery through which the fluid Lc passes, and the outside of these openings is connected to a flow path chamber LS (fluid space). The bottom plate portion 15 has a bearing hole 15a formed at its central position, and a first annular wall 15b having an annular shape centered on the vertical axis X on the outer periphery of its lower surface, and a second annular wall 15c centered on the vertical axis X on the inside of the first annular wall 15b so as to protrude downward.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the upper housing 10 has a plurality of cylindrical ports 1 protruding outward from a first outer wall portion 12. The upper housing 10 has a flange portion 4 at both ends in the longitudinal direction in a plan view, and a pump 3 is fitted into each of the openings. The pump 3 is a unit consisting of an electric motor portion 3a and an impeller portion 3b, which are connected and fixed to the flange portion 4.

[0027] 1 and 2, the flow path switching valve 2 has a valve body 16 housed in a cylindrical portion 14 and a valve drive unit 17 that transmits a rotational drive force to the upper end of an operating shaft 16a of the valve body 16. The valve body 16 has an operating shaft 16a that is coaxial with the vertical axis X and a wall-like portion 16b that opens and closes the flow path. The wall-like portion 16b controls the flow of the fluid Lc at the opening of the cylindrical portion 14 by rotating the valve body 16 about the vertical axis X.

[0028] The flow path switching valve 2 is supported so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis X by fitting the lower end of the operating shaft 16a into a bearing hole 15a in the bottom plate portion 15. A valve drive unit 17 is connected to the upper end of the operating shaft 16a of the valve body 16. The valve drive unit 17 is configured as an electromagnetic drive type that combines a brushless DC motor and a reduction mechanism to set the amount of rotation of the valve body 16 using a control signal, and is connected to the upper surface of the upper wall portion 11.

[0029] The multiple cylindrical ports 1 are connected to corresponding ones of the multiple flow path chambers LS inside the housing. The pump 3 supplies the fluid Lc supplied from the cylindrical ports 1 under pressure to the flow path chambers LS. With this configuration, when the pump 3 is driven, the manifold M sets the rotational position of the valve body 16 using the driving force of the valve driving unit 17, so that the wall-like portion 16b controls the flow of the fluid Lc relative to the opening of the cylindrical portion 14, and sends the fluid Lc flowing in the flow path chamber LS to one of the multiple cylindrical ports 1.

[0030] On the other hand, the fluid Lc whose temperature has increased after cooling has its heat dissipated by a radiator, chiller, or the like, and is then returned to the cylindrical port 1 set on the suction side.

[0031] [Manifold: Lower Housing] 4 and 5, the lower housing 20 before welding has a bottom wall portion 21 at the bottom, a second outer wall portion 22 in the form of a vertical wall on the outer periphery, and a plurality of second inner walls 23 that divide the space inside the housing, and has a second opening S2 that opens upward. The lower housing 20 has a first annular portion 24 and a second annular portion 25 that are integrally formed on the upper surface side of the bottom wall portion 21.

[0032] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the thickness (first thickness T1) of the joint surface SW at the lower end of the first outer wall portion 12 of the first opening S1 is different from the thickness (second thickness T2) of the joint surface SW at the lower end of the second inner wall portion 23 of the second opening S2, but in Figures 3 and 4, the cross-sectional shape is conceptually shown, so the respective thicknesses are drawn to be equal.

[0033] 4, in a plan view of the upper housing 10 stacked on top of the lower housing 20, the second outer wall portion 22 overlaps the first outer wall portion 12, and the plurality of second inner wall portions 23 are positioned so as to overlap corresponding ones of the plurality of first inner wall portions 13. Furthermore, the first annular portion 24 overlaps the first annular wall 15b, and the second annular portion 25 is positioned so as to overlap the second annular wall 15c.

