Heating system for heating a heat shrink component, heat shrink component, and method of assembling a heat shrink component
AssigneeTyco Electronics Raychem GmbH
InventorsThilo Simonsohn, Christian Heindl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heating system for heating a heat shrink layer of a heat shrink component during a heat shrink process includes a heating unit arranged in thermal contact with at least a part of the heat shrink layer and heating the heat shrink layer to a heat shrink temperature. The heating unit has a first heating zone and a second heating zone. The first heating zone has a different heating energy than the second heating zone for a period of time of the heat shrink process.
Claims20
A heating system for heating a heat shrink layer of a heat shrink component during a heat shrink process, comprising:
- a heating unit arranged in continuous contact with an exterior surface of the heat shrink layer about its circumference and heating the heat shrink layer to a heat shrink temperature, the heating unit has a first heating zone and a second heating zone in which the heat shrink process starts in the first heating zone and then advances along a longitudinal axis towards the second heating zone and to a plurality of peripheral ends, an electrically conductive lead is received within a plurality of formed recesses of the heat shrink layer, the heating unit is bonded to the heat shrink layer, the heat shrink layer includes a plurality of T-shaped projections around the circumference of the heat shrink layer which receive a plurality of leads of the heating unit therebetween in a form fit, and the first heating zone has a different heating energy than the second heating zone for a period of time of the heat shrink process.
A heat shrink component, comprising:
- a heat shrink sleeve with a heat shrink layer;
- and
- a heating system including at least one first heating unit and at least one second heating unit arranged in mechanical and thermal contact with at least a part of the heat shrink sleeve and heating the heat shrink layer to a heat shrink temperature, the heat shrink component having first dimensions in an expanded state and second dimensions in a shrunken state, a plurality of T-shaped projections are disposed around a circumference of the heat shrink layer heat shrink component which receive a plurality of leads of the heating unit therebetween in a form fit, at least one of the first dimensions being larger than a corresponding one of the second dimensions, the heating unit has a first heating zone and a second heating zone in which a heat shrink process starts in the first heating zone and then advances along a longitudinal axis towards the second heating zone and to a plurality of peripheral ends, the first heating zone has a same or a different heating energy than the second heating zone for a period of time during the heating, the heating unit having an electrically conductive lead heated by an electrical current flowing through the electrically conductive lead and a heat spreading layer arranged between an exterior surface of the heat shrink layer and the electrically conductive lead, the heat spreading layer circumferentially distributing a heat generated by the electrically conductive lead, the heating unit is bonded to the heat shrink layer, the heat shrink sleeve having an essentially tube shaped form with a longitudinal axis, and the heating unit radially encompasses the heat shrink component, the first and second heating zones being arranged along the longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.