Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – With work or work parts movable during treatment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-18
2001-04-17
El-Arini, Zeinab (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
With work or work parts movable during treatment
C134S033000, C134S034000, C134S037000, C134S038000, C134S042000, C134S138000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217670
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluid tubing, and, more particularly, to a method of manufacturing coated fluid tubing such as fuel or brake tubing for use in a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fluid tubing may be used in known manner to carry pressurized fluid for a specific application. For example, fluid tubing may be used as fuel or brake tubing for use in motor vehicles. Fuel and brake tubing is typically carried on the under carriage of a motor vehicle, and is thus exposed to water and chemicals such as salt, calcium chloride, etc. Accordingly, it is desirable to coat fuel and brake tubing with a metal coating and/or plastic coating to provide improved corrosion resistance and extended life.
Although a plastic coating on the outside of fuel and brake tubing substantially increases the life of the tubing, the plastic also provides manufacturing difficulties which must be overcome. For example, the end of the fuel or brake tubing is connected to another mechanical component in the fuel or brake system which usually requires that the end of the fuel or brake tubing be flared, swedged, beaded, or otherwise formed. The plastic coating must be completely removed from the metal tube prior to the flaring, swedging, beading or other operation. If the plastic is not removed, the metal tube may be damaged and/or the tubing may not properly seal with the connected mechanical component.
It is known to use a laser to remove a plastic coating from the outside of fuel or brake tubing. The power level of the laser is adjusted such that most of the plastic coating is burned off of the fluid tubing while the underlying metal tube remains substantially intact. A problem with using a laser to remove the plastic coating from the metal tube is that the plastic is burned off of the metal tube and leaves a residue layer on the outside of the metal tube. The residue layer may interfere with the sealing of the fluid tubing, and is aesthetically unappealing. Moreover, using a laser to burn the plastic from the outside of a metal tube takes a relatively long period of time which may not be acceptable for mass production items. For example, using a laser to burn the plastic coating from the end of fuel or brake tubing for a distance of slightly less than one inch may require approximately 30 seconds. This is a relatively long period of time for mass production items such as fuel or brake tubing which may not be acceptable.
What is needed in the art is a method of manufacturing fuel or brake tubing so that a predetermined length of the plastic coating can be quickly, easily and cleanly removed from an end of the tubing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing coated fluid tubing, wherein a water jet cutter is used to remove a plastic coating and binder layer without damaging an underlying corrosion resistant metal coating or metal tube.
The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a method of manufacturing fluid tubing such as fuel or brake tubing for use in a motor vehicle. Fluid tubing is provided which includes a metal tube with a longitudinal axis, a corrosion resistant metal coating over the metal tube, a binder layer over the metal coating and a plastic coating over the binder layer. A water jet cutter is positioned adjacent to the fluid tubing. The fluid tubing and/or the water jet cutter are moved in a feed direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The fluid tubing and/or the water jet cutter are rotated about the longitudinal axis. A water jet is jetted from the water jet cutter against the fluid tubing substantially tangentially to the metal tube and at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis, whereby the plastic coating and the binder layer are removed from the fluid tubing and the metal coating remains substantially intact on the metal tube.
An advantage of the present invention is that the plastic coating and binder layer are removed without damaging the underlying metal coating or metal tube. The cut surface of the plastic coating defines a sharp edge.
Another advantage is that cycle times for each part are very fast relative to conventional techniques.
Yet another advantage is that the jet pressure, jet geometry, jet impingement angle and feed velocity can be varied for different applications.
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CF Gomma USA, Inc.
El-Arini Zeinab
Taylor & Aust P.C.
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