[0034] [Manifold: 1st opening / 2nd opening] 4 to 6, a first opening S1 that opens downward is formed in the upper housing 10. This first opening S1 exposes the lower end surface of the first outer wall portion 12, the lower end surface of the first inner wall portion 13, the lower end surface of the first annular wall 15b, and the lower end surface of the second annular wall 15c. These are arranged on the same plane as a single first imaginary plane P1.

[0035] A second opening S2 that opens upward is formed in the lower housing 20. This second opening S2 exposes the upper end surface of the second outer wall portion 22, the upper end surface of the second inner wall portion 23, the upper end surface of the first annular portion 24, and the upper end surface of the second annular portion 25. These are arranged on the same plane as a single second imaginary plane P2.

[0036] [Housing in joined state] 2 and 3, the housing MH is a structure in which the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are integrated by thermally welding the first opening S1 and the second opening S2. In particular, the area where the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are joined by thermal welding is sometimes referred to as the welding surface W.

[0037] In the following description, the surfaces of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 before welding may be referred to as joining surfaces SW.

[0038] The housing MH, which is integrated by heat welding in this manner, has outer wall portions integrated by heat welding the lower end of the first outer wall portion 12 and the upper end of the second outer wall portion 22. In addition, the housing MH has a plurality of flow path chambers LS formed in a partitioned state by heat welding the joining surface SW of the lower end of the first inner wall portion 13 and the joining surface SW of the upper end of the second inner wall portion 23.

[0039] Furthermore, the lower end (joint surface SW) of the first annular wall 15b and the upper end (joint surface SW) of the first annular portion 24 are heat-welded, and the lower end (joint surface SW) of the second annular wall 15c and the upper end (joint surface SW) of the second annular portion 25 are integrated by heat welding.

[0040] By forming the housing MH in this manner, the manifold M is configured to be able to supply and discharge the fluid Lc. That is, as partially described above, the multiple cylindrical ports 1 communicate with the multiple flow path chambers LS, and by setting the rotational position of the valve body 16 of the flow path switching valve 2 by driving the valve driving unit 17 while the pump 3 is in operation, the fluid Lc drawn in from one of the multiple cylindrical ports 1 connected to the input side is delivered to one of the multiple cylindrical ports 1 connected to the discharge side.

[0041] 〔rib〕 The upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 may be deformed, for example, after being separated from the molding die. Such deformation may cause the joint surfaces SW of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 to not properly adhere to each other when the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are stacked before welding, resulting in the formation of a gap.

[0042] By forming ribs R on the housing MH, even if at least one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 is deformed, the joint surfaces SW of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are brought into close contact with each other, thereby realizing reliable welding with a sufficient welding area and suppressing a decrease in welding strength.

[0043] 3 to 5, the upper housing 10 has a plurality of first ribs R1 (an example of ribs R) formed along the outer side of the opening edge of the first opening S1, and the lower housing 20 has a plurality of second ribs R2 (an example of ribs R) formed along the outer side of the opening edge of the second opening S2.

[0044] In a plan view of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 stacked together, the first ribs R1 and the second ribs R2 are arranged in overlapping positions. That is, the first ribs R1 and the second ribs R2 face each other in a direction perpendicular to the joining surfaces SW of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2.

[0045] The first rib R1 and the second rib R2 apply pressure in a direction that tightly seals the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 together when heat-welding the joining surfaces SW of the first opening S1 of the upper housing 10 and the second opening S2 of the lower housing 20. The heat-welding process will be explained in the "Manufacturing Method for a Manifold" section below.

[0046] 4 to 6, the first rib R1 is formed to protrude outward from the outer periphery of the opening edge of the first opening S1. Specifically, the first rib R1 protrudes a first protrusion amount E1 from the outer surface of the first outer wall portion 12 with a first rib thickness F1.

[0047] The first rib R1 has an upper first pressure surface R1p and a lower first offset surface R1f that are parallel to the joining surface SW of the first opening S1 (and also parallel to the first imaginary plane P1). As shown in Fig. 7, the distance of the first rib R1 from the welding surface W of the housing MH to the first offset surface R1f is set to a first offset amount D1.

