Method for manufacturing a support

p00001Procedure for manufacturing a fitting

p00002The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a fitting for joining a fluid line with a reservoir of thermoplastic material, according to the preamble of claim 1.

p00003A procedure of this kind is known from DE 199 53 746 C2. There, the first arrangement of materials consists of two adjacent thin layers, and the second arrangement of materials of an outer layer that is thicker than the first arrangement of two-layer materials and which essentially determines the mechanical strength of the fitting. . All three layers should be injected in a co-injection or single sandwich procedure. However, it is extremely difficult to make the first arrangement of single-layer materials with a thickness significantly greater than that of the second arrangement of materials, since then two layers of the wall of a fitting that together has three layers, form a layer thin outer, one or two parts, whose total wall thickness is generally less than that of the core layer. Thus, in the case of a co-injection, the outer layer generally contains a maximum thickness of about 2 mm. If, for reasons of strength, the wall thickness of the fitting must have, for example, about 10 m and the thicker layer must be on the outside, an arrangement of layers of this type cannot be manufactured in practice by means of a process of co-injection or monoswich.

p00004On the other hand there are numerous materials that cannot be injected in multiple layers in an injection process, either by a coextrusion process or immediately consecutively, for example first an aluminum layer and immediately after while the aluminum layer is still molten , a layer of plastic, because aluminum has a much higher melting temperature than plastic, which would not support plastic. Something similar is applicable for materials that have different creep behavior.

p00005Document GB 2 267 678 A discloses a method for manufacturing a fitting containing a first arrangement of tubular, two-layer materials, and a second arrangement of materials in the form of a fitting. The tubular shape of the first arrangement of materials is obtained by blow forming. The second material arrangement is then placed around the first material arrangement by an injected casting process. The first and second arrangement of materials may contain nylon. Nylon is a plastic material that can be welded. By applying the second arrangement of materials using an injected casting process, the first and second arrangement of materials can be formed to form a fusion joint.

p00006EP 1 323 973 A2 contains a system crossed by a liquid or by steam, with an assembly area based on a coextruded multilayer compound and with a connecting body and a hollow body that are joined by the coextruded multilayer joint. The connection element can have the shape of a fitting and is made of one or more layers. The coextruded multilayer assembly can be manufactured for example from a sheet, an iron or a tube, for example by blow molding or drawing. The coextruded multilayer assembly can then be joined with the connecting element by welding or by an injected casting process.

p00007The aim of the invention is to describe a method of the aforementioned class in which the thickness and relative position of the layers can be freely chosen within wide limits for a predetermined wall thickness of the fitting, regardless of the function of the layers .

p00008This objective is solved by means of a procedure containing the characteristics of claim 1.

p00009The first material arrangement can be made as a thinner preform than the second material arrangement.

p00010The second arrangement of materials can be of a single layer, mainly containing PE or PA and have to a large extent the same thickness as the two preforms together or have a greater thickness to give the fitting the necessary strength and stiffness.

p00011The second arrangement of materials can also be made between the two triple layer preforms in injection or monoswich process, and their outer layers can make a fusion bond with the outer layers of the two preforms.

p00012The outer layers of the first material arrangement may contain a PE and its core layer a diffusion barrier layer for hydrocarbons.

p00013Also the outer layers of the second arrangement of materials may contain a PE and its core layer may contain a diffusion barrier layer for hydrocarbons or a reinforcing material.

p00014The diffusion barrier layer of the second material arrangement preferably contains PA or EVOH, and the core layer of the second material arrangement preferably has largely the same thickness as its two outer layers together, or a greater thickness.

p00015In another process for the manufacture of a fitting intended to join a fluid conduit with a container consisting of a thermoplastic plastic, the fitting containing a first arrangement of materials of at least one layer, in the form of a fitting, as well as a second arrangement of fitting materials containing at least one layer, of which the first arrangement of materials is thinner than the second arrangement of materials and both contain at least as a predominant component a thermoplastic plastic, establishing a union by fusion of joining of materials, one of the material arrangements being molded in a first step in a first cavity of a molding tool forming a preform that has the contour of the fitting, while in a second step the other of the two material arrangements is added by molding in a second cavity of the molding tool, joining it to the first preform, containing the plastic of one of the material arrangements that when entering the joint will enter in contact with the conduction of fluid, an electrically conductive additive.

p00016With this solution the first preform can be molded already in the first step, and in the second step the assembly of the fitting. If the fluid line is electrically conductive to avoid electrostatic charge when filling the tank through the fluid line, for example the tank of a car with a hydrocarbon such as gasoline or diesel fuel, then the entire connection consisting of the fluid line and the connection directly connected to the tank would be protected directly against electrostatic charges.

p00017For this, the plastic of one of the material arrangements may contain a diffusion barrier layer for hydrocarbons, and the plastic of the other material arrangement may form a molten joint with the plastic of the tank.

p00018It is especially convenient if the plastic of the thinnest material arrangement is the one that contains the ability to act as a diffusion barrier. Since plastics suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier, as indicated above, generally do not admit to establishing a fusion joint with the deposit that is generally mostly PE, it would be sufficient if only the thickest material arrangement that can be fused with the PE of the tank established the joint with the tank since its joint surface at the end of the tank side fitting is correspondingly larger and therefore allows a joint to be made safe.

