Segmented Welding Sleeve for Plastic Pipe Gap Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large manufacturing tolerances in pipes with diameters of 1000 mm or more create gaps that make fluid-tight welding difficult or impossible, especially when pipes are out of round, using conventional conical welding sleeves.
Innovation Solution
A compensating element with axially symmetric incisions that extend close to or beyond a flexibility-ensuring plane, allowing the element to flex and close gaps, combined with a heating element on both surfaces for efficient welding, and an outer sleeve for variable connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional conical welding sleeves are used for large diameter pipes, then the welding structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but manufacturing tolerances create gaps that make fluid-tight welding difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The welding sleeve is divided into multiple axial segments separated by circumferential incisions, allowing each segment to move independently to close gaps caused by manufacturing tolerances while maintaining overall structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The welding sleeve transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic one with adjustable geometry, where the axial segments can shift positions axially to adapt to varying pipe dimensions and close gaps during the welding process
2Adaptability or versatility
If the compensating element is made highly flexible with incisions extending beyond the flexibility-ensuring plane, then gap compensation improves, but structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is segmented into axial sections separated by circumferential incisions, allowing controlled flexibility in specific regions while maintaining overall structural integrity through the distributed segment design
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sleeve have different properties: the incision zones provide local flexibility for gap compensation, while the solid segments between incisions maintain structural strength and load-bearing capacity
3Productivity
If heating elements are applied to both inner and outer surfaces, then welding efficiency improves, but energy consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Heating elements are integrated into both the inner and outer surfaces of the same welding sleeve, allowing simultaneous heating of multiple components in a single operation rather than requiring separate heating devices
Solution Approach 2:
The welding sleeve with dual-surface heating elements serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical alignment, gap compensation through flexible segments, and thermal heating on both sides, eliminating the need for separate alignment and heating devices
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
The solution enables flexible compensation of manufacturing tolerances, reduces welding time, and facilitates welding of complex pipes like multi-layer pipes, without the need for prior calibration or rounding clamps, ensuring a reliable fluid-tight connection.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heating element which, when subjected to energy, heats the inner surface or the outer surface of the compensating element or both
Implementation Method 2
connecting components made of meltable plastic
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a compensation element for connecting components of fusible plastic, designed as a hollow cylinder (40), at least some sections of which are conical and having at least one heating element (50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 58') which when supplied with energy heats at least some sections of the inner surface (44) or the outer surface (46) of the compensation element or of both surfaces to produce a welded connection between the components. Said compensation element is characterised in that incisions (70, 72, 74, 76, 80) are provided, starting from each boundary edge (60, 62) of the hollow body (40), at least one section of the incisions (70, 72, 76) extending up to or beyond a plane (64, 66, 68) of the compensation element that guarantees flexibility. The invention also relates to methods in which a sleeve consisting of an outer sleeve and at least one compensation element is used.