Textile hose

Abstract

Textile tube for encasing elongated objects, having the following features: a) a radially elastic outer layer (2) made of abrasion-resistant material and b) at least one inner layer (4) of thermally insulating material, wherein the outer layer (2) and the at least one inner layer (4) are connected to each other in places by textile weaves (26), and the outer layer (2) and the at least one inner layer (4) are formed as a woven fabric.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a textile tube for sheathing elongated objects.

[0002] From EP 1 685 285 B1, a radially shrinkable textile hose is known, woven in two layers with an upper and a lower fabric layer. The fabric layers are connected at their edges by binding warp threads, thus forming a hose. Such hoses are used, for example, in automotive engineering for mechanical reinforcement and to increase the abrasion resistance of pipes and hoses. For this purpose, they are pulled over elongated objects such as pipes, hoses, and even foam cables, and then shrunk. This provides protection against mechanical abrasion. Foam pipes, such as EPDM foam cables, are also used for insulation. Currently, foam hoses, for example those based on EPDM, are used in practice to protect lines in automobiles against heat loss or the effects of cold. These can include lines carrying media such as coolant.Electrical wiring harnesses are also sheathed in this material. Insulation serves, among other things, to prevent potential performance losses in a vehicle's drive system that can result from heat loss. The aforementioned EPDM foam hoses offer high insulation capacity, but are also extremely susceptible to mechanical stresses such as abrasion.

[0003] Further state of the art can be found in AT 517 543 A1 and DE 698 10 964 T2.

[0004] In automotive manufacturing and other applications, there are also elongated objects, such as those in vehicle engine compartments or polyamide pipes for transporting coolant, which must be protected against thermal influences. Therefore, these objects must not be exposed to heat during the installation of any coverings. Consequently, heat-shrinkable textile hoses are unsuitable or only conditionally suitable in these cases.

[0005] Due to increasingly confined spaces in automotive manufacturing, there is a high probability that foam insulation cables used in a vehicle's engine compartment will come into contact with other components, such as hot or abrasive materials. Depending on the intensity of this contact, high abrasive forces can act on the foam cable, leading to its rapid destruction and thus severely limiting its insulating properties.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to propose a textile tube for sheathing elongated objects, in which the disadvantages known from the prior art are avoided or at least greatly reduced.

[0007] The problem is solved with a hose according to claim 1, namely a textile hose for sheathing elongated objects, characterized by the following features: a) a radially elastic outer layer made of abrasion-resistant material and b) at least one inner layer of thermally insulating material. Such a hose according to the invention – with defined thermal conductivity and simultaneously high mechanical resistance to abrasion – can be mounted on elongated objects that require thermal insulation and are susceptible to abrasion. These objects can be rods, hoses, cable bundles, conductors, profiles, or pipes, particularly those made of polyamide, which do not necessarily have to be straight but may exhibit any bends. The hose can be easily stretched, pulled onto the elongated object, and essentially immovably fixed in the desired position in a single operation. Advantageously, this eliminates the need for the subsequent layering of several layers known from the prior art. Damage to an abrasion-prone insulating layer, e.g., an EPDM foam pipe, is also avoided.The term "radially elastic outer layer" is intended to indicate that, due to its radially elastic structure, the outer layer of the casing tends to constrict the hose radially. Naturally, according to the invention, the outer layer has the property of shortening in the circumferential direction to effect this radial constriction.

[0008] To minimize assembly effort during processing, the protective hose can preferably be assembled in a single production step. For this reason, the textile hose according to the invention is favored, since its multi-layered structure can be produced in one operation, thus eliminating the significant assembly effort required by subsequently layering multiple layers.

[0009] According to the invention, the hose is designed such that the outer layer and the at least one inner layer are partially connected to each other by a textile weave. This embodiment further simplifies the installation of the hose according to the invention, since its two layers cannot move against each other or separate during installation. The assembly is therefore safer and more reliable.

[0010] According to the invention, the hose is designed such that the outer layer and at least one inner layer are made of woven fabric. This advantageously allows for very economical production of the hose according to the invention. By combining an abrasion-resistant textile outer layer with one or more inner layers of thermally insulating material, a hose can be created that simultaneously offers abrasion resistance and high insulation performance. The hose can be used particularly on sensitive, smooth plastic pipes, onto which hoses cannot be heat-shrinked due to their low heat resistance.

[0011] If the hose is woven, for example, it has high elasticity or flexibility in the radial direction due to an elastic weft thread made of silicone rubber (“silicone-elastic”), as known, for example, from EP 2 352 613 B1, with excellent recovery properties, which makes it easy to mount the hose and ensure a firm fit on the elongated object.