p00019As an alternative for the use of a plastic capable of creating a diffusion barrier for one of the material arrangements, in particular the thinnest one, a layer capable of establishing a barrier can be injected into at least one of the two material arrangements diffusion that extends over 50%, preferably more than 90% of the length of the material arrangement, using the co-injection or single-sandwich procedure, and then the plastic of the material arrangement or of each material arrangement in which a layer capable of creating a diffusion barrier is injected, can establish a fusion bond with the material of the reservoir. The layer capable of establishing a diffusion barrier can be very thin, so that that arrangement of materials or both dispositions of materials that are provided with the layer capable of establishing a diffusion barrier establish a firm molten joint with the reservoir.

p00020In this solution there is another possibility that the thicker material arrangement has a plastic that can establish a fusion joint with the reservoir, and the layer capable of establishing a diffusion barrier that is injected into it extends along less 100% of the length of the thickest layer, and that the thinnest material arrangement is founded in the second step with the entire inner face of the thickest material arrangement to beyond the end of the thickest material arrangement away from the surface to be joined with the reservoir , giving it the shape of a retention nerve that protrudes from the outer face of the thicker material arrangement, and which contains the conductive additive. Then the thicker material arrangement can be left free of conductive additives such as graphite, metal or carbon particles, for example carbon black, or an additive based on so-called electrically conductive nanotubes that do not establish any molten junction with the reservoir. but they have a relatively large length to diameter ratio, so that they ensure an electrically conductive connection that crosses the entire fitting. On the other hand, the surface of the thicker material arrangement to be joined with the reservoir remains relatively large so that it establishes a firm bond with the reservoir.

p00021Preferably, it is intended that both material arrangements contain PE, that in the PE of at least one of the two material arrangements a first layer is injected by a co-injection or single-sandwich process that establishes a molten joint with the PE and with a plastic suitable for creating a diffusion barrier for hydrocarbons, and because in the first layer a second layer containing the plastic suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier for hydrocarbons is injected by the co-injection or monoswich process. In this way it is assured that the diffusion voltage, or the vapor tension that is formed at higher temperatures, of the hydrocarbon that diffuses through the PE, such as gasoline fuel or diesel fuel, cannot release the PE of the layer capable of establishing the diffusion barrier, so that it would finally come off. Similarly, the difference in the sponge behavior of the layer capable of establishing the diffusion barrier and the PE would not result in the PE rising from the layer capable of establishing the diffusion barrier. To the extent that the layer capable of establishing the diffusion barrier is only injected into the material arrangement of the fitting or also in the material arrangement of the fitting located radially outside, the formation of a molten joint between the layer capable of establishing the diffusion barrier and the surrounding PE would avoid the risk that the PE could be lifted and detached from the layer capable of establishing the diffusion barrier by means of mechanical forces .

p00022In order to achieve a melt bond as firm as possible between the first layer and the polyethylene of the corresponding material arrangement and of the layer suitable for establishing the melting barrier, it is advantageous if the plastic suitable for establishing the diffusion barrier for the hydrocarbons is PA or EVOH, and if the first layer contains an adhesion PE modified by maleic acid anhydride, and if the plastic suitable for establishing the diffusion barrier is PA whose concentration of amino terminal groups is equal to or greater than 40 milliequivalents per kilo.

p00023Also in this embodiment it is convenient if the first and second layers of one of the material arrangements extend over more than 50%, preferably over more than 90% of the length of this material arrangement. Then the ability to establish a diffusion barrier of the fitting is ensured over a very large part of the length of the fitting.

p00024If in this case the first and second layers of the thickest material arrangement extend over less than 100% but considerably more than 50%, preferably more than 90% of the length of the thickest material arrangement, it is also ensured in this embodiment of the fitting a relatively large joint surface between the thicker material arrangement and the reservoir, thereby achieving a firmer joint between the fitting and the reservoir.

p00025In those cases where very stringent requirements are not raised in terms of the ability to establish a barrier for diffusion of the fitting, the first and second arrangement of monolayer materials can be made of plastics that allow establishing a fusion union of non-material only with each other but also with the deposit. In this case, it is sufficient that only one of the material arrangements carries the electrically conductive additive, preferably the arrangement of materials located in the interior in radial direction, which may be thinner than the arrangement of exterior materials in radial direction. If the reservoir contains EP or HDPE, then both material arrangements may also contain mainly PE.

p00026Since only one of the material arrangements contains the conductive additive, the fitting assembly can be manufactured more economically than in the case of a single layer embodiment of the fitting assembly with a conductive additive, although the additive Driver increases material costs. The other arrangement of materials, which lacks the conductive additive, then contains greater resistance against chemicals and greater resistance to stress cracks. Since both material arrangements establish with the deposit a molten union of material union, the molten plastic of the conductive material arrangement cannot penetrate between the other material arrangement and the reservoir, impairing its union with the reservoir.

p00027In addition, the thicker material arrangement should be molded in the first phase. In that case the thicker material arrangement not only determines the mechanical strength of the fitting and its union with the tank, if it does not contain any electrically conductive additive, but at the same time forms the support for the provision of thinner materials and therefore with less capacity for mechanical loads.

