Insulated subassembly

Abstract

An insulated subassembly for connecting pipelines, containing two insulating half shells made from an insulating plastics, in each case a housing half shell surrounding an insulating half shell, wherein the housing half shell surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the insulating half shell, and at least one hinge connecting the housing half shells, wherein the insulated subassembly contains at least one coupling, preferably quick couplings, positively surrounded by the insulating half shells, and integral closure elements are arranged on the housing half shells.

Claims

1. An insulated subassembly for connecting pipes in a pipeline, comprising two insulating half shells made from an insulating plastics, a housing half shell surrounding each insulating half shell, wherein the housing half shell surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the insulating half shell, and at least one hinge connecting the housing half shells, wherein the insulated subassembly contains at least one coupling positively surrounded by the insulating half shells, integral closure elements arranged as pairs on the housing half shells, wherein one of the pair of closure elements is configured as a closure tab resiliently connected to an edge of one half shell and another of the pair of closure elements is a closure hook on a surface of the other half shell, wherein the closure tab is hooked into the closure hook for closing the insulated subassembly, the insulating half shells and the housing half shells being configured to provide a plurality of connecting pieces each receiving a pipe, wherein a receiving ring is arranged in the connecting pieces for encompassing the pipes; and wherein the surface of the half shell containing the closure hook is provided with a recess surrounding the closure hook, with the recess receiving the closure tab.

2. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the closure elements are arranged in one piece on the housing half shells and are made from the same material.

3. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the closure tabs are configured to be resilient.

4. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the closure elements are arranged in each case at the end of each connecting piece of the insulated subassembly.

5. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the closure tab bears at least partially around the periphery of the connecting piece of the opposing housing half shell.

6. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the insulated subassembly is configured as a T-piece or angled piece, sleeve or similar shaped pieces.

7. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the insulating half shells are manufactured from one of the plastics PUR, EPP or XPE.

8. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing half shells are made from TPE.

9. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the hinge is integrally formed between the two housing half shells.

10. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the insulating half shells have sealing and positioning elements which can be mutually inserted into one another in order to be accurately positioned relative to one another.

11. An insulated subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the half shells have concave recesses for receiving the ring.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) All possible embodiments can be freely combined together.

(2) An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the figures, wherein the invention is not only limited to the exemplary embodiment. In the figures:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a closed insulated subassembly according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional view of an open insulated subassembly according to the invention,

(5) FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional view of an open insulated subassembly according to the invention without couplings and

(6) FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional view of a separate insulating half shell.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(7) The drawing shown in FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of an insulated subassembly 1 according to the invention in which the two half shells are folded up but the closure tabs 8 of the closure elements 7 are not yet hooked into the closure hooks 9. The closure tabs 8 are designed to be resilient and are directly injection-moulded integrally with the one housing half shell 3, and then hooked into the closure hooks 9 of the opposing housing half shell 3. As the closure hooks are configured to be resilient, a pretensioning is achieved when said closure tabs are hooked into the hooks 9, and to this end it is advantageous if the closure hooks have an inclination, i.e. extend in an obliquely cylindrical manner. It is also advantageous if the closure elements 7 are arranged at the end of the connecting pieces 10. As a result, it is ensured that the insulated subassembly 1 does not spring open at the very end but the half shells bear fixedly against one another. It has also been shown to be advantageous if a further closure element 16 is arranged in the branching or in the curved portion, in the bent portion, which ensures that the half shells also bear correctly against one another here. As is clearly visible in FIG. 1, it is advantageous if the tab recesses 14 are arranged around the closure hooks 9, the closure tabs 8 being arranged so as to be recessed therein when an insulated subassembly 1 is closed, so that nothing protrudes, which could lead to the subassembly 1 inadvertently opening. The depth of the tab recess 14 corresponds to the thickness of the closure tabs 8. The closure tabs 8 extend at least partially along the periphery of the opposing housing half shell 3. FIG. 2 shows the insulated subassembly 1 according to the invention when it is still open. Clearly visible are the quick couplings 6 which are preferably arranged therein, preferably one for each connecting piece 10. A T-piece is shown, wherein an angled piece or other shaped pieces are also conceivable. The insulated subassembly 1 contains two insulating half shells 2 which oppose one another and which are manufactured from an insulating plastics, preferably PUR, EPP or XPE. The subassembly 1 also contains in each case a housing half shell 3 which in each case surrounds the outer peripheral surface 4 of the insulating half shell 2. A connecting hinge 5 is arranged between the housing half shells 3, wherein the hinge 5 is integrally arranged on the two housing half shells 3, preferably to this end a hinge 5 being integrally injection-moulded therewith at the same time and being encapsulated by injection-moulding integrally therewith from the same material or when the housing half shells 3 are injection-moulded. Moreover, the housing half shells 3 have integrally arranged closure elements 7. The closure elements 7 are preferably formed by closure tabs 8 and closure hooks 9, wherein the one is arranged on the one housing half shell 3 and the other is arranged on the other housing half shell 3. It is advantageous if the connected insulated pipelines 12 are surrounded by a receiving ring 11. This is because generally the pre-insulated pipelines 12 which have to be connected to the subassembly 1 have high tolerances in their dimensions, whereby it is not possible to ensure that the subassembly 1 optimally encompasses the pipeline 12. The pipeline 12 is pressed into a predetermined shape by the receiving ring 11 and thus is always the same. Preferably, to this end the insulating half shell 2 has a corresponding negative shape which is configured as a concave recess 15 in which the receiving ring 11 is positively arranged.

(8) FIG. 3 shows the half shells 2, 3 in the slightly open state without the inserted quick couplings 6. Clearly visible are the two insulating half shells 2, the sealing and positioning elements 13 being arranged thereon, so that when the subassembly 1 is closed the half shells are precisely oriented relative to one another and also can no longer be mutually displaced. The sealing and positioning elements 13 are preferably configured as a tongue and groove connection and are arranged in the insulating half shells 2. FIG. 4 shows a separate insulating half shell 2 which is not yet encompassed by the housing half shell 3.