Device for incorporating individual reinforcing threads into an unfinished tube and process for manufacturing a thread-reinforced unfinished tube with the aid of this device

• US 6,494,980 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ContiTech Luftfedersysteme GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: ContiTech Luftfedersysteme GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hüls, Achim, Oehl, Rainer, Röthemeyer, Fritz, Wode, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISCHER, JUSTIN R
• Application Number:
  US09/414,891
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 156/169-175, 156/425, 156/428, 156/429, 156/430, 156/431, 242/439.5
• US Class Current: 156/169
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/023 Air springs; Air bellows construction of fluid springs F16F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 23/001 Pipes; Pipe joints pleated hoses B29D23/18
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/101 Oriented

Abstract

A device is disclosed for applying individual reinforcing threads onto a tubular layer. The device contains a positioning ring with equidistant holes that lie on a circumferential line, with the positioning ring surrounding and concentric with a rotationally symmetric, funnel-shaped deflection element. The deflection element deflects the reinforcing threads that are guided from radially outward to radially inward through the holes f the positioning ring into an essentially axial direction, wherein all the threads assume an equidistant spacing from one another. Also disclosed is a process for manufacturing an unfinished tube consisting of several layers with the aid of the device.

Claims

1. A device for applying a plurality of individual reinforcing threads onto a tubular layer of polymer material that is additionally processed into a thread-reinforced unfinished tube of polymer material of a plurality of layers, said device comprising a positioning ring with at least one row of equidistant holes on a circumferential line, whereby a reinforcing thread is guided from radially outward to radially inward through each hole at an inlet angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the positioning ring,

a rotationally symmetric, funnel-shaped deflection element forming one continuously tapering channel with an annular inlet opening and a smaller annular outlet opening, whereby the reinforcing threads are guided on the radially inner surface of said deflection element,

at the annular inlet opening, the deflection element has an inlet angle α

relative to the longitudinal axis of the deflection element, which essentially corresponds to the annular inlet angle of the reinforcing threads relative to a longitudinal axis of the positioning ring, said inlet angle being defined by the intersection of the positioning ring and the annular inlet opening

at the annular outlet opening, the deflection element has an outlet angle β

relative to a longitudinal axis of the deflection element that lies between 0° and

25°

, and

the deflection element is concentric with and surrounded by the positioning ring at its annular inlet opening and axially aligned relative to the positioning ring and in contact with said positioning ring in such a way that reinforcing threads that are radially guided through the holes of the positioning ring can be directly guided into the inlet opening of the deflection element.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outlet angle is between 0°

and 10°

.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing threads are guided through the holes of the positioning ring at an inlet angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the positioning ring, wherein said inlet angle is between 40°

and 100°

.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the inlet angle is 80°

to 90°

.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the radially inner surface of the deflection element essentially corresponds to the surface generated during the rotation of a quarter circle or a quarter ellipse about the longitudinal axis of the positioning ring.

6. A process for manufacturing a thread-reinforced unfinished tube of polymer material of a plurality of layers by means of a device according to claim 1 comprising:

in a first processing station, applying a first layer of polymer material onto a rotationally symmetric mandrel,

guiding one reinforcing thread from radially outward to radially inward through each hole of a positioning ring at an inlet angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the positioning ring,

placing the reinforcing threads onto a radially inner surface of the deflection element and deflecting by the inlet angle into a largely axial direction by the deflection element, with the reinforcing threads under constant tension,

depositing said reinforcing threads onto said mandrel,

guiding the mandrel coated with the first layer of reinforcing threads concentrically through the outlet opening of the deflection element from the inlet opening of the deflection element such that the reinforcing threads situated on a radially inner surface of the deflection element are deposited on the radially outer surface of the first layer with an equidistant spacing from one another, and

transferring the mandrel coated with the first layer to at least one other processing station, in which another layer of polymer material is applied to the first layer.

7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the first layer of polymer material is provided with an adhesive layer, before the reinforcing threads are deposited on the radially outer surface.

8. The process according to claim 7 wherein the adhesive layer is a rubber solution.

9. The process according to claim 6, wherein the positioning ring and the deflection element are rotated about their longitudinal axis with the same angular velocity such that the reinforcing threads are deposited on the radially outer surface of the first layer in a spiral-shaped pattern.

10. The process according to claim 7, further comprising covering the first layer of polymer material with an intermediate layer on its radially outer surface in a processing station after the reinforcing threads are deposited on the first layer of polymer material, and depositing additional reinforcing threads on this intermediate layer by means of one additional deflection device,

guiding one reinforcing thread from radially outward to radially inward through each hole of the positioning ring of an additional device at an inlet angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the positioning ring,

placing the reinforcing threads on the radially inner surface of the deflection element of the additional device and deflected by the inlet angle into an essentially axial direction by the deflection element, with the reinforcing threads under constant tension, and

guiding the mandrel coated with the first layer of polymer material and the intermediate layer concentrically through the outlet opening of the deflection element from the inlet opening of the deflection element such that the reinforcing threads situated on the radially inner surface of the deflection element are deposited on the radially outer surface of the intermediate layer with an equidistant spacing from one another.

11. The process according to claim 10, further comprising rotating the positioning ring and the deflection element of the first device and the second device about their longitudinal axis with an angular velocity such that the reinforcing threads are deposited on the radially outer surface of the first layer of polymer material or the intermediate layer in a spiral-shaped pattern, wherein the rotating direction of the positioning ring and the deflection element of the second device are opposite the rotating direction of the positioning ring and the deflection element of the first device, and with the angular velocities with which the two devices rotate preferably equal to one another.

12. The process according to claim 11 wherein the radius of the mandrel essentially corresponds to the radius of the outlet opening of the first deflection device or, a the second deflection device.

13. The process according to claim 6 wherein the tension acting upon each reinforcing thread is between 0.5 Nm and 5 Nm.