| US 7,455,745 B2 | ||
| Laser welding of a plastic manifold | ||
| Bobbye Kaye Baylis, Harrow (Canada); Bruce J. Harvey, Shelby Township, Mich. (US); and Paul D. Daly, Troy, Mich. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Mahle International GmbH, Stuttgart (Germany) | ||
| Filed on Jun. 02, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/446,013. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/687482, filed on Jun. 03, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0272769 A1, Dec. 07, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. B29C 65/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 156—272.8 [156/272.2; 123/184.21] | 10 Claims |
| 1. A method of fabricating a plastic intake manifold comprising the steps of:
a) defining an outer shell comprised of a laser transparent material, the outer shell including an protrusion extending outward
from a surface of the outer shell;
b) defining an inner shell comprised of a laser opaque material;
c) defining a joint path between the inner shell and the outer shell that includes the protrusion; and
d) directing laser energy at a first angle relative to normal through the outer shell such that laser energy is directed against
a portion of the inner shell located opposite the protrusion, wherein laser energy is not directed through the protrusion.
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