JP2012159151A - Pipe cap - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pipe cap that can improve workability and suppress a cap omission caused by the expansion of air in the pipe while securing enough sealing performances, such as inhibiting contamination from the external.SOLUTION: The pipe cap includes: a first cap part 21 which has an insertion port 21a insertable into an open end of the pipe and a first recess 21b having approximately the same diameter with an outer diameter of the pipe, and which covers the outer peripheral surface of the pipe; and a second cap part 22 which is provided on an opposed side to the insertion port 21a, which has a second recess 22a having a smaller diameter than the first recess 21b, and which covers the open end of the pipe. The first cap part 21 has an diameter expansion part 21e which extends in one end of an inner circumferential surface in the axial direction, and expands larger than the outer diameter of the pipe.

Description

  The present invention relates to a piping cap, and more particularly to a piping cap that is detachably attached to an opening end of piping and seals the inside of the piping from the outside.

  In general, vehicle parts such as power steering mounted on a vehicle are assembled at a parts assembly factory such as a power steering assembly factory, then transported to the vehicle assembly factory, and assembled to the vehicle at the vehicle assembly factory. Some of these vehicle parts have hydraulic system piping and cooling water piping. In such piping, cover the opening end with a piping cap so that internal oil does not leak to the outside during transportation of vehicle parts, or foreign matter does not enter from the outside. Yes.

  For example, when a power steering apparatus having a hydraulic system is transported, the opening end of the pipe is covered with a pipe cap so that oil in the hydraulic system does not leak outside from the pipe for supplying hydraulic pressure. The piping cap used at this time includes a large-diameter portion that covers the circumferential surface of the opening end of the piping, and a small-diameter portion that serves as a knob that does not cover the circumferential surface of the opening end of the piping. There is known one configured to store oil or the like inside (for example, see Patent Document 1). According to this cap for piping, it can be easily removed from the piping using the picking allowance.

  Further, in recent years, vehicle parts constituting a transmission or the like mounted on a vehicle are manufactured at a factory of a specialized manufacturer, then transported to a vehicle assembly factory or the like, and assembled to the vehicle at the vehicle assembly factory. Among these vehicle parts such as transmissions, there are those having hydraulic system piping such as an oil cooler and piping for cooling water.

  Such a transmission is assembled in a vehicle after being cleaned in a factory of a specialized manufacturer or a vehicle assembly factory before being assembled in the vehicle in the vehicle assembly factory. Here, the oil cooler attached to the transmission is exposed to the outside when the transmission is transported or cleaned. For this reason, a dedicated piping cap is attached to the cooling water piping of the oil cooler. Such a pipe cap is particularly required to be airtight in order to prevent foreign matters including the cleaning liquid from entering the oil cooler.

  In addition, when a vehicle component such as an oil cooler is assembled to a vehicle, it is necessary to remove a piping cap and attach a piping for a hydraulic system on the vehicle side or a piping for cooling water. Therefore, workability that the cap for piping can be easily removed is required.

  In addition, the manufactured transmission is subjected to high-pressure shower cleaning using a relatively high temperature cleaning liquid in order to remove attached oil and the like with the oil cooler attached. For this reason, the pipe cap needs to discharge the expanded air inside the pipe to the outside at the time of the cleaning, and prevent the cap from being removed. Therefore, the cap for piping is required to have both a cap removal prevention function for preventing cap removal caused by expansion of air inside the piping while ensuring an airtight function of preventing contamination by foreign matter. ing.

JP 2006-292081 A

  However, the conventional piping cap has a large diameter part that covers the peripheral surface of the pipe when it is attached. There was a problem that it could not be removed easily even if it was performed.

  Moreover, the conventional piping cap has a problem that when the cleaning is performed in a state where it is attached to a vehicle component such as an oil cooler, the cap is removed due to the expansion of the air inside the piping. As a result, there is a possibility that foreign matters including the cleaning liquid are mixed into the oil cooler from the outside.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and can improve workability while ensuring sufficient sealing performance to prevent foreign matter from entering from outside. It aims at providing the cap for piping which can suppress the cap omission resulting from the expansion of the air.

