Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030197958?oq=5083039
Timestamp: 2018-06-19 02:54:30
Document Index: 71401311

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 20', 'art 22', 'arts 20', 'arts 20', 'art 22', 'art 20', 'art 22', 'art 30', 'art 20', 'art 30', 'art 22', 'arts 20', 'arts 20']

US20030197958A1 - System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein - Google Patents
System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein Download PDF
US20030197958A1
US20030197958A1 US10128609 US12860902A US20030197958A1 US 20030197958 A1 US20030197958 A1 US 20030197958A1 US 10128609 US10128609 US 10128609 US 12860902 A US12860902 A US 12860902A US 20030197958 A1 US20030197958 A1 US 20030197958A1
US10128609
US6760165B2 (en )
Described is an assembly which includes a housing and a window member therein. Also, described is a method and system for manufacturing such assembly. In particular, a first part and a second part are approximated into a molding configuration to create a first mold therebetween. The first mold includes first and second molding cavities. When the first and second parts are in the molding configuration, the second molding cavity is sealed with respect to the first molding cavity. Then, a first molding material is added into the first molding cavity to create a housing. A window member is inserted into the second molding cavity. The second part is replaced with a third part to form a second mold including a third molding cavity surrounding a perimeter of the window member. Subsequently, a second molding material is added to the third molding cavity to create a seal surrounding the perimeter of the window member.
A conventional optical window is utilized in an electronics enclosure (or a housing) to provide a means of allowing an optical signal from an optical sensing device (e.g., a laser scanner, a digital camera, a CCD device, an IR device, etc.) and a return signal to pass with minimal distortion and loss through an environmentally sealed optical aperture. Such window prevents water, electro-static discharge (“ESD”), dust and moisture from entering the housing thereby protecting sensitive electronics and optical devices contained within. The conventional optical window is assembled into the housing as a secondary operation requiring several parts and several assembly operations.
[0002]FIG. 1 shows a conventional assembly 1 which includes a bezel 4, a sealing material (gasket) 8, a window 6 and a housing 2. For a plastic injection-molded housing 2, a mold tool is required for the bezel 4, as well as for the housing 2. Each part is fabricated separately. The bezel 4 is placed over the window 6 and is ultrasonically welded to the housing 2. The bezel 4 fixes the window 6 in place, while the gasket 8 provides the environmental seal.
[0006]FIG. 1 shows a conventional assembly;
[0007]FIG. 2a shows an exemplary embodiment of an assembly including a housing with a window member therein according to the present invention;
[0008]FIG. 2b shows another exemplary embodiment of the assembly;
[0009]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method according to the present invention;
[0010]FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of the method shown in FIG. 3;
[0011]FIG. 5 illustrates another portion of the method shown in FIG. 3;
[0012]FIG. 6a shows an exemplary embodiment of a first part of a molding configuration according to the present invention;
[0013]FIG. 6b shows an exemplary embodiment of a second part of the molding configuration according to the present invention; and
[0014]FIG. 6c shows an exemplary embodiment of a third part of the molding configuration according to the present invention.
[0015]FIG. 2a shows an exemplary embodiment of an assembly 50 according to the present invention. The assembly 50 includes a housing 14 and a window member 10 therein. The window member 10 is sealed within the housing 14 using a seal 12. The sealing process is performed during manufacturing of the housing 14 and is described in detail below. The housing 14 may include, for example, a housing of a hand-scanner and the window member 10 may include, e.g., a piece of glass, plastic or any other transparent or semi-transparent material. The window member 10 may have a plurality of geometrical shapes, e.g., rectangular, round, oval, polygonal, etc.
[0016]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention of a method for manufacturing the assembly 50 having the housing 14 with the window member 10 therein. In step 100, a first part 20 and a second part 22 are assembled into a molding configuration (See FIGS. 6a, 6 b). This molding configuration, as shown in FIG. 4, creates a first mold 51 which has a first molding cavity 24 and a second molding cavity 28. The first and second parts 20, 22 are so configured that when they are in an assembled mode, the second molding cavity 28 is sealed with the respect to the first molding cavity 24. Those skilled in the art would understand that a plurality of shapes of the first and second parts 20, 22 may be utilized to achieve the same result.