[0048] 4 to 6, the second rib R2 is formed to protrude outward from the outer periphery of the opening edge of the second opening S2. Specifically, the second rib R2 protrudes a second protrusion amount E2 from the outer surface of the second outer wall portion 22 with a second rib thickness F2.

[0049] The second rib R2 has a lower second pressure surface R2p and an upper second offset surface R2f formed parallel to the joint surface SW of the second opening S2 (also parallel to the second virtual plane P2). Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the distance from the welding surface W of the housing MH to the second offset surface R2f of the second rib R2 is set to a second offset amount D2.

[0050] The lower end position of the first outer wall portion 12 of the upper housing 10 is displaced upward due to welding, and the upper end position of the second outer wall portion 22 of the lower housing 20 is displaced downward due to welding.

[0051] Therefore, the distance from the lower end position (joint surface SW) of the first outer wall portion 12 of the upper housing 10 before welding to the first offset surface R1f is slightly longer than the first offset amount D1. Similarly, the distance from the upper end position (joint surface SW) of the second outer wall portion 22 of the lower housing 20 before welding to the second offset surface R2f is slightly longer than the second offset amount D2.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 6, when the housing MH sets the thickness of the joint surface SW (lower end portion) of the first opening S1 in the first outer wall portion 12 as the first wall thickness T1 and the thickness of the joint surface SW (upper end portion) of the second opening S2 in the second outer wall portion 22 as the second wall thickness T2, the second wall thickness T2 is set to a larger value than the first wall thickness T1 (the relationship of T1 < T2).

[0053] The joint surface SW of the first opening S1 in the first outer wall portion 12 and the joint surface SW of the second opening S2 in the second outer wall portion 22 are welded in a positional relationship where the central positions in their respective wall thickness directions overlap (the relationship where the center positions in the wall thickness direction coincide).

[0054] Even when welding is performed, the values of the first protrusion amount E1 and the second protrusion amount E2 are set so that the positions of the protruding ends of the first rib R1 and the protruding ends of the second rib R2 coincide in plan view. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the positional relationship is set so that the protruding ends of the first rib R1 and the protruding ends of the second rib R2 are at positions where they contact the vertical line V.

[0055] [Manufacturing method of manifold] FIG. 6 shows an example of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2, where the joint surface SW at the lower end of the first outer wall portion 12 faces the joint surface SW at the upper end of the second outer wall portion 22.

[0056] In the manufacturing method of this manifold M, the first opening S1 of the upper housing 10 (first housing) and the second opening S2 of the lower housing 20 (second housing) are set to face each other while being spaced apart in the vertical direction.

[0057] In addition, the manufacturing method of the manifold M is composed of a heating step (I) in which a plate-shaped heater 31 is placed between the first opening S1 of the upper housing 10, which are set in a spaced-apart state, and the second opening S2 of the lower housing 20, to heat the respective joint surfaces SW of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 to a melting temperature, and a crimping step (II) after this heating step (I) in which the joint surfaces SW of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are crimped together.

[0058] In the upper housing 10, the joint surface SW of the first opening S1 includes the lower end of the first outer wall portion 12, the lower end of the first inner wall portion 13, the lower end of the first annular wall 15b, and the lower end of the second annular wall 15c. In the lower housing 20, the joint surface SW of the second opening S2 includes the upper end of the second outer wall portion 22, the upper end of the second inner wall portion 23, the upper end of the first annular portion 24, and the upper end of the second annular portion 25.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 6, in the heating step (I), a heater 31 is arranged between a first imaginary plane P1 on which the joining surface SW of the first opening S1 exists and a second imaginary plane P2 on which the joining surface SW of the second opening S2 exists, in a parallel positional relationship.

