description lang="EN" 
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 

[0001] The present invention relates to equipment and corresponding method for producing molecularly oriented tubular profiles, particularly for the application thereof in tubes, signalling elements and light structural elements. 

[0002] The equipment is based on a mould which incorporates an expansion system, a refrigeration system and another vacuum system, conveniently synchronized to make execution and corresponding production of a molecularly bioriented tube or profile possible. 

[0003] The object of the invention is that of being able to form molecularly oriented tubular profiles, in an executable process that is easy, quick and energetically efficient, permitting the reduction of costs and times in the production of the tubular profiles with respect to the systems that are currently used for the same purposes, so that the final product arrives on the market at a much more competitive price based on the manufacturing which is achieved by means of the equipment and the method of the invention. 

[0004] The field of application is included within the manufacturing processes of molecularly oriented profiles and particularly of discontinuous systems. 

 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 

[0005] Molecular biorientation is a process through which, applying a mechanical deformation to a tube or previously extruded pro forma in suitable temperature, pressure, rate of deformation and radius of deformation conditions, mainly, a substantial modification of their mechanical properties, mainly the sigma of the material, resistance to impact, creep improvement, resistance to the propagation of cracks, improvement of the Young module, etc., is produced. 

[0006] An ultra resistant tube is achieved with said molecular orientation process, with fewer raw materials and with equal or greater performances, thanks to the greater strength of the material. 

[0007] In order to strengthen the tube tangentially, which is in the direction in which we want to strengthen the material to withstand the pressure, we must radially expand the previously extruded tube, thereby slightly increasing the diameter thereof. 

[0008] There are various systems for manufacturing tubular profiles, and they can be grouped into two main categories: Continuous, or in-line, systems and discontinuous systems. 

[0009] Bearing in mind that the equipment and method of the invention are included in the category of the latter, we are mainly going to refer to the discontinuous systems which consist of processes which produce the molecular orientation "element to element" based on an expansion of the tubular pro forma inside a mould which provides the final shape of the tubular profile. 

[0010] The patents and documents which disclose variants of this system or method are numerous, and we can cite:
Method based on the following references: FR8115427 ; US44990495 , WO9813190 , wherein the hot tube fastens to the ends of the mould inside a tight sheath and is submitted to internal pressure, so that as said sheath is removed by axial slipping, the plastic tube expands radially and sticks to the walls of the cold mould, achieving the cooling of the oriented profile by contact with said cold mould.
The main characteristics of said method consist in that the mould is symmetrical and is comprised of two concentric bodies which slip one inside the other, the expansion being carried out in two stages and producing the cooling by contact through the walls of the mould.
Method based on the references US4240344 and GB7932064 , wherein the tube is inserted in a symmetrical mould, is heated by passing hot water inside and outside of the plastic pro forma and, when the orientation temperature is reached, the interior pressure is increased and the pro forma expands on the mould. The tube is cooled such as in the previous case by contact with the mould, when it is expanded, i.e. externally and indirectly, with the special feature that the mould is heated first water used to heat the plastic and then the actual mould is cooled to cool the plastic, which gives a very poor energetic performance of the general process.

[0011] The first method is carried out by means of moulds formed by systems with internal actuations and mechanisms of certain complexity, so that in the normal operation thereof and due to the fact that they are concentric and that they slide axially, they reach double their length, being an expensive system and with a large necessity of space. Furthermore, the interior sheath which supports the plastic tubular pro forma, to begin with, must be hot, so it is necessary to have an accessory which permits the recirculation of the hot fluid, even further complicating the mould. Likewise, said mould is always kept cold thanks to an exterior bath of refrigerating fluid, while the cooling of the already shaped plastic tube is produced indirectly through the mould and by contact, which results in an inefficient system, energetically speaking, and disadvantageous as regards processing time, given that as the plastic has a coefficient of expansion which is greater than the metal, a separation between the mould and the plastic is produced almost immediately, making the transmission of heat by contact enormously difficult. The expansion is produced in at least two stages, being a slow process which is subject to the displacement of the moving sheath. 

