A method for joining primary and secondary members includes providing a primary member, a secondary member and a heating element which is joined to one of the primary and secondary members. The heating element includes an electrically insulating matrix material and an electrically conductive reinforcing element extending through the matrix material. The method further includes bringing the other of the primary and secondary members and the heating element into engagement and controlling a flow of electrical current in the reinforcing element so as to resistively heat and fuse at least some of the matrix material of the heating element with a matrix material of the other of the primary and secondary members. The method may be used to join a primary member such as a composite tubular and a secondary member such as a component for terminating the composite tubular.

A cover for a housing of a vehicle and a method of sealing a cover to the housing, where in at least one example, the cover comprises a cover body configured to cover an opening of the housing and to engage the housing at an interface around the opening. The cover may comprise a heating element embedded within the cover body and operable to at least partially melt a portion of the cover body as a part of a process for sealing the cover to the housing. The portion of the cover body may deform and conform to an interface feature at the mating surface of the housing due to the at least partial melting of the portion of the cover body, and, in some examples, the heating element may be configured to fail and be inoperable.

An apparatus for welding composite thermoplastic materials comprises a welding member configured to receive the composite thermoplastic materials there at; and a controller for controlling a temperature by which composite thermoplastic materials received at the welding member are heated, the controller being configured to provide a plurality of heating cycles during which the composite thermoplastic materials are welded. There is also a method for welding composite thermoplastic materials, the method comprises receiving the composite thermoplastic materials at a welding zone; and applying a plurality of heating cycles to the composite thermoplastic materials at the welding zone.

The invention provides improvements to electrofusion fitting methods that allow for continuity and repeatability of welds between an electrofusion fitting and a pipe lining (or stand-alone pipe). An electrofusion fitting for joining sections of lined pipe has heating elements configured to create at least one weld between the electrofusion fitting and a pipe lining. However, prior to the weld step taking place the electrofusion fitting is heated and expands accordingly to ensure contact with the pipe lining. Preheating the electrofusion fitting also provides a predetermined starting temperature for the fitting and the lining which results in improved fusion cycle reliability. Furthermore, the need for clamps or support frames to support the electrofusion fitting in situ is removed, with corresponding reductions in cycle times, complexity, and hence cost.

A method for joining a device to an object with the aid of a combination of ultrasonic vibration energy and induction heating, wherein the device includes a portion of a thermoplastic polymer and a susceptor additive wherein this portion is at least partly liquefied or plasticized through the ultrasonic vibration energy in combination with the induction heating and wherein the joining includes establishing a connection between the device and the object which connection is at least one of a positive fit connection, a weld, a press fit connection, and an adhesive connection. The induction heating is applied for rendering the device portion suitable for absorption of ultrasonic vibration energy than other device portions by raising its temperature above the glass transition temperature of the polymer. The ultrasonic vibration energy is used for liquefying or at least plasticizing the thermoplastic polymer of the named device portion.

A method for forming a connection between two tubular sections having a polymeric outer surface jacket, using electrofusion to fusion bond a casing of similar, non-crosslinked polymer to the outer surface of the tubular sections.

A method for thermally joining thermoplastic fiber composite components, including jointly covering thermoplastic fiber composite components to be joined, at least in the region of a joining zone, with a pressurization arrangement, which is flexible, at least in some section or sections, and extensive pressurization of thermoplastic fiber composite components to be joined by the pressurization arrangement, with the result that the fiber composite components are pressed against one another, at least in the joining zone. The fiber composite components are welded in the joining zone during pressurization. The pressurization is maintained by the pressurization arrangement until the joining zone solidifies. A cover is also disclosed, in particular a mold or diaphragm, for a pressurization device for thermally joining thermoplastic fiber composite components, and an apparatus for thermally joining thermoplastic fiber composite components.

A method for connecting a thermoplastic line element to a connecting element includes the steps of: providing the at least one thermoplastic line element; providing the connecting element having a thermoplastic body wherein a heating element is embedded in the body for generating heat in a welding region for welding the body to the at least one line element; joining the connecting element to the at least one thermoplastic line element; providing a welding device for welding the connecting element to the at least one thermoplastic line element; welding the connecting element to at least one thermoplastic line element by generating heat in the welding region using the welding device. The welding of the connecting element to the at least one thermoplastic line element is stopped by the welding device before the end of the planned welding duration if an error criterion is met.

A disclosed heater for a sealing process of a secondary battery includes: a sealing bar heating and pressing a pouch foil to be sealed; a plurality of sub-heating unit longitudinally disposed inside the sealing bar to respectively independently supply heat to a plurality of sections separated in the longitudinal direction of the sealing bar; temperature sensing units disposed inside the sealing bar and sensing temperature at positions on the surfaces being in contact with the pouch foil; and a control unit controlling heating temperature of the plurality of sub-heating units on the basis of the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing units.

The present invention provides a thermal caulking device which can quickly heat and cool an object to be caulked with low electrical power. Provided is a thermal caulking device which caulks a portion of a plastic part 7 as an object to be caulked, the thermal caulking device including: a metal tip 3 having a pressing part 3a which presses the object to be caulked and a heating rod 3c which is provided upright at a center part of the pressing part 3a; heating means 10c for heating the heating rod 3c; a cooling pipe 9 which cools the heating rod 3c; cooling fluid supply means 4 for supplying a cooling fluid to the cooling pipe 9; a holder 1 which holds the metal tip 3 and the cooling pipe 9 so that the cooling pipe 9 delivers the cooling fluid toward the heating rod 3c; and control means 6 for controlling the heating means 10c and the cooling fluid supply means 4, wherein the control means 6 heats the pressing part 3a from the heating rod 3c by the heating means 10c, and after the object to be caulked is thermally caulked by the pressing part 3a, supplies the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid supply means 4 to the cooling pipe 9 to cool the pressing part 3a from the heating rod 3c.