Method for producing a flexible pipe body from two substrate webs

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for producing a flexible tube for packaging tubes and a tube produced according to the method from two, preferably separate, substrate webs, the substrate webs being particularly preferably made of different materials. The first substrate web is realized by a molding substrate, which preferably has a printed material on its outer side. The molding substrate preferably contains fibers or has a fiber-containing component and includes a first longitudinal edge side extending in a longitudinal direction and a second longitudinal edge side parallel to and spaced apart from it. The second substrate web is realized by a film substrate having or being composed of at least one weldable plastic layer and including a first longitudinal edge side extending in a longitudinal direction and a second longitudinal edge side parallel to and spaced apart from it. The method includes: supplying the substrate webs, and in the process of supplying... During this process, the substrate webs are arranged adjacent to each other, preferably substantially overlapping; the molding substrate and the film substrate are formed into a tubular shape by means of a preferably shared molding device, the molding substrate forming an outer tube and the film substrate forming an inner tube, and overlapping or butt joints are formed on the longitudinal edge sides of the outer tube and the inner tube; the longitudinal edge sides of the molding substrate and the film substrate are guided between an outer contact strip and an inner contact strip, the outer contact strip and the inner contact strip being preferably rotatable; and the longitudinal edge sides of the molding substrate and the film substrate are heated via an internal heating device and / or an external heating device; a first connection is achieved between the longitudinal edge sides of the molding substrate, preferably an adhesive bond, and at least almost simultaneously, a second connection is achieved between the longitudinal edge sides of the film substrate, preferably a longitudinal weld.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a method for producing a flexible tube for packaging from two preferably separate substrate webs, the substrate webs being particularly preferably made of different materials. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a flexible packaging tube produced according to the method according to the invention, and an apparatus for producing a flexible tube according to the method according to the invention.

[0002] Methods for producing flexible tubes are known from the prior art in various forms, in which a sheet-like membrane substrate is formed into a tube shape by drawing it through a forming device designed as, for example, a mandrel. In this case, the longitudinal edge sides of the membrane substrate, having at least one weldable plastic layer or composed of such a weldable plastic layer, are arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement. Thus, the endless tube is produced first by means of a joining process at the longitudinal edge sides, particularly welding, and can be further processed, for example, to further improve roundness, before being divided into individual, typically cylindrical, tubes.

[0003] To produce tubes from more than one substrate or more than one substrate web, such as membrane substrates for receiving substances to be stored and molded substrates for increasing the robustness of the tube, the prior art has so far stipulated that each substrate or substrate web is processed and shaped independently of each other, and is connected to each other only in the form of shaped and separate tubes and / or one arranged inside another. Alternatively, an endless tube or a previously divided tube is first shaped, and then a second substrate web is shaped around the existing tube, for example by passing or bending the second substrate web around the endless tube or tube. Both methods described have the disadvantages that the production workload is significantly increased due to the second substrate web compared to production using only one substrate web; and errors may occur in the final arrangement of adjacent tube cylinders due to the separate processing of the substrate webs, which can adversely affect, for example, the sealing performance, mechanical robustness, and / or visual appearance of the tube.

[0004] Therefore, since the two substrate webs, especially membrane substrates, have been molded as independently as possible in the prior art to date, material selection and design have been limited because sufficient robustness, for example, through material thickness, must be provided so that the substrate webs can be molded independently by means of a molding device without damaging the individual substrate webs, and in particular without tearing, warping, or disintegration of the substrate webs. On the one hand, such tubes produced from two substrate webs have thus far had relatively thick walls, where the circumference of the tube must be increased to achieve the same internal volume as a comparable tube made from a single substrate web; on the other hand, for example, in cases where the substrates are difficult to recycle or expensive, incomparable material savings can be achieved for the individual substrate webs, especially in the case of membrane substrates.

[0005] A tube forming apparatus is known from DE 1 938 568 B2, which forms and welds paper webs and laminated plastic webs into a double tube. DE 197 09 350 C1 discloses a method for producing a double tube having an inner layer and an outer membrane, wherein the inner layer is formed around a calibrated tube and sealed with a curable resin, and the outer membrane is subsequently formed around the inner layer in a wrapping apparatus. Tube forming apparatus for producing tubular tubes from substrate webs is known from US 3 388 017 A and WO 2021 / 014241 A1.

[0006] In view of the above, the object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, and in particular to provide an optimized method for producing flexible tubes from two substrate webs.

[0007] This objective is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. Furthermore, this objective is achieved by a tube having the features of claim 17 and by an apparatus for producing the tube having the features of claim 25.

[0008] Advantageous embodiments of the method for producing flexible tubes according to the invention, the flexible tubes produced according to the method according to the invention, and the apparatus for producing flexible tubes are the subject of the following description, the description of the drawings, the drawings, and the dependent claims.

[0009] Features described and claimed in connection with the method should also be considered to be disclosed and claimed in connection with the device, and vice versa.

[0010] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible tube for packaging tubes from two preferably separate substrate webs, the substrate webs being particularly preferably made of different materials.

[0011] In this case, the first substrate web is realized by a molded substrate, which preferably has a printed material on the outer side, the molded substrate preferably contains fibers or has a fiber-containing component, and the molded substrate includes a first longitudinal edge side extending in the longitudinal direction and a second longitudinal edge side parallel to and spaced apart from it, and the second substrate web is realized by a film substrate, which has at least one weldable plastic layer or is composed of therefrom, and the film substrate includes a first longitudinal edge side extending in the longitudinal direction and a second longitudinal edge side parallel to and spaced apart from it.

[0012] In this case, the method includes the following steps: I) Supplying the substrate webs, wherein during supply, the substrate webs are arranged adjacent to each other, preferably substantially overlapping each other. II) The molding substrate and the film substrate are formed into a tubular shape using a preferably shared molding device, wherein the molding substrate forms an outer tube and the film substrate forms an inner tube, and the outer tube and the inner tube are arranged with overlapping or butt joints on their respective longitudinal edge sides. III) Guiding the longitudinal edge side of the molded substrate and the longitudinal edge side of the film substrate between the outer contact strip and the inner contact strip, wherein the outer contact strip and the inner contact strip are preferably rotary. IV) Heating the longitudinal edge side of the molded substrate and the longitudinal edge side of the film substrate via an internal heating device and / or an external heating device to achieve a first connection, preferably an adhesive bond, between the longitudinal edge sides of the molded substrate, and to achieve a second connection, preferably a longitudinal weld, between the longitudinal edge sides of the film substrate.

[0013] The present invention unexpectedly discovers that two substrate webs can be supplied together to the molding process in a previously arranged, preferably substantially overlapping, and adjacent manner to form an endless tube having an inner tube made of an inner film substrate and an outer tube made of an outer molding substrate. By molding the molding substrate and the film substrate together, both the production workload can be reduced, thereby increasing the production cycle rate, and the adjacent arrangement of the molding substrate tube and the film substrate tube can be achieved in a particularly repeatable and error-resistant manner.

