to make corrugated pipe of multiple walls

专利摘要:
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAKING MULTIPLE WALL CORRUGATED TUBES. A system (10) for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube is disclosed. The system (10) includes an extruder (18) configured to coextrude concentric annular tubes; a corrugator (20) configured to form concentric annular tubes in a double-walled tube having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall (122, 222); a crosshead die (22) configured to extrude an outer tube wall into the corrugated wall (122, 222) of the double-wall tube, a vacuum drill (26) configured to penetrate the outer tube wall and effect a vacuum between the corrugated wall (122,222) and the outer wall, such that the outer tube wall is deformed inwardly towards the corrugated wall (122,222) of the tube between the mouth and tip portions of the corrugated wall (122,222), and a cutter (40) configured to cut the tube into sections where the vacuum drill (26) deformed the outer wall between the mouth portion (112) and the tip portion (114) of the corrugated wall (122,222). Also disclosed is a method of fabricating a multi-wall corrugated polymer tube.
公开号:BR112012022191B1
申请号:R112012022191-4
申请日:2011-03-04
公开日:2020-10-20
发明作者:Gerald S.Sutton；David J.Kelley；Randall A.Kolbet
申请人:Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

DESCRIPTIVE REPORT Related Orders
[001] This Order claims priority of US Patent Application 12 / 721,253 for SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAKING MULTIWALL CORRUGATED PIPE, filed on March 10, 2010, which is a continuation in part based on US Application 12 / 028,990 for EXTRUSION DIE VACUUM SEALS AND METHODS, filed on February 11, 2008 by Gerald S. Sutton and others; US Order 12 / 251,034 for APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRESSING AN OUTER WALL OF PIPE, filed October 14, 2008 by Gerald S. Sutton et al; and Order US 12 / 250,960 for APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COOLING AN OUTER WALL OF PIPE, filed October 14, 2008 by Gerald S. Sutton et al; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[002] The present invention relates to the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube and, more specifically, to the systems and methods for making three walls of a multi-wall corrugated polymer tube. Background
[003] Corrugated pipe sections are used in draining water-saturated soil in various agricultural, residential, recreational, or civil engineering construction applications, such as rain drainage pipes. Corrugated pipe sections are also used for sanitary sewer pipe. Traditionally, drain pipe and sewer pipe are made of clay, concrete or steel, which makes the pipe heavy, expensive and brittle. To improve cost effectiveness, durability and ease of installation of tubes, it is now common in the art to manufacture such tubes from alternative materials including various polymers and polymer mixtures.
[004] Polymer tube can be made by extruding crude polymer pellets into a melted polymer annular tube, and then molding it into a desired profile. The polymer tube can also be made by coextruding two annular tubes of molten polymer, and then molding them together to form a double-walled tube. An example of a double-walled polymer tube is disclosed in US Patent Application 11 / 078,323, filed March 15, 2005 by Goddard et al. In some cases, it may be desirable to improve the toughness and resistance to deformation of such a pipe to further improve its competitive advantage over the traditional concrete drain pipe.
[005] Some attempts have been made to create stronger tube sections having three walls, with a corrugated wall between two smooth walls. Such a three-walled pipe has never before been successfully created in diameters larger than 14 inches, making it unsuitable for large diameter applications. In addition, attempts to make a three-walled pipe have always involved the use of a sizing mandrel to create a smooth outer wall, which is of insufficient strength for large diameter applications.
[006] After extrusion and molding, the plastic tube is usually cut to form relatively light, manageable and transportable sizes of tube sections, ranging from a few feet to many yards in length. When these sections of plastic pipe are transported to the desired installation location, they are mounted longitudinally by installing joints, adhesives, or other coupling means. This coupling process has often been complex, requiring the transport of many tools and supplies to the workplace, and has required many man hours to complete.
[007] For example, an assembly method involves forming a large diameter mouth at one end of each section of plastic pipe. During the tube manufacturing process, equipment known as “beller” is sometimes used to radially expand the end of the tube, forming an expanded mouth-shaped structure, such that the opposite end of an adjacent tube section can inserted into the expanded end in the shape of a mouth. Alternatively, mouth and tip parts are affixed to the pipe sections, for example, using a hot plate welder, or the like. These processes have several disadvantages, including weaknesses that require additional means of reinforcement, such as outer strips, articulated supports, overlapping shells, shrink-wrap layers, or a combination of such reinforcement means. Finally, these nozzles and other known coupling means require precise and careful excavation, installation, and refilling, to avoid misalignment between the pipe sections and the expanded coupling sections during assembly and placement. Improper installation of these coupling means usually results in failure of bonding, warping, and an inability to form a waterproof seal between adjacent sections of pipe.
[008] An example of an in-line, water-proof, improved mouth and tip part that can be used to couple sections of three-wall corrugated pipe was revealed in US Patent Application 11 / 941,605, filed by Gerald S. Sutton et al. On November 16, 2007. In order to create sections of pipe having mouth and end parts in a water-impermeable line at either end, it is necessary to extrude an outer wall of the plastic into a double-wall corrugated pipe having preforms of mouth part and tip in line. The three-walled tube can then be cut between adjacent mouths and in-line tips. However, creating a three-wall corrugated pipe poses many challenges, especially in large diameter applications.
[009] Consequently, there is a need for improved systems and methods to make corrugated polymer pipe of multiple walls. summary
[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide such systems and methods for making corrugated polymer pipe of multiple walls.
[0011] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system for making corrugated polymer pipe of multiple walls. The system includes an extruder configured to coextrude concentric annular tubes; a corrugator configured to form concentric annular tubes in a double-walled tube having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall; a crosshead die configured to extrude an outer tube wall over the corrugated wall of the double wall tube; a vacuum drill configured to penetrate the outer wall of the tube and produce a vacuum between the corrugated wall and the outer wall, such that the outer wall of the tube is deformed inwardly, towards the corrugated wall of the tube, between the mouth and tip parts of the corrugated wall; and a cutter configured to cut the tube into sections where the vacuum drill has deformed the outer wall between the mouth and tip parts of the corrugated wall.
[0012] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of making corrugated polymer pipe with multiple walls. The method includes coextruding the double-walled tube having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall; extruding an outer wall of the tube over the corrugated wall of the double wall tube; penetrate the outer wall of the tube with a vacuum drill; and causing a vacuum between the corrugated wall and the external wall by means of the vacuum drill, between the mouth and tip parts of the corrugated wall.
[0013] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a system for making corrugated polymer pipe with multiple walls. The system includes an extruder configured to coextrude concentric annular tubes; a corrugator configured to form concentric annular tubes in a double-walled tube having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall; a crosshead die configured to extrude an outer tube wall into the corrugated wall of the double wall tube; a vacuum drill configured to penetrate the outer wall of the tube and cause a vacuum between the corrugated wall and the outer wall; such that the outer wall of the tube deforms inwardly towards the corrugated wall of the tube; and an outer wall drill configured to drill the outer wall between adjacent corrugations of the corrugated wall.
[0014] In this aspect, before explaining at least one modality of the disclosure, in detail, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components presented in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of modalities in addition to those described and to be practiced and carried out in different ways. In addition, it should be understood that the phraseology and terminology used here, as well as the abstract, have the purpose of description and should not be considered as limiting.
[0015] The accompanying drawings illustrate certain exemplary modalities of the disclosure, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0016] As such, those skilled in the art will consider that the design on which this disclosure is based can easily be used as a basis for the design of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the various purposes of the present invention. Therefore, it is important to recognize that the Claims should be considered to include such equivalent constructions as they do not depart from the essence and scope of the present invention. Brief Description of Drawings
[0017] FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of an exemplary system for manufacturing a multi-wall corrugated polymer tube;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of fabricating a multi-wall corrugated polymer tube;
[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary system and process by which an outer layer of polymer can be extruded into a corrugated tube;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary coupling preform for joining two segments of the three-wall corrugated pipe, and a drill to deform an outer wall of the three-wall corrugated pipe;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an exemplary coupling preform for joining two three-wall corrugated pipe segments, and a drill to deform an external wall of the three-wall corrugated pipe;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary mold profile for molding a corrugated wall of the exemplary coupling preforms of Figures 4 and 5;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of a three-walled corrugated tube, exemplary having a coupling preform molded in it, which can be cut into a coupling of the mouth part and end in line;
[0024] FIG. 8A is a partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary in-line mouth and tip coupling for joining two three-walled corrugated pipe segments;
[0025] FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary gasket for use in coupling the mouth portion and in-line tip of Figure 8A;
[0026] FIG. 9A is a partial cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an exemplary coupling preform for joining two segments of the three-wall corrugated pipe and a drill to deform an external wall of the three-wall corrugated pipe;
[0027] FIG. 9B is a partial cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an exemplary line mouth and tip coupling for joining two three-wall corrugated pipe segments;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the exemplary coupling preform of Figure 9A before the outer wall has been extruded into the double wall coupling preform;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary drill to deform an external wall of the coupling preforms, exemplary in Figures 4 and 5;
[0030] FIG. 12A is a perspective view of another exemplary drill to deform an external wall of the exemplary coupling preforms;
[0031] FIG. 12B is a side view of the exemplary perforation of Figure 12 A;
[0032] FIG. 12C is a front view of the exemplary drill rig of Figure 12 A;
[0033] FIG. 12D is a cross-sectional side view of the exemplary drill rig of Figure 12A;
[0034] FIG. 13A is a perspective view of another exemplary drill to deform an external wall of the exemplary coupling preforms;
[0035] FIG. 13B is a front view of the exemplary drill rig of Figure 13 A;
[0036] FIG. 13C is a detailed cross-sectional view of the exemplary drill rig of Figure 13A;
[0037] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an AA cooler for cooling an outer tube wall;
[0038] FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view of the exemplary air cooler illustrated in Figure 14;
[0039] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a press laminating roll for pressing an outer tube wall;
[0040] FIG. 17 is a side view of the exemplary press laminating equipment shown in Figure 16;
[0041] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the exemplary press laminating equipment shown in Figures 16 and 17;
[0042] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary three-walled polymer tube and a part of the exemplary press laminating equipment illustrated in Figures 16-18; and
[0043] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an exemplary wheel sensor. Description of Exemplary Modalities
[0044] Reference will now be made, in detail, to the exemplary modalities described above and illustrated in the attached drawings.
[0045] Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system 10 for making corrugated polymer pipe of multiple walls. System 10 can include a series of machines configured to form various components of a corrugated polymer tube with multiple walls, as well as perform post-processing steps on the formed tube. In one embodiment, system 10 may include a supply of resin 12, which stores the raw material that will be used to form the polymer tube layers. The resin supply 12 can store various types of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) pellets. The pellets can be 100% PE, 100% PP or mixtures of PE or recycled PP. Pellets can also include various combinations of pure material pellets, virgin pellets, and recycled material pellets. The resin supply 12 can also include pigment pellets that are configured to color the polymer pellets to achieve the desired final tube color. System 10 may also include a conveyor 14, for transferring the resin and pigment pellets from the resin supply 12 to a resin hopper 16. The conveyor 14 may include vacuum lines, a conveyor belt, or any other type of conveying device configured to move the resin and pigment pellets from the resin supply 12 to the resin hopper 16. Thus, the resin supply 12 can be positioned away from the manufacturing line, such as next to a railway depot or road where pellets are received from suppliers in large quantities. The resin hopper 16 can be positioned at the beginning of a manufacturing line to make the multi-wall corrugated polymer tube. The resin hopper 16 can be configured to selectively dose the resin and / or pigment pellets into an extruder 18. In one embodiment, the resin hopper 16 can also be configured to preheat and / or premix the pellets pigment resin before dosing them into extruder 18.
[0046] Plastic materials consistent with the present invention include most polymers, including, but not limited to mixtures of polymer, natural and synthetic resins, polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyvinyl chlorides and elastomers thermoplastics. In an exemplary embodiment, the material may be an impact copolymer polypropylene, such as a homopolymer propylene having an uncured ethylene / propylene (EP) rubber dispersed therein during polymerization. In this modality, EP rubber can act as an impact modifier, offering adequate performance at low temperature, while rubber can reduce the material's bending module, thereby adding hardness and impact resistance.
