JP2003161395A - Joint for tube - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To hold a flexible tube air-tightly and liquid-tightly, and at the same time, to provide a joint for a tube by which attaching/detaching of the flexible tube is easy without an attaching/detaching space. <P>SOLUTION: The joint for the tube has a joint body 11 comprising a tube insertion part 15 to expand the flexible tube 13 by being inserted into a flow passage 13a of the flexible tube 13 and a nut 14 with a communication hole 17 opened on the end face of the tube insertion hole 15. And also, the joint has a tubular member 12 to be fitted to the outer periphery of the flexible tube 13 by moving and to fasten the flexible tube 13 together with the tube insertion part 15. A non-slip part 20 is formed on the outer peripheral face of the tubular member 12 so that a worker can easily grasp the tubular member 12 and move in the axial direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tube joint, and more particularly to a tube joint that does not require a space for attachment and detachment and allows the tube to be easily attached and detached.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to operate a pressure device such as a cylinder, a pipe connecting the pressure generating device and the pressure device is required, and in order to operate the pressure device via a solenoid valve which is a pressure control device, , Pipes for connecting these devices are required. A flexible resin tube is often used for such piping.

The resin tube is made of a resin material such as vinyl chloride, polybutene, nylon (polyamide) and polyurethane. These materials are selected in consideration of the bending radius during use, the pressure of the working fluid, the resistance to the working fluid, and the like.

When connecting a resin tube to a pressure device or when connecting tubes to each other, it is necessary to connect the resin tube without letting out the working fluid flowing through the resin tube to the outside. Therefore, joints are mounted between the resin tube and the pressure device, and between the resin tube and the resin tube.

As such a joint, the following joints have been used so far. First, there is a flareless joint in which a resin tube is attached to the joint by tightening a nut. Flareless fittings keep the resin tube airtight by engaging the sleeve that is placed between the resin tube and the fitting hole with the resin tube that is inscribed in the fitting hole of the fitting body from the outer peripheral surface of the resin tube. There is. A nut that is in contact with the sleeve end face is provided adjacent to the sleeve, and the sleeve moves in the axial direction by tightening the nut. Due to this movement, the sleeve is brought into close contact with the mounting hole and is also caught in the resin tube.

Next, there is a rapid joint in which a resin tube is manually attached to the joint. The quick joint consists of a seal part that keeps airtightness of the resin tube inscribed in the fitting hole of the joint body, a holding mechanism part that holds the resin tube that is bitten from the outer peripheral surface of the resin tube, and a holding mechanism that moves in the axial direction. And an opening mechanism section for releasing the biting of the section. The operator can easily attach and detach the resin tube by pushing the end of the opening mechanism portion in the axial direction and pulling out and inserting the resin tube.

And, there is a barb joint having a simple structure and a low cost. Barb fittings are those that hold the resin tube in the fitting by inserting the tube insertion part provided in the fitting body into the resin tube to maintain the airtightness of the resin tube and tightening the outer peripheral surface of the resin tube with a band. is there.

These joints are selected in consideration of the working pressure of the working fluid, the space for attaching and detaching the resin tube, the price, and the like.

[0009]

In recent years, many small pressure devices, such as cylinders having a small diameter, which consume a small amount of working fluid have been developed. The diameter of the resin tube connected to such a compact pressure device is also reduced, and for example, a resin tube having an outer diameter of 1.8 mm is also used. For this reason, it is desired that the joint be downsized in proportion to the resin tube.

Further, since a device equipped with a small pressure device is also downsized, the pressure device is often arranged closely. Therefore, there is a demand for a joint that allows the resin tube to be easily attached and detached even in a narrow space.

However, in the flareless joint, the structure is complicated and it is difficult to reduce the size, and a tool is required for the attachment / detachment, so that the attachment / detachment space must be secured. Further, the rapid joint has a complicated structure and is difficult to be downsized, and the barb joint is attached using a band, so that it is necessary to secure a desorption space.

