GB2311580A

GB2311580A - Pipe bore divider

Info

Publication number: GB2311580A
Application number: GB9606672A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles D Belcher
Original assignee: SILAVENT
Current assignee: SILAVENT
Priority date: 1996-03-29
Filing date: 1996-03-29
Publication date: 1997-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 2016-03-29
Also published as: GB9606672D0; GB2311580B

Description

A DIVIDER FOR A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING TUBULAR PIPE The present invention relates to a divider for a longitudinally extending tubular pipe.

In certain applications it is useful to be able to provide two or more fluid ducts within a single pipe. For example, in a heat exchanging ventilator fan ducts are required for both incoming and outgoing air.

Conventionally, a divider is glued into a tubular pipe in order to divide the pipe into two ducts. However, for various reasons such as manufacturing tolerances, or the deformation of a pipe while it is stacked, it is difficult to know accurately the internal diameter of a pipe, so that the divider cannot always be reliably glued in place.

According to the present invention a divider for fitting into a longitudinally extending tubular pipe in order to divide the pipe into two longitudinally extending ducts comprises a longitudinal web and a respective resilient portion extending along each longitudinal edge of the web, wherein, in use, when the divider is fitted into the pipe, the resilient portions deform to hold the divider within the pipe.

Such a divider can be readily fitted into the pipe and can accommodate any variations in internal pipe diameter.

The resilient portions can be of various configurations best suited to the required purpose, for example each resilient portion could be a flange extending in both directions transversely of the plane of the web, each resilient portion could be a pair of flanges with each flange extending away from the plane of the web at an included obtuse angle to the web, or each resilient portion could be a tubular member.

In the latter case, the tubular members can be pressurised, in situ, in order to seal with the pipe wall to provide a pair of ducts capable of transmitting at least one liquid.

In order to accommodate better the variations of internal pipe diameter, it is preferable for the resilient portions to be of a softer material than that of the web.

One way in which such an arrangement can be readily manufactured is for the web and resilient portions to be co-extruded.

The invention also extends to a pipe in which a divider as defined above is fitted.

Examples of dividers constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a cross section of a first divider; Fig. 1A shows one end of the first divider fitted into a pipe; Fig. 2 is a cross section of a second divider; Fig. 2A shows one end of the second divider fitted into a pipe; Fig. 3 is a cross section of a third divider; and Fig. 3A shows one end of the third divider fitted into a pipe.

All of the dividers shown are extruded from PVC and are intended for use in a pipe with a nominal internal diameter of 100mm. It will be appreciated that dividers can be extruded for pipes of any nominal internal diameter.

The divider shown in Fig. 1 has a central web 1 and transversely extending flange portions 2. The divider is 100mm long, the web is 3mm thick, and the flanges are 1 to lmm thick and 40mm wide. When pushed longitudinally into the pipe 3, the flanges bow inwardly, as shown in Fig. 1A, in order to fix the divider in place thereby dividing the pipe into two ducts 4, 5. The first divider can either be a single PVC extrusion or can be a co-extrusion in which the flanges are made from a softer material than the web.

In this latter case, the flanges will be made slightly thicker, for example 1.5 to 2mm.

The second divider has tubular end portions 6. These deform when inserted into a pipe 3 as shown in Fig. 2A.

Typically, the tubular portions have an internal diameter of 3mm and an external diameter of 7mm. The second divider is also coextruded with the tubular end portions 6 being softer then the web 1.

The third divider shown in Fig. 3 is similar to the first divider, except that the flange portions 7 extend at an included obtuse angle with respect to the web 1. The third divider allows for a greater arc of deflection of the end portions permitting the divider to be fitted into a greater range of pipe diameters.

Claims

1. A divider for fitting into a longitudinally extending tubular pipe in order to divide the pipe into two longitudinally extending ducts, the divider comprising a longitudinal web and a respective resilient portion extending along each longitudinal edge of the web, wherein, in use, when the divider is fitted into the pipe, the resilient portions deform to hold the divider within the pipe.

2. A divider according to claim 1, wherein each resilient portion is a flange extending in both directions transversely of the plane of the web.

3. A divider according to claim 1, wherein each resilient portion is a pair of flanges with each flange extending away from the plane of the web at an included obtuse angle to the web.

4. A divider according to claim 1, wherein each resilient portion is a tubular member.

5. A divider according to claim 4, wherein the tubular members are pressurised, in situ.

6. A divider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resilient portions are of a softer material than that of the web.

7. A divider according to claim 6, wherein the web and resilient portions are co-extruded.

8. A divider substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A method substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A pipe in which a divider according to any one of the preceding claims is fitted.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. An air to air heat exchange duct comprising a longitudinally extending tubular pipe divided into two longitudinally extending ducts by a divider, the divider comprising a longitudinal web and a respective resilient portion extending along each longitudinal edge of the web, wherein, in use, when the divider is fitted into the pipe, the resilient portions deform to hold the divider within the pipe.

2. A duct according to claim 1, wherein each resilient portion is a flange extending in both directions transversely of the plane of the web.

3. A duct according to claim 1, wherein each resilient portion is a pair of flanges with each flange extending away from the plane of the web at an included obtuse angle to the web.

4. A duct according to claim 1, wherein each resilient portion is a tubular member.

5. A duct according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resilient portions are of a softer material than that of the web.

6. A duct according to claim 6, wherein the web and resilient portions are co-extruded.

7. A duct substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of dividing a longitudinally extending tubular pipe into two longitudinally extending ducts using a divider comprising a longitudinal web and a respective resilient portion extending along each longitudinal edge of the web, the method comprising inserting the divider longitudinally into the pipe so that the resilient portions are deformed as the divider is pushed into the pipe in order to fix the divider in place.