[0047] Extruder 18 can be configured to heat and mix the pellets of resin and dye selectively dosed in a melted, fluid, homogeneous material, called shapeless mass. Specifically, extruder 18 can be configured to receive stock material, including virgin plastic pellets, recycled plastic, recycled flakes, and / or powders, from the resin hopper 16 and heat and compress the stock material to form the formless mass. A screw or other transport device in the extruder 18 can advance the molten material, plastic fluid along an inner passage of the extruder 18. Extruder 18 can also be in fluid communication with one or more flow paths at an opposite end to hopper 16. Extruder 18 may include a screen changer that has one or more screens to filter dirt and other contaminants from the fluid melt before the fluid melt enters one or more matrices at the end of the flow path of the extruder 18. In one embodiment, extruder 18 includes two annular, concentric, flow paths and two die outlets that result in concentric, annular molten plastic tubes being extruded from extruder 18.
[0048] The two annular, concentric tubes resulting from molten plastic can be induced into a corrugator 20, where the outer tube is pulled into the internal cavities of the mold halves that are moving continuously through the corrugator. The internal cavities can have corrugation shapes configured to form corrugations in the external molten plastic tube. As the polymer ring tubes and corrugation molds move continuously through corrugator 20 away from extruder 18, they result in the formation of a double-walled tube that has a smooth inner wall and a corrugated wall. The corrugated wall may have several corrugating ridges and corrugating valleys, alternating, with the corrugating valleys being merged into the smooth inner wall. To improve the performance of such a tube, it may be desirable to extrude an additional layer of polymer into the tube. For example, a crosshead matrix can be used to extrude an outer layer of polymer onto the outer surface of the corrugated wall, thereby forming the three-walled corrugated polymer tube.
[0049] In this way, a crosshead die 22 can be positioned downstream of corrugator 20, to extrude a third outer wall in the double-walled tube. When the double-walled tube exits corrugator 20 and enters crosshead die 22, the double-walled tube can also enter a vacuum chamber through retractable seals that create a vacuum when they are extended to contact the double-walled tube , as will be described in relation to Figure 3. The vacuum can be used to bring the newly extruded outer wall into contact with the corrugated wall of the double-walled tube, and to prevent the outer wall from being deformed. Within the crosshead matrix vacuum chamber 22, the tube can be heated with radiant heaters to make the corrugated wall of the double wall tube hot enough to cohesively bond to the newly extruded outer wall. The preheated double-walled tube can then pass under an outflow of molten material from the outer wall of the crosshead matrix 22. Thus, the third outer wall is extruded by the crosshead matrix 22 in the double-walled pipe, thus forming the corrugated polymer tube. of three walls. The outer wall may have been fed from a new extruder, through a filter exchanger, and through the crosshead die 22 to produce an outer wall that is smooth. The smooth outer wall can be arranged over the corrugated double wall tube in such a way that it has sufficient strength of molten material to cover the distance between the tops of the corrugations in the corrugated wall. The resistance of the molten material can be controlled by controlling the temperature at which the polymer is extruded, and by selecting a polymer with an appropriate inherent molecular weight. In one embodiment, an air ring 24 can be positioned immediately downstream, or even mounted directly on the crosshead matrix 22 to control the sagging or sagging of the outer wall between the corrugations in the corrugated wall. For example, the air ring 24 can be configured to slightly cool only an outer surface of the outer wall.
[0050] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to deform the outer wall after it has been extruded from the crosshead matrix 22, but before it has cooled and completely hardened. Thus, system 10 can also include a vacuum drill 26, positioned downstream of the crosshead die 22. The vacuum drill 26 can be used to stretch the outer wall of the tube by removing air from the spaces selected between the external wall and corrugated wall. For example, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to stretch the outer wall in the area between the mouth and tip sections formed on the corrugated wall. The vacuum drill 26 can be configured to drill a hole in the outer wall, either by thinning a point on the outer wall until it breaks, or by penetrating the outer wall with a sharp point or needle. The vacuum drill 26 can then draw air out from behind the outer wall, thereby creating a pressure differential that forces the outer wall inwards towards the corrugated wall, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 4-13C.
[0051] When the outer wall has been properly deformed, the tube can be cooled and pressed in such a way that it hardens to the desired shape. Thus, system 10 can further include an air ring 28 and / or a press roller 30. Air ring 28 can be used to blow air around a circumference of the three-walled tube, in order to cool and harden the outer wall, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 14 and 15. The air ring 28 can be oriented in relation to the crosshead matrix 22 in such a way that an inclined, annular passage directs the air axially downstream and radially inwardly towards a tube in translation through the air ring 28. The pressing roller 30 may include one or more orbital rollers to contact the outer surface of the outer wall, and apply pressure such that the inner surface the outer wall is sufficiently bonded to the crowns of the corrugated wall, thereby reinforcing the resulting three-walled tube, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 16-19. Of course, the positions and orientations of the air ring 28 and pressing roller 30 can be adjusted based on the material properties of the polymer and (or) tube; extrusion / corrugation speeds and / or the desired geometry of the outer wall.
[0052] System 10 can also include a sensor 32, which is configured to detect corrugations in the translating tube. Sensor 32 can be any suitable type of sensor; such as an optical sensor, tactile sensor, or motion sensor, configured to detect corrugations. Sensor 32 can be positioned almost anywhere along the length of the system 10, although it is illustrated downstream of the pressing roller 30. However, it may be desirable to position sensor 32 in a location where the pipe geometry has become relatively hardened and static. A sensor output 32 can be used to operate other mechanisms within the system 10 that operate as a function of a location along the tube. For example, system 10 can also include an outer wall drill 34, which is configured to drill holes in the outer wall between adjacent corrugations in the corrugated layer. The holes drilled by the outer wall drill 34 may allow air to escape from the annular spaces created between the corrugated wall and the outer wall; thereby relieving any buildup of pressure or vacuum formed from the cooling air. The output from the sensor 32 can be used to inform the outer wall drill 34 when triggered, in order to ventilate the locations between the corrugation ridges. Thus, a signal sent to the outer wall drill 34 can be a function of a sensor output, a sensor site 32 and an outer wall drill site 34.
[0053] System 10 may also optionally, but not necessarily, include a spray tank (not shown) positioned downstream of the pressing roller 30 to spray water on the outside of the tube to cool the tube. System 10 may also include a belt pulling device 36, which includes several straps for pulling the tube through the blow dryer. System 10 may further include a perforator 38 for making slits or holes in the tube. For example, drill 38 can be configured to form small cracks in the outer wall between each corrugation, to allow air and / or water to pass through the outer wall, as desired.
[0054] System 10 can also include a cutter 40 positioned downstream of punch 38 and belt pulling device 36. In one embodiment, cutter 40 can be a rotary blade cutter configured to cut the pipe between adjacent parts of pre -Mouth and tip shape of adjacent sections of pipe. Thus, cutter 40 can cut the continuously manufactured pipe into discrete sections of pipe, each section of pipe having a mouth at one end and a tip at an opposite end. The discrete sections of pipe can then be transported via conveyor 42 to a roughing station 44. The roughing station 44 can be used to remove any unwanted sections or layers from the pipe, as will be described in more detail below with reference to the Figures 7-9B. In one embodiment, gasket grooves can also be cut in the mouth or tip corrugations, as desired. The tube sections can then be transported to the gasket station 46, where one or more gaskets can be stretched to fit around a tip part of each section, and / or compressed to fit within a mouth part of each section as desired. Finally, the tube sections can optionally be transported to the filament station 48 where pre-impregnated fiberglass can be welded, cohesively bonded, or wrapped around the mouth part of each tube section to reinforce the mouth. Of course, in some embodiments, it may not be convenient to carry out the step of adding fiberglass to the filament station 48, since the mouth and tip parts may already be sufficiently strong due to the third outer wall disposed thereon.
[0055] In one embodiment, system 10 can also include a programmable logic controller (PLC) 50 and a display 52 arranged in communication with one or more other machines in system 10. The PLC 50 can also be arranged in wired communication or wireless with a network 54, such as a local area network (LAN), remote area network (WAN), such as the Internet, through which system 10 can be controlled remotely and / or autonomously. For example, in one mode, PLC 50 can be connected to sensor 32 and external wall drill 34. In another mode, PLC 50 can be connected to sensor 32, external wall drill 34, press roller 30, and the vacuum drill 26. In yet another embodiment, the PLC 50 can be connected to any desired combination of any of the machines in system 10, including all of them.
[0056] Figure 2 illustrates a method 60 for making corrugated polymer pipe of multiple walls, for example, using the exemplary system 10 of Figure 1. Method 60 may include coextruding an inner wall and corrugated wall using extruder 18 (step 62). Method 60 may then include forming the extruded inner wall and the corrugated wall in double-wall corrugated pipe using corrugator 20 (step 64). Method 60 may then include extruding a third outer wall into the corrugated double-wall tube, using the crosshead die 22, to form the three-wall corrugated tube (step 66). Method 60 may then include stretching the outer wall over the corrugated wall near the end sections of the tube, using the vacuum drill 26 (step 68). Method 60 may further include establishing the outer wall by blowing air against the outer wall using the air ring 28, and pressing against the outer wall using the pressing roller 30 (step 70). Method 60 may further include drilling the outer wall between the corrugations in the corrugated wall, to ventilate the spaces between the corrugated wall and the outer wall (step 72). For example, the outer wall drill 34 can be used to drill holes, based on feedback at the pipe site and translation generated by the sensor 32. Method 60 may also include cutting the pipe between the mouth and tip preforms for form discrete sections of pipe using cutter 40 (step 74). Method 60 may also optionally include the steps of spraying the tube with water, blow-drying the tube, drilling the tube, grinding the tube sections, applying gaskets to the mouth and / or tip parts of the tube sections, and / or apply filament to the mouth parts.
[0057] Exemplary machines and processes of system 10 and method 60 will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 3-20.
[0058] Generally, Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary system and process by which an outer layer of polymer can be extruded into a corrugated pipe, using crosshead matrix 22. Particularly, Figure 3 illustrates a double wall pipe 90 moving in a D direction when it enters crosshead matrix 22. For example, double-walled tube 90 may be moving in D direction at a speed of approximately 3 feet / min. The double wall tube 90 can include a tube hole 91, a smooth inner wall 120, and a corrugated wall 122. In one embodiment, the corrugated wall 122 can have an outside diameter of approximately 30-40 inches. In another embodiment, the corrugated wall 122 can have an outside diameter as large as 60 inches.
[0059] The crosshead die 22 can be a component of any extrusion die system tube configured to continuously extrude an annular layer of polymer into a product, such as the corrugated wall 122 of the double wall tube 90. For example, in one embodiment, the crosshead matrix 22 may have a distributor to form an annular polymer layer. As shown in Figure 3, the crosshead die 22 can extrude a layer of melted polymer 96 out of a downstream die head 82. When the melted polymer layer 96 exits the downstream die head 82, the polymer layer melted 96 can contact the double-walled tube 90 and form a smooth, but semi-corrugated outer wall 124 on the corrugated wall 122, thereby forming a triple-walled tube 95. In one embodiment, the outer wall 124 may have corrugations of 0, 25 inches (that is, 0.25 inches high) between a valley and an outer wall crest, where each valley extends between adjacent corrugations in the double-walled tube.
[0060] In one embodiment, to optimize the level of connection between the smooth outer wall 124 and the corrugated wall 122 during this process, a vacuum can be applied to the upstream side of the melted polymer layer 96 when it exits the matrix head downstream 82. A pressure differential created by such a vacuum can be used to push the melted polymer layer 96 against the crowns of the corrugated wall 122, thereby more securely connecting the resulting smooth outer wall 124 to the double wall tube 90. In an exemplary embodiment, a pressure differential can be applied to the upstream side of the melted polymer layer 96 by sealing and creating a vacuum within an inner die chamber 83, which is defined by an inner hole 81 of the crosshead die 22.
[0061] As illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 3, the interior of the matrix chamber 83 can be sealed by providing a vacuum seal 86 at an upstream end of the crosshead matrix 22. For example, the crosshead matrix 22 may include an annular housing 84, which extends upstream of the crosshead matrix 22. In one embodiment, the vacuum seal 86 can be removably attached via its outer diameter to an inner diameter of the annular housing 84. The annular housing 84 may include several fixing rings 85, which removably hold the vacuum seal 86 in the annular housing 84. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the vacuum seal 86 can be retained by a first fixing ring 85 in its upstream end and a second fixing ring 85 at its downstream end. As will be considered by those skilled in the art, the vacuum seal 85 can be mounted at one end upstream of the crosshead die 22 by any other suitable means that allows for quick and efficient replacement or repair of the vacuum seal 86.
[0062] Vacuum seal 86 can be any type of hollow, annular seal suitable to form a seal between the double wall tube 90 and an upstream end of the crosshead die 22. In one embodiment, the vacuum seal 86 can be a hollow, inflatable tube configured to fit securely in a groove in the ring housing 84. Such a configuration can completely eliminate the need for clamping rings 85. In an alternative embodiment, the vacuum seal 86 can be a polymer ring sheet , which can be expanded and contracted for contact and out of contact with the double-walled tube 90, through the force of an air or vacuum pump. In addition, vacuum seal 86 can be made from any type of resilient material suitable to form such a seal. In one embodiment, the vacuum seal 86 can be formed from an elastomeric or thermally curing polymer, such as rubber. Alternatively, the vacuum seal 86 can be formed from silicone.
[0063] As illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 3, the vacuum seal 86 may include an annular seal surface 88, which may contact the double wall tube 90. In one embodiment, the annular seal surface 88 may be sufficiently long in the axial direction of the tube to extend through at least two corrugations of the corrugated wall 122. In another embodiment, the annular sealing surface 88 can extend through at least three corrugations of the corrugated wall 122.