[0012] Likewise, the entrance and exit of the tubes are made difficult by the sliding accessories, the entrance and the exit of the pro forma and tube being possible solely at the same end, not allowing a linear process, but rather with back and forth movements of the material, this aspect being a factor which slows down the processing time and industrial logistics, as the removal and entrance time of pro formas do not permit the orientation and both actions cannot be carried out simultaneously. 

[0013] Similarly, thermal performance decreases in the second method, as the mould is heated and cooled each time a tube is processed, which implies a high consumption of energy, resulting in a low efficiency just like in the previous case, since again the cooling is produced by contact. In this method, the tube is inserted cold, the actual mould acting as heater and as mould itself, this featuring numerous orifices to permit the evacuation of the fluid which previously served to heat the tube, making the execution of the method more expensive. 

 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 

[0014] The equipment and method proposed permits the solution of the problems and drawbacks referred to in the previous section, allowing a simple, quick and energetically efficient molecular orientation, the equipment being much less sophisticated expensive than the conventional equipment, which permits a large reduction of costs and processing times and permitting these products to arrive on the market at a much more competitive price. 

[0015] More specifically, the equipment of the invention comprises a special mould for the shaping of a plastic tube, mould which solely actuates as shaper and at a constant temperature, hot and without requiring heat exchange between said mould and the tube. 

[0016] Said mould is constantly heated with heating elements and at the ends thereof includes asymmetric heads, allowing the simultaneous insertion and extraction of a pro forma and oriented tube, with the subsequent saving of time in the process, in addition to permitting the use of pre-heated tubes thanks to the asymmetric geometry of said heads. 

[0017] Said heads, in addition to a vacuum take-off which permits, prior to the shaping, the expansion of the tube or profile without having to make evacuation or drainage orifices in the mould for the fluid which surrounds the plastic tube and confines the mould, incorporate a lubrication system by air cushion or any other fluid, which permits the smooth and ultra quick extraction of the shaped tubes without needing strong mechanical elements. 

[0018] Furthermore, in the mould, an specifically in the asymmetric heads, mechanical fastening means for the plastic tube and means for the entrance of expander / refrigerating fluids have been provided, including the exit of said fluids. 

[0019] The plastic tube which is inserted into the mould, through one of the ends, rests on a generatrix on the lower parte of the mould, to subsequently carry out the fastening of the corresponding head to that inlet end, all of that so that the plastic tube enters hot at a temperature which permits the orientation thereof to be deformed, the mould already being hot when the plastic tube is inserted, so no heat exchange is produced between the tube and the wall of the mould and, therewith, of the temperature in the pro forma tube. 

[0020] On the other hand, the mould is mounted on a support that allows the rotation and/or tilting thereof, in order to improve the cooling process of the corresponding tubular profiles, complementing the equipment with auxiliary measurement and control systems. 

[0021] Based on this equipment formed by the mould and all of the characteristics associated thereto, the production method is based on the following operative steps:
Insertion of the plastic tube inside the mould, which has already been heated to prevent any heat exchange between the plastic tube and the wall of the mould.
Closure of the head corresponding to the end of the mould wherethrough the plastic tube has been inserted and actuation of the fastening means of said plastic tube, so that this remains perfectly fastened and immobilised inside the mould.
Execution of the vacuum inside the enclosure limited by the interior of the mould and the exterior of the plastic tube.
Application, by a pumping or pressurised tank system, of expander fluid to the interior of the plastic tube, always at the same temperature of the tube, to produce the expansion thereof against the walls of the mould.
Application to the interior of the plastic tube of a refrigerating fluid, through a pumping or pressurised tank system and simultaneously an outlet to permit the continuous flow of said refrigerating fluid and the direct interaction thereof against the inner walls of the expanded plastic tube.
Execution of oscillating and/or rotating movements of the mould during the refrigerating fluid application phase, with the object of ensuring a correct distribution of the temperature in the interior.
Depressurization and/or emptying of the inside of the plastic tube, once the refrigeration thereof has been completed, connecting the inside of said plastic tube with the atmosphere, or with an accumulating tank.
Application of a lubricating fluid with is pressure injected to achieve the quick and efficient removal of the plastic tube, that insertion or pressure injection of the lubricating fluid producing a cushioning effect between the mould and the actual plastic tube, in order to reduce the force of removal.