p00028The invention and its improvements are described in greater detail below using exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. These show:

p00029fig. 1 a fitting manufactured in accordance with the first embodiment,

p00030fig. 2 a fitting manufactured in accordance with the second embodiment,

p00031fig. 3 a fitting manufactured in accordance with the third embodiment of the process according to the invention,

p00032fig. 4 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a fourth embodiment,

p00033fig. 5 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a fifth embodiment,

p00034fig. 6 a fitting manufactured in accordance with the sixth embodiment of the method according to the invention,

p00035fig. 7 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a seventh embodiment,

p00036fig. 8 a fitting manufactured in accordance with an eighth embodiment,

p00037fig. 9 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a ninth embodiment,

p00038fig. 10 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a tenth example of carrying out a process according to the invention,

p00039fig. 11 a fitting manufactured in accordance with an eleventh example of carrying out the process according to the invention,

p00040fig. 12 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a twelfth embodiment,

p00041fig. 13 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a thirteenth embodiment,

p00042fig. 14 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a fourteenth example of carrying out the process according to the invention,

p00043fig. 14 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a fifteenth embodiment,

p00044fig. 16 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a sixteenth example of carrying out the process according to the invention,

p00045fig. 17 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a seventeenth example of carrying out the process according to the invention,

p00046fig. 18 a fitting manufactured in accordance with an eighteenth embodiment of the process according to the invention, and

p00047fig. 19 a fitting manufactured in accordance with a nineteenth example of carrying out the process according to the invention.

p00048Figures 1-2, 4, 5, 7-9, 12, 13 and 15 are for illustrative purposes only. The fittings shown in Figures 1 to 12 have a multilayer structure and are used to connect a fluid line (represented only in Figures 13, 15 and 18), for example to a flexible plastic tube that is leak-proof, a tank 1 for hydrocarbons consisting mainly of plastic, in this case a car tank for gasoline or diesel fuel, of which only a wall 2 with a filling hole 3 is represented. The fluid line can additionally carry an electrically conductive additive to prevent electrostatic charges. Each fitting also consists of at least the majority of a thermoplastic material and is joined by a joint between materials with the edge of the filling hole 3; in this case it is welded so that a fusion joint is obtained between the fitting and the tank 1. In each fitting, the final section of the tank side is provided with a peripheral flange 4, and the final section away from the tank 1 has a peripheral retention rib 5. In the area between the flange 4 and the retention rib 5 according to the Figures 1 to 12, the fitting is somewhat thinner. When the fluid line is connected, it slides over the fitting above the retaining rib 5 to the thinnest area and is fixed in this area by means of a tube clamp.

p00049While tank 1 is mainly HDPE (high density polyethylene) with an intermediate layer of PA

p00050or of EVOH suitable for making a diffusion barrier for hydrocarbons, the fitting according to figure 1 contains on the outside a first arrangement of single-layer materials 6, which is mainly made of thermoplastic material, in this case one of the materials suitable for establish a diffusion barrier PA, EVOH, PET, PBT, PBN, PEN, POM, fluorothermoplastic, PPS. On the inside, the fitting contains a second arrangement of single layer materials 7, which is also mainly made of thermoplastic material, in this case PE, which can be welded with the plastic of the tank 1 and which is compatible with the first arrangement of 6 materials, establishing a welded joint. To the extent necessary, the second arrangement of materials 7 can have a suitable adhesion modifier to achieve fusion bonding. The thermoplastic material of the first arrangement of materials 6 may additionally contain electrically conductive particles, for example of graphite or metal. Instead, the second arrangement of materials 7 is preferably reinforced, eg with glass or carbon fibers.

p00051The fitting according to Figure 1 is manufactured so that in a first phase the first arrangement of materials 6 is molded by an injected extrusion or casting process obtaining a flat sheet or plate or a flexible tube, because in a second phase the sheet or plate is molded by deep drawing or the flexible tube by blow molding to obtain a first preform with the fitting contour, because in a third phase the second arrangement of materials 7 is applied on one of the faces of the first preform by means of a casting procedure injected with the contour of the fitting, and because in the case of a first preform obtained from of the first sheet or plate, its bottom is trimmed before, during or after the third phase.

p00052Both material arrangements can be chosen in this case, maintaining the desired wall thickness of the fitting, with a different thickness, that is to say that the first arrangement of materials 6 can be for example very thin, as is sufficient for a barrier layer of diffusion, and the second arrangement of materials 7 can be chosen correspondingly thick, so that it can serve as a support for the first arrangement of materials 6 and to achieve the desired strength of the fitting and its connection with the tank 1.

p00053A special advantage of this procedure is that in this way, arrangements of materials that cannot be joined together by means of an injection process (in the coextrusion process) can also be joined together, for example a continuous metallic layer in the direction axial with a plastic layer, because its melting temperatures are very different. The metal has a much higher melting temperature than the thermoplastic material, so that the plastic would decompose at the highest melting temperature of the metal.

p00054In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 2, the first arrangement of materials 6 is instead composed of a first layer 6a and a second layer 6b, which undergo a fusion bond in a coextrusion process or overlap layer by layer in the injected casting process, to form the sheet, the plate

p00055or the flexible tube, and then in turn they are embedded - in the case of the sheet or the flat layer - or blow molded, in the case of the flexible tube, to form the first preform in the form of a fitting. The first preform is re-injected from the back with the second arrangement of materials 7, in the same way as in the embodiment of Figure 1. The thickness ratios can be chosen similar to those of the first embodiment. While the materials of the second material arrangement 7 are chosen again as in the first embodiment, the materials of layers 6a and 6b of the first arrangement of materials 6 are chosen differently, the outer layer 6a being able to be made again as barrier layer for diffusion, from the same materials as the first arrangement of materials 6 according to Figure 1, and the intermediate layer 6b of an adherent agent. But there is also the possibility of preparing the layer 6b as a diffusion barrier layer and the outer layer 6a for example of PE or PA, in which case the intermediate layer 6b must be compatible with layers 6a and 7 (it should be able to melt with they).

