Openable corrugated hose, cable harness and method for producing an openable corrugated hose of this kind

Abstract

The present invention provides an openable corrugated hose for accommodating lines, comprising: a first corrugated hose shell, a second corrugated hose shell, a joint section, at which the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell are each connected to one another pivotably in a first end section, and a lip section, which is provided on a second end section of at least one of the corrugated hose shells, wherein the lip section is manufactured from a different material than the corrugated hose shells.

Claims

1. An openable corrugated hose for accommodating lines, comprising: a first corrugated hose shell, a second corrugated hose shell, a joint section, at which the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell are each connected to one another pivotably in a first end section, and a lip section, which is provided on a second end section of at least one of the corrugated hose shells, wherein the lip section is manufactured from a different material than the corrugated hose shells, wherein a diameter of the first corrugated hose shell is smaller than a diameter of the second corrugated hose shell.

2. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein the lip section is provided both on the second end section of the first corrugated hose shell and on the second end section of the second corrugated hose shell.

3. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein the lip section is connected materially to the second end section.

4. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein the joint section is manufactured from a different material than the corrugated hose shells.

5. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein the joint section and the lip section are manufactured from the same material which is a thermoplastic elastomer.

6. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein the joint section is connected materially to the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell.

7. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein the first corrugated hose shell is arranged at least partially within the second corrugated hose shell in a closed state of the openable corrugated hose.

8. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first corrugated hose shell is 5 to 15% smaller than the diameter of the second corrugated hose shell.

9. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell can be deformed elastically as the corrugated hose is transferred from an opened state to a closed state.

10. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, further comprising a latching device for latching the first corrugated hose shell to the second corrugated hose shell when transferring the corrugated hose from an opened state to a closed state.

11. A cable harness for the automotive sector, comprising one or more electric cables and an openable corrugated hose according to claim 1, wherein the one or more electric cables are guided in the openable corrugated hose over a length thereof.

12. An openable corrugated hose for accommodating lines, comprising: a first corrugated hose shell, a second corrugated hose shell, a joint section, at which the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell are each connected to one another pivotably in a first end section, a lip section, which is provided on a second end section of at least one of the corrugated hose shells, wherein the lip section is manufactured from a different material than the corrugated hose shells, and a latching device for latching the first corrugated hose shell to the second corrugated hose shell when transferring the corrugated hose from an opened state to a closed state, wherein the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell each have encircling ribs, wherein the latching device has latching noses provided on the ribs of the first corrugated hose shell and latching hooks provided on the ribs of the second corrugated hose shell, and wherein the latching noses are designed to engage positively in the latching hooks in a radial direction of the openable corrugated hose.

13. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 12, wherein the lip section is provided both on the second end section of the first corrugated hose shell and on the second end section of the second corrugated hose shell.

14. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 12, wherein the lip section is connected materially to the second end section.

15. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 12, wherein the joint section is manufactured from a different material than the corrugated hose shells.

16. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 12, wherein the joint section and the lip section are manufactured from the same material which is a thermoplastic elastomer.

17. The openable corrugated hose according to claim 12, wherein the joint section is connected materially to the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell.

18. A method for producing an openable corrugated hose comprising: a first corrugated hose shell, a second corrugated hose shell, a joint section, at which the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell are each connected to one another pivotably in a first end section, and a lip section, which is provided on a second end section of at least one of the corrugated hose shells, wherein the lip section is manufactured from a different material than the corrugated hose shells, the method comprising: producing the openable corrugated hose by two-component extrusion, extruding the first corrugated hose shell and the second corrugated hose shell with a first component, and extruding the joint section and the lip section with a second component.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the lip section is divided in a longitudinal direction of the openable corrugated hose during or after extrusion.