 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 

[0022] In order to complete the description being carried out and with the purpose of helping towards a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical embodiment thereof, a single sheet of plans is attached as an integral part of said description, wherein, in an illustrative and non-limitative character, a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the equipment for the production of molecularly bioriented tubular profiles, and based thereon has been made the corresponding method, has been represented: 

 PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVETION 

[0023] As can be observed in the above-referenced figure, the equipment of the invention comprises a mould (1) mounted on a support (2) with characteristics which make it possible to rotate and tilt the mould (1), this being externally equipped with a plurality of heating elements (3), while at its ends incorporates asymmetric heads (4) equipped with a vacuum take-off orifice (5), the purpose whereof to be explained below. 

[0024] The corresponding plastic tube (6) to be shaped is inserted through one of the ends of the mould (1) prior to removing the corresponding head (4), the insertion whereof being made until said plastic tube (6) reaches the head of the opposite end, to subsequently mount that head (4) of the end wherethrough the tube (6) has been inserted and actuate the corresponding fastening means (7) of the actual tube (6) inside the mould (1), that plastic rube (6) resting in correspondence with the lower generatrix of the actual mould (1), as represented in the figure. The asymmetric heads (4) permit the pre-heated and, therefore, soft, tube (6) to always be supported and enter straight, facilitating the grip thereof at the ends through the fastening means (7). 

[0025] In correspondence with the fastening means (7) of the plastic tube (6), an inlet (8) for the expander and refrigerator fluid has been provided, and an outlet (9) of said fluid, while radially to the wall of the actual mould (1) an orifice (10) has been provided for the entrance of lubricating fluid used in the removal of the tube (6) once the inside of the mould (1) has been shaped, carrying out the process by means of an initial vacuum, through the orifice (5) which is established in the limited enclosure between the inside of the mould (1) and the exterior of the plastic tube (6). By making the vacuum, we achieve a perfect shaping, as if there was any water or air, it would prevent the plastic from consistently sticking to the walls of the mould. 

[0026] Next, the expander fluid is applied at the same temperature as the pro forma and the mould, through the inlet (8) to produce the expansion of the tube (6), and once expanded, and maintaining the pressure inside by means of regulation systems, a refrigerating fluid is applied to the actual tube (6), also through the inlet (8), permitting the leakage and pull of the expander fluid on the opposite side or on the same inlet side, through the outlet (9), permitting the continuous flow of said fluid and the direct interaction thereof against the inner walls of the plastic tube (6). 

[0027] Simultaneously to that refrigeration, the mould (1) can make oscillating and/or rotating movements as it is mounted on the support (2) equipped with those movements, thereby ensuring a correct distribution of the temperature in the inside thereof. 

[0028] After carrying out a depressurization and/or emptying of the inside of the plastic tube (6) after the refrigeration thereof, pressurised lubricating fluid is applied through the lateral orifice (10), this fluid extending between the mould (1) and the tube (6) and, due to cushioning effect, the extraction forces will be reduced by a high degree, with the special feature that that lubricating fluid must be at the same temperature as the mould (1) in order to prevent changes of temperature. 

[0029] As has been mentioned previously, based on this equipment and method, and by virtue of the double head (4) of the mould (1), it is possible to remove an already shaped plastic tube (6), at the same time that the next tube to be shape is inserted at the opposite end, which reduces the execution time and, definitively, the costs, to which the simplicity of the equipment based on the mould (1) contributes, with the elements and means associated thereto. 

[0030] The nature of the inventions having been sufficiently described, as well as the mode of embodiment in the art, it should be stated that previously indicated arrangements represented in the attached drawings can be modified as long as they do not alter the fundamental principle thereof. 

