JP2009204144A - Connection method of hose and resin nipple for mouthpiece and hose mouthpiece connection structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connection method, a nipple for a mouthpiece used for the connection method, and a hose mouthpiece connection structure for connecting a hose and the nipple for the mouthpiece by the connection method, without impairing sealability when the hose and the nipple itself are deformed, in the method for connecting without clamping the hose and the resin nipple for the mouthpiece by a clamp. <P>SOLUTION: This connection method is provided for integrally welding the nipple and the hose by heating an annular body, after insetting the nipple into the hose 14 so that the outer periphery of the annular bodies 40, 42 and 44 contacts with the hose inner periphery, by arranging at least one annular body on an outer peripheral surface of the nipple 24 so that the inner periphery of the annular body contacts with the outer periphery of the nipple. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a hose, a resin nipple used for a hose fitting, and a hose fitting connection structure. For example, a kitchen sink or a washbasin faucet, a toilet water storage tank, other hoses for water supply and hot water, and a hose The present invention relates to a connection method with a resin nipple for a fitting used for insertion, a nipple used for the connection method, and a connection structure between a hose and a fitting using the connection method.

  Conventionally, a flexible hose has been used for piping of waterworks in a house, and metal and resin nipples used for a fitting for connecting the flexible hose have been used. The metal nipple is manufactured by cutting from a rod made of brass or stainless steel. This is inserted into the hose, and is connected to the hose by crimping from the outer peripheral surface side of the hose with a metal sleeve such as stainless steel. These metal nipples are advantageous in that they are materials that are relatively resistant to corrosion by tap water and have sufficient strength against caulking.

  On the other hand, the resin nipple is advantageous in that the productivity is high. However, resin nipples are not necessarily sufficient in terms of strength compared to metal. Insert the resin nipple into the hose as in the case of metal, and crimp it from the outer surface of the hose with a fastener such as a metal cylindrical sleeve. However, depending on the resin material, the strength may be insufficient. May be deformed or cracked.

  For such a problem, there is known a connection end structure of a resin pipe that secures the strength of the resin pipe against caulking by embedding a metal cylindrical body at the connection end of the resin pipe (patent) Reference 1).

  Further, in order to avoid deformation of the nipple and the like, a method of connecting the hose and the joint by high-frequency welding (Patent Document 2) or spin welding (Rotary welding, friction melt bonding) (Patent Document 3) without crimping with a fastener. Is also known. In this case, since the stress is not applied to the hose, it is possible to obtain a long-term stable removal prevention and water leakage prevention effect. However, in these methods, the hose or nipple itself may be deformed by heat, which may impair the sealing performance.

JP 2006-234129 A JP-A-7-198081 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-1000076

  The present invention is a method of connecting a hose and a resin nipple for a fitting without caulking with a fastener in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and is a connection in which the hose and the nipple itself are not deformed and the sealing performance is not impaired. It aims to provide a method. It is another object of the present invention to provide a fitting nipple for use in the connection method and a hose fitting connection structure in which the hose and the fitting nipple are connected by the connection method.

  The object is to connect a hose having an inner tube layer tube made of thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer, and a substantially cylindrical nipple for a metal fitting made of thermoplastic resin inserted inside the end of the hose. The nipple has at least one annular body on the outer peripheral surface thereof so that the inner periphery of the annular body contacts the outer periphery of the nipple, and the nipple is connected to the outer periphery of the annular body and the hose in the hose. This is achieved by a connection method characterized in that after the insertion so that the circumference contacts, the annular body is heated to weld and integrate the nipple and the hose.

  In this way, by heating the annular body, only the joint surface between the outer peripheral surface of the nipple and the inner peripheral surface of the hose can be heated and melted, and the nipple and the hose can be integrated without being deformed. The connection can be made excellent in sealing performance.

  Moreover, the said objective is achieved by the nipple for metal fittings which has the said annular body used for the connection method of this invention.

  Thus, by preparing the nipple for a metal fitting having the annular body in advance, the connection method of the present invention can be appropriately carried out when necessary.

Preferred embodiments of the nipple for a mouth metal fitting according to the present invention are as follows.
(1) The material of the annular body is a metal.
(2) The material of the annular body is a resin or elastomer containing a metal.