[0060] In the heating step (I), the bonding surface SW of the first opening S1 and the bonding surface SW of the second opening S2 are heated to their melting temperatures by infrared rays irradiated from the heater 31. In this heating step (I), a plate-shaped heater 31 is used that irradiates infrared rays from the top and bottom surfaces.

[0061] In this way, during heating, the distance between the upper surface of the heater 31 and the first opening S1 is maintained at a set value, and the distance between the lower surface of the heater 31 and the second opening S2 is maintained at a set value, and infrared rays are irradiated onto the portion exposed to the first opening S1 and the portion exposed to the second opening S2 until they reach the melting temperature.

[0062] In the pressure bonding step (II), after the heating in the heating step (I) is completed, the heater 31 is removed, and the bonding surface SW of the first opening S1 and the bonding surface SW of the second opening S2 are pressure bonded together, as shown in FIG.

[0063] In this crimping step (II), as shown in Figure 7, an upper holder 32 is used to support the upper housing 10 while contacting the area extending from the upper wall portion 11 to the outer surface of the first outer wall portion 12, and a lower holder 33 is used to support the lower housing 20 while contacting the area extending from the underside of the bottom wall portion 21 to the outer surface of the second outer wall portion 22.

[0064] The upper holder 32 and the lower holder 33 can also be used in a form that supports the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20, respectively, in the heating step (I).

[0065] The upper holder 32 is integrally formed with a first contact portion 32a that contacts the first pressure surface R1p of the first rib R1. Similarly, the lower holder 33 is integrally formed with a second contact portion 33a that contacts the second pressure surface R2p of the second rib R2.

[0066] In the crimping step (II), a regulating member 34 is used at a position where it abuts against the protruding end of the first rib R1 and the protruding end of the second rib R2. It is reasonable to configure this regulating member 34 to be supported by either the upper holder 32 or the lower holder 33. Note that the regulating member 34 can also be configured to be set at the position shown in Fig. 7 by providing a dedicated actuator, a guide mechanism, etc.

[0067] In the crimping step (II), the upper housing 10 supported by the upper holder 32 and the lower housing 20 supported by the lower holder 33 are brought relatively close to each other. This operation achieves welding between the joining surface SW of the first opening S1 and the joining surface SW of the second opening S2.

[0068] In particular, in the crimping step (II), it is rational to fix one of the lower holder 33 and the upper holder 32, and move the other of the lower holder 33 and the upper holder 32 along the pressure acting direction Q to crimp the joint surface SW of the first opening S1 of the upper housing 10 and the joint surface SW of the second opening S2 of the lower housing 20 together.

[0069] During this crimping, the first contact portion 32a of the upper holder 32 comes into contact with the first pressure surface R1p of the first rib R1 formed on the outer side of the opening edge of the first opening S1 of the upper housing 10, and downward pressure is applied. Similarly, during crimping, the second contact portion 33a of the lower holder 33 comes into contact with the second pressure surface R2p of the second rib R2 formed on the outer side of the opening edge of the second opening S2 of the lower housing 20, and upward pressure is applied.

[0070] As a result, even if at least one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 is deformed and the joint surface SW of the first opening S1 and the joint surface SW of the second opening S2 are not properly in contact before welding, proper welding can be achieved by applying pressure while correcting the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 to a proper positional relationship, thereby ensuring a sufficient welding area and preventing a decrease in welding strength.

[0071] In the welding in the pressure bonding step (II), the joining surface SW of the first outer wall portion 12 and the joining surface SW of the second outer wall portion 22 come into strong contact with each other, so that the resins of the joining surfaces SW are mixed together and the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are joined together. During this welding, as shown in Fig. 7, some of the resin of the joining surface SW between the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 flows out from the welded portion (welded surface W) to the outside, creating burrs 35.

[0072] Although burrs 35 are formed in this manner, the amount of protrusion of the burrs 35 formed on the outside of the housing MH is limited by contact with the restricting member 34.

