Uponor Innovation Ab

Mika Savolainen

Jyri Laakso

Mika Uosukainen

Vesa Rotso

Rainer Dittmar

Maik Altmann

Jonne Valola

Bengt Isaksson

A method for expanding an end of a pipe made of plastics having shape memory with the aid of an expander tool having a tool head having an expansion member arranged to be insertable inside the end of the pipe. The method includes steps of measuring the temperature of the pipe to be expanded, adjusting at least one of the expansion control parameters of the tool head on the basis the measured temperature of the pipe, and expanding the end of the pipe utilizing the adjusted expansion control parameter of the tool head. The expander tool includes a temperature sensor for measuring temperature of the pipe to be expanded and/or ambient temperature, and an electronic control unit for adjusting at least one of the expansion control parameters of the tool head on the basis the measured temperature value.

Method for expanding an end of a pipe and expander tool

A tool device for expanding the end of a tube (T) includes an expansion sleeve element made of elastomeric material, the expansion sleeve element being arranged concentrically around a pull rod. A calibration sleeve is arranged concentrically around the expansion sleeve element. The inner die surface of the calibration sleeve comprises a mouth portion which has a fourth diameter (d) which corresponds with a play to the outer diameter of the tube (T), at least one expansion die portion having a fifth diameter (d, d) which is larger than the fourth diameter (d), and a shoulder between the mouth portion and the expansion die portion. The shoulder keeps the end of the tube (T), while being expanded, stationary in place inside the calibration sleeve. The calibration sleeve comprises mutually openable and closable calibration sleeve parts to enable closing of the calibration sleeve to a closed position (III) for the expanding operation of the end of the tube, and for opening of the calibration sleeve to an opened position (IV) for releasing the expanded end of the tube.

Tool device for expanding the end of a tube

A clamping ring that presses an end of a pipe against a connecting piece by back shrinkage. The clamping ring comprises a body comprising a plastic material having memory properties. The body has a first end to be positioned at a distance from the end of the pipe and a second end to be positioned close to the end of the pipe. The body of the clamping ring has a first position at the first end or at the distance from the first end having a first radial wall thickness. The body of the clamping ring has at least one second position between the first position and the second end such that the body of the clamping ring has a second radial wall thickness at the second position. The second radial wall thickness is smaller than the first radial wall thickness.

Clamping ring

A bend fixture for bending a medium pipe comprises a body part comprising a tubular support to receive a section of a medium pipe therein, an inner bend support to allow the medium pipe to be bent about the inner bend support, and an outer bend support to support the medium pipe from an outer side of the bend to keep the medium pipe bent. The outer bend support is coupled to the body part via a hinge and is turnable between an open position to allow the section of the medium pipe in substantially straight state to be inserted into the tubular support, and a closed position to keep the medium pipe bent about the inner bend support. The bend fixture comprises a pipe coupling arrangement for coupling together the outer bend support, in its open position, and the medium pipe outside the section in the tubular support.

Bend fixture

A fitting, particularly for connecting two pipes, comprising: a support sleeve (), having a first connection segment () at a first end, and having a second connection segment at an opposite second end, wherein at least the first connection segment () is formed so that a pipe segment () can be pushed onto it and having a middle segment () disposed between the first and the second connection segment (), wherein the middle segment () comprises a fixing element () extending at least partially around the support sleeve and having a separable ring element () having an inner diameter substantially corresponding to an outer diameter of the middle segment () and designed for being placed on the support sleeve () and being retained by the fixing element () in the middle segment () in a fixed position.

Growing community of inventors

Lahti, Finland

Mika Savolainen