  Furthermore, the connection method according to the present invention uses the above-described nipple for a metal fitting according to the present invention to “electromagnetic wave heating” (refers to heating a substance using radio waves, and “high frequency induction heating” (1 kHz to Including "heating a conductor such as metal with a radio wave having a frequency of about 500 kHz" and "dielectric heating" (referring to heating a dielectric (insulator) with a radio wave having a frequency of 1 MHz or higher). The welding is preferably performed by heating the annular body.

  Further, the above object includes a hose having an inner tube layer tube made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer, and a substantially cylindrical nipple for a metal fitting made of a thermoplastic resin inserted inside an end of the hose. This is a hose end fitting connection structure, which can be achieved by a hose end fitting connection structure in which the hose and the nipple are connected by the connection method of the present invention.

  Thus, according to the connection method of the present invention, only the joint surface between the outer peripheral surface of the nipple and the inner peripheral surface of the hose is heated and melted, and the nipple and the hose are welded and integrated without being deformed, A hose end fitting connection structure having excellent sealing properties can be obtained.

  According to the present invention, since the hose and the fitting nipple can be connected without being deformed without crimping with a fastener and without applying stress to the hose, the hose fitting connection structure having excellent sealing performance for a long period of time. It can be.

  Hereinafter, a connection method of a hose and a fitting nipple, a fitting nipple and a hose fitting connection structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A typical example of the structure of a hose fitting including a fitting nipple used in the connection method of the present invention is shown in FIG. The nipple 24 provided in the hose fitting 22 shown in FIG. 1 has a tapered portion 26 at the end, and the end opposite to the tapered portion 26 is enlarged in diameter, and the flange is formed on the outer periphery. A diameter portion 28 is provided. A nut 30 is hung on the flange. As shown in the drawing, metal annular bodies 40, 42, and 44 are arranged at substantially equal intervals on the outer peripheral surface between the tapered portion 26 and the enlarged diameter portion 28, and are integrally joined. The outer diameter D4 of the annular bodies 40, 42, 44 is in a relationship of D4> D2 with respect to the outer diameter D2 of the nipple 24. This is because when the nipple 24 is inserted into the hose, the annular bodies 40, 42, and 44 have an outer diameter that is in close contact with the hose. As will be described later, after the nipple 24 is inserted into the hose, the annular bodies 40, 42, 44 are heated, and only the joint surface between the nipple 24 and the hose is melted, and the nipple 24 and the hose are fused and integrated.

  FIG. 2 shows another representative example of a hose fitting including the fitting nipple of the present invention. The basic configuration of the hose fitting 22 in FIG. 2 is the same as that in FIG. However, unlike FIG. 1, the nipple 24 of FIG. 2 is provided with an annular body 40 made of a thermoplastic resin mixed with metal powder over almost the entire outer peripheral surface between the tapered portion 26 and the enlarged diameter portion 28. , The joint is integrated. This is because when the nipple 24 is inserted into the hose, the annular body 40 is brought into close contact with almost the entire region overlapping the hose. As will be described later, after the nipple 24 is inserted into the hose, the annular body 40 is heated, and only the joint surface between the nipple 24 and the hose is melted, and the nipple 24 and the hose are fused and integrated.

  FIG. 3 shows a typical example of a method for connecting a nipple for a metal fitting of the present invention and a hose using the nipple 24 shown in FIG. As shown, the nipple 24 has an outer diameter D1 that is larger than the inner diameter D3 of the hose 14. Therefore, with the nipple 24 inserted into the hose 14, the metal annular bodies 40, 42, 44 are in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the hose. In the overlapping portion 34, the contact state between the nipple 24 and the hose 14 is fixed by the fixing band 20. In this state, a high frequency current is passed through the heating coil 50 by a high frequency oscillator (not shown). As a result, the metal annular bodies 40, 42, 44 are heated by high frequency induction heating, and the outer peripheral surface of the nipple 24 and the inner peripheral surface of the hose 14 in contact with each annular body are melted. After the elapse of a predetermined time, the energization of the high-frequency current is stopped and allowed to cool, and then the fixed band 20 is removed. The nipple 24 and the hose 14 are welded and integrated by the above method. If the fixing band 20 is not removed and left as it is, there is no problem in terms of the function of the hose fitting connection structure.

