Heat-shrink tubing process apparatus and method of making heat-shrink tubing

摘要

A continuous heat-shrink tubing process is described having an expansion element disposed with the tubing and a position maintenance feature to keep the expansion element in a desired location. The expansion element may be maintained in a position by pressurized fluid trapped within the tubing between the expansion element and pinch rollers. The pinch roller may be moved to reduce the volume within the section of tubing between the pinch roller nip and the expansion element, and thereby increase the pressure of the trapped fluid. In another embodiment, the expansion element may be held in place by an extruder connector. In yet another embodiment, the expansion element incorporates a magnetic component, or has at least one magnet, or magnetic metals and one or more magnets are configured to maintain an expansion element position through attractive or repulsive magnetic forces.

主权项

1. A method of making a heat-shrink tube comprising the steps of:
a. providing a heat-shrink tubing apparatus comprising:
i. a first chamber comprising a fluid heated to an elevated temperature;ii. an untethered expansion element having an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of a pre-processed tube;iii. a pinch-roll apparatus having a nip; andiv. a conveyor coupled to said pinch-roll apparatus; b. inserting said expansion element into a tube end of said pre-processed tube; c. configuring said pre-processed tube into said first chamber and heating said pre-processed tube to an effective temperature to allow it to expand over the expansion element to produce an expanded tube; d. configuring said tube end of said expanded tube into said pinch-roll apparatus to trap a fluid within the expanded tube between the nip and the expansion element; e. starting said pinch-roll apparatus to pull the expanded tube through the pinch-roll apparatus and move it through the first chamber and over the expansion element; and f. moving said pinch-roll apparatus, as required, by said conveyor to adjust a pressure of the fluid within said expanded tube between the nip and the expansion element to maintain position of the expansion element, where at least a portion of the expansion element is maintained in said first chamber.