Description

(1) Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims and of the illustrative embodiments of the invention which are described below. The invention is explained in greater detail below by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of an openable corrugated hose in an opened state;

(3) FIG. 2 shows another schematic perspective view of the openable corrugated hose shown in FIG. 1 in a closed state;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic front view of the openable corrugated hose shown in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the corrugated hose according to section line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 shows another schematic front view of the corrugated hose shown in FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of the corrugated hose according to section line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a method for producing the corrugated hose shown in FIG. 1;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a schematic sectional view of one embodiment of an extrusion head for carrying out the method shown in FIG. 7;

(10) FIG. 9 shows another schematic perspective view of the corrugated hose shown in FIG. 1;

(11) FIG. 10 shows a schematic side view of the corrugated hose shown in FIG. 1;

(12) FIG. 11 shows another schematic front view of the corrugated hose shown in FIG. 1;

(13) FIG. 12 shows another schematic side view of the corrugated hose shown in FIG. 1; and

(14) FIG. 13 shows a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of a corrugated hose.

(15) In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements have been provided with the same reference signs, unless indicated otherwise.

(16) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a folding, closable or openable corrugated hose 1 in an opened state. FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the corrugated hose 1 in a closed state. The corrugated hose 1 can also be referred to as a corrugated tube. The corrugated hose 1 is suitable particularly for use in the automotive sector. The corrugated hose 1 can also be used in any other vehicles or in static applications.

(17) The corrugated hose 1 is designed to accommodate lines 2 to 8. The number of lines 2 to 8 is arbitrary. The lines 2 to 8 can form a cable harness 9. The cable harness 9 can also include the corrugated hose 1. For example, the cable harness 9, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, can accommodate seven lines 2 to 8. The lines 2 to 8 can be electric cables or fluid lines, for example. The corrugated hose 1 has a longitudinal direction L.

(18) FIG. 3 shows a schematic front view of the corrugated hose 1 in the opened state without the cable harness 9. FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the corrugated hose 1 according to section line IV-IV in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows a schematic front view of the corrugated hose 1 in the closed state. In the text which follows, reference will be made simultaneously to FIGS. 3 to 5.

(19) The corrugated hose 1 comprises a first corrugated hose shell 10 and a second corrugated hose shell 11. The corrugated hose shells 10, 11 are curved in the form of an arc, in particular in the form of a circular arc, and can each have the form of two thirds of a circle in cross section, for example. The corrugated hose shells 10, 11 are tubular with lateral slotting. The corrugated hose shells 10, 11 each have a central axis M.sub.10, M.sub.11. The corrugated hose shells 10, 11 can also be referred to as corrugated hose sections.

(20) The first corrugated hose shell 10 and the second corrugated hose shell 11 are each connected pivotably to one another in a first end section 12, 13 with the aid of a joint section 14. The joint section 14 is preferably designed as a film hinge. The joint section 14 is connected materially to the first corrugated hose shell 10 and the second corrugated hose shell 11. The joint section 14 is manufactured from a different material than the corrugated hose shells 10, 11. The corrugated hose shells 10, 11 are manufactured from PA, PE, PP, PTFE, or PVC, for example. The joint section 14 is preferably manufactured from a TPE, e.g. a TPU. In particular, the joint section 14 is extruded onto the corrugated hose shells 10, 11.

(21) A lip section 17, 18 is provided in each case on a second end section 15, 16 of the corrugated hose shells 10, 11 situated opposite the respective first end section 12, 13. The lip sections 17, 18 are manufactured from a different material than the corrugated hose shells 10, 11. A lip section 17, 18 of this kind is in each case preferably provided both on the second end section 15 of the first corrugated hose shell 10 and on the second end section 16 of the second corrugated hose shell 11. The lip sections 17, 18 are connected materially to the second end sections 15, 16. The joint section 14 and the lip sections 17, 18 are preferably manufactured from the same material. The lip sections 17, 18 are manufactured from a softer material than the corrugated hose shells 10, 11. The lip sections 17, 18 are preferably extruded onto the corrugated hose shells 10, 11. By virtue of the aspect that the lip sections 17, 18 are manufactured from a softer material than the corrugated hose shells 10, 11, damage to the cable harness 9 during the introduction thereof into the opened corrugated hose 1 can be prevented. In the closed state of the corrugated hose 1, lip section 17 is arranged in the interior of the corrugated hose 1. Owing to the softness of the material of lip section 17, damage to the cable harness 9 due to contact with lip section 17 can be prevented even in the case of oscillation and vibration, i.e. during the operation of the corrugated hose 1. This increases the operational reliability and life of the cable harness 9.

