METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF INSULATED PIPES

Abstract: Method for manufacturing an assembly of a heat-insulation tube and at least a pipe (6) accommodated therein for transport of fluid, in which in a continuous consecutive series of process steps the pipe (6) is supplied, which pipe (6) may for instance be made of synthetic material or metal, a casing (7) of synthetic insulation material is extruded and arranged around the pipe (6), and in which a sealing outer layer (18) is extruded, is provided with a longitudinal cut, and then is arranged around the casing (7) from aside.

Description: METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF INSULATED PIPES The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an insulated tube or pipe. The invention further relates to a device for it, as well as to an insulated tube or pipe itself. Insulated tubes or pipes are used for conducting cooling medium, such as in cooling systems, and heating medium, such as in central heating systems, or both, in air treatment systems. The pipe itself is made of copper or synthetic material. The insulation is provided by an insulation casing, for instance of polyethylene foam, to be arranged around the pipe, on which casing a protective outer layer of synthetic foil may have been arranged. The insulation casings are supplied in lengths or as rolls, and are arranged around the pipes at the location of the installation, which may take place by axially sliding or by sliding the casing from aside around the pipe. A drawback of this is that the supply of both parts takes place separately, and that a lot of air and therefore unused volume is carried along with the casings. The arrangement of the casings requires a lot of effort, in which it cannot be guaranteed that the casing in longitudinal direction is perfectly contiguous. Furthermore it is a drawback that at the location two stocks have to be kept. That also holds good for the supplier, who moreover has to purchase from two plants, namely the plant for pipes and the plant for casings. It is an object of the invention to improve on this. To that end, from one aspect, the invention provides a method for manufacturing an assembly of a heat-insulation tube and at least one pipe accommodated therein for transport of fluid, in which in a continuous consecutive series of process steps the pipe is supplied, which pipe may for instance be made of synthetic material or metal, a casing of synthetic insulation material is extruded and arranged around the pipe, and in which a sealing outer layer is extruded, is provided with a longitudinal cut, and then is arranged around the casing from aside. Thus in a continuous, single line operation, a complete, assembled insulated cooling/heating pipe is provided, in a simple, small space requiring manner, which pipe can be transported to the location of installation, and can be stored and managed there as if it were pre-assembled. Preferably the assembly pipe/casing/outer layer is rolled up in a continuous movement and is stored as a roll. Preferably the casing -made of a foamed polyolefin- is provided with a longitudinal cut and arranged around the pipe from aside. During transport of the pipe the casing, after having been extruded, is placed around the pipe, by inserting, as relatively seen, the pipe into the casing through the longitudinal cut. The outer layer, preferably after arranging the outer layer around the assembly pipe/casing and while exerting a radial/tangential compression force on the casing and outer layer, at the location of the longitudinal seam, is closed at the edges, for instance by fusing. In one treatment the casing and the outer layer are then closed around the pipe. The outer layer then also keeps the casing itself closed, without the casing itself having to be sealed at the location of the longitudinal seam. This is preferably done by subjecting the edges of the outer layer in tangential direction to a heated agent for the fusing process and then urging them against each other and subsequently letting them cool down to cure/harden. The edges are preferably heated with gas here, particularly heated air. It is preferred here that the outer layer is formed by a smooth coating so that the edges meet each other in a tangential plane and the heating can simply be adjusted to said plane. For alternative uses however it is advantageous that the outer layer is formed with circumferential ribs. Such profiled outer layers are known per se as bendable, rather rigid (manufactured from a thermosetting synthetic material) sleeves for pipes for fluid of for instance floor heatings or air-conditioning systems. In those applications the pipe lies free in the ribbed sleeve. A drawback of this is that in the air space between the pipe and the sleeve a chimney effect may occur, which reduces the efficiency. Furthermore it is disadvantageous that the pipe under the influence of gravity will lie eccentrically in the sleeve. With the method according to the invention a pipe assembly is obtained, in which the pipe is kept in its place within the ribbed outer layer by the insulation casing, which casing also prevents a chimney effect. It is preferred here that casing is centrically arranged around the pipe. The ribs ensure anchoring when accommodated in a concrete layer, so that when necessary -in case of a leak to be tracked down or to be closed- the pipes can be pulled out, without the outer