Therefore, there is a need for a small-sized tube joint that can hold a small-diameter resin tube in an airtight or liquid-tight manner and can easily attach and detach the resin tube without requiring a detaching space.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tube joint that holds a resin tube in an airtight or liquid-tight manner, and that does not require a detaching space and allows the resin tube to be easily attached and detached.

[0014]

In the tube joint of the present invention, a nut portion having a male screw portion and a communicating hole opened at an end face of the male screw portion, and a communicating hole communicating with the communicating hole are formed. A fitting main body having a tube insertion part that is inserted into the flexible tube and the outer circumference of the flexible tube in which the tube insertion part is inserted, and the flexible tube is fixed by the tube insertion part. It is characterized by having a tubular member to be fastened and a non-slip portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member.

Thus, the flexible tube can be airtightly or liquidtightly fastened to the joint body simply by fitting the tubular member into the flexible tube. Further, the operator can directly grab the tubular member and fit it into the flexible tube. Therefore, a tool is not required for attaching and detaching the tube, it is not necessary to secure a detaching space when using the tool, and the tube joint can be arranged in close contact.

Further, the non-slip portion may be an uneven portion, whereby an operator can directly grab the tubular member and fit it into the flexible tube.

Further, the non-slip portion may be knurled, whereby an operator can directly grab the tubular member and fit it into the flexible tube.

In addition, a taper portion may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tube insertion portion, which facilitates the contact pressure between the tube insertion portion and the flexible tube when the flexible tube is fastened. The airtightness or liquid tightness of the flexible tube can be maintained. Further, the tube and the tapered portion are axially engaged with each other to prevent the tube from coming off.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a tube joint 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view showing the tube joint 10 of FIG. The tube joint 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is composed of a joint body 11 and a tubular member 12, and a working fluid from a resin tube 13 which is a flexible tube is transferred to a pressure device via the tube joint 10. (Not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the joint body 1
1 is a nut portion 14, a tube insertion portion 15, and a male screw portion 1
It is composed of six. The outer peripheral surface of the nut portion 14 is a tool contact surface 14a, a tube insertion portion 15 is formed on one end surface of the nut portion 14, and a male screw portion 16 is formed on the other end surface of the nut portion 14. Also, the joint body 1
A communication hole 17 for guiding the working fluid is formed to penetrate in the axial direction 1, and the communication hole 17 is open to the end surface of the tube insertion portion 15 and the end surface of the male screw portion 16.

A tapered portion 18 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tube insertion portion 15 so as to expand in the radial direction. Further, the male screw portion 16 is formed with a screw thread corresponding to the mounting portion of the pressure device. The joint body 11 is connected to the pressure device by screwing the male screw portion 16 to the pressure device. At this time, since the annular seal member 19 is mounted between the end surface of the pressure device and the end surface of the nut portion 14, the working fluid is kept airtight or liquidtight.

The resin tube 13 for guiding the working fluid is
It is made of a resin material such as vinyl chloride, polybutene, nylon (polyamide), and polyurethane. The resin tube 13 has an outer diameter of about 1.8 mm and an inner diameter of about 1.0 mm.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing a state in which the resin tube 13 is attached to the joint body 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the tube insertion portion 15 is inserted into the flow path 13 a formed in the resin tube 13, and the resin tube 13 having flexibility, that is, the flexible resin tube 13 expands outward in the radial direction. To be done.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cylindrical member 12 mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the resin tube 13 has a substantially cylindrical shape and has a compression hole 12a penetrating in the axial direction. The compression hole 12a is formed so as to correspond to the outer diameter of the resin tube 13, and the tubular member 12 is movable along the resin tube 13 by allowing the resin tube 13 to pass through the compression hole 12a.

