METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNIFORMLY COATING A METALLIC OR METALLIZED BRAIDED HOSE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for uniformly coating a metallic or metallised braided hose, in particular a stranded braided hose with a solder or a soldering and fluxing agent. According to the invention, the solder is provided in bar or tubular form, wherein the outer diameter or the cross-sectional area of the bar or the tube is chosen to be less than the inner diameter or the inner cross-sectional area of the braided hose. Furthermore, the solder is pushed into at least one longitudinal portion of the braided hose and the solder is fixed in the braided hose cavity. Further processing of the braided hose, in particular heating to the melting point of the solder introduced, can then be performed in a generally known way.

Claims

1. A method for uniformly coating a metallic or metallised braided hose, especially a stranded braided hose with a solder or a soldering and fluxing agent, characterized in that the solder is provided in bar or tubular form (5), wherein the outer diameter or cross-sectional surface area of the bar or the tube is selected smaller than the inner diameter or the inner cross-sectional surface area of the braided hose (1), with subsequent inserting of the solder (5) into at least one longitudinal section of a cavity (3) of the braided hose, wherein the braided hose (2) is mechanically loaded and widened for opening the cavity (3), fixing of the solder (5) in the cavity (3) of the braided hose, and known further processing of the braided hose (2), especially heating up to the melting point of the introduced solder.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a mandrel (6) is introduced into a front opening region of the braided hose (1; 2) for the insertion of the solder (5), wherein the solder (5) is introduced into the cavity (3) via an opening (7) situated in the mandrel (6).

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the braided hose (1; 2) is pushed over the bar-shaped or tubular solder (5), and a pressing or pressure force (A; B) is subsequently applied to the braided hose (1; 2) for the deformation of the braided hose (2) and fixing of the solder (5).

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the insertion of the solder (5) occurs with the support of compressed air.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a fluxing agent is mixed into or added to the solder.

6. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cored solder wire (5) comprises a fluxing agent in its interior.

7. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that prior to the introduction of solder into the braided hose at least one electrical contact (4) is connected to the braided hose (2), especially welded thereon.

8. A metallic or metallised braided hose, especially a stranded braided hose, comprising a quantity of solder or soldering and fluxing agent which is disposed in the interior of the hose and extends over at least one longitudinal section of the hose.

9. A metallic or metallised braided hose according to claim 8, characterized in that the quantity of soldering and fluxing agent is a cored solder wire with a core made of fluxing agent.

10. An apparatus for carrying out a method according to claim 1, characterized in that a receiving unit is provided for a metallic or metallised braided hose (1; 2), which exposes a cross-sectional opening of an end of a cavity (3) of the hose, a solder feed mandrel (6) is formed which can be moved with its mandrel end to the cross-sectional opening, a cored solder wire can further be brought mechanically via the interior of the solder feed mandrel (6) into the cavity (3) of the hose, and comprising at least one roller or press to apply a deformation force (A; B) in order to obtain a fixed bond between the cored solder wire (5) and the braided hose (1; 2), and comprising means (X) for cutting the bond to length.

Description

[0032] The invention will be explained below in closer detail by reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing, wherein:

[0033] FIGS. 1a) to c) show a cross-sectional view of a conventional stranded braid in rectangular form, the rectangular stranded braid in the pressed form for obtaining access to the interior of the strand and a stranded braided hose of quasi-circular cross-section;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a braided hose with a flat plug contact that is welded onto said hose;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the braided hose with contact and a soldering wire feed mandrel and a cored soldering wire;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal view of the completed structure with the solder introduced into the interior of the braided hose prior to pressing;

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 4, but after pressing;

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal view of the completed structure according to the second embodiment with a continuous cored solder wire which is introduced into the interior of the braided hose;

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 6, but after pressing, and

[0040] FIGS. 8 to 11 show longitudinal sectional views of a braided hose in accordance with the invention, wherein the cored solder wire is introduced into the interior of the braided hose according to FIG. 8, pressing or rolling of the braided hose with respect to height and width with the cored solder wire disposed in the interior thereof is carried out according to FIG. 9, and the pressed structure is cut to length according to FIG. 10, and the completed stranded braided structure is available for further processing according to FIG. 11 (longitudinal sectional view and cross-sectional view).

