# US 8,783,317 B1 · Method and apparatus for producing polymer solar collectors and heat exchangers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,317 B1 - Document ID: US8783317B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/829,402 - Filed: 2013-03-14 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: Richard O. Rhodes - Applicants: Richard O. Rhodes - Inventors: Richard O. Rhodes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783317B1 ## CPC - B29C 53/12: helically, e.g. for making springs {(for textile fibres D02G1/00)} - B29C 53/60: using internal forming surfaces, e.g. mandrels - F24S 10/73: {the tubular conduits being of plastic material} - F28F 21/062: {the heat-exchange apparatus employing tubular conduits} - B29C 65/02: by heating, with or without pressure - B29C 65/38: Impulse heating - B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)} - B29C 66/5227: {for forming multi-tubular articles by longitudinally joining elementary tubular articles wall-to-wall (e.g. joining the wall of a first tubular article to the wall of a second tubular article) or for forming multilayer tubular articles} - B29C 66/5326: {said single elements being substantially flat} - B29C 66/63: {Internally supporting the article during joining (B29C66/49 takes precedence)} - B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)} - B29C 66/7352: {Thickness, e.g. very thin} - B29C 66/73521: {of different thickness, i.e. the thickness of one of the parts to be joined being different from the thickness of the other part} - B29C 66/949: {characterised by specific time values or ranges} - B29C 2793/009: after shaping - B29L 2031/18: Heat-exchangers or parts thereof - F24S 2025/6011: {by welding or brazing} - F28F 2275/06: by welding - Y02E 10/44: Heat exchange systems - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A panel former is provided for producing a panel that is formed from polymer tubing for solar collectors, heat exchangers, and other devices. The panel former can receive the tubing and continuously wrap the tubing around a drum so that support members can be welded to the tubing. After the support members are welded to the tubing, the tubing can be cut along a line substantially parallel to the support members to remove the tubing from the panel former and to form the risers in a panel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A panel former for producing a panel formed of polymer tubing, the panel former comprising: a drum having an outer surface around which polymer tubing can be wrapped; a rotatable arm having a carriage attached thereto such that when the arm rotates, the carriage travels around the outer surface of the drum to guide the polymer tubing around the drum, wherein the carriage has an angled bottom edge that acts as a tube indexer for moving welded tube a predetermined distance along the outer surface of the drum as additional tubing is wrapped around inner drum; and a welding device having a heating element positioned on the outer surface of the drum and configured to weld a plurality of polymer supports to polymer tubing wrapped around the drum, the polymer supports being positioned between the welding device and the polymer tubing during welding and wherein the polymer supports are oriented substantially orthogonal to the tubing; and wherein the welding device is activated by a feature attached to the rotatable arm and the feature pushes down a switch to activate the welding device when the feature travels around the drum as the rotatable arm rotates. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The panel former as recited in claim 1, wherein the welding device is an impulse welder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The panel former as recited in claim 1, further comprising a tube positioner for holding the tubing against an outer surface of the drum. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The panel former as recited in claim 3, wherein the tube positioner is a belt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The panel former as recited in claim 1, further comprising a source of the tubing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The panel former as recited in claim 5, wherein the source is an extruder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The panel former as recited in claim 5, wherein the source is a spool around which tubing is wound. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The panel former as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cutting device for cutting the tubing along a line that is substantially parallel to the polymer supports. ### Claim 9 A panel former for producing a panel formed of polymer tubing, the panel former comprising: a drum having an outer surface around which polymer tubing can be wrapped; a belt for holding the tubing against an outer surface of the drum; a rotatable arm having a carriage attached thereto such that when the arm rotates, the carriage travels around the outer surface of the drum to guide the polymer tubing around the drum; and a welding device having a heating element positioned on the outer surface of the drum and configured to weld a plurality of polymer supports to polymer tubing wrapped around the drum, the polymer supports being positioned between the welding device and the polymer tubing during welding