JP3325540B2 - Curved pipe protector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a protector for a curved pipe such as a bent hose or pipe for preventing damage due to, for example, collision or friction, or for shielding heat, and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a mold protector having a shape conforming to a bent product has been manufactured by molding and vulcanizing unvulcanized rubber, and a means for attaching the protector to the bent product, and a straight protector have been developed. Means for manufacturing and mounting it on a bent product, and further, Utility Model Registration Publication No. 254192
As in the protector disclosed in No. 4 (tube-shaped heat-shrinkable sponge rubber), there is a protector which is tightly coated on the outer periphery of a curved tube by heat treatment after mounting.

[0003]

However, the vulcanization of the mold requires an extremely expensive mold according to the specification, and the time required for the molding is relatively long. The vulcanized product obtained by the method described above has a drawback that it is inferior in water-tightness and air-tightness because foaming has progressed to its surface. In addition, the method of mounting the protector having a straight shape involves extremely difficult work, but since there is no mark at the bent portion, there is a difference in the form after the work depending on the operator, and a curved pipe When the protector has an unexpected gap or wrinkles due to the degree of bending, or when the bent tube is soft, there is a problem that the bent portion of the bent tube is elongated according to the shape of the protector. After attaching the straight protector 13,
Even in the method in which the bent tube 12 is in close contact with the bent tube 12 by thermal contraction, if the bent tube 12 is soft, the shape of the bent tube 12 may be changed by the contraction force due to the heat treatment as shown in FIG.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is easy and accurate to mount on a curved tube, regardless of whether the curved tube is hard or soft.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bent pipe protector capable of maintaining the shape of a bent pipe and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A curved pipe protector according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, has a structure in which a hollow pipe cut to a predetermined size after extrusion vulcanization is attached to a hollow pipe before being attached to the curved pipe. It is characterized in that preforming is performed according to the outer shape of the curved tube by heating and cooling. Curved pipes are different from the above-mentioned hollow pipes, which are straight and have a uniform cross-sectional shape immediately after extrusion molding, and are variously curved or linear in shape, such as curved or non-uniform in shape. Including those with. Pre-molded means that
It means that before being mounted on a curved pipe to be mounted, the pipe has already been formed into a shape that follows the external shape of the curved pipe and a cross-sectional shape that matches the external dimensions of the curved pipe. The molding is
Mounting to a curved tube-shaped mandrel is performed by heating and cooling, and as long as cooling is performed while the hollow pipe is mounted on the mandrel, either mounting of the hollow pipe to the mandrel or heating is performed first. May be. In this heating, at least one of the mandrel and the hollow pipe may be heated. In addition, the curved tube-shaped mandrel is
It is sufficient that the external shape has a curved tube shape, and it is not always necessary to provide a hollow portion.

The method for manufacturing the bent pipe protector includes a pipe manufacturing step of extruding a rubber material mainly composed of a heat-shrinkable rubber into a hollow shape, cutting the rubber material into a predetermined size after vulcanization, and a bending pipe-shaped mandrel. The method is characterized by passing through a pipe forming step in which a heated and maintained hollow pipe is mounted and then cooling, and a releasing step in which the formed hollow pipe is removed from the mandrel. The pipe forming step includes, in addition to the above-described means, a means for attaching a hollow pipe to a curved pipe-shaped mandrel and then heating, keeping and cooling, and a means for attaching a hollow pipe to a heated and kept curved mandrel and then cooling it Alternatively, a heat-insulated hollow pipe may be attached to a heat-insulated curved pipe-shaped mandrel, and then a means for cooling may be adopted.If necessary, an outer surface is formed on the outside of the hollow pipe attached to the curved pipe-shaped mandrel. A frame may be attached. still,
The mounting of the outer surface forming frame on the hollow pipe may be performed before or after mounting the hollow pipe on the mandrel. In addition to these steps, it is needless to say that, for example, application of a release agent to the surface of the mandrel before the pipe molding step, or washing and the like after the release step may be performed. Then, it is naturally conceivable to perform reheating at a temperature suitable for molding after attaching the hollow pipe to the mandrel.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A curved pipe protector (hereinafter referred to as a protector) according to the present invention, together with a method for manufacturing the same, will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a protector bent in an S-shape. The bend and shape of the protector are set in accordance with the shape of the curved tube 2 to be mounted, and are not limited to the figures shown here and the shapes described in the following description.

[0008] Hollow pipe 8 as the material of this protector
For example, a cross-linking agent is blended with a compound mainly composed of a heat-shrinkable rubber such as EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer) and a sufficiently mixed raw material 6 is extruded into an extruder 7.
The raw material extruded in a straight shape is subjected to a vulcanization treatment, that is, a heat crosslinking / heating foaming treatment in a heating tank 9. The hollow pipe 8 extruded in this way has a smooth inner surface and an outer surface with almost no air bubbles, and has excellent shielding properties against liquids and gases.

The hollow pipe 8 having undergone the above process is cut to a fixed length (pipe manufacturing process, see FIG. 5A), and the cut hollow pipe 1 is placed in a thermostat 10 at about 150 ° C. (mainly The temperature varies depending on the softening point of the resin added to the resin.), And while heating (approximately 150 ° C.) to such an extent that the softening can be continued, it is fitted to a curved pipe to be mounted as a protector. The bend and the thickness (for example, in the example of FIG. 1, a slightly larger thickness than the curved pipe. When the hollow pipe 1 is closely attached to the curved pipe, a thickness equal to or smaller than the thickness of the curved pipe) is given. And a release agent on the surface is brush 11
By inserting the applied mandrel 3 using other means, the cooling is performed to such an extent that the shape is stabilized, so that the hollow pipe 1 has a shape following the outer shape of the mandrel 3. It is formed into a hollow pipe 5 (refer to FIG. 5 (b), (c), (d) and (e)). FIG.
After the mandrel 3 is extracted as shown in (f), the cross-sectional shape becomes larger than that immediately after the pipe manufacturing process, the shape is stored, and finally the washing is performed to complete the protector.