[0064] At one end, the vacuum seal 86 can also include several bellows 87, which can extend between the annular seal surface 88 and a portion of the vacuum seal 86 leaning against the annular housing 84. According to in a preferred embodiment, the vacuum seal 86 may include an inclined shoulder 89 at one end upstream and a plurality of bellows 87 at one end downstream. This embodiment can advantageously prevent the vacuum seal 86 from rotating, or otherwise be undesirably deformed, from contact with the double wall tube 90. Of course, as will be considered by those skilled in the art, the vacuum seal 86 can have any suitable shape, as long as it is conductive in order to yield as desired. For example, vacuum seal 86 may alternatively include bellows at both ends, upstream and downstream, or alternatively, absolutely no bellows.
[0065] Figure 3 illustrates a vacuum seal 86 in its naturally expanded, or inflated condition. That is, in its normal, unsuitable state, vacuum seal 86 may have an inner diameter (defined by annular seal surface 88), which approximates the outer diameter of the double-walled tube 90. For example, this inner diameter it may be slightly smaller than, equal to, or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the double-walled tube 90. In this condition, the vacuum seal 86 can advantageously seal the interior of the die chamber 83, from which a pump 98 or another suitable device can remove the gas, thus creating a vacuum, and forming a pressure differential through the melted polymer layer 96.
[0066] Specifically, the vacuum seal 86 can selectively form a seal between the double-walled tube 90 and the annular housing 84 of the crosshead matrix 22. Consequently, the inner, annular chamber 83 can be sealed between opposite surfaces of the double-walled tube 90, the inner bore 81, the melted polymer layer 96, and the vacuum seal 86. Having sealed the inner die chamber 83, a pump 98 can be incorporated into the crosshead die 22 to apply a vacuum of approximately 2-10 inches of water column pressure inside chamber 83. Pump 98 can be any type of pump suitable for causing a vacuum inside matrix chamber 83.
[0067] In certain circumstances, it may be unnecessary and actually disadvantageous to maintain a seal at one end upstream of the crosshead die 22. Consequently, the vacuum seal 86 can be selectively manipulated to open the interior of the die chamber 83 to the atmospheric pressure. Specifically, the inner diameter (defined by annular sealing surface 88) can be expanded to a diameter substantially larger than the outer diameter of the double-walled tube 90. In one embodiment, this inner diameter can be expanded by removing and gasing from the inside hollow of the vacuum seal 86, in order to cause a collapse, or empty the vacuum seal 86. For example, any type of pump or vacuum can be applied to a passage that extends into the hollow interior of the vacuum seal 86 .
[0068] Vacuum seal 86 may alternatively be in a collapsed or deflated condition. In this manipulated state, the inner diameter of the vacuum seal 86 can advantageously provide approximately one inch of clearance between itself and the double wall tube 90. Therefore, the vacuum seal 86 can avoid being impacted by irregularities in the geometry of the wall tube double moving 90. In addition, the vacuum seal 86 can prevent the imposition of a drag force against the pipe during certain operations of the crosshead template 22.
[0069] With particular reference to the operation of the crosshead 22 and its vacuum seal 86, the vacuum seal 86 can be selectively manipulated to cooperate with the passage of a product through the crosshead 22. In general, the seal a Vacuum 86 can be substantially not provided during normal operation of the crosshead die 22. Specifically, vacuum seal 86 can be maintained in its natural condition or supplied with pressurized air or gas to induce annular seal surface 88 against a moving product through the extrusion die, such as the corrugated wall 122.
[0070] In one embodiment, the double wall tube 90 may include corrugated wall parts 122 which have a reduced outside diameter. For example, as illustrated in Figure 3, the corrugated wall 122 may have a reduced diameter part 97, corresponding to an inline pipe coupling structure, located approximately at 20 foot intervals along the length of the pipe. In that case, the vacuum seal 86 can be supplied with sufficient additional quantities of air or pressurized gas for the annular sealing surface 88 to contact the reduced diameter part 97.
[0071] In some embodiments, certain small diameter parts of the double-walled tube 90 may justify the use of more than one vacuum seal 86. For example, it may be desirable to include one or more additional vacuum seals arranged upstream of the vacuum seal 86 shown in Figure 3. Such vacuum seals can include the same varied geometries or geometries, as desired, to create a seal between the double-walled tube 90 and the crosshead template 22. In one embodiment, several seals to The vacuum can be spaced axially by a sufficient distance to ensure that at least one of the vacuum seals is contacting a standard diameter portion of the double walled tube 90 while a reduced diameter portion 97 is within the inner die chamber 83.
[0072] Alternatively, there may be certain operations of the crosshead die 22 that would benefit from the vacuum seal 86 being collapsed or emptied, as described above. For example, vacuum seal 86 can be emptied when the crosshead die 22 is not operating normally. In addition, the vacuum seal 86 can be automatically emptied just before the crosshead matrix 22 is switched off; while the crosshead matrix 22 is completely switched off; and / or when the crosshead matrix 22 is undergoing an emergency shutdown. During such an emergency, a battery-powered auxiliary system could be enabled to efficiently overcome the drag induced by a vacuum seal, not propitious, or inflated 86.
[0073] It is considered that the vacuum seal 86 can also be automatically programmed and / or manually canceled to empty in any other situation during which a vacuum is not required in the inner matrix chamber 83 or during which it is dragged against the tube double-walled 90 is undesirable.
[0074] One embodiment of a method for selectively sealing an end of the crosshead die 22 may include: providing a vacuum seal 86 at an upstream end of the crosshead die 22, the vacuum seal 86 including an annular sealing surface 88 arranged in an internal diameter of the vacuum seal 86; maintaining vacuum seal 86 in a sealing relationship between the crosshead matrix 22 and a product moving through the crosshead matrix 22 when the crosshead matrix 22 is operating normally; and applying a vacuum to the inside of the vacuum seal 86 so as to collapse the vacuum seal 86 when the crosshead die 22 is not operating.
[0075] Of course, although the crosshead die 22 and the vacuum seal 86 have been described with respect to the manufacture of a triple-walled pipe 95, the devices and methods currently disclosed may be applicable for the manufacture of literally any product having a polymer layer continuously extruded on its surface.
[0076] Figures 4-13C will illustrate exemplary systems and methods related to a 26 vacuum drill. Specifically, Figures 4-13C will be used to describe various vacuum perforations, mouth and tip preforms, and methods for using vacuum drills to deform and / or stretch an outer layer of polymer tube close to the mouth and tip preforms.
[0077] In the manufacture of the triple-wall corrugated polymer tube, it may be desirable to form a line coupling part through which two adjacent sections of the tube can be cut and joined. For example, adjacent male and female coupling parts can be formed within the three walls of an in-line coupling preform to join sections of continuously extruded polymer tube. The tube can then be cut between male and female coupling parts adjacent to a coupling preform and then joined by inserting a male coupling part into each female coupling part.
[0078] Figure 4 illustrates a partial, exemplary section of the three-wall corrugated pipe during the manufacture of an exemplary in-line coupling preform 111. The coupling preform 111 may have a mouth portion 112 and a mouth portion edge 114 formed “in line” with the rest of the three-walled corrugated pipe, after having been extruded from a crosshead die, but before being cut into separate parts. For example, the three-wall corrugated pipe can be manufactured continuously in segments of predetermined length (for example, 10-30 feet), with adjacent segments 116, 118 having a coupling preform 111 formed between them. Each coupling preform 111 can then be cut between adjacent mouth and tip parts 112, 114, into pipe segments of the desired length, each having a mouth part 112 at one end and a tip part 114 at the other end .
[0079] In the embodiment of Figure 4, first and second corrugated pipe sections 116, 118 can be formed initially as corrugated pipe and double wall. For example, the first and second corrugated tube section 116, 118 can include an inner wall 120 and a corrugated wall 112, which can be coextruded and then molded together in a corrugator. In another embodiment, the inner wall 120 can be fused separately to the corrugated wall 122. The corrugated wall 122 can include several main corrugations 126, each having main corrugation ridges, respective 128 and main corrugation valves 130. This corrugated wall tube The double wall can then be passed through a crosshead matrix, downstream, which extrudes an outer wall 124 into the double wall tube, as illustrated in Figure 4, thereby creating the three wall corrugated tube. As the outer wall 124 is extruded into the corrugated wall 122 while it is still hot (i.e., in a melted or semi-molten state), it can be fused or cohesively bonded to the main corrugation ridges 128 of the corrugated wall 122. In certain exemplary embodiments, the inner wall 120 can be substantially smooth, as shown in Figure 4.
[0080] With particular reference to the coupling preform 111, the mouth part 112 and the tip part 114 can be formed integrally with three-wall corrugated tube, such that their assembly results in a coupling having a substantially diameter similar to that of the rest of the tube. In other words, the outside diameter of the three-wall corrugated tube can be substantially identical in the mouth and tip parts 112, 114 than the outside diameter in various locations of the main corrugations 126.
[0081] Specifically, the mouth portion 112 may include the outer wall 124 and a corrugated wall portion 122 having minor mouth corrugations 132 formed there. For example, the mouth portion 112 can include three mouth corrugations 132, which are configured to engage and retain protrusions of a gasket. The mouth portion 112 may also include an end corrugation 140 disposed close to an end portion of the mouth, that is, between the mouth corrugations 132 and a mouth end 152. As further illustrated in Figure 4, the height of the corrugations mouth 132, measured from the outer wall 124 to the lower parts of the mouth corrugations 132, can be substantially smaller than the main height of the main corrugations 126, measured from the external wall to the lower parts of the primary corrugations 126 ( primary corrugation vouchers 130). In addition, the height of the end corrugation 140, measured from the outer wall 124 to the bottom of the end corrugation 140, can be even less than the height of the mouth corrugations 132. The end corrugation 140 may have a different shape from that of the main corrugations 126 and mouth corrugations 132. More specifically, the end corrugation 140 can have a substantially rectangular shape. Due to the reduction in the height of the mouth corrugations 132, without a change in the outside diameter of the tube, the first corrugated tube section 116 can form a part in the shape and mouth, in line to receive the tip part 114.
[0082] The tip portion 114 may include the inner wall 120, a corrugated wall portion 122; having minor tip part corrugations 146 formed there and an outer wall part 124 stretched over the tip part corrugations 146. The tip part 114 can also include an intermediate corrugation 142 arranged between the tip part corrugations 146, located adjacent to the tip part terminal 150, and main corrugations 126 of the second section of corrugated tube 118. As shown in Figure 4, the height of the tip part corrugations 146, measured from the inside 120 to the top of the tip part corrugations 146, may be less than the height of the intermediate corrugation 142, measured from the inner wall 120 to the top of the intermediate corrugation 142. In addition, the height of the intermediate corrugation 142 may be less than the height of the main corrugations 126. Thus, the outer wall 124 can be tapered circumferentially over the tip part 114. Due to the reduction in the corrugation height in the direction near the tip part terminal 150, a reduced diameter tip part 114 can be formed so as to telescopically engage the mouth part 112. From appropriate dimensional control of the mouth part 112 and the tip part 114, a water-tight seal can be formed between them.
[0083] As shown in Figure 4, when the outer wall 124 is extruded over the corrugated wall 122, it may have a tendency to extend naturally over adjacent corrugations, thereby forming closed cavities between the corrugated wall 122, the outer wall 124 and adjacent main corrugations 126. In the vicinity of the coupling preform 111, in particular, the outer wall 124 may have an intermediate part 165 that extends between the corrugations of the tip part 146 and the mouth end 152, thus forming a cavity closed ring 170 between an adjacent tip part 114 and the mouth part 112. If the intermediate part 165 cools and hardens as it naturally settles when extruded through the tip part terminal 150 (i.e., as shown in the dashed lines), it may be difficult to cut the coupling preform 111 along the tip part terminal 150 for the purpose of separating the contiguous tube sections between the sides mouth rails 112 and adjoining tip parts 114. Specifically, a cutter would need to cut: (1) the outer wall 124, and the corrugated wall 122, at the mouth end 152; (2) the intermediate part 165 of the outer wall 124 at the tip part terminal 150; (3) the corrugated wall 122 and the inner wall 120 at the end portion end 150; and (4) the inner wall 120 next to an inner wall terminal 154. In addition, a secondary operation would be necessary to deal with the flap that would be left on the outer wall 124, adjacent to the tip portion corrugations 146.
[0084] As a result, it may be desirable to stretch the intermediate part 165 of the outer wall 124 against the corrugated wall 122 at the end of the tip part 150. Any suitable method can be used to stretch the intermediate part 165 of the outer wall 124 on the corrugated wall. 122 at the tip part terminal 150. In one embodiment, a vacuum can be applied to the closed cavity 170 to stretch the intermediate part 165 against the tip part terminal 150. For example, a vacuum drill 175 can be arranged downstream of the crosshead die used to extrude the outer wall 124 into the corrugated wall 122. Consequently, the vacuum drill 175 can be configured to contact and / or drill the intermediate part 165, drill the intermediate part 165, and cause a vacuum in the closed cavity 170, by evacuating hot air from the closed cavity 170 through the hole drilled in the outer wall 124.
[0085] The vacuum drill 175 will be described here in the modalities in which the drill penetrates the outer wall 124, and in modalities in which the drill makes an opening in the outer wall 124 without penetrating the outer wall 124. Thus, the vacuum drill 175 will be described in relation to the modalities in which the vacuum drill 175 includes a hollow needle, and in modalities in which the vacuum drill 175 does not include a hollow needle.
[0086] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the vacuum drill 175 may include a hollow needle 176 configured to translate radially with respect to the outer diameter of the outer wall 124 of the tube. The hollow needle 176 can be arranged in communication with a vacuum source 178. Thus, when the hollow needle 176 of the vacuum drill 175 is moved radially into the closed cavity 170, the vacuum drill 175 can cause a vacuum in the cavity closed 170. When a vacuum is created in closed cavity 170, a pressure differential can be formed through intermediate part 165 of outer wall 124. Specifically, the pressure in closed cavity 170 may decrease relative to the pressure outside the outer wall 124. Such a pressure differential can create an inward force on the intermediate part 165, thereby stretching the intermediate part 165 or "inward" towards the corrugated wall 122 at the end portion 150.