p00056Instead of molding the first arrangement of materials 6 based on layers 6a and 6b by deep drawing or blow molding to obtain the first preform, there is also the possibility of manufacturing the first preform from layers 6a and 6b by means of a Injection casting process of several components (one layer after the other), in a molding tool.

p00057In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 3, the first arrangement of materials 6 is composed of three layers 6a-6c, whose materials are chosen such that they can establish a molten joint with the respective adjacent layer. The same applies to the layer 6b that establishes a molten joint with the second arrangement of materials 7. The layers 6a-6c overlap first in a casting process injected by coextrusion or layer by layer or in a casting process injected or forming a flat sheet or plate or a flexible tube. From this arrangement of layers, the first preform is formed by drawing or blow molding, which is then placed in an injected cast iron by injecting the second material arrangement 7 behind. The bottom is cut from the first preform embedded in a glass before, during or after injecting the second arrangement of materials 7.

p00058The layers 6a-6c together have at most the same thickness as the second arrangement of materials 7, if the wall thickness of the fitting in turn is only equal to the first embodiment. Of the three layers 6a-6c, at least two are of different materials, one being able to melt with the second arrangement of materials 7. For example, the outer layer in the radial direction 6c is electrically conductive by means of an additive, the intermediate layer 6a is a barrier layer and the inner layer in the radial direction 6b is an adherent agent that allows the joint between the layer to be established. intermediate 6a and the second arrangement of materials 7, which in turn contains PE so that it can be fused together with the reservoir 1, but with a barrier layer as intermediate layer 6a containing for example PA or EVOH, which does not establish fusion bonding to the extent that the PE of the second arrangement of materials 7 has not been modified in its adherent properties such that it can establish a fusion joint with PA or PE.

p00059Alternatively, the outer layer 6c may also contain a modified PE with adherent properties, the intermediate layer 6c again PA or EVOH and the second arrangement of materials 7 also modified PE in its adherent properties. The PE of the outer layer 6c would then compensate, with equal total wall thickness, the somewhat smaller thickness of the second arrangement of materials 7 compared to the second embodiment according to Figure 2, in order to achieve the same resistance of the fitting

p00060In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 4, the two material arrangements 6 and 7 are interchanged with respect to those of Figure 1. That is, the first arrangement of materials is located radially inside and the second arrangement of Outside materials, while manufacturing is carried out in the same way as for the first embodiment according to Figure 1. Firstly, the arrangement of materials 6 is prepared as the first preform from a flat sheet or plate by means of drawing or from a flexible tube by blow molding. Around the first preform, the second arrangement of materials 7 is then injected externally by means of an injected casting process, the bottom of the embedded form being cut during or after injecting around the second arrangement of materials 7. The materials of the two material arrangements 6 and 7 can be the same as in the first embodiment.

p00061Also the embodiment example according to Figure 5 has only exchanged the position of the two material arrangements 6 and 7 with respect to those of the first and second embodiment. The preparation and materials, however, are the same as in the second embodiment.

p00062In the exemplary embodiment according to figure 6, only the order of materials 6 and 7 has been exchanged in relation to that of figure 3, while the manufacturing process and materials of material arrangements 6 and 7 have been maintained same with respect to those in figure 3.

p00063In the exemplary embodiment according to figure 7, the order of materials 6 and 7 has also been exchanged with respect to those of figure 1. The second arrangement of materials 7 is, however, composed of two layers, an outer layer 7a and a core layer 7b, which is injected into the still plastic core of the outer layer 7a by a co-injection or monoswich procedure, after the outer layer 7a has been injected around the first arrangement of materials 6 which forms the first manufactured preform as in the first embodiment, by means of an injected casting process. The core layer 7b may contain a reinforcing material, for example glass or carbon fibers, or form an additional barrier layer in the event that the interior material arrangement 6 forms a diffusion barrier layer of for example PA or EVOH.

p00064The core layer 7b extends from the final section with the retaining rib 5 of the fitting, along the thinner intermediate area of ​​the fitting to the flange 4, so that when making the core layer 7b as a reinforcement layer make the intermediate zone somewhat thinner with greater load capacity than the clamp pressure of the tube clamp. The core layer 7b may alternatively also be made as an additional diffusion barrier layer if the first arrangement of materials 6 is also made as a diffusion barrier layer in order to increase the performance of the fitting as a diffusion barrier.

p00065The exemplary embodiment according to figure 8 differs from that of figure 7 only because the core layer 7a is made longer so that it extends to the inside of the flange 4 in order to further increase the strength or fitness to act as a barrier for diffusion of the fitting.

p00066In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 9, the first arrangement of materials 6 contains a first layer 6a and a second layer 6b that are each molded according to the same procedure of the first preform from the first arrangement of materials 6 in the exemplary embodiment according to figure 1, in the first and in the second step to form a first preform and a second preform. The two preforms 6a and 6b are then arranged with a separation from each other corresponding to the desired thickness of the second arrangement of materials in an injected cast molding tool, with the corresponding shape, and then a first layer 7a of the second is injected arrangement of materials by means of a casting process injected between the first preform and the second preform, that is between layers 6a and 6b, and in the still plastic core of the first layer 7a of the second arrangement of materials 7 a third layer 7b of the second arrangement of materials 7 is injected by the co-injection or monoswich process.

