JP2009264423A - Connection cap, and connection hose and its method for manufacturing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connection cap useful for engagingly connecting a flexible hose to a connection pipe in a single operation to simply integrate the flexible hose with the connection pipe, and to provide a connection hose equipped therewith and its method for manufacturing. <P>SOLUTION: The connection cap 1 can form a connector unit 15 to connect the end of the flexible hose 12 to the connection pipe via a tube 13 which is arranged on the inner wall of the flexible hose 12 in the longitudinal direction in the state of being joined thereto for storing a conductor 2 and a pull-relief 3 to restrict the elongation of the hose. It includes a hollow cylindrical part 4 mountable on the tube 13 in the condition of storing the conductor 2 and the pull-relief 3, an opening part communicated with a hollow portion of the hollow cylindrical part 4 in such a manner that the conductor 2 and the pull-relief 3 are removable therefrom, and a lock part 8 lockable to the connection pipe. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention forms a connector unit capable of connecting a flexible hose through which a pull relief for restricting the extension of a conductor and a hose is inserted, and a connecting pipe connected to an end of the hose. The present invention relates to a connection cap useful for the above, a connection hose provided with the same, and a method for manufacturing the connection hose.

  In the longitudinal direction inside the hose of the vacuum cleaner, there are conductors necessary for electrical operations such as switching the power on and off and adjusting the suction force as an operation part with operation switches etc. Communicates. In such a vacuum cleaner, the hose extends and the lead wire is pulled along with carrying and cleaning work. And since the hose is usually a bellows structure and has flexibility, it can respond flexibly to tensile deformation, but since the lead wire has low extensibility, it cannot respond to tensile deformation, and it is easy to extend due to the extension of the hose. Disconnect to.

  In order to solve such a problem, an attempt is made in the longitudinal direction inside the hose through a line (or string) “pull relief” for restricting the elongation of the hose. The pull relief is usually made of a material having a small tensile elongation (or not easily stretched), and its length is shorter than the total length of the conductor. By fixing the leading end of such a pull relief to a connecting pipe connected to the hose, the maximum elongation of the hose is restricted to the full length of the pull relief, so that disconnection of the conductor can be prevented.

  International Publication No. WO 98/17936 (Patent Document 1) discloses a method of providing a pull relief (3) in the longitudinal direction of a primary hose (1), the tip of the primary hose (1). The extremity (7) is attached to the inner part (8) of the coupling piece (9), and the outer part (10) of the coupling member (9) Is attached to the inner member (8) and the primary hose (1), and the intermediate cavity (12) formed in such a configuration is connected to the extremity (13) of the pull relief (3). And then injecting a liquid adhesive substance (14) into the inner cavity (12) under pressure, and then cooling the adhesive substance (14) so that the tip of the pull relief Pull relief (3) to fix A method comprising:

Moreover, in patent document 1, the front-end | tip part (13) of a pull relief (3) is tied to the inner member (8) of a coupling member (9), and is fixed with the said adhesive substance (for example, resin etc.). It is described that it may be. Further, in Patent Document 1, the surfaces of the primary hose (1), the inner member (8) and the outer member (10) of the coupling member (9) are melted and bonded with the high-temperature adhesive substance. It is also described that these members are attached and fixed (integrated). However, in this method, it is necessary to connect (or connect) the independent primary hose (1), the inner member (8) and the outer member (10) of the coupling member (9) with the adhesive substance. Therefore, the fixing (integrating) operation is complicated. In addition, in order to stably fix the exposed wiring between the primary hose (1) and the coupling member (9) with the above-mentioned adhesive substance, a mold having a complicated structure is attached to the inside of the hose. Therefore, there is a possibility that the lead inserted through the pull relief or the hose may be damaged when the mold is attached or detached. For this reason, the operability is inferior, and the production yield is reduced, and foreign matter adheres to burrs caused by molding defects. Furthermore, since the lead wire and the pull relief are exposed between the primary hose (1) and the coupling member (9) and are not fixed, the injection pressure is increased with the injection of the adhesive substance. It acts on the conductor and the pull relief and moves from a predetermined position in the middle cavity or is exposed (or protrudes) from the middle cavity to the surface. Therefore, the pull relief cannot be effectively protected, and the appearance of the hose to which the pull relief is fixed is also impaired.
International Publication No. WO 98/17936 (CLAIM1, page 3, lines 11-24 and page 5, line 30 to page 6, line 5)

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to connect the flexible hose and the connecting pipe by one-touch method by engagement, and to connect the flexible hose and the connecting pipe useful for simple integration, It is in providing the connecting hose provided and the manufacturing method of the said connecting hose.

  Another object of the present invention is to increase the efficiency of the connection (or connection) operation between the flexible hose and the connection pipe, and to accommodate the stripped conductor and the pull relief, and to easily protect the connection cap. And a method for manufacturing the connection hose.

  Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a connection hose that can easily improve the yield (production efficiency) of the connection hose.

  As a result of intensive studies to achieve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have used a hollow cylindrical portion that can be attached to a tube in a flexible hose, and a connection cap provided with a locking portion for a connection tube. The present inventors have found that the flexible hose and the connecting pipe can be connected by a one-touch method by engagement.

