METHOD FOR JOINING PLASTIC PARTS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a container which consists of a thermoplastic at least to some extent and comprises at least a first compartment element and at least a second compartment element joined to the first compartment element in a joining region by thermoplastic welding. The invention also relates to a plastic container which can be, and preferably is, produced according to said method.

Claims

1-22. (canceled)

23. A method for producing a container which is at least partially constructed from a thermoplastic material, comprising at least one first compartment element and at least one second compartment element which is thermoplastically welded to the first in a joining region, wherein the method comprises the following method steps: a) providing of at least one first and one second compartment element, which each comprise a plate element with at least one joining zone of a thermoplastic material comprising the outer edges of the compartment element, wherein at least the second compartment element comprises a side wall arranged around the outer periphery of the plate element and having in each case a distal first and a proximal second outer edge, b) joining together of the at least two compartment elements such that the thermoplastic material joining zones contact each other and one outer edge of the first compartment element fully abuts the first outer edge of the second compartment element and a full butt joint is formed between the two compartment elements, and c) welding of the at least two compartment elements by means of at least one temperature-regulated nozzle, wherein the at least one nozzle is guided around the periphery of the butt joint while in contact with the butt joint or the butt joint is guided alongside the at least one nozzle that is in contact with the at least one nozzle, wherein the respective first and second outer edges of the compartment elements are plasticized in the process and plasticized welding filler is simultaneously transferred to the butt joint so that a weld seam is formed between the two compartment elements, and d) obtaining a plastic container, wherein the at least two compartment elements are welded to one another.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the first compartment element comprises a side wall arranged around the outer periphery of the plate element and having a distal first and proximal second outer edge arranged parallel to the plate element.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein, in method step a), at least one further compartment element is provided, in method step b), the further compartment element is fully joined with its first outer edge to the second outer edge of the second or any further compartment element present, and in method step c) the butt joint formed between the joined compartment elements is welded.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein each further compartment element comprises a. plate element and a side wall arranged around the outer periphery of the plate element and having respectively a distal first and proximal second outer edge arranged parallel to the plate element.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein, in method step b), the compartment elements are joined together in a rotationally secure manner with respect to each other.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein at east one compartment element and the welding filler consist of the same materials.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one nozzle plasticizes the welding filler.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the at least two compartment elements consists of a material comprising one or more thermoplastics selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene.

31. The method according to claim 23, wherein the material of the welding filler is one or more thermoplastics selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene.

32. The method according to claim 23, wherein the welding filler is fed in the form of granulate to at least one nozzle.

33. The method according to claim 23, wherein the welding filler is supplied in the form of a continuous strand to the at least one nozzle.

34. The method according to claim 23, wherein in a further method step b) the compartment elements in the region of the butt joint are preheated.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein in method step b) the compartment elements in the region of the butt joint are preheated by hot air, infrared and/or microwave radiation.

36. The method according to claim 23, wherein in a further method step c) the weld seam is heated.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein in method step c) the weld seam s heated by hot air, infrared and/or microwave radiation.

38. The method according to claim 23, wherein at least one depression is formed in the region of the butt joint between the compartment elements by the abutting of the compartment elements in method step b).

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the at least one temperature controlled nozzle in method step c) is fully or partially immerged into the at least one depression.

40. The method according to claim 23, wherein the compartment elements are suitable for the cultivation and/or investigation of cells.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein at least one compartment element is a cell culture dish.

42. The method according to either claim 40, wherein the at least one compartment element has a connecting channel as a supply channel for cell culture medium.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein at east one compartment element has a disposal channel for used cell culture medium.

44. A plastic container which is at least partially constructed from a thermoplastic material, comprising at least one first compartment element and at least one second compartment element which is thermoplastically welded to the first in a joining region, wherein the plastic container is made from a method which includes the following method steps: a) providing of at least the first and the second compartment element, which each comprise a plate element with at least one joining zone of a thermoplastic material comprising the outer edges of the compartment element, wherein at least the second compartment element comprises a side wall arranged around the outer periphery of the plate element and having in each case a distal first and a proximal second outer edge, b) joining together of the at least two compartment elements such that the thermoplastic material joining zones contact each other and one outer edge of the first compartment element fully abuts the first outer edge of the second compartment element and a full butt joint is formed between the two compartment elements, and c) welding of the at least two compartment elements by means of at least one temperature-regulated nozzle, wherein the at least one nozzle is guided around the periphery of the butt joint while in contact with the butt joint or the butt joint is guided alongside the at least one nozzle that is in contact with the at least one nozzle, wherein the respective first and second outer edges of the compartment elements are plasticized in the process and plasticized welding filler is simultaneously transferred to the butt joint so that a weld seam is formed between the two compartment elements, and d) obtaining a plastic container, wherein the as two compartment elements are welded to one another.