[0012] In yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the hose is designed to have axially extending multifilament threads and circumferentially extending elastic threads and multifilament threads. By adding circumferentially extending multifilament threads, which, for example, float alongside the elastic threads, the thermal conductivity of the hose can be controlled. Furthermore, it is possible to influence the elastic contraction of the hose. This advantageous development also results in more uniform structures. The sliding and bulging of the circumferentially extending multifilament threads when the hose contracts around the elongated object prevents so-called warp gaps. The stability of the hose is advantageously increased.

[0013] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the hose is designed such that the outer layer is coated or impregnated with an agent that increases wear resistance. This advantageous measure allows the service life of the hose according to the invention to be achieved as desired.

[0014] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the hose is designed such that at least one inner layer is coated or impregnated with an agent that increases thermal conductivity. This advantageous measure allows the insulating capacity of the hose according to the invention to be increased as desired.

[0015] These agents correspond to so-called finishing fluids known in the prior art. These agents for improving thermal conductivity, mechanical resistance, or cold-cutting ability can be applied, for example, by fouling, squeegeeing, or spraying.

[0016] In yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the hose is designed such that it consists at least partially of equipped threads. This embodiment offers the advantage that, depending on the optimization requirements regarding thermal conductivity, mechanical resistance, and cold-cutting capability for the desired application, individually equipped threads positively influence the performance of the hose according to the invention.

[0017] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the hose is designed such that at least one inner layer is coated with an adhesive or glue. This further improves the secure attachment of the hose according to the invention to the selected elongated object, particularly when used in a vibrating environment.

[0018] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the hose is designed such that at least one inner layer is formed in the form of ribbons, in particular of foam. Within the inner layer in the form of ribbons, a higher air inclusion is advantageously possible compared to a regular thread, which further increases the insulating effect.

[0019] To better understand the invention and to show how it can be implemented, it will be briefly explained below using an exemplary embodiment with the aid of a drawing. Fig. Figure 1 shows, in a highly schematic perspective view, a section of a hose according to the invention, cut lengthwise approximately in the middle, arranged around an elongated object and partially already drawn together around it. Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a cross-section through the textile tube with a detail X. Fig. Figure 3 shows a highly schematic, perspective view of a section of an embodiment of a hose according to the invention. Fig. Figure 4 shows a highly schematic perspective view of a section of a hose according to the invention, cut lengthwise approximately in the middle, analogous to Fig. 1 without an elongated object. Fig. Figure 5 shows a highly schematic, perspective view of a section of a textile tube with longitudinal chambers according to the invention.

[0020] Fig. Figure 1 shows a hose 10 according to the invention, cut lengthwise approximately in the middle, with an outer layer 2 and an inner layer 4. The outer layer 2 is intended to be an abrasion-resistant sheathing that surrounds the insulating inner layer 4. In a region III, the hose 10 is already shown contracted around an elongated object, here for example a pipe 1, due to its radially elastic structure.

[0021] In sections I and II, the hose 10 still has an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the pipe 1. At the beginning of the assembly, the hose 10 according to the invention, which has been expanded to a diameter corresponding to section I, for example by means of a device (not shown), is pushed onto the pipe 1. As a result, as the transition in section II is intended to show, it contracts due to the radial elasticity of the outer layer 2 and conforms to the pipe 1. In section III, the hose 10 is already completely radially contracted and firmly seated on the pipe 1. It is clearly visible that the insulating inner layer 4 is thicker than the abrasion-resistant outer layer 2.

[0022] In section III, the hose 10 is already compressed and firmly attached to the pipe 1, with the insulating inner layer 4 in close contact. An adhesive may be applied between the insulating inner layer 4 and the pipe 1 to further secure the hose to the pipe 1.

[0023] In section II, the process of contraction is to be illustrated. The diameter of the textile tube 10 decreases, while at the same time the wall thickness of the insulating inner layer 4 and the abrasion-resistant outer layer 2 increases.

[0024] The temperature-insulating inner layer 4 advantageously has a wall thickness of between 0.5 and 6 mm. The abrasion-resistant outer layer 2 of the textile tube 10 serves to protect the insulating inner layer 4 against external mechanical influences.

[0025] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a hose 10 according to the invention, for example, in a transverse oval shape, with an outer layer 2 and an inner layer 4, which are connected to each other by means of a plurality of connections 4 in the form of a woven weave. The connection 26 can also be arranged between several layers of insulating inner layers 4 as mentioned above. The connections 26 extend not only circumferentially within the textile hose 10, but also longitudinally to achieve a uniform connection between the individual layers. Preferably, these connections 26 are created during the manufacturing of the textile hose 10. The hose 10 according to the invention can be manufactured by weaving, knitting, crocheting, or braiding. Subsequent fixing by means of adhesive bonding or by sewing the individual layers together would also be conceivable as a connection 26. Fig. The arrangement of a connection 26 is shown enlarged in the lower right corner.