  That is, the connection cap of the present invention is provided with a tube for accommodating a pull relief for restricting the extension of the conducting wire and the hose, which is disposed in the longitudinal direction along the inner wall of the flexible hose. A cap capable of forming a connector unit for connecting the end portion of the flexible hose and the connecting pipe, and is a hollow that can be attached to the tube in a state in which the conducting wire and the pull relief are accommodated. A cylindrical portion, an opening that communicates with the hollow portion of the hollow cylindrical portion and that can take out the conductive wire and the pull relief, and a locking portion that can be engaged with the connecting pipe are provided. By using such a connection cap, it is possible to prevent the wiring (particularly pull relief) from being exposed inside the hose, and to attach the hollow cylindrical portion to a tube joined to the inner wall of the flexible hose. By engaging the locking portion with the formed locked portion, the flexible hose and the connecting pipe can be connected by a one-touch method.

  The connection cap may further include a temporary fixing portion for temporarily fixing the pull relief taken out from the opening. You may comprise the said temporary fix | stop part by the to-be-wrapped part which can wind a pull relief. When such a temporary fixing portion is provided, the pull relief can be stably fixed.

  The connection cap may be developed in a symmetrical shape via a hinge portion formed in the longitudinal direction. In such a connection cap, the conducting wire and the pull relief can be accommodated and can be easily taken out from the opening.

  The locking portion may be formed in the mounting portion so as to project in a tapered shape toward the mounting direction with respect to the locked portion formed in the connecting pipe. When such a locking portion is provided, the locking portion and the locked portion can be easily engaged, and the locking portion can be engaged with the locking portion in the direction opposite to the mounting direction (or the removal portion). Even if a force acts on the direction), the locked portion is restrained (or restricted). Moreover, the said to-be-latched part may be comprised by the wall part on the opposite side with respect to the said mounting direction among the wall parts which form the recessed part or hole which the said mounting part can mount | wear or insert.

  The present invention includes a flexible hose, a connection pipe connected to an end of the hose, and a connector unit that is configured by the connection cap and connects the flexible hose and the connection pipe. Also included is a connection hose in which the locking portion of the connector unit and the locked portion of the connection pipe are engaged to connect the flexible hose and the connection pipe. In the connection hose, the pull relief taken out from the opening may be covered with a thermoplastic resin together with at least a part of the connection cap in a temporarily fixed state to form a connector unit. In this way, when the temporarily fixed pull relief is covered with the thermoplastic resin and fixed, the pull relief can be fixed securely, and the pull relief is not exposed inside the hose. Further, the connection hose may have a locking portion and a locked portion engaged with each other, and a connecting portion between the flexible hose and the connecting pipe may be integrally formed with a thermoplastic resin. In the integrally formed (or integrated) connection hose, the connection strength between the flexible hose and the connection pipe is greatly improved.

  Further, the present invention inserts and attaches the hollow cylindrical portion of the connection cap to a tube disposed by being joined in the longitudinal direction along the inner wall of the flexible hose, and the conductor and the pull relief are attached to the tube. A connector unit forming step of forming a connector unit by passing through the connection cap; and an engaging step of engaging a locking portion formed in the connector unit and a locked portion formed in the connecting pipe. The method for manufacturing the connection hose is also included.

  In the connector unit forming step, the pull relief may be temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing portion of the connection cap, the thermoplastic resin may be injection molded, covered with at least a part of the connection cap, and fixed to form the connector unit. . The manufacturing method may further include a step of integrally forming a connection portion between the flexible hose and the connection pipe with a thermoplastic resin after engaging the locking portion and the locked portion.

  In this specification, the conductive wire and the pull relief may be simply referred to as “wiring”.

  In the present invention, since the flexible hose and the connection pipe are coupled using a connection cap having a locking portion that can be engaged with the connection pipe, a complicated operation (for example, fixing with an adhesive substance) The flexible hose and the connecting pipe can be coupled by a one-touch method by engaging even without going through. Moreover, when the said connection cap is used, while improving the efficiency of the connection (or connection) operation | work of a flexible hose and a connection pipe, it can accommodate without exposing a conducting wire and a pull relief, and can protect easily. In the present invention, the hollow cylindrical portion of such a connection cap is inserted into the tube and attached to form a connector unit, and the locking portion may be engaged with the locked portion of the connection pipe. A connection hose can be manufactured simply and with high yield (production efficiency).

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings as necessary.

  The connection cap of the present invention contains a hollow cylindrical portion that accommodates a conductive wire and a pull relief and can be attached to a tube in a flexible hose, and communicates with the hollow portion of the hollow cylindrical portion. It has an opening from which the relief can be taken out, and a locking part that can be engaged with the connecting pipe (or coupler).

  1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the connection cap of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the connection cap of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the connection cap of FIG. FIG.

  In the closed state, the connection cap 1 in this example extends from the hollow tubular portion 4 and the hollow tubular portion 4 for accommodating the conducting wire 2 and the pull relief 3 inserted into the tube of the flexible hose. A square columnar block insertion passage forming portion 5 and a temporary fixing portion 9 for temporarily fixing the pull relief are formed. As shown in FIG. 3, the connection cap of this example can be developed in a symmetrical shape via the hinge portion 11. That is, the hinge part 11 is formed thinly in the longitudinal direction or the axial direction (in this example, the longitudinal direction of the bottom of the hollow cylindrical part 4), and the block-shaped insertion passage forming part 5 and the temporary fixing part 9 are In the unfolded state (or two-divided state), the shape is symmetrical.

