Welding method and welding device

Abstract

The invention provides a welding method, which comprises the following steps of: sliding and penetrating at least one supporting part of welding equipment into at least one cavity channel of a to-be-welded hose in a one-to-one correspondence manner, and sliding and penetrating at least one supporting part into at least one cavity channel of a to-be-welded hard pipe in a one-to-one correspondence manner, the peripheral shape of the supporting part is matched with the shape of the inner wall of a cavity of a hose to be welded, and the supporting part comprises a hard core with the hardness larger than that of the hose to be welded and a polytetrafluoroethylene layer attached to the periphery of the hard core; the butt joint end of the hose to be welded and the butt joint end of the hard pipe to be welded are placed in the heating space; the butt joint end of the to-be-welded hose and the butt joint end of the to-be-welded hard pipe are heated to melt the butt joint end of the to-be-welded hose and the butt joint end of the to-be-welded hard pipe, and the to-be-welded hose and the to-be-welded hard pipe abut against each other in the extending direction of the supporting part, so that the to-be-welded hose is kept in a good shape in the welding process, and a cavity channel of the to-be-welded hose is smooth.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese invention patent application with application number 202210990779.0, application date August 18, 2022, and name “Welding Method”. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of plastic molding connection, and in particular to a welding method and a welding device. Background Art

[0003] Plastic objects can be joined using the welding process. When plastic is heated, it melts. On a microscopic level, the tightly packed molecular chains break, the molecular motion increases and mixes at the interface of the two objects. As the temperature drops, the molecules solidify and link again, making the two objects welded together. In the welding process, many factors such as the material of the objects and the pressure between the two objects will affect the quality of the weld.

[0004] When two sections of plastic pipes with different hardness are welded, the contact end is stressed due to contact, and the shape of the hose side is difficult to control. In areas that require high-precision dimensional control, various irregular joints are difficult to meet expected requirements.

[0005] The endoscope insertion tube equipped with the endoscope needs to be able to bend to different degrees or angles under the control of the operating unit in the working state. To achieve this purpose, the endoscope insertion tube is sometimes divided into a hard section and a soft section. As mentioned above, during welding, since the material of the hose side is softer and difficult to control, and the hose and hard tube used for the endoscope are usually multi-lumen, it is difficult to ensure the shape of the hose after welding if the welding process is used to connect the hard tube and the hose. Summary of the invention

[0006] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a welding method to address the above problems, so as to ensure that the hose maintains a desired shape when the hard pipe and the hose are welded.

[0007] The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a welding method, which includes: slidingly inserting at least one support part of the welding equipment into at least one cavity of the hose to be welded in a one-to-one correspondence, and slidingly inserting at least one support part into at least one cavity of the hard tube to be welded in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein the outer peripheral shape of the support part matches the inner wall shape of the cavity of the hose to be welded, and the support part includes a hard core with a hardness greater than the hardness of the hose to be welded and a polytetrafluoroethylene layer fitted to the outer periphery of the hard core; placing the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard tube to be welded in the heating space of the welding equipment; heating the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard tube to be welded by heating the mold to melt the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard tube to be welded, and abutting the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded along the extension direction of the support part.

[0008] The welding method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can provide support for the hose to be welded by means of a support portion that is slidably inserted into the lumen of the hose to be welded and the lumen of the hard tube to be welded, thereby preventing the lumen of the hose to be welded from being blocked when the hose is melted in the heating space, or from being deformed by force, causing the lumen to be misaligned with the lumen of the hard tube to be welded, or the periphery to be misaligned with the periphery of the hard tube to be welded, etc., so that an endoscope insertion portion with a good connection between the hose and the hard tube and a good shape of the hose can be obtained by welding.

[0009] In some embodiments, the method further comprises: cooling the butt ends of the hose to be welded and the butt ends of the hard pipe to be welded after the heating step.

[0010] Through the cooling step, a hose and a hard pipe firmly connected as one can be obtained.

[0011] In some embodiments, the cooling step includes: removing the hose and the hard tube connected as one after the abutting step from the heating mold and naturally air cooling them; and the welding method also includes: after the cooling step, removing the support part from the hose and the hard tube connected as one.

[0012] In this way, the connection strength between the naturally cooled hose and the hard tube is good, and the hose and hard tube connected as one can be used in the insertion part of the endoscope. In addition, removing the support part after cooling helps to maintain the shape of the hose. Exemplarily, a group of support parts is regarded as a set of welding jigs, and the welding equipment can have multiple sets of welding jigs for cyclic use.

[0013] In some embodiments, the welding method further comprises: sleeve a jacket of the welding equipment on the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded, wherein the inner hole shape of the jacket matches the outer peripheral shape of the hose to be welded and the material of the jacket is a perfluoro copolymer.

[0014] The outer jacket can limit the peripheral shape of the hose after welding to a certain extent, and can also prevent the melted hose to be welded from sticking to the heating mold.