[0073] In this crimping step (II), the joining surface SW of the first opening S1 and the joining surface SW of the second opening S2 are crimped together, and this crimped state is maintained for a set time. After heat dissipation, the upper holder 32 is moved upward, making it possible to remove the housing MH in which the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 are integrated by welding at the welding surface W.

[0074] [Effects of the embodiment] In this way, the first rib R1 is formed along the first opening S1 of the upper housing 10, and the second rib R2 is formed along the second opening S2 of the lower housing 20, with the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 facing each other in a direction perpendicular to the joining surface SW. Using these ribs R, pressure is applied to the upper housing 10 along the pressure application direction Q during welding, and the pressure is applied to the first pressure surface R1p of the first rib R1. Furthermore, during welding, pressure is applied from the lower housing 20 to the second pressure surface R2p of the second rib R2 in the direction opposite to the pressure application direction Q.

[0075] As a result, even if at least one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 is deformed, the force acting from the first abutment portion 32a on the first pressure surface R1p of the first rib R1 and the force acting from the second abutment portion 33a on the second pressure surface R2p of the second rib R2 correct the joint surface SW of the first opening S1 and the joint surface SW of the second opening S2 to the appropriate positional relationship, while welding is achieved in a state in which the lower end of the first outer wall portion 12 and the upper end of the second outer wall portion 22 are in close contact, thereby ensuring a sufficient welding area and suppressing a decrease in welding strength.

[0076] Furthermore, since the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 are formed in a positional relationship in which they are parallel to each other, even when correction is required to set the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 in an appropriate positional relationship, highly accurate correction can be achieved.

[0077] Furthermore, before welding, the first rib R1 of the upper housing 10 is spaced upward from the lower end of the first outer wall portion 12 by a first offset amount D1, and the second rib R2 of the lower housing 20 before welding is spaced downward from the upper end of the second outer wall portion 22 by a second offset amount D2.

[0078] In this way, the rib R is offset away from the welding surface W, so that during welding, force is concentrated on the first thickness T1 of the first outer wall portion 12 of the first opening S1 and the second thickness T2 of the second outer wall portion 22 of the second opening S2, ensuring a reliable joint.

[0079] Furthermore, since the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 are positioned at a position offset from the welding surface W, even when the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are heated for thermal welding, the phenomenon of the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 softening due to heat is suppressed, and there is no reduction in strength.

[0080] Furthermore, the method for manufacturing the manifold includes a heating step (I) in which the joining surface SW of the first opening S1 of the upper housing 10 (first housing) and the joining surface SW of the second opening S2 of the lower housing 20 (second housing) are heated to a melting temperature, and after this heating step (I), a crimping step (II) is performed in which the joining surface SW of the first opening S1 and the joining surface SW of the second opening S2 are brought into contact under pressure, and in this crimping step (II), a force is applied to the rib R in the crimping direction.

[0081] In this manifold manufacturing method, in the crimping step (II), a force is applied in a direction (crimping direction) that brings the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 closer together.This allows the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 to be corrected to the appropriate positional relationship while being crimped, even if at least one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20 is deformed, thereby achieving a strong weld, ensuring a sufficient weld area, and preventing a decrease in weld strength.

[0082] Furthermore, in the manifold manufacturing method, when the joining surface SW of the first outer wall portion 12 and the joining surface SW of the second outer wall portion 22 are crimped together in the crimping step (II), even if some of the resin on the end surface flows out from the welding surface W to the outside, creating a burr 35, the regulating member 34 can suppress the amount of protrusion of the burr 35, and it is possible, for example, to omit the process of removing the burr 35.

[0083] [Another embodiment] The present invention may be configured as follows in addition to the above-described embodiments (common numbers and symbols as in the embodiments are used to designate components having the same functions as in the embodiments).

[0084] (a) The rib R may be formed on only one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20. Alternatively, the rib R may be formed around the entire periphery of at least one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20.

