Claims
- 1. A method of manufacturing a fluid delivery manifold, the method comprising:providing a first manifold portion having a contoured interior face; providing a second manifold portion having a contoured interior face; setting the first and second manifold portions in registry to form an uncoupled manifold, the contoured interiors of the first and second manifold portions forming a plurality of material channels and a plurality of fluid channels in the uncoupled manifold, the uncoupled manifold having a plurality of inlets at a first pitch and a plurality of outlets at a second pitch, the first pitch being different from the second pitch; and injecting a molding material into the material channels, the molding material coupling the first and second manifold portions of the uncoupled manifold.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first pitch is variable and the second pitch is uniform.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein injecting the molding material into the material channels comprises injecting the molding material into the material channels through a material channel inlet.
- 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the two manifold portions are formed from the same material as the molding material.
- 5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the two manifold portions are formed from a first material and the molding material comprises a second material.
- 6. A method according the claim 1, wherein the molding material is glass filled polyester.
- 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the first manifold portion comprises:providing a molding device, the molding device including a center rotating plate having a first face and a second face, the first and second faces being identical; and performing an injection procedure from a first injection position to form manifold portions on the first face of the rotating plate.
- 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein setting the first and second manifold portions in registry comprises:providing a robotic arm; rotating the center plate; removing the second manifold portion from the rotating plate with the robotic arm; and positioning the removed second manifold portion in registration on the first manifold portion.
- 9. A fluid delivery manifold produced by the process of claim 8.
- 10. A fluid delivery manifold produced by the process of claim 7.
- 11. A fluid delivery manifold produced by the process of claim 1.
- 12. A method of manufacturing a fluid delivery manifold, the method comprising:positioning a first manifold portion in registration with a second manifold portion to form an uncoupled manifold, the uncoupled manifold having a plurality of material channels, a plurality of fluid channels, a plurality of fluid inlets, and a plurality of fluid outlets, wherein the fluid outlets are at a different pitch than the fluid inlets; and injecting a molding material into the material channels to seal the fluid channels and form a coupled manifold.
- 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the first pitch is variable and the second pitch is uniform.
- 14. A method according to claim 12, wherein injecting the molding material into the material channels comprises injecting the molding material into the material channels through a material channel inlet.
- 15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the two manifold portions are formed from the same material as the molding material.
- 16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the two manifold portions are formed from a first material and the molding material comprises a second material.
- 17. A method according the claim 12, wherein the molding material is glass filled polyester.
PRIORITY
This application claims priority from provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/153,450, filed Sep. 10, 1999 entitled, “Fluid Delivery Manifold and Method of Manufacturing the Same” and bearing attorney docket number 1600/120, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference.
US Referenced Citations (22)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 469 916 A1 |
Feb 1992 |
EP |
0 913 241 A1 |
May 1999 |
EP |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Patent Cooperation Treaty International Search Report PCT/US00/24256 Dec. 28, 2000. |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/153450 |
Sep 1999 |
US |