[0087] To advantageously stretch the intermediate part 165, the vacuum drill 175 can penetrate the outer wall 124 and cause a vacuum in the closed cavity 170 when the tube is cold enough for the polymer to be pierced cleanly yet hot enough to completely deform against the corrugated wall 122 under the force of the vacuum. In addition, several vacuum drill rigs 175 can be arranged radially, around the circumference of the corrugated pipe. For example, in one embodiment, two or four vacuum drills 175 can be arranged equally around the circumference of the corrugated pipe. In an alternative embodiment, sixteen vacuum drills can also be arranged around the circumference of the corrugated pipe. Thus, several vacuum drills can also cause a vacuum at various locations around the closed annular cavity 170.
[0088] Figure 4 also illustrates the intermediate part 165 of the outer wall 124 after it has been stretched over, and fused, welded, or cohesively bonded to the corrugated wall 122 at the end portion 150 (i.e., as shown in solid lines), such that the corrugated wall and the outer wall are in contact between the tip part 114 and the mouth part 112 of the coupling preform 111. As the walls were lowered together, a part of scrap of the coupling preform 111 (indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 5) can be easily removed by making cuts close to the tip part terminal 150, mouth terminal 152, and inner wall terminal 154. In addition, as the outer wall 124 has been completely stretched against the end of the corrugations of the tip part 142, the tip part 114 is reinforced by the fact that all three tube walls are present and joined at one end of the tip part 114. Still further, med through the action of stretching the intermediate part 165, over the tip part terminal 150; the tip part 114 can advantageously be smoothed and tapered in a way that facilitates the insertion of the tip part 114 into a mouth part 112 which has been fitted with a gasket.
[0089] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum drill 175 can be arranged on the mouth terminal 152 more properly than on the tip part terminal 150. For example, as illustrated in Figure 5, the vacuum drill 175 can be configured to drill the outer wall 124 where its intermediate part 165 contacts the end of the mouth part 112. In this embodiment, the vacuum drill 175 may be able to penetrate the outer wall 124 without having to move in that extension in the direction inwardly radially towards the center of the closed cavity 170. However, in order to effect a vacuum in the closed cavity 170 by drilling close to the mouth terminal 152 (instead of close to the tip end terminal 150), a vacuum channel 180 can be formed in a part of the corrugated wall 122 extending from the mouth end 152 to the end of the end part 150. As will be more specifically described with reference to Figure 6, the cane Vacuum l 180 can be a groove in the corrugated wall 122 that preserves a fluid path between the outer wall 124 and the corrugated wall 122, extending from the closed cavity 170 in the end portion end 150 to an end of the end opening mouth 153.
[0090] Figure 5 illustrates this embodiment in which the vacuum drill 175 pierces the outer wall 124 in the mouth terminal opening 153. As a result, the vacuum source 178 of the vacuum drill 175 can effect a vacuum in the closed cavity 170 by inserting the hollow needle 176 at the top of the vacuum channel 180. As described in relation to Figure 4, several vacuum drills 175 can be arranged radially, around the circumference of the corrugated tube, and configured to pierce the outer wall 124 adjacent to the mouth terminal 152. In such an embodiment, a vacuum channel 180 can be molded in the corrugated wall for each circumferential location in which a vacuum drill 175 is configured to pierce the outer wall 124, adjacent to the mouth terminal 152.
[0091] As illustrated in Figure 5, the vacuum drill 175 can also be adapted with a contact element 174 around the hollow needle 176 to seal around an entry point of the hollow needle 176 in the outer wall 124. The element contact 174 can be configured to ensure that a vacuum pressure effected through the hollow needle 176 is completely transferred to the top of the vacuum channel 180 and therefore to the closed cavity 170. In addition, the contact element 174 can be configured to maintain the shape of the outer wall 124 around the hole formed in the outer wall 124 by the hollow needle 176, so as to prevent its deformation from the insertion and / or removal of the hollow needle 176. The contact element 174 can be provided with its own vacuum source to maintain the sealing contact between the contact element 174 and the outer wall 124.
[0092] To form a plurality of vacuum channels 180 in the corrugated wall 122, corresponding geometry can be incorporated into the molds used to model the corrugated wall 122. When the inner wall 120 and the corrugated wall 122 are coextruded in a corrugator, the geometry of the molds translated into the corrugator translated into the corrugator can be used to define the resulting geometry in the corrugated wall 122. Specifically, such molds can include an outer surface defining a mold housing and an inner surface defining a mold cavity configured to shape the tube. For example, several axially recurring, transversely annular ridges and valleys formed in the cavity of a mold housing can form the desired corresponding ridges and valleys in a corrugated wall 122 of the double-wall corrugated tube. In the molds configured to form preform coupling sections, several axially arranged flanges can extend axially towards the corrugator mold cavities to form the corresponding grooves, or vacuum channels 180, on the outside of the corrugated wall 122 .
[0093] Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary mold cavity geometry suitable for forming vacuum channels 180 in the corrugated wall 122 of a coupling preform 111, for example, as illustrated in Figure 5. Specifically, Figure 6 illustrates a coupling preform profile 111 '. The coupling preform profile 111 'can be formed in one of the corrugator molds in which a coupling preform 111 is to be formed. A mold having such a coupling preform profile 111 'can be arranged in a predetermined range of standard shaped molds configured to form main corrugations 126, having respective main corrugation ridges 128, and main corrugation valleys 130. The profile of disclosed coupling preform 111 ', example may include a mouth part profile 112' having mouth corrugation profiles 132 'and a tip part profile 114' having tip corrugation profiles 146 '. The mouth part profile 112 'can also include an end corrugation profile 140' and a mouth end opening profile 153 '. To form vacuum channels 180 on a corrugated wall 122 formed there, the coupling preform profile 111 'can also include a vacuum channel profile 180'.
[0094] The mouth opening profile 153 'and the vacuum channel profile 180' can modify the standard geometry of a mold in a way that creates a channel that extends from the upper mouth terminal 152 of a corrugated wall 122 to the bottom of a closed cavity 170, which is formed when an outer wall 124 is extruded over the portion of the corrugated wall 122 formed by a closed cavity profile 170 'of the exemplary coupling preform profile 111' . Specifically, the mouth opening profile 153 'and the vacuum channel profile 180' can project into the mold cavity into which the corrugated wall 122 is molded, thereby forming a projected mouth terminal opening in the inward direction 153 and vacuum channel 180, as shown in Figure 5. In addition, as described above, mouth opening profile 153 'and vacuum channel profile 180' can be arranged at variable intervals radially around the circumference of a mold cavity to create a corresponding plurality of features in the corrugated wall 122.
[0095] In one embodiment, the coupling preform profile 111 'may have a height "a" of approximately 2.0 to 4.0 inches and a length "f" of approximately 15.0 to 25.0 inches . The coupling preform profile 111 'can also have an internal clearance of mouth "b" of approximately 1.0 to 3.0 inches, a channel height "c" of approximately 3.0 inches, a length of channel "E" of approximately 2.0 inches, and a corrugation height of tip part "d" of approximately 1.0 to 2.0 inches. However, it will be considered by those skilled in the art that any specific mold geometry can be used to create vacuum channels 180 in the corrugated wall 122, or any other pipe wall, as desired. Consequently, any suitable vacuum channel can be formed integrally in the multi-walled tube in a manner that facilitates the realization of a vacuum from a vacuum drill radially disposed in any closed cavity in the tube. For example, additional special sighs can be formed on the corrugated wall 122 for the purpose of extending fluid communication from a vacuum from the vacuum channel 180 to the tip portion corrugations 146.
[0096] Figure 17 illustrates the intermediate part 165 of the outer wall 124 when it has been stretched over, and fused, welded, or cohesively bonded to the corrugated wall 122 at the end portion 150, such that all three walls of the corrugated tube are in contact between the tip part 114 and the mouth part 112 of the coupling preform 111. As the walls were lowered together, a scrap part of the coupling preform 111 (indicated by dashed lines) can be easily removed by making cuts close to the end of the end part 150, end of the mouth 152, and end of the inner wall 154. The need for only a single cut of the three walls in the end of the end part 150 can eliminate the need for additional processing steps to remove the excess outer wall 124 near the mouth terminal 152. In addition, as the outer wall 124 has been fully stretched against the edge of the corrugations d and the tip part 142, the tip part 114 is reinforced by the fact that all three tube walls are present and joined at one end of the tip part 114. In addition, by stretching the intermediate part 165, over the terminal tip portion 150; the tip part 114 can advantageously be smoothed and tapered in a way that facilitates the insertion of the tip part 114 into a mouth part 112 which has been fitted with a gasket.
[0097] Figure 8A illustrates an exemplary coupling part 110 that was created by cutting the coupling preform 111 as illustrated by the dashed lines in Figure 7. The coupling part 110 can then be configured to couple a first pipe section corrugated 116 and a second corrugated pipe section 118. In general, the coupling part 110 may include a mouth portion 112 disposed at one end of the first corrugated pipe section 116 and a tip portion 114 disposed at an end of the second section corrugated tube 118. The coupling part 110 can also include a gasket 134 to retain and seal the tip portion 114 within the mouth portion 112.
[0098] In the embodiment of Figure 8A, the gasket 134 engages a surface of the outer wall 124 covering two corrugations of the tip part 146. In the alternative embodiments of the present disclosure, it is considered that the gasket 134 can be configured to engage only one corrugation tip part 146 or many tip part corrugations 146. For example, in the case where gasket 134 engages a single tip part corrugation 146, it may be necessary to fill the corrugation with foam, or any other suitable reinforcement material to ensure sufficiently resilient support of the gasket 134. For that reason, two smaller tip-part corrugations 148, such as those illustrated in Figure 8A, can be used to provide increased structural support (i.e., vertical corrugation walls) for sealing against the gasket 134. In addition, the length of the sealing engagement between the gasket 134 and the outer wall 124 of the tip portion 114 can be any suitable extension; however, in an exemplary embodiment, the tip portion corrugations 146 extend axially through 4-8 inches of tube and are fused to a portion of the outer wall 124. Gasket 134 can extend and cover approximately 3-4 inches in the axial direction of the tube of the outer wall part 124 fused to the corrugations of the tip part 146, the gasket 134 having a sealing surface 38 of approximately 2-4 inches in length. Thus, the sealing surface 38 of the gasket 134 can be configured to engage the outer wall 124 of the tip portion 114.
[0099] Gasket 134 can be any suitable type of water-tight, annular gasket. For example, gasket 134 may be a dual elastomer gasket including any suitable type of material, such as rubber, polyethylene, Teflon, EPDM, nitrile, thermoplastic elastomers, isoprene, or other plastic compounds. Gasket 134 may also incorporate various metal inserts or rings, as needed, to provide structural rigidity.
[00100] Although Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8A-8B illustrate a specific exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, it will be considered by those skilled in the art that several other variations in the geometry of mouth and tip parts, cooperating, are considered within the scope of that disclosure. Specifically, the vacuum drill and related methods disclosed herein can be applicable to the deformation of an external wall of any corrugated pipe or coupling preform geometry. For example, Figures 9A and 9B illustrate an exemplary alternative embodiment of in-line mouth and tip parts, cooperating, having alternative geometries to retain one or more gaskets between in-line mouth and tip parts.
[00101] Figure 9A illustrates a partial section, exemplary of three-wall corrugated pipe during the manufacture of an exemplary in-line coupling preform 211. The coupling preform 211 may have a mouth part 212 and a mouth part edge 214 formed “in line” with the rest of the three-walled corrugated pipe, after having been extruded from a crosshead die, but before being cut into separate parts. For example, the three-wall corrugated pipe can be manufactured continuously and segments of predetermined length (for example, 10-30 feet), with adjacent segments 216, 218 having a coupling preform 211 formed between them. Each coupling preform 211 can then be cut between adjacent mouth and tip parts 212, 214 into pipe segments of desired length, each having a mouth part 212 at one end and a tip part 214 at the other end.
[00102] In the embodiment of Figure 9A, first and second corrugated pipe sections 216, 218 can be formed initially as a double wall corrugated pipe. For example, the first and second corrugated pipe section 216, 218 can include an inner wall 220 and a corrugated wall 222, which can be coextruded and then molded together in a corrugator. In another embodiment, the inner wall 220 can be fused separately to the corrugated wall 222. The corrugated wall 222 can include several main corrugations 226, each having respective main corrugation ridges 228 and main corrugation valleys 230. This corrugated wall pipe The double wall can then be passed through a crosshead matrix, downstream which extrudes an outer wall 224 into the double wall tube, as shown in Figure 9A, thereby creating a three wall corrugated tube. As the outer wall 224 is extruded into the corrugated wall 222 while the outer wall 224 is still hot (i.e., in a melted or semi-melted state); the outer wall 224 can be fused or cohesively bonded to the main corrugation ridges 228 of the corrugated wall 222. In certain exemplary embodiments, the inner wall 220 can be substantially smooth, as shown in Figure 9A.
[00103] With particular reference to the coupling preform 211, the mouth part 212 and the tip part 214 can be formed integrally with the three-wall corrugated tube, such that their assembly results in a coupling having a diameter substantially similar to that of the rest of the tube. In other words, the outside diameter of the three-wall corrugated tube can be substantially identical in the mouth and tip parts 212, 214 than the outside diameter in various locations of the main corrugations 226.
[00104] As shown in Figure 9A, the mouth portion 212 may include outer wall 224 and a corrugated wall portion 222 joined together along a substantially straight sealing portion 233. Specifically, mouth portion 212 may include a sealing part 233 configured to engage and retain the sealing surfaces 238 of the gaskets 234 with an internal surface of the corrugated wall 222, as illustrated in the detailed view of Figure 9B. As the mouth part 212 can include the outer wall 224 and the corrugated wall 222 fused together along the sealing part 233, the mouth part 212 can have increased toughness and deformation resistance compared to a mouth part of single layer. The mouth part 212 can also include one or more end corrugations 240 arranged close to an end part of the mouth, that is, between the sealing part 233 and the mouth end 252.