[0085] Furthermore, even if the rib R is formed on only one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20, by applying force to the rib R during welding, a strong welding can be achieved in which the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are tightly adhered to each other, the welding area can be secured, and a decrease in welding strength can be suppressed.

[0086] (b) In a configuration in which the first rib R1 is formed on the upper housing 10 and the second rib R2 is formed on the lower housing 20, the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 do not necessarily need to be arranged in a positional relationship in which they overlap in a plan view, and they may be arranged in positions in which they do not overlap in a plan view. In other words, the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 may be arranged in positions in which they do not face each other in a direction perpendicular to the joint surface SW.

[0087] (c) By separating the first abutment portion 32a that abuts against the upper surface of the first rib R1 from the upper holder 32 and separating the second abutment portion 33a that abuts against the lower surface of the second rib R2 from the lower holder 33, a set pressure is applied to the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 at a set timing.

[0088] The configuration of this alternative embodiment (c) makes it possible, for example, when pressure is applied between the upper holder 32 and the lower holder 33 during thermal welding to crimp the first opening S1 and the second opening S2, to apply a pressure different from the pressure applied during crimping to the first pressure surface R1p of the first rib R1 and the second pressure surface R2p of the second rib R2.

[0089] Furthermore, in order to apply different pressures to the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 in this manner, it is also possible to support the first abutment portion 32a in a biased state with a spring or the like so that it protrudes downward relative to the upper holder 32, and support the second abutment portion 33a in a biased state with a spring or the like so that it protrudes upward relative to the lower holder 33.

[0090] In addition, this configuration also makes it possible to continue applying pressure to the first pressure surface R1p of the first rib R1 and the second pressure surface R2p of the second rib R2 for a set period of time after releasing the pressure acting on the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20.

[0091] This alternative embodiment (c) also includes an embodiment in which the rib R is formed on only one of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 20. Therefore, even if the rib R is formed on only one side, the housing is provided with an abutment structure that can be freely switched between a state in which it abuts against the rib R and a state in which it is separated from the rib R.

[0092] (d) The first thickness T1 of the lower end of the first outer wall portion 12 may be greater than the second thickness T2 of the upper end of the second outer wall portion 22, or the first thickness T1 and the second thickness T2 may be equal.

[0093] Furthermore, the configurations disclosed in the above embodiments (including other embodiments, the same applies below) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no contradictions arise. Furthermore, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are examples, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to these, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope that does not deviate from the purpose of the present invention.

[0094] In the above-described embodiment, the following configurations are envisioned. (1) A manifold M has a first housing (upper housing 10) having a first opening S1 formed therein and a second housing (lower housing 20) having a second opening S2 formed therein, and the first housing (upper housing 10) and the second housing (lower housing 20) are integrated by welding the respective joining surfaces SW of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 together to form a fluid space (flow path chamber LS) therein, and the manifold M has a rib R formed on at least one of the outer circumferential side of the opening edge of the first opening S1 and the outer circumferential side of the opening edge of the second opening S2, which rib R protrudes outward along a plane parallel to the joining surface SW.

[0095] Even if one of the first housing (upper housing 10) and the second housing (lower housing 20) is deformed and the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are not properly tightly joined, for example, when joining them by thermal welding, pressure can be applied to the rib R along the crimping direction of the first opening S1 and the second opening S2. By applying pressure in this manner, welding can be achieved in a state in which the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are properly tightly joined, and a sufficient welding area can be ensured. Therefore, even if the precision of the joining surfaces SW of the members (first housing and second housing) that make up the housing is reduced, a manifold can be achieved in which a decrease in welding strength is suppressed.

[0096] (2) In the manifold M of (1), it is preferable that the ribs R include a first rib R1 that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the opening edge of the first opening S1, and a second rib R2 that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the opening edge of the second opening S2.

