JP3309233B2 - Water leak detection type flexible pipe joint - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flexible pipe joint of a water leakage detection type, and more particularly to a flexible pipe joint capable of detecting water leak from a peripheral wall of a pipe earlier.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a water pipe such as a plumbing pipe, a flexible pipe joint having a relatively short length is used for a bent portion or a rising portion on the ground or in the ground, or a connection portion to various devices or equipment. Is used. Such flexible fittings are
Usually, it is made by forming a synthetic rubber or elastic flexible material into a tube, and depending on the application, it can be used to embed a tire cord or spiral metal wire for reinforcement in the tube peripheral wall or to increase the flexibility. In some cases, the tube may be formed in a bellows shape.

[0003] However, such a flexible pipe joint made of a material such as rubber is liable to cause deterioration such as corrosion or cracks in the pipe peripheral wall, and is particularly suitable for a piping system through which corrosive liquid or hot water flows. The tendency is remarkable when used. Such corrosion and cracking of the peripheral wall of the pipe gradually progresses and eventually leads to water leakage. However, if left unattended, the surrounding equipment will be seriously damaged. Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, various methods of detecting water leakage of a flexible pipe joint have been conventionally proposed, and a typical method of electrically detecting the leakage using a conductor is known. I have. In this method, two conductors are run along the surface of the pipe peripheral wall of the flexible fitting, and the ends of the conductors are connected to an alarm device, and the alarm device is activated by conduction between the wires due to water leakage. .

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned method has a problem in that it cannot be detected until water leaks to the surface of the pipe peripheral wall of the flexible pipe joint, and there is no room for repair or replacement work. . Further, since it is necessary to lay a bare conductor on the surface of the pipe peripheral wall of the flexible pipe joint, the conductor itself is susceptible to corrosion and damage, and there is a problem that reliability is low. Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of such a problem of the conventional method for detecting water leakage of a flexible pipe joint, and is capable of detecting water leakage from a pipe peripheral wall portion earlier and performing highly reliable water leakage detection. It is an object of the present invention to provide a flexible pipe joint of a leak detection type that can be used.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a water leak detection type flexible pipe joint of the present invention is formed in a cylindrical shape.
Around the axial end of the pipe peripheral wall (2)
Flexible with rubber material with flange (3) integrally projecting
Pipe fitting (1), the tube tubular conductor along the peripheral wall (2) (4) is the buried and said off from the conductor (4)
Through the flange (3), the flange is
The lead line (10) is derived .

[0006]

When a crack or the like deteriorates from the inside to the position of the conductor buried along the pipe peripheral wall of the flexible pipe joint of the present invention, a medium that slightly oozes through the crack or the like is mediated. As a result, the conductor and the internal liquid are electrically conducted. Therefore, for example, by connecting a lead wire to a metal pipe which is a connected pipe connected to a flexible pipe joint and monitoring the state of continuity between the lead wire and the lead wire connected to the conductor, the crack is formed. , Etc., can be detected at an early stage.
As described above, by using the flexible pipe joint of the present invention, it is possible to detect the progress of deterioration before water leaks from the surface of the pipe peripheral wall portion of the flexible pipe joint. Further, since the conductor is buried inside the pipe peripheral wall portion of the flexible pipe joint, the conductor itself is less corroded and damaged, and the reliability of water leak detection is extremely high.

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a water leak detecting type flexible pipe joint according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state in which an example of the flexible pipe joint of the present invention is used for a piping system.
The flexible pipe joint 1 is made of an elastic and flexible material such as synthetic rubber and has a bellows-shaped pipe peripheral wall 2 and elastic flanges 3 provided at both ends thereof are integrally formed. The tube peripheral wall portion 2 has an outer layer 2a and an inner layer 2b, and a tubular conductor 4 is buried in a boundary surface between the outer layer 2a and the inner layer 2b. In addition, the shape of the pipe peripheral wall portion 2 may be a straight shape other than the bellows shape, or a simpler shape having one or two peaks.

In order to embed the conductor 4 between the outer layer 2a and the inner layer 2b, for example, the flexible pipe joint 1 is molded using a mold, and the conductor 4 is placed in the mold in advance. There is a way. By performing such molding, when the conductor 4 is buried inside the tube peripheral wall portion 2, the outer layer 2a and the inner layer 2b are automatically formed on both sides thereof. At this time, the end of the lead wire 10 is connected to the end of the conductor 4 in advance. A waterproof and heat-resistant insulating coating is applied to the outer periphery of the lead wire. Then, at the same time as the formation of the pipe joint, a lead wire coated with insulation is led out from the outer periphery of the flange portion of the pipe joint and the like.
Further, as another method of embedding the conductor, a method may be used in which two types of flexible pipe joints having the thickness of the inner layer 2b and the thickness of the outer layer 2a are formed, and they are overlapped with the conductor 4 therebetween and thermocompression-bonded. . As a material of the conductor, a conductive rubber, a wire mesh, or the like can be used.

