US6089731A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fusion-welding leg in vehicle lamp
Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co Ltd
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Filing: 1998-05-27
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Granted: 2000-07-18
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Expires: 2018-05-27
Abstract
Abstract A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp such that the fusion-welding leg of a front lens as one of the plastic members constituting the vehicle lamp is vibration-fusion-welded to the joint portion of a lamp body as the other plastic member. The inside of the front end of the fusion-welding leg is made substantially perpendicular to the joint surface on the lamp body side, and the outside thereof is tapered off to the leading end thereof so as to form a tapered surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Fujihiko Sugiyama
- 👤 Shigeyuki Soga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:24
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C66/00; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/54; B29C66/542; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/06; B29C65/0609; B29C65/0618; B29C65/069; B29C65/78; B29C65/7841; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/114; B29C66/13; B29C66/131; B29C66/302; B29C66/3022; B29C66/30221; B29C66/30223; B29C66/32; B29C66/70; B29C66/73; B29C66/733; B29C66/7336; B29C66/73365; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81431; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29C66/8322; F; F21; F21S; F21S41/00; F21S41/20; F21S41/29; F21S43/00; F21S43/50; F21S43/51; F21V; F21V17/00; F21V17/10; F21V17/101; B29C66/71; B29C66/712; B29C66/7332; B29C66/73321; B29C66/73322; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3055; B29L2031/747
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp for attaching a vehicle lamp lens to a vehicle lamp body by vibration-fusion-welding a joint surface of the fusion-welding leg to a joint surface of the lamp body, the fusion welding leg comprising: a front end, an inside surface facing an inside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and an outside surface facing an outside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and wherein the inside surface is perpendicular to the joint surface of the lamp body, and the outside surface is tapered so as to increase a width of said fusion-welding leg in a direction away from the front end; and wherein said fusion welding leg is made of a resin material having a thermal melting temperature which is higher than a thermal melting temperature of the lamp body at the joint surface of the lamp body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp for attaching a vehicle lamp lens to a vehicle lamp body by vibration-fusion-welding a joint surface of the fusion-welding leg to a joint surface of the lamp body, the fusion welding leg comprising: a front end, an inside surface facing an inside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and an outside surface facing an outside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and wherein the inside surface is perpendicular to the joint surface of the lamp body, and the outside surface is tapered so as to increase a width of said fusion-welding leg in a direction away from the front end; and wherein said fusion welding leg is made of a resin material having a thermal melting temperature which is higher than a thermal melting temperature of the lamp body at the joint surface of the lamp body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tip of the fusion-welding leg at the front end substantially ranges in width from 0.5 to 1.2 mm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stepped portion formed in an upper portion of the tapered surface formed on the outside of the fusion-welding leg.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the vibration-fusion-welding is carried out, a whole contact edge face of the fusion-welding leg is fusion-welded to the joint surface on the lamp body side.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein a frictional coefficient is increased by subjecting the joint surface of the fusion-welding leg to embossing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tapered surface of the fusion-welding leg is subjected to embossing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fusion-welding leg has a flat edge face at a front distal end thereof, said flat edge face adapted to uniformly contact the joint surface of the lamp body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
180 words
A vehicle lamp, comprising: a lamp body having a front opening formed of first thermoplastic synthetic resin; a front lens formed of second thermoplastic synthetic resin coupled to the front opening of said lamp body to define a lamp chamber; a light source coupled to said lamp body and disposed within said lamp chamber; a contact surface formed integrally with one of said lamp body and said front lens; and a fusion-welding leg formed integrally with the other of said lamp body and said front lens, said fusion-welding leg is welded to said contact surface by vibration, said fusion-welding leg comprises: a front end, an inside surface facing an inside of the lamp body and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and an outside surface facing an outside of the lamp body and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and wherein the inside surface is perpendicular to the contact surface, and the outside surface is tapered so as to increase a width of said fusion-welding leg in a direction away from the front end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
180 words
