PLASTIC PIPELINE

Abstract

The invention relates to a plastic pipeline (1), having at least one radial branch. The invention is based on the object of providing a plastic pipeline (1) having a radial branch (4, 5) that avoids the problems of the known configurations. This object is achieved by the plastic pipeline (1) having in the intended region of the branching a bore (2) and a saddle-shaped plastic element (4, 5) with a through-bore (6), the through-bore (6) of the saddle-shaped plastic element (4, 5) being in line with the bore (2) in the plastic pipeline (1) and the saddle-shaped plastic element (4, 5) being formed from a plastics material that can be fused with the material of the plastic pipeline (1), and the saddle-shaped plastic element (4, 5) being connected to the plastic pipeline (1) in a pressure- and fluid-tight manner.

Claims

1.-6. (canceled)

7. A plastic pipeline comprising at least one radial branch, wherein at the at the least one radial branch, the plastic pipeline comprises a bore and a saddle-shaped plastic element having a through-bore, wherein the through-bore of the saddle-shaped plastic element is in line with the bore of the plastic pipeline; and, wherein the saddle-shaped plastic element is formed of a plastics material that is fused with the material of the plastic pipeline, and wherein the saddle-shaped plastic element is connected to the plastic pipeline in a pressure-tight and fluid-tight manner.

8. The plastic pipeline as claimed in claim 7, wherein the saddle-shaped plastic element is a plastic injection-molded part.

9. The plastic pipeline as claimed in claim 7, wherein the saddle-shaped plastic element is connected to the plastic pipeline without further additional materials by making the materials of the plastic pipeline and of the saddle-shaped plastic element fused by a laser beam.

10. The plastic pipeline as claimed in claim 7, wherein the saddle-shaped plastic element is at least partially comprised of a laser-transparent material.

11. The plastic pipeline as claimed in claim 10, wherein the laser-transparent saddle-shaped plastic element is welded to the plastic pipeline securely and fluid-tightly by laser welding in a contact zone between the saddle-shaped plastic element and the plastic pipeline.

12. The plastic pipeline as claimed in claim 7, wherein a coating of an elastomeric material is arranged on the saddle-shaped plastic element at a surface facing the plastic pipeline.

13. The plastic pipeline as claimed in claim 12, wherein the coating of an elastomeric material provides a seal between components of the branch

14. The plastic pipeline as claimed in claim 7, wherein a plurality of annular weld seams are arranged around the bore of the plastic pipeline.

Description

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a plastic pipeline having a radial branch that avoids the problems of the known configurations.

[0006] This object is achieved by the plastic pipeline having in the intended region of the branching a bore and a saddle-shaped plastic element with a through-bore, the through-bore of the plastic element being in line with the bore in the plastic pipeline and the saddle-shaped plastic element being formed from a plastics material that can be fused with the material of the plastic pipeline, and the saddle-shaped plastic element being connected to the plastic pipeline in a pressure- and fluid-tight manner.

[0007] Such an arrangement has the advantage that only a small installation space is required for the branch. The form of the branch can be designed with great variety by suitable shaping of the saddle-shaped plastic element.

[0008] In a development of the invention, the saddle-shaped plastic element is formed as a plastic injection-molded part.

[0009] Different geometries for the saddle-shaped plastic elements can be created in an easy way by means of the injection molding of plastics. Thus, the saddle-shaped plastic element can be adapted to the different diameters of the plastic pipeline. In this way, saddle-shaped plastic elements can be created even for branches on bends of the plastic pipeline.

[0010] In a development of the invention, the saddle-shaped plastic element can be connected to the plastic pipeline without further additional materials by making the two plastics materials of the plastic pipeline and of the saddle-shaped plastic element begin to melt by means of a laser beam.

[0011] The seal-tightness of the connection can be ensured well by the laser welding known per se. By dispensing with additional materials, the welding process is possible even without complex feeding devices.

[0012] In a development of the invention, the saddle-shaped plastic element is at least partially made up of a laser-transparent material.

[0013] Laser-transparent material has the advantage that laser welding is possible even in the contact zone between the saddle-shaped plastic element and the plastic pipeline.

[0014] In a development of the invention, the laser-transparent saddle-shaped plastic element is welded to the plastic pipeline securely and fluid-tightly by laser welding in the contact zone between the saddle-shaped plastic element and the plastic pipeline.

[0015] The welding in the contact zone has the advantage that even a number of annular weld seams can be arranged around the bore of the plastic pipeline. Furthermore, the path covered by the laser beam has to meet lower accuracy requirements.

[0016] In a development of the invention, a coating of an elastomeric material is arranged on the saddle-shaped plastic element, on its surface facing the plastic pipeline.

[0017] Such a coating has the advantage that it can be effective as a seal between the components of the branch. The elastomer material is also melted during the laser welding, so that the welding is not impaired. For example, such a layer can be applied during the injection-molding of the saddle-shaped plastic element by two-component injection molding.

[0018] An example of the invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of the drawing.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a perspective basic view of a plastic pipe 1 according to the invention. The plastic pipeline 1 has a bore 2, which in this view is completely covered by a saddle-shaped plastic element 3 and is therefore represented by dashed lines. The saddle-shaped plastic element 3 has a curved contact surface 4, corresponding to the plastic pipeline 1, and a connector piece 5 with a bore 6. The contact surface 4 and the connector piece 5 are formed in one piece as a plastic injection-molded part. The bore 6 of the connector piece 5 is in line with the bore 2 in the plastic pipeline 1, so that it is possible for fluid to pass through.

[0020] The saddle-shaped plastic element 3 is connected to the plastic pipe 1 by a weld seam 7, the weld seam 7 being formed without any additional material by means of making the surfaces of the plastic pipe 1 and the contact surface 4 begin to melt by a laser beam.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

Part of the Description

[0021] 1 Plastic pipeline [0022] 2 Bore in the plastic pipeline 1 [0023] 3 Saddle-shaped plastic element [0024] 4 Contact surface of the saddle-shaped plastic element 3 [0025] 5 Connector piece of the saddle-shaped plastic element 3 [0026] 6 Bore of the connector piece 5 [0027] 7 Weld seam between the plastic pipeline 1 and the saddle-shaped plastic element 3