TUBE AND TUBE BODY WITH AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Abstract

The tube (1) has a multi-layered tube body (3), with a tube liner (1) enclosed by a seamless tube shell (21). An electronic device (17) having an energy store for the delivery of the requisite service voltage for operation is protectively arranged between the tube liner (19) and the tube shell (21), and is not visible from the exterior.

Claims

1. A tube (1) comprising an electronic device (17), a tube body (3) and a tube shoulder (7) which is bonded to the tube body (3), the tube shoulder delimits a tube opening (11) and, in combination with the tube body (3), delimits a tube interior, the tube body (3) comprises a hose-type tube liner (19) that is enclosed by a seamless tube shell (21), the electronic device (17) incorporates an energy store for delivery of a service voltage for operation, and the electronic device (17) is arranged between the tube liner (17) and the tube shell (21).

2. The tube (1) according to claim 1, wherein the tube liner (17) is formed of a multi-layered flexible sheet material, which is molded to form a hose-type structure, and the multi-layered flexible sheet material includes mutually abutting or overlapping edges that are mutually bonded along a longitudinal seam (23).

3. The tube (1) according to claim 2, wherein the multi-layered flexible sheet material from which the tube liner (17) is formed comprises a laminate that incorporates a barrier layer (19c) of aluminum or plastic.

4. The tube (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device (17) incorporates a transponder and a storage medium.

5. The tube (1) according to claim 1, wherein the energy store comprises at least one of a rechargeable capacitor or a thin-film battery.

6. The tube (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device (17) incorporates an energy converter configured for conversion of energy fed-in from an exterior into electrical energy which is usable by the electronic device (17).

7. The tube (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device (17) comprises one or more of the following elements: a) a RFID tag, b) a thin-film battery, c) a capacitive element for the storage of electrical energy, d) a GPS receiver, e) a radio time receiver, f) a temperature sensor, g) a brightness sensor, h) a storage medium having a non-deletable or read-only storage facility, i) a storage facility in which data can be saved in a deletable or overwritable format, or j) an indicator.

8. The tube (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device (17) comprises two electrically conductive elements, which are mutually bonded by an electrical bonding conductor which is arranged on the tube shoulder (7) and is interruptible by an element of a tamper-evident seal.

9. A tube body (3) for producing a tube (1) according to claim 1, the tube body comprising a hose-type tube liner (19) enclosed by a seamless tube shell (21), and the electronic device (17) having the energy store for delivery of the service voltage for operation arranged between the tube liner (19) and the tube shell (21).

10. A method for producing a tube body (3) according to claim 9, the method comprising: producing an inner hose comprised of least one plastic layer (19, 19a), forming a sheet material incorporating the at least one plastic layer (19, 19a) into a curve, and mutual bonding of two longitudinal edges of said sheet material along a longitudinal seam (19), or extruding a thermoplastic mass, arranging on and outer side of said inner hose, an electronic device (17) having an energy store for the delivery of the service voltage for operation, extruding an outer cladding hose onto said inner hose having the electronic device (17) to form a composite hose, and cutting the composite hose to length according to a required length of the tube body (3).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter, with reference to the figures. Here,

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a tube having an electronic device,

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of a tube with no stopper, in the region of the tube shoulder,

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a section of a partially cut-away hose for the manufacture of a tube body, and

[0038] FIG. 4 shows the laminar structure of a tube shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a tube 1, comprising a flexible hose-type tube body 3, one end of which is closed by a sealing seam 5, and the opposing end of which is bonded with a tube shoulder 7 in a leak-tight arrangement.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of a tube 1 with the stopper cover 15 removed, in the region of the tube shoulder 7.

[0041] The tube shoulder 7 comprises a tube head 9 with a tube opening 11 and an external thread 13. In the representation of the tube shown in FIG. 1, the latter are not visible, as a threaded tube stopper 15 of the tube for the closure of the tube opening 11 is threaded onto the tube head 9. A thin electronic device 17, which is integrated in the tube body 3, is schematically represented in FIG. 1 by a dotted line.