In step 104, the window member 10 may be inserted into a molding assembly as shown in FIGS. 4 & 5. Those skilled in the art would understand that the window member 10 may also be inserted into the first mold 51 (e.g., before the step 102) or into a second mold 52 (e.g., after the step 102). The window member 10 is inserted into the second molding cavity 28 which is free from the first molding material 26 (see step 102). For example, FIG. 4 shows the window member 10 inserted before the step 102. The window member 10 covers a portion of the second molding cavity 28 while leaving free sub-spaces 28 a, 28 b.
To insert the window member 10 before step 102, the second part 22 is temporary disassembled from the first part 20 by the action of injection molding equipment and then put together once the window member 10 is inserted into the second molding cavity 28. To insert the window member 10 after the step 102, the second part 22 is removed and the window member 10 is inserted. After the window member 10 is inserted into the second molding cavity 28, a third part 30 is assembled with the first part 20 to form the second mold 52 (step 106). The third part 30, shown in FIG. 6c, may replaces the second part 22 either manually or automatically by the action of a rotating or sliding (shuttle) platen. The first and third parts 20, 30 may be held with a predetermined pressure by an injection-molding machine.
[0020]FIG. 5 shows the first and third parts 20, 30 in an assembled position. The second mold 52 includes a third cavity 32 which surrounds a perimeter of the window member 10. A geometery of the third cavity 32 defines a shape of a second molding material 34 which is injected into the third cavity 32 of the second mold to create the seal 12 around the window member 10, as shown in FIG. 2a (step 108). The second molding material 34 may be a thermoplastic elastomer material. Subsequently, the housing 14 is ejected from the second mold 52.
In the alternative exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2b, the second molding material 34 is heated to its appropriate injection temperature and then injected into the third cavity 32. The temperature of the second molding material 34 is at or above the melting point of the first molding material 26 so that the heat may soften or melt the first molding material 26 at the interface between the first molding material 26 and the second molding material 34. The first and second molding materials 26, 34 mix together to create a melt-bond region 13. Then, the seal 12 is cooled so that the housing 14 may be ejected from the second mold 52.
1. A method of forming a housing with a window member therein, comprising the steps of:
(a) approximating a first part and a second part into a molding configuration to create a first mold therebetween, the first mold including first and second molding cavities, wherein, when the first and second parts are in the molding configuration, the second molding cavity is sealed with respect to the first molding cavity;
(b) adding a first molding material into the first molding cavity to create a housing;
(c) inserting a window member into the second molding cavity;
(d) replacing the second part with a third part to form a second mold including a third molding cavity surrounding a perimeter of the window member; and
(e) adding a second molding material to the third molding cavity to form a seal which surrounds the window member.
(f) heating of the first molding material by the second molding material to created a melt-bonding region therebetween, the melt-bond region surrounding the perimeter of the second molding material.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (c) is performed before the step (b).
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the window member is composed of one of a glass material and a plastic material.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the housing with the window member therein are included in a scanner.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the window member has at least one of the following shapes: rectangular, round, over and polygonal.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first molding material includes a thermo-plastic material.
(g) after step (b), holding the first and second parts in the molding configuration until the first molding material is harden.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (d) is performed one of manually and automatically by an action of one of rotating and sliding platen.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second molding material includes a thermo-plastic elastomer material.
(h) cooling off the housing before ejecting from the second mold.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the seal is an environmental seal.
13. A system for forming a housing with a window member therein, comprising:
a second part approximating with the first part into a molding configuration to create a first mold therebetween, the first mold including first and second molding cavities, wherein, when the first and second parts are in the molding configuration, the second molding cavity is sealed with respect to the first molding cavity; and
a third part approximating with the first part to create a second mold, the second mold including a third cavity which surrounds a perimeter of the window member,
wherein a first molding material is added into the first molding cavity of the first mold to create the housing, wherein the window is inserted into the second molding cavity, and wherein after the adding of the first molding material, the second part is replaced with the third part to form the second mold, a second molding material being added into the third cavity to create a seal surrounding the perimeter of the window member.