[0014] By molding the substrate webs together and forming longitudinal connections, particularly adhesive bonds, on the molded body and longitudinal connections, particularly welded joints, on the membrane body, it is also achieved that the molded body and the membrane body can be arranged adjacent to each other, particularly in a positively mating manner. This is because good surface adhesion already exists between the tubes due to the sheet-like contact between the molded substrate tube and the membrane substrate tube, preventing slippage of the tubes in subsequent processing steps and ensuring particularly good sealing, mechanical robustness, and dynamic robustness of the resulting tube body. Since the molded substrate and the membrane substrate are connected only at their respective longitudinal edges, it is still ensured that the molded substrate and the membrane substrate can be separated from each other, particularly depending on the type, so that they can be supplied to the recycling and / or composting process after the packaging tube including the tube body has been fully used (e.g., after it has been completely emptied).

[0015] Furthermore, it has been found that in the method according to the invention, the molding substrate strengthens the membrane substrate during molding, which advantageously allows the membrane substrate to be designed in a thinner manner than could be achieved by supplying the membrane substrate independently to the molding process. In other words, the inner substrate web is strengthened by means of the outer substrate web, thus allowing each substrate web to be thinner than would be required for individual processing. Therefore, material savings can be achieved, particularly for the membrane substrate, and tubes with relatively small wall thicknesses and high flexibility can be produced without the inner membrane substrate disintegrating. Thus, in a particularly advantageous embodiment, for example, a recyclable molding substrate is combined with the membrane substrate, the molding substrate being at least partially composed of cardboard or paper and / or containing cellulose, the membrane substrate being, for example, composed of a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the membrane substrate is advantageously thinner than the molding substrate.

[0016] In this context, the substrate web (which is particularly initially sheet-like and preferably composed of different materials or mixtures of materials) should be understood as both a molded substrate and a film substrate, wherein, essentially, the substrate web may also be composed at least partially of the same mixture of materials. Advantageously, the choice of molded substrate and film substrate can be adapted to the substance to be packaged or stored.

[0017] In this case, the molding substrate preferably contains fibers and / or cellulose or has a fiber-containing component, and more preferably is composed of recyclable materials, such as, but not limited to, cardboard or paper. In this case, the molding substrate particularly provides mechanical, static, and / or dynamic robustness of the tube, wherein, particularly preferably, the robustness of the molding substrate causes a positive enhancement of the robustness of the membrane substrate during and / or after the production process (e.g., during further processing, filling, and / or use of the tube). More preferably, the molding substrate may include a coating, which is particularly waterproof, and this coating is advantageously achieved, for example, by printing, lamination, or painting, wherein other coatings (such as films or vapor-deposited layers) are also possible.

[0018] The membrane substrate has at least one weldable plastic layer or is composed of such a layer, and can be made, for example, of thermoplastics, elastomers, or thermoplastic elastomers, including, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, bio-derived polymers, biodegradable polymers, cyclic olefin copolymers, polyurethane, or, for example, a laminate having a barrier layer made of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or polyamide and having a metallized or oxidically vapor-deposited layer, and / or mixtures and / or combinations of these materials. Advantageously, the membrane substrate can be designed as a multilayer structure and is preferably inherently waterproof, or at least waterproof on the side ultimately facing the substance to be stored. Waterproofing can also be achieved by coating the membrane substrate if necessary.

[0019] The substrate webs are preferably arranged substantially overlapping each other, wherein it is conceivable that the substrate webs are arranged in a generally centered manner, or that one substrate web is arranged on top of another substrate web in a slightly offset manner. In this case, the substrate webs can be supplied in a manner in which they have been pre-arranged adjacent to each other, or individually, for example to allow for prior processing and / or manufacturing steps, and can be assembled only just before molding.

[0020] Advantageously, the forming device can be implemented, for example, as a mandrel, with the substrate webs arranged in the form of two endless tubes, the forming substrate being an outer endless tube and the film substrate being an inner endless tube. Particularly preferably, the longitudinal edge sides of the substrate webs are arranged in an overlapping manner within a single substrate web, wherein a butt joint arrangement is also conceivable. In this case, the longitudinal edge sides of the substrate webs do not necessarily need to be arranged in the same manner; for example, a substrate web can be arranged edge-to-edge, and a substrate web can be arranged in an overlapping manner.

[0021] Heating of the longitudinal edge sides of the film substrate and the molded substrate is achieved by means of one or more heating devices, preferably induction heating devices, wherein, more preferably, one heating device is assigned to the inner contact belt and one heating device is assigned to the outer contact belt. Thus, the longitudinal edge sides of the molded substrate and the film substrate can be advantageously heated as they are guided and / or transported between the outer and inner contact belts, wherein, advantageously, the longitudinal edge sides are additionally pressurized.

[0022] The connection at the longitudinal edge sides of the molded substrate is preferably achieved as an adhesive bond, particularly preferably as a thermoplastic bond. Other connection types are also conceivable, such as welded joints, preferably by welding and / or sealing with one or more additional substrate strips, or by embossing. The connection at the longitudinal edge sides of the membrane substrate is preferably achieved as a welded joint, wherein other connection types are also conceivable, such as adhesive bonds. The first connection at the molded substrate and the second connection at the membrane substrate can preferably be performed at least almost simultaneously or completely simultaneously. As an alternative or addition to the connection at the corresponding substrate webs, the inner and outer substrate webs can also be directly connected to each other, for example, by means of sealing clamps or ultrasonic methods in the form of a thermoplastic welded joint. Other methods are also conceivable, and by means of directional or non-directional electrostatic charging.

[0023] The side of the molded body—arranged to face away from the membrane substrate before molding and positioned outside the molded endless tube of the molded substrate after molding—is defined hereinafter as the outer side of the molded body. Similarly, the side of the membrane substrate—facing the molded substrate before molding and positioned outside the endless tube of the membrane substrate after molding—is defined as the outer side of the membrane substrate. Regarding the endless tube and the tube body, the inner tube or inner tube segment is understood as a tube made of the membrane substrate, and the outer tube or outer tube segment is understood as a tube made of the molded substrate.

[0024] According to a first advantageous embodiment, when the longitudinal edge sides are heated, adhesion between the longitudinal edge sides of the membrane substrates or to each other can be achieved before the joining of the molding substrates. Therefore, it is advantageous to arrange the molding substrates, particularly in the regions of the first and second joining, in a particularly mating manner, preferably in a forward-fitting manner on the membrane substrates. Thus, the joining of the molding substrates can also be advantageously achieved, for example, under pressure, without adversely affecting the joining of the membrane substrates, and in particular, without causing displacement or even detachment of the second joining achieved at the membrane substrates.

[0025] According to another advantageous embodiment, a coupling agent, preferably a thermoplastic adhesive, can be applied to at least one longitudinal edge side of the molded substrate, preferably before molding. This embodiment has proven particularly advantageous for achieving adhesive bonding at the longitudinal edge sides of the molded substrate, wherein the coupling agent is preferably applied before molding and is automatically arranged between the longitudinal edge sides by molding the molded substrate. In an alternative embodiment, the coupling agent can also be applied during or after the molding of the substrate web. In this case, for overlapping arrangements of the longitudinal edge sides, the coupling agent can be applied at a defined distance from the edge of the longitudinal edge side, or for butt joint arrangements, the coupling agent can be applied directly at the edge, advantageously so as to at least partially protrude beyond the edge. In this case, the use of a hot melt adhesive is preferred because it can be particularly advantageously integrated into the established heating and cooling processes in tube production.

