FLUID PIPE FOR A HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING UNIT

Abstract

A fluid pipe for a heating and air conditioning unit, exhibiting a pipe coupling section produced at least predominantly from plastic in the area of a mouth of the pipe, wherein a bead that is constructed from plastic and runs around the circumference of the pipe in the pipe coupling section and protrudes outward and wherein a circumferential ring that also runs around the circumference of the pipe and is produced from metal or a metal alloy is attached to the bead.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A fluid pipe for a heating and air conditioning unit, the fluid pipe comprising: a pipe coupling section produced at least predominantly from plastic in an area of a mouth of the pipe, wherein a circumferential bead made of plastic and protruding outwards is constructed in a coupling section of the pipe around a circumference of the pipe, and wherein a circumferential ring made of metal or a metal alloy is attached to the bead around the circumference.

12. The fluid pipe according to claim 11, wherein the ring is produced from aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

13. The fluid pipe according to claim 11, wherein the ring has a cross section that corresponds to a cross section of the bead and encapsulates the bead at least in part.

14. The fluid pipe according to claim 13, wherein the cross section of the ring is U-shaped.

15. The fluid pipe according to claim 11, wherein the bead and the ring do not adjoin a front edge that restricts the mouth of the pipe, but are rather set at a distance from the front edge.

16. The fluid pipe according to claim 11, wherein the mouth of the pipe towards a limiting front edge is constructed with a taper at least in certain areas relative to a remaining diameter of the coupling section of the pipe.

17. The fluid pipe according to claim 11, wherein the bead is constructed by a reshaping a wall of the pipe in a reshaping area, wherein the bead along the circumference of the pipe at an outer surface of the wall is positioned opposite a circumferential recess in an inner surface of the wall of the pipe.

18. The fluid pipe according to claim 17, wherein the reshaping is a fold and the reshaping area is a folding zone, wherein the circumferential recess is constructed as a circumferential groove with a circumferential central fold in a position of a maximum recess in the inner surface of the wall of the pipe and that the position of the maximum recess in the inner surface of the wall of the pipe is opposite a position of a maximum bead diameter on the outer surface of the wall of the pipe, wherein the inner surface of the wall of the pipe forming the recess and the outer surface of the wall of the pipe forming the bead are at least partially in contact with one another on both sides of the central fold in adjoining areas of the circumferential groove.

19. The fluid pipe according to claim 18, wherein the circumferential groove further comprises three circumferential parallel folds, wherein two outer folds of the parallel folds on two outer edges are constructed on both sides of the central fold of the circumferential groove and the two outer folds are in contact with one another.

20. The fluid pipe according to claim 11, wherein the bead is constructed as a thickening of a wall of the pipe that runs around an entirety of the circumference of the pipe.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] Further details, features and benefits of embodiments of the invention result from the following description of specimen embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] These display the following:

[0017] FIG. 1: A longitudinal cross section of a fluid pipe in the area of a pipe coupling section;

[0018] FIG. 2: A longitudinal cross section of a fluid pipe in the area of a pipe coupling section according to an alternative embodiment; and

[0019] FIG. 3: A schematic side view of the pipe coupling section of the fluid pipe.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross section of a fluid pipe 1 for a heating and air conditioning unit, wherein a pipe coupling section 2 is presented in detail in this sectional view. The fluid pipe 1 is produced at least predominantly from plastic. The pipe coupling section 2 is located in the area of a mouth of the pipe 3, wherein a circumferential bead 4 produced from plastic is constructed around the circumference of the pipe and protrudes outwards in the pipe coupling section 2. A circumferential ring 5, which runs around the entire circumference of the pipe and is preferably produced from aluminum or an aluminum alloy, is attached to the bead 4 here. The polymer bead 4 and the ring 5 do not adjoin a front edge 6 that itself adjoins the mouth of the pipe 3, but rather are set at a distance from the front edge 6.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the ring 5 exhibits a U-shaped cross section, which corresponds to the cross section of the polymer bead 4 and precisely encapsulates the bead 4. With an existing connection of the fluid pipe 1 to a quick connector or a different type of connector (not shown), the metal ring 5 attached to the bead 4 prevents the connection of the reinforced bead to the connector from being disconnected thanks to the associated strengthening of the polymer bead 4. The ring 5 therefore largely secures correct functioning of the bead 4, even when a traction force is applied or when increased internal pressure or increased temperatures are encountered.

