U.S. patent application number 10/518932 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-15 for device and method for the continuous production of tubular structures that are reinforced with a strengthening support.
Invention is credited to Berger, Markus, Binder, Klaus, Oehl, Rainer, Wilmer, Roland.
Application Number | 20050199335 10/518932 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29557864 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050199335 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oehl, Rainer ; et
al. |
September 15, 2005 |
Device and method for the continuous production of tubular
structures that are reinforced with a strengthening support
Abstract
An arrangement for continuously making reinforced hose-shaped
structures (1) having: a conveying unit for continuously driving a
row of sequential cylindrical mandrels (5), which are coupled to
each other, in a conveying direction (X) and for returning
individual mandrels (5) to the manufacturing start; at least one
extrusion unit (4) for applying a rubber or plastic layer (2) to
the periphery of the mandrels (5); at least one unit for applying
at least one reinforcement layer (3); a separating device (13) for
cutting the reinforced hose-shaped structures (1) at the connecting
location of mutually adjoining mandrels (5) and a strip-off device
(14) for stripping off the cut reinforced hose-shaped structures
(1) from the individual mandrels (5). The mandrels (5) are rigid
and are coupled to each other in such a manner that, in each case,
a peripherally-extending cutting zone (S) of a material, which is
different to the mandrel (5), is provided between the abutting
surfaces of mutually adjoining mandrels (5). The arrangement is so
aligned that a vulcanization of the reinforced hose-shaped
structures (1) takes place only at after the strip off.
Inventors: |
Oehl, Rainer;
(Grossburgwedel, DE) ; Wilmer, Roland;
(Langenhagen, DE) ; Berger, Markus; (Sehnde,
DE) ; Binder, Klaus; (Sarstedt, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Walter Ottesen
Patent Attorney
PO Box 4026
Gaithersburg
MD
20885-4026
US
|
Family ID: |
29557864 |
Appl. No.: |
10/518932 |
Filed: |
February 16, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
May 14, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE03/01561 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/173 ;
156/425 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 48/13 20190201;
B29C 53/828 20130101; B29C 2793/009 20130101; B29C 48/157 20190201;
B29L 2031/774 20130101; B29C 63/105 20130101; B29C 48/09 20190201;
B29C 48/151 20190201; B29C 48/21 20190201; B29L 2023/005 20130101;
B29C 48/153 20190201; B29C 35/02 20130101; F16F 9/0409 20130101;
B29C 53/70 20130101; B29L 2009/00 20130101; B29C 48/0022
20190201 |
Class at
Publication: |
156/173 ;
156/425 |
International
Class: |
B65H 081/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 28, 2002 |
DE |
10229073.3 |
Claims
1-19. (canceled)
20. An arrangement for the continuous manufacture of reinforced
hose-shaped structures comprising: a conveying unit for
continuously advancing a row of sequentially coupled cylindrical
mandrels in a conveying direction (X) and for returning individual
mandrels to the manufacturing start; at least one extrusion unit
for applying a rubber or plastic layer to the periphery of the
mandrels; at least one unit for applying at least one reinforcement
layer; a separating device for cutting the reinforced hose-shaped
structures at the connecting locations of mutually adjoining
mandrels; and a strip-off unit for stripping off the cut reinforced
hose-shaped structures from the individual mandrels; the mandrels
being rigid and so coupled to each other that, in each case, a
peripherally-extending cutting zone (S) is provided from a
material, which is different from that of the mandrel, between the
abutting surfaces of mutually adjoining mandrels; and, that said
arrangement is so aligned that a vulcanization of the reinforced
hose-shaped structures takes place after the strip off.
21. The arrangement of claim 20, further comprising a separating
means application unit for applying separating means to the
periphery of the mandrels; and, the separating means application
unit being mounted ahead of the first extrusion unit as seen in the
conveying direction.