[0041] FIG. 1a shows a classic stranded braid 1 of rectangular cross-section. The stranded braid 1 can be brought to a state where it is pressed apart as a result of action of pressure forces in the direction of the centre of gravity of the cross-sectional surface, as shown in FIG. 1b. A braided hose 2 according to FIG. 1c has a substantially circular cross-section with a circular cavity 3.

[0042] Such a cavity, in approximated braided shape, is also obtained after pressing apart the stranded braid 1 according to FIG. 1b.

[0043] As is shown in the schematic illustration in FIG. 2, a rigid contact 4 can be applied to the braided hose 2 by welding to the surface.

[0044] The illustration according to FIG. 3 shows how a solder 5 in bar or tubular shape, especially a so-called cored solder wire, can be introduced by means of the solder feed mandrel 6 into the cavity 3 of the braided hose 2.

[0045] Specifically, the solder 5 is inserted into and pushed through the cavity 3 of the braided hose 2 via the mandrel 6 which has an opening 7.

[0046] The result of such treatment is shown in FIG. 4.

[0047] By applying a pressing force in the direction of the illustrated arrows A and B, the braided hose 2 is brought to its final form, e.g. stranded braided form of rectangular cross-section, and the cored solder wire 5 is simultaneously fixed in the interior. The braided hose 2 can be cut to length at the points X in the known manner.

[0048] With the solution described in the embodiment, the customer's wish can be fulfilled for providing stranded braid contacts for heating fields without solder depots for the soldering of contacts to motor-vehicle panes for example. The stranded braid is fully provided with tin in the inner volume after the application of a contact by welding, so that easy soldering is possible on the aforementioned vehicle pane and the contact surface provided there. A stranded braid in form of a copper stranded braided hose is pressed at the opposite ends, as shown in the illustration (FIG. 1b), and pushed onto the perforated guide mandrel or mandrel tip. The solder can then be inserted via the mandrel adjusted to the diameter into the copper stranded braided hose. There is no subsequent fluxing because the inserted solder concerns a cored solder wire with a fluxing agent.

[0049] The copper stranded braided hose is cut to length after rolling or pressing to height and width (see FIGS. 5 and 7). It is understood that a round stranded hose (see FIG. 1c) of respective cross-section can be processed, which further simplifies the production of the stranded braid contacts.

[0050] Since no heating is necessary for introducing the tin into the interior of the braided hose or the stranded braids, energy is saved and clean work can be provided.

[0051] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the cored solder wire 5 is not introduced continuously into the braided hose 2. The region in which the contact 4 is attached can remain free with respect to the cored solder wire 5.

[0052] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 and 7 on the other hand, the cored solder wire 5 extends through the entire interior of the braided hose 2, which is advantageous in classic soldering of the contact 4.

[0053] The method for providing the metallised braided hose or stranded braided hose in accordance with the invention will be explained in closer detail by reference to FIGS. 8 to 11.

[0054] A classic braided hose 2 is provided in the interior with the cored solder wire 5, optionally after respective widening. The cross-sectional view (illustration on the right-hand side in FIG. 8) shows that a free space remains between the outer diameter of the cored solder wire 5 and the inner diameter of the braided hose 2 for the purpose of easy introduction of the cored solder wire 5.

[0055] In the following step according to FIG. 9, the structure consisting of the braided hose 2 with the cored solder wire 5 situated in the interior thereof is rolled by means of a pair of rollers 10 and 11 to width or, by reverting to a lateral stop or a lateral roller (not shown in the illustration), to width and height, i.e. it is subjected to pressing. As a result, the cored solder wire 5 is thus securely fixed in the interior of the braided hose 2 on the one hand and the desired strip structure of the braided hose 2 can be produced on the other hand.

[0056] The structure pressed and rolled in this respect is cut to length according to the technical and customer requirements and is then available for further processing, as shown in FIG. 11 in a longitudinal and cross-sectional view.