Patent ID: 6544460
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: B05C,B23K,B29C,B29L

Abstract:
For an article having an end and an opening which extends inwardly from the end and for means for providing filler material which is heated to liquefy the material and is provided under pressure through a nozzle, a fixture having a passage for flowing a stream of heated filler material under an operative condition from the means to the article, and for not flowing the stream of filler material from the means to the article under an inoperative condition which comprises:a tool member which is formed of a material softer than the material of the article and which is spaced from the end leaving a containment region therebetween through which the passage extends for flowing filler material, the tool member having at least one surface extending about the tool member which adapts the fixture to resiliently engage the end of the article under said operative condition to block the filler material from flowing out of the containment region at a location between the tool member and the article, and, a second member formed of material which is harder than the portion of the tool member which engages the article, the second member extending spanwise into the tool member and having a sealing surface which adapts the second member to engage the nozzle under said operative condition; wherein under said operative condition, the nozzle of the means is adapted to be urged in faying contact against the sealing surface of the second member for blocking leakage of the pressurized filler material as the stream of pressurized filler material is flowed into the passage and the tool member is adapted to be urged against the article to block leakage of the filler material between the article and the tool member to bound the containment region and form a plenum with the containment region for distributing filler material to the end of the article and to the opening; and, wherein the sealing surface of the second member has a location in the stream of filler material in the tool member that is nearer to the containment region than to any point upstream of the tool member such that in the operative condition the spanwise length of filler material Lfu in the passage through the second member is less than the spanwise length Lfh of filler material in the portion of the nozzle that extends through the tool member which reduces the spanwise length Lfu of relatively unheated filler material in the passage through the second member in the inoperative condition in comparison to the spanwise length Lfh of heated filler material in that portion of the nozzle which extends through the tool member.