22. The arrangement of claim 21, further comprising a cutting
device for cutting the stripped-off, reinforced, hose-shaped
structures to defined vulcanization lengths; and, the cutting
device being mounted in the manufacturing process ahead of a
vulcanization unit.
23. The arrangement of claim 22, wherein the cutting unit has a
cutting head which is moveable transversely to the longitudinal
axis of the reinforced hose-shaped structure and relative
thereto.
24. The arrangement of claim 23, wherein the extrusion units, in
each case, include a gear pump for conveying the extruded rubber or
plastic to an extrusion head.
25. The arrangement of claim 20, further comprising at least one
measuring unit for continuously measuring the advancing speed of
the mandrels and a control unit for controlling the quantity, which
is supplied for applying a rubber or plastic layer, and for
controlling the rotational speed of the bobbin creel unit in
dependence upon the advancing speed in such a manner that a
constant thickness of at least the first rubber or plastic layer
and a defined angle of the at least one filament layer of the
reinforcement layers is formed.
26. The arrangement of claim 25, further comprising at least one
measuring device for continuously measuring the thickness of the
first rubber or plastic layer, which is applied directly to the
mandrel; and, a control unit for controlling the rotational speed
of the bobbin creel of the downstream bobbin creel unit in
dependence upon the measured thickness of the first rubber or
plastic layer.
27. The arrangement of claim 26, further comprising process
variable measurement means for measuring process variables when
applying the rubber or plastic layers and reinforcement layers and
a fault marking unit for applying markings to the reinforced
hose-shaped structures when the measured process variables exceed
or drop below a particular fault tolerance amount.
28. The arrangement of claim 27, wherein the mandrels have a length
in the range of between one and eight meters, preferably between
two and four meters.
29. The arrangement of claim 27, further comprising mandrel
adapters for lengthening the standard length of the mandrels; the
mandrel adapters abutting virtually seamlessly against an assigned
mandrel and being coupled tightly to the mandrel; and, the mandrel
adapters having a coupling element for coupling the mandrel adapter
to an additional mandrel with a peripherally-extending cut zone (S)
of a material, which is different from that of the mandrel, between
the abutting surfaces to an adjoining mandrel.
30. A method for the continuous manufacture of reinforced
hose-shaped structures, the method comprising the steps of: (a)
applying rubber or plastic layers and reinforcement layers in
composite to the periphery of a row of cylindrical rigid mandrels,
which are coupled sequentially to each other, and are continuously
driven in a conveying direction (X); (b) cutting the reinforced
hose-shaped structures at the connecting locations of mutually
adjoining mandrels; the mandrels being coupled to each other in
such a manner that, in each case, a peripherally-extending cutting
zone (S) of a material, which is different than that of the
mandrel, is provided between the abutting surfaces of mutually
adjoining mandrels; (c) separating the mutually coupled mandrels
from each other; (d) stripping off the reinforced hose-shaped
structures from the mandrels; (e) returning the mandrels for
forming the row of mandrels in step (a); and, (f) vulcanizing the
stripped-off reinforced hose-shaped 20 structures or parts
thereof.
31. The method of claim 30, comprising the step of applying
separating means in advance of applying a first rubber or plastic
layer to the mandrels in step (a).
32. The method of claim 30, comprising the further step of cutting
the stripped-off reinforced hose-shaped structures to defined
vulcanization lengths in advance of the vulcanization in step
(f).
33. The method of claim 32, comprising the further step of
extruding rubber or plastic layers, in each case, to the periphery
of the cylindrical mandrels and onto the reinforcement layers.
34. The method of claim 33, comprising the further step of
volume-dependently controlling the thickness of the rubber or
plastic layers by means of a gear pump which is mounted between the
extruder and the extrusion head of an extrusion unit.
35. The method of claim 34, comprising the further step of
spiraling on filaments with a rotating bobbin creel for applying a
reinforcement layer.