[0026] According to another advantageous embodiment, at least one coupling agent can be applied to the molding substrate and / or the film substrate, preferably in a dotted and / or blocky manner, such that the coupling agent is disposed between the molding substrate and the film substrate, and adhesion between the molding substrate and the film substrate is achieved during supply or molding, which prevents the film substrate from sliding relative to the molding substrate. Thus, it is advantageous to prevent the substrate webs from sliding relative to each other before and during molding and connection, and particularly advantageously, to prevent the substrate webs from detaching from each other in the segmented tube. In this case, the coupling agent is preferably applied in a dotted manner, wherein, alternatively, it can also be applied in a linear, trajectorical, blocky manner, or on a surface (if desired, on a large surface) and in several different configurations.

[0027] According to another advantageous embodiment, after the connection between the longitudinal edge sides of the molding substrate and the film substrate is formed, the curing process of the coupling agent between the molding substrate and the film substrate can still continue. Therefore, residual mobility between the molding substrate and the film substrate relative to each other is advantageously maintained during and after molding, which facilitates the arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides of the respective substrate webs and particularly prevents the formation of wrinkles and warping in the substrate webs.

[0028] According to another advantageous embodiment, the coupling agent used between the molding substrate and the film substrate can be completely removable. Therefore, the molding substrate and the film substrate can be advantageously separated from each other, particularly depending on the type, for example, after the packaging tube, including the tube body, has been completely emptied.

[0029] According to another advantageous embodiment, a coupling agent can be applied between the molding substrate and the film substrate based on a printed image located on the outside of the molding substrate. Therefore, it is particularly advantageous to achieve that the coupling agent is completely or almost completely optically invisible, thereby preventing visual defects on the outside of the molding substrate, especially for molding substrates (such as paper) that are easily stained by liquid adhesive emulsions.

[0030] According to another advantageous embodiment, the coupling agent can be applied to the longitudinal side of the molded substrate before, after, or at least almost simultaneously with the coupling agent between the molded substrate and the film substrate. Therefore, the application of the coupling agent can be carried out in different ways, thereby allowing it to be advantageously integrated into existing production processes. In this case, the preferably simultaneous coating can, for example, shorten the production chain in time and space, wherein the preferably continuous coating does not require parallelization of the method steps.

[0031] According to another advantageous embodiment, after heating and after the connection between the longitudinal edge sides is formed, the outer tube and the inner tube can be separated simultaneously and / or together, preferably by forming tube segments of equal length in the longitudinal direction. Thus, the endless tube composed of the molding substrate and the film substrate can advantageously proceed to further processing steps. In this case, the separation of the tube is preferably carried out, for example, by cutting or fixed-length cutting. Prior to separation, additional processing steps can be provided, for example, the endless tube can be further processed to improve roundness.

[0032] According to another advantageous embodiment, the separated pairs of tube segments, comprising an inner tube segment and an outer tube segment, can be further transported together, preferably in a fully overlapping manner in the longitudinal direction, and can be transferred to the head connection device. Therefore, this method can be particularly advantageously integrated into a production process for forming packaged tubes, which is preferably automated.

[0033] According to another advantageous embodiment, the film substrate and the molded substrate can be supplied by two separate substrate unwinding devices, preferably by separate substrate rolls. Because they are supplied by separate substrate roll feeding devices, it is particularly advantageous to perform processing steps that will be applied only to one substrate web before the substrate webs are converged, such as applying a coupling agent, preferably in the region on the longitudinal edge side of the molded substrate.

[0034] According to another advantageous embodiment, the molding substrate can be converged with the membrane substrate under pressure, preferably from 0.5 bar to 5 bar. This makes the contact between the molding substrate and the membrane substrate particularly strong, thereby particularly preventing the formation of air bubbles between the substrate webs. Furthermore, convergence under pressure prevents slippage of the substrate webs before the preferably applied coupling agent has been sufficiently cured to prevent slippage.

[0035] According to another advantageous embodiment, the inner contact strip can be heated to 140°C to 220°C. This temperature range has proven particularly advantageous for preferably combining with the outer contact strip to provide sufficient energy for the formation of the first and second connections, while simultaneously preventing overheating of the inner contact strip, which would both reduce its service life and cause undesirable adverse effects on the material of the substrate web.

[0036] According to another advantageous embodiment, the outer contact strip can be heated to 110°C to 180°C. This temperature range has proven particularly advantageous for use, preferably in combination with the inner contact strip, to provide sufficient energy for the formation of the first and second connections without overheating the contact strip or substrate web.

[0037] According to another advantageous embodiment, after the longitudinal connection is formed, the tube and / or longitudinal connection constituted by the molded substrate and the film substrate can be cooled to below 90°C, preferably below 80°C, and particularly preferably below 70°C. Thus, it is advantageous to achieve that the substrate web and / or longitudinal connection are hardened and strengthened after their formation, thereby preventing detachment of the connection and loosening or collapse of the tube body, particularly in the separation region, especially in the case of subsequent separation of the end-less tube into a tube body.

[0038] According to another advantageous embodiment, during supply, the forming substrate and the membrane substrate can be supplied and / or cut with at least substantially equal widths in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, or the membrane substrate can be supplied such that it is shorter than the forming substrate in its width direction, and vice versa. By supplying the substrate webs with equal widths, the arrangement of the substrate webs is particularly easier, preferably with as much overlap as possible, since the substrate webs can be arranged, in particular, fully overlapped. The shorter configuration of the membrane substrate in the width direction can advantageously achieve material savings, wherein the longitudinal edge connection of the membrane substrate is not adversely affected by the smaller circumference of the inner tube. Particularly advantageously, this configuration results in a larger area for the connection of the forming substrate, preferably, for example, for adhesive bonding, thereby improving the strength of the connection, wherein the connection of the membrane substrate (e.g., welded joint) remains equally strong.

[0039] According to another advantageous embodiment, at least one, preferably at least two, and particularly preferably more than two additional substrate strips, especially reinforcing strips, and / or material additives may be arranged in the region of the first connection and / or the second connection, wherein the first connection and / or the second connection is at least segmentally connected, particularly welded to the longitudinal edge side. In this case, the substrate strips may be made of the same material as the membrane substrate, or may be made of another material, which is preferably weldable and / or bondable. At least one material additive may also be included, for example, in the form of a strip or liquid material. The substrate strips and / or material additives may be designed identically or differently, for example, with different material strengths. As an alternative to welding, the substrate strips or material additives may also be at least segmentally bonded to the longitudinal edge side. By means of the substrate strips and / or material additives, the dynamic and static robustness of the connection can be advantageously enhanced, and, for example, the sealing performance can be further improved. Moreover, by means of the substrate strips and / or material additives, various arrangements of the longitudinal edge sides of the membrane substrate and the molded substrate are achieved, wherein the robustness and sealing performance of the connection are still guaranteed. Particularly advantageously, the substrate strip and / or material additives can act as coupling agents to ensure or support the formation of the first connection and / or the second connection. For example, an exemplary embodiment of the substrate strip and / or material additives for supply is found in the applicant's EP 3 880 445 B1 and EP 4 140705 A1, wherein other embodiments are also possible.

