Heatable fluid line

Abstract

A heatable fluid line is disclosed having a tube, a connector that comprises a housing which is arranged at an end of the tube, and a heating rod that is arranged in the interior of the tube and enters into the housing through an inlet channel having a longitudinal axis and exits out of the housing through an opening arranged in a neck, wherein a seal is arranged in the neck, which seal surrounds the heating rod and is held in the neck by a plug (21). The object is to be able to achieve a reliable assembly in a simple manner. For this purpose, it is provided that the plug (21) comprises at least two parts (22, 23) which are connected to one another by an articulation section (24) having an articulation axis.

Claims

1. A heatable fluid line comprising: a tube; a connector comprising a housing arranged at an end of the tube; a heating rod arranged in an interior of the tube to enter into the housing through an inlet channel having a longitudinal axis and to exit out of the housing through an opening arranged in a neck; and a seal, which is arranged in the neck to surround the heating rod, is held in the neck by a plug, that comprises at least two parts that are connected to one another by an articulation section having an articulation axis, wherein the plug is welded to the heating rod.

2. Fluid line according to claim 1, wherein the articulation section is formed by a bridge which is connected to the parts of the plug as a single piece.

3. Fluid line according to claim 1, wherein the neck comprises two opposing welding approach zones and the articulation axis runs parallel to a connection between the welding approach zones.

4. Fluid line according to claim 1, wherein the welding approach zones are arranged on both sides of the longitudinal axis.

5. Fluid line according to claim 1, wherein the plug comprises centering projections and the articulation axis runs between the centering projections.

6. Fluid line according to claim 1, wherein the plug comprises a pass-through channel, through which the heating rod is guided, wherein projections pointing radially inwards are arranged in the pass-through channel.

7. Fluid line according to claim 6, wherein the projections have on their radial inside a smaller extension in a circumferential direction than on their radial outside.

8. Fluid line according to claim 6, wherein, in at least one part, at least two projections are provided which are arranged at a distance of at least 120 in a circumferential direction.

9. Fluid line according to claim 1, wherein, between the parts, a clear space is provided which at is at least partially arranged in the neck.

10. A heatable fluid line comprising: a tube; a connector comprising a housing arranged at an end of the tube; a heating rod-arranged in an interior of the tube to enter into the housing through an inlet channel having a longitudinal axis and to exit out of the housing through an opening arranged in a neck; and a seal, which is arranged in the neck to surround the heating rod, is held in the neckya plug that comprises at least two parts connected to one another by an articulation section having an articulation axis, wherein the plum further comprises a pass-through channel, through which the heating rod is guided, wherein projections, which are arranged in the pass-through opening to point radially inwards, have on their radial insides a smaller extension in a circumferential direct on their radial outsides.

Description

(1) The invention is described below on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment in connection with the drawing. Wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a fluid line with a connector;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a section of II-II according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a top view of a neck with a plug and heating rod; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective representation of a plug.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a fluid line 1 having a tube 2 and a connector 3. The connector 3 comprises a connecting piece 4, onto which the tube 2 is slid. The connecting piece 4 has a fir tree geometry. By means not illustrated in greater detail, the tube 2 can be attached to the connecting piece 4. For example, the tube 2 can be molded-in in the region of the connecting piece 4 using a casting compound so that it can no longer radially expand. In addition, a sealing ring 5 is provided between the tube 2 and the connecting piece 4.

(7) The tube 2 is formed from a plastic. It is flexible. It can also be embodied in the form of a hose.

(8) In the present exemplary embodiment, the connector 3 comprises an inlet channel 6 running in a straight line, which channel passes through the connecting piece 4 and is guided up to a connection geometry 7, with the aid of which the connector 3 can be attached to connecting piece of a tank, pump or another connector. The exact embodiment of the connection geometry 7 does not play a role in the present case. However, it is embodied in such a manner that it can enable a mechanically stable and fluid-tight connection.

(9) In the inlet channel 6, a ramp element 8 is arranged which comprises a guide surface 9. The connector 3 comprises a neck 10 which forms an opening 11.

(10) In the tube 2, a heating element is arranged in the form of a heating rod 12. The heating rod 12 is formed from a plastic 13 in which two heating conductors 14, 15 (FIG. 3) are arranged. The heating rod 12 is bendable. The heating conductors 14, 15 are accommodated in the interior of the heating rod 12 in a mechanically protected manner.

