Weldable connecting element for connecting or joining thermoplastic line elements, and a welding assembly and a method for producing a welded connection
Assigneeagru Kunststofftechnik Gesellschaft m.b.H.
InventorsAlbert Lueghamer, Gerald Severa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a weldable connecting element 2 for connecting or joining thermo-plastic line elements 3. The connecting element 2 comprises: a thermoplastic body 4; at least one heating element 6, which is embedded in the body 4, wherein the heating element 6 serves to generate heat in a welding area 5 for welding the body 4 to the at least one line element 3. Furthermore, a joining control 12 is provided, which is configured to prohibit the welding operation and/or to interrupt the welding operation if the body 4 and the line element 3 are not joined correctly.
Claims21
A weldable connecting element for connecting or joining thermoplastic line elements, comprising:
- a thermoplastic body;
- at least one heating element, which is embedded in the body, wherein the heating element serves to generate heat in a welding area for welding the body to the at least one line element;
- and,
- a joining control configured to prohibit the start of the welding operation and/or to interrupt the welding operation if the body is not correctly joined with the line element;
- wherein the heating element is configured in the form of a resistance heating wire;
- and
- wherein the joining control comprises an interruption in the resistance heating wire.
A welding assembly comprising:
- at least one thermoplastic line element;
- a connecting element, which has a thermoplastic body, wherein a heating element is embedded in the body, which serves to generate heat in a welding area for welding the body to the at least one line element;
- a welding device for welding the connecting element to the at least one thermo-plastic line element;
- and
- a joining control configured to prohibit the start of the welding operation and/or to interrupt the welding operation if the body is not correctly joined with the line element (3);
- wherein the joining control comprises a sensor and a sensor counter-element, wherein the sensor counter-element is arranged or can be arranged on the line element.
A method for connecting or joining thermoplastic line elements with a connecting element, comprising the method steps:
- providing the at least one thermoplastic line element;
- providing the connecting element, which comprises a thermoplastic body, wherein a heating element configured in the form of a resistance heating wire is embedded in the body to generate heat in a welding area for welding the body to the at least one line element;
- joining the connecting element with the at least one thermoplastic line element;
- providing a welding device connected to the heating element for welding the connecting element to the at least one thermoplastic line element, wherein the welding device is coupled to a sensor of a joining control, wherein a correct connection of the connecting element and the line element is retrieved by the welding device using the sensor before a start of a welding operation and/or during the welding operation;
- welding the connecting element to the at least one thermoplastic line element by generating heat in the welding area using the welding device;
- wherein the joining control establishes a connection in an interruption of the resistance heating wire if the line element is correctly joined with the connecting element;
- wherein the welding device detects an interruption of the resistance heating wire and issues an error message;
- and
- wherein the welding operation is started or resumed only if the correct connection between the body and the at least one thermoplastic line element is determined by the joining control.
A welding assembly comprising:
- at least one thermoplastic line element;
- a connecting element, which has a thermoplastic body, wherein a heating element is embedded in the body, which serves to generate heat in a welding area for welding the body to the at least one line element;
- a welding device for welding the connecting element to the at least one thermo-plastic line element;
- and
- a joining control configured to prohibit the start of the welding operation and/or to interrupt the welding operation if the body is not correctly joined with the line element;
- wherein the joining control comprises a sensor coupled to the welding device;
- and
- wherein the correct connection of the connecting element and the line element is retrieved by the welding device using the sensor before the start of the welding operation and/or during the welding operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.