14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first molding material is heated by the second molding material to create a melt-bond region therebetween, the melt-bond region surrounding the perimeter of the second molding material.
a first molding material being added into a first molding cavity of a first mold to create a housing, the first mold including a first part and a second part and having the first mold cavity and a second mold cavity, wherein, when the first and second parts are approximated into the first mold, the second molding cavity is sealed with respect to the first molding cavity;
a window member being inserted into the second molding cavity; and
a second molding material being added into a third molding cavity of a second mold to create a seal, the second mold including the first part and a third part and having the third molding cavity, the third molding cavity surrounding a perimeter of the window member, the seal surrounding the perimeter of the window member.
16. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the first molding material is heated by the second molding material to create a melt-bond region therebetween, the melt-bond region surrounding the perimeter of the second molding material.
17. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the assembly is free from a bezel and a gasket.
18. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the window member is composed of one of a glass material and a plastic material.
19. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the assembly is included in a scanner.
20. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the window member has at least one of the following shapes: rectangular, round, over and polygonal.
21. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the first molding material includes a thermo-plastic material.
22. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the second molding material includes a thermo-plastic elastic material.
23. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the seal is an environmental seal.
US10128609 2002-04-22 2002-04-22 System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein Active 2022-10-26 US6760165B2 (en)
US10128609 US6760165B2 (en) 2002-04-22 2002-04-22 System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein
US10848492 US7310193B2 (en) 2002-04-22 2004-05-18 System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein
US10848492 Continuation US7310193B2 (en) 2002-04-22 2004-05-18 System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein
US20030197958A1 true true US20030197958A1 (en) 2003-10-23
US6760165B2 US6760165B2 (en) 2004-07-06
ID=29215482
US10128609 Active 2022-10-26 US6760165B2 (en) 2002-04-22 2002-04-22 System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein
US10848492 Active 2023-06-03 US7310193B2 (en) 2002-04-22 2004-05-18 System and method for manufacturing an assembly including a housing and a window member therein
US (2) US6760165B2 (en)
WO2014133987A3 (en) * 2013-02-26 2015-05-28 Sur-Seal Corporation Led lens assembly
US20130214450A1 (en) 2012-02-17 2013-08-22 Apple Inc. Method and apparatus for molding parts
JP3111353B2 (en) * 1989-08-31 2000-11-20 橋本フォーミング工業株式会社 The method for producing a transparent resin molded article
JPH10101347A (en) * 1996-09-24 1998-04-21 Fuji Photo Optical Co Ltd Device for injection-molding optical parts and injection-molding method
US6046449A (en) * 1998-05-13 2000-04-04 Primax Electronics Ltd. Transparent planar board of a flatbed scanner affixed by clasps
US6124951A (en) * 1998-05-18 2000-09-26 Primax Electronics Ltd. Scanner upper housing
US6587231B1 (en) * 1999-11-05 2003-07-01 Teco Image Systems Co., Ltd. Scanning apparatus
US9176260B2 (en) 2013-02-26 2015-11-03 Sur-Seal Corporation LED lens assembly
US7310193B2 (en) 2007-12-18 grant
US6760165B2 (en) 2004-07-06 grant
US20040213866A1 (en) 2004-10-28 application
US6037655A (en) 2000-03-14 Linear image sensor package assembly
US6802929B2 (en) 2004-10-12 Process for transmission laser welding of plastic parts
US5462288A (en) 1995-10-31 Shaft seal assembly
US20110234803A1 (en) 2011-09-29 Imaging apparatus
GB2012649A (en) 1979-08-01 Tubular shaft and universal joint assembly
US7551949B2 (en) 2009-06-23 Enclosure, particularly a housing for a mobile telecommunication device and method for the producing a housing part
US7186038B2 (en) 2007-03-06 Telecommunications connector protective device
US6360438B1 (en) 2002-03-26 Method of making an upper housing for a bussed electrical center
US6127912A (en) 2000-10-03 Bobbin for an encapsulated coil of a solenoid assembly
US6369380B1 (en) 2002-04-09 Light receiver unit having a light receiving element and a packaging cover
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:WULFF, THOMAS;SPANO, ROBERT;AUSTIN, TIM;REEL/FRAME:012949/0088;SIGNING DATES FROM 20020506 TO 20020513