Resin supply hose with removable core
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorMike D. Durham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heated resin supply hose for supplying molten resin in a molding process, such as a RTM process, includes a removable inner core tube or conduit that can be readily removed from reusable supply hose components after each injection cycle to make a molded article. The reusable hose components include a core-receiving conduit for slidably receiving the core conduit and a heating element on the core-receiving conduit as well as additional hose component layers. The used core conduit having residual resin therein is removed from the core-receiving conduit and replaced by a new core conduit that is inserted in the core-receiving conduit in making another molded article.
Claims11
A supply hose for molten material, comprising a removable inner core conduit for transferring the molten material and slidably received in reusable hose components that include a core-receiving conduit and a heating element disposed proximate said core-receiving conduit.
A resin supply hose for molten resin, comprising a removable inner core conduit for transferring the molten material and reusable hose components comprising a core-receiving conduit for receiving said core conduit for sliding movement therein, a heating element disposed on said core-receiving conduit, a reinforcement disposed on said heating element, a thermal insulating layer disposed on the reinforcement, and a protective outer casing disposed on the thermal insulating layer, said core conduit including opposite ends that extend beyond ends of said core-receiving conduit and provided with a respective fitting for connection to a resin source and a mold so that molten resin can be supplied from the source to the mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.