36. The method of claim 35, comprising the further step of
continuously measuring the advancing speed of the mandrels and
controlling the rubber or plastic quantities, which are supplied
for the application of a rubber or plastic layer, and controlling
the application of the reinforcement layer in dependence upon the
advancing speed in such a manner that a constant thickness of the
rubber of plastic layers and a defined reinforcement layer is
formed.
37. The method of claim 36, comprising the further step of
continuously measuring the thickness of the first rubber or plastic
layer, which is applied directly to the mandrel, and controlling
the application of the reinforcement layer in dependence upon the
measured thickness of the rubber or plastic layer.
38. The method of claim 39, comprising the further step of
measuring process variables during the application of the rubber or
plastic layers and reinforcement layers; marking of defective areas
of the structures when the process variables exceed or drop below a
particular fault tolerance amount; optical detection of the marked
defective areas and separating out the sections of the reinforced
hose-shaped structures, which have been detected as defective,
after the strip off of the reinforced hose-shaped structure.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement for the continuous
production of reinforced, tube-shaped structures having:
[0002] a conveyor apparatus for continuously driving a row of
sequential cylindrical mandrels in a conveying direction and for
guiding back individual mandrels to the manufacturing start with
the mandrels being coupled to each other;
[0003] at least one extrusion unit for applying a rubber or plastic
layer to the periphery of the mandrels;
[0004] at least one unit for applying at least one reinforcement
layer;
[0005] a separation device for cutting the reinforced tube-shaped
structures at the connecting locations of mutually adjoining
mandrels; and,
[0006] a stripping apparatus for stripping off the cut reinforced,
tube-shaped structures from the individual mandrels.
[0007] The invention relates further to a method for continuously
making reinforced, tube-shaped structures.
[0008] Reinforced tube-shaped structures are especially used as
rolling-lobe resilient members for air springs in motor vehicles. A
rolling-lobe flexible member blank is made of rubber layers and
reinforcement layers which are tube-shaped and layered one atop the
other.
[0009] Conventionally, the rolling-lobe resilient member blanks are
made in that cut-out rubber plates and fabric strips are laid one
atop the other and are further processed. This is relatively
complex and subject to faults.
[0010] In EP 0 285 726 B1, a method for applying a filament or cord
layer at defined cord angles to a rubber layer is described with
the rubber layer being extruded onto a mandrel. For this purpose,
the mandrel with the rubber layer is clamped into a lathe and
rotated while a cord let-off ring surrounds the mandrel and is
moved forward in the longitudinal direction of the mandrel with the
cord let-off ring being fixed with respect to rotation.
[0011] An automated method for making multi-layered hoses or tubes
is known from DE 27 50 642 C2 wherein rubber and reinforcement
layers are wound on a rotating mandrel supported at a fixed
location. A material feed unit is moved in the longitudinal
direction along the mandrel. It is here disadvantageous that this
production method is not continuous but is limited to the length of
the mandrel. In addition, the thickness and the angle of the wound
rubber and reinforcement layers cannot be applied with adequate
accuracy needed for rolling-lobe resilient members.
[0012] A winding method for the continuous production of hoses is
described in DE 1 180 513 wherein the rubber and reinforcement
layers are wound on an endless row of mandrels in series one behind
the other and driven in an advancing direction. The hose is
vulcanized on the mandrels. Thereafter, the mandrel component
pieces are pulled away and are releaseably hooked to the end of the
mandrel component piece running into the winding machine. The
precision, which is required for air spring resilient members, can
disadvantageously not be ensured in the winding method. In
addition, the mandrels are thermally loaded during vulcanization
and the danger is present that the mandrels can deform so that a
uniform quality of the rolling-lobe resilient member blanks can no
longer be ensured.