[00105] The tip portion 214 may include the inner wall 220; a portion of the corrugated wall 222 having end-point corrugations 246 formed there; and a portion of the outer wall 224 stretched over the tip portion corrugations 246. The tip portion 214 may also include intermediate corrugations 242 arranged between tip portion corrugations 246, located adjacent to the tip portion terminal 250, and major corrugations. 226 of corrugated pipe second section 218. As shown in Figure 9A, the height of the tip part corrugations 246, measured from the inner wall 220 to the top of the tip part corrugations 246 can be greater than the height of the intermediate corrugations 242, measured from the inner wall 220 to the top of the intermediate corrugations 242. However, the height of the tip corrugations 246 may be less than the height of the main corrugations 226. Thus, a part of the outer wall 224 arranged around the intermediate corrugations 242 can be the smaller diameter part of the tube, such that the first corrugated tube section 216 can articulate with respect to second section of corrugated tube 218 without contact interference between the mouth terminal 252 and the part of the external wall 224 fused in the intermediate corrugations 242.
[00106] As illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 9A, main corrugations 226 and intermediate corrugations 242 can have generally curved shapes, including rounded shoulder parts. Similarly, the tip portion corrugations 246 may have generally curved profile shapes. However, each of the tip portion corrugations 246 may include a groove 232 formed around its circumference. As shown in Figure 9A, parts 235 of outer wall 224 extending over grooves 232 can be removed, such that an engagement projection 233 of each gasket 234 can be inserted into a groove 232 of a corrugated end part 246. As the outer wall 224 extends over and fuses in the corrugations of the tip part 246 and intermediate corrugations 242 along their lengths, except in the parts 235 over the grooves 232, the tip part 214 may have toughness and resistance to deformation, increased, compared to a tip part having only two walls. In the embodiment of Figure 9A, the tip part 214 includes two corrugations of tip part 246, each having a gasket 234 inserted in its respective groove 232. However, it will be considered that the tip part 214 can have any number of corrugations of nose part 246. In addition, each nose part corrugation 246 can be provided with any number of grooves 232 and gaskets 234, as desired. Tip part corrugations 246 can also be reinforced by injecting foam into each tip part corrugation 246. Due to the reduction in the corrugation height of tip part corrugations 246 in relation to main corrugations 126, a tip portion of reduced diameter 214 can be formed so as to telescopically engage mouth portion 212. Specifically, from proper dimensional control of mouth portion 212 and tip portion 214, a water-tight seal can be formed between them.
[00107] As illustrated in Figure 9A, when the outer wall 224 is extruded over the corrugated wall 222, the outer wall 224 may tend to extend naturally over the adjacent corrugations; thus forming closed cavities between the corrugated wall 222, the outer wall 224, and adjacent main corrugations 226. In the vicinity of the coupling preform 211, particularly, the outer wall 224 may have an intermediate part 265 that extends between the corrugations of tip part 246 and mouth end 252, thus forming an annular closed cavity 270 between an adjacent tip part 214 and mouth part 212. If the intermediate part 265 cools and consolidates as naturally occurs when it settles, extruded through the end piece end 250 (i.e., as shown in broken lines), it may be difficult to cut the coupling preform 211 along the end part end 250 for the purpose of separating the contiguous pipe sections between the parts mouth 212 and tip parts 214, adjacent. Specifically, a cutter would need to cut: (1) the outer wall 224 and the corrugated wall 222, at the mouth terminal 252; (2) the intermediate part 265 of the outer wall 224 at the end of the end part 250; (3) the corrugated wall 222 and the inner wall 220 at the end piece end 250; and (4) the inner wall 220 next to an inner wall terminal 254. In addition, a secondary operation would be necessary to deal with the flap that would be left on the outer wall 224, adjacent to the end portion corrugations 246.
[00108] As a result, it may be desirable to stretch the intermediate part 265 of the outer wall 224 against the corrugated wall 222 at the end of the tip part 250. Any suitable method can be used to stretch the intermediate part 265 of the outer wall 224 over the wall corrugated 222 at the tip part terminal 250. As described with respect to the embodiment of Figure 3, a vacuum can be applied to the closed cavity 270 to stretch the intermediate part 265 against the tip part terminal 250. For example, a drilling rig at the vacuum 175 can be disposed downstream of the crosshead die used to extrude the outer wall 224 into the corrugated wall 222. Consequently, the vacuum drill 175 can be configured to pierce the intermediate part 265 and make a vacuum in the closed cavity 270, by evacuation of hot air from the closed cavity 270 through the hole drilled in the outer wall 224.
[00109] However, as shown in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 9A, the vacuum drill 175 can also be arranged adjacent to the mouth terminal 252 more properly than on the tip portion terminal 250. For example, as illustrated in Figure 9A , the vacuum drill 175 can be configured to drill the outer wall 224 where its intermediate part 265 contacts the end of the mouth part 212. In this embodiment, the vacuum drill 175 may be able to penetrate the outer wall 224 without having to move both radially inward towards the center of the closed cavity 270. However, to make a vacuum in the closed cavity 270 by drilling, close to the mouth terminal 252 (instead of close to the tip part terminal 250), a vacuum channel can be formed in a portion of the corrugated wall 222 extending from the mouth terminal 252 to the tip portion terminal 250. As will be more specifically described with r In connection with Figure 10, a vacuum channel 380 can be formed as a groove in the corrugated wall 222 that preserves a fluid path between the outer wall 224 and the corrugated wall 222, extending from the mouth terminal opening 253 in the terminal. from mouth 252 to closed cavity 270 at the end of end piece 250.
[00110] Figure 9A illustrates this embodiment in which the vacuum drill 175 pierces the outer wall 224 in the mouth terminal opening 253. As a result, the vacuum source 178 of the vacuum drill 175 can effect a vacuum in the closed cavity 270 by inserting the hollow needle 176 at the top of the vacuum channel 280 shown in Figure 10. As described in relation to Figure 3, several vacuum drills 175 can be arranged radially, around the circumference of the corrugated tube, and configured to pierce the wall outer 224 adjacent to mouth terminal 252. In such an embodiment, a vacuum channel 280 can be molded into the corrugated wall for each circumferential location in which a vacuum drill 175 is configured to pierce outer wall 224, adjacent to mouth terminal 252 .
[00111] Figure 9A also illustrates the intermediate part 265 of the outer wall 224 after it has been stretched over, and fused, welded, or cohesively bonded to the corrugated wall 222 at the end piece end 250 (i.e., as shown in solid lines), in such a way that all three walls of the corrugated tube are in contact between the tip part 214 and the mouth part 212 of the coupling preform 211. As the walls were lowered together, a scrap part of the coupling preform 211 (indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 9A) can be easily removed by making cuts close to the end piece end 250, mouth end 252, and inner wall end 254. In addition, as the outer wall 224 has been fully stretched against the end of the corrugations of the tip part 242, the tip part 214 is reinforced by the fact that all three tube walls are present and joined at one end of the tip part 214. nth, by means of the action of stretching the intermediate part 265 at the end of the end part 250; the tip part 214 can advantageously be smoothed and tapered in a way that facilitates the insertion of the tip part 214 into a mouth part 212, when the tip part 214 has been fitted with a gasket.
[00112] Figure 9B illustrates an exemplary coupling part 210 that was created by cutting coupling preform 211 as illustrated by the dashed lines in Figure 9A. The coupling part 210 can then be configured to couple a first section of corrugated pipe 216 and a second section of corrugated pipe 218. In general, coupling part 210 may include a mouth portion 212 disposed at one end of the first section of corrugated pipe. corrugated tube 216 and a point part 214 disposed at one end of the second section of corrugated tube 218. The coupling part 210 may also include at least one gasket 234, for retaining and sealing the point part 214 within the mouth part 212 .
[00113] For example, with reference to Figure 9A and the detail of Figure 9B, a sealing surface 238 of each gasket 234 can contact a sealing part 233 of the corrugated wall 222 fused to the outer wall 224. As the corrugated wall 222 is smoothed against the outer wall 224 along the sealing part 233, each gasket 234 can be arranged in a substantially similar diameter to the nose part 214. However, if the sealing part 233 is profiled in order to change the diameters along its extension, then the gaskets 234 can be arranged in corresponding diameters in order to guarantee its sealing engagement with the corrugated wall 222. The extension of the sealing engagement between the gaskets 234 and corrugated wall 222 can be any suitable extension; however, in an exemplary embodiment, point corrugations 246 can extend axially through 2-8 inches of tube. Gaskets 234 can also extend and cover approximately 2-8 inches in the axial direction of the tube, each gasket 234 having a sealing surface 238 approximately 1-4 inches in length. Thus, the sealing surfaces 238 of each gasket 134 can be configured to engage the corrugated wall 222 of the sealing part 233 of the mouth part 212.
[00114] Each 234 gasket can be of any suitable type of water-impermeable, ring gasket. For example, gasket 234 can be dual elastomer gasket including any suitable type of material, such as rubber, polyethylene, Teflon, EPDM, nitrile, thermoplastic elastomers, isoprene or other plastic compounds. Gasket 234 can also incorporate various inserts or metal rings, as needed, to provide structural rigidity. As shown in the detail in Figure 9B, each gasket 234 can include a shoulder in the shape of V 236 configured for easy insertion of the tip part 214 into the mouth part 212 by minimizing the probability of rotation of the gasket 234. For example, each gasket 234 can be selected from one of the types of gaskets disclosed in US Patent 6,948,718 issued to William V. Shaffer and William C. Andrick on September 27, 2005; US patent 7,331,582 issued to William V. Shaffer and William C. Andrick on February 19, 2008; or US Patent 7,185,894 issued to Kevin S. Kish and Pardeep K. Sharma on March 6, 2007 (all assigned to Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.), all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[00115] Figure 10 illustrates a partial perspective view of the exemplary coupling preform 311 of Figure 9A before the outer wall 124, 224 has been extruded over the double wall coupling preform. Coupling preform 311 can include a mouth part 312 and a nose part 314. As described with reference to Figure 9A, the mouth part 312 can include a mouth end opening 353 within which the vacuum drill 175 can be inserted after the outer wall 124, 224 is extruded into the corrugated wall 122, 222. The mouth portion 312 may further include a vacuum channel 380 that provides a fluid passage from the end opening 353 to closed cavity 370. Thus, the vacuum drill 175 can be used to stretch the outer wall 124, 224 against the corrugated wall 122, 222 by inserting the hollow needle 176 into the top of the vacuum channel 380, finally making a vacuum in the closed cavity 370. According to described with reference to Figures 4-6, any additional vacuum channel can be integrally formed in the multi-walled tube in a way that facilitates the realization of a vacuum from a vacuum drill, radially arranged in q u any cavity closed in the tube. For example, additional special sighs 390 may be formed on the corrugated wall 222 for the purpose of ventilating the volumes between the corrugated wall and the inner wall.
[00116] Figures 11-13C will illustrate various types of vacuum drill rigs (numbered in various ways 26, 175, 475, 500, 600 throughout this order). Any of the drill rigs 175, 475, 500, 600 can be incorporated as a vacuum drill 26 in the system 10 of Figure 1. Thus, any of the drill rigs 175, 475, 500, 600 can be positioned as shown in Figures 4, 5 and / or 9A.
[00117] Figure 11 illustrates a cross section of an exemplary 475 vacuum drill suitable for deformation of an outer wall of a corrugated polymer tube, as described above with respect to Figures 4-10. In general, the exemplary vacuum drill 475 may include a drill housing 477 and a drill driver 480 connected to a hollow needle 476. The hollow needle 476 may have a vacuum conduit 482 there, which can be selectively translated for communication of fluid with a vacuum source 478, when moved along axis "a" by drill driver 480.
[00118] Vacuum drill 475 can also be provided with an exemplary contact element 474 around the hollow needle 476. Contact element 474 can have several contact element vacuum holes 464 arranged in communication with an element opening contact 462 formed at a lower end of the drill housing 477. The drill housing 477 can also have a contact element vacuum conduit 461 formed there and configured to facilitate fluid communication between the contact element opening 462 and a contact element vacuum supply 460. Consequently, the contact element vacuum supply 460 can be configured to effect a vacuum in the contact element vacuum holes 464 via the contact element vacuum duct 461 and contact element opening 462.
[00119] In operation, several vacuum drill rigs, such as the exemplary vacuum drill 475, can be arranged downstream of a crosshead die that is configured to continuously extrude an outer polymer wall into a corrugated double-wall tube passing through of the crosshead matrix to form the three-walled tube. The various vacuum drills can be arranged radially around the circumference of the three-walled pipe. As described above, the three-walled tube may have a coupling preform portion arranged in line with the three-walled tube at a predetermined interval corresponding to a desired length of each tube segment to be cut from the tube continuously extruded. As each part of the coupling preform exits the crosshead die, the various vacuum drills can be engaged, in order to pierce an outer wall of the three-walled tube. For example, vacuum drills can pierce the outer wall at a tip terminal, as described with reference to Figure 4. Alternatively, vacuum drills can pierce the outer wall at a mouth terminal, as described with respect to Figures 5 and 9A.
[00120] With reference to Figure 11, the contact element 474 of each vacuum drill 475 can be placed in contact with a part of the external wall. The contact element vacuum supply 460 can apply a vacuum to contact element 474 via contact element vacuum duct 461 and contact element opening 462. Drill driver 480 can then cause the needle hollow 476 translates radially inwards towards a central line of the three-walled tube, in order to perforate the outer wall and place the vacuum conduit 482 in fluid communication with the vacuum source 478. The vacuum source 478 it can then apply a vacuum to an area engaged by the hollow needle 476, such as the closed cavity, as described with respect to Figure 4, or the mouth terminal opening as described with respect to Figure 5. As a result of the vacuum, the part intermediate of the external wall can be stretched from its original orientation (as shown in the dotted lines of Figures 4 and 5) in such a way that it yields and is welded to the corrugated wall at the tip terminal (according to shown to me in solid lines in Figures 4 and 5).
