Patent ID: 7122094
Filing Date: 2006-10-17
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
1. A method for butt-joining two flexible tubes made of thermoplastic, with closed or unclosed ends, comprising the following steps: cutting through two tubes by melt-cutting using a heated blade moved through a gap between two pairs of spaced-apart jaws that position and hold the tubes parallel to one another, moving the pairs of jaws relative to one another and aligning two tube ends that are to be connected, withdrawing the heated blade, moving the ends of the tubes closer together, and joining the ends of the tubes together by welding, thereby viscously buffing the tube ends together, whereby: during the step of cutting through the tubes by melt-cutting, no moving-together force is exerted on the tubes, and, as soon as the step of aligning the tube ends is completed and during the step of moving the tube ends closer together, a controlled longitudinal force is applied to each of the tubes, the value of this force decreasing from the time the tube ends rest against the blade until the tube ends are viscously buffed together.