and wherein the polymer supports are oriented substantially orthogonal to the tubing; and a roller attached to the rotatable arm, wherein the belt is wrapped around the drum and the roller such that a portion of the belt is spaced apart from the drum by the roller, wherein the welding device is activated by a feature attached to the rotatable arm and the feature pushes down a switch to activate the welding device when the feature travels around the drum as the rotatable arm rotates. ### Claim 10 A panel former for producing a panel formed of polymer tubing, the panel former comprising: a drum having an outer surface around which polymer tubing can be wrapped; a belt for holding the tubing against an outer surface of the drum; a rotatable arm having a carriage attached thereto such that when the arm rotates, the carriage travels around the outer surface of the drum to guide the polymer tubing around the drum to form a plurality of tubing hoops; a roller attached to the rotatable arm, wherein the belt is wrapped around the drum and the roller such that as the rotatable arm rotates about the drum, a portion of the belt adjacent the roller is spaced apart from the drum by the roller, wherein the carriage is arranged to feed the tubing around the outer surface of the drum in an area where the belt is spaced apart from the drum as the rotatable arm rotates around the drum; a welding device configured to weld a plurality of polymer supports to the polymer tubing hoops wrapped around the drum, wherein the polymer supports are oriented substantially orthogonal to the tubing; and wherein the carriage further includes a structure that pushes the welded tubing hoops positioned under the belt downward along the outer surface of the drum relative to the belt such that as multiple subsequent hoops are added, at least one hoop will move downward below the belt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The panel former of claim 10, wherein the carriage moves a welded tubing hoop a predetermined distance away from tubing being dispensed while feeding a subsequent wrap of tubing around the outer surface of the drum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The panel former of claim 10, wherein the carriage has an angled bottom edge for moving the tubing down along the outer surface of the drum. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The panel former of claim 10, wherein the carriage has an aperture through which the tubing passes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The panel former of claim 10, wherein the welding device has a heating element positioned on the outer surface of the drum. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The panel former of claim 10, wherein the welding device is activated by a feature attached to the rotatable arm. ### Claim 16 A panel former for producing a panel formed of polymer tubing, the panel former comprising: a drum having an outer surface around which polymer tubing can be wrapped; a rotatable arm having a carriage attached thereto such that when the arm rotates, the carriage travels around the outer surface of the drum to guide the polymer tubing around the drum, wherein the carriage also acts as a tube indexer configured to move wrapped tubing down along the outer surface of the drum a predetermined distance from tubing being dispensed; and a welding device configured to weld a plurality of polymer supports to polymer tubing wrapped around the drum, wherein the polymer supports are oriented substantially orthogonal to the tubing, and wherein the welding device is activated by a cam or a paddle attached to the rotatable arm on an end opposite to an end on which the carriage is attached. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The panel former of claim 16, wherein the cam or the paddle pushes down a switch to activate the welding device when the feature travels around the drum as the rotatable arm rotates. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The panel former of claim 16, further comprising a belt wrapped around the drum for tensioning the tubing against the outer surface of the drum. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The panel former of claim 16, further comprising a cutting device for cutting the tubing along a line that is substantially parallel to the polymer supports. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The panel former of claim 16, wherein the tubing is provided by an extruder. ### Claim 21 A panel former for producing a panel formed of polymer tubing, the panel former comprising: a drum having an outer surface around which polymer tubing can be wrapped; a rotatable arm having a carriage attached thereto such that when the arm rotates, the carriage travels around the outer surface of the drum to guide the polymer tubing around the drum, wherein the carriage also acts as a tube indexer configured to move wrapped tubing down along the outer surface of the drum a predetermined distance from tubing being dispensed, wherein the carriage has a bottom edge shaped with an angle to push the tubing down, wherein the angle can be adjusted to vary a pitch of the tubing; and a welding device configured to weld a plurality of polymer supports to polymer tubing wrapped around the drum, wherein the polymer supports are oriented substantially orthogonal to the tubing.