When the tubular member 12 is moved toward the joint body 11 with the resin tube 13 attached to the joint body 11, as shown in FIG. , Are compressed inward in the radial direction by the compression holes 12a. By this compression, a radial reaction force can be generated in the resin tube 13, and the resin tube 13 can be held even if an axial pulling force is applied to the resin tube 13. Further, a surface pressure for keeping the working fluid air-tight or liquid-tight can be secured between the resin tube 13 and the tube insertion portion 15.

Further, the tube insertion portion 15 has a taper portion 18
Is formed, the maximum outer diameter portion 18a of the taper portion 18 is formed.
Then, the surface pressure against the resin tube 13 can be secured higher by the compression, and the airtightness or the liquidtightness can be reliably maintained. Moreover, the taper portion 18 and the resin tube 13 are compressed.
Since they are in close contact with each other and are caught with each other, it is possible to counter an additional pulling force in the axial direction. The tapered portion 18
Due to the above, when the resin tube 13 is attached, the resin tube 13 can be easily fitted while being expanded.

The outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 12 for fastening the resin tube 13 in this manner has an uneven portion 20 as a non-slip portion.
Are formed. The uneven portion 20 functions as a slip stopper when moving the tubular member 12 in the axial direction. When the operator moves the tubular member 12 and holds the resin tube 13, the operator's finger comes into contact with the contact surface 20a of the uneven portion 20 projecting in the radial direction, so that a pressing force in the axial direction is applied. It can be transmitted to the tubular member 12 without being released, and can be easily moved against the reaction force due to the compression of the resin tube 13. Similarly, even when the resin tube 13 is removed, since the operator's finger comes into contact with the contact surface 20b of the uneven portion 20, the pulling force in the axial direction can be transmitted to the tubular member 12 without escaping, The tubular member 12 can be easily moved to release the fastening of the resin tube 13.

Further, a resin tube 13 is attached to the joint body 11.
And the resin tube 13 is fastened with the tubular member 12, the end faces 12b, 14 of the tubular member 12 and the nut portion 14 are attached.
b contact each other. Therefore, the resin tube 13
Even if is bent, the bending force is not transmitted to the tube insertion portion 15, and the maximum outer diameter portion 18a has a diameter of about 1.4 mm.
It is possible to protect the tube insertion portion 15 formed in the.

In this way, the resin tube 13 is attached to the joint body 11 attached to the pressure device, and the tubular member 1
When the resin tube 13 is fastened by 2 the working fluid guided to the resin tube 13 is
It is supplied to the pressure device through the communication hole 17 of. Further, the working fluid discharged from the pressure device can be guided to the resin tube 13.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a tubular member of a tube joint according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4 (A), the concave-convex portion 20 as a non-slip portion formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 12 shown in FIG.
It is good also as the uneven | corrugated | grooved part 22 which forms the center of the longitudinal direction of this in convex. Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), the concavo-convex portion 23 may be formed so that the end of the tubular member 24 is convex. Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (C), knurled eyes 26 may be formed on the surface of the tubular member 25 as a non-slip portion.

It should be noted that the concavo-convex portion 20 with which the operator's finger abuts,
22, 23 contact surfaces 20a, 20b, 22a, 22b,
23a and 23b may be inclined with respect to the vertical direction within a range in which the pressing force and the pulling force in the axial direction are transmitted, without being formed in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the tubular member. Further, the uneven portions 20, 22, 23 may not be formed in an annular shape, but may be a partially cut uneven portion. Further, the knurled eye 26 shown in FIG. 4 (C) may be processed into not only an eyelet but also a right slant, a left slant, a groove flat, a round flat, and the like. Cylindrical member 2 having concave and convex portions as non-slip portions
In addition to 0, 22, and 23, knurled eyes 26 may be formed.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a joint body of a tube joint according to another embodiment of the present invention. Joint body 1
The communication hole 17 formed in No. 1 is not limited to the communication hole 17 formed in a straight line in the axial direction, and the communication hole may be an elbow type L like the joint body 27 shown in FIG. 5 (A). You may form in the communication hole 28 of a character shape. Further, as in the joint body 29 shown in FIG. 5 (B), by forming a plurality of tube insertion parts 15, the communication hole is opened in three directions.
You may form in the communication hole 30 of a character shape. Further, as described above, not only the communication holes 30 are opened in three directions, but the tube insertion portion 15 may be further formed to open the communication holes in four or more directions.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the resin tube 13 of the above embodiment has an outer diameter of about 1.8 mm and an inner diameter of about 1.
Although each of them is formed to have a thickness of 0 mm, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can be implemented with other dimensions. Similarly, the maximum outer diameter portion 18 of the tube insertion portion 15
The diameter of a is not limited to about 1.4 mm. Further, the flexible tube is not limited to the one made of resin.

