Patent ID: 6280554
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: A01G,B29C,B29L,Y02A,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a drip irrigation conduit comprising the steps of:providing dripper units;forming a conduit having an inner wall, in a downstream direction, at speed of progression, with an extruder and calibrating the conduit with a calibrator;introducing said dripper units one after another in a way that one pushes the other inside said conduit while the conduit is being formed in the extruder and calibrated with the calibrator;heat welding said dripper units to the inner wall of the conduit downstream from said extruder and said calibrator, then cooling said conduit and perforating the conduit opposite each dripper unit to make each dripper unit communicate with an exterior of the conduit, wherein said heat welding step is executed downstream of said calibrator by bringing the dripper units into contact with the inner wall of the conduit and pinching the dripper unit and the wall of said conduit between first and second opposing surfaces, one of the opposing surfaces being driven at the speed of progression of the conduit and supported by a fixed surface, the other of the opposing surfaces being arranged on a fixed support element forming a feed guide for the dripper units.