Low-Plasticizer Resin Hose for High-Temperature Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Resin hoses used in vehicle air conditioners lack durability in high temperature environments, and the presence of plasticizers leads to significant changes in physical properties over time, affecting long-term performance.
Innovation Solution
A resin material with an elongation at break of 50% or more at temperatures between 100°C and 150°C, and a plasticizer content of 3% or less, formed into a tubular structure with reinforcing layers, is used to create a hose that maintains durability and suppresses changes in physical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If resin material is used for hose to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but durability in high temperature environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resin material by specifying precise ranges for polyolefin resin (85-95 mass%), elastomer (5-15 mass%), and plasticizer (0-3 mass%). This compositional parameter optimization enables the hose to maintain both light weight and high temperature durability, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resin material by combining polyolefin resin with specific elastomers (such as polyamide elastomer, polyester elastomer, or polyurethane elastomer) and controlled amounts of plasticizer. This composite structure integrates the advantages of different materials to achieve both weight reduction and improved high temperature durability.
2Ease of operation
If plasticizer content is increased to improve flexibility, then ease of operation is improved, but stability of physical properties over time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the plasticizer content parameter to a specific range (0-3 mass%, preferably 0-1 mass%) to achieve the balance between flexibility and long-term stability. This precise parameter control ensures the hose remains flexible during operation while minimizing plasticizer migration and physical property changes over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent selects elastomers with specific molecular structures that can replicate the flexibility function of plasticizers without their drawbacks. The elastomer components provide inherent flexibility through their molecular architecture, eliminating the need for high plasticizer content and thus maintaining long-term physical property stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A resin material, in which the elongation at break in an environmental condition at a predetermined temperature of 100° C. or higher and 150° C. or lower is 50% or more, a content of a plasticizer is 3 mass % or less with respect to the total mass of the resin material, a strength at break in the environmental condition at this predetermined temperature is 5 MPa or more, the elongation at break is 500% or less, and a 10% modulus is 3 MPa or less, is formed into a tubular form and used as an inner surface layer, an intermediate layer, and an outer surface layer of a hose, and components of an air conditioner are connected through the hose. Such resin material, and also a hose including the resin material, which are mainly used for an air conditioner installed in a vehicle, have improved durability in a high temperature environment.