  The block-shaped insertion passage forming portion 5 is connected to the opening portion 6 constituted by a lead wire extraction hole 7a and a pull relief extraction hole 7c for taking out the lead wire and the pull relief from the hollow cylindrical portion 4, respectively, and the connecting pipe. And an engaging portion 8 that can be engaged.

  More specifically, with respect to the internal structure of the connection cap 1, the hollow portion of the hollow cylindrical portion 4 branches off in the middle in the longitudinal (or axial) direction, and leads and pulls are formed in the block-shaped insertion passage forming portion 5. Relief insertion passages are formed, and each insertion passage is formed in the lead wire extraction hole 7a formed in the upper portion (or top portion) of the block-like insertion passage forming portion 5 and the lower portion (or bottom portion) of the block-like insertion passage forming portion 5. The pulled pull relief outlet hole 7c communicates.

  Since the hollow cylindrical portion 4 is inserted and mounted in the tube, the outer diameter is formed to a size (for example, about 5 to 10 mm) that fits the tube. Moreover, the said conducting wire extraction hole 7a which comprises the opening part 6 is opened and formed in the recessed part (or notch part) 7b formed in the upper part (or top part) of the block-shaped insertion path formation part 5. FIG. In such a connection cap, as shown in FIG. 3, the lead 2 and the pull relief 3 inserted into the flexible hose (or tube) are accommodated in the hollow cylindrical portion 4 and are inserted into a block-shaped insertion passage. The lead wires are taken out from the lead wire outlet holes 7a and the pull relief outlet holes 7c through the insertion passages formed in the forming portion 5, respectively.

  Further, the connection cap 1 is provided with a temporary fixing portion 9 for temporarily fixing the pull relief taken out from the pull relief extraction hole 7c at a portion adjacent to the pull relief extraction hole 7c. The temporary fixing portion 9 has a longitudinal tip that bulges out in a substantially truncated quadrangular pyramid shape toward the longitudinal tip, so that the pull relief can be easily wound and pulled after winding. A concave wound portion (temporarily fixed recess) 9a for effectively preventing the relief from coming off (or coming off) is formed. Further, the opposing inner walls of the temporary fixing portion 9 (the wound portion 9a) are formed with concavo-convex portions (fitting concavo-convex portions) 10 that can be fitted to each other, and the developed connection cap can be simply closed. (Or fixed) and can be restored to a connection cap having a hollow portion. Further, in the connection cap in the closed state, the front end portion of the pull relief is sandwiched and wound in the height direction of the facing surface of the bulging portion that bulges out in a substantially truncated quadrangular pyramid shape. Further, a long groove concave holding portion 9b is formed to securely fix the pull relief.

  Further, the locking portions 8 formed in the block-shaped insertion passage forming portion 5 are respectively formed on both sides (or both side walls) of the block-shaped insertion passage forming portion 5 in the width direction and formed on the connection pipe. It is comprised by the convex part (or convex latching | locking part) which can be engaged with the to-be-latched part (concave latching part) made. The convex locking portion 8 is configured by a triangular pyramidal convex portion (triangular pyramid inclined portion) protruding in a tapered shape with respect to the mounting direction to the locked portion. Specifically, the convex locking portion 8 has an upright wall 8a that rises in a direction orthogonal to the mounting direction (or axial direction), and extends from the upright wall 8a and tapers in the mounting direction. It is comprised by the triangular pyramid convex part (triangular pyramid inclination part) which has the inclination part 8b inclined in the direction.

  If such a connection cap 1 is used, as will be described later, a flexible hose including a tube having a lead wire and a pull relief inserted therein and the connection tube can be connected with one touch. Further, if the connection cap 1 is used and the pull relief is securely fixed to the connection cap 1 (or the connection portion between the flexible hose and the connection pipe), disconnection of the conducting wire can be effectively prevented. Furthermore, when the connection cap 1 is used, it is possible to increase the efficiency of the connection (or connection) operation between the flexible hose and the connection pipe, and to accommodate and easily protect the conductive wire and the pull relief without exposing them. it can. Therefore, the connection cap is useful for manufacturing a connection hose with a high yield.

  The connection hose includes a flexible hose, a connection pipe connected to an end of the hose, and a connector unit composed of a connection cap attached to a tube in the flexible hose, The flexible hose and the connecting pipe are connected by engaging the locking portion and the locked portion via the tube.

  4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the connector unit of the present invention using the connection cap shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and FIG. 5 is a connection of the present invention provided with the connector unit shown in FIG. It is a schematic perspective view which shows an example of a hose. In addition, the arrow in FIG. 4 shows the suction direction of the air of a cleaner.

  In this example, the connector unit (hose connector unit) 15 is formed by injection molding a thermoplastic resin with the connection cap 1 mounted on the tube 13 and the pull relief temporarily fixed, and at least the connection cap 1 and the pull relief 3. It is comprised with the coating | coated part (or shaping | molding part) 14 which coat | covers and integrates.