[00121] Figure 12A is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a drill 500 to deform an outer wall of the exemplary coupling preforms, where the drill does not necessarily include a hollow needle configured for insertion into the outer wall. In particular, drill 500 includes a vacuum device 502 that is configured to produce a vacuum when pressed against the outer wall of the tube. Figure 12B is a side view of the exemplary drill rig of Figure 12A, and Figure 12C is a front view of the exemplary drill rig of Figure 12A. As shown in Figure 12C, drill 500 can include a foam ring, rubber 508, which is configured to be pressed against the outer wall when drill 500 is driven radially towards a pipe. The drill 500 can also include a vacuum passage 504 and a perforated vacuum element 506 disposed in the middle of the ring 508. In one embodiment, the vacuum passage 504 can be a circular opening in the middle of the vacuum device 502, while the vacuum element 506, and ring 508, can be arranged in consecutive rings, concentric around vacuum passage 504. Drill 500 can be arranged in communication with a vacuum pump and configured to create a vacuum in the perforations in the vacuum element vacuum 506 as well as vacuum passage 504. Thus, in operation, drill 500 can be driven radially inward towards a newly fabricated section of the three-walled tube such that ring 508 presses against a wall outer tube. The drill 500 can then be triggered to make a vacuum through the vacuum element 506 and vacuum passage 504, in order to create a pressure differential through the outer wall, which results in a thinning, and ultimately a hole in the wall external. Figure 12D is a cross-sectional side view of the exemplary drill rig of Figure 12A, which illustrates the internal configuration of drill 500. As shown in Figure 12D, the passage and vacuum 504 can be slightly conical, or truncated, such that it is enlarged in diameter in a direction towards the outer tube wall.
[00122] Figure 13A is a perspective view of another exemplary drill 600 to deform an external wall of the exemplary coupling preforms. In general, drill 600 may include a vacuum device 602, mounted on chassis 604, such that vacuum device 602 can be selectively translated radially inward, inward and outward direction away from a pipe . The vacuum device 602 can be arranged in communication with a vacuum pump and configured to effect a vacuum against an outer tube wall when moved inwards towards the tube. Figure 13B is a front view of the vacuum device 602 of Figure 13A, and Figure 13C is a detailed cross-sectional view of the exemplary drill rig of Figure 13A. As shown in Figure 13C, the vacuum device 602 can include a tubular element 606, which is mounted on a front end of the vacuum device 602. The tubular element 606 can be arranged in fluid communication with the vacuum pump or other source. vacuum of the vacuum device 602. The tubular element 606 can also be positioned to contact the outer wall when the drill 600 and / or the vacuum device 602 is moved inwardly towards the tube. As further shown in Figure 13C, the tubular member 606 can have a sharp point 608 arranged there. The sharp point 608 can be any suitable type of needle or dagger, such as a sharp drill bit. The sharp point 608 can be positioned within the tubular element 606 in such a way that it contacts and pierces a section of the outer wall drawn to the tubular element 606 by the vacuum induced there. Thus, the sharp point 608 can facilitate the proper drilling of the external wall so that the drilling device 602 can effect a vacuum from the space behind the external wall. In one embodiment, either or both, tubular element 606 and sharp point 608, can be configured to translate in relation to the drilling device 602, independently or together.
[00123] In view of the foregoing, it will be considered that any of drill 500 or drill 600 can be arranged in relation to the mouth and tip parts of a tube, as shown in any of the configurations of Figures 4 and 5. That is, the drill rigs 500 and 600 can be positioned over the closed annular cavity 170 between an adjacent tip part 114 and the mouth part 112, or over the mouth end 152 and the mouth end opening 153. Thus, any of the drill 500 and drill 600 can be positioned and configured to vacuum against the outer wall 124, thereby drilling a hole in the outer wall 124, and then vacuuming the closed annular cavity 170, in order to stretch the outer wall 124 against the corrugated wall 122. Several drill rigs 500 and drill rigs 600 can be positioned in various locations, radially, around the translating pipe. For example, two drill rigs can be arranged 180 degrees on opposite sides of the translating tube. Alternatively, four drill rigs can be arranged at 90 degrees to each other around the translating tube.
[00124] As will be considered by those skilled in the art, the coupling, tube section, and methods presently disclosed can enjoy several advantages over the previously known systems and tube coupling. First, as the tip parts 114, 214 include three walls (i.e., inner wall 120, 220, corrugated wall 122, 222, and outer wall 124, 224), those of ordinary skill in the art would expect parts of tip 114, 214 were substantially stronger than previously known tips. Specifically, the tip parts 114, 214 can be made more rigid, without the use of extensive or excessive amounts of material. Similarly, since mouth portions 112, 222 include two walls (i.e., outer wall 122, 224 and corrugated wall 122, 222), those of skill in the art would expect mouth portions 112, 212 to be substantially stronger than previously known mouths formed from a single wall of material. In particular, mouth parts 112, 212 and tip parts 114, 214 may be stronger than competing products that require the use of even more plastic to form certain tube walls.
[00125] Due to the fact that there can be no significant change in the outside diameter of the pipe near the mouth parts 112, 212, a ditch of substantially constant dimension can be dug along the length of the pipe installation. The tip portion 114, 214 can be designed for the purpose of creating a larger sealing surface on the outer tip wall 164 and a stronger triple wall structure. The tip portion 114, 214 can be designed with the aim of creating a larger sealing surface in the sealing part 133, 233 of the mouth part 112, 214 and a stronger triple wall structure. In each embodiment, creating this larger sealing surface can reduce the likelihood of misalignment between the mouth parts 112, 212, tip parts 114, 214, and gaskets 134, 234, respectively, and can simplify the installation process.
[00126] Thus, an exemplary mouth, tip and gasket disclosed here can create a water-impermeable coupling, in accordance with ASHTO, without the need for additional reinforcement means, such as strips, articulated fasteners, or wraps. However, in some embodiments, it may still be desirable to deform the outer wall of a mouth portion 112, 212 after inserting a tip portion 114, 214 into mouth portion 112, 212. Finally, an exemplary coupling may be substantially "in place" line ”, thus creating a consistent and simple product, which can be easily transported to a job site and installed. This provides advantages in terms of reducing material supplies and man-hours.
[00127] Figures 14-16 illustrate an exemplary air cooler 710, which can be used to cool an outer layer of polymer tube. For example, the exemplary air cooler 710 can be positioned to function either as one or both of the air rings 24 and 28 in system 10 of Figure 1. Particularly, when extruded from the crosshead die 22, the outer layer of the polymer can be extruded at a temperature high enough to bond or melt the outer polymer layer in the corrugated ridges of the corrugated wall. In some cases, it may be desirable to cool an outer layer of polymer tube after the outer layer is extruded onto the outer surface of a double-walled corrugated polymer tube by incorporating the air cooler 710 into either or both of the rings. air 24-28.
[00128] Figure 14 illustrates an exemplary air cooler 710 for cooling an outer layer of pipe. In one embodiment, the 710 air cooler can be used to cool an outer tube layer after the outer layer is extruded into the tube, but before the tube enters a spray tank and / or perforator. For example, the air cooler 710 can be mounted downstream of a pipe corrugator, a crosshead die, a vacuum drill, or any other multilayer pipe making equipment. The 710 air cooler can be mounted upstream of a press roll, spray tank, and a perforator, or any other tube post-processing equipment. In one embodiment, the air cooler 710 can be used without a spray tank in the event that the air cooler 710 is sufficient to conveniently cool the outer tube layer. The air cooler 710 can include a plurality of supports by means of which it can support, or be mounted on, an adjacent pipe making equipment. For example, the air cooler 710 may include a plurality of bearings 713, which can support adjacent equipment (e.g., press roller 30, 810) configured to press an outer tube layer against an inner tube layer.
[00129] The air cooler 710 can include an annular air tubing 712, which has an outer diameter 714 and an inner diameter 716. The air cooler 710 can have an inner opening 715, defined by the inner diameter 716, through the which a multilayer tube can be conducted. Specifically, as shown in Figure 14, a multi-walled tube can be configured to travel continuously in a "D" direction through the interior opening 715 of the air cooler 710.
[00130] As shown in Figure 14, the air cooler 710 can include one or more air inlets 717 arranged in fluid communication with air tubing 712. As shown in the embodiment of Figure 14, air intakes 717 can be in fluid communication with air tubing 712 at outside diameter 714. Air inlets 717 can also be arranged in fluid communication with a pressurized air supply (not shown). For example, air intakes 717 may contact an interior of air tubing 712 with a hose or duct connected to an air pump (not shown). Thus, air intakes 717 can be configured to conduct pressurized air into a hollow interior of air tubing 712. The embodiment of Figure 14 illustrates air cooler 710 having two air intakes 717, each of which is arranged at 180 ° from the other around air tubing 712. However, it will be considered that air cooler 710 can include any number of air intakes 717; it being understood that additional air intakes can reduce turbulence in air tubing 712 and reduce the distance that air must travel around air tubing 712 before exiting towards interior opening 715.
[00131] To release the pressurized air from the air tubing 712 to the inner opening 715, the air cooler 710 can further include a first ring 718 and a second ring 720. The first ring 718 and the second ring 720 can be arranged along the inner diameter 716 of the air pipe 712. In addition, the first ring 718 and the second ring 720 can be formed substantially adjacent to each other and configured to form an annular opening between the air pipe 712 and the inner opening 715 Thus, the first ring 718 and the second ring 720 can form an annular passage through which pressurized air can escape from the air cooler 710 around its integral inner diameter 716.
[00132] Figure 15 illustrates a cross section of part of the exemplary air cooler 710 of Figure 14. As shown in Figure 15, air tubing 712 can include a hollow inner duct 711. Inner duct 711 can be a conduit annular in shape that extends around the total circumference of the air tubing 712. Figure 15 illustrates an air inlet 717 in communication with a part of the inner duct 711 spaced radially from that of the cross section. However, the air inlet 717 can provide an air supply around the total circumference of the inner duct 711. As described above, the first ring 718 and the second ring 720 can be provided in communication with the inner duct 711 along the diameter inner 716 of the air tubing 712. In addition, the first ring 718, and the second ring 720 can be spaced cooperatively to form an annular passage 722 from the inner duct 711 to the inner opening 715.
[00133] Thus, the air can move from a pressurized supply into the inner duct 711 through the air inlet 717. In addition, the air can move from the inner duct 711 into the inner opening 715 via annular passage 722. As shown in Figure 15, the first ring 718 and the second ring 720 can be shaped to form the annular passage 722 as a slit slanted with respect to a central axis "y" of the air cooler 710. Specifically, at each point around the circumference of the air cooler 710, the annular passage 722 can be oriented along an “cc” axis which is arranged at an “0” angle from the central “y” axis . In one mode, the “0” angle can be between 5 ° and 40 °. In another mode, the “0” angle can be between 710 ° and 720 °. In yet another embodiment, the “0” angle can be approximately 715 °. The first ring 718 and the second ring 720 can be provided with any suitable type of mechanism configured to selectively adjust the “0” angle. In addition, the first ring 718 and the second 720 can be provided with any suitable type of mechanism configured to translate the first ring 718 and the second ring 720 with respect to each other, in order to adjust the width of the ring passage 722.
[00134] The inner duct 711 can be provided with any type of inner lining (not shown) arranged in fluid communication with the air inlet 717 and annular passage 722. In addition, the inner duct 711 can be provided with any type of heating equipment; cooling equipment; chemical substance ejection equipment; equipment and liquid ejection; steam ejection equipment; and / or particle ejection equipment. Thus, the inner duct 711 can be configured to conduct any type of treated air, fluid, or other desired material from the inner duct 711, through the annular passage 722, and into the inner opening 715, in order to selectively treat a outer surface of a tube conducted through the inner opening 715.
[00135] As illustrated in Figure 1, the exemplary air cooler 24, 28, 710 can be arranged in a pipe fabrication system downstream of a crosshead matrix 22. Specifically, in a multi-wall pipe fabrication process , a crosshead die 22 can be used to extrude an outer layer of polymer 124 into a double-walled tube. In one embodiment, the outer layer of polymer 124 can be extruded at a temperature high enough to allow the outer layer to bond properly with the corrugation ridges of the corrugated wall 122. Specifically, the outer layer of polymer 124 can be hot enough to at least partially melting the corrugation ridges of the corrugated wall 122, such that the polymer chains of the corrugated wall 122 and outer wall 124 are interspersed and then cool together. This can result in the corrugated wall 122 and outer wall 124 being integrally fused or bonded together on each corrugated wall corrugation crest 122.
[00136] As the outer polymer wall 124 can be extruded at a high temperature, it can exhibit behavior that is detrimental to the formation of an outer wall, 124, with specific aesthetic and / or structural characteristics. For example, the hot polymer outer layer can yield between adjacent corrugation ridges of the corrugated wall 122. Additionally, the hot outer layer can be deformed undesirably by the processes carried out downstream of its extrusion. The hot outer layer can also contribute to the hot gas being retained in the spaces formed between the corrugated wall 122 and the outer wall 124.
[00137] The air cooler 710 can be configured to cool an outer surface of the outer wall 124, but not a medium surface or an inner surface of the outer wall 124. In one embodiment, the outer surface of the outer wall 124 can be cooled only enough to create a thin layer of solidified material on its outer surface. Thus, an outer wall drilling rig positioned downstream of the air cooler 710 may be able to create clean perforations in the outer wall 124 without causing undesirable deformation of the outer wall 124. In addition, as the air cooler 170 can cool a outer surface of the outer wall 124, a spray tank equipment positioned downstream of the air cooler 710 can be relieved in terms of causing undesirable deformation and texturing of the outer surface of the outer wall 124. By avoiding spray tank texturing, the wall external 124 can be aesthetically more attractive and can provide greater tensile strength than an external wall impacted by water in a spray tank prior to an air-cooling process. However, as described above, the air cooler 710 can be used without a spray tank in the event that the air cooler 710 is sufficient to conveniently cool the outer tube layer, in which case the deformation and texturing of the outer layer may completely avoided. The air cooler 710 can also be configured to prevent cooling of the outer wall 124; so that the air trapped between the corrugated wall 122 and the outer wall 124 will cool, reduce in volume, and create a strain-inducing vacuum in the spaces between the corrugated ridges of the corrugated wall 122 and the outer wall 124.