[0015] In some embodiments, the welding method further includes: adjusting a heating mold including a first module and a second module to be in a closed mold state, and at least one first heating groove of the first module corresponds to at least one second heating groove of the second module to form at least one heating space.

[0016] By forming a heating space by the mold closing state of the first module and the second module, it is more convenient to realize that the heating space can accommodate the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded that are passed through the supporting part. In addition, multiple heating spaces can be formed simultaneously to respectively accommodate multiple hoses to be welded and hard tubes to be welded.

[0017] In some embodiments, the hose to be welded is clamped by a first clamp of the welding equipment; and the step of pressing the hose to be welded against the hard pipe to be welded along the extension direction of the support portion also includes: driving the first clamp to slide along the extension direction of the support portion to push the butt end of the hose to be welded against the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded.

[0018] With such an arrangement, for example, a driving device and a first clamp can be used to stably push the hose to be welded against the hard pipe to be welded along the extension direction of the support portion. The pressure between the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded helps diffusion and interweaving fusion at the molecular level, thereby enhancing the connection strength between the hose and the hard pipe after welding.

[0019] In some embodiments, the step of driving the first clamp includes: driving the first clamp to slide 5 mm along the extension direction of the support portion.

[0020] By driving the first clamp to slide 5 mm, pressure can be applied to the hose melted by heating, ensuring that the hose and the hard pipe can be well welded.

[0021] In some embodiments, the step of placing the hose to be welded and the rigid tube to be welded includes: placing the first hose to be welded and the first rigid tube to be welded in the first heating space of the welding equipment; placing the second hose to be welded and the second rigid tube to be welded in the second heating space of the welding equipment, wherein the first length of the first heating space along the extension direction of the support portion is longer than the second length of the second heating space along the extension direction of the support portion, and the outer diameter of the first hose to be welded is larger than the outer diameter of the second hose to be welded.

[0022] With such an arrangement, targeted welding can be performed on different types of hoses to be welded, and the first heating space and the second heating space can be adapted to a variety of hoses to be welded by adjusting the process parameters of the welding method.

[0023] In some embodiments, the step of heating includes: heating the temperature T of the heating space of the mold to satisfy: 110°C < T ≤ 260°C.

[0024] Such an arrangement can ensure that the butt ends of the hose to be welded and the butt ends of the hard pipe to be welded are both melted, and energy consumption is reduced.

[0025] In some embodiments, the step of heating includes heating for 20 seconds to 60 seconds.

[0026] Setting the heating time in this way can ensure that the heat conduction is deep enough and the molecular thermal motion time is sufficient to make the surface of the hose and the hard pipe after welding better and the connection quality better.

[0027] In some embodiments, the heating step includes: heating the heating space using a heater controlled by a control circuit; the welding method also includes: detecting the temperature of the heating space by a temperature sensor arranged on the heating mold, wherein the control circuit is electrically connected to the temperature sensor to display the temperature value.

[0028] In this way, the welding process can be accurately and repeatably controlled, ensuring stable and reliable welding quality during multiple batches of welding.

[0029] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present invention provides a welding device for connecting a hose to be welded with a hard tube to be welded, the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded are used as part of the insertion part of an endoscope, the welding device includes: at least one supporting part, at least one supporting part corresponds to at least one cavity of the hose to be welded, the outer peripheral shape of the supporting part matches the inner wall shape of the cavity of the hose to be welded, and the supporting part is used to slide through the cavity of the hose to be welded and the cavity of the hard tube to be welded, wherein the supporting part includes: a hard core, the hardness of the hard core is greater than the hardness of the hose to be welded; and a polytetrafluoroethylene layer, which fits the outer periphery of the hard core; and a heating mold, the heating mold has a heating space, wherein at least one supporting part is suitable for being inserted into the heating space, and the heating mold is used to heat the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded connected via at least one supporting part.

[0030] In this way, the support part supports the hose to be welded, which can reduce the bending, deformation or accumulation of the hose to be welded, so as to better achieve welding and obtain a hose with a better shape after welding, and avoid blockage of the hose cavity. Specifically, the hard core with relatively high hardness is used to support the hose to be welded through the polytetrafluoroethylene layer. The polytetrafluoroethylene layer can prevent the melted hose to be welded from adhering to the support part. The polytetrafluoroethylene layer also has a good lubricating effect, which is conducive to the support part being inserted into the hose to be welded and being pulled out of the hose.

[0031] In some embodiments, the welding equipment further comprises a jacket, the inner hole shape of the jacket matches the outer peripheral shape of the hose to be welded, and the jacket is used to be slidably mounted on the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded, and the material of the jacket is a perfluoro copolymer.

[0032] With such arrangement, the outer sleeve can limit the peripheral shape of the hose after welding to a certain extent, and can also prevent the melted hose to be welded from adhering to the heating mold.

[0033] In some embodiments, the hard core is a solid structure, and the material of the hard core is stainless steel.

[0034] With such arrangement, the hard core can be a stainless steel wire, and then the hard core with a solid structure can better maintain its shape, which is beneficial for supporting the hose to be welded and can better maintain its own stable characteristics at high temperatures.