  In detail, in the connector unit 15, the pull relief taken out from the pull relief take-out hole 7c is wound around the wound portion 9a, and the leading end of the pull relief is pinched by the holding portion 9b and securely fixed temporarily. ing. The connector unit 15 has a block-shaped insertion passage forming portion including a locking portion in a state where the lead wire is taken out from the lead wire outlet hole 7a in order to securely fix the pull relief in the temporarily fixed state to the connection cap 1. A warhead-like (or Shinkansen nose-like) covering portion 14 is formed in which a portion excluding the upper portion of 5 is covered with a thermoplastic resin. Further, in the connector unit 15, the flexible hose 12 (or the tube 13) and the connection cap 1 are integrated by the covering portion 14.

  Such a connector unit (connector unit of hose) can connect the flexible hose and the connecting pipe with one touch, and is useful for manufacturing a connecting hose easily.

  For example, in the connection hose 19 of the example shown in FIG. 5, the hollow cylindrical connection pipe 16 has a U-shaped notch (or insertion part) 18 for fitting with the connector unit 15 on its peripheral wall. Further, a gate or arch-shaped bridging portion 17 is formed across the U-shaped notch 18. Specifically, the wall portion on the opposite side (or downstream side) of the wall portion forming the bridging portion 17 with respect to the insertion (or mounting) direction of the locking portion 8 forms the locked portion 17a. When the locked portion 17a and the locking portion 8 are engaged with each other, and the covering portion 14 (or the connector unit 15) is attached or fitted to the notch portion 18, the flexible hose 12 And the connecting pipe 16 are connected to form a connecting hose 19. The connecting pipe 16 includes a resin stopper (stopper) 20 that is connected to the gate-shaped bridging portion 17 and restricts the flow of molding resin that is integrally molded by injection.

  Such a connection hose is constructed by inserting the hollow cylindrical portion of the connection cap into a tube disposed in the longitudinal direction along the inner wall of the flexible hose and mounting it, as well as a conductor and a pull relief. A connector unit forming step of forming a connector unit by inserting the connector cap into the connection cap, an engaging step of engaging a locking portion formed in the connector unit, and a locked portion formed in the connecting pipe; Can be manufactured through. An example of the manufacturing method of the connection hose of this invention is demonstrated concretely using FIG. 1 thru | or FIG.

  In this example, the lead wire 2 and the pull relief 3 extending from the bellows-like stretchable flexible hose 12 (or the tube 13 joined in the longitudinal direction along the inner wall of the flexible hose). Are accommodated in the hollow cylindrical portion 4 of the connection cap 1 that is developed with the hinge portion 11 as an axis, and the conductive wire and the pull relief from the hollow cylindrical portion 4 are respectively connected to the conductive wire extraction hole 7a and the pull relief extraction hole 7c. Then, the connection cap 1 is inserted, the connection cap 1 is closed, and the hollow cylindrical portion 4 is inserted into the tube 13 and attached. Next, the pull relief from the pull relief take-out hole 7c is wound around the wound portion 9a, and the leading end of the pull relief is nipped by the holding portion 9b and temporarily fixed. And in the state which took out the conducting wire from the conducting wire extraction hole 7a, except the upper part of the block-shaped insertion path formation part 5 containing the latching | locking part 8, it is a thermoplastic resin (for example, general-purpose resin) with respect to the connection cap 1 and the said tube 13. A thermoplastic resin) is formed by injection molding to form the covering portion 14, and at least the temporarily secured pull relief and the connection cap are covered with the thermoplastic resin and firmly fixed, and the flexible hose 12 (or The tube unit 13 and the connection cap 1 are integrated to form the connector unit 15. The connector unit (connector unit of hose) 15 is attached or fitted to the connection pipe 16 (or a notch 18 thereof), and the locking part 8 of the connector unit 15 and the locked part 17a of the connection pipe 16 are connected. The connection hose 19 can be manufactured by engaging the flexible hose 12 and the connection pipe 16 together.

  Further, the connecting hose 19 is integrally formed of a thermoplastic resin at a connecting portion in order to more securely fix the flexible hose and the connecting pipe.

  The connection cap and the connection hose of the present invention are not limited to the above example, and may be in other forms.

  In the connection cap of the present invention, the hollow cylindrical portion only needs to be attachable to at least the tube. For example, the hollow cylindrical portion and the tube may be attached (or connected) using an external member such as a stopper or a joint. However, in terms of simplicity, the number of parts can be reduced, etc. It is preferable that the outer diameter is adjusted to a size suitable for the tube (or the outer diameter of the hollow cylindrical portion is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tube), and is inserted into the tube for mounting. The outer diameter of the hollow cylindrical portion can be appropriately selected and adjusted according to the size of the flexible hose (or tube), the size of the ventilation resistance in the hose, the type of wiring to be inserted, the number of wires, and the like. For example, in the example where the outer diameter of the flexible hose is about 30 to 45 mm, the outer diameter of the hollow cylindrical portion is not limited to about 5 to 10 mm, for example, 5 to 15 mm (for example, 6 to 15 mm), It may be preferably 6 to 13 mm, more preferably 7 to 12 mm, and particularly about 8 to 10 mm. As described above, the pull relief is fixed to the connection cap. However, since the conducting wire is wired to the operation unit and the connecting tube of the vacuum cleaner, the inserted conducting wire advances and retreats through the outer diameter of the hollow cylindrical portion. It is preferable to adjust to a size that allows movement (or loose insertion). In addition, the hollow cylindrical portion may be formed in a tapered shape in the insertion (or mounting) direction to improve mounting ease. Further, a concave groove for accommodating the wiring may be formed in the longitudinal (or axial) direction on the inner wall of the hollow cylindrical portion and / or the tube to improve the mounting property.