p00067In this case the outer layer 6a may contain thermoplastic material with electrically conductive particles and the inner layer 6b may contain a PA or contain an EVOH suitable for creating a diffusion barrier, while the layer 7a may contain modified PE and the intermediate layer 7b It may also contain reinforcement material, but where all layers adjacent to each other can melt with each other. Since the layer 7b is enclosed in the material of the layer 7a it is not absolutely essential that the layer 7b can be fused with the layer 7a (which is compatible with it). On the other hand, the layer 72 can be injected at a greater axial depth, for example to the flange 4 or to the inside thereof.

p00068In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 10, of which only one half is represented, since the other is symmetrical to the first half, as in the previous embodiments, the fitting is formed by a first arrangement of materials 6a in form of fitting, containing three layers 6a, 6b and 6c, by a second arrangement of materials in the form of a fitting but of a single layer and by a third arrangement of materials 8 in the form of a fitting with three layers 8a, 8b and 8c. All arrangements are at least mostly thermoplastic material.

p00069The first arrangement of materials 6 is manufactured by the co-injection or monoswich procedure as the first preform, such that its outer layers 6a and 6b form a cover layer and its inner layer 6c forms a core layer, the thickness of which is from approximately the same up to about twice the thickness of each of layers 6a and 6b.

p00070Layers 6a and 6b are made of PE, while layer 6c contains a PA or an EVOH, forming a diffusion barrier layer for hydrocarbons. The second arrangement of materials 7 also contains PE so that it can establish a fusion bond with the layer 6b.

p00071The third arrangement of materials 8 is also manufactured by the co-injection or monoswich procedure as a second preform, so that its outer layers 8a and 8c form a cover layer and its inner layer 8b forms a core layer. The layers 8a as 8c also contain PE while the inner layer 8b contains a PA or an EVOH, so that the latter forms a diffusion barrier layer for hydrocarbons. Therefore also the layer 8c can establish a fusion bond with the arrangement of materials 7, since both contain PE. While layers 8a and 8c have approximately the same thickness, layer 8b is between twice as thick as one of layers 8a, 8c. This is possible as in layer 6c because the maximum thickness of the material arrangements 6 and 8 is chosen by the corresponding narrow embodiment of the cavity of the molding tool in which the co-injection or single-sandwich process for manufacturing is performed of the material arrangements 6 and 8, equal to 2 to 4 times the thickness of the outer layers, which in a co-injection or single-sandwich process is generally constant from 1 to 2 mm.

p00072Alternatively, the material arrangements 6 and 8 can also be injected by a coextrusion injected casting process or their layers can be injected successively layer by layer in an extrusion injected casting process, overlapping them to form a sheet or plate or a flexible tube , then molding the sheet or plate by deep drawing or the flexible tube by blow molding to form the first or second preform respectively, following which the two preforms are also arranged with an intermediate space between them in an injected cast mold having the proper form, injecting the second arrangement of materials 7 into the intermediate space. In the case of embedded preforms, its bottom can be trimmed again before, during or after the injection of the second arrangement of materials 7, to obtain the shape of an open fitting at both ends. In the exemplary embodiment according to figure 10 it is possible to omit the first material arrangement 6 or the third material arrangement

p000738.

p00074In the embodiment according to figure 11, not only material arrangements 6 and 8 can be injected in the same way as in the embodiment example according to figure 10 by a co-injection or single-sandwich process but also the second arrangement of materials 7, once once the first and second preforms are finished, injecting it into a molding tool in the intermediate space between these two preforms by a co-injection or single-sandwich procedure, such that the outer layers 7a and 7c of the second material arrangement 7 also form a PE cover layer and the inner layer 7b forms a layer of the PA core as a dispersion barrier layer and support layer. Instead, the first arrangement of materials 6 forms on both sides of the core layer 6c a cover layer containing PA and a core layer 6c containing EVOH, and therefore is another diffusion barrier layer. The third arrangement of materials 8 can then contain cover layers 8a and 8c of PE and a core layer 8b of EVOH as an additional diffusion barrier layer.

p00075Since the core layer 7b of the second material arrangement 7 containing PA is not fully injected into the interior of the PE, to the lower end to be welded in the reservoir 1, of the PE forming the layer (s) (s) of cover 7a and 7c as depicted, there is therefore a sufficiently large PE surface that can establish a welded or fusion joint with the PE of the reservoir that is firm. Also here the thickness proportions of the layer can be chosen such that the cover layers and the core layers of the material arrangements 6 and 8 can be approximately equally thin, maintaining the necessary thickness of the fitting, while in However, the support layer 7b is relatively thick, approximately as thick as its outer layer (s) 7a, 7c (joints) or with a larger thickness.

p00076Similarly, the first arrangement of materials 6 or the third arrangement of materials 8 can also be omitted in this case.