[0026] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a textile tube 50 as it appears after finishing with a suitable finishing solution to improve thermal conductivity or mechanical resistance. An enlarged section of the textile tube 50 is shown to illustrate that the finishing solution (a fluid used to finish or treat a textile object), hereinafter referred to as the "coating," permeates the textile tube 50. Reference numeral 60 indicates, for example, textile layers of the tube that are completely saturated, while reference numeral 70 indicates textile layers in their untreated state (before the application of a finishing solution).

[0027] It would also be conceivable to only wet the surface of the textile hose, thus avoiding complete saturation of the entire hose. This surface wetting prevents the inner layers from being stiffened by the finishing agent (finishing bath), preserving the bulkiness of the inner layer's threads and resulting in improved insulation performance. Furthermore, this approach offers the advantage of saving on finishing material.

[0028] Fig. Figure 4 shows a highly schematic perspective view of a section of a hose according to the invention, cut lengthwise approximately in the middle, analogous to Fig. 1.

[0029] Fig. Figure 5 shows a highly schematic perspective view of a section of a textile tube 20 according to the invention, comprising a radially elastic outer layer 22 and an inner layer 24, as well as longitudinal chambers 21 between them, which are partially filled with filler threads 23. The inner layer 24 surrounds an interior space 27 in which (not shown) elongated objects, such as pipes, hoses, cables, etc., can be placed or which can be encased with the tube 20 according to the invention. If the tube 20 according to the invention is "pulled" around an elongated object ( Fig. 1) It contracts and fits snugly around the elongated object. The inner surface 29 of the inner layer 24 can advantageously also be provided with an adhesive, which allows for even better adhesion of the hose 20 to the elongated object. Some of the embodiment according to Fig. The 5 filled chambers 21 contain filling material 23 in the form of threads, ribbons, preferably made of foam, by means of which the insulating capacity of the hose 20 can be considerably increased.

[0030] The outer layer 22 and the inner layer 24 of the hose 20 according to the invention are as shown in Fig. Figure 5 shows, for example, woven and connected to each other in the area of ​​zones 12 via, for example, woven weaves 26. The chambers 21 are arranged between the longitudinally extending zones 12. On the outside of the outer layer 22, threads of a plain weave L 1 / 1 are indicated as - | - | - | - | - | -, in which the hose 20 according to the invention is woven, for example. However, other weave patterns can also be used. The hose can also be knitted, braided, or crocheted. The radially elastic outer layer 22 consists of abrasion-resistant material, and the inner layer 24 consists of thermally insulating material.

[0031] In addition to thermal insulation of the inner layer 24, filler threads 23, arranged in the chambers 21, serve this purpose. Fig. Figure 5, top right, shows the "filling" of a chamber 21 in the form of, for example, crimped threads 23, exposed. The corresponding chamber is shown cut off at point "S". However, it is also possible to use a variety of other filling materials. For example, straight threads 231 are filled into a chamber 211, which are shown exposed at point T 23. In addition, tubes or any suitable thermal insulation material, including nonwoven or tape forms, can be used. In the present embodiment, a tube 20 with an inner layer 24 is shown. According to the invention, however, several inner layers 24 can also be arranged one above the other or inside the other, like layers of an onion, to increase, for example, the thermal insulation capacity of the tube 20.

Claims

[1] Textile tube for covering elongated objects, having the following features: a) a radially elastic outer layer (2) made of abrasion-resistant material and b) at least one inner layer (4) of thermally insulating material, wherein the outer layer (2) and the at least one inner layer (4) are connected to each other in places by textile weaves (26), and the outer layer (2) and the at least one inner layer (4) are formed as a woven fabric. [2] Hose according to claim 1, wherein the outer layer (2) and the at least one inner layer (4) are connected to each other along axially extending, spaced-apart zones (12). [3] Hose according to claim 2, wherein between the outer layer (2) and the at least one inner layer (4) in the area of ​​chambers (14) located between the zones (12) filling material in the form of threads, ribbons, preferably made of foam is arranged. [4] Hose according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein it has axially extending multifilament threads and circumferentially extending elastic threads and multifilament threads. [5] Hose according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the outer layer (2) is coated or impregnated with an agent that increases wear resistance. [6] Hose according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one inner layer (4) is coated or impregnated with an agent increasing thermal conductivity. [7] Hose according to any of the preceding claims, wherein it consists at least partially of equipped threads. [8] Hose according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one inner layer (4) is coated internally with an adhesive or an adhesive. [9] Hose according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one inner layer (4) is formed in the form of ribbons, in particular of foam. [10] Hose according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it has a thermal conductivity ≤ 0.3 W / (m × K). [11] Hose according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it has a wall thickness in the range of 1 to 8 mm. [12] Hose according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer layer (2, 22) has an elastic weft thread made of silicone rubber.

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