  The opening is not particularly limited as long as the wiring can be taken out, and, as in the above example, two holes (or lead-out holes) for taking out the lead and the pull relief separately (the lead-out hole, pull-out) However, it is not always necessary to take out the conductor and the pull relief separately, and both of them may be taken out from one hole (or outlet hole). That is, the opening may be composed of one or a plurality of holes (or extraction holes). In order to wire the conducting wire to the operation part or the connecting pipe, the conducting wire and the pull relief are usually taken out from individual takeout holes in many cases.

  The opening does not necessarily have to be formed in the block-shaped insertion passage forming portion, and can be formed at an appropriate position of the connection cap. In addition, the position of the lead wire extraction hole can be usually formed corresponding to the position of the operation part of the cleaner, and when the position of the pull relief extraction hole is formed separately from the lead wire extraction hole, the pull relief is temporarily fixed (or As long as it can be fixed), it is not particularly limited, and can be formed at an appropriate position of the connection cap. For example, the pull relief outlet hole may be formed adjacent to or away from the conductor outlet hole.

  The shape of the block-shaped insertion passage forming portion is not limited to a rectangular column shape having a recess (or cutout portion), and may be another column shape, for example, a polygonal column shape such as a columnar shape, a triangular column shape, or a pentagonal column shape. Moreover, in the said example, although the block-shaped insertion path formation part had the recessed part (or notch part) for forming a conducting wire extraction hole, it does not necessarily need to have a recessed part. In order to effectively prevent the conducting wire from being damaged when the locking portion and the locked portion are engaged, the conducting wire can be inserted into the recessed portion of the block-shaped insertion passage forming portion in the conducting wire extraction direction. A space may be provided.

  The temporary fixing portion is not necessarily required, but is preferably provided from the viewpoint that the covering portion can be efficiently formed. The temporary fixing portion can be formed at an appropriate position of the connection cap, but is usually formed at a portion adjacent to the pull relief outlet hole in many cases.

  Further, the shape of the temporary fixing portion is not particularly limited as long as the pull relief can be temporarily fixed. Specifically, the temporary fixing portion may be a protruding portion (a protruding portion protruding from the connection cap) for winding the pull relief or hooking and temporarily fixing the pull relief. For example, the temporary fixing portion may be a rod shape, a columnar shape (a columnar shape, a prismatic shape, or the like). The temporary fixing portion is formed with a concave wound portion (temporary fixing concave portion) for easily pulling the pull relief and effectively preventing the pull relief from coming off (or coming off) after winding. It is preferable. In other words, the temporary fixing portion may be tapered, but it is usually preferable that the temporary fixing portion has a tapered shape (or a shape in which the tip portion bulges out) so that the temporary fixing concave portion can be formed. Specifically, the temporary fixing portion has a longitudinal tip having a truncated quadrangular pyramid shape, a spherical shape (or an elliptical spherical shape), a polygonal prism shape (for example, a triangular prism shape, a quadrangular prism shape, a pentagonal prism shape, etc.) Etc.), polygonal pyramid shapes (for example, three to octagonal pyramids such as triangular pyramid, quadrangular pyramid, pentagonal pyramid), etc. It may bulge into a three-dimensional shape such as an octagonal pyramid.

  In addition, as in the above example, it is not always necessary to have a pinching portion for pinching the tip of the pull relief, but it is usually provided from the viewpoint of securely temporarily holding the pull relief. Many. The shape of the holding portion is not particularly limited as long as the pull relief can be securely temporarily secured.

  Further, in the above-described example, an uneven part (fitting uneven part) that is formed facing the inner wall of the temporary fixing part (or the wound part) and can be fitted to each other is not necessarily required, but after the wiring is accommodated. It is preferable that it is provided from the viewpoint of ease of restoration operation.

  The number of the locking portions may be one, but in order to stably engage with the locked portion, usually a plurality (for example, 2 to 6, preferably about 2 to 4, In particular, there are many cases of 2). Moreover, in the connection cap, the part that forms the locking part (convex locking part) is not particularly limited as long as it is a part that can come into contact with the connection pipe, but is usually attached to the locked part of the connection pipe. It is often formed on the mounting part. In particular, the portion that forms the locking portion (convex locking portion) can be easily engaged with the locked portion, as shown in the above example, in the width direction side of the block-shaped insertion passage forming portion. It is preferable that it is a part or a side wall (especially both side wall).