Description

[0063] This invention will be explained in more detail below by means of the figures and the embodiment example.

[0064] FIG. 1 shows the immergence of the temperature-controlled nozzle 7 into the joining zone 3 located between two compartment elements 1 and 2, whereby the two compartment elements 1 and 2 are plasticized in the region of the joining zone 3.

[0065] An alternative geometry of the design of the joining zone 3 is shown in FIG. 2. A groove is formed between the compartment elements 1 and 2 in the region of joining zone 3. The advantage of such a groove is that plasticized welding filler can be introduced more freely between the plasticized compartment elements 1 and 2, as a hollow space is created in the region directly in front of the nozzle outlet. The welding filler can be metered into this hollow space.

[0066] The design of the weld seam is shown in FIG. 3. While the temperature-regulated nozzle 7 plasticizes the two compartment elements 1 and 2 along the joining zone 3, plasticized welding filler 8 is simultaneously applied to the plasticized joining zone 3. This causes the compartment elements 1 and 2 plasticized in the region of joining zone 3 by the temperature-controlled nozzle 7 to fuse with the welding filler 8, so that after cooling a solid weld seam 15 is formed.

[0067] FIG. 4 shows the design of the temperature-regulated nozzle 7. The nozzle tapers downwards towards the nozzle outlet 11 in order to heat the joining zone 3 in a targeted manner between two compartment elements and to place the welding filler 8 there.

[0068] FIG. 5 shows a plastic container 9 produced by the method according to this invention and consisting of two compartment elements 1 and 2. Compartment element 1 is shown, comprising a distal first outer edge 6 and a proximal second outer edge 5 of the side wall 4, which was welded to a second compartment element 2 in the region of the joining zone 3.

EXAMPLE

[0069] A temperature controlled nozzle 7 suitable for welding at least two compartment elements according to the method of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. Nozzle 7 is screwed into a heating block 13. This heating block 13 is controlled to a desired temperature, e.g. by a heating cartridge and a sensor. The temperature of the heating block 13 is transferred to the nozzle 7 by thermal conduction, so that the nozzle 7 is operated in a temperature-controlled manner. The welding filler 8 is fed from the rear of the nozzle. It is hereby possible to supply welding filler 8 in the form of a welding wire. The advantage of using welding filler 6 as welding wire is that welding wire, with a diameter of 1.75 mm or 2.85 mm, is commonly also used in 3D printing and is therefore available as a standard product. Welding filler in the form of welding wire can be fed or retracted by a motor in combination with a knurled screw. This enables precise dosing. Alternatively, it is also possible to, for example, use granulate. When using granulate, the provisioning and apportioning of the welding filler 8 to the nozzles 7 is more flexible. This is particularly important if several welds are performed in parallel, i.e. if several nozzles have to be supplied with welding filler at the same time. In the method example described here, a nozzle 7 with a front opening 11 with a diameter of 0.5 mm to 1 mm is used. This allows a weld seam 15 of approx. 2 mm width. Other opening 11 diameters change the width of the weld seam 15, as well as the strength of the weld.

[0070] In the case of a cylindrical plastic container shown in FIG. 5, the temperature-controlled nozzle 7 can be moved to the joining zone 3 to plasticize it. At the same time, the temperature-controlled nozzle 7 doses the welding filler 8 around the periphery of the cylindrical plastic container 9, between the compartment elements 1 and 2. In a simple embodiment of this invention, the cylindrical plastic container 9 rotates around its own axis while the nozzle 7 remains stationary.

[0071] In the case of plastic containers which do not have a cylindrical shape, the temperature-regulated nozzle 7 must be guided along the connecting zone 3 formed between two compartment elements. This can be achieved, for example, with a 3-axis system similar to a 3D printer or milling machine. The use of articulated arm or hexapod systems is also conceivable.