Thermo-weldable coupling for tubes of plastics material, as well as a method for its manufacture

• US 5,478,118 A
• Filed: 06/04/1993
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innoge S.A.M.
• Original Assignee: Innoge S.A.M.
• Inventors: Barfield, Malcolm R., Grandclement, Cyrille, Barq, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shackelford, Heather Chun
• Application Number:
  US08/072,549
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 285/21, 285/423, 285/417, 285/369, 156/304.2, 156/158, 156/502, 156/275.1, 219/535, 219/544, 219/545, 219/548, 219/549, 338/208
• US Class Current: 285/21.2
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/344 being a woven or non-woven fabric or being a mesh
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3476 being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/348 with a polymer coating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/364 being a woven or non-woven fabric or being a mesh
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/368 with a polymer coating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/56 using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/62 Stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/112 Single lapped joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/131 Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/341 Measures for intermixing the material of the joint interlayer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5221 for forming coaxial connections, i.e. the tubular articles to be joined forming a zero angle relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/52241 with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5229 involving the use of a socket
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/63 Internally supporting the article during joining B29C66/49 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/82 Forcing wires, nets or the like partially or completely into the surface of an article, e.g. by cutting and pressing
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 23/005 provided with electrical wiring
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 47/03 Welded joints with an electrical resistance incorporated in the joint

Abstract

Thermo-weldable coupling for connecting in particular at least two members made from an identical or compatible plastics material, comprising a body (1) which is of the type constituted at least partly by a thermo-fusible material compatible with the plastics material of these members and which comprises an inner wall (2) or connection surface, directly opposite the outer wall of the members, provided with an electrically conducting element (3). This electrically conducting element (3) is resilient and of non-rectilinear shape. Application to the connections of fluid-carrying pipes made from plastics material.

Claims

1. A thermo-weldable coupling for connecting in particular two members made from an identical or a compatible plastics material, comprising a body formed from at least a thermofusable material compatible with said plastics material of said members and which comprises an inner wall or connection surface, directly opposite the outer wall of said members, said body being provided with an electrically conducting element having the shape of a net obtained by knitting two wires, wherein said net is obtained by knitting a conducting wire and a non-conducting wire.

2. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 1 wherein the conducting wire is covered with an insulating varnish which withstands welding temperatures.

3. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 1 wherein the non-conducting wire consists of plastics material.

4. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 1 wherein the electrically conducting element comprises two sheets which are obtained by a continuous knitting in the form of two widely open cones, facing each other by their vertices, and are pressed one against the other in order to obtain a disc.

5. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 4 wherein an insulating element is interposed between the two cones.

6. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 5, wherein the insulating has an opening of approximately the same diameter as the vertices of the cones.

7. A method for producing the coupling of claim 1 wherein the electrically conducting element is applied under pressure against the inner wall of the coupling, is kept by force in this position and is heated in order to penetrate said inner wall.

8. A thermo-weldable coupling for connecting in particular two members made from an identical or a compatible plastics material, comprising a body formed from at least a thermofusible material compatible with said plastics material of said members and which comprises an inner wall or connection surface, directly opposite the outer wall of said members, said body being provided with an electrically conducting element having the shape of a net obtained by knitting a single wire, wherein the core of said wire is covered by two layers of different materials.

9. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 8, wherein the first layer is an insulating varnish which withstands welding temperatures.

10. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 8, wherein the second layer is a thermo-fusible material, compatible with that constituting said coupling.

11. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 8, wherein the electrically conducting element is constituted by two sheets which are obtained by a continuous knitting in the form of two widely open cones, facing each other by their vertices, and are pressed one against the other in order to obtain a disc.

12. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 11, wherein an insulating element is interposed between the two cones.

13. The thermo-weldable coupling according to claim 12, wherein the insulating element has an opening of approximately the same diameter as the vertices of the cones.

14. A method for producing the coupling of claim 8 wherein the electrically conducting element is applied under pressure against the inner wall of the coupling, is kept by force in this position and is heated in order to penetrate said inner wall.