  The shape of the locking portion (or the convex locking portion) is not particularly limited as long as it can be engaged with the locked portion, but in the engaged state with the locked portion, From the viewpoint of suppressing (or restricting) removal, the locking portion is preferably formed to project in a tapered shape in the mounting (or insertion) direction with respect to the locked portion. For example, as shown in the above example, the locking portion is a standing wall that rises in a direction orthogonal to the mounting direction (or the axial direction), and extends from the standing wall, and is inclined in a tapered manner toward the mounting direction. It is preferable to have an inclined portion. In addition, in the said latching | locking part, the standing wall does not necessarily need to stand up in the orthogonal | vertical direction with respect to the said mounting direction (or axial direction), and detachment | leave (or omission) of a latching | locking part and a to-be-latched part is carried out. Angle to be suppressed (or regulated) [for example, 70 to 150 °, preferably 75 to 120 °, more preferably 80 to 100 ° (especially 85 to 95 °) with respect to the mounting direction (or axial direction). You may stand up in the crossing direction. Further, the inclined portion extending from the upright wall can be easily inserted into the locked portion at an angle [for example, 15 to 60 °, preferably 20 to 55 ° with respect to the mounting direction (or the axial direction), More preferably, it may be inclined at about 25 to 50 ° (particularly about 30 to 40 °). The locking portion may be movable back and forth in the width direction. When such a locking part is inserted into the locked part, the locked part that has passed through the inclined part is hooked or locked to the base part (or starting point part) of the standing wall, and the locking part and the locked part are engaged. The locking part is engaged. When such a locking part is used, even if a force acts on the locking part in the direction opposite to the insertion direction (or the withdrawal direction) with respect to the locked part, the locked part is supported by the standing wall. Advancement / retraction is regulated, and omission (or withdrawal) is suppressed (or regulated).

  The locking portion may be a concave locking portion depending on the shape of the locked portion as long as the locking portion can be engaged with the locked portion.

  The locked portion that engages with such a locking portion also forms a recess or a hole (for example, the exemplified bridging portion) that can be mounted (or inserted) by the mounting portion of the connection cap (or connector unit). It is not necessary to be a locked portion composed of a wall portion (in particular, a wall portion on the opposite side to the mounting direction of the mounting portion). It can be formed in the form. The locked portion may be convex with respect to the concave locking portion.

  Furthermore, it is not always necessary to provide the hinge portion. As long as the connection cap can be opened and closed, the hinge portion does not need to be continuous in the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of locations in the longitudinal direction may be hingedly connected. The position of the hinge portion is not particularly limited as long as it is formed in the longitudinal direction, and can be formed at an appropriate position of the connection cap. In addition, the shape of the connection cap developed via the hinge part (or on the axis) is usually symmetrical with the hinge part as the central axis.

  In addition, the connection cap developed through the hinge portion can be fixed (restored or restrained from opening) by using various means after the wiring is accommodated. For example, as means for closing and fixing the connection cap after housing the wiring, for example, means for covering with a resin (for example, general-purpose thermoplastic resin), means for inserting and attaching a hollow cylindrical portion to the tube, Examples include means for fitting the fitting irregularities formed on the connection cap to each other. These means may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Further, it may be securely closed (restored or restrained from opening) and fixed to prevent misalignment of the wiring within the cap. For example, in a state where the connection cap is attached to the tube after the wiring is accommodated, the pull relief may be temporarily fixed (for example, wound) to the temporary fixing portion (or the entire cap) to reliably restrict the opening. Furthermore, if necessary, the connection cap may be reinforced by providing an external member (for example, a fastener).

  The connection cap is usually made of a non-conductive material (for example, a general-purpose resin such as a thermoplastic resin such as an olefin resin, a styrene resin, or a polyester resin). The connection cap can be manufactured by a conventional molding method (for example, injection molding).

  The connection hose of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated connection hose. In the connector unit, with the hollow cylindrical portion of the connection cap attached to the tube, the lead wire and the pull relief are inserted into the connection cap, and the lead wire is taken out from the opening, and the connection pipe is The connector unit is not limited to the exemplified connector unit as long as it has an engaging portion that can be engaged with the connector unit. However, the connector unit preferably has a pull relief temporarily fixed (or fixed).

  FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing another example of the connector unit of the present invention using the connection cap shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The connector unit of this example has the same form as the connector unit shown in FIG. 4 except that the temporarily-removed pull relief is not covered with a thermoplastic resin. Like the connector unit in this example, the pull relief in the temporarily fixed state does not necessarily have to be covered with the thermoplastic resin, but in order to fix the pull relief firmly (or reliably), it is connected in the temporarily fixed state. It is preferable that it is coated with a thermoplastic resin together with at least a part of the cap.

  Depending on the shape of the connection cap, the shape of the connector unit (or covering portion) may be various shapes such as an elliptical sphere and a columnar shape (for example, a columnar shape, a prismatic shape, etc.). In many cases, the shape substantially corresponds to the cap. In addition, the connector unit (or covering portion) may be formed in a tapered shape toward the air suction direction of the vacuum cleaner, and in order to prevent foreign matter from adhering (or accumulating), It may be formed in a thick tip shape (for example, the above-described warhead shape (or the nose shape of the Shinkansen), etc.) toward the suction direction.