  In order to achieve the above object, the piping cap according to the present invention is (1) a piping cap that is detachably attached to an opening end of piping, and an insertion port that can be inserted into the opening end and the piping A first cap portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the first cap portion, the first cap portion covering the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, and the insertion port provided on the side facing the first recess portion. A second cap portion having a second indentation portion having a smaller diameter and covering the opening end portion of the pipe, wherein the first cap portion extends in the axial direction at one end portion of the inner peripheral surface. And an enlarged diameter portion that is larger than the outer diameter of the pipe.

  With this configuration, since the piping cap according to the present invention has the first recessed portion in the first cap portion, it is possible to ensure a sufficient sealing performance that can prevent foreign matter from entering from the outside. Moreover, since it has a 2nd hollow part in a 2nd cap part, removal becomes easy by pinching a 2nd cap part. In addition, since the first cap portion has the enlarged diameter portion, it is possible to suppress cap removal caused by expansion of air inside the pipe.

  Further, the piping cap according to the present invention is the piping cap according to (1) above, (2) when the first recess is attached to the piping, the outer periphery of the opening end of the piping. It is comprised so that it may contact | abut from the axial direction inner side to the 1st stopper part provided over.

  With this configuration, the pipe cap according to the present invention can position the pipe in the axial direction because the first indented portion abuts the first stopper portion from the inside in the axial direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the piping cap from being displaced in the removal direction with respect to the piping.

  Moreover, the piping cap which concerns on this invention is a piping cap as described in said (1) or (2), (3) The said 1st cap part is a said insertion opening side from the said 1st hollow part. A third recess having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the pipe, and an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the pipe, provided between the first recess and the third recess. And an inner peripheral surface portion.

  With this configuration, the cap for piping according to the present invention prevents the entry of foreign matter from the outside when the inner peripheral surface of the third recess is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the pipe with the cap for piping attached to the pipe. it can. In addition, since a gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface portion provided between the first recess portion and the third recess portion and the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, it is less slid compared to the conventional case when the portion is removed. The dynamic resistance can be reduced, and the piping cap can be easily removed.

  Further, the piping cap according to the present invention is the piping cap according to the above (1) to (3), wherein (4) the first cap portion and the second cap portion are integrally configured, It has a structure molded by polyvinyl chloride.

  With this configuration, the piping cap according to the present invention can be formed of polyvinyl chloride integrally with the first cap portion and the second cap portion using, for example, a dipping method. For this reason, compared with the conventional case where caps for piping are produced by injection molding using materials such as rubber, the mold is not complicated and does not increase in size, thus reducing the production cost. Can do.

  Moreover, the cap for piping according to the present invention is the cap for piping according to the above (2) to (4). (5) When the insertion port is attached to the piping, the cap is connected to the first stopper portion. It is configured to come into contact with another second stopper portion that is spaced apart inward in the axial direction from the outside in the axial direction.

  With this configuration, the piping cap according to the present invention is configured such that the insertion port comes into contact with the other second stopper portion from the outside in the axial direction, so that the piping can be positioned in the axial direction. In addition, it is possible to prevent foreign matters from entering from the outside.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to improve workability while ensuring sufficient sealing performance that can prevent foreign matter from entering from the outside, and to suppress cap removal caused by expansion of air inside the pipe. The cap for piping which can be provided can be provided.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing a transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view which shows the oil cooler which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the cap for piping which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the state by which the cap for piping which concerns on embodiment of this invention was attached to piping. It is a figure which shows the cap for piping which concerns on embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a side view, (b) is sectional drawing which shows the AA cross section in (a). It is a figure which shows the cap for piping which concerns on embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a top view, (b) is sectional drawing which shows the BB cross section in (a).

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  With reference to FIGS. 1-6, the cap for piping which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, the transmission 1 is manufactured at a factory of a specialized manufacturer, then transported to a vehicle assembly factory, and assembled to a vehicle at the vehicle assembly factory. An oil cooler 10 is assembled in the transmission 1 before being conveyed to the vehicle assembly factory. Accordingly, the transmission 1 is subjected to high-pressure shower cleaning using a relatively high temperature cleaning liquid in order to remove the adhering oil and the like at a factory of a specialized manufacturer or a vehicle assembly factory with the oil cooler 10 assembled.