  FIG. 4 shows a typical hose fitting connection structure of the present invention connected by the method of connecting the fitting nipple and the hose shown in FIG. As shown in the drawing, the hose fitting metal connection structure 12 includes a flexible hose 14 and a hose fitting 22 having a fitting nipple 24 according to the present invention. The nipple 24 and the hose 14 are welded and integrated by the connecting method of the present invention at a portion where the nipple 24 and the hose 14 are in contact with the annular bodies 40, 42 and 44. Since portions other than the joint portion 36 on the outer peripheral surface of the nipple 24 and the inner peripheral surface of the hose 14 are not melted, the nipple 24 and the hose 14 are not greatly deformed. As described above, the end opposite to the tapered portion 26 is enlarged in diameter, and the enlarged diameter portion 28 is formed with a flange formed on the outer periphery. A nut 30 or the like is hung on the flange and used for connection to other pipes or the like.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the structure of a typical hose 14 used for the hose fitting connection structure 12 of the present invention. It is comprised from the inner pipe | tube layer tube 1, the reinforcement layer 2 which covers the outer periphery, and the jacket layer 3 which covers the outer periphery. The inner tube layer tube 1 has elasticity and may have a single layer structure or a multilayer structure of an inner layer and an outer layer. The reinforcing layer 2 has a single layer structure in which fibers such as polyester fibers are braided or spirally wound.

  In the present invention, the material of the resin nipple 24 may be any material as long as it has thermoplasticity that can be used in the connection method of the present invention and has strength and safety according to the required quality. Polypropylene, ABS resin, polyacetal resin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, and the like can be used, and the resin may be reinforced with glass fiber. As shown in FIG. 3, when the outer peripheral surface of the nipple 24 is welded and integrated with the hose 14, it is preferable to select a material in consideration of compatibility with the material of the hose 14. In general, when the same material is included, it is easy to integrate. The nipple 24 may have any shape, but a smooth outer peripheral surface with less unevenness as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 is preferable in order to increase the contact area with the inner peripheral surface of the hose 14.

  The surface of the annular body according to the present invention may be smooth or uneven. The width and number of the annular body can be set according to the material of the annular body, the heating method of the annular body, the material, the shape of the nipple 24, and the like. As shown in FIG. 1, when the material of the annular body is a metal and the heating method shown in FIG. 3 is used, the annular body itself does not melt, so the width of the annular body is reduced and the number is 2-5. Therefore, it is preferable to increase the welding area. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, when the annular material is a thermoplastic resin in which a metal powder is mixed and the annular material is heated by high-frequency induction heating as in FIG. 3, the annular material itself is melted, Since it contributes to welding, in order to increase the welding area, it is preferable that the hose 14 and the overlapping portion 34 of the nipple 24 are disposed over a wide range. Similarly, in the case of a heating method in which only the annular body is welded to the hose 14 as will be described later, the annular body is disposed over a wide range of the overlapping portion 34.

  The annular body only needs to be disposed in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the nipple 24, and may or may not be joined. Preferably, when the nipple 24 is inserted into the hose 14, it should be joined to the nipple 24 so that the set welding site does not shift. Further, as will be described later, depending on the material of the annular body and the heating method of the annular body, only the annular body may be welded to the hose 14, and in this case, the annular body needs to be joined and integrated with the nipple 24 in advance. is there.

  After the nipple 24 is inserted into the hose 14, the annular material can be heated by, for example, electromagnetic heating (high frequency induction heating, dielectric heating), vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, etc., and the nipple 24 and the hose 14 are welded. Any material can be used as long as it can be integrated. For example, when an annular body is heated by high frequency induction heating, a metal such as stainless steel, brass, steel, nickel, and a thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer obtained by mixing these metals (metal powder, metal pieces, metal fibers, etc.) A material including a conductor such as can be used. When the annular body is heated by dielectric heating, a thermoplastic resin that is a dielectric material capable of so-called high-frequency welding (referred to as a method of welding a thermoplastic resin by dielectric heating) such as polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane is used. Can do. In this case, only the annular body is welded to the inner peripheral surface of the hose 14. In order to weld well, it is necessary to use the same kind of material for the inner peripheral surface of the hose 14.

  When the annular body is heated by vibration welding or ultrasonic welding, a thermoplastic resin such as polybutene, polyethylene, or polypropylene can be used. In this case, the inner peripheral surface of the hose 14 also needs to have a melting temperature similar to that of the annular material.

