Apparatus and method for producing a metallic tube for light waveguides
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorFranz-Josef Wichmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for manufacturing a metallic tube having at least one light waveguide, wherein the tube is rolled for cross sectional shaping after welding of the edges of the band forming the tube.
Claims23
A method of manufacturing a metal tube in which at least one light waveguide is introduced, said method comprising the steps of preshaping an elongated metal band moving in a haul-off direction into a tubular shape with two edges of the band adjacent each other, welding the two edges of the tubular-shaped metal band to one another in a welding region to form a welded metal tube with a longitudinal weld extending in said haul-off direction, introducing at least one light waveguide into the welded metal tube and, while welding the two edges, contacting the metal tube on an outside on both sides of the weld with a dry surface of at least one cooling member while maintaining the two edges accessible.
An apparatus for manufacturing a metal tube into which at least one light waveguide is introduced, said apparatus including means for shaping an elongated metal band moving in a haul-off direction into a tube with two edges of the band adjacent each other, means for welding the two edges of the tube-shaped metal band together in a welding region to form a welded tube with a longitudinal weld extending in said haul-off direction of the moving tube, means for introducing the light waveguides into said welded tube, and at least one cooling member being provided in said welding region for contacting the tube on an outside surface at both sides of the weld with a dry contacting surface which cools the welded tube as it passes through in the haul-off direction, said cooling member having a longitudinal slot extending in the haul-off direction so that the longitudinal weld of the tube is freely accessible.
An apparatus for manufacturing a metal tube into which at least one light waveguide is introduced, said apparatus including means for shaping an elongated metal band moving in a haul-off direction into a tubular-shaped band with two edges of the band adjacent each other, means for welding the two edges of the tubular-shaped band together in a welding region to form a welded metal tube with a longitudinal weld extending in said haul-off direction, means for introducing the light waveguides into said welded metal tube, the means for shaping having at least one solid member being provided in said welding region for contacting the tube on an outside surface at both sides of the weld as the tube passes through in the haul-off direction, said solid member having a longitudinal slot extending along the weld in the haul-off direction to provide free access to the weld and the solid member opposing the band edges of the
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.