In the pipe forming step, in addition to the above-mentioned means, as shown in FIG. 6, a bend and a thickness corresponding to a curved pipe to be mounted as a protector are given, and a release agent is applied to the surface by using a brush 11. The hollow pipe 1 is attached to the coated curved mandrel 3, and they are heated at a molding temperature suitable for the hollow pipe 1 in a thermostat 10 as shown in FIG.
Means for keeping the temperature and softening the hollow pipe 1 and then cooling it to such an extent that the shape is stabilized may be employed. As shown in FIG. Tube-shaped mandrel 3 provided with a release agent on its surface using a brush 11
Is heated to a molding temperature suitable for the hollow pipe 1 in a constant temperature bath 10 as shown in FIG. 7 (b), a release agent is applied while maintaining the temperature appropriately, and the hollow pipe 1 is attached until the shape is stabilized. Means such as cooling may be employed. In some cases, as shown in FIG. 8, a curved tube-shaped mandrel 3 provided with a curve and a thickness corresponding to a curved tube to be mounted as a protector, and having a release agent applied on its surface using a brush 11. Hollow pipe 1 attached to the mandrel 3
Is heated to a molding temperature suitable for the hollow pipe 1 in a constant temperature bath 10 as shown in FIG. 8 (b), a release agent is applied while keeping the temperature at a suitable level, the hollow pipe 1 is attached, and the shape is stabilized. Means such as cooling may be employed.

The protector manufactured as described above is preformed into a shape conforming to the curved tube 2 shown in FIG. 2 as shown in FIG. 1. Even if the curved tube 2 is made of a soft material, the protector shown in FIG. In addition to maintaining the shape of the curved tube 2 as shown in FIG. 3, it may be reinforced in some cases to sufficiently fulfill the function of a protector. The protector may be preformed so as to be in close contact with the curved tube 2 or may be formed so as to partially or entirely form a gap.

When it is necessary to form the outer surface of the hollow pipe 1 into an appropriate shape or to adjust the thickness of the hollow pipe 1, the whole or a part of the hollow pipe 1 must be As shown in FIG. 9, an outer surface forming frame 14 such as a ring for compressing the outside of the hollow pipe 1 attached to the curved tube-shaped mandrel 3 may be attached. By doing so, it is possible to form the inner surface of the hollow pipe 1 and to form a crack 15, a slope 16 having a restricted thickness, a curved surface, or the like on the outer surface.

[0013]

As described above, the use of the bent pipe protector according to the present invention is difficult in the case of mounting a straight protector because it is formed in advance in a shape suitable for the bent pipe to be mounted. Without any extra work,
For example, if a large number of standard products are manufactured, the bends and the like formed by pre-forming exist at certain positions, so there is no difference in the form after mounting by the operator, and the protector depends on the bending condition of the bent tube. No unintended gaps or wrinkles occur. Above all, even when the curved tube is soft, there is no deformation such that the bent portion of the curved tube extends in accordance with the shape of the protector, and there is an effect that the set shape of the curved tube can be faithfully maintained.

According to the method for manufacturing a bent pipe protector according to the present invention, when manufacturing various types of products, it is only necessary to prepare a relatively inexpensive mandrel according to the specifications, and the time required for molding is reduced, and the manufacturing cost is reduced. Can be greatly reduced, so that it can easily cope with high-mix low-volume production. And, unlike the vulcanized product obtained by die molding, the curved pipe protector obtained by the production method has a smooth surface free of air bubbles, and has a water-tight and air-tight protector. Becomes Further, by appropriately providing a crack or the like on the outer surface of the protector, the bent tube protected by the protector can have a stable supporting state and the like, and can have high storage properties even in a narrow space.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a bent pipe protector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of a curved pipe to which the curved pipe protector shown in FIG. 1 is attached.

3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the bent pipe protector shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on the bent pipe shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are transition diagrams showing an example of a state before and after a heat shrinking process employing a conventional means for performing a heat shrinking process after attaching a straight hollow pipe to a curved tube.

5 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) are process diagrams showing an example of a method for manufacturing a bent pipe protector according to the present invention.

6 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) are process diagrams showing an example of a method for manufacturing a bent pipe protector according to the present invention.

7 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) are process diagrams showing an example of a method for manufacturing a bent pipe protector according to the present invention.

8 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) are process diagrams showing an example of a method for manufacturing a bent pipe protector according to the present invention.

9 (a), (b) and (c) are a part of a process chart showing an example of a method for manufacturing a bent pipe protector according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,4,5 Hollow pipe 2 Curved pipe 3 Mandrel, 14 External molding frame

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-8-207165 (JP, A) JP-A-1-95008 (JP, A) JP-A-10-274388 (JP, A) JP-A-2- 112909 (JP, A) JP-A-8-1816 (JP, A) Patent 2941678 (JP, B2) Patent 2528943 (JP, B2) JP-B 3-44894 (JP, B2) JP-B 1-336779 (JP) , B2) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F16L 57/00 B29C 35/02 B29D 23/00 F16L 11/12

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Heating a material extruded into a straight shape
After cross-linking and foaming,
Before installation in curved pipe (2) for hollow pipe (1)
The shape of the curved tube (2) by heating and cooling
Preformed curved pipe protector . 2. Heating the material extruded into a straight shape
After cross-linking and foaming,
Before installation in curved pipe (2) for hollow pipe (1)
Attachment to a curved tube-shaped mandrel (3), heating and cooling
Preformed according to the outer shape of the curved tube (2)
A curved pipe protector.