Protective Cap for Fixing Insert During Overmolding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for integrating fixing inserts into plastic parts for motor vehicles are costly, time-consuming, and prone to positioning inaccuracies, requiring complex molds and resulting in mechanical strength issues due to residual assembly clearances and material loss.
Innovation Solution
A device with piercing and sealing means is used to protect the fixing insert during overmolding, allowing precise positioning and preventing plastic material infiltration, which simplifies the manufacturing process and improves mechanical performance by distributing material uniformly around the insert.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If fixing inserts are integrated during overmolding, then positioning precision and mechanical strength are improved, but the fixing member may be covered by plastic material preventing proper fixation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by placing a protective cap on the fixing member before the overmolding process begins. This cap prevents the plastic material from covering the thread during molding, ensuring the fixing member remains accessible for subsequent assembly operations. The cap is removed after molding, leaving the thread exposed and functional.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cap serves as an intermediary element between the fixing member and the plastic material. It temporarily occupies the space that would otherwise be occupied by the plastic material covering the thread, allowing the plastic to be molded around the cap without interfering with the fixing member's functionality.
2Reliability
If recovery operations are used to integrate inserts after molding, then the fixing member remains accessible, but production cost and cycle time increase due to additional operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the insert integration process with the overmolding operation itself. By placing the protective cap on the fixing member before molding and removing it after molding, the insert is integrated into the part during the same production cycle as the plastic molding, eliminating the need for separate recovery operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cap is placed on the fixing member in advance, before the overmolding process. This preliminary action allows the fixing member to be protected during molding while remaining integrated with the part, eliminating the need for subsequent recovery operations to access or position the insert.
3Reliability
If recovery operations are used to integrate inserts after molding, then the fixing member remains accessible, but material loss and equipment maintenance issues occur due to dust production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the insert integration with the overmolding process, eliminating separate recovery operations that generate dust and require material removal. The protective cap method allows the insert to be integrated without machining, drilling, or punching operations that cause material loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of plastic material covering the thread into a benefit by using the protective cap. The cap allows the plastic to be molded in the same area without interfering with the fixing member, turning what would be a problematic situation into a streamlined integrated process.
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
Figure 3A~4B
Figure 5A~5D
AI summary
A device (10) for protecting an attachment insert (20) when overmoulding the attachment insert (20) with a plastic material (MP) by means of a mould (30), the attachment insert (20) comprising an attachment member (22), characterised in that the device (10) comprises: - a piercing means (14) suitable for piercing through at least one sheet of plastic material; - a sealing means (16) for sealing the attachment member (22), in order to prevent plastic material (MP) from infiltrating onto the attachment member (22) during an overmoulding operation.