[0035] In some embodiments, the heating mold includes a first module having at least one first heating groove and a second module having at least one second heating groove; when the heating mold is in a closed mold state, the at least one first heating groove corresponds one-to-one with the at least one second heating groove to form at least one heating space.

[0036] With such arrangement, the heating mold can have a closed mold state and an open mold state, which not only ensures that the heating space is close to the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded during the welding process, but also facilitates the placement, sliding and removal of the hose to be welded.

[0037] In some embodiments, the at least two heating spaces included in the welding device include a first heating space and a second heating space, and a first length of the first heating space along a penetration direction is longer than a second length of the second heating space along the penetration direction.

[0038] In this way, the first heating space with a longer length in the direction of penetration provides a larger welding area for the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded, and then the time required for welding in the first heating space is shorter and the temperature is lower. In addition, the first heating space and the second heating space can be suitable for hoses to be welded of different thicknesses, for example.

[0039] In some embodiments, the heating mold includes a mold body and a heater, wherein the heater is located in the mold body and in the heating space along the penetrating direction.

[0040] With such arrangement, the heating mold forms a heating space and provides support through the mold body. The heater is located in the heating space and can increase the temperature of the heating space more quickly and improve the efficiency of heating the heating space.

[0041] In some embodiments, the heater includes two heating rods, which are disposed opposite to each other on two sides of the heating space.

[0042] In this way, the two heating rods are arranged on both sides of the heating space, which can more evenly increase the temperature of the heating space, ensuring that the butt ends of the hose to be welded and the butt ends of the hard pipe to be welded are well melted all around.

[0043] In some embodiments, the welding device also includes: a temperature sensor arranged on the heating mold, the temperature sensor is used to detect the temperature of the heating space; and a control circuit, the control circuit is electrically connected to the heater to control the heater, and the control circuit is electrically connected to the temperature sensor to display the temperature value.

[0044] With such arrangement, the working state of the heater, such as temperature and heating time, can be more flexibly controlled through the control circuit, and the temperature sensor can enable the operator to more effectively sense and judge the actual welding situation to ensure the welding quality.

[0045] In some embodiments, the welding equipment also includes a driving device, and a first clamp and a second clamp relatively arranged on both sides of the heating space along the penetration direction, wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are respectively used to clamp the soft tube to be welded and the hard tube to be welded, and the first clamp is slidably connected to the heating mold along the penetration direction; the driving device is used to drive the first clamp.

[0046] Such an arrangement can make the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded be placed in the heating space more stably during the welding process, and the driving device can drive the first clamp to slide to apply pressure to the butt ends of the hose to be welded and the butt ends of the hard pipe to be welded, thereby further improving the welding quality.

[0047] In some embodiments, the first clamp includes a first clamping portion, a second clamping portion and a first lock, the first lock includes a first hook located at one of the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion and a first ring located at the other, when the first lock is in a locked state, the first clamp is suitable for clamping the hose to be welded; the second clamp includes a third clamping portion, a fourth clamping portion and a second lock, the second lock includes a second hook located at one of the third clamping portion and the fourth clamping portion and a second ring located at the other, when the second lock is in a locked state, the second clamp is suitable for clamping the hard pipe to be welded.

[0048] In this way, the first clamp and the second clamp can be opened or closed quickly, and provide a stable clamping force when the first lock or the second lock is in a locked state. In addition, the first clamp can provide sufficient thrust to the hose to be welded with the help of the first lock. Exemplarily, the first clamp may include a limiting protrusion for abutting the hose to be welded, so as to further reduce the radial clamping of the hose to be welded and thus reduce the deformation of the hose to be welded. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a welding fixture in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 It is a schematic left side view of a hose to be welded in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the working state of the welding fixture in the embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the working state of another welding fixture in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the working state of the welding device in the embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of a heating mold in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 is a schematic front view of a heating mold in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 8 It is a schematic left side view of the heating mold in the embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of another heating mold in an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig.10 It is a flowchart of the welding method in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Figure numerals: 100, welding equipment; 1, welding fixture; 1a, first support part; 1b, second support part; 1c, third support part; 11, hard core; 12, polytetrafluoroethylene layer; 21, hose to be welded; 211, cavity of hose to be welded; 212, butt end of hose to be welded; 213, periphery of hose to be welded; 22, hard tube to be welded; 221, cavity of hard tube to be welded; 222, butt end of hard tube to be welded; 223, periphery of hard tube to be welded; 3, outer jacket; 4, heating mold; 40, mold body; 41, first module; 411 , first heating groove; 412, first positioning hole; 42, second module; 421, second heating groove; 421a, short heating groove; 421b, long heating groove; 422, second positioning hole; 43, heater; 44, temperature sensor; 5, control circuit; 61, first clamp; 611, first clamping part; 612, second clamping part; 62, second clamp; 621, third clamping part; 622, fourth clamping part; 63, second lock; 631, second hook; 632, second ring; 7, driving device; 71, nut; 72, screw; 73, slide rail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0052] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "mounted on" another component, it may be directly on the other component or there may be a central component. When a component is considered to be "set on" another component, it may be directly set on the other component or there may be a central component at the same time. When a component is considered to be "fixed to" another component, it may be directly fixed on the other component or there may be a central component at the same time.