A vehicle lamp, comprising: a lamp body having a front opening formed of first thermoplastic synthetic resin; a front lens formed of second thermoplastic synthetic resin coupled to the front opening of said lamp body to define a lamp chamber; a light source coupled to said lamp body and disposed within said lamp chamber; a contact surface formed integrally with one of said lamp body and said front lens; and a fusion-welding leg formed integrally with the other of said lamp body and said front lens, said fusion-welding leg is welded to said contact surface by vibration, said fusion-welding leg comprises: a front end, an inside surface facing an inside of the lamp body and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and an outside surface facing an outside of the lamp body and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and wherein the inside surface is perpendicular to the contact surface, and the outside surface is tapered so as to increase a width of said fusion-welding leg in a direction away from the front end.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A vehicle lamp of claim 8, wherein a tip of the fusion-welding leg at the front end substantially ranges in width from 0.5 to 1.2 mm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A vehicle lamp of claim 8, wherein said fusion-welding leg further comprising a stepped portion formed in an upper portion of the tapered surface formed on the outside of the fusion-welding leg.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A vehicle lamp of claim 8, wherein when the vibration-fusion-welding is carried out, a whole contact edge face of the fusion-welding leg is fusion-welded to the contact surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A vehicle lamp of claim 8, wherein at least said tapered surface of said fusion-welding leg is subjected to embossing treatment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A vehicle lamp of claim 8, wherein said first thermoplastic synthetic resin comprises a group consisting of AAS and ABS resin, and said second synthetic resin comprises a group consisting of acrylic series synthetic resin.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The vehicle lamp as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second thermoplastic resin has a thermal melting temperature which is higher than a thermal melting temperature of the first thermoplastic resin.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of molding a vehicle lamp, comprising steps of: molding a lamp body by a first thermoplastic synthetic resin having a front opening and a flange surrounding the front opening; molding a lens by a second thermoplastic synthetic resin having a leg projecting therefrom, said leg having a front end, an inside surface facing an inside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the leg, and an outside surface facing an outside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the leg, and wherein the inside surface is perpendicular to the joint surface of the lamp body, and the outside surface is tapered so as to increase a width of the leg in a direction away from the front end; coupling the leg of the lens to the flange of the lamp body; generating frictional heat by utilizing electromagnetic vibrations; applying the frictional heat and fusing the flange of the lamp body and the leg of the lens; and cool-solidifying the lamp body and the lens.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of molding a vehicle lamp, comprising steps of: molding a lamp body by a first thermoplastic synthetic resin having a front opening and a flange surrounding the front opening; molding a lens by a second thermoplastic synthetic resin having a leg projecting therefrom, said leg having a front end, an inside surface facing an inside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the leg, and an outside surface facing an outside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the leg, and wherein the inside surface is perpendicular to the joint surface of the lamp body, and the outside surface is tapered so as to increase a width of the leg in a direction away from the front end; coupling the leg of the lens to the flange of the lamp body; generating frictional heat by utilizing electromagnetic vibrations; applying the frictional heat and fusing the flange of the lamp body and the leg of the lens; and cool-solidifying the lamp body and the lens.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the electromagnetic vibrations are generated under a frequency of approximately 240 Hz and amplitude of approximately within a range of 1 to 1.2 mm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the tapered surface of said leg comprises a stepped portion at an upper portion of said tapered surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of subjecting said tapered surface of said leg with embossing treatment before coupling the leg to the flange of the lamp body.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said first thermoplastic synthetic resin comprises a group consisting of AAS and ABS resin, and said second synthetic resin comprises a group consisting of acrylic series synthetic resin.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the second thermoplastic resin has a thermal melting temperature which is higher than a thermal melting temperature of the first thermoplastic resin.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
142 words
A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp for attaching a vehicle lamp lens to a vehicle lamp body by vibration-fusion-welding a joint surface of the fusion-welding leg to a joint surface of the lamp body, the fusion welding leg comprising: a front end, an inside surface facing an inside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and an outside surface facing an outside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and wherein the inside surface is perpendicular to the joint surface of the lamp body, and the outside surface is tapered so as to increase a width of said fusion-welding leg in a direction away from the front end; and wherein a frictional coefficient is increased by subjecting the joint tapered surface of the fusion-welding leg to embossing.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
142 words
A fusion-welding leg in a vehicle lamp for attaching a vehicle lamp lens to a vehicle lamp body by vibration-fusion-welding a joint surface of the fusion-welding leg to a joint surface of the lamp body, the fusion welding leg comprising: a front end, an inside surface facing an inside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and an outside surface facing an outside of the vehicle lamp and extending from the front end of the fusion-welding leg, and wherein the inside surface is perpendicular to the joint surface of the lamp body, and the outside surface is tapered so as to increase a width of said fusion-welding leg in a direction away from the front end; and wherein a frictional coefficient is increased by subjecting the joint tapered surface of the fusion-welding leg to embossing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-18 | 2004-01-17 | 2004-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-18 | 2008-01-17 | 2008-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-18 | 2012-01-17 | 2012-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |