CONDUIT FOR A LIQUID DISPENSER, METHOD OF PRODUCING IT AND USE THEREOF

1 . A conduit for a liquid dispenser, comprising:

a tube for carrying liquid; and

a heating device for heating at least a section of the tube,

wherein the heating device includes a part for fixing the heating device to the tube, and

wherein the part is a part injection-moulded over the tube along at least a section of a length of the tube.

2 . The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the injection-moulded part is arranged around the tube.

3 . The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the heating device is an electrical heating device.

4 . The conduit according to any one of the preceding claim 1 , wherein the heating device includes a resistive heating part.

5 . The conduit according to claim 4 , wherein the resistive heating part is comprised in the part injection-moulded onto the tube.

6 . The conduit according to claim 4 , wherein the resistive heating part includes a wound heating wire.

7 . The conduit according to claim 6 , further including a carrier, wherein the heating wire is wound around the carrier and the carrier is arranged between the tube and the injection-moulded part.

8 . The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the injection-moulded part includes at least one feature arranged to co-operate with a feature of a separate component of the heating device to lock the separate component to the injection-moulded part.

9 . The conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the heating device further includes a component arranged in heat-conducting relation to at least one of the injection-moulded part and the tube.

10 . The conduit according to claim 9 , wherein the component arranged in heat-conducting relation to at least one of the injection-moulded part and the tube is clamped thereto by the separate component locked to the injection-moulded part.

11 . A method of manufacturing the conduit according to claim 1 for a liquid dispenser preceding claims, including the steps of:

providing the tube for carrying a liquid; and

fixing the heating device for heating at least a section of the tube to the tube,

wherein the step of fixing the heating device includes placing at least the tube in a mould and injection-moulding a part of the heating device over at least a section of a length of the tube.

12 . A dispenser for dispensing liquids, including the conduit according to claim 1 .

13 . The dispenser according to claim 12 , wherein the conduit forms a dispensing outlet.

14 . The dispenser according to claim 12 , further including a fitting connecting the conduit to one of a manifold and a further conduit.

15 . Use of A method, comprising the step of: using the conduit according to claim 1 to counter retrograde contamination in a liquid dispenser.

16 . The conduit according to claim 2 , wherein the heating device is an electrical heating device, and wherein the heating device includes a resistive heating part.

17 . The conduit according to claim 16 , wherein the resistive heating part is comprised in the part injection-moulded onto the tube, and wherein the resistive heating part includes a wound heating wire.

18 . The conduit according to claim 17 , further including a carrier, wherein the heating wire is wound around the carrier and the carrier is arranged between the tube and the injection-moulded part, and wherein the injection-moulded part includes at least one feature arranged to co-operate with a feature of a separate component of the heating device to lock the separate component to the injection-moulded part.

19 . The conduit according to claim 18 , wherein the heating device further includes a component arranged in heat-conducting relation to at least one of the injection-moulded part and the tube, and wherein the component arranged in heat-conducting relation to at least one of the injection-moulded part and the tube is clamped thereto by the separate component locked to the injection-moulded part.

20 . A method of manufacturing the conduit according to claim 19 for a liquid dispenser, including the steps of:

providing the tube for carrying a liquid; and

fixing the heating device for heating at least a section of the tube to the tube,

wherein the step of fixing the heating device includes placing at least the tube in a mould and injection-moulding a part of the heating device over at least a section of a length of the tube.