[0053] The structural dimensions shown in the drawings in this article do not represent the actual dimensions and may be adjusted according to needs during actual production. The directional words "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. used in this article refer to the directions in the drawings and should not be regarded as limitations on the actual use of the product unless explicitly stated.

[0054] The first, second, third, etc. in this article are only used to distinguish the same features. It can be understood that the first module in this article can also be called the second module, and the second module can also be called the first module.

[0055] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art of the present disclosure. The terms used herein in the specification of the present disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The term "or / and" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0056] The following references Figures 1 to 9 Some welding devices that can be used in the welding method provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure are introduced.

[0057] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a welding jig 1 , which may include a supporting portion, specifically including a hard core 11 and a polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 .

[0058] The hardness of the hard core 11 may be greater than the hardness of the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12. Exemplarily, the hard core 11 is a solid structure. Exemplarily, the material of the hard core 11 is stainless steel, specifically, the hard core 11 is a stainless steel wire. In other embodiments, the hard core 11 includes a stainless steel coating. The hard core 11 can actually withstand a temperature far exceeding the welding temperature, and the bending, shearing and compression resistance of the hard core 11 are higher than those of the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12. The length of the hard core 11 may exceed the length of the hose to be welded to which the welding jig 1 is to be applied, so that it is convenient to insert and pull out.

[0059] The polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 surrounds the hard core 11. Specifically, the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 may be located radially outside the hard core 11, and then surround the hard core 11 in the circumferential direction and may fit the hard core 11. Exemplarily, the polytetrafluoroethylene layer is clad on the outer circumference of the hard core 11. The length of the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 may exceed the length of the hard core 11, so that the two ends of the hard core 11 may be prevented from causing scratches on the hose to be welded. Exemplarily, the radial thickness of the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 is less than the radius of the hard core 11.

[0060] like Figure 2As shown, in an exemplary embodiment, some of the hoses to be welded 21 include at least one cavity eccentrically arranged with respect to the periphery thereof. Specifically, the cavity 211 of the hose to be welded may have a circular cross section, and the periphery 213 of the hose to be welded may also have a circular cross section. Exemplarily, the cavity 211 of the hose to be welded may have a cross section of other shapes, such as an elliptical shape, a teardrop shape, etc. The hardness of the hose 21 to be welded is less than the hardness of the hard core 11.

[0061] The support portion of the welding jig 1 can be slidably disposed in the axial direction on the hose 21 to be welded, and can support the hose 21 to be welded. The shape of the periphery of the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 matches the inner wall shape of the cavity 211 of the hose to be welded. Exemplarily, the cross-sectional shape of the periphery of the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 can be the maximum inscribed circle of the cross-sectional shape of the inner wall of the cavity 211 of the hose to be welded. In summary, after the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 is inserted into the cavity 211 of the hose to be welded, there will be no large shaking between the two, the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12 can well support the cavity 211 of the hose to be welded, and due to the lubrication ability of the polytetrafluoroethylene layer 12, the two can slide relative to each other in the axial direction.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment, the hose 21 to be welded and the hard tube 22 to be welded are formed as a part of the insertion portion of the endoscope, the outer periphery 223 of the hard tube to be welded can have the same shape as the outer periphery 213 of the hose to be welded, and the lumen 221 of the hard tube to be welded can be the same as the lumen 211 of the hose to be welded ( Figure 2 ) have the same shape and position. The welding jig 1 may include multiple support parts to assist in aligning the hose 21 to be welded and the hard pipe 22 to be welded, for example, including a first support part 1a and a second support part 1b. Each support part is inserted into the hose 21 to be welded and a part is suitable for inserting into the hard pipe 22 to be welded. When inserting, the welding jig 1 can protrude from the hose 21 to be welded for easy operation.

[0063] Figure 3In the embodiment, the butt end 212 of the hose to be welded and the butt end 222 of the hard tube to be welded are opposite and used for welding into one body. Exemplarily, the Shore hardness of the hard tube 22 to be welded is not less than 70D, and the Shore hardness of the hose 21 to be welded is not more than 35D. The material of the hard tube 22 to be welded and the material of the hose 21 to be welded respectively include polyether block polyamide. Specifically, the structure of this material can be composed of regular linear hard polyamide segments and soft polyether segments. The proportion of different segments can affect the hardness embodied by the material. At the same time, the melting point of the hose 21 to be welded will be slightly lower than the melting point of the hard tube 22 to be welded. Exemplarily, the hardness of the hard core 11 is also higher than the hardness of the hard tube 22 to be welded. The names of the hose 21 to be welded and the hard tube 22 to be welded only reflect the difference between the two. In fact, the hard tube 22 to be welded can also be flexibly bent to a certain extent, thereby realizing endoscopic observation as part of the insertion part of the endoscope.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, if Figure 3 As shown, the jig 1 to be welded may also be equipped with a jacket 3. The inner hole shape of the jacket 3 matches the shape of the outer periphery 213 of the hose to be welded. Specifically, the cross-sectional shape of the inner hole of the jacket 3 may be the same as the cross-sectional shape of the outer periphery 213 of the hose to be welded. The jacket 3 is used to be sleeved on the hose 21 to be welded, and at least a part of the inner hole of the jacket 3 can be used to be sleeved on the hard pipe 22 to be welded. The material of the jacket 3 includes a perfluoropolymer. For example, other components may be sleeved on the outside of the jacket 3, and the material of the jacket 3 is polytetrafluoroethylene or a perfluoroethylene propylene polymer, which is used to directly fit the hose 21 to be welded.

