HIGH-PRESSURE FLUID LINE

Abstract

A high-pressure fluid line including a corrugated tube defining a fluid flow channel its interior, wherein a wall of the corrugated tube, in parallel with the extension direction of the fluid flow channel, comprises a sequence of wave peaks and wave troughs. The fluid line includes a braiding made of threads, which is applied to an outer periphery of the corrugated tube. The braiding bears tightly against the outer periphery of the corrugated tube at a substantially constant braiding angle over the entire corrugated tube. The braiding and the corrugated tube are connected at least at two mutually separate locations such that stretching of the corrugated tube in a longitudinal direction is accompanied by a reduction in a diameter of the braiding.

Claims

1. A high-pressure fluid line, comprising a corrugated tube defining, a fluid flow channel in an interior of the corrugated tube, wherein a wall of the corrugated tube, in parallel with the extension direction of the fluid flow channel, comprises a sequence of wave peaks and wave troughs; and a braiding made of threads, wherein the braiding is applied to an outer periphery of the corrugated tube, wherein the braiding bears tightly against the outer periphery of the corrugated tube, wherein the braiding has a substantially constant braiding angle over an entirety of the corrugated tube, wherein the braiding and the corrugated tube are connected to one another at least at two mutually separate locations, such that stretching of the corrugated tube in a longitudinal direction is accompanied by a reduction in a diameter of the braiding.

2. A high-pressure fluid line, comprising: a corrugated tube defining, a fluid flow channel an interior of the corrugated tube, wherein a wall of the corrugated tube, in parallel with an extension direction of the fluid flow channel, comprises a sequence of wave peaks and wave troughs; and a braiding made of threads, wherein the braining which is applied to an outer periphery of the corrugated tube, wherein the braiding bears tightly against the outer periphery of the corrugated tube, wherein the braiding has a substantially constant braiding angle over an entirety of the corrugated tube, wherein a mesh size of the braiding is smaller has a smaller mesh size in the region of wave troughs than in the region of wave peaks; and wherein the high-pressure fluid line is designed is configured such that stretching of the corrugated tube in the longitudinal direction is accompanied by a reduction in diameter of the braiding.

3. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein the braiding angle is in a range of 30 to 60.

4. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein the braiding comprises a first group of threads and a second group on of threads, wherein the first group of threads and the second group of threads extend in opposite winding directions around the corrugated tube.

5. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein each of the first group of threads and the second group of threads is formed as one or more of a monofilament or a multifilament.

6. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein each of the first group of threads and the second group of threads comprises one or more of polyethylene terephthalate or aramid.

7. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein each of the first group of threads and the second group of threads comprises a modulus of elasticity of at least 3 kN/mm.sup.2.

8. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein the high-pressure fluid line further comprises an outer protective layer, arranged on the outer side of the corrugated tube.

9. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 8, wherein the outer protective layer connects the braiding to the corrugated tube at least in portions.

10. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 8, wherein the braiding is embedded in the outer protective layer.

11. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein the braiding is arranged on the corrugated tube substantially following the wave peaks and wave troughs.

12. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein a profile of the corrugated tube comprises a substantially sinusoidal course.

13. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein the corrugated tube is made of a thermoplastic material.

14. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein a wall of the corrugated tube comprises a multilayered structure comprising two layers.

15. A pipe arrangement for high-pressure applications comprising: a high-pressure fluid line, comprising: a corrugated tube defining a fluid flow channel in an interior of the corrugated tube, wherein a wall of the corrugated tube, in parallel with the extension direction of the fluid flow channel comprises a sequence of wave peaks and wave troughs; a braiding made of threads, wherein the braiding is applied to an outer periphery of the corrugated tube, wherein the braiding bears tightly against the outer periphery of the corrugated tube, wherein the braiding has a substantially constant braiding angle over an entirety of the corrugated tube wherein the braiding and the corrugated tube are connected to one another at least at two mutually separate locations such that stretching of the corrugated tube in a longitudinal direction is accompanied by a reduction in a diameter of the braiding; and a respective connector at each of the two ends of the high-pressure fluid line, wherein each respective connector is configured to fix the multilayered structure of the high-pressure fluid line to the other in one or more of a force-fitting manner or a form-fitting manner.

16. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 1, wherein the two mutually separate locations are in the region of the two longitudinal ends of the corrugated tube.

17. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 3, wherein the braiding angle is substantially 45.

18. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 7, wherein the modulus of elasticity is at least 4.5 kN/mm.sup.2.

19. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 8, wherein the outer protective layer comprises silicone.

20. The high-pressure fluid line of claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises polyamide.

Description

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fluid line according to the invention;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the fluid line according to the invention from FIG. 1.

[0040] A fluid line according to the invention is generally denoted by reference sign 10 in FIG. 1. The fluid line 10 comprises a corrugated tube 12, the wall of which has a sequence of wave peaks 14 and wave troughs 16 (see also FIG. 2).

[0041] A braiding 18, which comprises a plurality of threads 20, is arranged on the outer side of the corrugated tube 12. In the embodiment shown here, the braiding 18 is arranged on the outer side of the corrugated tube 12 such that it follows the course of the wave peaks 14 and the wave troughs 16, in close contact therewith. Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the braiding 18 to bear against the wave peaks 14 of the corrugated tube 12, but to be at a predetermined distance from the wall of the corrugated tube 12 in the region of the wave troughs 16. In one conceivable embodiment, the braiding 18 can also extend substantially straight from a wave peak 14 to an adjacent wave peak 14, i.e. the overall structure of the braiding 18 (irrespective of the individual threads 20) can connect a wave peak 14 to an adjacent wave peak 14 in a very short distance.

[0042] It can also be seen In FIG. 2 that the fluid line 10 comprises an outer protective layer 22, which is arranged on an outer side of the braiding 18. The outer protective layer 22 can be formed, for example, from a silicone which is applied to the braiding 18 that surrounds the corrugated tube 12. In particular, in this case the outer protective layer 22 can connect to the threads 20 of the braiding 18 such that the threads 18 are embedded in the outer protective layer 22, at least in part.

[0043] At the left-hand end of the fluid line 10 shown in FIG. 2, the individual layers of the fluid line 10, specifically the wall of the corrugated tube 12, the braiding 18 and the outer protective layer 22, end at a certain distance from one another, in order to illustrate the structure of the fluid line 10 according to the invention. Advantageously, the layers can, of course, end together at one end of the fluid line 10, as shown in FIG. 2 at the right-hand end of the fluid line 10.

[0044] With reference to FIG. 1, it can be seen that a first group 24 of threads 20 extends around the corrugated tube 12 in a first direction of rotation (for example from bottom right to top left in FIG. 1), and that a second group 26 of threads 20 extends around the corrugated tube 12 in a second direction of rotation (for example from top right to bottom left in FIG. 1). The meshes 28 that remain free between individual threads 20 are substantially rhombic here. As a result, the braiding 18 forms a type of scissor mechanism, that is to say when the corrugated tube 12 and thus the braiding 18 is lengthened (for example stretched in a direction to the left and to the right in FIGS. 1 and 2), the diameter of the braiding 18 also decreases due to the structure of the braiding 18.

[0045] Therefore, if a fluid pressure prevailing in the fluid line 10, that is to say in a fluid flow channel 30 formed therein, acts on the corrugated tube 12 such that the corrugated tube 12 is likely to extend, the braiding 18 generates a force on the wall of the corrugated tube 12 in the direction of a diameter reduction of the braiding 18. Due to the fact that the diameter reduction of the braiding 18 counteracts both the fluid pressure in the fluid flow channel 30 of the fluid line 10 and the limited compressibility of the material of the corrugated tube 12, a further lengthening of the fluid line 10 is prevented by the fact that these counteracting forces prevent a further reduction in diameter of the braiding 18.

[0046] In order to be able, in this case, to prevent the braiding 18 from allowing a predetermined length change, due to the stretchability of the threads 20 themselves, the modulus of elasticity of the threads 20 should be selected to be as high as possible, wherein it is necessary to ensure, at the same time, that the threads 20 do not become too brittle, such that the threads 20 can be prevented from breaking.

[0047] In the embodiment shown, the corrugated tube 12 and the braiding 18 are connected to one another at the two longitudinal ends of the fluid line 10, wherein this is shown in FIG. 2 only for the right-hand longitudinal end 32 of the fluid line 10.