p00077Figure 12 represents in an axial section a half of a flange 4 of a fitting manufactured according to another embodiment according to the method according to the invention. The part away from the reservoir 1, which is not shown, is also provided with a retention rib as in the previous embodiments. The fitting also contains a first arrangement of materials 6 which is located radially on the outside or inside or, as represented, on both sides of a second arrangement of materials 7, as well as a third arrangement of materials 8, which, as in the fittings described above, are mainly made of a thermoplastic material. The first arrangement of materials 6 is single layer and has a relatively reduced thickness. Surround the second arrangement of materials 7, which is considerably thicker. The third arrangement of materials 8 surrounds a final section 9 of the first and second arrangement of materials 6, 7, which is remote from the surface 10 of the flange 4 to be joined with the reservoir 1. The material arrangements 6, 7 and 8 can also establish a fusion bond with each other.

p00078The manufacturing of this fitting is carried out again in such a way that in a first phase the first arrangement of materials 6 is formed, that is to say the exterior or the interior or both, by means of an injected extrusion or casting process to form a flat sheet or plate or to form a flexible tube. In a second phase, the preform is molded from the sheet or plate by deep drawing or the flexible tube by blow molding, containing the angled shape shown in Figure 12. Now, it is necessary that at least the transitions of the material arrangement 6 or the preform formed by it, do not have an angular transition with the final section 9. The transitions may also be rounded.

p00079In a third phase, the second arrangement of materials 7 is applied (by subsequent injection) on one of the sides of the preform formed by the arrangement of outer or inner materials 6 or both by an injected casting process. In a fourth phase, the third arrangement of materials 8 around the final section 9 of the first and second arrangement of materials 6, 7 is injected by an injected casting process in the area of ​​the flange 4. In doing so, a part 11 of the second material arrangement 7 is also covered by the third arrangement of materials 8 that is not covered by the arrangement of materials 6. In the case of the preform formed from sheet or plate its bottom is cut before, during or after the third phase.

p00080The first arrangement of materials 6 contains a diffusion barrier layer, the second arrangement of materials 7 is polyethylene (PE) and the third arrangement of materials 8 also contains a diffusion barrier layer for hydrocarbons. The materials suitable for creating a diffusion barrier may also be the materials described in relation to the previous embodiments. Preferably it is PA or EVOH.

p00081The first arrangement of materials 6 and the third arrangement of materials 8 contain electrically conductive particles, for example metal, graphite or carbon particles. Since the first arrangement of materials 6 and the third arrangement of materials 8 are in contact with each other, a conductive layer is obtained along the entire length of the fitting that prevents the possibility of an electrostatic charging of the fitting.

p00082Instead of the first arrangement of materials 6 or its sheet or plate being single layer in the first phase, it can also be manufactured with multiple layers in the coextrusion process, in which case at least one of the layers is electrically conductive

p00083To the extent that the first material arrangement 6 covers, as shown, both the outer radial and inner radial faces of the second materials arrangement 7, the PE of the second materials arrangement, which is largely not Suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier, it is covered by a double layer capable of establishing a diffusion barrier. On the other hand, the second arrangement of materials 7, of greater thickness, can establish a weld fusion joint with the outer layer of the tank 3 which also contains at least one outer layer of PE, capable of supporting a high mechanical load thanks to the surface of ring shape 10.

p00084Another alternative may be that an additional layer is injected into the second arrangement of materials 7, before it is completely hardened by a co-injection or single-sandwich process.

p00085In the exemplary embodiment of the fitting according to figure 13, of which only one symmetrical half is again represented in relation to the central axis represented with dashed and dotted lines, the thinnest material arrangement 6 is located inside and the arrangement of materials 7 thicker, outside. While the material arrangement 6 is approximately half the thickness of the material arrangement 7, it can also be much thinner. But it could also be somewhat thicker than what is represented, but in any case it must have a thickness of less than 70% of the thickness of the material arrangement 7.

p00086The material arrangement 6 mainly contains one of the plastics suitable for creating a diffusion barrier against hydrocarbons such as gasoline or diesel fuel mentioned above, and contains an electrically conductive additive. The additive can be particles of graphite, metal or carbon, for example carbon black, or so-called electrically conductive nanotubes. The nanotubes have the advantage of containing a relatively large length to diameter ratio of approximately 100, so that together they form quite electrically conductive connection that spans the entire length of the material arrangement 6. The amount of additive is chosen such that the electrical resistance of the material arrangement 6 is in a range of 100 Q to 10 7 Q, preferably from about 1000 Q to 10000 Q, so that the material arrangement 6 does not Acquire an electrostatic charge when filling the tank 1.

p00087The material arrangement 7 contains mainly PE, which, unlike plastics capable of creating a diffusion barrier, can establish a molten joint with the HDPE of the tank 1.

p00088At least one of the two material arrangements 6 and 7 has its adhesion capacity modified so that they can also establish a fusion joint with each other. When the plastic capable of creating a diffusion barrier of the material arrangement 6 has its adhesion capacity modified in such a way that it establishes a fusion bond with the PE of the material arrangement 7, it can also establish a fusion bond with the HDPE of tank 1.

p00089For the manufacture of the fitting according to figure 13, the thicker material arrangement 7 is molded in a first phase in a first cavity of the molding tool to obtain a preform with the contour of the fitting that is represented, that is to say with a cylindrical section longer and the flange 4. In a second phase the thinner material arrangement 6 is then molded into a second cavity of the molding tool giving it the contour of the fitting that is represented, and at the same time it is attached to the first preform of the material arrangement 7, making it such that the material arrangement 6 merges with the thicker material arrangement 7 on its entire inner face, beyond the end of the material arrangement 7 away from the surface 10 to be joined with the reservoir 1, and molded to form the retaining rib 5 protruding from the outer face of the material arrangement 7.

