Induction Heating Metal Tip for Rapid Thermal Caulking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal caulking devices face issues such as high power consumption, inefficient heating, mechanical strength limitations, uneven heating, and difficulty in replacing metal tips, particularly when dealing with varying boss diameters and small plastic parts, which require precise control over heating and cooling conditions.
Innovation Solution
A thermal caulking device with a metal tip featuring a heating rod at its center, surrounded by a cooling pipe and a high-frequency induction coil on the outer surface, allowing for efficient heating and cooling of the pressing part, enabling quick and precise thermal caulking of plastic parts with low electrical power usage and easy tip replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If Joule heating is used with high current through a nichrome plate or high electrical resistance metal, then the heater can generate sufficient heat for caulking, but the electrical power consumption becomes excessively high and the heater structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces Joule heating (electrical resistance heating) with induction heating. The induction heating coil generates a magnetic field that induces eddy currents in the metal tip, which then generates heat through electromagnetic induction rather than direct electrical resistance. This substitution reduces electrical power consumption while maintaining effective heating capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an induction heating coil as an intermediary between the power source and the metal tip. Instead of passing high current directly through the heater element, the coil acts as a mediator that converts electrical energy to magnetic energy, which then induces currents in the metal tip to generate heat. This intermediary approach reduces the electrical power burden on the system.
2Temperature
If the metal tip is heated using conventional methods, then the pressing part can be heated, but the heating is uneven and the thermal efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the heating action specifically at the pressing part (tip) of the metal tool through induction heating. The induction coil is positioned to generate magnetic fields that induce currents primarily in the pressing part, creating localized high-temperature zones exactly where heat is needed for caulking, rather than heating the entire metal tip uniformly. This localized heating improves thermal efficiency and reduces energy loss.
3Strength
If the metal tip is made thicker to increase mechanical strength, then the strength increases, but the heat capacity increases and heating/cooling time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the heating method parameter from conventional contact heating to induction heating. Induction heating heats the metal tip much more rapidly and with greater precision, reducing the heating time significantly. The rapid heating and cooling capability allows the metal tip to be thinner while still achieving the required mechanical strength for caulking operations, thereby reducing the heat capacity and overall processing time.
4Power
If high-frequency induction heating is used with the coil on the outer surface, then heating efficiency improves, but the coil interferes with the caulking worker and limits workspace
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by placing the induction heating coil inside the metal tip structure rather than on the outer surface. The coil is nested within the hollow interior of the metal tip, allowing the magnetic field to penetrate and heat the pressing part from the inside. This internal nesting eliminates the external coil interference with the worker's hands and workspace while maintaining efficient induction heating capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device achieves high thermal efficiency, rapid heating and cooling, and increased caulking force by focusing heat on the center of the boss, allowing for consistent results across different boss diameters and enabling easy maintenance and replacement of the metal tip.
Implementation Method 1
heating means for heating the heating rod; the heating means has a coil which is wound on the outer peripheral surface of the leading end portion of the cooling pipe, and a power source which is configured to supply a high-frequency current to the coil
Implementation Method 2
a cooling pipe which cools the heating rod; cooling fluid supply means for supplying a cooling fluid to the cooling pipe
Implementation Method 3
the control means heats the pressing part from the heating rod by the heating means
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present invention provides a thermal caulking device which can quickly heat and cool an object to be caulked with low electrical power. Provided is a thermal caulking device which caulks a portion of a plastic part 7 as an object to be caulked, the thermal caulking device including: a metal tip 3 having a pressing part 3a which presses the object to be caulked and a heating rod 3c which is provided upright at a center part of the pressing part 3a; heating means 10c for heating the heating rod 3c; a cooling pipe 9 which cools the heating rod 3c; cooling fluid supply means 4 for supplying a cooling fluid to the cooling pipe 9; a holder 1 which holds the metal tip 3 and the cooling pipe 9 so that the cooling pipe 9 delivers the cooling fluid toward the heating rod 3c; and control means 6 for controlling the heating means 10c and the cooling fluid supply means 4, wherein the control means 6 heats the pressing part 3a from the heating rod 3c by the heating means 10c, and after the object to be caulked is thermally caulked by the pressing part 3a, supplies the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid supply means 4 to the cooling pipe 9 to cool the pressing part 3a from the heating rod 3c.