Manufacturing apparatus and method for multiple containment tubing
AssigneeEntegris, Inc.
InventorBruce W. Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A manufacturing apparatus and method for multiple containment tubing produces continuous, nested tubing, or one tube within another tube, without having to fix the space between the tubes or position them concentrically. Consequently the tubing is very flexible and with uniform wall thickness. Moreover, because the inner surface of the outer tube and the outer surface of the inner tube are ribless, these kinds of features cannot interfere with the bending and twisting and the operation of the tubes comprising the tubing. The space between the tubes, or free space, has sufficient volume to contain a range of contents of the inner tube, as a safety containment device, if the inner tube ruptures, cracks, or otherwise breaks.
Claims12
An apparatus for making continuous, nested tubing including an outer tube and at least one inner tube, and having free space between the outer tube and the at least one inner tube, comprising:
- an outer tube extruder including an extruder body, a mandrel, and a die body, the mandrel and the die body each having a longitudinal direction, wherein the die body and the mandrel are approximately longitudinally aligned and the die body circumscribes the mandrel, wherein the mandrel and the die body are connected to the extruder body, wherein an outer tube extruder bore at least passes through the mandrel longitudinally to provide a passage for the at least one inner tube through the outer tube extruder, and wherein the die body and the mandrel form a cavity into which a melt pool is forced through to create a ribless outer tube surrounding the at least one inner tube;
- an outer tube sizing device having a sizing device bore therethrough to receive and size and shape the outer tube;
- and
- a hollow annular guide having a wall with a distal end and a duct opening on the distal end, the annular guide extending at least from the outer tube extruder bore into the sizing device bore, wherein the at least one inner tube passes through the annular guide and the outer tube surrounds the annular guide, and wherein a duct at least passes through the wall of the annular guide to the duct opening to apply a cooling agent to the outer tube.
An apparatus for making continuous, nested tubing including an outer tube and at least one inner tube, and having free space between the outer tube and the at least one inner tube, comprising:
- an outer tube extruder including an extruder body, a mandrel, and a die body, the mandrel and the die body each having a longitudinal direction, wherein the die body and the mandrel are approximately longitudinally aligned and the die body circumscribes the mandrel, wherein the mandrel and the die body are connected to the extruder body, wherein an outer tube extruder bore at least passes through the mandrel longitudinally to provide a passage for the at least one inner tube through the outer tube extruder, and wherein the die body and the mandrel form a cavity into which a melt pool is forced through to create an outer tube surrounding the at least one inner tube;
- an outer tube sizing device having a sizing device bore therethrough to receive and size and shape the outer tube;
- and
- a hollow annular guide having a wall with a distal end and a duct opening on the distal end, the annular guide extending at least from the outer tube extruder bore into the sizing device bore, wherein the at least one inner tube passes through the annular guide and the outer tube surrounds the annular guide, and wherein a duct at least passes through the wall of the annular guide to the duct opening to apply a cooling agent to the outer tube.
A method for making continuous, nested tubing including an outer tube and at least one inner tube, and having free space between the outer tube and each inner tube, comprising:
- (a) providing an outer tube extruder including an extruder body, a mandrel, and a die body, the mandrel and the die body each having a longitudinal direction, and wherein an outer tube extruder bore at least passes through the mandrel longitudinally to provide a passage for the at least one inner tube through the outer tube extruder;
- (b) providing an outer tube sizing device having a sizing device bore therethrough;
- (c) providing a hollow annular guide having a wall with a distal end and a duct opening on the distal end, the annular guide extending at least from the outer tube extruder bore into the sizing device bore;
- (d) providing a duct at least passing through the wall of the annular guide to the duct opening;
- (e) passing the at least one inner tube through the outer tube extruder bore and the annular guide;
- (f) passing the at least one inner tube through the sizing device bore;
- (g) forcing a melt pool between the die body and the mandrel to create a ribless outer tube at the same rate of speed as the at least one inner tube is moving, which outer tube surrounds the annular guide;
- (h) pulling the outer tube through the sizing device bore to shape and size the outer tube;
- and
- (i) simultaneously with steps (g) and (h), applying a cooling agent through the duct opening to the outer tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.