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment, the hose 21 to be welded includes a plurality of cavities. The welding fixture 1 for supporting the hose 21 to be welded may include: a first support portion 1a, a second support portion 1b and a third support portion 1c. Different support portions may have different radial dimensions, and different support portions are used to be inserted into different cavities.

[0066] Figure 5 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the working state of the welding device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 As shown, the welding device 100 is used for welding Figure 3 The hose 21 to be welded and the hard pipe 22 to be welded are shown butt-jointed. The welding device 100 may include a heating mold 4 and a welding jig 1 inserted into the hose 21 to be welded and the hard pipe 22 to be welded. The hose 21 to be welded and the hard pipe 22 to be welded may be inserted into the heating space of the heating mold 4.

[0067] Heating the mold body 40 of the mold 4 ( Figure 7) can surround the butt end 212 of the hose to be welded and the butt end 222 of the hard pipe to be welded, and is used to at least heat the butt end 212 of the hose to be welded and the butt end 222 of the hard pipe to be welded. Figure 5 In the embodiment, the jacket 3 is provided between the heating mold 4 and the hose 21 to be welded and the hard pipe 22 to be welded. The jacket 3 can be used for a long time at a temperature of 260° C. and is not easy to adhere to the melted hose 21 to be welded. In other embodiments, the jacket 3 can be split and fixed to the heating mold 4.

[0068] Since the hardness of the hose 21 to be welded is relatively soft, it may bend under the action of its own gravity, and may bend and deform under the action of external force. When the hose 21 to be welded is processed by welding technology, the butt end 212 of the hose to be welded melts and cannot resist the large external force. Under the pressure of external force, the butt end 212 of the hose to be welded may be offset, misaligned, tilted, and deformed relative to the butt end 222 of the hard pipe to be welded, and then the position and shape of the cavity 211 of the hose to be welded and the outer periphery 213 of the hose to be welded are also not ideal.

[0069] The welding jig 1 can assist the axial alignment of the hard tube 22 to be welded and the soft tube 21 to be welded, and resist the deformation of the soft tube 21 to be welded. The welding jig 1 can also withstand the temperature environment during welding and will not adhere to the hard tube 22 to be welded and the soft tube 21 to be welded.

[0070] The welding equipment provided by the present disclosure can be used to weld the hard pipe to be welded and the soft pipe to be welded. After welding, the soft pipe and the hard pipe connected as one have an intact overall shape, a smooth cavity, and good tensile strength. Due to the setting of the welding fixture, the welding equipment is easy to clamp, and thus the overall structure of the welding equipment is simple, easy to use, and can perform high-quality welding methods.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 5 As shown, the welding device 100 further includes a driving device 7, and a first clamp 61 and a second clamp 62 which are arranged on both sides of the heating space in a direction of penetration. Figure 5 The hose 21 to be welded and the welding jig 1 therein pass through the heating mold 4 along the X direction, and the first clamp 61 and the second clamp 62 are arranged on both sides of the heating mold 4 along the X direction.

[0072] The first clamp 61 is used to clamp the hose 21 to be welded, and the second clamp 62 is used to clamp the hard pipe 22 to be welded. The second clamp 62 can be fixed relative to the heating mold 4, and the first clamp 61 can slide relative to the heating mold 4 along the X direction. Specifically, the welding device 100 may include a slide rail 73 fixed relative to the heating mold 4. In other embodiments, it is not excluded that the slide rail 73 can be movable. The first clamp 61 can slide along the slide rail 73, and then the first clamp 61 can be used to push the hose 21 to be welded toward the hard pipe 22 to be welded along the X direction.

[0073] The driving device 7 is used to drive the first clamp 61. Exemplarily, the driving device 7 includes a nut 71 and a screw 72. The nut 71 is fixed relative to the heating mold 4, and the screw 72 is screwed with the nut 71 along the X direction. By rotating the screw 72, the first clamp 61 can be pushed. In other embodiments, the nut 71 can rotate along the X axis, thereby driving the screw 72 and driving the first clamp 61 to slide. Exemplarily, the driving device 7 or the first clamp 61 is configured with a scale to display the position of relative movement.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, the first clamp 61 includes a first clamping portion 611, a second clamping portion 612, and a first lock (not shown). The second clamp 62 includes a third clamping portion 621, a fourth clamping portion 622, and a second lock 63. Figure 5 As shown, the second lock 63 includes a second hook 631 and a second loop 632, and the second hook 631 and the second loop 632 are respectively disposed on the third clamping portion 621 and the fourth clamping portion 622. The first hook and the second hook of the first lock are similar.

