Reflective Inner Ring Heating for Uniform Plastic Pipe Welding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for welding plastic profiles, such as pipes, face challenges in achieving even heating, leading to suboptimal welds due to uneven heat distribution, particularly as they only heat the front side of the pipe ends without effectively penetrating the depth or diameter, requiring customized heating for different pipe diameters.

Innovation Solution

A device featuring a heating plate with a reflection inner ring to direct heat radiation onto the inner surface and a reflection outer ring to heat the outer surface of the plastic profiles, ensuring even heating across the end and outer surfaces, using clamping devices to maintain coaxial alignment and heating cartridges for contactless heating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If heating plate directly irradiates pipe end face, then heating is simple and direct, but heat distribution is uneven and does not penetrate into pipe

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat distribution uniformityVSAvoidheating structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces reflective rings that redirect heat radiation from a single-direction (end face) to multi-directional (end face + outer surface + inner surface), achieving three-dimensional heat distribution. This allows heat to penetrate into the pipe through reflection onto the outer and inner surfaces, solving the penetration problem while maintaining heating efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The reflective rings act as intermediaries between the heating plate and the pipe. Instead of direct heating, the reflective rings mediate the heat transfer by reflecting and redirecting infrared radiation onto different surfaces of the pipe, achieving more uniform heat distribution without requiring direct contact or complex heating elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If customized heating element is manufactured for each pipe diameter, then heating precision is optimized, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating precisionVSAvoidapplicability to different pipe diameters
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The heating plate with reflective rings is designed as a universal heating device that can accommodate different pipe diameters. The reflective rings create a conical heating zone that can adapt to various sizes, eliminating the need for customized heating elements for each pipe diameter while maintaining effective heating precision across different dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The device incorporates adjustable components including movable clamping devices and adjustable reflective ring positions, allowing the heating zone to dynamically adapt to different pipe diameters. This dynamic adjustability enables a single device to serve multiple pipe sizes effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If heat rays strike only the end face of the pipe, then heating setup is simple, but weld quality deteriorates due to insufficient heat penetration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweld qualityVSAvoidheating structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reflective rings redirect heat radiation onto the outer and inner surfaces of the pipe, adding dimensional aspects to heat distribution. This multi-surface heating approach ensures adequate heat penetration and distribution throughout the pipe end, improving weld quality by heating the material more uniformly and thoroughly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution provides uniform heating of the plastic profile ends, enhancing the weld seam quality and accommodating a wide range of pipe diameters with a single device, ensuring a robust and consistent weld by utilizing the reflection rings to distribute heat evenly both internally and externally.

Implementation Method 1

a heating plate for generating heat radiation for contactless heating of the plastic profile ends

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat radiation: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 2

a reflective outer ring for reflecting the heat radiation to the outside of the plastic profile

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

a reflective inner ring reflects the heat rays or IR rays of the heating plate to the inside of the plastic profile

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3205479B1Internal reflection ring
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 GEORG FISCHER ROHRLEITUNGSSYSTEME AG
  • EP3205479B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3205479B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3205479B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Device (1) for the frontal welding of plastic profiles (6), preferably pipes, containing clamping devices (2) for holding the plastic profiles (6) in a coaxial position relative to one another, a heating plate (3) for generating heat rays for contact-free heating of the plastic profile ends (6) and a Reflective outer ring (4) for reflecting the thermal radiation onto the outside of the plastic profile, with a reflective inner ring (5) being arranged on the heating plate (3), the reflective inner ring (5) reflecting the thermal rays (13) of the heating plate (3) onto the inside of the plastic profile.