[0013] A method and an arrangement for manufacturing curved rubber
hoses is described in DE 25 45 058 C3 wherein rubber and
reinforcement layers are applied continuously on mandrels driven in
a conveying direction with at least one extruder and one cord
reinforcing machine. The mandrels abut directly and seamlessly one
against the other. In a cutting apparatus, two mandrels are so
displaced with respect to each other that a gap arises between
their end faces wherein a cutting knife of the cutting apparatus
can engage. Here it is disadvantageous that the filament or cord
layers are stretched in the hose blank and are displaced in their
positions. The mandrels are flexible and are brought into a curved
position together with the hose or tubular-shaped blank piece,
which is disposed on the mandrel, and are vulcanized in a
vulcanization facility. The vulcanized curved hose is subsequently
separated from the mandrel.
[0014] With the use of flexible mandrels, the accuracy of the
rolling-lobe resilient member blanks, which is required for air
springs, cannot be guaranteed. In addition, during the
vulcanization of the rolling-lobe resilient member blank on the
mandrel, the danger is present that the mandrel deforms. In
addition, the manufacture of conical rolling-lobe resilient members
is not possible.
[0015] It was therefore an object of the invention to provide an
improved arrangement and a method for the continuous manufacture of
reinforced hose-shaped structures which ensure an adequate
manufacturing precision and high process reliability.
[0016] The object is achieved with the arrangement in that: the
mandrels are rigid; the mandrels are coupled one to the other so
that, in each case, a peripheral cutting zone is provided by a
material different from that of the mandrel; and, that the
arrangement is so aligned that the vulcanization of the reinforced
hose-shaped structure takes place only after strip off.
[0017] In contrast to the method of DE 25 45 058 C3, the extrusion
of the rubber layers and the spiraling on of the cord layers for
generating the reinforcement layers takes place on rigid mandrels
driven continuously. A peripherally-extending cutting zone is
provided of a material different to that of the mandrels between
the abutting surfaces of the mutually coupled mandrels so that a
cutting knife can be applied directly without the mandrels having
to be shifted against each other and the layers and angles of the
reinforcement layers being influenced thereby. For the reliability
of the reinforced hose-shaped structures, especially for use in air
springs, a defined angle of the cord layers of the reinforcement
layers is decisive. The dimensional accuracy of the mandrels is not
affected by the thermal process of the vulcanization because the
reinforced hose-shaped structures are stripped in advance of the
vulcanization from the individual mandrels. In this way, a uniform
manufacturing quality is ensured.
[0018] Preferably, a separating means application device for
providing separating means is provided on the periphery of the
mandrels. The separating means application device is arranged ahead
of the first extrusion unit as seen in the conveying direction.
With the applied separating means, it is ensured that the
reinforced hose-shaped structures can be easily stripped from the
individual mandrels after the manufacture.
[0019] Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide a cutting device
for cutting the stripped-off reinforced hose-shaped structures to
defined vulcanization lengths. The cutting device is mounted in the
manufacturing process ahead of the vulcanization unit.
[0020] According to the invention, the stripped-off reinforced
hose-shaped structures are cut once again in advance of the
vulcanization. The cutting device preferably has a cutting head
drivable transversely to the longitudinal axis of the reinforced
hose-shaped structures and drivable relative thereto. The cutting
device also has a fixing unit for clamping and fixing the
reinforced hose-shaped structures in the cutting position.
[0021] The extrusion means preferably have a gear pump for
supplying the extruded rubber or plastic to an extrusion head.
[0022] In this way, a more precise control of the thickness of the
rubber or plastic layers is possible.
[0023] Furthermore, a measuring device is preferably provided for
continuously measuring the advancing speed of the mandrels. A
control unit functions to control the quantity, which is supplied
for the application of at least one rubber or plastic layer, and to
control the rotational speed of the at least one bobbin creel unit
in dependence upon the advancing speed in such a manner that a
constant thickness of at least the first rubber or plastic layer
and a defined angle of the at least one cord layer is formed.
