MULTILAYER MOTOR VEHICLE TEMPERATURE CONTROL TUBE

Abstract

Multilayer motor vehicle temperature control tube for fluid temperature control media, with the tube having at least three layers. Going from the outside to the inside, the layer structure comprises an outer layer of polyethylene or of a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), an intermediate layer of polypropylene (PP) and an inner layer of polyethylene or of a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV). The total layer thickness of the tube is 0.7 to 2.5 mm.

Claims

1. Multilayer motor vehicle tube, in particular a motor vehicle temperature control tube for fluid temperature control and cooling media, wherein the tube has at least three layers, namely with the following layer structure as listed in going from the outside to the inside: an outer layer being at least 98% by weight of high density polyethylene (HDPE) or of a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), an intermediate layer of polypropylene (PP), an inner layer of polyethylene or of a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), wherein the total layer thickness or the total wall thickness of the tube is 0.5 to 3.0 mm.

2. The tube according to claim 1, wherein an outer layer of HDPE and/or an inner layer of HDPE is present.

3. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) for the outer layer and/or for the inner layer is a mixture or an alloy of an elastomer and a polyolefin—in particular polypropylene (PP).

4. The tube according to claim 3, wherein the elastomer is EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber).

5. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the outer layer is 10 to 50%, preferably 10 to 45% and more preferably 15 to 40% of the total wall thickness of the tube.

6. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is 10 to 45% of the total wall thickness of the tube.

7. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the inner layer is 10 to 50% of the total wall thickness of the tube.

8. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the tube has the “outer layer—intermediate layer—inner layer” layer aggregate and only at least one outermost layer adjoining the outer layer and/or at least one innermost layer adjoining the inner layer.

9. The tube according to claim 1, wherein at least one first adhesion promoting layer is interposed between the outer layer and the intermediate layer.

10. The tube according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of the first adhesion promoting layer is 2 to 25% of the total wall thickness of the tube.

11. The tube according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of the first adhesion promoting layer is 25 to 70% of the thickness of the outer layer.

12. The tube according to claim 1, wherein at least one—preferably one—second adhesion promoting layer is interposed between the intermediate layer and the inner layer.

13. The tube according to claim 12, wherein the thickness of the second adhesion promoting layer is 2 to 25% of the total wall thickness of the tube.

14. The tube according to claim 12, wherein the thickness of the second adhesion promoting layer is 20 to 60%, of the thickness of the intermediate layer.

15. The tube according to claim 9, wherein the first adhesion promoting layer and/or the second adhesion promoting layer is an adhesion promoting layer based on a polyolefin—in particular based on polyethylene.

16. The tube according to claim 15, wherein the first adhesion promoting layer and/or the second adhesion promoting layer is an adhesion promoting layer based on a polyolefin—in particular modified polyethylene—modified with at least one carboxylic acid derivative—in particular a maleic acid derivative.

17. The tube according to claim 1, wherein the tube has the layer aggregate of “outer layer—first adhesion promoting layer—intermediate layer—second adhesion promoting layer—inner layer” and only at least one outermost layer adjacent to the outer layer and/or at least one innermost layer adjacent to the inner layer.

18. The tube according to claim 1, wherein at least one further layer of a polyolefin, in particular of polypropylene, adjoins the outside of the outer layer.

19. The tube according to claim 18, wherein an aggregate of polyolefin layers, in particular a layer aggregate with an alternating layer sequence of polypropylene and HDPE, adjoins the outside of the outer layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The disclosure will hereinafter be explained in greater detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment. A schematic representation shows:

[0028] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a motor vehicle temperature control tube according to the disclosure and

[0029] FIG. 2 a section through the object of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The figures show a motor vehicle temperature control tube 1 according to the disclosure. In the case of this tube 1, the exemplary embodiment may be a cooling tube 1 for motor vehicles. The cooling medium not shown in the figures is passed through the tube 1. The cooling medium is preferably an alcohol-water mixture and in particular a glycol-water mixture.—The tube 1 expediently has five layers in the exemplary embodiment. Going from the outside to the inside, these comprise an outer layer 2, a first adhesion promoting layer 3, an intermediate layer 4, a second adhesion promoting layer 5 and an inner layer 6. According to one embodiment, the inner layer 6 may have conductive additives, so that it is designed to be electrically conductive.

[0031] An outer layer 2 of polyethylene, preferably of HDPE, is used according to a particularly preferred embodiment and in the exemplary embodiment. The first adhesion promoting layer 3 in the exemplary embodiment is advantageously an adhesion promoting layer based on a polyolefin, in particular based on polyethylene. This is preferably a modified polyolefin and most preferably a modified polyethylene.

[0032] An intermediate layer 4 of polypropylene (PP) is present according to the disclosure. This intermediate layer 4 advantageously consists essentially of polypropylene and may additionally contain additives. The intermediate layer in the exemplary embodiment preferably consists of at least 95 wt.-% polypropylene. An inner layer 6 of polyethylene, preferably made of HDPE, is furthermore provided. This second adhesion promoting layer 5 in the exemplary embodiment is, as recommended, based on a polyolefin, in particular based on polyethylene. It is preferably a modified polyolefin, in particular a modified polyethylene.

[0033] The total layer thickness or the total wall thickness of the tube 1 is expediently 0.8 to 2 mm and preferably 0.9 to 1.6 mm. The outer layer 2 and the intermediate layer 4 and the inner layer 6 in the embodiment are, as recommended, each thicker than the first adhesion promoting layer 3 and each thicker than the second adhesion promoting layer 5. The outer layer 2 and/or the intermediate layer 4 and/or the inner layer 6 is advantageously at least 1.2 times, preferably at least 1.5 times and very preferably at least 1.8 times thicker than the first adhesion promoting layer 3 and/or the second adhesion promoting layer 5.

[0034] An outer layer 2 and/or an inner layer 6 of a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) is used according to a further embodiment of the disclosure. The thermoplastic vulcanizate is preferably an alloy or a mixture of an elastomer and a polyolefin, preferably polypropylene (PP). In this case, the elastomer is preferably EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber).