	US 11,629,547 C1 (12,678th)
	Device and method for connecting profiled parts
Winfried Daun, Grenderich (DE)
Filed by Rotox Besitz—und Verwaltungsgesellschaft MbH, Brechen (DE)
Assigned to ROTOX HOLDING GMBH & CO. KG, Brechen (DE)
Reexamination Request No. 90/015,316, Oct. 24, 2023.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 11,629,547, issued Apr. 18, 2023, Appl. No. 16/764,205, May 14, 2020.
PCT Filed Nov. 21, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/082060 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 14, 2020, PCT Pub. No. WO2019/101787, PCT Pub. Date May 31, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 102017127483.9 (DE), filed on Nov. 21, 2017.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate issued on Aug. 16, 2024.
Int. Cl. E06B 3/00 (2006.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01); B29C 65/18 (2006.01); B29C 65/20 (2006.01); B29C 65/78 (2006.01); E06B 3/22 (2006.01); E06B 3/96 (2006.01); B29K 27/06 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)

CPC E06B 3/9608 (2013.01) [B29C 65/18 (2013.01); B29C 65/20 (2013.01); B29C 65/7835 (2013.01); B29C 66/1162 (2013.01); B29C 66/324 (2013.01); B29C 66/326 (2013.01); B29C 66/5243 (2013.01); B29C 66/71 (2013.01); B29C 66/723 (2013.01); B29C 66/72523 (2013.01); B29C 66/73921 (2013.01); B29C 66/8416 (2013.01); B29C 66/91423 (2013.01); E06B 3/22 (2013.01); B29C 2795/002 (2013.01); B29K 2027/06 (2013.01); B29L 2031/005 (2013.01)]

AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:

Claim 2 is cancelled.

Claims 1, 3, 4, 6-8, 15-17, 19, 23, 24 and 26 are determined to be patentable as amended.

Claims 5, 9, 10-14, 18, 20-22 and 25, dependent on an amended claim, are determined to be patentable.

New claim 27 is added and determined to be patentable.

1. A method for connecting at least two profiled parts (1, 34) made of a thermoplastic material, comprising:

(a) securing the at least two profiled parts (1) to profile supports (2) that can be moved relative to each other;

(b) partially melting the at least two profiled parts (1) at their end joining faces (10) during a partial melting step employing a heating element (5);

(c) resting a limiting element (3) with a separating edge (9) on and/or against at least one outer surface of at least one profiled part (1), wherein, during the partial melting step (b), the limiting element (3) controls and/or limits excess melt (7) at the transition of the appertaining joining face (10) from escaping towards the outer surface of the profiled part;

(d) guiding a [ roller surface of a ] counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) through the melt along the separating edge (9) of the limiting element (3) in order to segregate the excess melt (7) that has escaped over the separating edge (9); and

(e) after the heating element (5) has been removed, pressing together the partially melted joining faces (10) of the profiled parts until the partially melted joining faces have solidified to form a welded connection.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) is brought into contact with the separating edge (9), at least in certain sections, during the segregation of the excess melt (7).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) is spring-loaded.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) is guided towards the separating edge (9) at a prescribed tool distance (20) of less than 0.5 mm.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) ~~is configured in the form of a blade and~~0 pushes in a first direction (17) running along the separating edge (9) and in a second direction (18) that runs crosswise thereto, with the result that the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) moves in a third direction (19) that runs at an angle relative to the separating edge (9).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the profile edge (21) of the profiled part that limits the joining face (10) towards the outside is shaped at least in some sections inwards in the direction of the joining face (10) by means of the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) or by means of a separately movable finishing tool (22, 22′).

15. A device for connecting at least two profiled parts (1, 34) made of a thermoplastic material, comprising:

at least two profile supports (2) that can be moved relative to each other and configured to secure the at least two profiled parts (1, 34),

a heating element (5) insertable between the profile supports (2) for purposes of partially melting respective ends of the at least two secured profiled parts (1) at their joining faces (1),

at least one limiting element (3) that rests on or against at least one outer surface of at least one profiled part (1, 34) that is configured for contacting at least one exposed surface (11) and/or at least one functional surface (12) of the profiled parts (1), said limiting element (3) being configured with a separating edge (9) that serves to control and/or limit the escape of excess melt (7) towards the outer surface of the profiled part (1) at the transition site to the corresponding joining face (10), and

a counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) [ with a roller surface ] for segregating the excess melt (7) that has escaped over the separating edge (9),

wherein said counter tool is movable along the separating edge (9) and through the melt.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) is rotatable or swivelable relative to the separating edge (9).

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) has a processing face that is contoured.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein, in order to shape the profile edge (21), the movements of the heating element (5) and/or of the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) and/or of a finishing tool (22, 22′) are at least partially coupled together.

23. The device according to claim 15, wherein the limiting element (3) and/or the separating edge (9) and/or the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) can warmed up or cooled down to various temperatures.

24. The device according to claim 15, further comprising a height adjustment mechanism (41) configured to set different profile thicknesses and/or to set a tool overlap (35) between the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) and the joining face (10) of the profiled part (1).

26. The device according to claim 15, wherein the counter tool (6 ~~, 29~~) can be set at a setting angle (α) relative to the plane of the joining face (10).

[ 27. A method for connecting at least two profiled parts made of a thermoplastic material, comprising:

(a) securing the at least two profiled parts to profile supports that can be moved relative to each other;

(b) partially melting the at least two profiled parts at their end joining faces during a partial melting step employing a heating element;

(c) resting a limiting element with a separating edge on and/or against at least one outer surface of at least one profiled part, wherein, during the partial melting step (b), the limiting element controls and/or limits excess melt at the transition of the appertaining joining face from escaping towards the outer surface of the profiled part;

(d) guiding a counter tool by a rolling movement through the melt along the separating edge of the limiting element in order to segregate the excess melt that has escaped over the separating edge; and

(e) after the heating element has been removed, pressing together the partially melted joining faces of the profiled parts until the partially melted joining faces have solidified to form a welded connection.]