  The thermoplastic resin forming the covering portion (or connector unit) may be a general-purpose thermoplastic resin (for example, olefin resin, polyester resin, etc.). The thermoplastic resin forming the cover (or connector unit) is usually a thermoplastic resin having an affinity (or compatibility) with a non-conductive material (particularly, a thermoplastic resin) constituting the connection cap. It is preferable. In general, polyolefin yarns (particularly polypropylene yarns), polyester yarns, vinyl chloride yarns, polyamide yarns and the like are generally used as pull reliefs. However, in the present invention, a resin coating is used from the viewpoint of temporarily fixing to a connection cap. It is preferable to use a pull relief that is applied and in which the untwisting (or unwinding) of the tip is suppressed. Use of such a resin-coated pull relief is useful for improving the workability (handling property) of temporary fixing. Therefore, it is preferable that the thermoplastic resin forming the covering portion (or the connector unit) is a thermoplastic resin having affinity (or compatibility) with the resin coating the pull relief.

  In the illustrated connector unit, the engaging portion formed on the connection cap protrudes without being covered with the thermoplastic resin, but this is not always necessary. For example, as long as the covering portion (or the connector unit) includes an alternative locking portion that can be engaged with the connection pipe, the locking portion formed on the connection cap is covered with the thermoplastic resin. It may be accommodated in the covering portion.

  The connection pipe may be a connection pipe connected to an operation unit for performing electrical operation. The connecting pipe is not particularly limited as long as it has a locked portion that can be engaged with a locking portion formed in the connector unit, and can be appropriately selected according to the shape of the connector unit. For example, the connecting pipe does not necessarily have to include a resin stopper (stopper) for restricting the flow of molding resin to be integrally molded, as in the above example.

  In the connection hose of the present invention, the disconnection is suppressed (or regulated) by the engagement between the locking portion and the locked portion, and the flexible hose and the connection pipe can be stably fixed. Further, in order to improve the fixing stability between the flexible hose and the connecting pipe, the connecting portion between the flexible hose and the connecting pipe may be integrally formed with a thermoplastic resin as in the above example. However, it is not always necessary to be integrally formed.

  In the connection hose, the lead wire from the connection cap (or block insertion passage forming part, lead wire outlet hole) is connected to the operation part of the vacuum cleaner, and the power supply is switched on and off in the operation part. It is used for signal transmission for electrical operations such as adjusting

  The connection hose of the present invention is configured such that the hollow cylindrical portion of the connection cap is inserted and attached to a tube that is disposed by being joined along the inner wall of the flexible hose in the longitudinal direction. A connector unit forming step of forming a connector unit by inserting the connector cap into the connection cap, an engaging step of engaging a locking portion formed in the connector unit, and a locked portion formed in the connecting pipe; Can be manufactured through.

  In the connector unit forming step, the pull relief from the opening may be temporarily fixed to the temporary fixing portion in order to improve the efficiency of subsequent operations. The method of temporarily fixing is not particularly limited, and for example, a method of hooking (or hooking) a pull relief having a looped tip portion onto the temporary fixing portion, or a method of winding around the temporary fixing portion. It may be.

  Furthermore, as described above, the temporarily-removed pull relief may be firmly fixed (integrated) using a fixing tool such as a tape, but a thermoplastic resin (for example, a general-purpose resin) together with at least a part of the connection cap. When it is coated with a thermoplastic resin or the like, it can be firmly fixed over a long period of time, and the pull relief can be prevented from being exposed inside the hose. Usually, injection molding (or insert molding) is used as means for covering and fixing the temporarily-removed pull relief with a thermoplastic resin. Usually, in a state where the conducting wire is taken out from the opening (or the conducting wire extraction hole), a thermoplastic resin is injected into a portion excluding the engaging portion, and the temporarily-retained pull relief is fixed. In the present invention, the wiring is accommodated in the connection cap, and the connection cap is attached to the tube in the hose. Therefore, in injection molding, it is not necessary to perform complicated operations such as attaching a complicated mold to the deep part of the hose, preventing pull damage in the temporarily fixed state while preventing wiring damage and molding defects. Can be easily and firmly fixed.

  In the engaging step, the locking portion of the connector unit and the locked portion of the connection pipe are engaged, and the connector unit and the notch formed in the connection pipe are fitted to each other, so that the flexible hose And connecting pipe. Thus, in the engagement step, the locking portion and the locked portion only need to be engaged, so that the flexible hose and the connecting pipe can be connected in a one-touch manner without complicated operations.

  In the connection hose manufactured through the connector unit forming step and the engagement step, the pull relief can be easily fixed stably to the connection portion between the flexible hose and the connection pipe. Therefore, even if a tensile force is generated in the flexible hose, the hose does not extend beyond the length of the pull relief, and the disconnection of the conductor is effectively prevented.

  Moreover, in the said connection hose, since wiring is accommodated and protected by using a specific connection cap, wiring does not scatter inside a hose. Furthermore, when the pull relief is temporarily fixed (or fixed) to the connection cap, it is possible to easily prevent the pull relief from being exposed on the surface of the connector unit (or connection hose). Operability) can be greatly improved, and production efficiency (or yield) can be greatly improved.

