JP5451130B2 - Pipe connection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pipe connecting device for fitting and connecting a front end opening end of a male side pipe to a female side pipe joint provided at a front end opening end of the female side pipe.

  Conventionally, copper pipes are generally used for internal pipes and the like in outdoor water heaters. When connecting a female side pipe made of copper and a male side pipe, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a pipe joint is provided at the open end of the female side pipe, while a male fitting fitted into the pipe joint is provided. A brass ring is fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the open end of the side pipe as a flange member that contacts the flange of the female pipe joint, and the male side pipe is expanded from the inside to fix the brass ring. A technique for coupling and fixing the brass ring and the flange portion of the female side pipe joint with a coupling member is well known.

Japanese Patent No. 3076958

  However, in the conventional pipe connection structure, since a copper pipe is used, the material cost of the pipe itself is increased, and further, rust and the like are easily generated, the stability of the pipe material is inferior, and the durability is sufficient. It was difficult to obtain sex.

  Moreover, when fixing a brass ring to the outer peripheral surface of a male side pipe, the male side pipe must be expanded from the inside to expand the diameter, and there is a problem that this diameter expansion work takes time.

  On the other hand, recently, from the viewpoint of tube material stability and material cost, etc., a three-layered tube has been developed in which the inner and outer surfaces of a light metal layer such as aluminum are respectively covered with a synthetic resin layer. Yes.

  However, when using a pipe having such a three-layer structure, it is difficult to expand the diameter (expand) of the opening end of the male pipe in terms of material. For this reason, in order to fix a flange member such as a brass ring to the male side tube, another problem arises in that a special adapter or the like must be prepared separately. Therefore, at present, it is desired to develop a new technique that can be connected easily and reliably even if a three-layered tube is adopted.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can be connected to a pipe having a three-layer structure easily and surely, and can further improve durability and reduce costs. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention comprises the following means.

[1] A pipe connecting device for fitting and connecting a front end opening end of a male pipe whose outer peripheral side is formed of a synthetic resin layer to a female side pipe joint provided at a front end opening end of the female side pipe Because
A tip-side annular groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip-side opening end of the male side tube;
A proximal-side annular groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the proximal-side than the distal-side opening end of the male-side tube;
An O-ring attached to the tip-side annular groove and in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the female-side pipe joint;
A pair of male side tube clamping pieces housed in the base end side annular groove and elastically sandwiching the base end side annular groove portion of the male side tube from outside, and the female side pipe joint from outside. A pipe coupling member connected with a pair of pipe joint clamping pieces,
The pair of male side pipe clamping pieces in the pipe coupling member are engaged with the inner side surface of the base end side annular groove, and the pair of pipe joint clamping pieces are provided on the outer periphery of the distal end of the female side pipe joint. A pipe connecting device characterized in that the female side pipe joint and the male side pipe are connected and fixed by engaging with a flange portion.

  [2] The pipe connection device according to item 1 above, wherein the pipe coupling member is configured by a quick fastener that is externally fitted from the outside in the radial direction.

  [3] The male side pipe includes an intermediate metal layer, an inner synthetic resin layer laminated on the inner peripheral surface side of the metal layer, and an outer synthetic resin layer laminated on the outer peripheral surface side of the metal layer. 3. The pipe connection device according to item 1 or 2, which has a three-layer structure.

  [4] In the preceding item 3 in which the metal layer removing portion is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the male side tube on the outer peripheral portion on the front end side with respect to the front end side annular groove to a position deeper than the metal layer. The pipe connection device described.

[5] A metal reinforcing inner pipe is press-fitted into the tip of the male side pipe,
5. The pipe connecting device according to item 4 above, wherein a folded piece that is folded outward at the distal end of the reinforcing inner pipe and extends to the proximal end side and covers the metal layer removing portion is provided.

  [6] The pipe connection device according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein a metal reinforcing inner pipe is press-fitted into a distal end portion of the male side pipe.

