Tubular coupling element for producing a glued joint with a fluid line

• US 7,067,032 B1
• Filed: 09/09/2000
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: A Raymond Et Compagnie
• Original Assignee: A Raymond Et Compagnie
• Inventors: Raymond, Albert, Bremont, Michel, Moretti, Erminio, Papirer, Yves, Dalla Zuanna, Cyrille, Perrin, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Maki, Steven D.
• Application Number:
  US10/088,575
• Time in Patent Office: 2,117 Days
• Field of Search: 156/272.2, 156/274.4, 156/273.9, 156/275.7, 156293-294, 156/322, 285/21.1, 285/21.2, 285/22, 285/331, 285/423, 285/915
• US Class Current: 156/272.2
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 13/103 Adhesive joints for hoses F16L33/34
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 47/02 Welded joints; Adhesive joints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/915 Mastic

Abstract

A tubular coupling element for producing a glued joint with a fluid line and a method for producing such a glued joint. The coupling element includes an inner tube that is insertable into a fluid line and an outer tube that is constructed concentric to the inner tube and integrally connected to the rear end of the inner tube by a connecting wall. An annular gap is present between the two tubes and is designed to receive an end section of the fluid line and a hot-melt type adhesive in a compacted solid form shaped as a ring. A connection between the coupling element and the fluid lines can be easily established by first introducing the adhesive in the annular gap and then melting it by rapidly supplying heat while the end section of the fluid line is pressed into the annular gap of the coupling element.

Claims

1. A tubular coupling element for producing a glued joint with a fluid line, said tubular coupling element comprising:

an inner tube having a front end and a rear end, wherein said front end is insertable into a fluid line;

an outer tube having a front end and a rear end, wherein said outer tube is concentric to said inner tube and a length of the front end of said inner tube is longer than a length of the front end of said outer tube;

a linear connecting wall interconnecting said inner tube rear end to said outer tube rear end, wherein said outer tube, said connecting wall and said inner tube define one cylindrically shaped annular gap; and

a solid ring of hot melt adhesive disposed within the annular gap and positioned against said connecting wall, such that said solid ring of hot melt adhesive occupies less than the full volume of the annular gap.

2. The tubular coupling element of claim 1, wherein said inner tube further includes an outer surface, having a plurality of longitudinal ribs for producing a centered contact with an inner wall of the fluid line.

3. The tubular coupling element of claim 1, wherein said outer tube further includes an inner surface having a plurality of axially parallel grooves distributed over a circumference of said inner surface, wherein said grooves have peaks with an inside diameter that is larger than an outside diameter of the fluid line.

4. The tubular coupling element of claim 1, wherein a length of said outer tube is approximately equal to an outside diameter of the fluid line and said inner tube is longer than said outer tube by about one-half the length of said outer tube.

5. A tubular coupling element for producing a glued joint with a fluid line, said tubular coupling element comprising:

an inner tube having a front end and a rear end, wherein said front end is insertable into a fluid line;

an outer tube having a front end and a rear end, wherein said outer tube is concentric to said inner tube and a length of the front end of said inner tube is longer than a length of the front end of said outer tube;

a linear connecting wall interconnecting said inner tube rear end and said outer tube rear end, wherein said outer tube, said connecting wall and said inner tube define one cylindrically shaped annular gap; and

a solid ring of hot melt adhesive disposed within the annular gap and positioned against said connecting wall, wherein said solid ring of hot melt adhesive fills approximately one-half a depth of the annular gap.

6. A tubular coupling element for producing a glued joint with a fluid line, said tubular coupling element comprising:

an inner tube having a front end and a rear end, wherein said front end is insertable into a fluid line;

an outer tube having a front end and a rear end and an inner surface having a plurality of axially parallel grooves distributed over a circumference of said inner surface, wherein said outer tube is concentric to said inner tube;

a linear connecting wall interconnecting said inner tube rear end to said outer tube rear end, wherein said outer tube, said connecting wall and said inner tube define one cylindrically shaped annular gap; and

a solid ring of dry hot-melt adhesive disposed within the annular gap and positioned against said connecting wall, wherein said solid ring of adhesive fills about one-half a depth of the annular gap.

7. A tubular coupling element for producing a glued joint with a fluid line, said tubular coupling element comprising:

an inner tube that is insertable into the fluid line wherein said inner tube includes a front end and a rear end, and an outer surface having a plurality of longitudinal ribs for producing a centered contact with the fluid line;

an outer tube having a front end and a rear end and having an inner surface having a plurality of axially parallel grooves distributed over a circumference of said inner surface, said grooves having peaks with an inside diameter that is larger than an outside diameter of the fluid line, wherein said outer tube is concentric to said inner tube;

a linear connecting wall interconnecting said inner tube rear end to said outer tube rear end, wherein said outer tube, connecting wall and said inner tube define one cylindrically shaped annular gap; and

a solid ring of dry hot-melt adhesive disposed within the annular gap and positioned against said connecting wall, wherein said solid ring of adhesive fills about one-half a depth of the annular gap.

8. A method for producing a glued joint between a tubular coupling element and a fluid line, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a tubular coupling element including an inner tube having a front end and a rear end, and the front end is insertable into a fluid line, a connecting wall secured to the inner tube rear end and an outer tube having a front end and a rear end, and extending from the connecting wall, wherein the outer tube is concentric to the inner tube, and the inner tube, outer tube and connecting wall define an annular gap;

providing a solid ring of hot melt adhesive;

pressing the solid ring of adhesive in the annular gap against the connecting wall, wherein the solid ring of adhesive fills about one-half the annular gap;

applying heat to the tubular coupling element so as to melt the solid ring of adhesive;

inserting a free end of the fluid line into the melting adhesive in the annular gap such that the melting adhesive flows around the free end of the fluid line to fill an intermediate space between the free end of the fluid line and the coupling element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the solid ring of adhesive has an inside diameter corresponding to an inside diameter of the fluid line, and an outside diameter slightly smaller than an inside diameter of the outer tube.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of using an induction coil to preheat a free end of the fluid line and melt the solid ring of adhesive.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the free end of the fluid line is pushed onto the coupling element together with the induction coil.

12. A method for producing a glued joint between a tubular coupling element and a fluid line, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a tubular coupling element including an inner tube having a front end, a rear end, and an outer surface, and the front end is insertable into a fluid line, wherein the outer surface includes a plurality of longitudinal ribs for producing a centered contact with an inner wall of the fluid line, a connecting wall is secured to the rear end of the inner tube, and an outer tube having a front end and a rear end extending from the connecting wall that is concentric to the inner tube and has an inner surface including a plurality of axially parallel grooves distributed over a circumference of the inner surface, wherein the outer tube, inner tube and connecting wall define an annular gap;

providing a solid ring of hot melt adhesive;

pressing the solid ring of adhesive in the annular gap against the connecting wall, wherein the solid ring of adhesive fills about one-half the annular gap;

applying heat to the tubular coupling element so as to melt the solid ring of adhesive; and

inserting a free end of the fluid line into the melting adhesive in the annular gap such that the melting ring of adhesive flows around the free end of the fluid line such that a small portion of the adhesive flows between the fluid line and the inner tube and a predominant portion of the adhesive flows between the fluid line and the outer tube.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the solid ring of adhesive has an inside diameter corresponding to an inside diameter of the fluid line, and an outside diameter slightly smaller than an inside diameter of the outer tube.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of using an induction coil to preheat a free end of the fluid line and melt the solid ring of adhesive.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the free end of the fluid line is pushed onto the coupling element together with the induction coil.