Electric heating – Heating devices – With heater-unit housing – casing – or support means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-15
2001-12-18
Jeffery, John A. (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
With heater-unit housing, casing, or support means
C219S544000, C156S304200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331698
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a clip of thermoweldable material for a conduit also comprised of weldable material, such as a repair clip, comprised of at least two shells surrounding the conduit in the position of use, of which optionally at least one has a branch pipe, and wherein the shells have longitudinal flanges facing one another in pairs in the position of use, which can be connected to one another under pressure, wherein the shells have at least one electrically heatable conductor arranged in continuous windings at its inner surfaces, and wherein the windings of the conductor extend, on the one hand, only in a semi-circular zone at the inner surfaces in the two end areas of the shell, respectively, and, on the other hand, extend also between these two semi-circular zones in a planar strip. Such clips are used, for example, for repair purposes or to retrofit an already mounted conduit, that is pressurized by a medium, with a branch conduit. In the latter situation, clips are used which have a branch pipe at least at one of the cylinder-shaped shells placed about the conduit. This branch pipe first serves to drill into the conduit, but then also to guide the medium into the branch conduit connected to the branch pipe. In the first situation, where a conduit has a defective location, the clip comprised of shells without a branch pipe is placed onto the conduit for repair purposes.
2. Description of Related Art
A known clip of this kind (DE 295 12 309 U1) has windings of a conductor provided on the inner surfaces of the two shells wherein only those circular zones in which the branch pipe is provided are free out such windings. The conductor is a wire whose windings are comprised of parallel linear winding legs and winding arches connecting them in pairs. The great length of the conductor requires great electrical energy expenditure for melting the contact surfaces. In the large contact area to be welded disturbances can occur at many locations, and this can result in leaks. The two shells of this known clip are of different design relative to one another, and there are wall areas which overlap. This requires different mold parts for manufacturing the two shells and a correspondingly complex storage and processing.
The disadvantage of a different design of the shells for forming the clip also pertains to the solution according to DE 195 19 341 C1. This is so because in this known solution the different design of the shells results from the longitudinal flanges of only one shell having a respective heating coil.
Shells of identical design are disclosed in the prior art CH 652 473 A in which, however, the heating coil is in the form of a separate component not connected to any of the shells. For the purpose of arranging the heating coil between the shells and the conduit, the inner surfaces of the shells must be spaced from the surface of the conduit by a spacing corresponding to the heating coil. Moreover, for filling this intermediate space with material, the heating wire of the heating coil is embedded in plastic material which, as a result of melting, fills the intermediate space and provides a connection between the conduit and the shell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to develop a reliable clip which can be assembled of two identical parts and ensures with minimal material and energy expenditure a medium-tight connection between the clip and the conduit. This is achieved according to the invention in that the shells with respect to their shape and the arrangement of the conductor are the same or identical, and for a paired use of the shells in the clip are positioned so as to face one another, wherein the band is arranged only at the inner surface of one of the longitudinal flanges, and electrical terminals are provided which are formed integrally on the outer side of each shell, wherein the conductor projects with a part of its cross-section from the contact surface of the semi-circular zones on the shell or the strip on the longitudinal flange, and a positive locking connection is provided between the conductor and the material of the shell.
Firstly, the invention has recognized that it is sufficient to provide in the two end areas of the shells relatively small semi-circular zones with windings when, in addition, the conductor is arranged only at the inner surface of one longitudinal flange in the form of a planar strip that connects the two semi-circular zones with one another. The central area of the shells thus remains free of a heating conductor. The energy expenditure for welding can be significantly reduced when the conductor projects with a portion of its cross-section from the contact surface of the semi-circular zones on the shell, respectively, the strip on the longitudinal flange. The minimal areas of the clip where welding is to take place can be heated with relatively minimal heating energy. Since both shells are of identical design, they can be combined in pairs with one another in a rotated position. This results in an all around axial and radial connection of the two shells relative to one another.
It is especially advantageous for the mentioned arrangement of the conductor to pre-shape it in a meandering shape so that a heating element is obtained which extends in windings on the mentioned areas of the inner surface of the shell and the longitudinal flange. The meandering shape arranged in windings can be positioned with its broad side at the contact surface so that its conductor projects reliably with a portion of its cross-section from the contact surface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4436987 (1984-03-01), Thalmann et al.
patent: 652473 (1985-11-01), None
patent: 195 19 341 C1 (1996-06-01), None
patent: 296 16 864 U1 (1997-01-01), None
patent: 196 44 055 A1 (1997-12-01), None
Jeffery John A.
Kueffner Friedrich
Manibs Spezialarmaturen GmbH & Co. KG
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