METHOD FOR PERMANENTLY COUPLING A PROTECTIVE PART TO A LONG ELEMENT

Abstract

A method for coupling a protective part to an elongate element having an external diameter, this protective part comprising a passage suitable for being crossed by a part of the elongate element. This method comprises a step (10-20) in which an adhesive is deposited around this part of the elongate element, then the latter is housed in the passage so that this protective part is coupled to this part. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD FOR PERMANENTLY COUPLING A PROTECTIVE PART TO AN ELEMENT LONGILIGNE Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the protection of elongate elements by protective parts, and more precisely to the coupling of such protective parts to elongate elements. State of the art

[0002] In certain fields, such as for example that of vehicles (possibly of the automobile type), elongated elements are used which must be protected in at least one place by a protective part intended to isolate them from their environment and possibly to allow their fixing in predefined places. Some of these protective parts (called in English "grommets" - cable passages) comprise at least one passage tightly housing a hollow insert which is crossed by a part of an elongated element.

[0003] As an illustrative example, in a vehicle an elongated element may be a tube of a hydraulic circuit of a braking system.

[0004] The hollow insert is generally produced by overmolding a plastic material which should, in theory, allow its protective part to be coupled to a predefined part of an elongated element. However, as those skilled in the art know, it often happens that this coupling is not effective and therefore that a protective part moves relative to the predefined part concerned of its elongated element, or even becomes completely decoupled from the latter, when this elongated element is handled during its installation in a system or during its transport or storage. Such movement or decoupling causes additional operations for the technician carrying out the installation, which is not very ergonomic and slows down production on an assembly line.

[0005] In order to avoid displacements or decoupling, when protective parts with hollow inserts are available which must be coupled to elongated elements, it is first necessary to increase the thickness of the hollow inserts, which is particularly complicated to achieve, or even impossible for certain companies responsible for the coupling.

[0006] The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation. Presentation of the invention

[0007] It proposes in particular for this purpose a method intended to allow the coupling of a protective part with at least one elongate element having an external diameter, this protective part comprising at least one passage suitable for being crossed by a part of the elongate element.

[0008] This method is characterized by the fact that it comprises a step in which glue is deposited around the part of the elongated element, then the latter is housed in the passage so that the protective part is coupled to this part.

[0009] The protective part, now without a hollow insert, is glued to the part of an elongated element, and therefore no longer risks moving or becoming totally decoupled from the latter, including when this elongated element is handled, and therefore the technician handling this elongated element no longer has to carry out additional repositioning operations.

[0010] The method according to the invention may include other characteristics which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

[0011] - in this step, glue can be applied around the part of the elongated element on a thickness which is greater than or equal to a difference between the external diameter of the elongate element and an internal diameter of the passage greater than the external diameter;

[0012] - in this step, a cyanoacrylate type glue can be used, such as example a glue of the Procure® PC06 type.

[0013] The invention also proposes a system comprising at least one elongated element to which at least one protective part is coupled by implementing a method of the type presented above.

[0014] For example, each protective part can be made from a flexible elastomer-type material.

[0015] Also for example, this system can constitute a vehicle. In this case, the elongated element can be a tube of a hydraulic circuit of a braking system, for example. Brief description of the figures

[0016] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended drawings (obtained for the most part in CAD / CAM (“Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Drawing”), hence certain gray levels), in which:

[0017] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates an example of an algorithm implementing a coupling method according to the invention,

[0018] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, a protective part coupled to a part of an elongate element by implementing the coupling method according to the invention,

[0019] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates, in a sectional view, the protective part of [Fig.2] before its coupling to a part of an elongated element,

[0020] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, the protective part of [Fig.2] coupled to a part of the elongated element thanks to the glue deposited on the external face of this part. Detailed description of the invention

[0021] The invention aims in particular to propose a coupling method intended to allow a permanent coupling of a PP protection part to a chosen PE part of at least one elongate element EL.

[0022] In the following, it is considered, by way of non-limiting example, that the elongated element EL is intended to equip a vehicle, possibly of the automobile type (for example a car). But the invention is not limited to this application. It in fact concerns any system, and in particular vehicles (land, sea (or river), or air), appliances (possibly household appliances (including consumer appliances)), installations (including industrial), and buildings.

[0023] Furthermore, it is considered in the following, by way of non-limiting example, that the elongate element EL is a tube of a hydraulic circuit of a braking system of a vehicle. For example, this tube EL can be made of polyamide (or PA). But the elongate element EL could be a tube or a cable of another device or apparatus of a vehicle, for example.