The conductor 4 is buried in a tubular shape along the longitudinal direction of the pipe peripheral wall portion 2 and is formed so that the conductive portion is not exposed on the inner peripheral surface of the joint. Each of both ends is extended to the outer peripheral portion of the flange 3. Each flange 3 of the flexible fitting 1 is connected to a flange 8 of a connected pipe 7, such as a metal pipe, which is electrically conductive by a companion flange 5 and bolts 6.
Is joined to. Then, a through hole 9 is formed between the companion flange 5 and the lead wire 10 to the outside through the through hole 9. The end of the lead wire 10 is connected to the conductor 4. Another lead wire 11 is connected to an appropriate position of the connected pipe 7, and the lead wire 11 is connected to a power supply 12 such as a storage battery and an alarm device 1 such as a buzzer or a lamp.
3 and connected to the lead wire 10 to form a closed circuit.

The companion flange 5 shown in FIG. 1 has a structure previously filed by the present applicant and has been developed in order to increase the sealing performance and to allow the flexible fitting 1 to be easily mounted. . FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the companion flange 5 portion. The companion flange 5 is a split-type flange body 20
And a non-split ring body 21, and the flange body 20 includes two semicircular ring pieces 20 a and 20.
b. And they are made of various metal or hard plastic materials.

The flange body 20 (each ring piece 20a, 2
0b) each form a step surface, one of the step surfaces 22 is a step surface having a low inside in the radial direction and a high outside, and the other step surface 23 is a step surface having a high inside in the radial direction and a low outside. It has become. The lower surface of the step surface 22 is a ring-shaped neck pressing surface 24 with which the flange 3 of the flexible pipe joint comes into contact, and the higher surface is the ring-shaped when the flange 3 is held between the connected pipe and bolted. Stopper surface 2
5 is assumed. Further, a ring-shaped ridge 26 is formed radially inward of the neck pressing surface 24. Also, the step surface 23
Is a ring contact surface 27 for coaxially combining the ring bodies 21.

Stopper surface 2 of flange body 20
At the position 5, six bolt-connecting holes 28 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and a diagonal pair of them is provided on a dividing line of the two ring pieces 20 a and 20 b. I have. By providing a part of the bolt connecting hole 28 on the dividing line in this way, it is possible to reliably prevent the ends of the ring pieces 20a and 20b from rising. A semi-circular groove 22a for forming the through hole 9 in the radial direction is provided in a high step surface portion of the ring piece 20a radially outside the one step surface 22. The ring body 21 is formed in a ring shape adapted to contact the step surface 23 with the ring contact surface 27, and is further provided at six positions corresponding to the bolt connection holes 28 of the flange body 20. A hole 29 for bolt connection is provided. An internal screw is formed in the hole 29 so that a bolt for connection can be screwed therein.

In FIG. 1, the flange body 20 has its stopper surface 25 abutting against the flange 8 of the pipe 7 to be connected, and the neck pressing surface 24 connects the flange 3 to the flange 8.
To hold it. The flange 3 is strongly compressed by the ridge 26 provided on the neck pressing surface 24, whereby the seal between the flexible pipe joint 1 and the connected pipe 7 is more reliably provided. On the other hand, one surface of the ring body 21 is in contact with the ring contact surface 27 of the flange main body 20, and the two are coaxially combined. Then, the bolt 6 and the ring body 21 inserted into the bolt connection holes provided on the flange 8 are integrally bolted to the flange 8.

For reference, FIG.
It is shown on an enlarged scale in FIG.
It is the fragmentary sectional view seen from the direction. In FIG. 3, a tire cord 30 for reinforcement is buried along the surface layer of the flexible pipe joint 1, and a metal wire 31 such as steel is buried along the periphery of the flange 3 in a ring shape. Is shown.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another example of the flexible pipe joint of the present invention. The difference from FIG. 1 is that water leak detection can be performed in duplicate, and the other points are the same. In FIG. 4, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the example of FIG. 4, the through holes 9 and 9a in the radial direction
Are provided, and the lead wires 10, 1
0a is penetrated. And those lead wires 10, 1
One end of Oa is connected to the conductor 4 from the outer periphery of the flange 3 of the flexible pipe joint 1, and the other end is led out. Another lead wire 11 is connected to one end of the connected pipe 7, and the lead wire 11 is connected to the lead wire 10 via a power supply 12 such as a storage battery and an alarm device 13 such as a buzzer or a lamp to form a closed circuit. Make up. Further, another lead wire 11a is connected to the other connected pipe 7, and the lead wire 11a is connected to the lead wire 10a via a power supply 12a and an alarm device 13a to form a closed circuit.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the flexible pipe joint of the present invention is connected to a pipe to be connected using a normal companion flange having an L-shaped cross section unlike FIG. 1 or FIG. Flexible pipe joint 1
The flange 3 is sandwiched between the inner surface of the main body 41 of the companion flange 40 and the outer surface of the flange 8 of the connected pipe 7, and is fastened by bolts 42 and nuts 43. The fastening force of the flange 3 is determined by the height of the jaw 44 of the companion flange 40. The jaw 44 of the companion flange 40 has a radial through hole 44
a is provided, and the lead wire 10 passes through the through hole 44a. One end of the lead wire 10 is connected to the conductor 4 at the outer peripheral portion of the flange 3 of the flexible pipe joint 1, and the other end is led out. Figure 6 shows companion flange 4
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part 0 of FIG. The main body 41 is provided with holes 45 for bolt connection at eight locations at regular intervals.