p00090Above the conical annular surface of the retention rib 5, the fluid conduit 12 can then be slid in the form of a flexible tube to behind the retention rib 5, after the fitting has melted with the outer face of the wall 2 of the tank 1 in the area of ​​the surface 10, for example by friction welding or butt welding with thermal reflectors, and if necessary it can be tied by a tube clamp 13. If the fluid conduit 12 also contains an electrically conductive additive, then the joint assembly from a filling mouth fixed at the unrepresented end of the fluid conduit 12, through the fluid conduit 12 and the arrangement of materials 6 until the tank is electrically conductive, so that when filling the tank 1, it cannot acquire an electrostatic charge. If the tank 1 also contains an electrically conductive layer that covers its mouth 3 and its outer face from the mouth to the inner edge of the surface 3, then the conductive connection reaches the inside of the tank 1. This conductive layer would prevent or hinder the fusion bond between material arrangement 6 and reservoir 1. But because of its electrically conductive additive, the arrangement of materials 6 could hardly be attached to the tank 1 even if it did not have the conductive layer. But since the arrangement of materials 7 is relatively thick compared to the arrangement of materials 6, it is the large surface joint between the arrangement of materials 7 and the reservoir 1 which essentially determines on its own the firmness of the joint between the fitting and tank 1. For the same reason, the arrangement of materials 7, as a support for the thinner arrangement of materials 6, is in itself able to guarantee sufficient mechanical strength of the fitting. The electrical connection between the fluid conduit 12 and the retaining rib 5 of the material arrangement 6 also makes it possible to keep the material arrangement 7 free of an electrically conductive additive that would at least impair the fusion bond between the material arrangement 7 and the deposit 1.

p00091In principle, however, it would also be possible to make the arrangement of materials 7 with a smaller thickness than the arrangement of materials 6, and essentially of a plastic suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier, with an electrically conductive additive, and instead making the arrangement of materials 6 much thicker than the arrangement of materials 7, essentially of a plastic that can be melted with the plastic of a tank 1, without changing the total contour of the fitting. The electrically conductive joint would then go through the arrangement of materials 7 to the tank 1. In this variant it would only be inadvisable that there should be a conductive layer of the tank 1 from its mouth 3 below the edge of the material arrangement 6 on the side of the tank to the edge or below the edge of the material arrangement 7 on the side of the tank, because then the arrangement of materials 6 would be poorly attached to the deposit. The sequence of the manufacturing of the preforms based on the provisions of materials 6 and 7 would then be simply reversed: in a first phase the preform would be molded based on the arrangement of materials 6 and in the second phase the preform of the arrangement of materials 7, melting it at the same time with the arrangement of materials 6, that is, adding it by molding in the still molten state.

p00092The embodiment example of the fitting according to figure 14, in which in this representation the reservoir 1 and the fluid conduit 12 have been omitted, only differs from that of figure 13 because the thinner material arrangement 6 is formed therefrom. material than the thickest material arrangement 7, except for the first inner layer 6c, and the layer 6c of one of the plastics suitable for creating a mentioned diffusion barrier is injected from its pointed end, preferably PA or EVOH, by a co-injection or monoswich procedure in the inner zone of the material arrangement 6, still fluid due to the injected cast iron. In this way the layers 6a and 6b form an outer layer and the layer 6c a thinner core layer of the second preform, which extends over the entire length of the fitting. The outer layer in turn is provided with an electrically conductive additive while the inner layer 6c can also be provided with a conductive additive and has the adhesion modified so that it can form a joint with the PE of the outer layer 6a, 6b by fusion.

p00093The embodiment example of the fitting according to figure 15 is only different from that of figure 13 because during the first phase materials are injected into the arrangement of materials 7 by a co-injection or monoswich procedure a first layer 7b of one of the mentioned plastics suitable for create a diffusion barrier, preferably PA or EVOH. In this case, the layer 7b extends from the end of the material layer 7 away from the end to be welded with the tank 1 and which forms the drinking fountain, in more than 50%, preferably in more than 90% but less 100% of the length of the fitting, to the inside of the flange 4, that is to say without reaching the end to be welded, so that the PE of the material arrangement 7 can still be welded with the surface 10 in the tank 1 forming a firm welded joint. In this embodiment, the layer 7b does not have to establish any fusion bond with the PE of the (cover) layers 7a, 7c of the material arrangement 7, since it is completely surrounded by the layers 7a, 7c of the arrangement of materials 7. Since the material arrangement 6 already contains a plastic suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier, the layer 7b may alternatively contain another thermoplastic material that is not suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier but that increases the mechanical strength of the arrangement of Materials 7. In particular, it may contain a reinforcing material, for example glass fibers or carbon fibers.

p00094In the embodiment example of the fitting according to figure 16, the arrangement of materials 6 is formed by the same layers 6a to 6c, in the same passage and of the same materials as the arrangement of materials 6 according to figure 14, while the Material arrangement 7 is formed in the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 16 as is the material arrangement 7 of the embodiment according to Figure 15.

p00095Alternatively, the material arrangements 6 and 7 in the exemplary embodiments according to Figures 14 through 16 may contain at least one additional layer injected by a co-injection or monoswich process.

