Device for joining components made of fusible plastic
AssigneeFriatec Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsGerhard Mueller, Wolfgang Sichler, Fabian Maier
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Abstract
A device for connecting components (1, 2, 3) made of fusible plastic, especially pipes (12, 60) of a fuel pipeline or a fuel line to a fuel tank (8) of a vehicle. The device includes a heating element (4) having ends (44, 46) which are used to supply electrical energy. The device is easy to use, simple to mount, and produces a functionally reliable welded joint between the components (1, 2, 3). To achieve this, one component (3) includes a retaining body (16) for a retaining tool (50), and the two ends (44, 46) of the heating element (4) extend onto the retaining body (16) where they can engage contact elements (56, 57) on the retaining tool (50).
Claims13
A device for connecting components made of fusible plastic, the components including a first component comprising a fuel tank, said fuel tank having a tank opening configured as an inwardly directed annular sleeve protruding into the interior of the tank, a second component comprising an end of a plastic fuel line inserted into the inwardly protruding sleeve of the first component with an annular gap between the first and second components, and a welding sleeve disposed in the annular gap between the first and second components, said device comprising:
- a heating element having ends through which electrical energy can be supplied;
- and
- a holding element for engaging a holding tool, wherein
- the heating element and the holding element are part of the welding sleeve and the heating element is arranged on inner and outer surfaces of the welding sleeve,
- the ends of the heating element are disposed on the holding element and engage contacts on the holding tool when the holding tool is applied to the holding element, and
- the welding sleeve includes an insertion depth limit stop on the outer surface of the welding sleeve, wherein said insertion depth limit stop is a radially-outward projecting ridge formed over at least two portions of a circumference of the welding sleeve.
An assembly of fused components made of fusible plastic, comprising:
- a first fusible plastic component comprising a fuel tank, said fuel tank having a tank opening configured as an inwardly directed annular sleeve protruding into the interior of the tank;
- a second fusible plastic component comprising an end of a plastic fuel line disposed in the inwardly protruding sleeve of the first component such that there is an annular gap between the first and second components;
- and
- a welding sleeve disposed in the annular gap between the first and second components, said welding sleeve having a heating element arranged on inner and outer surfaces thereof and disposed between the first fusible plastic component and the second fusible plastic component,
- wherein
- the welding sleeve includes an insertion depth limit stop on an outer surface of the welding sleeve, said insertion depth limit stop is a radially-outward projecting ridge formed over at least two portions of a circumference of the welding sleeve, and
- an inner surface of the first component is fused to the outer surface of the welding sleeve in a vicinity of an outer surface portion of the heating element, and an outer surface of the second component is fused to the inner surface of the welding sleeve in a vicinity of an inner surface portion of the heating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.