[0040] According to another advantageous embodiment, the molding of the molding substrate can begin offset relative to the molding of the film substrate along the longitudinal direction, particularly later, with the pressing device also performing the molding of the film substrate in addition to the molding device. In other words, the molding of the molding substrate therefore begins later than the molding of the film substrate along the longitudinal direction relative to the molding of the substrate web. Therefore, there is a defined region in the inner tube formed of the film substrate where the inner tube is not (yet) surrounded by the outer tube during molding, and as a result, it is particularly advantageous to supply additional substrate strips and / or material additives here.

[0041] According to another advantageous embodiment, the forming substrate and the film substrate can be guided to be at least partially spaced apart from each other after passing the feed rollers, and in particular guided to converge at 0 to 15°. The forming substrate and the film substrate are preferably arranged directly adjacent to each other at the start of forming, and more preferably substantially overlapping. This type of guidance has proven particularly advantageous for achieving an overlapping arrangement of substrate webs without creating displacement, twisting, or wrinkles in the substrate webs.

[0042] According to another advantageous embodiment, the molding substrate and / or film substrate can be cut by a cutting device before molding. This type of cutting is also known as "(side) trimming". Therefore, various advantageous effects can be achieved, for example, the substrate webs can be directly fitted to each other, and different arrangements of the substrate webs can be achieved through corresponding cuts.

[0043] According to another advantageous embodiment, the molding substrate and / or film substrate can be cut prior to forming the first and second connections such that, for the outer and / or inner tubes, the longitudinal edge sides are adjacent to each other, particularly edge-to-edge, radially positioned only in the outer region, and have at least one tip formed by the cutting. Among other advantages, this configuration has the advantage that applying relatively low energy is advantageously sufficient to form the first connection, thereby ensuring that any possible print remains undamaged, particularly without tearing. For example, an exemplary embodiment is shown in the applicant's EP 3 880 445 B1, in which other embodiments are also possible. Particularly advantageously, this embodiment can be associated with additional substrate strips and / or material additives.

[0044] Furthermore, the aforementioned objective is achieved by a flexible tube, preferably produced according to any of the foregoing embodiments of the method, the flexible tube comprising an outer tube cylinder and an inner tube cylinder, the outer tube cylinder being made of a molded substrate, the molded substrate preferably having a print on its outer side and preferably containing fibers or having a fiber-containing component, the inner tube cylinder being made of a membrane substrate having at least one weldable plastic layer or being constituted therefrom, a first connection, preferably an adhesive bond, being achieved between the longitudinal edge sides of the molded substrate, and a second connection, preferably a longitudinal weld, being achieved between the longitudinal edge sides of the membrane substrate.

[0045] According to the invention, the first connection and the second connection are preferably arranged at least partially on top of each other in a flush manner, particularly in a positively aligned manner, or arranged adjacent to each other relative to the longitudinal axis.

[0046] In this context, a connection is defined as one being above the other, and / or arranged sequentially, on a common radial line and / or plane, relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube cylinder. A connection is defined as being adjacent to each other, rather than being arranged one above the other on a common radial line and / or plane, but preferably directly adjacent to each other so as to be adjacent to a common radial line and / or arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction.

[0047] To avoid unnecessary repetition, the advantageous effects and embodiments of the flexible tube are described above in reference to the method for producing the tube. This also means that, generally, features disclosed with respect to the method should also be considered as disclosed with respect to the device, and vice versa.

[0048] In summary, the present invention enables the provision of a flexible tube body produced in one production step from two substrate webs, wherein the forming substrate positively reinforces the robustness of the film substrate.

[0049] In this case, achieving a connection where at least partially one is on top of the other has been found to be particularly easy to manufacture, wherein the arrangement also advantageously results in the connections adhering to each other at least partially, preferably in a positive-fit manner, on their surfaces. In this case, the arrangement of the connections adjacent to each other, especially in a positive-fit manner, has the advantages of: the connections occupy less space in total, and in particular, the seam ridges formed by the connections are thinner.

[0050] According to a first advantageous embodiment, the molding substrate may have a content of 100 g / m³. 2 Up to 200g / m 2 Preferably 130g / m 2 Up to 170g / m 2 The material strength. This material strength has been found to be particularly advantageous for molding substrates to provide mechanical and dynamic robustness to the tube body, in which good flexibility of the tube body is achieved.

[0051] According to another advantageous embodiment, the membrane substrate may have a material thickness of 30 µm to 150 µm, preferably 50 µm to 80 µm. With this material thickness, the membrane substrate has particularly good flexibility as well as mechanical and dynamic robustness, especially when combined with the molded substrate.

[0052] According to another advantageous embodiment, the first and / or the second and / or other optional coupling agents may have a layer thickness of 1 µm to 100 µm. This layer thickness has been found to be particularly advantageous in ensuring good robustness, wherein the separability and recyclability of the tube are not compromised.

[0053] Furthermore, the aforementioned objective is achieved by an apparatus for producing flexible tubes, preferably produced according to any of the foregoing embodiments of the method, particularly for producing tubes from at least two, preferably separate, substrate webs, especially from a molded substrate and a film substrate. The substrate webs are particularly preferably made of different materials. The molded substrate preferably contains fibers or has a fiber-containing component, and the molded substrate includes a first longitudinal edge side extending in the longitudinal direction and a second longitudinal edge side parallel to and spaced apart from it. The film substrate has at least one weldable plastic layer or is composed of it, and the film substrate includes a first longitudinal edge side extending in the longitudinal direction and a second longitudinal edge side parallel to and spaced apart from it. The apparatus includes a preferably shared molding device configured to shape the molded substrate and the film substrate into a tube shape, wherein the molded substrate achieves an external... The device comprises an inner tube and an outer tube and an inner tube having overlapping or butt joint arrangements on corresponding longitudinal edge sides. The outer and inner contact strips are preferably rotatable and arranged such that they guide the longitudinal edge sides of the molded substrate and the membrane substrate between the outer and inner contact strips. The device includes an inner heating device and / or an outer heating device that heats the longitudinal edge sides of the molded substrate and the membrane substrate, thereby achieving a first connection, preferably an adhesive bond, between the longitudinal edge sides of the molded substrate and a second connection, preferably a longitudinal weld, between the longitudinal edge sides of the membrane substrate. The device includes at least two separate substrate unwinding devices for supplying two, preferably separate, substrate webs, which are particularly preferably made of different materials.

[0054] To avoid unnecessary repetition, the advantageous effects and embodiments of the apparatus for producing flexible tubes are described above with reference to the method for producing tubes and the tubes produced according to the method according to the invention. This also means that, generally, features disclosed with respect to the method should also be considered as disclosed with respect to the apparatus, and vice versa.

[0055] In summary, the present invention enables the provision of an apparatus for producing flexible tubes, which are produced in one production step from two substrate webs, wherein the forming substrate positively enhances the robustness of the membrane substrate.

[0056] Supplying from at least two substrate unwinding devices and subsequently molding with a shared molding device has proven particularly advantageous, as the different process steps in the equipment can cooperate very well with each other and be integrated into the established production chain.

[0057] According to a first advantageous embodiment, the apparatus may include feed rollers arranged such that, during feeding, the substrate webs are arranged adjacent to each other, preferably substantially overlapping. In this manner, the substrate webs are particularly advantageously transferred to the arrangement required for forming, wherein the substrate webs can still be processed before and during feeding, for example, by cutting the substrate webs or applying a coupling agent to the substrate webs.