[00138] In one embodiment, the crosshead die 22 can extrude the outer layer of polymer 126 such that it creates slightly concave parts on the outer wall 124 between adjacent corrugation ridges of the corrugated wall 122. Specifically, the outer wall 124 can have a concave part that extends through each corrugation valley and between adjacent corrugation ridges of the corrugated wall 122. The air cooler 710 can be used to cool the outer wall 124 at a rate that facilitates the formation of a desirable amount of concavity in the concave parts on the outer wall 124. For example, the air cooler 710 can cool the outer wall 124, fast enough to alleviate the effect that gravity would otherwise have on the still-melted outer wall 124 after it has been extruded at from the crosshead matrix 22. This can be done to prevent gravity from making the concave parts at the top of the tube more concave and making the parts concave cavities at the bottom of the tube less concave. Thus, the air cooler 710 can cool the outer wall 124 at a rate that promotes uniformity of the profile of the outer wall 124 around its entire circumference and along its length.
[00139] The air cooler 710 can be used to cool the outer wall 124 at a rate that is a function of the temperature and pressure of the air conducted through the air cooler 710. The cooling rate can also be a function of the difference between the temperature of the air conducted through the air cooler and the temperature of the external wall 124. In one embodiment, the pressurized air is at the temperature of the ambient air. However, it will be considered that the pressurized air can be heated or cooled to any temperature. The air can be pressurized in such a way that the air in the air tubing 712 has a pressure between approximately 0.5 psi and 30.0 psi. In addition, the air can be pressurized to provide a pressure against the pipe of approximately 3 cfm / in. at 8 cfm / in. on the tube surface. Of course, it will be considered that any desired air flow rate is considered for use in cooling or otherwise treating the pipe. In addition, the temperature and air flow rate can be readily adjusted manually, or automatically in real time, as desired.
[00140] Figures 16-19 illustrate an exemplary press roller 810, which can be incorporated as a press roller 30 of Figure 1. Even when the outer polymer layer is extruded at a high temperature, the outer layer can sometimes if it is insufficiently attached or fused to the outer surface of the tube Specifically, although a very thin layer of the outer surface can be welded to the newly extruded outer layer, the bonding level can be very shallow to provide sufficient weld between the outer layer and the outer surface of the tube. Thus, a high extrusion temperature can sometimes be insufficient to completely bond an outer layer beyond the immediately outer surface of a polymer tube. Consequently, the press roller 810 can be used to press an outer tube wall to obtain sufficient connection between an outer layer and polymer and the polymer tube.
[00141] The outer polymer layer can be extruded at a temperature high enough to at least partially bond or melt the outer polymer layer in the corrugated ridges of the corrugated wall. For example, the hot polymer outer layer can at least partially melt the corrugated ridges of the corrugated wall. Alternatively, the corrugated ridges of the corrugated wall can be heated using a separate heating element, to increase its level of connection with the extruded outer layer. However, a high extrusion temperature can sometimes be insufficient to completely bond an outer layer beyond the immediately outer surface of a polymer tube. For this reason, pressure can be applied to the outer layer to increase the bonding depth beyond the immediately outer surface of the polymer tube. Thus, in some cases, it may be desirable to press an outer layer of polymer tube against the outer surface of a double-wall corrugated polymer tube after the outer polymer layer is extruded into the double-wall corrugated polymer tube.
[00142] Figure 16 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a press laminating equipment 810. The press laminating equipment 810 can include a frame 812 that has several bearings 814 arranged therein. In one embodiment, the frame 812 can have four bearings 814, each of the four bearings 814 being rotatably arranged in a quadrant of the frame 812. The press laminating equipment 810 can also include a ring carriage 816. The ring carriage 816 it can be rotationally arranged on the 814 bearings and engaged with them. Thus, the annular trolley 816 can be configured to rotate around a central axis, in relation to the frame 812, when guided by the bearings 814.
[00143] The press laminating equipment 810 can also include a drive belt 818, a pulley system 820, and a motor 822. The drive belt 818 can be configured to be wrapped around an external groove arranged in the cart ring 816 and around the wheels of the pulley system 820. At least one wheel of the pulley system 820 can be driven by the motor 822. Thus, the motor 822 can be configured to selectively control a rotation of the ring trolley 816 by manipulating the belt drive 818 via the pulley system 820. The annular carriage 816 can be selectively rotated using any other suitable mechanism, such as a rack and pinion drive, a spiral gear, a gas spring, a crank system, a hydraulic system, a pneumatic system, and / or an electromagnetic drive.
[00144] The press laminating equipment 810 can further include several press laminating mechanisms 824 arranged in the ring carriage 816. As illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 16, the press laminating equipment 810 can include two press laminating mechanisms 824 , each being arranged 180 ° apart from each other in the ring cart 816. Alternatively, the press laminating equipment 810 can include any number of press laminating mechanisms 824, as desired. As will be described in more detail below, each press laminating mechanism 824 can be provided with a pressing element configured to press against an outer tube wall when the tube is driven through the press laminating equipment 810. Although press lamination 810 is described with respect to a embodiment in which the press lamination mechanisms 824 are attached to a rotary ring cart 816, any equivalent or similar mechanism can be used. For example, ring carriage 816 can be attached to frame 812, and a pressing element can be configured to advance around a circumferential path of ring carriage 816 in a manner that adequately rotates the pressing element around a driven tube. through the 810 press laminating equipment.
[00145] Figure 17 illustrates a side view of an exemplary type of press laminating equipment 810. As described above, the press laminating equipment 810 can include frame 812 having bearings 814. Ring carriage 816 can be swiveled on bearings 814. Motor 822 and pulley system 820 can be configured to rotate ring carriage 816 over bearings 814. Ring carriage 816 can rotate about a central axis “D”, along which a pipe can be driven continuously through the press laminating equipment 810. In the exemplary embodiment of Figure 17, two press laminating mechanisms 824 are illustrated as being arranged 180 ° apart from each other in the ring carriage 816.
[00146] In one embodiment, each press laminating mechanism 824 can include a joint 826, a support 828, and a pressing element 830. The joint 826 can mount the support 828 to the ring carriage 816 in the form of translation. 828 can rotatively mount the pressing element 830 on the joint 826. It will be considered that any equivalent or similar system of supports and joints can be used to allow the pressing element 830 to translate and / or rotate in relation to the ring carriage 816 and / or frame 812 of the press laminating equipment 810, as desired.
[00147] Figure 18 illustrates a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of a press laminating mechanism 824. The press laminating mechanism 824 may include a translation member 832, a support 828, and a pressing element 830. The travel member 832, support 828, and press element 830 can be attached to each other in series, as shown in Figure 18, and configured to move together along an “A” axis through a block 836 mounted on the annular carriage 816. The translation member 832 may include an inclined plate 834 integrally arranged there. The press laminating mechanism 824 may also include several opposing cam followers 840 configured to engage opposite faces of the inclined plate 834. Each cam follower 840 can be rotatably arranged at one end of a cylinder 844 connected to a threaded rod 846 The meat follower 840, cylinder 844, and threaded rod 846 can be configured to translate together into a hole 837 formed in block 836. A compression spring 842 can be arranged around the threaded rod 846 between cylinder 844 and the threaded pin 848 arranged in an end cap 838. The compression spring 842 can be configured to induce the cylinder 844 and, therefore, the meat follower 840 in a direction facing the “A” axis. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 18, a pair of opposing meat followers 840 can be configured to contact and press against the opposite faces of the inclined plate 834. Given a specific geometry of the inclined plate 834, compression springs 842 and meat followers 840 can induce the translation member 832, support 828, pressing element 830 along axis “A” towards the center point of ring carriage 816. Thus, pressing element 830 can be induced in a direction facing an axis along which a tube can be guided through the ring trolley 816 of the press lamination equipment 810. A degree of induction provided by the compression springs 842 can be adjusted by turning the grub screws 848 in order to compress or relax the springs. compression 842. Any other suitable device can be used to selectively induce the pressing element 830 towards a central point of the ring cart 816. For example , a rack and pinion drive, a spiral gear, a gas spring, a crank system, a hydraulic system, a pneumatic system, and / or an electromagnetic drive can be used to selectively induce the pressing member 830 towards to a central point of ring cart 816.
[00148] Figure 19 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a support 828 and a pressing element 830 engaging a three-walled pipe 95. As shown in Figure 19, the pressing element 830 can be a relatively cylindrical press roll configured to rotate around a part of the support 828. In one embodiment, the pressing element 830 can be a press roll made of a solid Teflon® block. The pressing element 830 may have a generally rounded profile configured to rotate around the support 828 and roll through a surface of the multi-walled tube. As shown in Figure 19, the pressing element 830 can be a press roll that is substantially cylindrical, with tapered ends configured for displacement up and down in the mouth and tip areas. In another embodiment, the pressing element 830 can be a press roll having a substantially octagonal cross section. In yet another embodiment, the pressing element 830 can be a press roll having a substantially circular cross section. In yet another embodiment, the pressing element 830 can be a press roll having a substantially rectangular cross section. In yet another embodiment, the pressing element 830 can be a press roll having a substantially square cross section.
[00149] Figure 19 illustrates an exemplary pressing element 830 contacting an external wall of the three wall pipe 95. Specifically, the pressing element 830 can press against an external wall of the three wall pipe 95, thereby inducing an external wall of the three-walled pipe 95 against an inner wall of the three-walled pipe 95. It will be considered that the inward induction provided by the press laminating mechanism 824 to the pressing element 830 can be used to compress any two or more layers or walls of a tube having any number of layers or walls, and any type of geometry. Specifically, as shown in Figure 19, the pressing element 830 can have any geometry in cross section that allows it to accommodate diameters that change along a length of multi-walled pipe. In addition, the pressing element 830 can be specially configured to accommodate diameters that change from the tube due to the translation of the pressing element 830 as allowed by the translation member 832. Thus, the pressing element 830 can be configured to press against a pipe having any desired diameter. However, regardless of any translation of the pressure element 830, a sufficient amount of pressing force can be applied to an external wall of the multi-walled tube by adjusting the compression springs 842, using threaded bolts 848.
[00150] Thus, the presently disclosed press laminating equipment 818, press laminating mechanisms 824, and pressing element 830 may be particularly advantageous for use in a method of pressing against an outer tube wall. The method may include extruding a polymer layer from a crosshead matrix in a tube to form an outer tube wall. The method may further include driving the tube including the outer tube wall through a press laminating equipment 810 having a pressing element 830 configured to rotate around the tube. The method may also include mounting the pressing element 830 on a ring cart 816 and rotating ring cart 816 around the tube. The method may also include rotating the pressing element 830 on a support 828 and inducing the support 828 and the pressing element 830 against an outer surface of the outer wall, by means of a spring bias, when the pressing element 830 revolves around a tube driven through the press laminating equipment 810. The method may also include rotating the annular cart 816 at a predetermined speed based on an outside diameter of the tube and an axial speed of the tube through the laminating equipment of press 810.
[00151] The equipment and method presently disclosed can be advantageous in forming an appropriate bond, fusion or welding between adjacent layers of polymer in a multi-walled polymer tube. Specifically, even when an outer tube wall is extruded at a high temperature, the equipment and method presently disclosed can be used to increase the depth of connection between the outer wall of the tube and an adjacent wall of a polymer tube. As a result, a multi-walled pipe made using the exemplary equipment and method described above can benefit from increased strength due to the ability of an external pipe wall to withstand forces on the outside of the pipe and from within the pipe. For example, when the outer wall is extruded into a double-walled tube; comprising a smooth inner wall and a corrugated wall, the pressing equipment and method can allow the outer wall to better withstand the tensile forces transmitted between adjacent corrugations of the corrugated wall.
[00152] Figure 20 illustrates an exemplary modality of sensor 32, in which sensor 32 includes a ski frame 902 and a wheel 910. Ski frame 902 includes a pivot point 904, and an arm 906 that pivots around a pivot point 904. The arm 906 includes an axis 908, around which wheel 910 is configured to rotate freely. The arm 906 also includes a sensor flag 914, which is configured to rotate around pivot point 904 along with the arm 906, as guided by wheel 910. In other words, the ski frame 902 can be arranged in one position fixed in system 10, such as above the three-walled tube when it is being manufactured. Wheel 910 can be configured to contact and roll along the three-walled tube when it travels below ski frame 902. When wheel 910 rotates over ridges and corrugation valves, it pivots up and down around the pivot point 904, thereby pivoting arm 906 and sensor flag 914. Sensor flag 914 is configured to be detected by motion sensor 912. Therefore, sensor 32 is configured to detect movement of sensor flag 914, wheel 910, and so the up and down oscillations of the corrugation ridges and valleys in the three-walled tube, when the tube travels below sensor 32. As described above, the output of sensor 32 (that is, information about the location crests and valleys) can be directed to PLC 50 or any other system component 10.
[00153] The many characteristics and advantages of the invention are evident from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended to cover, by means of the appended Claims, all such characteristics and advantages of the invention that are within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, as several modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, the intention is not to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and consequently, all modifications and suitable equivalents within the scope of the invention can be used.