  The oil cooler 10 has a pipe 11 for circulating cooling water for cooling the hydraulic oil. The pipe 11 is exposed to the outside in a state where the oil cooler 10 is assembled to the transmission 1.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, a dedicated pipe cap 20 is attached to each pipe 11 so that foreign matter including cleaning liquid does not enter the oil cooler during transport of the transmission 1 or high-pressure shower cleaning. It has become. Therefore, the transmission 1 is transported with the piping cap 20 attached to the piping 11 and is subjected to a high-pressure washing shower.

  Next, the piping cap 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the piping cap 20 is attached to the piping 11. In the following description, in FIG. 4, the left side, that is, the inner side of the pipe 11 is axially inward, and the right side, that is, the outer side of the pipe 11 is axially outward.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the piping cap 20 is formed of a flexible resin such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and is detachably attached to the opening end 11 a of the piping 11. is there. The cap 20 for piping is formed integrally with the first cap portion 21 and the first cap portion 21 that covers the outer peripheral surface of the piping 11, and the second cap that covers the opening end portion 11 a of the piping 11. And a cap portion 22. The piping cap 20 need not be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as long as it is a resin configured to have a predetermined flexibility by a plasticizer or the like.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, the opening end part 11a of the piping 11 is provided with the 1st stopper part 11b of the bulge shape expanded to radial direction outward over the outer periphery. Further, the pipe 11 is provided with another second stopper portion 11c having a diameter radially outwardly extending over the outer periphery of the pipe 11 at a position spaced inward in the axial direction from the first stopper portion 11b. It has been.

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the first cap portion 21 includes an insertion port 21 a that can be inserted into the opening end portion 11 a (see FIG. 4) of the pipe 11 and an outer diameter R _{P of the} pipe 11. and a first recess portion 21b having an inner diameter R ₁ of substantially the same diameter (see FIG. 4).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the insertion port 21 a comes into contact with the second stopper portion 11 c from the outside in the axial direction when attached to the pipe 11. Moreover, the insertion port 21a is formed in the taper shape gradually diameter-expanded as it goes to the opening side from the 1st hollow part 21b side. Thereby, it becomes easy to insert the cap 20 for piping into the piping 11. Furthermore, the adhesion between the pipe 11 and the insertion port 21a when the insertion port 21a comes into contact with the second stopper portion 11c can be improved.

  When the first recess 21b is attached to the pipe 11, the first indentation part 21b comes into contact with the first stopper part 11b of the pipe 11 from the inside in the axial direction. Have Further, the inner peripheral surface of the first indented portion 21 b comes into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 11 when attached to the pipe 11.

Further, the first cap portion 21 has a third indented portion 21c provided on the insertion port 21a side from the first indented portion 21b. The inner diameter of the third recess portion 21c, like the inner diameter _{R 1} of the first recess portion 21b, (see FIG. 5 (b)) set in the outer diameter _{R P} is smaller than the diameter of the pipe 11. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface of the third recessed portion 21 c comes into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 11 when attached to the pipe 11.

Furthermore, the first cap portion 21 has an inner peripheral surface 21d of the large inner diameter _{R 3} than the outer diameter _{R P} of the pipe 11. The inner peripheral surface portion 21d is formed between the first recess portion 21b and the third recess portion 21c. Therefore, when the piping cap 20 is attached to the piping 11, a predetermined gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the piping 11 and the inner peripheral surface portion 21d.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5B, 6A, and 6B, the first cap portion 21 has an enlarged diameter portion 21e extending in the axial direction at one end portion of the inner peripheral surface thereof. . Enlarged diameter portion 21e has an outer diameter _{R P} inside diameter _{R 4} is an enlarged radially outward than the inner diameter _{R 3} of expanded, and the inner surface 21d than (see FIG. 4) of the pipe 11 (FIG. 5 ( b)). The enlarged diameter portion 21e is not actually formed over the entire circumference of the first cap portion 21, but a partial region of the entire circumference of the first cap portion 21 projects outward in the radial direction. Is formed. Accordingly, the inner diameter R ₄ shows a maximum width between as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the inner peripheral surface of the enlarged diameter portion 21e and the inner peripheral surface 21d that faces the inner circumferential surface. That is, when viewed in the entire cross section of the first cap portion 21, the enlarged diameter portion 21 e is formed by expanding a part of the entire circumference of the first cap portion 21.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, the enlarged diameter portion 21e is axially extended from a predetermined position in the axial direction of the inner peripheral surface portion 21d, that is, from a position on the outer side in the axial direction of the third recessed portion 21c. It extends outward. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 11 and the inner peripheral surface of the third recessed portion 21c are in close contact with each other, and an airtight function of preventing foreign matter from entering is ensured.

