Molded Wall Component Mounting via Molten Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for mounting components within or on receptacles, such as fuel tanks, often require additional support structures or securement mechanisms that can be cumbersome and may not provide a strong, direct attachment.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a component is positioned adjacent to a molten wall of a molded article, with tools overlapping the component with the wall material during the molding process, allowing the wall to cool and bond with the component, securely attaching it to the article.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If components are mounted on a carrier or support structure within the receptacle, then the components can be organized and secured, but the device complexity and structural burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The component mounting function is merged directly into the receptacle wall structure. The wall itself is formed to overlap and retain the component, eliminating the need for separate carriers or support structures. This is achieved through the molding process where the wall is formed to extend around and overlap the component, integrating the mounting function into the receptacle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The component mounting function is extracted from separate support structures and integrated directly into the receptacle wall. By forming the wall to directly overlap and retain the component, the invention removes the intermediate carrier structures, simplifying the overall device while maintaining reliable component retention.
2Reliability
If components are attached to a flange on the receptacle wall using clamps or threaded connections, then securement is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The component attachment function is merged into the molding process itself. The receptacle wall is formed to directly overlap and retain the component during molding, combining the receptacle formation and component attachment into a single integrated process, thereby eliminating separate assembly steps involving clamps or threaded connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The component is positioned and the wall is formed to overlap it during the molding process, before final cooling and solidification. This preliminary positioning and overlapping action during molding ensures secure attachment is achieved as part of the base manufacturing process, rather than requiring subsequent assembly operations.
3Reliability
If additional support structures are used to mount components, then component retention is improved, but the weight of the receptacle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The component retention function is merged into the receptacle wall structure itself. By forming the wall to directly overlap and retain the component, the invention eliminates the need for additional support structures, thereby maintaining component retention reliability while avoiding the weight penalty of extra mounting hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The separate support structures used for component retention are extracted from the design. The invention uses the receptacle wall itself as the retention mechanism, removing unnecessary structural elements and reducing overall weight while maintaining effective component securement.
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
This approach provides a strong, direct attachment of components to molded articles by bonding the component with the molten material, ensuring retention and integration during the molding process, applicable to various shapes and configurations of components and articles.
Implementation Method 1
overlapping a portion of the component with a portion of the wall of the article being molded while the wall is still at least partially molten, and permitting the wall of the article being molded to cool with said portion of the component still overlapped by the wall
Implementation Method 2
permitting the wall of the article being molded to cool with said portion of the component still overlapped by the wall
Data Source
AI summary
A method of connecting a component to a molded article may include disposing a component adjacent to a wall of the article being molded, overlapping a portion of the component with a portion of the wall of the article being molded while the wall is still at least partially molten, and permitting the wall of the article being molded to cool with said portion of the component still overlapped by the wall. Preferably, a portion of the component is overlapped on two sides by the wall of the article being molded to firmly retain the component relative to the article after the article is formed. The article may be a receptacle, or any other object, as desired.