  In addition, in order to further improve the connection stability between the flexible hose and the connecting pipe, the connecting portion of the flexible hose and the connecting pipe is integrally molded (in the engaged state of the locking portion and the locked portion) ( Various methods can be used for the method of secondary molding. As a method of integral molding (secondary molding), for example, a flexible hose and a connecting pipe can be accommodated (particularly, so that they cannot be pulled out) and can be fastened and fixed (for example, a tape member, (Half) fixing device (for example, (Half) cover case, (Half) outer member of the connecting pipe, etc.), etc.] , A general-purpose thermoplastic resin, etc.) may be injected (for example, a thermoplastic resin is injected using a mold that covers the connecting portion) and integrally molded. These methods may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  Specifically, the method of integrally molding with a thermoplastic resin is, for example, in the connecting hose, in which an inner mold and an outer mold are attached to the connection site, and the thermoplastic resin is injected and filled into the mold cavity. Alternatively, it may be a method of cooling and solidifying and integrally molding (secondary molding). In addition, the said fixing member can also be used instead of a metal mold | die. For example, in the connection hose, an inner mold and the fixing member [for example, a (half-split) outer member of the connection pipe, etc.] are attached to the connection portion, and the fixing is performed from a hole provided in the fixing member A cavity formed between the member and the inner mold is injected and filled with a thermoplastic resin, cooled and solidified, and the connection hose (and the fixing member) is integrally molded (secondary molding). May be.

  The present invention effectively prevents and protects disconnection of wires (for example, conductors) inserted in various appliances such as IH stoves, dishwashers, washing machines, and air conditioners. It is useful as a connection cap. It is particularly useful as a connection cap for forming a connection hose for a vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the connection cap of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the connection cap of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the connection cap of FIG. 1 in a state where the connection cap is developed around the hinge portion. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the connector unit of the present invention using the connection cap shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the connection hose of the present invention provided with the connector unit shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the connector unit of the present invention using the connection cap shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Connection cap 4 ... Hollow cylindrical part 5 ... Block-shaped insertion path formation part 6 ... Opening part 7a ... Conductor extraction hole 7b ... Recess 7c ... Pull relief extraction hole 8 ... Locking part 8a ... Standing wall 8b ... Inclination part 9 ... Temporary fixing part 9a ... Wound part (temporary fixing concave part)
9b ... Nipping part 10 ... Uneven part 11 ... Hinge part 12 ... Flexible hose 13 ... Tube 14 ... Covering part 15 ... Connector unit 16 ... Connection pipe 17 ... Bridging part 17a ... Locked part 18 ... Notch part 19 ... Connecting hose 20 ... Resin stopper

Claims (11)

A flexible hose is disposed in the longitudinal direction along the inner wall of the flexible hose, and is connected to the inside of the flexible hose via a tube for accommodating a lead wire and a pull relief for regulating the extension of the hose. A cap capable of forming a connector unit for connecting the end and the connecting pipe,
A hollow cylindrical portion that can be attached to the tube in a state in which the conductive wire and the pull relief are accommodated, an opening that communicates with a hollow portion of the hollow cylindrical portion and that can take out the conductive wire and the pull relief, A connection cap provided with a locking portion engageable with the connection pipe.   Furthermore, the connection cap of Claim 1 provided with the temporary fix part for temporarily fixing the pull relief taken out from the opening part.   The connection cap according to claim 2, wherein the temporary fixing portion includes a wound portion around which the pull relief can be wound.   The connection cap according to claim 1, wherein the connection cap can be developed in a symmetrical shape via a hinge portion formed in a longitudinal direction.   The locking portion projects in a tapering shape toward the mounting direction with respect to the locked portion formed in the connecting pipe, and is formed in the mounting portion, and the locked portion is a recess into which the mounting portion can be mounted or inserted. Or the connection cap in any one of Claims 1-4 comprised by the wall part on the opposite side with respect to the said mounting direction among the wall parts which form a hole. A flexible hose, a connecting pipe connected to an end of the hose, and a connecting cap according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and for connecting the flexible hose and the connecting pipe A connection hose with a connector unit,
A connection hose in which the locking portion of the connector unit and the locked portion of the connection pipe are engaged to connect the flexible hose and the connection pipe.   The connection hose according to claim 6, wherein the pull relief taken out from the opening is covered with a thermoplastic resin together with at least a part of the connection cap in a temporarily fixed state to form a connector unit.   The connection hose according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the locking portion and the locked portion are engaged, and further, a connection portion between the flexible hose and the connection pipe is integrally formed of a thermoplastic resin.   The hollow cylindrical part of the connection cap according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is inserted and attached to a tube disposed by being joined in the longitudinal direction along the inner wall of the flexible hose, and a conductor and A connector unit forming step for forming a connector unit by inserting a pull relief through the connection cap, an engagement for engaging a locking portion formed in the connector unit and a locked portion formed in the connection pipe The method of manufacturing the connection hose in any one of Claims 6-8 including a process.   10. The connector unit is formed by temporarily fixing a pull relief to a temporary fixing portion of a connection cap, injection molding a thermoplastic resin, covering with at least a part of the connection cap, and fixing in the connector unit forming step. Manufacturing method.   11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising a step of injection molding a thermoplastic resin at a connecting portion between the flexible hose and the connecting pipe and integrally forming the engaging portion and the locked portion after engaging. Manufacturing method.

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