[0075] Figure 5 The second lock 63 is in a locked state, and then the second clamp 62 clamps the hard tube 22 to be welded, and a clamping space matching the outer periphery 223 of the hard tube to be welded can be formed between the third clamping part 621 and the fourth clamping part 622. If the second lock 63 is in a disengaged state, the third clamping part 621 and the fourth clamping part 622 can be separated, and then the hard tube 22 to be welded or the welded hard tube can be taken out. Similarly, when the first lock is in a locked state, the first clamp 61 is suitable for clamping the soft tube 21 to be welded, and a clamping space for clamping the soft tube 21 to be welded can be formed between the first clamping part 611 and the second clamping part 612. By providing the first lock and the second lock 63, the soft tube 21 to be welded and the hard tube 22 to be welded can be stably and quickly clamped and disassembled during mass production.

[0076] In some embodiments, Figure 6 As shown, the heating mold 4 includes a first module 41 and a second module 42. The first module 41 and the second module 42 can be designed to have the same structure, and then be movable at least along the Z direction in a mirror-image arrangement. By arranging the first module 41 and the second module 42 with the same structure, the manufacturing difficulty of the heating mold 4 can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

[0077] The first module 41 may include at least one first heating groove 411, and these first heating grooves 411 may be arranged in a row along the Y direction. Exemplarily, the first heating groove 411 may be a semicircular groove extending along the X direction. The second module 42 may include at least one second heating groove 421, and these second heating grooves 421 are also arranged in a row along the Y direction, and the second heating grooves 421 may correspond to the first heating grooves 411 one by one. Exemplarily, the second heating groove 421 is a semicircular groove, and its extension direction is consistent with the extension direction of the corresponding first heating groove 411. When the heating mold 4 is in a position such as Figure 5 When the mold is in the closed state, the corresponding first heating groove 411 and the second heating groove 421 form a heating space for wrapping the butt end 212 of the hose to be welded and the butt end 222 of the hard pipe to be welded.

[0078] The heating mold 4 can have a mold closing state and a mold opening state, which can facilitate the placement, sliding and removal of the hose 21 to be welded. The first heating groove 411 and the second heating groove 421 can make the heat of the heating mold 4 be more stably, comprehensively and evenly transferred to the hose 21 to be welded and the hard tube 22 to be welded, reducing the working hours of welding the hose 21 to be welded and the hard tube 22 to be welded, and improving the welding quality.

[0079] The first module 41 includes a first positioning hole 412 extending in the Z direction, and the second module 42 includes a second positioning hole 422 extending in the Z direction. The heating mold 4 may include positioning pins (not shown) located in the first positioning hole 412 and the second positioning hole 422. Exemplarily, the first module 41 is provided with four first positioning holes 412 at the four corners of the XY plane, and then four positioning pins may be configured. The first module 41 and the second module 42 may slide along the positioning pins to realize the switching between the mold closing state and the mold opening state. Exemplarily, a set screw may be provided in a direction perpendicular to the positioning pin and in a direction perpendicular to the heating rod to fix the positioning pin and the heating rod.

[0080] refer to Figures 5 to 7 The heating mold 4 includes a mold body 40 and a heater 43. The heater 43 is located in the mold body 40. Exemplarily, the heater 43 includes two heating rods, and the two heating rods are arranged oppositely on both sides of the heating space. The heater 43 is located in the heating space in the X direction. When the heater is working, heat can be transferred to the first heating groove 411 and the second heating groove 421 more directly and quickly through the mold body 40.

[0081] Exemplarily, the heating rod may extend along the Y direction to heat at least one heating space.

[0082] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 8The welding device 100 further includes a temperature sensor 44 and a control circuit 5. The temperature sensor 44 is located at the heating mold 4, for example, in the middle of the plurality of heating spaces along the Y direction, and the temperature sensor 44 is used to detect the temperature of the heating space.

[0083] The control circuit 5 is electrically connected to the temperature sensor 44 to display the temperature value. The control circuit 5 is also electrically connected to the heater 43 to control the heater 43. For example, the control circuit 5 is configured to control the current applied to the heater 43 and control the application time. The control circuit 5 can also be configured to control the current applied to the heater 43 according to the temperature of the temperature sensor 44 to control the temperature of the temperature sensor 44 within a preset range.

[0084] Exemplarily, the driving device 7 includes a cylinder or a stepping motor, and the control circuit 5 is configured to control the driving device 7 to drive the first clamp 61 to move a preset distance in response to the temperature of the temperature sensor 44 .