[0024] Furthermore, preferably a measuring device is provided for
continuously measuring the thickness of the first rubber or plastic
layer applied directly to the mandrels and a control unit is
provided for controlling the rotational speed of the downstream
bobbin creels in dependence upon the measured thickness of the
first rubber or plastic layer. The first extrusion unit thereby
forms a control loop together with the downstream bobbin creel so
that a constant cord angle is ensured in dependence upon the
applied thickness of the rubber or plastic layer.
[0025] Furthermore, preferably process variable measurement means
are provided for measuring the process variables when applying the
rubber or plastic layers and reinforcement layers. A fault marking
unit functions to apply markings to the reinforced hose-shaped
structures when the measured process variables exceed or drop below
a particular fault tolerance amount. In this way, it can be ensured
that defective regions are separated out during the uninterrupted
continuous manufacture.
[0026] The mandrels preferably have a length in the range of one to
eight meters and especially preferable is the length of two to four
meters.
[0027] Mandrel adapters are provided in order to be able to adapt
the length of the mandrels flexibly to the production requirements.
These mandrel adapters abut almost seamlessly against an assigned
mandrel and are fixedly coupled thereto. In each case, the mandrel
adapters have a coupling element for coupling the mandrel adapter
to a further mandrel in such a manner that a cutting zone is
provided from a material, which is different from the mandrel,
between the mandrel adapter and the further mandrel.
[0028] The method of the invention for continuously manufacturing
reinforced hose-shaped structures has the steps of:
[0029] (a) applying rubber or plastic layers and reinforcement
layers as a composite on the periphery of a row of cylindrical,
rigid mandrels, which are sequentially coupled one to the other,
and are continuously driven in a conveying direction;
[0030] (b) cutting the reinforced hose-shaped structures at the
connecting locations of mutually adjoining mandrels; the mandrels
are so coupled to each other that, in each case, a peripheral
cutting zone is provided from a material, which is different from
that of the mandrel, between the mandrels which abut one another at
abutting surfaces;
[0031] (c) separating the mutually coupled mandrels from each
other;
[0032] (d) stripping the reinforced hose-shaped structures from the
mandrels;
[0033] (e) returning the mandrels for forming the row of mandrels
in step (a);
[0034] (f) vulcanizing the stripped-off reinforced hose-shaped
structures or parts thereof.
[0035] As a difference to the continuous manufacturing method of DE
25 45 058 C3, the method of the invention is executed with rigid
mandrels, which are coupled one to the other, with a
peripherally-extending cutting zone from a material different to
that of the mandrel so that, when separating reinforced hose-shaped
structures into segments, it is no longer necessary to pull the
mandrels apart. In this way, it is ensured that the position of the
reinforcement layers is not changed by the separating
operation.
[0036] Furthermore, the vulcanization of the reinforced hose-shaped
structures after stripping off takes place so that the mandrels,
which are used for making the reinforced hose-shaped structures,
are not subjected to the thermal vulcanization operation.
[0037] Further advantageous embodiments of the method are described
in the dependent claims.
[0038] The invention will be explained below in greater detail with
respect to the attached drawing.
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a manufacturing
arrangement for the continuous production of reinforced hose-shaped
structures.
[0040] FIG. 1 shows an arrangement of the invention for the
continuous manufacture of reinforced hose-shaped structures 1 which
are formed of several rubber or plastic layers (2a, 2b) one atop
the other and reinforcement layers 3.
[0041] For this purpose, the manufacturing arrangement has a first
extrusion unit 4a for applying a first rubber or plastic layer 2a
to the periphery of cylindrical, rigid mandrels 5 which are
continuously coupled one to the other and driven by a conveying
unit 6 in a conveying direction X. The mandrels 5 are passed
through the first extrusion unit 4a so that a rubber or plastic
hose is made. The thickness of the first rubber layer 2a is
measured by a measuring unit 7 which is mounted behind the first
extrusion unit 4a viewed in the conveying direction X. The first
extrusion unit 4a has a gear pump 8 between the extruder and an
extrusion head in order to control the supplied rubber or plastic
quantity precisely in dependence upon the thickness measured with
the measuring device 7.