  The material of the annular body is a metal that can heat the annular body by high-frequency induction heating, particularly in that the material amount of the nipple 24 and the material of the hose 14 are less restricted, and a thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic containing the metal. Elastomers are preferred. In particular, the metal used is preferably stainless steel or brass in terms of low rust and corrosive properties during storage of the nipple and after connection.

  As a method for manufacturing the nipple for a mouth metal fitting of the present invention, for example, an annular body is placed in advance on the surface of an injection mold of the nipple 24, the mold is clamped, and the molding material of the nipple 24 heated and melted is injected into the mold. After injection, pressure holding, cooling and solidification, mold opening, and nipple 24 and an annular body are integrally formed, the nipple for a mouthpiece of the present invention can be manufactured. When the annular material is a metal that is difficult to join, surface treatment such as organic coating treatment may be performed.

  When the material of the annular body is a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer mixed with a metal as shown in FIG. 2, the nipple 24 and the annular body are formed by two-color molding with the nipple 24. By integrally molding, the nipple for a mouthpiece of the present invention can be manufactured. That is, a primary molding die for annular body injection molding is clamped, and the molding material of the annular body heated and melted is injected and injected into the primary molding die, cooled and solidified, then opened, and then the primary molded product part. In a molding method in which a mold for secondary molding for injection molding of the nipple 24 that has taken in the mold is clamped, and the molding material for the heated and melted nipple 24 is injected into the mold for secondary molding, cooled and solidified, and the mold is opened. is there. The two-color molding method may be any as long as the nipple for a mouth metal fitting of the present invention can be manufactured.

  In the connection method of the present invention, any heating method can be used for heating the annular body as long as the annular body can be heated and the nipple 24 and the hose 14 can be welded and integrated after inserting the nipple 24 into the hose 14. be able to. For example, as described above, electromagnetic wave heating (high frequency induction heating, dielectric heating), vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like can be used depending on the material of the annular body, the nipple 24, and the hose 14. In particular, since the amount of welding resin is large and a strong connection can be achieved, high-frequency induction heating using an annular body such as metal, and dielectric material such as polyvinyl chloride as the material of the inner circumferential surface of the annular body and the hose 14 are used. Electromagnetic heating including dielectric heating using is preferable, and high-frequency induction heating with particularly few material restrictions is preferable.

  For example, in the case of high frequency induction heating, any device can be used as long as it is a high frequency generator equipped with a heating coil as shown in FIG. The frequency is generally 1 kHz to 500 kHz, and can be appropriately set according to the melting temperature of the material of the annular body, the nipple 24 and the hose 14. The fixing band 20 is used as necessary, and may be any material that is not a conductor and does not interfere with high-frequency induction heating, and is made of a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin or a phenol resin, or a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The product is preferred. In the case of dielectric heating, for example, the above-mentioned dielectric is used as the material of the annular body, and after inserting the nipple 24 into the hose 14, the contact state between the nipple 24 and the hose 14 is fixed with the fixing band 20. It arrange | positions between the parallel plate electrodes of a sheet | seat, and irradiates a high frequency with a high frequency oscillator. The frequency of the high frequency is generally 1 MHz to 300 MHz and can be appropriately set according to the material of the annular body and the hose 14. Any device can be used as long as it can be used in the method of the present invention.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, the hose fitting connection structure 12 according to the present invention includes at least a hose fitting 22 having a nipple 24 for a fitting according to the present invention, and a flexible hose 14 into which the nipple 24 is inserted. May be selected as long as they are connected by the connection method according to the present invention, and the material and the like can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. The nut 30 may be made of metal or resin.

  The hose 14 may be any as long as it achieves the object of the present invention. In order to secure strength against pressure when used for water supply or the like, it is preferable that the inner tube layer tube 1 and the reinforcing layer 2 covering the outer periphery thereof are included as shown in FIG.

  The inner tube layer tube 1 is made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer and may be of any material and structure as long as the object of the present invention is achieved. As described above, the connection method, the annular body, and the nipple are used. It is necessary to appropriately select the material of the inner peripheral surface according to the 14 materials. For example, when high-frequency induction heating is used, polybutene resin, polyethylene resin, and cross-linked polyethylene resin are preferable, and when dielectric heating is used, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane that are the same as the material of the annular body are preferable. In the case of vibration welding or ultrasonic welding, a thermoplastic resin such as a polybutene resin having a melting temperature comparable to that of the material of the annular body is preferable.