layer coming along. Preferably the circumferential ribs are formed in the outer layer after arranging the outer layer. In an advantageous manner this takes place by means of rib formers radially engaging the arranged casing, preferably by two rib formers that diametrically opposite each other engage and deform the outer layer. The deformation of the outer layer here takes place when it is supported by the casing and the pipe, during continuous transport. Another objection against the known ribbed sleeves is that the defor- mability of the sleeves is limited, which under circumstances may render installation difficult. To improve on this it is provided according to the invention that the outer layer is arranged abutting and detached from the casing and the circumferential ribs and the remaining portion of the outer layer situated in between them is formed in such a manner that it can be axially pushed in. This not only render axial shortening or lengthening possible, but also improves bendability. The deformation may here occur at the location of the folding lines in the outer layer. Undesired pleating (in bends situated in view) is prevented in this way. It is preferred here that the outer layer is made of a thermoplastic material, particularly polyolefin or PVC. It is noted that an assembled line for air conditioning systems is known, comprising a copper fluid line, a polyethene foam insulation casing surroun- ding it, and a thin layer of polyethene surrounding that, which layer is provided with pyramid-like profilings. The outer layer is brought to the casing in the form of a flat strip, is wrapped around the casing under the influence of heat and is subsequently sealed in a mould. After that the pipe is axially inserted into the casing, which is kept under pressure in order to increase the diameter. From another aspect the invention provides an assembly for carrying out the method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a stock of pipe, first transport means for transporting the pipe from the stock in process direction to subsequent processing stations, an extruder for an insulation casing, second transport means for supplying the insulation casing from the extruder to the pipe downstream of its stock, means for arranging the insulation casing around the pipe during continuous transport of both, an extruder for the outer layer, third transport means for supplying the outer layer to the assembly pipe/casing, means for arranging the outer layer around the assembly pipe/casing during continuous transport of both and means for taking up the assembled pipe thus obtained on a supply roll. Preferably the assembly is further provided with means for closing the outer layer in circumferential sense after arranging the outer layer around the assembly pipe/casing. Preferably the closing means are provided with means for heating the longitudinal head edges of the outer layer and with means for tangentially bringing the longitudinal edges against each other. Preferably the heating means comprise nozzles that can be placed between the longitudinal edges and are aimed thereat, to which nozzles one or more lines for supply of heated fluid -particularly air- have been connected. In that way the heat necessary for the welding of the edges is supplied as directed and local as possible. Preferably the nozzles have been arranged on a carrier for them, in which the carrier is drivable for movement of the nozzles in process direction, so that the effectiveness is maximal, or, depending on the material to be sealed, in opposite direction. A simple arrangement is one in which the carrier is a circumferentially driven carrier, preferably a rotatingly driven disk. Preferably a stop is also provided, such as a foot, in which way it is prevented that the carrier, particularly the rotating disk, contacts the pipe. Near the heating means, means are positioned for cooling the parts of the assembly that contact the portions of the pipe/casing/outer layer situated outside the contact area of the longitudinal edges, or that are able to transfer heat to these portions in another way, in order not to let the heat supplied by the heating means exert an unwanted influence on the other portions of the casing and the outer layer. From yet another aspect the invention provides an assembly that furthermore is provided with means for arranging circumferential ribs in the outer layer that are placed between the outer layer extruder and the location of joining. Thus the outer layer is supplied to the pipe/casing assembly provided with rib surface. Extruding the outer layer and forming the ribs can therefore be carried out parallel to extruding/joining the casing. Preferably the means for arranging the circumferential ribs comprise two or more rib formers radially engaging the outer layer, preferably with shaping bands circumferentially driven along with the outer layer. In an advantageous manner the rib formers are positioned diametrically opposite each other to engage and deform the outer layer over the entire circumference in a reliable and stable manner. Preferably the means for arranging the casing around the pipe and the third transport means for supplying the outer layer to the assembly pipe/casing are placed at least partially parallel, on the same frame. It is furthermore preferred that the means for arranging the casing around the pipe and the means for opening the outer layer prior to arranging it around the