  According to the pipe connection device of the invention [1], there is no need to perform a troublesome flange mounting operation on the distal end side opening end of the male side pipe, and the male side pipe is fitted into the female side pipe joint, The female side tube and the male side tube can be connected and fixed simply and reliably by simply mounting the coupling member.

  In addition, since an inexpensive synthetic resin layer made of a stable material is provided on the outer peripheral side of the male side tube, it is difficult to deteriorate and sufficient durability can be obtained, and the material cost can also be reduced.

  According to the pipe connection device of the invention [2], it is possible to easily attach the pipe coupling member simply by fitting from the side of the pipe connection portion, and it is possible to perform the pipe connection work more easily.

  According to the pipe connection device of the invention [3], since a more stable material of the three-layer structure pipe is used as the male side pipe, deterioration can be prevented more reliably and durability can be further improved. Can do.

  According to the pipe connection device of the invention [4], corrosion of the metal layer can be prevented more reliably.

  According to the pipe connecting device of the invention [5], the male side pipe can be connected and fixed to the female side pipe joint in a more stable state while improving the strength of the pipe connecting portion.

  According to the pipe connection device of the invention [6], the strength of the pipe connection part can be improved, and harmful deformation can be reliably prevented.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a pipe connecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a half-cut side view showing the pipe connecting device of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral wall of the male side pipe applied to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a half-cutaway side view showing a state when the male side pipe of the embodiment is connected to the female side pipe joint. FIG. 5A is a front view showing a quick fastener applied to the embodiment. FIG. 5B is a side view showing the quick fastener applied to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a half-cutaway side view showing a pipe connecting device which is a modification of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a pipe connecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state where one half of the pipe connecting device is cut away.

As shown in the figures, the tube connecting apparatus of the present embodiment, the female pipe (1), the female side fitting (2), the male side pipe (3), and O-ring (5), click Lee The hook fastener (6) and the reinforcing inner pipe (7) are provided as basic components.

  Although various pipes can be used for the female pipe (1), here, a copper pipe (steel pipe) is used as in the prior art. A female side pipe joint (2) is connected and fixed to the female side pipe (1) at a connection side end part (tip opening end part 1a) with the male side pipe (3).

  The female side pipe joint (2) includes, for example, a cylindrical main body part (21) made of a metal material such as brass, and a female side pipe connection part (22) integrally formed at the rear end of the main body part (21). And a flange portion (23) integrally formed on the distal end side of the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion (21), and the female side tube connecting portion (22) is at the distal end side opening end portion ( It is screwed into 1a) and fixed.

  An annular step (24) is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the main body (21) of the female pipe joint (2) so as to face the open end face (3b) on the front end side of the male pipe (3).

  In this embodiment, the female side pipe joint (2) is formed separately from the female side pipe (1). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and in the present invention, the end of the female side pipe (1) is provided. May be formed integrally with the female pipe.

  Further, in the present invention, the material of the female side tube (1) is not particularly limited. As will be described later, the female side tube (1) is constituted by a three-layer structure like the male side tube (3). Also good.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the male side pipe (3) includes an aluminum layer (11) as an intermediate layer, an inner synthetic resin layer (12) laminated on the inner peripheral surface side of the aluminum layer (11), and an aluminum layer. The outer synthetic resin layer (13) laminated on the outer peripheral surface side of the layer (11), and the inner synthetic resin layer (12) on the inner peripheral surface side is opposite to the outer synthetic resin layer (13) on the outer peripheral surface side. It is formed thick.

  In this embodiment, the material constituting the intermediate layer is made of aluminum or an alloy thereof, but in the present invention, other materials such as light metals are also used as the material of the intermediate layer. be able to.

  In the present invention, the male side tube (3) is not limited to a three-layer structure, and the material of each layer is not limited. In the present invention, any male side tube can be adopted as long as at least the outer peripheral surface side is composed of a synthetic resin layer.