(22) The first corrugated hose shell 10 comprises a multiplicity of corrugations or ribs 19, which at least partially encircle the first corrugated hose shell 10. Similarly, the second corrugated hose shell 11 comprises a multiplicity of corrugations or ribs 20, which at least partially encircle the second corrugated hose shell 11. The ribs 19, 20 are arranged uniformly spaced apart in the longitudinal direction L. A corrugation trough or rib trough 21 is provided between each pair of ribs 19, and a corrugation trough or rib trough 22 is provided between each pair of ribs 20. In each of the rib troughs 21, the first corrugated hose shell 10 has an inside diameter d.sub.i21 and an outside diameter d.sub.a21, wherein the outside diameter d.sub.a21 is larger by a material thickness t.sub.101 than the inside diameter d.sub.i21. Material thickness t.sub.101 can be 0.1 to 0.7 mm, for example. At each of the ribs 19, the first corrugated hose shell 10 has an inside diameter d.sub.i19 and an outside diameter d.sub.a19, wherein the outside diameter d.sub.a19 is larger by a material thickness t.sub.102 than the inside diameter d.sub.i19. Material thickness t.sub.102 can be 0.1 to 0.7 mm, for example. Material thickness t.sub.101 is preferably larger than material thickness t.sub.102.

(23) Similarly, the second corrugated hose shell 11 has an inside diameter d.sub.i22 and an outside diameter d.sub.a22 in each of the rib troughs 22, wherein outside diameter d.sub.a22 is larger by a material thickness t.sub.111 than inside diameter d.sub.i22. Material thickness t.sub.111 can correspond to material thickness t.sub.101. At each of the ribs 20, the second corrugated hose shell 11 has an inside diameter d.sub.i20 and an outside diameter d.sub.a20, wherein outside diameter d.sub.a20 is larger by a material thickness t.sub.112 than inside diameter d.sub.i20. Material thickness t.sub.112 can correspond to material thickness t.sub.102. The diameters d.sub.a19, d.sub.i19, d.sub.a21 and d.sub.i21 of the first corrugated hose shell 10 are each preferably smaller than the corresponding diameters d.sub.a20, d.sub.i20, d.sub.a22, and d.sub.i22 of the second corrugated hose shell 11. In particular, this means that the outside diameter d.sub.a19 of the first corrugated hose shell 10 is smaller than its corresponding outside diameter d.sub.a20 of the second corrugated hose shell 11. For example, the outside diameter d.sub.a19 of the first corrugated hose shell 10 can be 5 to 15%, preferably 6 to 14%, more preferably 7 to 13%, more preferably 8 to 12%, more preferably 9 to 11%, more preferably 10% smaller than the outside diameter d.sub.a20 of the second corrugated hose shell 11. The same applies to diameters d.sub.i19, d.sub.a21 and d.sub.i21 and their corresponding diameters d.sub.i20, d.sub.a22, and d.sub.i22. For example, outside diameter d.sub.a19 has a value of 20 mm and outside diameter d.sub.a20 has a value of 21.2 mm.

(24) As the corrugated hose 1 is transferred from the opened state to the closed state, the first corrugated hose shell 10 is received in the second corrugated hose shell 11 such that ribs 19 come to rest in ribs 20. It is advantageous here that outside diameter d.sub.a19 corresponds to inside diameter d.sub.i20 and outside diameter d.sub.a21 corresponds to inside diameter d.sub.i22 or is in each case only slightly larger or smaller. This configuration ensures that the first corrugated hose shell 10 and/or the second corrugated hose shell 11 is/are free from pre-stress in the closed state of the corrugated hose 1 or is/are at least only slightly pre-stressed. Excessive mechanical loading of the corrugated hose shells 10, 11 as the corrugated hose 1 is closed and/or in the closed state thereof is thereby prevented. As a result, said hoses have a particularly long life and are protected from damage.