assembly pipe/casing are placed on the same frame. From a further aspect the invention provides a roll of assembled pipe for temperature conditioning, comprising a pipe for passage of fluid, a casing of insulating material surrounding it and an outer layer provided with ribs surrounding it. From another aspect the invention provides a roll of assembled pipe for temperature conditioning, comprising a pipe for passage of fluid, a casing of insulating material surrounding it and an outer layer provided with ribs surrounding that, in which the outer layer is provided with a longitudinal seal and the casing underneath it is interrupted. From yet another aspect the invention provides a roll of assembled pipe for temperature conditioning, comprising a pipe for passage of fluid, a casing of insulating material surrounding it and around it, abutting and detached, a sleeve provided with circumferential ribs. Preferably the sleeve can be axially pushed in/pulled out and/or is manufactured of thermoplastic material. The invention will be elucidated on the basis of a number of exemplary embodiments shown in the attached figures, in which: Figure 1 schematically shows an arrangement with which according to the invention an assembled insulated pipe can be manufactured; Figure 2 is an alternative arrangement with which according to the invention an assembled insulated pipe can be manufactured; Figure 3 is a part of the arrangement according to figure 1 or 2, for making a ribbed tube; Figures 4A and 4B show a side view and a cross-section, respectively, of a part for an arrangement for closing the assembled heat-insulating tube according to the invention; and Figures 5A and 5B show a cross-section and a longitudinal section, respectively, of an assembled heat-insulating tube made with the arran- gement according to figure 1. The arrangement 1 in figure 1 is located on a limited space. It comprises a holder 2 with a supply roll 3 of a pipe 6 made of copper or a hard synthetic material, which supply roll can be unwound in the direction of A to be subsequently transported further in the process in the direction B. Adjacent to it an extruder 3 is positioned having an extruder nozzle 5, from which a casing 7 made of synthetic insulating material is extruded in the direction C. A control panel 4 is provided for controlling the entire arrangement 1 . Downstream of the holder 2 a joining station 30 is situated having a stretching device 8 and downstream of it a pipe feed device 9 provided with driven rollers for the pipe 6, and parallel to it, also in the station 30, a guiding device 10a for the casing 7, and an opening means 1 1 a to open up the casing 7 in longitudinal direction. At extrusion from the nozzle 5 the casing 7 can already be provided with a longitudinal cut, by means of blade 35a, but may also be provided with it at the location of the guiding means 10a or the opening means 1 1 a. Downstream of it orienting means 12a is situated, where the casing 7 kept open is pushed sidewards onto the pipe 6 kept stretched. This takes place during continuous transport of the pipe 6 in the direction B and the casing 7 in the direction C. Downstream of the location of joining pressing and passage means 13a is situated for pressing the casing 7 around the pipe and passing it further on. Parallel to the extrusion of the casing 7 an outer layer 18 is formed, from the extruder 15. The outer layer 18 is a relatively thick layer (for instance 0.5 mm), which may form a separate sleeve. Said sleeve 18 is then engaged in the forming station 16, in which circumferential ribs are formed extending around the entire circumference, by means of two rib formers 17 that circulate and travel along. Here use is made of vacuum openings in the rib formers to support the sleeve during forming the ribs. The outer layer 18 is transported in the direction E and is pushed to the assembly pipe 6/casing 7, parallel to pressing and passage means 13a, through cutting blade 35b, via guiding means 10b, and via opening means 1 1 b -which are also provided on station 30-, after which at a next, immediately following station 34 with orienting means 12b it is actually slid around said assembly. Immediately downstream of it a sealing device 33 is situated, to seal the outer layer 18. In this example use can be made of the arran- gement shown in the figures 5A and 5B. The assembled final product 19 is pressed and passed on by pressing and passage means 13b, and in the direction F rolled up on a reel 20 on holder 20a. The reel 20 can be stored and then dispatched to a location of the installation activities. In the figure 3 the rib formers 17 are shown in top view. It here regards two rib formers 17a, 17b, travelling around in the directions H1 and H2, respectively. They each consist of chains 24 or guides, that are circum- ferentially driven (for instance by a rack), and on which rib forming shackles 23 have been arranged. The rib forming shackles 23 connect to each other and each consists of a holder 25 having form ribs 26. Said form ribs 26 are semicircular convex and teeth-shaped, in order to be able to form the profile shown on the right-hand side of figure 2. The form ribs 26 of shackles 23 of the rib formers 27a, b running opposite each other, are connect to each other. The final product is shown in the figures 5A and 5B, in which it can be seen that in the middle a pipe 6 made of synthetic material or copper is present and surrounding it a casing