Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
A die assembly for use in heat-sealing an end of a plastic tubular member to a sheet member positioned in transverse relation thereto, including a first die having a first die face defining a protrusion surrounded by a generally flat face portion of said die face, said protrusion being proportioned to be received in the bore of said tubular member; and a tubular second die for receiving said tubular member, said tubular second die defining a second die face at one end thereof proportioned for cooperative sealing action with said first die face; and means for moving said die faces together with portions of said tubular member and sheet member positioned therebetween for said cooperative sealing action; the improvement comprising, in combination: said protrusion defining a junction surface with the flat face portion, said surface being concavely curved as measured along planes containing the longitudinal axis of said protrusion, said concavely curved surface defining, in said planes, arcs of closed curves having radii of at least 1/32 inch; said tubular second die having a bore which defines, as part of said second die face, an outwardly bevelled bore end portion, whereby said outwardly bevelled bore end portion and said concavely curved surface cooperate to facilitate the spreading of said end of the tubular member outwardly over said sheet member during said cooperative sealing action, to create a seal of increased strength.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
231 words
A die assembly for use in heat-sealing an end of a plastic tubular member to a sheet member positioned in transverse relation thereto, including a first die having a first die face defining a protrusion surrounded by a generally flat face portion of said die face, said protrusion being proportioned to be received in the bore of said tubular member; and a tubular second die for receiving said tubular member, said tubular second die defining a second die face at one end thereof proportioned for cooperative sealing action with said first die face; and means for moving said die faces together with portions of said tubular member and sheet member positioned therebetween for said cooperative sealing action; the improvement comprising, in combination: said protrusion defining a junction surface with the flat face portion, said surface being concavely curved as measured along planes containing the longitudinal axis of said protrusion, said concavely curved surface defining, in said planes, arcs of closed curves having radii of at least 1/32 inch; said tubular second die having a bore which defines, as part of said second die face, an outwardly bevelled bore end portion, whereby said outwardly bevelled bore end portion and said concavely curved surface cooperate to facilitate the spreading of said end of the tubular member outwardly over said sheet member during said cooperative sealing action, to create a seal of increased strength.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
231 words
A die assembly for use in heat-sealing an end of a plastic tubular member to a sheet member positioned in transverse relation thereto, including a first die having a first die face defining a protrusion surrounded by a generally flat face portion of said die face, said protrusion being proportioned to be received in the bore of said tubular member; and a tubular second die for receiving said tubular member, said tubular second die defining a second die face at one end thereof proportioned for cooperative sealing action with said first die face; and means for moving said die faces together with portions of said tubular member and sheet member positioned therebetween for said cooperative sealing action; the improvement comprising, in combination: said protrusion defining a junction surface with the flat face portion, said surface being concavely curved as measured along planes containing the longitudinal axis of said protrusion, said concavely curved surface defining, in said planes, arcs of closed curves having radii of at least 1/32 inch; said tubular second die having a bore which defines, as part of said second die face, an outwardly bevelled bore end portion, whereby said outwardly bevelled bore end portion and said concavely curved surface cooperate to facilitate the spreading of said end of the tubular member outwardly over said sheet member during said cooperative sealing action, to create a seal of increased strength.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
231 words
A die assembly for use in heat-sealing an end of a plastic tubular member to a sheet member positioned in transverse relation thereto, including a first die having a first die face defining a protrusion surrounded by a generally flat face portion of said die face, said protrusion being proportioned to be received in the bore of said tubular member; and a tubular second die for receiving said tubular member, said tubular second die defining a second die face at one end thereof proportioned for cooperative sealing action with said first die face; and means for moving said die faces together with portions of said tubular member and sheet member positioned therebetween for said cooperative sealing action; the improvement comprising, in combination: said protrusion defining a junction surface with the flat face portion, said surface being concavely curved as measured along planes containing the longitudinal axis of said protrusion, said concavely curved surface defining, in said planes, arcs of closed curves having radii of at least 1/32 inch; said tubular second die having a bore which defines, as part of said second die face, an outwardly bevelled bore end portion, whereby said outwardly bevelled bore end portion and said concavely curved surface cooperate to facilitate the spreading of said end of the tubular member outwardly over said sheet member during said cooperative sealing action, to create a seal of increased strength.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The die assembly of claim 1 in which said arcs of the concavely curved surfaces have radii of 1/16 to 1/8 inch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The die assembly of claim 1 in which a clamp member is positioned to receive said plastic tubular member and hold it in a desired position within said tubular die.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
The die assembly of claim 3 in which said clamp member includes a pair of movable clamping blocks for pressing together and clamping said plastic tubular member therebetween, each block defining a cut-away channel portion, which channel portions cooperate to form a channel for receiving said plastic tubular member, said channel defining a cross-sectional shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of said tubular member, but of smaller dimension, to reduce permanent deformation in said tubular member created by said clamping.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The die assembly of claim 4, in combination with die energizing means for heat sealing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The die assembly combination of claim 5 in which said die energizing means comprises a source of radio frequency radiant energy.