Patent ID: 6506276
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: B29C,B29L,E04C,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for forming a cellular core member, comprising:forming a plurality of thermoplastic tubular segments having substantially equal lengths defined by spaced apart ends, each segment having a longitudinal axis extending along the length of said each segment; arranging said plurality of thermoplastic tubular segments in side-by-side relationship with the longitudinal axis of each segment being horizontally disposed and the ends of the tubular segments being generally aligned in respective common vertical planes; thermally cutting the ends of the horizontally disposed segments in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of each segment and in a plane parallel to the common vertical plane in which the ends of the segments are generally aligned and simultaneously filsing the cut ends of the horizontally disposed tubular segments together, thereby forming a consolidated unitary structure having a defined height and width, and a thickness defined by the distance between the cut ends of the tubular segments; rotating said unitary structure to a position at which the longitudinal axes of the tubular segments comprising the, consolidated unitary structure are vertically disposed moving said consolidated unitary structure in a horizontal direction relative to at least one horizontally disposed thermal cutting device positioned at a preselected vertical position between the cut ends of the tubular segments; cutting said vertically disposed consolidated unitary structure along a horizontal plane and simultaneously fusing the cut ends of the tubular segments cut by the horizontally disposed thermal cutting device positioned at said preselected vertical position, thereby forming separate cores each having a height and width defined by the height and width of the consolidated unitary structure and a thickness defined by the predefined vertical position at which said horizontally disposed thermal cutting device is positioned.