[0085] In some embodiments, Fig. 9 As shown, the second module 42 may include a short heating groove 421a and a long heating groove 421b. The length of the long heating groove 421b along the X direction is longer than the length of the short heating groove 421a along the X direction. The first module 41 may be the same as the second module 42 and arranged in a mirror image. The at least two heating spaces included in the fusion splicing device 100 include a first heating space and a second heating space, the long heating groove 421b is used to form the first heating space, and the short heating groove 421a is used to form the second heating space. The temperature required for heating the hard pipe 22 to be fused through the first heating space is lower and the time consumed is shorter.

[0086] like Fig.10 As shown, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides a welding method 1000, which can be performed using the aforementioned welding equipment. The method 1000 may include the following steps.

[0087] Step S101, installing the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded on the welding equipment.

[0088] Exemplarily, step S101 may include the step of slidingly inserting at least one supporting portion of the welding device into at least one cavity of the hose to be welded in a one-to-one correspondence. Step S101 may also include the step of placing the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded, which are strung together by the welding jig, into a heating mold. Specifically, at least one supporting portion is set in the heating space of the heating mold of the welding device, and then the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded are set in the heating space.

[0089] Step S102, heating the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded, and squeezing the two. Exemplarily, the heating mold heats the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded to melt the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded, and the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded can be abutted along the extension direction of the welding jig. Specifically, the hard pipe to be welded can be set to be stationary, and the hose to be welded can be pushed to achieve abutment.

[0090] Exemplarily, in step S103, the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded are cooled. The cooling step ensures that the hose and the hard pipe are fixedly connected as one. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, other operations can be performed on the still softened hose or hard pipe before the cooling step.

[0091] The welding method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure is simple, fast, and accurately positioned for fixing and clamping the hose to be welded, and can ensure that the hose has a good shape after welding. In addition, it can avoid blocking of cavities with smaller apertures. In other cases, the welding method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve the welding of two hoses to be welded. The two hoses to be welded are the implementation objects of the welding method, and their actual hardness values ​​should not be an inevitable limitation of the welding method.

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, the welding device is a device including a jacket. The step of installing the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded also includes sliding the jacket to the butt joint of the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded. The heating mold does not directly contact the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded.

[0093] In an exemplary embodiment, the welding device is a device including a first clamp, and the first clamp clamps the hose to be welded. The step of abutting the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded along the extension direction of the welding jig in the method 1000 also includes: the driving device drives the first clamp to slide along the penetration direction to push the butt end of the hose to be welded against the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded along the penetration direction. Pushing the hose to be welded by the driving device can control the extrusion time and force more stably during mass production.

[0094] In an exemplary embodiment, the step of placing the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded includes: placing the first hose to be welded and the first hard pipe to be welded in the first heating space; placing the second hose to be welded and the second hard pipe to be welded in the second heating space, wherein the outer diameter of the first hose to be welded is greater than the outer diameter of the second hose to be welded. Different types of welding dies can be used to weld hoses of different specifications to the hard pipe to be welded, and welding dies can also be used to weld hoses of different specifications to the hard pipe to be welded.

[0095] In an exemplary embodiment, the heating step includes: the temperature T at the heating space of the heating mold satisfies: 110°C <T≤260°C. The temperature at the heating space satisfies the aforementioned range, and the hard pipe to be welded can be melted to achieve welding. Optionally, heating can be performed at a temperature of 120°C, 130°C, 140°C or 150°C. Exemplarily, the heating temperature is 180°C~230°C. This temperature can melt the butt ends of the hard pipes to be welded well without melting the longer pipe sections of the hoses to be welded. Exemplarily, the temperature value detected by the temperature sensor is in the range of 185°C~195°C, and the temperature at the heating space is exemplarily controlled to be 190°C. By controlling the temperature, energy consumption can be reduced, welding strength can be ensured, and the shape of the hose after welding can be maintained.

[0096] In an exemplary embodiment, the cooling step includes: removing the hose and the hard tube connected as one after the abutting step from the heating mold and naturally cooling them in air. During the cooling process, the welding jig can be pulled out, for example, including taking off the jacket. Exemplarily, the welding method 1000 also includes: after the cooling step, removing the welding jig from the hose and the hard tube connected as one. The welding jig can avoid blockage of the cavity and further support the shape of the hose.

[0097] As shown in Table 1, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide some specific embodiments for effect comparison. For example, the material of the hose to be welded is polyether block polyamide, and the Shore hardness of the hose to be welded is between 35HD and 40HD; the material of the hard hose to be welded is polyether block polyamide, and the Shore hardness of the hard pipe to be welded is between 69HD and 72HD. When the top is pressed, the hose to be welded is pushed forward by 5mm.

[0098] Table 1 It should be understood that when the materials of the hose and the tube are changed, the welding effect under the same process conditions may still change. For example, in the embodiment heated to 195°C and heated for 35 seconds, the hose and the tube have a good welding effect, and the surface is basically smooth without obvious holes. For example, the heating time to maintain the effective temperature is 20 seconds to 60 seconds.