of for instance polyolefin foam ((H) CFK free and shrink-free), such as polyethene foam 7, around it a rib- shaped sleeve 18. The rib-shaped sleeve 18 is more or less battlement- shaped in cross-section, having rib-shaped elevations 26 and channels 28. The material used is thermoplastic synthetic material, such as polyolefin or PVC, and the sleeve 18 may at least deform in axial direction by folding at the location of the corner areas 27, so that the length of the sleeve 18 becomes larger or smaller, as the fitter desires. Here the casing 7 is abutting and detached with respect to the sleeve 18, so that its shortening or lengthening can take place without too much trouble. The casing 7 can be tightly arranged around the pipe 6. It is also possible to use an arrangement slightly different from the one of figure 1 , to which end figure 2 is referred to. There the supply of the outer layer or sleeve 18 is entirely taken care of by station 34, which is provided with a pipe/casing passage device 9', with guiding device 10b, an opening means 1 1 b, an orienting means 12b, a sealing device 33 and a pressing device 32. Both in the arrangement of figure 1 and in the one of figure 2 the extruders 32 and 15 have been placed parallel and level beside the line of the pipe 6, so that as little occupation of space widthwise as possible takes place and supply times are short, which is advantageous in case of failures. For sealing device 33 reference can be made to the figures 4A and 4B, where a disk 20 is shown, that is driven in the direction F, in order to thus run along at its circumference in the direction D of the assembled tube, of which the outer layer 18 is shown here. If the material requires such the disk can be driven in opposite direction. The disk 20 is provided with a circumferential series of holes 21 on both sides, which holes are connected to controllable supply means for heated air, which means are not further shown. The disk 20 is suspended from a frame that is not further shown, in which also a foot 22 is attached, that extends underneath disk 20, as schematically shown in figure 4B. Said foot 22 is in contact with the upper surface of the pipe 6 in order to place the disk 20, particularly the holes 21 situated in its lowermost area, at the correct distance above the pipe 6. The distance between the foot and the disk is adjustable. In operation the heated air is allowed out of the holes 21 in the direction G to either side, exactly on the end edges 18a, 18b of the (opened) sleeve 18 and the edges 7a, 7b of the casing 7. The pipe 6 here remains undisturbed, shielded by the foot 22 and remains undamaged. The surrounding parts of the machine, not further shown here, that engage the rest of the assembled tube for transport, can be cooled here. Immediately downstream of the disk 20 at the location of 13a, transporting pressing belts 31 , 32a, 32b have been positioned, which according to a triangular arrangement engage the assembled tube and exert pressing force on it to press the edges 7a and 7b of the casing 7 and the edges 18a, 18b of the layer 18 against each other. The edges 18a, 18b and also the edges 7a, 7b of the casing 7 fuse together here, so that a circumferentially closed insulation tube is obtained that will not open in bends. The flat embodiment of among others the pressing belt 31 also makes it possible to process other profiles, for instance with a flat lower side. After having been treated such, the final product 19 shown in figure 4A can be obtained, where a pipe, particularly a copper pipe 6, is surrounded by a polyolefin foam casing 7, which in turn is surrounded with a ribbed layer 18, that has been welded at the location of 29.

Claims: Claims 1. Method for manufacturing an assembly of a heat-insulation tube and at least a pipe accommodated therein for transport of fluid, in which in a continuous consecutive series of process steps the pipe is supplied, which pipe may for instance be made of synthetic material or metal, a casing of synthetic insulation material is extruded and arranged around the pipe, and in which a sealing outer layer is extruded, is provided with a longitudinal cut, and then is arranged around the casing from aside. 2. Method according to claim 1 , in which the casing, provided with a longitudinal cut, is arranged around the pipe from aside. 3. Method according to 1 or 2, in which the outer layer has a radial interruption, which after arranging the outer layer around the assembly pipe/casing and while exerting a radial/tangential compression force on the casing and outer layer, at the location of the longitudinal seam, is sealed at the edges. 4. Method according to claim 3, in which for the fusing process the edges are subjected in tangential direction to a heated agent and are then urged against each other and are subsequently cooled down. 5. Method according to claim 3 or 4, in which the edges are heated with gas. 6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the outer layer is formed with circumferential ribs. 7. Method according to claim 6, in which the circumferential ribs are formed after -preferably centrically- arranging the outer layer around the casing. 8. Method according to claim 7, in which the circumferential ribs are formed by means of rib formers radially engaging the arranged casing. 9. Method according to claim 8, in which two rib formers diametrically opposite each other engage and deform the outer layer. 