BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a portion of a tube system in accordance with the invention in a perspective exploded view;
FIG. 2 shows a prefabricated component of the tube system in accordance with the invention in a perspective view;
FIG. 3 shows a detail of the tube system in accordance with the invention in a perspective view;
FIG. 4 shows a perspective detail view of a sealing element of the tube system in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 5 shows the perspective detail according to FIG. 3 along with the inserted sealing element according to FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 shows a perspective horizontal section through the detail according to FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 shows a vertical section through the detail according to FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 shows the horizontal section according to FIG. 6 along with the inserted and locked second tube; and
FIG. 9 shows the vertical section according to FIG. 7 along with the inserted and locked second tube.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows a portion of a tube system 8, in particular for a radiant panel heating or cooling, including a first tube 10, a sealing element 12, and a second tube 14. In the present case the first tube 10 is configured as a branch of a main conduit 16, the main conduit 16 and the first tube 10 preferably being integrally connected to each other. In the present example the first tube 10 and the main conduit 16 consist of a first plastic material, for example polypropylene, and are injection molded as a one-piece part. As an alternative, it is also possible to embody the first tube 10 and the main conduit 16 as separate parts and subsequently firmly connect them to one another, for example by welding. The sealing element 12 likewise is an injection-molded plastic part, it being preferably formed of a second, soft plastic material having good sealing properties, for example a thermoplastic elastomer.
It can already be seen in FIG. 1 that the sealing element 12 has a shape which does not permit an insertion of the cured sealing element 12 into the first tube 10, respectively into the prefabricated unit of first tube 10 and main conduit 16. For this reason the sealing element 12 is immediately injection-molded into the first tube 10 and, upon curing, is non-detachably connected to the first tube 10. On the one hand, a good surface bond develops between the sealing element 12 and the first tube 10 when the material is suitably selected; on the other hand, recesses 18 are provided in the first tube 10 and protrusions 20 that are complementary thereto are provided in the sealing element 12, so that the first tube 10 and the sealing element 12 are also positively connected (see also FIG. 5).
Further visible in FIG. 1 is a part of the second tube 14 which is intended to be connected to the tube system 8, in particular to the main conduit 16. Provided on the second tube 14, which is also designated as a capillary tube, are tube protrusions 22 which in the present case are configured in the shape of flanges and extend circumferentially on the outside of the second tube 14 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the tube 14.
FIG. 2 shows a prefabricated component 24 of the tube system 8 which consists of a section of the main conduit 16, six first tubes 10, and six sealing elements 12. This component 24 is completely manufactured as a two-component injection-molded part.
FIG. 3 shows a connection detail of the first tube 10 to the main conduit 16. Readily visible is a U-shaped recess 26 in the first tube 10, through which a tongue-shaped wall section 30 of the first tube 10 is flexibly and elastically deformable in the radial direction in a tube wall 28. Further visible is a slot 32 which extends from the tube wall 28 of the first tube 10 into a wall 34 of the main conduit 16.
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the sealing element 12 which is configured as a sealing sleeve having a plurality of outside protrusions 20. Solely for reasons of illustration, the first tube 10 which surrounds the sealing element 12 was omitted. In reality, there will not be such an individual sealing element 12, since when the first tube 10 is produced, the sealing element 12 is directly injection molded into the tube. In doing so, the first tube 10 and optionally also the main conduit 16 at least partly form an injection mold for the sealing element 12.
FIG. 5 shows the connection detail of the first tube 10 to the main conduit 16 along with the injected sealing element 12. It is readily visible that the slot 32 and the U-shaped recess 26 are at least partly filled by the protrusions 20 of the sealing element 12. The non-filled regions are on the one hand caused by tools used in the injection molding process, on the other hand, however, they are also necessary to enable the tongue-shaped wall section 30 to elastically move in a radial direction, when the first tube 10 is connected to the second tube 14. Moreover, when the second tube 14 is intended to be detached, corresponding tools may engage therein, to again detach the second tube 14 from the first tube 10.
FIG. 6 shows a horizontal section through the detail of the tube system 8 according to FIG. 5. Visible in this horizontal section is a first latching element 36 which is integrally molded to the tongue-shaped wall section 30. FIG. 7 shows an associated vertical section through the detail according to FIG. 5 in a tube axis A of the first tube 10.
FIG. 8 shows the horizontal section according to FIG. 6, the second tube 14 being introduced into the first tube 10 and being locked with the first tube 10. Analogously, FIG. 9 corresponds to the vertical section of FIG. 7, but along with the inserted and locked second tube 14.
When the second tube 14 is introduced, that flange-type tube protrusion 22 which is closest to an axial tube end and forms a second latching element comes up against an inclined surface 40 of the first latching element 36. When the second tube 14 is further inserted towards the main conduit 16, the tube protrusion 22 slides on the inclined surface 40 so that the tongue-shaped wall section 30 moves radially outwards. Finally, the tube protrusion 22 abuts against the sealing element 12, and the tongue-shaped wall section 30 along with the first latching element 36 snaps back into its initial position. Thus, the second tube 14 is fixed to the first tube 10 in the direction of its tube axis. Preferably, the sealing element 12 is compressed to some extent on inserting the second tube 14, before the first latching element 36 snaps back into its initial position. Thereby, the sealing effect between the sealing element 12 and the second tube 14 is improved. Moreover, the second tube 14 is then mounted without play so that no rattling noises may occur between the first and second tubes 10, 14.
It is readily visible in FIGS. 8 and 9 that, as seen from the axial tube end, the second tube protrusion 22 is likewise situated inside the first tube 10. Thereby, the second tube 14 is guided in the first tube 10 in the region of its axial end and cannot become bent at right angles to its tube axis relative to the first tube 10. Accordingly, this second tube protrusion 22 of the second tube 14 can also be described as a guide element 22. The connection between the first tube 10, the sealing element 12, and the second tube 14 is thus protected against undesired stresses which otherwise could jeopardize the tightness of the connection.