  Moreover, the enlarged diameter part 21e is formed so that the axial direction inner side and axial direction outer side of the 1st hollow part 21b may be connected when the piping 11 is attached. For this reason, the enlarged diameter portion 21e communicates with the inside of the pipe 11 even when attached to the pipe 11, for example, functions as a communication path through which air inside the pipe expanded by the cleaning process passes.

  As described above, when the air inside the pipe expands, the third hollow portion 21c is pushed up by the air flowing through the enlarged diameter portion 21e and discharged to the outside. At this time, since the first recessed portion 21b is positioned on the first stopper portion 11b, it is possible to prevent the cap from being removed.

  Thus, the piping cap 20 normally has an airtight function in which the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 11 and the inner peripheral surface of the third recessed portion 21c are in close contact with each other and prevent foreign matter from being mixed. It has a cap removal prevention function for suppressing cap removal caused by the expansion of air. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both an airtight function and a cap removal prevention function.

  The enlarged diameter portion 21e extends to the second cap portion 22 side, and functions as a communication passage when the air inside the pipe expands as described above. In the present embodiment, the enlarged diameter portion 21e extends to the second cap portion 22 side. However, if the expanded air inside the pipe can be ventilated, it extends to the second cap portion 22 side. You don't have to.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the second cap portion 22 is on the side facing the insertion port 21 a, that is, on the outer side in the axial direction, and constitutes a part of the piping cap 20. Further, the second cap portion 22 includes a second recessed portion 22a having a smaller diameter than the first recessed portion 21b, and a knob portion 22b bulging outward from the second recessed portion 22a in the axial direction. For this reason, the second cap portion 22 has a shape that can be easily picked by an operator when the piping cap 20 is removed from the piping 11.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the axial length L1 of the _first cap portion 21 is set to be longer than the axial length L2 of the _second cap portion 22. The length L ₁ is the pipe 11 with respect to (see FIG. 4), for example, first recess portion 21b capable of preventing detachment of a pipe cap 20 due to expansion of air in the pipe and a second recess 21c It is set to an arbitrary length that can secure the contact area.

  The piping cap 20 configured as described above is produced by a known dipping method that does not require a complicated mold (outer mold, inner mold) as compared with, for example, injection molding. That is, a dipping mold having the same shape as that of the piping cap 20 including the first and second cap portions 21 and 22 is prepared, and this dipping mold is used for solination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Heat to a suitable temperature. Thereafter, the heated dipping mold is immersed in the liquid PVC to a set depth, and dipping is performed for a predetermined time. As a result, the piping cap 20 can be obtained by attaching PVC to the dipping mold and removing the adhered PVC from the dipping mold after cooling. In this way, the piping cap 20 can be formed of PVC integrally with the first cap portion 21 and the second cap portion 22 by the dipping method. For this reason, compared with the conventional case where caps for piping are produced by injection molding using materials such as rubber, the mold is not complicated and does not increase in size, thus reducing the production cost. Can do. Moreover, it is excellent in mass productivity and can improve productivity.

  As described above, since the piping cap 20 according to the present embodiment has the first recess 21b in the first cap portion 21, it is possible to ensure a sufficient sealing performance that can prevent foreign matter from entering from the outside. . Further, since the second cap portion 22 has the second recessed portion 22a, the removal is facilitated by pinching the second cap portion 22. In addition, since the first cap portion 21 has the enlarged diameter portion 21e, it is possible to suppress cap removal caused by expansion of air inside the pipe 11.