[0058] According to another advantageous embodiment, the device may include at least one first nozzle configured to apply at least one coupling agent, preferably a thermoplastic adhesive, to the molding substrate and / or the film substrate. In this case, the nozzle may be designed to have one or more nozzle outlets and to apply the coupling agent in different arrangements (e.g., in lines or blocks). Advantageously, the nozzle is arranged upstream of the molding device in the device, although other arrangements (such as alongside or downstream of the molding device) are also possible. In this case, the use of a thermoplastic adhesive is preferred because it can be particularly advantageously integrated into the heating and cooling processes established during the production of the tube.

[0059] According to another advantageous embodiment, the device may include at least one second nozzle, preferably a nozzle rod, which is configured to apply at least one coupling agent, preferably in a dotted and / or blocky manner, to the molding substrate and / or the film substrate. In this case, the nozzle may be designed to have one or more nozzle outlets and is designed to apply the coupling agent in different arrangements (e.g., in a linear, dotted, blocky manner or over a large surface). Advantageously, the nozzle is arranged upstream of the molding device in the device, wherein other arrangements (such as parallel to the molding device or downstream of the molding device) are also possible.

[0060] According to another advantageous embodiment, side rollers are assigned to the forming apparatus such that the forming substrate and the film substrate are formed around the forming apparatus by means of the side rollers. In this case, the side rollers particularly advantageously support the substrate web being formed around the forming apparatus.

[0061] According to another advantageous embodiment, a holding device can be implemented on the device, the holding device being arranged such that, in addition to the forming device, the holding device also guides the film substrate, specifically such that the forming of the film substrate begins along the longitudinal direction before the forming of the molded substrate. In other words, the holding device is arranged such that the forming of the molded substrate begins later than the forming of the film substrate relative to the longitudinal direction along which the substrate web is formed. Therefore, there is a defined region at the inner tube formed by the film substrate, in which the inner tube is not (yet) surrounded by the outer tube during forming, thus, it is particularly advantageous to supply additional substrate strips and / or material additives here.

[0062] According to another advantageous embodiment, at least one supply device can be arranged such that at least one additional substrate strip, particularly a reinforcing strip, and / or material additive is supplied to the region of the first connection and / or the second connection. In this case, the substrate strip can be made of the same material as the membrane substrate or of another preferably weldable material. At least one material additive can also be inserted, for example, in the form of a strip or liquid material. The substrate strip and / or material additive can be designed similarly or differently, for example, with different material strengths and lengths. By means of the substrate strip and / or material additive, the dynamic and static robustness of the connection can be advantageously enhanced, and, for example, the sealing performance can be further improved. Moreover, by means of the substrate strip and / or material additive, various arrangements of the longitudinal edge sides of the membrane substrate and the molded substrate are achieved, wherein the robustness and sealing performance of the connection are still guaranteed. Particularly advantageously, the substrate strip and / or material additive can act as a coupling agent to ensure or support the formation of the first connection and / or the second connection. For example, an exemplary embodiment of the substrate strip and / or material additives for supply is found in the applicant's EP3 880 445 B1 and EP 4 140 705 A1, wherein other embodiments are also possible. In this case, for example, a heating device may also be provided to the supply device to control the temperature of the substrate strip and / or material additives. Most advantageously, the substrate strip and / or material additives are joined, particularly welded or bonded, preferably at least segmentally to the longitudinal edge side.

[0063] According to another advantageous embodiment, the feed rollers can be arranged such that the forming substrate and the film substrate are at least partially spaced apart from each other as they pass the last feed roller, particularly converging at 0 to 15°. The forming substrate and the film substrate are preferably arranged directly adjacent to each other at the start of forming, and more preferably substantially overlapping. This type of guidance has proven particularly advantageous for achieving an overlapping arrangement of substrate webs without creating displacement, twisting, or wrinkles in the substrate webs.

[0064] According to another advantageous embodiment, the apparatus may include at least one cutting device, preferably one cutting device for each substrate web and / or substrate strip and / or material additive used, particularly for cutting the substrate web prior to molding. This type of cutting is also known as "(side) trimming". Thus, various advantageous effects can be achieved, for example, the substrate webs can be directly adapted to each other, and different arrangements of the substrate webs can be achieved through corresponding cuts.

[0065] According to another advantageous embodiment, the device may include a cooling device configured such that, after the longitudinal connection is formed, the tube and / or longitudinal connection constituted by the molded substrate and the film substrate is cooled to below 90°C, preferably below 80°C, and particularly preferably below 70°C. Therefore, it is advantageous to achieve that the substrate web and the longitudinal connection are hardened and strengthened after their formation, thereby preventing the connection from detaching and the loosening or collapse of the tube body, particularly in the segmented areas, especially in the case of subsequent division of the endless tube into tube bodies.

[0066] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference only to the schematic drawings that illustrate exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0067] Figure 1 This is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the method configuration according to the present invention, and also schematically illustrates an apparatus for producing tubes according to the present invention; Figure 2a This is a schematic top view of a first embodiment of the molding configuration according to the present invention, and also schematically illustrates the molding apparatus; Figure 2b This is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the molding configuration according to the present invention, and also schematically illustrates the molding apparatus; Figure 3a This is a schematic top view of a second embodiment of the molding configuration according to the present invention, and also schematically illustrates the molding apparatus; Figure 3b This is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the molding configuration according to the present invention, and also schematically illustrates the molding apparatus; Figure 4a This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the arrangement of the substrate web on the longitudinal edge side after molding; Figure 4b This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the arrangement of the substrate web on the longitudinal edge side after the connection is formed; Figure 5a This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment showing the arrangement of the substrate web on its longitudinal edge side after molding; Figure 5b This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment showing the arrangement of the substrate web on its longitudinal edge side after the connection is formed; Figure 6a This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a third embodiment showing the arrangement of the substrate web on its longitudinal edge side after molding. Figure 6b This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the fourth embodiment showing the arrangement of the substrate web on the longitudinal edge side after molding; Figure 6c This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the fifth embodiment showing the arrangement of the substrate web on the longitudinal edge side after molding; Figure 6d This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sixth embodiment showing the arrangement of the substrate web on the longitudinal edge side after molding; Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the substrate web material formed before molding; Figure 8 This is a schematic example of a first embodiment of method control according to the method of the present invention.

