APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN IRRIGATION PIPE

• US 20120104648A1
• Filed: 07/25/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Erez Yiflach
• Original Assignee: Erez Yiflach
• Inventors: Yiflach, Erez
• Granted Patent: US 9,439,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/209.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/02 Watering arrangements located above the soil which make use of perforated pipe-lines or pipe-lines with dispensing fittings, e.g. for drip irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/10 flexible, e.g. blown foils
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/914 cooling drums

Abstract

An apparatus enables forming extruded plastic material into a strip that may be formed into an irrigation pipe. The apparatus includes a pair of juxtaposed rollers which when rotated, the linear velocity of a contact surface of one of the rollers of the pair is different from the linear velocity of a contact surface of the other roller of the pair. Thus, extruded material that passes between the rollers is concurrently stretched and flattened.

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming extruded plastic material into a strip that may be formed into an irrigation pipe, the apparatus comprising a pair of juxtaposed rollers which when rotated, the linear velocity of a contact surface of one of the rollers of the pair of rollers is different from the linear velocity of a contact surface of the other roller of the pair of rollers such that extruded material that passes between the rollers is concurrently stretched and flattened.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of juxtaposed rollers comprises a pair of cooled juxtaposed rollers.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein a roller of the pair of rollers comprises a mold for impressing a pattern on the extruded material as the extruded material is flattened.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pattern is selected from a group of patterns consisting of:

a continuous row of drip irrigation emitter labyrinths, a row of one or more discrete drip irrigation emitter labyrinths, a crosshatch pattern, a pattern of polygons, a label, a stripe of different thickness, and a seed compartment.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linear velocity of at least one of the rollers is adjustable.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a belt for holding the flattened material against a roller of the pair of rollers as the roller rotates.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a heated press for pressing into the strip so as to form a projection that protrudes from the strip.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a shaping device.

9. A method for forming extruded plastic material into a strip that may be formed into an irrigation pipe, the method comprising:

providing a pair of juxtaposed rollers; and

passing the extruded plastic material between the pair of juxtaposed rollers, while maintaining the linear velocity of a contact surface of one of the rollers of the pair of rollers different from the linear velocity of a contact surface of the other roller of the pair of rollers, such that extruded material that passes between the rollers is concurrently stretched and flattened.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, comprising cooling the extruded material while it is being stretched and flattened.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, comprising adjusting the linear velocity of at least one of the rollers.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, comprising impressing a pattern on the extruded material as the extruded material is flattened.

13. A method as claimed in claim 9, comprising holding the flattened material against a roller of the pair of rollers as the roller rotates using a belt.

14. A method as claimed in claim 9, comprising pressing into the strip so as to form a projection that protrudes from the strip.

15. A method as claimed in claim 9, comprising shaping the strip into a hose.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising inserting tubes perpendicularly while shaping the strip into a hose, so as to form a distribution pipe.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, comprising providing the tubes with wings.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising inserting a seed while shaping the strip into a hose.