[0097] According to this, when welding the first opening S1 of the first housing (upper housing 10) and the second opening S2 of the second housing (lower housing 20), a contact member is brought into contact with both the first rib R1 and the second rib R2, and a force is applied in a direction (crimping direction) perpendicular to the joining surface SW, thereby applying a force in a direction that brings the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 into close contact with each other at a position close to them, thereby enabling a reliable joining.

[0098] (3) In the manifold M of (2), it is preferable that the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 face each other in a direction perpendicular to the joint surface SW.

[0099] Since the first rib R1 and the second rib R2 face each other in a direction perpendicular to the joint surface SW, by applying pressure to the first rib R1 and the second rib R2, the force is concentrated on the joint surface SW of the first opening S1 and the joint surface SW of the second opening S2, enabling a secure joint.

[0100] (4) A method for manufacturing a manifold, comprising: a heating step (I) for heating the joining surface SW of the first opening S1 in the first housing (upper housing 10) and the joining surface SW of the second opening S2 in the second housing (lower housing 20) to a melting temperature; and a crimping step (II) for crimping the joining surface SW of the first opening S1 and the joining surface SW of the second opening S2 after the heating step (I), wherein in the crimping step (II), a force is applied to the rib R in a direction perpendicular to the joining surfaces.

[0101] According to this, after a heating step (I) in which the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 are heated to their melting temperature, a crimping step (II) in which they are brought into contact under pressure applies a force to the rib R in the crimping direction, thereby tightly adhering the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 to achieve a strong welding.

[0102] (5) In the method of manufacturing the manifold of (4), in the crimping step (II), it is preferable to arrange a regulating member 34 adjacent to the protruding end of the rib R, which can contact burrs 35 leaking from the welded portion between the first opening S1 and the second opening S2 outside the housing MH.

[0103] As a result, in the crimping step (II), the lower end surface of the first outer wall portion 12 and the upper end surface of the second outer wall portion 22 come into strong contact with each other, and even if a portion of the resin on the end surface flows out from the joint to the outside, creating a burr 35, the amount of protrusion of the burr 35 is suppressed by contact with the regulating member 34. [Industrial Applicability]

[0104] The present invention can be utilized in a manifold and a method for manufacturing the manifold. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10: Upper housing (first housing), 20: Lower housing (second housing), 34: Restricting member, 35: Burr, LS: Flow path chamber (fluid space), M: Manifold, MH: Housing, R: Rib, R1: First rib, R2: Second rib, S1: First opening, S2: Second opening, SW: Joint surface, I: Heating step, II: Crimping step

Claims

1. a housing having a first housing in which a first opening is formed and a second housing in which a second opening is formed, the first housing and the second housing being integrated by welding the respective joining surfaces of the first opening and the second opening to each other, and a fluid space being formed inside the housing; a manifold in which a rib protruding outward along a plane parallel to the joining surface is formed on at least one of the outer circumferential side of the opening edge of the first opening and the outer circumferential side of the opening edge of the second opening of the housing.

2. 2. The manifold according to claim 1, wherein the ribs include a first rib that protrudes outward from an outer periphery of an opening edge of the first opening, and a second rib that protrudes outward from an outer periphery of an opening edge of the second opening.

3. The manifold according to claim 2 , wherein the first rib and the second rib face each other in a direction perpendicular to the joining surface.

4. A method for manufacturing the manifold according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising the steps of: a heating step of heating the joining surface of the first opening of the first housing and the joining surface of the second opening of the second housing to a melting temperature; a pressure-bonding step of pressure-bonding the bonding surface of the first opening and the bonding surface of the second opening after the heating step, A method for manufacturing a manifold, wherein in the crimping step, a force is applied to the rib in a direction perpendicular to the joining surface.

5. 5. The method for manufacturing a manifold according to claim 4, wherein in the crimping step, a regulating member capable of contacting burrs leaking from the welded portion between the first opening and the second opening on the outside of the housing is arranged adjacent to the protruding end of the rib.

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