Composite manifold formed from thermosetting polymer

• Main Authors: DE ANGELIS GARY J, RAO ARVIND M, WILLIAMS ARTHUR R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.11.2006
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; COMBINED OPERATIONS; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; MACHINE TOOLS; MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVINGMATERIAL; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; OTHER WORKING OF METAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; PUNCHING METAL; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TRANSPORTING; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL; WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS ORPROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL

A method for forming a three-dimensional object having complex passages, comprising the steps of forming a plurality of interlockable sub-objects capable of being assembled together to form the three-dimensional object, each sub-object having a portion of the complex passages and each having at least one joining surface for attachment to an adjacent sub-object, the interfaces between the sub-objects being chosen such that each sub-object may be formed by a simple, inexpensive molding process, for example, by compression molding or injection molding; applying a suitable joining material to the joining surfaces; and assembling the sub-objects to form the three-dimensional object. In applications wherein the joining material is heat-curable, the method may include the additional step of heat-curing the assembly. The joining material may be identical or not with the sub-object forming material.