[0099] In other aspects, the embodiments of the present disclosure also provide an endoscope insertion tube, which can be manufactured by the aforementioned method or device.

[0100] Exemplarily, the endoscope insertion tube includes: a hard tube and a soft tube fused to the hard tube. The hard tube and the soft tube of the endoscope insertion tube have good coaxiality, including the angle, the angle of rotation and the position are good; the shape of the joint between the hard tube and the soft tube is good, and the radial shape and the circumferential shape of the soft tube are strictly controlled; the welding quality is high and will not break during the endoscopy process. Since the endoscope insertion tube needs to enter the human body cavity, the endoscope insertion tube with good shape can reduce the risk of injury. The endoscope insertion tube may include at least one first cavity set off-axis from its periphery. The first cavity is unobstructed and suitable for passing the device to be matched.

[0101] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0102] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present disclosure, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the disclosed patent. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present disclosure, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the disclosed patent shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A welding method, It is characterized in that The welding method comprises: At least one supporting part is slidably disposed in at least one cavity of the hose to be welded in a one-to-one correspondence, and at least one supporting part is slidably disposed in at least one cavity of the hard pipe to be welded in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein the outer peripheral shape of the supporting part matches the inner wall shape of the cavity of the hose to be welded, and the supporting part includes a hard core having a hardness greater than that of the hose to be welded; The butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded are placed in a heating space, and the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded are heated to melt the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded, and the hose to be welded and the hard pipe to be welded are pressed against each other along the extension direction of the support portion.

2. The welding method according to claim 1, in, Also includes: After the heating step, the butt ends of the hose to be welded and the butt ends of the hard pipe to be welded are cooled; wherein the cooling step comprises: The hose and the hard pipe connected as one after the abutting step are removed from the heating space and naturally cooled by air; and The welding method further comprises: after the cooling step, removing the support part from the hose and the hard pipe connected as one.

3. The welding method according to claim 1, in, Also includes: A jacket is provided on the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded, wherein the inner hole shape of the jacket matches the outer peripheral shape of the hose to be welded and the material of the jacket is a perfluoro copolymer; the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded form a part of the insertion part of the endoscope; the support part also includes a polytetrafluoroethylene layer that fits the outer periphery of the hard core.

4. The welding method according to claim 1, in, Also includes: The heating space is formed by at least one first heating slot of the first module and at least one second heating slot of the second module in a one-to-one correspondence.

5. The welding method according to claim 1, in, The step of abutting the to-be-welded hose and the to-be-welded hard pipe along the extension direction of the support portion further comprises: Slide along the extension direction of the support portion to push the butt end of the hose to be welded against the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded.

6. The welding method according to claim 5, in, The heating step includes: clamping the hose to be welded by a first clamp; and The step of abutting the to-be-welded hose and the to-be-welded hard pipe along the extension direction of the support portion further comprises: The first clamp is driven to slide along the extension direction of the support portion to push the butt end of the hose to be welded against the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded.

7. The welding method according to claim 5 or 6, in, The step of driving the first clamp includes: driving the first clamp to slide 5 mm along the extension direction of the support portion.

8. The welding method according to claim 1, in, The step of placing the butt end of the hose to be welded and the butt end of the hard pipe to be welded in a heating space comprises: Place a first hose to be welded and a first hard pipe to be welded in the first heating space; A second hose to be welded and a second hard pipe to be welded are placed in the second heating space, wherein a first length of the first heating space along the extension direction of the support portion is longer than a second length of the second heating space along the extension direction of the support portion, and an outer diameter of the first hose to be welded is greater than an outer diameter of the second hose to be welded; The heating step includes: the temperature T in the heating space satisfies: 110° C.<T≤260° C., and heating is performed for 20 seconds to 60 seconds.

9. A welding device for butting a hose to be welded with a hard tube to be welded, wherein the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded are used as a part of an insertion portion of an endoscope, It is characterized in that The welding equipment includes: at least one supporting part, at least one supporting part corresponds to at least one cavity of the hose to be welded, the outer peripheral shape of the supporting part matches the inner wall shape of the cavity of the hose to be welded, and the supporting part is used to slide through the cavity of the hose to be welded and the cavity of the hard tube to be welded, wherein the supporting part includes: a hard core, the hardness of the hard core is greater than the hardness of the hose to be welded; and a heating mold, the heating mold has a heating space, wherein at least one supporting part is suitable for being penetrated in the heating space, and the heating mold is used to heat the hose to be welded and the hard tube to be welded connected via at least one supporting part.

10. The welding device according to claim 9, in, The welding equipment also includes a driving device, and a first clamp and a second clamp which are relatively arranged on both sides of the heating space along the penetration direction, wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are respectively used to clamp the soft tube to be welded and the hard tube to be welded, and the first clamp is slidably connected to the heating mold along the penetration direction; the driving device is used to drive the first clamp; the support part also includes a polytetrafluoroethylene layer, which fits the outer periphery of the hard core.

Images