[0042] The electronic device 17 is preferably arranged on a flexible substrate, for example on a self-adhesive plastic film or a plastic film incorporating a bonding layer. During the manufacture of the tube body 3, this is adhered onto a hose-type tube liner 19, and is thereafter embedded in the tube body 3 by the extrusion thereupon of a seamless outer tube shell 21 of a plastic material. The tube shell 21 can be formed of plastic which is non-transparent, or as least locally overlaid with a non-transparent layer, for example a color layer of an imprint, such that the internally-embedded electronic device 17, or elements thereof, are not visible from the exterior. Optionally, the tube shell 21, or sections of the tube shell 21, can be configured as opaque or transparent, in an analogous manner. This is advantageous, if the electronic device 17 incorporates light-emitting or light-absorbing elements such as, e.g. light-emitting diodes or thin-film solar cells (not represented).

[0043] Preferably, the substrate of the electronic device 17 has properties which, for the recycling of the tube 1, facilitate the separation of the electronic device 17 from the surrounding material. Such properties include, for example, a higher melting point or increased toughness thereof, in comparison with that of the adjoining materials of the tube shell 21 and the tube liner 19. Specifically, the components of the electronic device 17 can be at least partially embedded in such a substrate. The thickness 51 of the electronic device 17 is preferably smaller than the thickness S2 of the tube body 3, at points of the tube body 3 not directly adjoining the electronic device 17. In the region of the electronic device 17, the maximum overall thickness S3 of the tube body 3 is preferably of equal size, or only slightly greater, i.e. less than 20% greater than the thickness S2 of adjoining regions of the tube body 3. Consequently, to the eye, it is barely perceptible than an object is embedded in the tube body 3.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a tube body 3, in which a section of the tube shell 21 has been cut away, such that regions of the electronic device 17 and the tube liner 19 which are covered by the tube shell 21 are visible. The electronic device 17, as in the example represented in FIG. 3, can be a circular RFID tag.

[0045] Preferably, the tube liner 19, analogously to the tube bodies of conventional laminate tubes, is formed from a multi-layered sheet structure, wherein two opposing edges of said sheet structure are mutually bonded along a longitudinal seam 23. Specifically, this permits tube bodies 3 and tubes 1 according to the invention to be provided with a barrier layer.

[0046] FIG. 4 shows an example of a potential laminar structure of a tube body 3 of a tube 1 of this type. The overall thickness of the tube is smaller than 1 mm, and preferably smaller than 0.6 mm, for example 0.5 mm, or 0.35 mm, or 0.3 mm. The tube shell 21 is produced, for example, from polypropylene (PP). The thickness thereof preferably lies within the range of one-quarter to three-quarters of the overall thickness of the tube body 3. The tube liner 19, adjacently to the tube shell 21 and adjacently to the tube interior, respectively incorporates a plastic layer 19a, 19e which, for example, are likewise formed of polypropylene, and have a smaller thickness than that of the tube shell 21. Between these plastic layers 19a, 19e, a barrier layer 19c is arranged which is comprised, for example, of aluminum, and preferably has a thickness of between 10 and 50 micrometers, for example 12, 15 or 40 micrometers. The barrier layer 19c is bonded on both sides to the two outer plastic layers 19a, 19e of the tube inner shell 19, by one layer 19b, 19d respectively of a bonding agent. The layer thicknesses of the bonding agent are of a similar order of magnitude to the thickness of the barrier layer 19c.

[0047] Alternatively, the tube liner 19 can also incorporate other materials and/or layer thicknesses. If the barrier layer 19c comprises an electrically conductive material, a localized recess can be incorporated in this barrier layer 19c, which is arranged in the region of an antenna of the electronic device 17. By this arrangement, the transmission of energy and/or information between the electronic device 17 and an external apparatus can be improved.