[0022] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the bead 4 is constructed by reshaping the pipe wall 7 in a reshaping area 8. In this reshaping area 8, the circumferential bead 4 on the outer wall of the pipe 7a is positioned opposite a circumferential recess 9 in the inner wall of the pipe 7b. According to the embodiment shown, the reshaping is a fold and the reshaping area 8 is a folding zone 8, wherein the circumferential recess 9 is constructed as a circumferential groove 9 with an—also circumferential—central fold 10 in the position of a maximum recess 9a in the inner wall of the pipe 7b. The position of the maximum recess 9a in the inner wall of the pipe 7b is opposite the position of a maximum bead diameter 4a on the outer wall of the pipe 7a, wherein the surfaces are predominantly in contact with or are pressed against one another on both sides of the central fold 10 at these adjoining areas 11a, 11b of the circumferential groove 9. The adjoining areas 11a, 11b can also be in full contact with one another. The circumferential groove 9 would then encompass three circumferential parallel folds, wherein two outer folds would be constructed in the position of the outer edges 12a, 12b of the circumferential groove 9 on both sides of the central fold 10 and would also be in contact with one another.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross section of a fluid pipe 1 for a heating and air conditioning unit according to an alternative embodiment. A pipe coupling section 2 is also presented in detail in this sectional view. The fluid pipe 1 is produced predominantly from plastic. The pipe coupling section 2 is located in the area of a mouth of the pipe 3, wherein a circumferential bead 4 produced from plastic is constructed around the circumference of the pipe and protrudes outwards in the pipe coupling section 2. A circumferential ring 5, which runs around the entire circumference of the pipe and is preferably produced from aluminum or an aluminum alloy, is attached to the bead 4 here. The polymer bead 4 and the ring 5 do not adjoin a front edge 6 that itself adjoins the mouth of the pipe 3, but rather are set at a distance from the front edge 6.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2 the ring 5 exhibits a U-shaped cross section, which corresponds to the cross section of the polymer bead 4 and precisely encapsulates the bead 4. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 shows a bead 4 that—without a circumferential groove on the inner wall of the pipe 7b—is constructed solely as a circumferential thickening (reinforcement) 13 of the pipe wall 7 around the circumference of the pipe.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of the pipe coupling section 2 of the fluid pipe. The metallic ring 5, which is set away from the limiting front edge 6 of the mouth of the pipe 3, completely covers the non-visible bead in this depiction. As also shown in FIG. 3, the mouth of the pipe 3 is constructed with a taper in its end section towards the limiting front edge 6 relative to the remaining diameter of the pipe coupling section 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0026] 1 Fluid pipe

[0027] 2 Pipe coupling section

[0028] 3 Mouth of the pipe

[0029] 4 Bead

[0030] 4a Position of a maximum bead diameter

[0031] 5 Ring

[0032] 6 Front edge

[0033] 7 Pipe wall

[0034] 7a Outer wall of the pipe

[0035] 7b Inner wall of the pipe

[0036] 8 Reshaping area, folding zone

[0037] 9 Circumferential recess, circumferential groove

[0038] 9a Maximum recess

[0039] 10 Central fold

[0040] 11a Areas adjoining the central fold

[0041] 11b Areas adjoining the central fold

[0042] 12a Outer edge of the circumferential groove

[0043] 12b Outer edge of the circumferential groove

[0044] 13 Circumferential thickening