The invention relates to a capillary tube system which is partially prefabricated and can be adapted in situ to the respective required length.
Capillary systems in their use as surface heating systems and particularly as wall heating systems are generally known. Such a system comprises a capillary tube arrangement including collection tubes or main tubes which are used as inflow or outflow tubes and which have a plurality of capillary tubes branching off therefrom in the manner of a distributor configuration. Capillary tube systems or arrangements of this type are described e.g. in EP-B-0 676 593, DE-A-103 09 695, and DE-U-201 15 607, and DE-U-20 2005 000 017.
The known capillary tube arrangements are delivered ex factory in a fully prefabricated condition and made available in one or several standard quantities. An adaptation in situ to individual conditions, particularly with respect to the length of the capillary tubes, will not be possible anymore. Couplings for flexible tubings are disclosed e.g. in AT-B-410 586, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,233
It is an object of the invention to provide a capillary tube system which, although produced in a prefabricated condition, can have its length dimensions adapted in situ.
To achieve the above object, there is provided, according to a first variant of the present invention, a capillary tube system comprising a capillary tube arrangement including an inflow main tube and an outflow main tube and a plurality of capillary tubes connecting said tubes, a capillary tube mat including a plurality of capillary tubes fixed on a support structure, preferably on a flexible support structure, and being open on both of their ends, the distances between said capillary tubes relative to each other being substantially equal to the distances between respectively adjacent capillary tubes of the capillary tube arrangement, and two fitting bars each including a plurality of the capillary tube fittings for connecting respectively two capillary tubes, the capillary tube fittings being fixed on a holding structure at distances substantially equal to the distances between respectively adjacent capillary tubes of the capillary tube arrangement and of the capillary tube mat.
An alternative embodiment of the capillary tube system according to the first variant of the invention serves for the lengthening/shortening of the capillary tubes of a capillary tube arrangement including an inflow main tube and an outflow main tube and a plurality of capillary tubes connecting said tubes, wherein said alternative embodiment of the capillary tube system is provided with at least one further capillary tube mat and at least one further fitting bar.