权利要求:
Claims (22)
[0001]
1. System, (10), for the Manufacture of Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube, the system (10) characterized by comprising: an extruder (18) configured to coextrude concentric annular tubes; a corrugator (20) configured to form concentric annular tubes in a double-walled tube having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall, the corrugated wall including mouth and tip parts; a crosshead die (22) configured to extrude an outer tube wall (34) into the corrugated wall of the double-walled tube; a vacuum drill (26) configured to penetrate the outer wall (34) of the tube and effect a vacuum between the corrugated wall and the outer wall (34), such that the outer wall (34) of the tube is deformed in the direction inwards towards the corrugated wall of the tube between the mouth and tip parts of the corrugated wall; a press roller (30) configured to press the outer wall (34) against the corrugated wall, where the press roller (30) is positioned downstream of the vacuum drill (26); and a cutter configured to cut the tube in sections where the vacuum drill (26) deformed the outer wall (34) between the mouth and tip parts of the corrugated wall.
[0002]
2. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises: an air ring (24, 28) configured to blow cooling air on the external wall (34).
[0003]
3. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 2, characterized in that the air ring (24, 28) is positioned downstream of the vacuum drill (26) and the press roller (30) is positioned downstream of the air ring (24, 28).
[0004]
4. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises an air ring (24, 28) mounted on the crosshead matrix (22), the air ring (24, 28) being configured to blow air against the outer wall (34) of the tube when it leaves the crosshead template (22).
[0005]
5. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises an external wall drill (34); wherein the outer wall drill (34) is configured to drill holes in the outer wall (34) between adjacent corrugation ridges, to ventilate the annular spaces between the outer wall (34) and the corrugated wall.
[0006]
6. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 5, characterized in that the external wall drill (34) is positioned downstream of the vacuum drill (26).
[0007]
7. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 1, which further comprises: an external wall drill (34) configured to drill holes in the external wall (34) between ridges adjacent corrugation in the corrugated wall; and a corrugation sensor (32) configured to detect corrugations in one of the corrugated and external wall (34); characterized in that the external wall drill (34) is activated based on the feedback received from the corrugation sensor (32).
[0008]
8. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 7, further comprising an air ring (24, 28) positioned downstream of the vacuum drill (26) and configured to blow cooling air on the external wall (34); characterized in that the corrugation sensor (32) is arranged downstream of the air ring (24, 28).
[0009]
9. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 7, further comprising: an air ring (24, 28) positioned downstream of the vacuum drill (26) and configured to blow cooling air on the external wall (34); characterized in that the corrugation sensor (32) is arranged downstream of the air ring (24, 28) and the press roller (30).
[0010]
10. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to Claim 1, further comprising: a first air ring (24, 28) mounted on the crosshead matrix (22), the first air ring (24, 28) being configured to blow air against the outer wall (34) of the tube when it leaves the crosshead template (22); and a second air ring (24, 28) positioned downstream of the vacuum drill (26) and configured to blow cooling air into the outer wall (34); characterized in that the press roller (30) is positioned downstream of the second air ring (24, 28).
[0011]
11. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an inflatable seal to selectively seal between the double wall tube and an upstream end of the die crosspiece (22).
[0012]
12. System, (10), For Manufacturing of Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube, the system (10) comprising: an extruder (18) configured to coextrude concentric ring tubes; a corrugator (20) configured to form concentric ring tubes in a double-walled tube having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall; a crosshead die (22) configured to extrude an outer tube wall (34) into the corrugated wall of the double-walled tube; a vacuum drill (26) configured to penetrate the outer wall (34) of the tube and effect a vacuum between the corrugated wall and the outer wall (34), such that the outer wall (34) of the tube is deformed in the direction inward towards the corrugated pipe wall; a press roller (30) configured to press the outer wall (34) against the corrugated wall, characterized in that the press roller (30) is positioned downstream of the vacuum drill (26); and an outer wall drill (34) configured to drill the outer wall (34) between adjacent corrugations of the corrugated wall.
[0013]
13. System, (10), for the manufacture of multi-wall corrugated polymer tube, according to claim 12, characterized in that it further comprises an inflatable seal to selectively seal between the double wall tube and an upstream end of the die crosspiece (22).
[0014]
14. Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube Manufacturing Method, the method comprising: coextruding the double wall tube having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall; extruding an outer tube wall (34) into the corrugated wall of the double wall tube; penetrate the outer wall (34) of the tube with a vacuum drill (26); effecting a vacuum between the corrugated wall and the external wall (34) by means of the vacuum drill (26), between mouth parts and tip of the corrugated wall; and pressing the outer wall (34) against the corrugated wall by means of a press roller (30), characterized in that the press roller (30) is downstream of the vacuum drill (26).
[0015]
15. Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube Manufacturing Method, according to Claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises: cooling the external wall (34) by directing the fluid to an external surface of the external wall (34).
[0016]
16. Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube Manufacturing Method, according to Claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises: blowing cooling air into the outer wall (34) before effecting the vacuum.
[0017]
17. Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube Manufacturing Method, according to Claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises: determining a number, location, speed of displacement of the corrugations in the corrugated wall; and generate a feedback signal based on the detected corrugations.
[0018]
18. Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube Manufacturing Method, according to Claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises: drilling a hole in the outer wall (34) between adjacent corrugations, based on the feedback signal.
[0019]
19. Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube Manufacturing Method, according to Claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises: drilling at least one hole in the outer wall (34) between each set of adjacent corrugations in the corrugated wall.
[0020]
20. Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube Manufacturing Method, according to Claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises: cutting the tube into sections of tube between the mouth and tip parts of the corrugated wall, in such a way that each tube section includes a mouth part and a tip part.
[0021]
21. Method of Manufacture of Corrugated Polymer Tube of Multiple Walls, according to Claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises: cooling the external wall (34) by directing fluid to an external surface of the external wall (34); detect corrugations in the corrugated wall; and drilling a hole in the outer wall (34) between adjacent corrugations based on the detected corrugations.
[0022]
22. Multiple Wall Corrugated Polymer Tube Manufacturing Method, according to Claim 14, characterized in that the vacuum causes the outer wall (34) to be deformed inwardly towards the corrugated wall between the parts of mouth and end of the corrugated wall.

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同族专利:

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公开号 | 公开日

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WO2011112456A3|2012-01-26|

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WO2011112456A2|2011-09-15|

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CA2792088A1|2011-09-15|

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AR080484A1|2012-04-11|

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BR112012022191A2|2019-09-10|

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CA2792088C|2016-10-04|

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US8579624B2|2013-11-12|

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US20100224306A1|2010-09-09|

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CL2012002460A1|2012-12-21|

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PE20130765A1|2013-06-26|

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法律状态:
2020-01-21| B06A| Notification to applicant to reply to the report for non-patentability or inadequacy of the application [chapter 6.1 patent gazette]|

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2020-05-26| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|

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2020-10-20| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 04/03/2011, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |

优先权:

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申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题

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US12/721,253|2010-03-10|

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US12/721,253|US8579624B2|2008-02-11|2010-03-10|Systems and methods for making multi-wall corrugated pipe|

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PCT/US2011/027210|WO2011112456A2|2010-03-10|2011-03-04|Systems and methods for making multi-wall corrugated pipe|

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