Further, in the joint body 11 of the tube joint 10 shown in the drawing, the tube insertion portion 15 is formed on one end surface of the nut portion 14 and the male screw portion 16 is formed on the other end surface thereof. It is not limited. For example, a tube insertion portion 15 may be formed on each of both end faces to form a joint for connecting the resin tubes 13 to each other. Further, the nut portion 14 is not limited to the hexagonal prism shape, and may have a shape having the tool contact surface 14a facing each other.

Further, the joint body 11 is screwed to the pressure device and is kept airtight or liquidtight by the sealing member 19. However, by forming a pipe screw in the male threaded portion 16, airtightness or liquidtightness is kept. Is also good.

[0037]

According to the present invention, a flexible tube can be kept airtight or liquid-tight by fitting a tubular member around the outer circumference of the flexible tube in which the tube insertion portion is inserted. it can. In addition, since the non-slip portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member, the operator can directly grab the tubular member and fit it into the flexible tube easily. Therefore, a tool is not required for attaching and detaching the tube, there is no need to secure an attaching and detaching space for using the tool, and the tube joint can be arranged closely.

According to the present invention, since the concavo-convex portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member, the operator directly grasps the tubular member,
It can be easily fitted to a flexible tube.

According to the present invention, since knurls are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member, an operator can directly grab the tubular member and fit it into the flexible tube easily.

According to the present invention, since the tapered portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tube insertion portion, when the tube is held by the tubular member with respect to the tube insertion portion, when the flexible tube is fastened, The surface pressure between the tube insertion portion and the flexible tube can be easily ensured, and the airtightness or liquid tightness of the flexible tube can be maintained. Further, the flexible tube and the tapered portion are axially engaged with each other to prevent the flexible tube from coming off.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a tube joint according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the tube joint of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view in which a resin tube is attached to the joint body.

4 (A), (B), and (C) are perspective views showing a tubular member of a tube joint according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5A and 5B are front views showing a joint main body of a tube joint according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Tube fittings 11 Joint body 12 Cylindrical member 12a compression hole 12b end face 13 Resin tube (flexible tube) 13a flow path 14 Nut part 14a Tool contact surface 14b end face 15 Tube insertion part 16 Male thread 17 communication holes 18 Tapered part 18a maximum outer diameter part 19 Seal member 20 uneven parts 20a, 20b contact surface 21 Cylindrical member 22 Uneven part 22a, 22b contact surface 23 Uneven part 23a, 23b contact surface 24 Cylindrical member 25 Cylindrical member 26 knurled eyes

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A nut portion provided with a male screw portion and having a communication hole formed at an end surface of the male screw portion, and a tube insertion portion having a communication hole formed therein and communicating with the communication hole. And a tubular member that is fitted to the outer periphery of the flexible tube into which the tube insertion portion is inserted, and that fastens the flexible tube with the tube insertion portion, A non-slip portion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the tube joint. 2. The tube joint according to claim 1, wherein the non-slip portion is an uneven portion. 3. The tube joint according to claim 1, wherein the non-slip portion is knurled. 4. The tube joint according to claim 1, wherein a tapered portion is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the tube insertion portion.