10. Method according to any one of the claims 6-9, in which the circumferential ribs and the outer layer situated in between them are realised in manner that they can be axially pushed in and in which preferably the outer layer is made of a thermoplastic material. 1 1. Method according to any one of the claims 6-10, in which the outer layer is arranged abutting and detached from the casing. 12. Assembly for carrying out the method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a stock of pipe, first transport means for transporting the pipe from the stock in process direction to subsequent processing stations, an extruder for an insulation casing, second transport means for leading the insulation casing from the extruder to the pipe downstream of its stock, means for arranging the insulation casing around the pipe during continuous transport of both, an extruder for the outer layer, third transport means for supplying the outer layer to the assembly pipe/casing, means for arranging the outer layer around the assembly pipe/casing during continuous transport of both and means for taking up the assembled pipe thus obtained on a supply roll. 13. Assembly according to claim 12, further provided with means for closing the outer layer in circumferential sense after arranging the outer layer around the assembly pipe/casing. 14. Assembly according to claim 13, in which the closing means are provided with means for heating the longitudinal head edges of the outer layer and with means for tangentially bringing the longitudinal edges against each other. 15. Assembly according to claim 14, in which the heating means comprise nozzles that can be placed between the longitudinal edges and are oriented thereto, to which nozzles one or more lines for supply of heated fluid have been connected. 16. Assembly according to claim 15, in which the nozzles have been arranged on a carrier for them, in which the carrier is drivable for movement of the nozzles in process direction, or -depending on the material to be sealed- in opposite direction, in which preferably also a stop is provided, such as a foot, for preventing that the carrier contacts the pipe. 17. Assembly according to claim 16, in which the carrier is a circumferentially driven carrier, preferably a rotatingly driven disk. 18. Assembly according to any one of the claims 14-17, in which near the heating means, means are positioned for cooling the parts of the assembly that contact the portions of the pipe/casing/outer layer situated outside the contact area of the longitudinal edges, or are able to transfer heat to these portions in another way. 19. Assembly according to any one of the claims 12-18, furthermore provided with means for arranging circumferential ribs in the outer layer placed between the outer layer extruder and the location of joining. 20. Assembly according to claim 19, in which the means for arranging the circumferential ribs comprises two or more rib formers radially engaging the outer layer. 21 . Assembly according to claim 20, in which the rib formers are formed by shaping bands circumferentially driven along with the outer layer. 22. Assembly according to claim 21 , in which two rib formers are positioned diametrically opposite each other to engage and deform the outer layer over the entire circumference. 23. Assembly according to any one of the claims 12-22, in which the means for arranging the casing around the pipe and the third transport means for supplying the outer layer to the assembly pipe/casing are placed at least partially parallel, on the same frame. 24. Assembly according to claim 23, in which the means for arranging the casing around the pipe and the means for opening the outer layer prior to arranging it around the assembly pipe/casing are placed on the same frame. 25. Roll of assembled pipe for temperature conditioning, comprising a pipe for passage of fluid, a casing of insulating material surrounding it and an outer layer provided with ribs surrounding it. 26. Roll of assembled pipe for temperature conditioning, comprising a pipe for passage of fluid, a casing of insulating material surrounding it and an outer layer provided with ribs surrounding it, in which the outer layer is provided with a longitudinal seal and the casing underneath it is inter- rupted. 27. Roll of assembled pipe for temperature conditioning, comprising a pipe for passage of fluid, a casing of insulating material surrounding it and around it, abutting and detached, a sleeve provided with circumferential ribs. 28. Roll of assembled pipe according to claim 27, in which the sleeve can be axially pushed in/pulled out and/or is manufactured of thermoplastic material. 29. Assembly provided with one ore more of the characterizing measures described in the attached description and/or shown in the attached drawings. 30. Method comprising one or more of the characterizing steps described in the attached description and/or shown in the attached drawings.

Inventors: BAARS GERRIT-JAN, DE BELL HUMPHREY REGINALD, MAAS CORNELIS HENRICUS JOHANNE, BAARS, GERRIT-JAN, DE BELL, HUMPHREY, REGINALD, MAAS, CORNELIS, HENRICUS, JOHANNES
Applicants: BAARS GERRIT JAN, BELL HUMPHREY REGINALD DE, MAAS CORNELIS HENRICUS JOHANNE, THERMAFLEX INTERNAT HOLDING B, BAARS, GERRIT-JAN, DE BELL, HUMPHREY, REGINALD, MAAS, CORNELIS, HENRICUS, JOHANNES, THERMAFLEX INTERNATIONAL HOLDING B.V.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: F16L59
IPC codes: B29C47, B29C63, B29C65, F16L59