Next, the operation of the flexible pipe joint shown in the embodiment will be described. First, in FIG. 1, when deterioration of the pipe peripheral wall portion 2 of the flexible pipe joint 1 progresses and a crack is generated in the inner layer 2b, the outer layer 2a is formed by the conductivity of the liquid oozing through the gap of the crack. The conductor 4 embedded between the inner layer 2b and the inner layer 2b is electrically connected to the internal liquid. On the other hand, since the lead wire 10 is connected to the other lead wire 11 and forms a closed circuit through the alarm device 13 and the power supply 12, the conductive connected tube 7 such as a metal tube, and the internal liquid, the alarm device 13 activates and issues an alarm. That is, before water leaks from the pipe peripheral wall portion 2 of the flexible pipe joint 1, it is possible to know when a crack has occurred in the inner layer 2b.

Next, in FIG. 4, in this example, two sets of alarm circuits as shown in FIG. 1 are provided. Therefore, as described above, when the deterioration of the pipe peripheral wall portion 2 of the flexible pipe joint 1 progresses to cause a crack in the inner layer 2b, the alarm devices 13, 1
Since the alarm is issued from both of the alarm circuits 3a, even if one of the alarm circuits is disconnected, etc., it is possible to surely know the water leakage. Alternatively, one of the alarm circuits can be used at all times, and the other can be used as a spare. Note that the example of FIG. 5 operates in the same manner as the example of FIG. 1 or FIG.
In each of the above examples, the end of the conductor 4 embedded in the pipe peripheral wall portion 2 of the flexible pipe joint 1 is extended so as to reach the outer peripheral portion of the flange 3. This is in consideration of the ease with which the lead wire 10 can be led out from the outside. However, such a configuration is not always necessary. For example, the lead wire 10 is connected to the conductor 4 at an appropriate position on the tube peripheral wall 2. Alternatively, it may be directly derived from there.

[0019]

According to the flexible pipe joint of the present invention having the above-described structure, the progress of deterioration can be detected before water leaks from the surface of the peripheral wall of the pipe. Repair and replacement work can be performed with plenty of time.
In addition, the conductor is buried inside the peripheral wall portion of the flexible pipe joint, and the conductor is connected to the flange via the flange 3 from the conductor.
The lead wire 10 is led out from the outer periphery of the
Facilitates the lead-out of the lead wire 10 and increases the stability of the lead wire 10.
As a result, highly reliable leak detection can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an example of a flexible pipe joint of the present invention is used in a piping system.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a companion flange 5 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 as viewed from the AA direction of the companion flange of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another example of the flexible pipe joint of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a case where the flexible pipe joint of the present invention is connected to a connected pipe using a normal L-shaped cross-sectional flange different from FIG. 1 or FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the companion flange 40 of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flexible pipe joint 2 Pipe peripheral wall part 2a Outer layer 2b Inner layer 3 Flange 4 Conductor 5 Flange 6 Bolt 7 Connected pipe 8 Flange 9 Through hole 9a Through hole 10 Lead wire 10a Lead wire 11 Lead wire 11a Lead wire 12 Power supply 12a Power supply 13 Alarm device 13a Alarm device 20 Flange body 20a Ring piece 20b Ring piece 21 Ring body 22 Step surface 22a Groove 23 Step surface 24 Neck pressing surface 25 Stopper surface 26 Ring-shaped ridge 27 Ring contact surface 28 Hole 29 Hole 30 Tire cord 31 Metal wire 40 Companion flange 41 Main body 42 Bolt 43 Nut 44 Jaw 44a Through hole 45 hole

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-58-135932 (JP, A) JP-A-5-117861 (JP, A) JP-A-4-244692 (JP, A) JP-A-7-239068 (JP) , A) Japanese Utility Model Showa 57-112933 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 47-15830 (JP, Y1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F16L 11/12 F16L 23/00- 23/02 F16L 27/10 F16L 55/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An axial direction of a tubular peripheral wall portion (2) formed in a cylindrical shape.
Flange (3) for fastening connection protrudes integrally on the outer periphery of the end
In flexible pipe joint (1) having a rubber member, a cylindrical conductor along the pipe peripheral wall (2) (4) is embedded
And from the conductor (4) via the flange (3),
The lead wire (10) is led out from the outer periphery of the flange.
Water leakage detecting type flexible pipe joint, characterized in that that.