[0068] exist Figure 1 The image shows a first embodiment of the method according to the invention and an illustrative example of an apparatus according to the invention for producing tubes. In this case, the substrate web of the forming substrate 1 and the substrate web of the film substrate 2 are brought together by means of a feed roller 19, which is arranged such that the forming substrate 1 and the film substrate 2 are at least partially spaced apart from each other, particularly converging at 0 to 15°, as they pass the last feed roller 19. Thereafter, the substrate webs are arranged to overlap as much as possible, and the substrate webs are preferably composed of different materials. Preferably, the forming substrate 1 contains fibers or has a fiber-containing component, and particularly has a printed material 3 on at least one side (see [link to image]). Figure 7 Further preferably, the film substrate 2 has at least one weldable plastic layer or is composed of such a layer. The substrate webs are supplied by separate substrate unwinding devices, preferably by substrate rolls, or in such a manner that they are already arranged adjacent to each other. Before they are converged, at least one first coupling agent 13 (see FIG. 3) is preferably applied to the inside of the molded substrate 1 by means of nozzle 21. Particularly preferably, at least one second coupling agent 14 is applied to the molded substrate 1 (see FIG. 3) by means of nozzle 22. Figure 4a and Figure 4b as well as Figure 5a and Figure 5bIn this case, nozzles 21 and 22 can be implemented with only one or more nozzle outlets, and different arrangements of the coupling agent can be implemented, such as linear, dotted, or blocky. The substrate web is formed into a tubular shape, particularly an endless tube, by means of forming device 10 (which is implemented, for example, as a mandrel). The film substrate 2 is implemented as an inner tube 4 having longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2, which are preferably arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement. The forming substrate 1 is implemented as an outer tube 5 also having longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2, which are preferably arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement. The device may include a holding device 18, which advantageously enables the film substrate 2 to be formed upstream of the forming substrate 1 relative to the longitudinal direction L, thereby allowing additional substrate strips 17 and / or material additives to be arranged particularly easily on the substrate web by means of a feeding device, particularly at the first connection 15 and / or the second connection 16. The longitudinal edge sides 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, and 2.2 of the substrate web are guided between the outer contact belt 6 and the inner contact belt 7 by means of a drive device 12 (such as a drive roller). Furthermore, an inner heating device 9 and an outer heating device 8 are provided, which heat the forming substrate 1 and the film substrate 2. A first connection 15, preferably an adhesive bond, more preferably an adhesive bond promoted by a coupling agent 14 advantageously implemented as a thermoplastic adhesive, or an adhesive bond promoted by a substrate strip 17, or a welded joint, is formed at the forming substrate 1, and a second connection 16, particularly a welded joint, is formed at the film substrate 2 (see [link to documentation]). Figure 4a and Figure 4b as well as Figure 5a and Figure 5b as well as Figure 6a , Figure 6b , Figure 6c and Figure 6d ).

[0069] After the connection is formed, a curing process and / or a cooling process can be carried out, and in particular, the endless tube is separated into tubes of preferably equal length, for example by means of cutting or fixed-length cutting.

[0070] Figure 2a and Figure 2bTop and side views are shown, respectively, of the molding substrate 1 and the film substrate 2 formed by the molding apparatus 10, which is implemented, for example, as a mandrel and is advantageously arranged on the mounting member 11. The molding substrate 1 and the film substrate 2 are preferably arranged to overlap as much as possible, wherein the molding substrate 1 may advantageously be longer than the film substrate 2 in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. The molding substrate 1 and the film substrate 2 are transformed into a tubular shape by means of the molding apparatus 10. The film substrate 2 forms an inner tube 4 having longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2, which are preferably arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement. The molding substrate 1 forms an outer tube 5, which also has longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2, which are preferably arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement.

[0071] Figure 3a and Figure 3b Top and side views are shown, respectively, of the molding substrate 1 and the film substrate 2 formed by the molding apparatus 10, which is implemented, for example, as a mandrel and is advantageously arranged on the mounting member 11. The molding substrate 1 and the film substrate 2 are preferably arranged to overlap as much as possible. The molding substrate 1 and the film substrate 2 are transformed into a tubular shape by the molding apparatus 10. The film substrate 2 forms an inner tube 4 having longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2, which are preferably arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement. The molding substrate 1 forms an outer tube 5, which also has longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2, which are preferably arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement. In this case, the device includes a pressing device 18, which advantageously enables the film substrate 2 to be formed upstream of the forming substrate 1 relative to the longitudinal direction L, thereby allowing additional substrate strips 17 and / or material additives to be arranged particularly easily on the substrate web by means of a feeding device, especially at the first connection 15 and / or the second connection 16.

[0072] exist Figure 4a The diagram illustrates a first embodiment of the arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 and the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2 after the substrate web has been formed into the inner tube 4 and the outer tube 5. Advantageously, a coupling agent 14, preferably a thermoplastic adhesive, is disposed between the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1. Preferably, the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 are arranged in an overlapping manner, and the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 are also arranged in an overlapping manner, wherein a butt joint arrangement is also possible.

[0073] exist Figure 4b The diagram shows what happens after connections 15 and 16 have been formed. Figure 4a The arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides. The second connection 16 is preferably formed as a welded joint between the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2. Advantageously, the connection 16 may have been adhered when the first connection 15 was formed. This connection 15 is advantageously an adhesive bond, wherein the coupling agent 14 is preferably implemented as a thermoplastic adhesive. In this configuration, the connection 15 and the connection 16 are arranged one on top of the other, that is, the outlines of the connection 15 and the connection 16 are arranged one on top of the other at least partially on a common radial line and / or plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube cylinder.

[0074] exist Figure 5a The diagram illustrates a second embodiment of the arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 and the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2 after the substrate web is formed into the inner tube 4 and the outer tube 5. Advantageously, a coupling agent 14, preferably a thermoplastic adhesive, is disposed between the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1. Preferably, the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 are arranged in an overlapping manner, and the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 are also arranged in an overlapping manner, wherein a butt joint arrangement is also possible.

[0075] exist Figure 5b The diagram shows what happens after connections 15 and 16 have been formed. Figure 5a The arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides. The second connection 16 is preferably formed as a weld joint between the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2. Advantageously, the connection 16 may have been adhered when the first connection 15 was formed. This connection 15 is advantageously an adhesive bond, wherein the coupling agent 14 is preferably implemented as a thermoplastic adhesive. In this configuration, the connections 15 and 16 are arranged adjacent to each other, particularly so as to be adjacent to each other in a positive mating manner and / or directly abutting each other. In other words, the connections are preferably arranged directly adjacent to each other relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube cylinder so as to be adjacent to a common radial line and / or arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction.

[0076] exist Figure 6aThe image shows a third embodiment of the arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 and the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2 after the substrate webs have been formed into inner tubes 4 and outer tubes 5. Advantageously, a substrate web 17 is arranged between and above the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 in each case. This substrate web 17 is particularly preferably used as a coupling agent and is especially weldable. Advantageously, a substrate web 17 is arranged between and below the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2, and also between the substrate webs in each case. This substrate web 17 is particularly preferably used as a coupling agent and is especially weldable and / or bondable. In this case, the substrate web 17 can be made of the same or different materials, which are particularly adaptable to the membrane substrate and / or the molded substrate in terms of their adhesive properties.

[0077] exist Figure 6b The image shows a fourth embodiment of the arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 and the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2 after the substrate web has been formed into the inner tube 4 and the outer tube 5. Advantageously, a substrate web 17 is arranged below and above the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 in each case. The substrate web 17 is particularly preferably used as a coupling agent and is especially weldable. In this configuration, the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 are arranged edge to edge, and overlapping arrangements are also possible. Advantageously, a substrate web 17 is also arranged below the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2. The substrate web 17 is particularly preferably used as a coupling agent and is especially weldable. In this case, the substrate web 17 can be made of the same or different materials, which are particularly adaptable to the membrane substrate and / or the molded substrate in terms of their adhesive properties.

[0078] exist Figure 6c The image shows a fifth embodiment of the arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 and the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2 after the substrate web is formed into the inner tube 4 and the outer tube 5. Advantageously, the substrate web 17 is arranged above the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1, and the substrate web 17 is particularly preferably used as a coupling agent and is especially weldable. In this configuration, the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 are arranged edge-to-edge, and overlapping arrangements are also possible.

