Apparatus for joining plastic tubes

22:

• An apparatus for joining plastic tubes, comprising a depositing surface on which an end section of a first plastic tube is deposited, and comprising a fixing surface for temporarily fixing to the apparatus a region of the end section of the plastic tube, wherein a movable treatment body for treating the end section of the plastic tube is provided above the depositing surface, wherein this treatment body can be moved relative to the depositing surface both in a longitudinal direction (L) of the plastic tube and in a direction (R) perpendicular to the depositing surface.

23:

• The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the treatment body comprises at least one roller is pivotable about a rotation axis (X) which is perpendicular to a plane defined by the directions (R) and (L).

24:

• The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the treatment body is arranged on the apparatus such that it is pivotable about a predefined pivot axis (Y).

25:

• The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the treatment body can be moved between at least two positions relative to the depositing surface, wherein the treatment body in a first position is arranged at least partially in front of the fixing surface in the longitudinal direction (L) of the plastic tube.

26:

• The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the apparatus comprises a holding rod which is arranged parallel to the treatment body.

27:

• The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein provided on the depositing surface are at least two positioning pins which can be displaced in the direction (R) perpendicular to the depositing surface.

28:

• The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein arresting means are provided which arrest the treatment body in a predefined position relative to the fixing surface.

29:

• An installation for joining plastic tubes, comprising at least one apparatus according to claim 22 and also a guiding device which guides up to the plastic tube an end section of a further plastic tube which is to be joined to the end section of this plastic tube.

30:

• The installation according to claim 29, wherein the installation comprises a plurality of apparatuses according to claim 22, and the guiding device can be moved between these apparatuses.

31:

• The installation according to claim 29, wherein the installation comprises a sensor device which detects a geometric position of an end section of the plastic tube.

32:

• The installation according to claim 29, wherein the guiding device comprises a drive device which moves the treatment body relative to the depositing surface.

33:

• The preparation unit for preparing plastic tubes which are to be joined, comprising a depositing surface on which an end section of a plastic tube can be deposited, comprising a fixing device for fixing the end section temporarily and relative to the depositing surface, and comprising an actuation element which is coupled to a cutting device for cutting the plastic tubes, wherein the preparation unit comprises a punching device for making holes in the plastic tubes, wherein the punching device is coupled to the actuation element in such a way that, during a predefined actuation of the actuation element, both a cutting operation and a punching operation are carried out.

34:

• The preparation unit according to claim 33, wherein the punching device comprises two pins which are spaced apart from one another.

35:

• The preparation unit according to claim 33, wherein the distance between the spaced-apart pins is variable.

37:

• The method according to claim 36, wherein the treatment body is moved during the joining operation both in the longitudinal direction (L) of the plastic tube and also in a direction (R) perpendicular to the plane of the plastic tube.

38:

• The method according to claim 36, wherein the first end section of the first plastic tube is provided with a self-adhesive material.

39:

• The method according to claim 36, wherein two holes are punched into the first end section of the plastic tube.

40:

• The method according to claim 36, wherein the treatment body is moved over the joining section after the end sections have been joined.

41:

• The method according to claim 36, wherein the end section is prepared using a preparation unit claim 33.

42:

• The method according to claim 36, wherein the end section is prepared using a preparation unit as claimed in claim 34.

43:

• The method according to claim 36, wherein the end section is prepared using a preparation unit as claimed in claim 35.

44:

• The method according to claim 36, wherein the end sections are joined by means of an apparatus as claimed in claim 42.