  The inner tube layer tube may have a single layer structure or a multilayer structure in which those resins are used as an inner layer and the outer periphery thereof is covered with an outer layer of a polyolefin-based elastomer. In particular, when it comes into contact with tap water such as for water supply or hot water supply, as a countermeasure against chlorine, it is preferable that the innermost surface that is a liquid contact part is configured to include at least one of polybutene resin, polyethylene resin, or crosslinked polyethylene resin. . In consideration of the fact that the inner tube layer tube is hardened and difficult to bend when the inner tube layer tube has a single layer structure, the inner tube layer tube has a multilayer structure, the resin is the inner layer, and the outer periphery is the outer layer of the thermoplastic elastomer. A structure covered with may be used. The thermoplastic elastomer may be any and can be selected according to the quality required. For example, polyolefin elastomer can be used.

  The reinforcing layer 2 shown in FIG. 5 may be any fiber or any structure as long as the object of the present invention is achieved, and can be selected according to the quality required for the hose 14. For example, polyester fiber such as polyethylene terephthalate fiber and polyethylene naphthalate fiber, synthetic fiber such as nylon fiber and aramid fiber, or vegetable fiber such as cotton fiber may be used alone or in combination. good. The thickness of the fiber is preferably 50 denier to 2500 denier, and the structure is preferably a braided or spiral wound and formed as a braided layer or a spiral layer wound in a pairing direction.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the hose 14 can be configured to include an outer cover layer 3 that covers the outer periphery of the reinforcing layer 2 as necessary. The covering layer may be any resin as long as the object of the present invention is achieved, and can be selected according to the quality such as flexibility required of the hose 14. Polyurethane and polypropylene are preferred, and polypropylene is particularly preferred from the viewpoint of processability. Further, in the case where more flexibility is required for the hose, styrene in which polypropylene and a hydrogenated product of a vinyl-isoprene phase of a styrene-vinyl-isoprene triblock copolymer (hereinafter abbreviated as hydrogenated styrene-butadiene rubber) are mixed. A thermoplastic elastomer composition may be used as the resin material. The mixing ratio of the hydrogenated styrene butadiene rubber is preferably 40% by mass to 80% by mass with respect to the total resin amount.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the structure of said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible within the range of the summary of invention.

It is the side view which made a part the cross section which shows an example of embodiment of the hose metal fitting which has the nipple for metal fittings of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the other example of embodiment of the hose metal fitting which has the nipple for metal fittings of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of embodiment of the method of connecting the nipple for metal fittings of this invention, and a hose. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of embodiment of the hose fitting connection structure connected by the connection method of the nipple for fittings and a hose of this invention. It is a partial cross section perspective view which shows an example of the hose contained in the structure of the hose opening metal fitting connection structure of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inner tube layer tube 2 Reinforcement layer 3 Outer layer 12 Hose mouth metal fitting connection structure 14 Hose 20 Fixing band 22 Hose mouth metal fitting 24 Nipple 26 Tapered part 28 Diameter expansion part 30 Nut 34 Overlapping part 36 Junction part 40 Ring body 42 Ring body 44 annular body 50 heating coil

Claims (6)

  A method of connecting a hose having an inner tube layer tube made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer, and a substantially cylindrical nipple for a metal fitting made of a thermoplastic resin inserted inside the end of the hose, The nipple has at least one annular body on its outer peripheral surface so that the inner periphery of the annular body contacts the outer periphery of the nipple, and the outer periphery of the annular body and the inner periphery of the hose are connected to the hose. After inserting so that it may contact, the said nipple and the hose are welded and integrated by heating this annular body.   A nipple for a fitting having the annular body used in the connection method according to claim 1.   The nipple for a mouth metal fitting according to claim 3, wherein the material of the annular body is a metal.   The nipple for a metal fitting according to claim 3, wherein the material of the annular body is a resin or an elastomer containing a metal.   It is the connection method of Claim 1, Comprising: The welding is performed by heating the said annular body by electromagnetic wave heating using the nipple for metal fittings of any one of Claims 2-4. Connection method.   A hose fitting connection structure including a hose having an inner tube layer tube made of thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic elastomer, and a substantially cylindrical fitting fitting nipple made of thermoplastic resin inserted inside the end of the hose. And the hose end fitting connection structure characterized by the above-mentioned hose and the said nipple being connected by the connection method of Claim 1 or 6.

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