[0042] Thereafter, a cord or filament layer is applied at a defined
filament angle with a bobbin creel unit 9 which rotates about the
mandrels 5. Optionally, additional bobbin creel units 9 can be
provided which can, for example, rotate in mutual opposition in
order to apply at least one additional filament layer, which can be
counter-running, as may be required.
[0043] At least one further extrusion unit 4b is provided in order
to apply a further rubber or plastic layer 2b.
[0044] The advancing speed of the mandrels 5 is continuously
measured by a measuring unit 10. The process variables are supplied
to a control unit (open loop and closed loop) 11 and the extrusion
units (4a, 4b) and the at least one bobbin creel unit 9 are so open
loop controlled and so closed loop controlled in dependence upon
the speed of advancement and at least the thickness of the first
rubber or plastic layer 2a that a defined reinforcement layer 3 is
ensured at fixed filament angles and a constant thickness of the
rubber or plastic layers 2 is ensured. Especially the first
extrusion unit 4a and the directly following bobbin creel unit 9
form a closed control loop because the filament angles of the
filament layer, which is applied to the first rubber or plastic
layer 2a, is dependent upon the thickness of the first rubber or
plastic layer 2a. The filament angles and the thickness of the
first rubber or plastic layer define essential quality features of
reinforced hose-shaped structures, especially for use in air
springs.
[0045] Process variables (such as angles and quality of filament
layers) for the reinforcement layers 3 as well as the quality and
thicknesses of the rubber or plastic layers 2 are measured with
suitable measuring means. Defective areas are identified with a
fault marking unit 12 by applying markings to the reinforced
hose-shaped structures 1 when the measured process variables exceed
or drop below a particular fault tolerance amount.
[0046] Furthermore, a cutting device 13 is provided for cutting the
reinforced hose-shaped structures 1 at the connecting locations of
mutually adjoining mandrels 5. For this purpose, the cutting device
13 or the overall system has either suitable means for detecting
the peripherally-extending cut zones S between mandrels 5, which
are one behind the other, or the cutting zones S are determined
from the advancement speed. The cutting device 13 can, for example,
have a separating knife extending about the periphery of the
reinforced hose-shaped structures 1.
[0047] Thereafter, the mandrels 5 are decoupled from each other and
the cut reinforced hose-shaped structures 1 are stripped off or
pulled off the particular mandrel 5 with a strip-off device 14.
This takes place preferably by introducing compressed air into the
intermediate space between the peripheral surface of the mandrel 5
and the inner surface of the reinforced hose-shaped structure 1. A
compressed air wave first migrates from the forward end of the
reinforced hose-shaped structure 1 to the rear end and the mandrel
5 is pressed out by the pressurized air acting on the end face of
the mandrel. The mandrels 5 are preferably closed at the end
faces.
[0048] The individual mandrels 5 are then returned by the conveying
apparatus to the start of the manufacturing arrangement as sketched
by the arrows. In this way, a continuous endless manufacturing
process is ensured.
[0049] The stripped-off reinforced hose-shaped structures 1 are
thereafter supplied to a cutting device 15 and cut to the defined
vulcanization lengths. Viewed in the manufacturing direction, the
cutting device 15 is ahead of a downstream vulcanization unit (not
shown) for vulcanizing the cut sections of the reinforced
hose-shaped structures. The cutting device 15 has a cutting head 16
moveable transversely to the longitudinal axis.
[0050] Preferably, a separating means application device 17 is
provided for applying separating means to the periphery of the
mandrels 5. The separating means application unit 17, viewed in the
conveying direction X, is mounted ahead of the first extrusion unit
4a. With the applied separating means, it is ensured that the
reinforced hose-shaped structures 1 can be easily stripped off the
individual mandrels 5 after manufacture.
* * * * *