(11) Between the heating rod 12 and the tube 2, an interior space 16 is formed through which a fluid can flow. An interior space 17 is also formed between the connecting piece 4 and the heating rod 12.

(12) If the heating rod 12 is slid into the connecting piece 4, then a tip 18 moves onto the guide surface 9 and is deflected by the guide surface 9 of the ramp element 8, namely into the neck 10 in the direction of the opening 11. If the heating rod 12 is slid further, then it exits out of the neck 10 through the opening 11. The neck 10 is positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis 19 of the inlet channel 6. This angle preferably lies within the range of 20 to 80.

(13) In the opening 11, a ring seal 20 is arranged between the inner wall of the neck 10 and the heating conductor 12. The ring seal 20 bears in a radially outward sealing manner against the inside of the neck 10 and in a radially inward sealing manner against the heating rod 12. The ring seal 20 is fitted onto the heating rod 12 when the rod has exited the opening 11 and is then inserted into the opening 11. The ring seal 20 can thereby be slightly compressed radially inwards and radially outwards.

(14) In the interior of the fluid line 1, an increased pressure of 6 bar, for example, can occur. With a pressure of this type, there is the risk of the ring seal 20 being pressed out of the opening 11. To prevent this, a plug 21 is inserted in the neck 10, which plug secures the ring seal 20, which can be embodied as an O-ring, in the connector 3. The plug 21 is illustrated in a top view in FIG. 3 and illustrated in an enlarged perspective in FIG. 4.

(15) In place of a connector having a pass-through channel running in a straight line, a connector having a pass-through channel diverted by 90 is of course also possible.

(16) The plug 21 comprises two parts 22, 23 which are connected to one another by an articulation section embodied as a bridge 24 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Apart from this, the two parts 22, 23 are separated from one another by a clear space 25. The two parts 22, 23 can thus be tilted towards one another in the region of the clear space 25. Accordingly, the articulation section has an articulation axis 32, which in the present case lies on a plane that roughly centrally divides the clear space 25.

(17) On both sides of the clear space 25, locking projections 26, 27 are provided, with which the plug 21 can be fixed in the neck 10 in a locking manner. The clear space 25 can completely or partially extend through the locking projections 26, 27. Furthermore, the plug 21 comprises centering projections 28, 29 that can enter into slots 30, 31 which are embodied in the neck 10. FIG. 3 shows, illustrated by a dot-dashed line, the articulation axis 32 that runs between the centering projections 28, 29.

(18) The plug 21 comprises a pass-through channel 33, through which the heating rod 12 is guided. Multiple projections 34a-34f pointing radially inwards are arranged in the pass-through channel. These projections 34a-34f taper radially inwards, that is, they have on their radial inside a smaller extension in a circumferential direction than on their radial outside. Each of the two parts 22, 23 comprises two projections 34a, 34c; 34d, 34f, which are respectively arranged at a distance of at least 120 in a circumferential direction. In other words: These projections 34a, 34c; 34d, 34f are positioned diametrically opposed to one another.

(19) On its outside, the neck 10 has welding approach zones 35, 36 which in the present exemplary embodiment have flat support surfaces for a sonode of an ultrasound welding device. However, depending on the shape of the sonodes, the welding approach zones 35, 36 can also have different shapes.

(20) It can be seen in FIG. 3 that the articulation axis 32 runs parallel to a connection between the welding approach zones 35, 36. The welding approach zones 35, 36 are arranged on both sides of the longitudinal axis 19, that is, perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in reference to FIG. 1 and on the top and bottom in reference to the illustration in FIG. 2 (not shown in FIG. 2 because of the sectional view). The articulation axis 32 thus runs parallel to the welding direction. In this case, the entire welding energy travels only through the material of the plug 21 during the ultrasound welding. A vibration about the articulation axis 32 does not occur. The plug 21 is sufficiently welded to the heating rod 12 via the projections 34a-34f. Since the projections 34a-34f taper radially inwards in a sharp-edged or pointed manner, there results a concentration of the welding energy at these tips. In addition, the tips have the advantage that they simplify the assembly of the plug. When the two parts 22, 23 are pressed together, the tips of the projections 34a-34f can yield slightly or press slightly into the heating rod 12.

(21) The heating rod 12 is not included in the welding beam, so that the risk of damage to the heating wires 14, 15 in the heating rod 12 is no longer present.

(22) The alignment of the articulation axis 32 parallel to the welding beam has the additional advantage that the clear space 25 forms a pocket or an accommodation space in which the fused material can be accommodated.