[0079] exist Figure 6dThe image shows a sixth embodiment of the arrangement of the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 and the longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2 of the membrane substrate 2 after the substrate web has been formed into the inner tube 4 and the outer tube 5. In this case, the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 are cut, preferably by means of a cutting device, such that for the outer tube 5, the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 are adjacent to each other, particularly edge-to-edge, radially positioned only in the outer region, and have at least one tip formed by the cut. Advantageously, a substrate web 17 is arranged above and below the longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2 of the molded substrate 1 in each case, the substrate web 17 being particularly preferably used as a coupling agent and particularly weldable. In this case, the substrate web 17 can be made of the same or different materials, which are particularly adaptable to the membrane substrate and / or the molded substrate in terms of their adhesive properties.

[0080] exist Figure 7 The diagram shows a substrate web of a substrate 1 before molding. Advantageously, the substrate 1 has a printout 3 on its outer side and a first coupling agent 13 on its inner side, the first coupling agent 13 preferably being applied relative to the printout 3. The coupling agent 13 may preferably be only weakly tacky and more preferably completely removable. Furthermore, the coupling agent 13 may be applied, for example, in dots, lines, streaks, on the surface, or in a combination of different configurations. Preferably, the coupling agent 13 is applied before molding the substrate 1, but it can also be applied in parallel with molding or after molding.

[0081] exist Figure 8The diagram illustrates a first embodiment of possible method control. In method step S1, a substrate web is provided from a substrate unwinding device for forming a substrate 1. The substrate 1 preferably contains fibers or has a fiber-containing component, and particularly includes a print 3 on at least one side. In method step S2, a film substrate 2 is provided from the substrate unwinding device in the form of a substrate web, the film substrate 2 comprising at least one weldable plastic layer or consisting of such a layer. In method step S3.1, a first coupling agent 13 is applied to the substrate 1 and / or the film substrate 2. The first coupling agent 13 may advantageously be only weakly viscous and preferably completely removable. Advantageously, the coupling agent 13 is applied, for example, in a combination of dots and / or lines, tracks, or configurations. In method step S3.2, advantageously, at least one second coupling agent 14, particularly a thermoplastic adhesive, is applied to the molded substrate 1, preferably along the longitudinal direction L, with the coupling agent 14 having a defined distance from the longitudinal edge side 1.1 or 1.2, or directly on the longitudinal edge side, or possibly at least partially beyond the longitudinal edge side 1.1 or 1.2. As an alternative to the method control shown, the coupling agent 13 and coupling agent 14 can be applied in any order or in parallel. In method step S4, the substrate webs are brought together by means of a feed roller 19, with the sides of the substrate webs coated with coupling agent 13 advantageously oriented toward each other, and the substrate webs are preferably arranged at least almost overlapping. Subsequently, in method step S5, the substrate web is formed into a tubular shape. For example, by means of the forming device 10, the film substrate 2 forms an inner tube 4 having longitudinal edge sides 2.1 and 2.2, which are preferably arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement. The forming substrate 1 forms an outer tube 5 having longitudinal edge sides 1.1 and 1.2, which are preferably arranged in an overlapping manner or edge-to-edge arrangement. In this case, the forming of the film substrate 2 upstream of the forming substrate 1 can also be achieved by means of the holding device 18, thereby allowing the additional substrate strips 17 and / or material additives to be arranged particularly easily on the substrate web by means of the feeding device, especially at the first connection 15 and / or the second connection 16. In method step S6, longitudinal edge sides 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, and 2.2 are guided between the inner contact strip 7 and the outer contact strip 6. Preferably, an inner heating device 9 is assigned to the inner contact strip 7, and an outer heating device 8 is assigned to the outer contact strip 6. The longitudinal edge sides 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, and 2.2 are heated by means of the inner heating device 9 and the outer heating device 8, thereby forming a first connection 15 at the molding substrate 1, preferably an adhesive bond, and forming a second connection 16 at the film substrate 2, preferably a welded joint.When the first connection 15 is formed, the second connection 16 may advantageously have already adhered; alternatively, the first connection 15 may also adhere before the second connection 16, or the two connections may adhere almost simultaneously. Advantageously, connections 15 and 16 may be arranged one on top of the other or adjacent to each other, and preferably adjacent to each other in a positively mating manner. More preferably, the curing of the first coupling agent 13 applied between the substrate webs in method step S3.1 can continue during and after the formation of connections 15 and 16. After connections 15 and 16 have been formed, the curing of connections 15 and 16 and / or coupling agent 13 can be accelerated by means of a cooling device. In method step S7, the endless tube is divided into tubes of particularly equal length, the tubes being composed of an outer tube 5 and an inner tube 4. The tubes may preferably be further conveyed to the head connection device.

[0082] 1. Molded substrate 1.1 First longitudinal edge side 1.2 Second longitudinal edge side 2. Membrane substrate 2.1 First longitudinal edge side 2.2 Second longitudinal edge side 3. Printed materials 4 Inner tube 5. Outer tube 6. External contact strip 7 Inner contact strip 8. External heating device 9. Internal heating device 10 Molding Device 11. Mounting components of the molding device 12 Drive unit 13 First coupling agent 14 Second coupling agent 15 First Connection 16 Second Connection 17. Substrate strip 18. Holding device 19 Feed rollers 21 First Nozzle 22 Second nozzle L (vertical direction) S1 provides molding substrate S2 provides membrane substrates S3.1 Apply the first coupling agent S3.2 Apply the second coupling agent S4 brings the substrate webs together. S5 forms the substrate web. S6 forms a connection S7 Separation tube body.

Claims

1. A method for producing a flexible tube for packaging tubes from two preferably separate substrate webs, said substrate webs being particularly preferably made of different materials. The first substrate web is made of a molded substrate (1), which preferably has a print (3) on the outer side. The molded substrate (1) preferably contains fibers or has a fiber-containing component, and the molded substrate (1) includes a first longitudinal edge side (1.1) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and a second longitudinal edge side (1.2) parallel to and spaced apart from it. The second substrate web is realized by a membrane substrate (2), which has at least one weldable plastic layer or is composed of therefrom, and the membrane substrate (2) includes a first longitudinal edge side (2.1) extending in the longitudinal direction and a second longitudinal edge side (2.2) parallel to and spaced apart from therefrom. Its features The following are the steps: I) Supplying the substrate webs, wherein during supply, the substrate webs are arranged adjacent to each other, preferably substantially overlapping each other. II) The molding substrate (1) and the film substrate (2) are formed into a tubular shape by means of a preferably shared molding device (10), wherein the molding substrate (1) forms an outer tube (5) and the film substrate forms an inner tube (4), and overlapping or butt joints are formed on the corresponding longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2) of the outer tube (5) and the inner tube (4). III) The longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2) of the molding substrate (1) and the longitudinal edge sides (2.1, 2.2) of the film substrate (2) are guided between the outer contact strip (6) and the inner contact strip (7), wherein the outer contact strip (6) and the inner contact strip (7) are preferably rotary. IV) Heating the longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2) of the molded substrate (1) and the longitudinal edge sides (2.1, 2.2) of the film substrate (2) via an internal heating device (9) and / or an external heating device (8) to achieve a first connection (15) between the longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2) of the molded substrate (1), preferably an adhesive bond, and achieving a second connection (16) between the longitudinal edge sides (2.1, 2.2) of the film substrate (2), preferably a longitudinal weld.