p00096The embodiment example of the fitting according to Figure 17 differs from that of Figure 13 mainly because the two material arrangements 6 and 7 contain for the manufacture of the PE fitting first - except the conductive additive, which in the present case is carbon black in the arrangement of materials 6 -, and during the injection of the material arrangement 6 it is injected into its still molten core (the "core") while the outer layer composed of layers 6a and 6b is already greatly hardened, injecting a first layer 6d, 6e by a co-injection or single sandwich procedure from the injection point located at the pointed end of the fitting. The first layer 6d, 6e contains a PE grafted with maleic acid anhydride. In this way the layer 6d, 6e has its adhesion modified against a PA or EVOH, suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier for hydrocarbons such as gasoline or diesel fuel.

p00097due to mechanical forces from the outside, for example frictional forces acting on the layer 7a When the cover layers 6d and 6e are greatly hardened, but their core is still molten, it is then injected into the core of the first layer 6d , 6e a second layer 6c by a co-injection or monoswich procedure. This layer 6c contains a PA or an EVOH. If PA is injected as layer 6c, its concentration of amino terminal groups equal to or greater than 40 milliequivalents per kilo is chosen. In this way the layer 6d, 6e establishes a firm welded joint between materials, not only with the PE of the material arrangement 6, but also with the layer 6c. Since the tank 1 also contains PE or HDPE and the material arrangement 7 also contains PE, both also establish a firm molten joint between materials when the fitting is welded to the tank 1. Since the material arrangement 6 contains the layers 6a and 6b a conductive additive, does not establish with the tank 1 a very firm molten joint. In particular, it does not establish any molten joint with the tank 1 if it has a conductive coating covering the mouth 3 of the tank 1 and its outer face from the mouth 3 to the outer radial edge of the end of the material arrangement 6 close to the tank 1 , forming a continuous conductive joint from the fluid conduit 12, which is not shown in Figure 17, through the layer 6a, 6b to the reservoir 1. Even if the concentration of terminal amino groups of the PA layer 6c equal to or greater than 40 milliequivalents per kilo is chosen, it does not establish any molten bond with the (HD) PE of the reservoir. On the other hand, the union between the PA of layer 6c and layers PE 6a and 6b is more firm if layers 6d and 6e with modified adhesion are provided. Overall, however, a very firm connection is obtained between the fitting and the tank 1 due to the arrangement of thicker materials 7.

p00098Although the layer 6c suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier is enclosed between layers 6a and 6b within the arrangement of materials 6, it is however advantageous to fuse it with these layers 6a and 6b and join them in this way. Because it would be possible for gasoline or diesel fuel to diffuse through layer 6b between it and layer 6c and thus, due to diffusion pressure and / or vapor tension - the latter especially at elevated temperatures - of the fuel diffused through and the layer 6b of the layer 6c is detached due to the different sponging behavior of PE and PA (the PE sponges more intensely than the PA).

p00099It would be possible to modify layers 6a and 6b with maleic acid anhydride so that the first layer 6d, 6e could be dispensed with. But PE that does not have the adhesion modified by maleic acid anhydride, such as the material of layers 6a and 6b, instead contains the advantage that it can be made conductive by an electrically conductive additive such as carbon black, better than a PE that has modified the adhesion by anhydride of maleic acid.

p00100The embodiment example of the fitting according to Figure 18 differs from that of Figures 15 and 17 because the first layer 7d, 7e and the second layer 7b suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier injected therein, is injected into the arrangement of materials 7 The first layer 7d, 7e therefore contains the same material as the first layer 6c, 6e according to Figure 17, and the layer 7b suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier, the same material as the second layer 6c according to Figure 17 . In this case, the cover layer 7a located radially outside the material arrangement 7 is further protected by the modified adhesion layer 7d, 7e to prevent due to mechanical forces from the outside, for example friction forces acting on the layer 7a, it can be lifted or detached from the layer 7b suitable for establishing a diffusion barrier.

p00101The embodiment example of the fitting according to figure 19 represents a combination of the layers of the material arrangement 6 according to figure 17 with the layers of the material arrangement 7 according to figure 18. It therefore brings together the advantages of both examples of embodiment according to figures 17 and 18 and increases the ability to establish a diffusion barrier by using two layers capable of establishing a diffusion barrier, that is to say the two layers 6c and 7b.

p00102In those cases where very stringent requirements are not established in terms of the ability to establish a barrier for diffusion of the fitting, both material arrangements can be made of plastics that establish not only each other but also with the tank 1 a molten joint between materials, in which case only one of the material arrangements, preferably the arrangement of materials located radially in the interior, which is thinner than the arrangement of materials 7 located externally in the radial direction, must contain the electrically conductive additive. If tank 1 contains PE or HDPE, then both material arrangements 6 and 7 may also contain PE.

p00103Since only one of the material arrangements 6 contains the conductive additive, the fitting assembly can then be manufactured more economically than in a single layer embodiment of the fitting assembly with a conductive additive, despite the conductive additive that Increase material costs. In this case, due to the absence of the conductive additive, the arrangement of materials 7 offers greater resistance against chemicals and greater resistance to the formation of stress cracks. Since both material arrangements 6 and 7 also establish with the tank a molten joint between materials, the molten plastic of the conductive material arrangement 6 cannot penetrate between the material arrangement 7 and the reservoir 1, impairing its union with the reservoir 1.