(25) The corrugated hose shells 10, 11 each include an opening angle .sub.10, .sub.11. Here, the opening angle .sub.10 of the first corrugated hose shell 10 is equal to the opening angle .sub.11 of the second corrugated hose shell 11. The opening angles .sub.10, .sub.10 can also differ slightly in size. For example, the opening angles .sub.10, .sub.11 each have a value of between 95 and 110. The opening angles .sub.10, .sub.11 are each defined as the angle between an outermost edge of the lip sections 17, 18 and an outermost edge of the joint section 14. The first corrugated hose shell 10 furthermore has an opening A.sub.10 which is smaller than inside diameter d.sub.i21. The second corrugated hose shell 11 has an opening A.sub.11 which is smaller than inside diameter d.sub.i22. Since the corrugated hose shells 10, 11 have different diameters d.sub.i21, d.sub.i22 but the same opening angles .sub.10, .sub.11, opening A.sub.11 is at least slightly larger than opening A.sub.10. The openings A.sub.10, A.sub.11 can also be the same size.

(26) As the corrugated hose 1 is transferred from the opened state shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 into the closed state shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the first corrugated hose shell 10 is received at least partially in the second corrugated hose shell 11. As the corrugated hose 1 is closed, opening A.sub.11 is expanded and opening A.sub.10 is compressed. During this process, the first corrugated hose shell 10 and/or the second corrugated hose shell 11 deform elastically. As FIG. 5 shows, the first corrugated hose shell 10 and the second corrugated hose shell 11 overlap with an angle of overlap , which is defined as the angle between the outermost edges of the lip sections 17, 18. The angle of overlap is 40 to 190, preferably 50 to 180, more preferably 60 to 170, for example. In particular, the angle of overlap can also be less than 150, e.g. 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, or 140. The angle of overlap can be 7010, 8010, 9010, 10010, 11010, 12010, 13010, or 14010. As an alternative, the angle of overlap can also be larger than 150, e.g. 155, 160, 165, 170, 175, or 180. The angle of overlap can be 15510, 16010, 16510, 17010, 17510, or 18010, for example. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the corrugated hose 1, the angle of overlap is greater than or equal to 160, e.g. 160 to 170.

(27) FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the corrugated hose 1 according to section line VI-VI in FIG. 5. The corrugated hose 1 furthermore comprises a latching device 23 for latching the first corrugated hose shell 10 to the second corrugated hose shell 11 as the corrugated hose 1 is transferred from the opened state to the closed state. The first corrugated hose shell 10 and the second corrugated hose shell 11 each have the encircling ribs 19, 20, which engage in one another in the closed state of the corrugated hose 1. As FIG. 6 shows, the ribs 19 taper in the direction of the second end section 15 of the first corrugated hose shell 10. The latching device 23 has latching noses 24 provided on the ribs 19 of the first corrugated hose shell 10 and latching hooks 25 provided on the ribs 20 of the second corrugated hose shell 11, wherein the latching noses 24 are designed to engage positively in the latching hooks 25.

(28) In this case, each rib 19 can be assigned two mutually opposite latching noses 24 and each rib 20 can be assigned two latching hooks 25 arranged opposite one another. The latching noses 24 and the latching hooks 25 can at least partially encircled the corrugated hose 1. As the latching noses 24 latch with the latching hooks 25, the latching noses 24 and/or the latching hooks 25 are deformed elastically. The latching noses 24 are designed to engage positively in the latching hooks 25 in a radial direction r.sub.1 (FIG. 5) of the corrugated hose 1, i.e. radially outwards from a central axis M.sub.1. With the aid of the latching device 23, unwanted unfolding or opening of the corrugated hose 1 can be reliably prevented.

(29) In the case of a method, shown schematically in FIG. 7 with the aid of a block diagram, for producing a corrugated hose 1 of this kind, the corrugated hose 1 is produced in a step S1 with the aid of an extrusion head 26, shown in a schematic sectional view in FIG. 8, by two-component extrusion. The extrusion head 26 comprises a first connection flange 27, to which a main extruder or first extruder for plasticizing a first or hard component can be connected. The first corrugated hose shell 10 and the second corrugated hose shell 11 are manufactured from the first component. The first component is PA, PE, PP, PTFE or PVC. The connection flange 27 is arranged on a housing 28 of the extrusion head 26. The extrusion head 26 furthermore comprises a plate-type distributor or distributor plate 29, which is likewise connected to the housing 28. A second connection flange 30 is connected to the distributor plate 29. A secondary extruder or second extruder for plasticizing a second or soft component can be connected to the second connection flange 30. The lip sections 17, 18 and/or the joint section 14 are manufactured from the second component. The second component is a TPE.