[0024] As mentioned above, the invention proposes in particular a coupling method intended to allow a permanent coupling of a PP protection part to a chosen PE part of at least one elongate element EL (here a tube).

[0025] [Fig. 2] schematically illustrates an example of a PP protection part comprising at least one passage PG suitable for being crossed by the PE part of an elongate element EL, with a view to its coupling to this PE part by implementing the coupling method according to the invention. It is important to note that initially, that is to say before implementing the coupling method according to the invention, the (each) passage PG of a PP protection part does not house a hollow insert, and is suitable for being directly crossed by the PE part of an elongate element EL, as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 3]. Due to this absence of a hollow insert, the PP protection part is much easier and simpler to manufacture.

[0026] As illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.l], a method (of coupling), according to the invention, comprises a step 10-20 comprising a sub-step 10 in which an adhesive is deposited around the PE part of the elongate element EL.

[0027] It will be noted that this sub-step 10 can be carried out either automatically (at least partially) using a robot, for example responsible for applying the glue to the (each) PE part of an elongated EL element (to which a PP protection part must be coupled), or manually by a technician, for example responsible for applying the glue to the (each) PE part of an elongated EL element.

[0028] Step 10-20 also includes a sub-step 20 in which the (each) PE part having just received the glue is housed in the PG passage of a PP protection part, so that this PP protection part is coupled to this PE part.

[0029] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates the PP protective part permanently coupled to the PE part of an elongated element EL having received the CC glue.

[0030] Thanks to the invention, the PP protective part is now glued to the PE part of an elongate element EL, and therefore no longer risks moving or becoming totally decoupled from the latter (EL), including when this elongate element EL is handled. Consequently, the technician carrying out the handling no longer has to carry out additional repositioning operations, which is more ergonomic and, moreover, makes it possible not to slow down production on an assembly line.

[0031] Preferably, the passage PG has an internal diameter di which is strictly less than that which it had in the prior art (when it had to house a hollow insert). This makes it possible to reduce the thickness of glue CC deposited. But in an alternative embodiment, it would be possible to use a passage PG having an internal diameter di equal to that which it had in the prior art. A greater thickness of glue CC is then required.

[0032] For example, and as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 4], in sub-step 10, the glue CC can be deposited around the PE part of the elongate element EL over a thickness which is greater than or equal to the difference between the external diameter of the PE part of the elongate element EL and the internal diameter di of the passage PG greater than this external diameter de. In other words, the thickness of glue CC is initially chosen to be greater than the difference (di - de) in order to completely fill the free space between the external face of the PE part and the internal face of the protective part PP which delimits the passage PG, and thus guarantee the durability of the local coupling.

[0033] Also for example, in sub-step 10 it is possible to use a cyanoacrylate type CC glue. In this case, a Procure® PC06 type CC glue can be used. However, other types of CC glue can be used, and in particular urethane type glues.

[0034] Also for example, each PP protective part can be made from a flexible elastomer type material, for example by molding. In this case, the material can, for example, be Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (or EPDM). But, other materials, suitable for ensuring protection of at least one elongate element EL, can be used for the PP protective parts.

Claims

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8. Claims Method for coupling a protective part (PP) to at least one elongate element (EL) having an external diameter, said protective part (PP) comprising at least one passage (PG) suitable for being crossed by a part (PE) of said elongate element (EL), characterized in that it comprises a step (10-20) in which an adhesive (CC) is deposited around said part (PE) of the elongate element (EL), then the latter (PE) is housed in said passage (PG) so that said protective part (PP) is coupled to this part (PE). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that in said step (10-20) said glue (CC) is deposited around said part (PE) of the elongated element (EL) over a thickness greater than or equal to a difference between said external diameter and an internal diameter of said passage (PG) greater than said external diameter. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in said step (10-20) a cyanoacrylate type glue (CC) is used. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that in said step (10-20) a glue (CC) of the Procure® PC06 type is used. System, characterized in that it comprises at least one elongated element (EL) to which at least one protective part (PP) is coupled by implementing a method according to one of claims 1 to 4. System according to claim 5, characterized in that each protective part (PP) is made of a flexible elastomer-type material. System according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that it constitutes a vehicle. System according to claim 7, characterized in that said elongated element (EL) is a tube of a hydraulic circuit of a braking system.

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