A system for clamping an object, such as a heater, to a cylindrical member, such as a nozzle or a hot runner channel is described. The system has at least one deformable elastic member for applying a clamping force to the object so as to hold the object against an outer surface of the cylindrical member and an annular sleeve for compressing the at least one deformable elastic member and for directing the clamping force radially inwardly toward the cylindrical member. The deformable elastic member, in one embodiment, is formed by a spring member which surrounds the object and the cylindrical member. In an alternative embodiment, the deformable elastic member comprises a plurality of hollow tubes surrounding the object and the cylindrical member, which tubes are hollow, thin walled, and elastic. The annular sleeve is preferably formed from a material having a thermal expansion coefficient less than the thermal expansion coefficient of the material forming the cylindrical member. Thus, as heat is applied, the cylindrical member expands more than the outer sleeve causing compression of the deformable elastic member(s) and direction of the clamping force towards the object to be held against the cylindrical member. A method for using the clamping system of the present invention is also described.
An electrical sleeve heater has an inner tube centered on an axis and formed with an axially extending and radially inwardly open cutout open at an axial end of the tube, an electrical heater coil wound around the tube, an outer tube engaged around the heater coil and tube, and an axially elongated thermal sensor probe having a sleeve and a pair of wires extending axially in the sleeve fitted in the cutout. The inner tube has substantially cylindrical inner and outer surfaces and the thermal sensor probe has a radial thickness smaller than a radial distance between the inner and outer surfaces.
A heater assembly for an injection molding apparatus comprises a heater sleeve having a threaded inner surface for engaging a threaded outer surface of a nozzle body of a nozzle or a threaded surface of a mold manifold. A clamping element such as a lock nut or a spring is provided adjacent the heater sleeve. The lock nut and/or the spring abuts the heater sleeve to force the threaded inner surface of the heater sleeve into contact with the threaded outer surface of the nozzle body. This removable clamped heater assembly operates regardless of the temperature of heater.
An expandable repair fitting for sealing and reinforcing polyethylene pipe includes a single or multiple middle section(s) that receives two end sections. The three sections are split into halves in order for the fitting to encapsulate the entire pipe to be repaired. Electrical heating elements in the form of wires are embedded within each section. The specific location of the wires causes the jointed halves to melt together when an electrical source is supplied to the wires, as well as causing a portion of each end piece to melt about the outer pipe diameter, thereby forming a sealed repair fitting. A portal is provided on the middle section to allow pressure testing of the integrity of the fitting. In a second embodiment, the repair fitting does not encapsulate the entire pipe circumference.
A hose for pumping heated liquids therethrough is disclosed which has, in combination, an interior hose construction which is adapted to prevent kinking and collapse of said hose, a heating element which has abrasive protection layers associated therewith, an insulator, a moisture barrier and a safety and containment barrier. At least two hose fittings are positioned at each end of the hose with at least one of said hose fittings having electrical connections in electrical communication with the heating element and a source of electrical power.
A combined heater and heat diffuser for fitting to an injection nozzle (10) for moulding plastics materials, where the nozzle comprises a tubular metal core (12) with an injection duct (14) and a cylindrical lateral surface (13). The heater and heat diffuser includes a resistor (40) housed in a channel-shaped seat (32) formed in a cylindrical internal surface (30d) of a heat diffuser (30) made of a metal material of a tubular shape for fitting around the core (12) of the nozzle.