2. The method according to claim 1, Its features are, Preferably, prior to molding, a coupling agent (14), preferably a thermoplastic adhesive, is applied to at least one longitudinal edge side (1.1, 1.2) of the molding substrate (1).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, At least one coupling agent (13) is preferably applied to the molding substrate (1) and / or the film substrate (2) in a dotted and / or block manner, such that the coupling agent (13) is disposed between the molding substrate (1) and the film substrate (2) and adhesion between the molding substrate (1) and the film substrate (2) is achieved during supply or during molding, which prevents the film substrate (2) from sliding relative to the molding substrate (1).

4. The method according to claim 3, Its features are, The coupling agent (13) used between the molded substrate (1) and the film substrate (2) is completely removable.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, Its features are, The coupling agent (13) is applied between the molded substrate (1) and the film substrate (2) according to the printed image (3) located on the outside of the molded substrate (1).

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, Its features are, After heating and after forming connections (15, 16) between the longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2), the outer tube (5) and the inner tube (4) are separated simultaneously and / or together, preferably by forming tube segments of equal length in the longitudinal direction (L).

7. The method according to claim 6, Its features are, The separated pipe sections, comprising an inner pipe section and an outer pipe section, are further transported together, preferably in a fully overlapping manner in the longitudinal direction (L), and transferred to the head connection device.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, Its features are, The film substrate (2) and the molded substrate (1) are supplied by two separate substrate unwinding devices, preferably by separate substrate rolls.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, Its features are, At least one, preferably at least two, and especially preferably more than two additional substrate strips (17), particularly reinforcing strips, and / or material additives are arranged in the region of the first connection and / or the second connection, which are connected at least in segments, particularly welded to the longitudinal edge side.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, Its features are, The molding of the substrate (1) begins at an offset relative to the molding of the film substrate (2) along the longitudinal direction (L), and particularly at a later start. In addition to the molding device (10), the pressing device (18) also performs the molding of the film substrate (2).

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, Its features are, The molding substrate (1) and / or the film substrate (2) are cut by at least one cutting device before molding.

12. A flexible tube body, The flexible tube is preferably produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 16. The device includes an outer cylindrical tube (5) and an inner cylindrical tube (4). The outer cylindrical tube (5) is made of a molded substrate (1), which preferably has a printed material (3) on its outer side and preferably contains fibers or has a fiber-containing component. The inner cylindrical tube (4) is made of a membrane substrate (2), which has at least one weldable plastic layer or is composed of it. A first connection (15), preferably an adhesive bond, is achieved between the longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2) of the molded substrate (1), and a second connection (16), preferably a longitudinal weld, is achieved between the longitudinal edge sides (2.1, 2.2) of the film substrate (2). Its features are, The first connection and the second connection are preferably arranged at least partially on top of each other in a flush manner, especially in a positively aligned manner, or arranged adjacent to each other relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

13. The tube body according to claim 12, Its features are, The molding substrate (1) has a density of 100 g / m 2 Up to 200g / m 2 Preferably 130 g / m 2 Up to 170g / m 2 The material strength, and / or the membrane substrate (2) having a material thickness of 30µm to 150µm, preferably 50µm to 80µm.

14. An apparatus for producing flexible tubular bodies for packaging tubes, preferably according to the method according to any one of claims 1 to 16. Specifically for producing tubes from at least two, preferably separate, substrate webs, particularly from a molded substrate (1) and a film substrate (2), the substrate webs being particularly preferably made of different materials, the molded substrate (1) preferably containing fibers or having a fiber-containing component, and the molded substrate (1) including a first longitudinal edge side (1.1) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and a second longitudinal edge side (1.2) parallel to and spaced apart from it, the film substrate (2) having at least one weldable plastic layer or being constituted therefrom, and the film substrate (2) including a first longitudinal edge side (2.1) extending in the longitudinal direction and a second longitudinal edge side (2.2) parallel to and spaced apart from it, wherein, The device includes a preferably shared molding apparatus (10) configured to form the molding substrate (1) and the membrane substrate (2) into a tubular shape, the molding substrate (1) forming an outer tube (5) and the membrane substrate forming an inner tube (4), the outer tube (5) and the inner tube (4) having overlapping or butt joint arrangements of corresponding longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2), the outer contact strip (7) and the inner contact strip (8) preferably being rotary, the outer contact strip (7) and the inner contact strip (8) being arranged such that the longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2) of the molding substrate (1) and the longitudinal edge sides (2.1, 2.2) of the membrane substrate (2) are guided between the outer contact strip (7) and the inner contact strip (8). 2), and the device includes an internal heating device (9) and / or an external heating device (8), the internal heating device (9) and / or the external heating device (8) heating the longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2) of the molding substrate (1) and the longitudinal edge sides (2.1, 2.2) of the film substrate (2), such that a first connection (15), preferably an adhesive bond, is achieved between the longitudinal edge sides (1.1, 1.2) of the molding substrate (1), and a second connection (16), preferably a longitudinal weld, is achieved between the longitudinal edge sides (2.1, 2.2) of the film substrate (2), the device including at least two separate substrate unwinding devices, the unwinding devices being configured to supply two, preferably separate, substrate webs, the substrate webs being particularly preferably made of different materials.

15. The equipment for producing flexible tubes according to claim 14, Its features are, The device includes a feed roller (19) arranged such that the substrate webs are arranged adjacent to each other, preferably substantially overlapping each other, during feeding.

16. The equipment for producing flexible tubes according to claim 14 or 15, Its features are, The device includes at least one first nozzle (21) which is configured to apply at least one coupling agent (14), preferably a thermoplastic adhesive, to the molding substrate (1) and / or the film substrate (2).

17. The apparatus for producing flexible tubes according to any one of claims 14 to 16, Its features are, The device includes at least one second nozzle (22), preferably a nozzle rod, the second nozzle (22) being configured to apply at least one coupling agent (13) preferably in a dotted and / or blocky manner to the molded substrate (1) and / or the film substrate (2).

18. The apparatus for producing flexible tubes according to any one of claims 14 to 17, Its features are, A holding device (18) is implemented on the device, the holding device (18) being arranged such that, in addition to the forming device (10), the holding device (18) also guides the film substrate (2), and in particular, the forming of the film substrate (2) along the longitudinal direction (L) begins before the forming of the forming substrate (1).

19. The apparatus for producing flexible tubes according to any one of claims 14 to 18, Its features are, At least one supply device (20) is arranged such that at least one, preferably at least two, especially preferably more than two additional base material strips (17), particularly reinforcing strips, and / or material additives are supplied to the regions of the first connection and / or the second connection.

20. The apparatus for producing flexible tubes according to any one of claims 14 to 19, Its features are, The feed rollers (19) are arranged such that the molding substrate (1) and the film substrate (2) are at least partially spaced apart from each other when passing the last feed roller (19), and in particular converge at 0 to 15°. The molding substrate (1) and the film substrate (2) are arranged adjacent to each other, preferably directly, and more preferably substantially overlapping each other at the start of molding.

21. The apparatus for producing flexible tubes according to any one of claims 14 to 20, Its features are, The equipment includes at least one cutting device, preferably one cutting device for each substrate web and / or material additive used, particularly for cutting the substrate web prior to molding.

Images