(30) Also accommodated in the housing 28 is a melt divider or torpedo 31, the cross section of which widens continuously in a flow direction R of the plasticized first component. The distributor plate 29, in which the plasticized second component is fed into the plasticized first component, is arranged downstream of the torpedo 31 in the flow direction R. Arranged downstream of the distributor plate 29 is an injection die or shaping die 32, which gives the corrugated hose 1 the desired geometry. Here, the corrugated hose 1 does not initially have any ribs 19, 20 directly after the shaping die 32. A corrugator (not shown in FIG. 8), which shapes the not yet cooled corrugated hose 1 to form the ribs 19, 20, is therefore arranged downstream of the shaping die 32.

(31) The lip sections 17, 18 are initially still connected to one another materially downstream of the shaping die 32. In a step S2 that may occur during or after extrusion, the lip sections 17, 18 connected to one another in a materially integral manner are divided in the longitudinal direction L of the corrugated hose 1 such that two mutually separate lip sections 17, 18 are formed. The division of the lip sections 17, 18 is preferably performed downstream of the corrugator.

(32) FIG. 9 shows a schematic perspective view of the corrugated hose 1. FIG. 10 shows a schematic side view of the corrugated hose 1 looking towards the lip sections 17, 18. FIG. 11 shows a schematic front view of the corrugated hose 1 and FIG. 12 shows another schematic side view of the corrugated hose 1 looking towards the joint section 14. FIGS. 9 to 12 show the corrugated hose 1 after step S1, i.e. before the division of the lip sections 17, 18.

(33) As FIGS. 9, 11 and 12 show, the ribs 19, 20 are interrupted in the region of the joint section 14, with the result that said joint section forms a film hinge between the corrugated hose shells 10, 11. As can furthermore be seen in FIG. 12, ribs 19 taper at least in the region of the latching device 23, allowing them to be snapped into ribs 20 from the inside. In step S2, the lip sections 17, 18 can be divided centrally with the aid of a cutting device, for example, such as a blade or a laser cutting device.

(34) FIG. 13 shows a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the corrugated hose 1 looking toward the joint section 14. The corrugated hose 1 shown in FIG. 13 differs from the embodiment of the corrugated hose 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and 9 to 12 only in that the joint section 14 is not designed as a smooth film hinge but comprises alternately arranged corrugations or ribs 33 and corrugation troughs or rib troughs 34. Ribs 33 can be designed as continuations of ribs 19, 20.

(35) Although the present invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, it can be modified in many different ways.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(36) 1 corrugated hose 2 line 3 line 4 line 5 line 6 line 7 line 8 line 9 cable harness 10 corrugated hose shell 11 corrugated hose shell 12 end section 13 end section 14 joint section 15 end section 16 end section 17 lip section 18 lip section 19 rib 20 rib 21 rib trough 22 rib trough 23 latching device 24 latching nose 25 latching hook 26 extrusion head 27 connection flange 28 housing 29 distributor plate 30 connection flange 31 torpedo 32 shaping die 33 rib 34 rib trough A.sub.10 opening A.sub.11 opening d.sub.a19 diameter d.sub.a20 diameter d.sub.a21 diameter d.sub.a22 diameter d.sub.i19 diameter d.sub.i20 diameter d.sub.i21 diameter d.sub.i22 diameter L longitudinal direction M.sub.1 central axis M.sub.10 central axis M.sub.11 central axis R flow direction r.sub.1 radial direction S1 step S2 step t.sub.101 material thickness t.sub.102 material thickness t.sub.111 material thickness t.sub.112 material thickness .sub.10 opening angle .sub.11 opening angle angle of overlap