  In addition, the piping cap 20 according to the present embodiment can position the piping 11 in the axial direction because the first indentation portion 21b contacts the first stopper portion 11b from the inside in the axial direction. it can. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the piping cap 20 from shifting in the removal direction (axially outward) with respect to the piping 11.

  Moreover, the cap 20 for piping which concerns on this Embodiment prevents the foreign material mixing from the outside by the inner peripheral surface of the 3rd hollow part 21c closely_contact | adhering with the outer peripheral surface of the piping 11 in the state attached to the piping 11. it can. Further, since a gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface portion 21d provided between the first indented portion 21b and the third indented portion 21c and the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 11, when removing the portion, In comparison, sliding resistance can be reduced. For this reason, removal of the cap 20 for piping can be made easy.

  Furthermore, the piping cap 20 according to the present embodiment is configured such that the insertion port 21a abuts against the second stopper portion 11c from the outside in the axial direction, so that the piping 11 is positioned in the axial direction. It is possible to prevent foreign matters from entering from the outside.

  As described above, in the case of a pipe cap having a conventional structure that does not have the enlarged diameter portion 21e, when the air inside the pipe expands, it cannot withstand the pressure of the expanded air, and the pipe cap together with the pipe There is a risk of falling out of. On the other hand, when the pressure of the expanded air increases, the piping cap 20 according to the present embodiment connects the inside of the piping 11 and the outside of the piping cap 20 by the function of the enlarged diameter portion 21e. It can be ventilated. Accordingly, the expanded air is discharged to the outside through the enlarged diameter portion 21e. Thus, the cap 20 for piping can suppress cap removal from the piping 11.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which the pipe cap 20 is applied to the pipe 11 of the oil cooler 10 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the pipe cap used in general for vehicle piping It is applicable to. Moreover, the cap 20 for piping which concerns on this Embodiment has the foreign material containing a washing | cleaning liquid, even when it is a case where the high pressure shower washing | cleaning using a comparatively high temperature washing | cleaning liquid is implemented with respect to the transmission 1 before vehicle assembly. Mixing in the oil cooler can be prevented, and cap removal due to expansion of air inside the pipe can be prevented. However, the piping cap 20 according to the present embodiment is naturally applicable as a piping cap even when the above-described cleaning process is not performed.

  As described above, the piping cap according to the present invention can improve workability while ensuring sufficient sealing performance to prevent foreign matter from entering, and the air inside the piping expands. It is possible to suppress cap removal caused by the above, and it is removably attached to the opening end of the pipe, and is useful for a pipe cap that seals the inside of the pipe from the outside.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Transmission 10 Oil cooler 11 Piping 11a Open end 11b 1st stopper part 11c 2nd stopper part 20 Piping cap 21 1st cap part 21a Insertion port 21b 1st hollow part 21c 3rd hollow part 21d Peripheral surface portion 21e Enlarged diameter portion 22 Second cap portion 22a Second recessed portion 22b Knob portion

Claims (5)

A pipe cap that is detachably attached to the open end of the pipe,
A first cap portion having an insertion port that can be inserted into the opening end portion and a first indentation portion having substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the pipe, and covering an outer peripheral surface of the pipe;
A second cap portion provided on a side facing the insertion port, having a second recess portion having a diameter smaller than that of the first recess portion, and covering an open end portion of the pipe;
The first cap portion has an enlarged diameter portion that extends in the axial direction at one end portion of the inner peripheral surface and is larger than the outer diameter of the piping.   The first indented portion is configured to come into contact with the first stopper portion provided over the outer periphery of the open end portion of the pipe from the inside in the axial direction when attached to the pipe. The piping cap according to claim 1.   The first cap portion is provided closer to the insertion port than the first recess portion, and has a third recess portion having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the pipe, the first recess portion, and the third recess portion. The piping cap according to claim 1, further comprising an inner peripheral surface portion that is provided between the hollow portion and has an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the piping.   4. The piping according to claim 1, wherein the first cap portion and the second cap portion are integrally formed and molded from polyvinyl chloride. 5. cap.   When the insertion port is attached to the pipe, the insertion port is configured to come into contact with another second stopper portion provided axially inwardly from the first stopper portion from the outside in the axial direction. The piping cap according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the piping cap is provided.

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