  A proximal-side annular groove (31) for mounting a tube coupling member is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal-side opening end (3a) of the male-side tube (3). Further, a distal-side annular groove (32) for mounting an O-ring is formed at a position closer to the distal end side than the proximal-side annular groove (31) on the outer peripheral surface of the distal-side opening end (3a). The proximal end side annular groove (31) is formed to have a larger groove width than the distal end side annular groove (32).

  The O-ring (5) is fitted in the tip-side annular groove (32), and in the state where the O-ring (5) is connected to the female-side pipe joint (2), the entire outer peripheral surface of the O-ring (5) The pipe joint (2) is in close contact with the entire inner peripheral surface of the pipe joint (2) without any gap, so that liquid tightness between the female side pipe joint (2) and the male side pipe (3) is achieved.

  The reinforcing inner pipe (7) is pressed into the distal end side of the male side pipe (3) to reinforce the male side pipe (3). The inner pipe (7) is formed integrally with a metal cylindrical base (71) press-fitted from the front end opening of the male side pipe (3), and the male side pipe (3). ) And a flange portion (72) that is brought into contact with and locked to the front end opening end surface (3b).

  In the present invention, the reinforcing inner pipe (7) is not necessarily required. However, by inserting the inner pipe (7), the pipe connecting portion, particularly the distal end opening end of the male side pipe (3). The strength of (3a) can be sufficiently improved, and the open end (3a), and thus harmful deformation around the pipe connecting portion can be effectively prevented, and a stable shape can be maintained for a long time.

  The quick fastener (6) as a pipe coupling member is formed of an integrally molded product obtained by bending spring steel having elasticity, and a pair of small-diameter side clamping pieces constituting a pair of male-side pipe clamping pieces. (61) (61) has a structure in which a pair of large-diameter side clamping pieces (62) (62) constituting a pair of pipe joint clamping pieces are connected.

  That is, the quick fastener (6) is integrally formed with the base (60), a pair of arcuate small-diameter side clamping pieces (61) (61) provided integrally with the base (60), and the base (60). A pair of arcuate large-diameter side clamping pieces (62) (62) provided, and a tip connecting portion (63) for connecting between the tips of the corresponding small-diameter side clamping piece (61) and the large-diameter side clamping piece (62). ) (63).

  The pair of small-diameter side clamping pieces (61) (61) are formed to have a width corresponding to the groove width of the proximal-side annular groove (31) in the male side pipe (3). The pair of small-diameter side clamping pieces (61) (61) are accommodated in the proximal-side annular groove (31) of the male-side tube (3) in a fitted state, and the proximal-side annular groove in the male-side tube (3) The part (31) can be elastically clamped from the outside.

  Further, the pair of large-diameter side clamping pieces (62) (62) are formed to have a smaller radius of curvature than the small-diameter side clamping pieces (61) (61). The pair of large-diameter side clamping pieces (62) (62) can elastically clamp the main body (21) of the female-side pipe joint (2) from the outside in the radial direction.

  Further, the distal end connecting portions (63) and (63) are curved outward, and as will be described later, the quick fastener (6) has a diameter straddling the female side pipe joint (2) and the male side pipe (3). When externally fitting from the outside in the direction, the external fitting operation can be easily performed.

  Next, a connection procedure when the female pipe (1) and the male pipe (3) are connected by the pipe connecting device having the above-described configuration will be described. Needless to say, in the present invention, the connection procedure is not limited to the following procedure.

  First, the reinforcing inner pipe (7) is press-fitted into the male side pipe (3) and fixed to the tip of the male side pipe (3).

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, an O-ring (5) is attached to the distal end side annular groove (32) of the male side pipe (3). This O-ring (5) can be mounted simply and accurately by simply fitting the O-ring (5) into the annular groove (32).

  The press-fitting work of the inner pipe (7) and the mounting work of the O-ring (5) may be performed in advance before arriving at the construction site, or only one of them may be performed in advance. May be.

  Furthermore, the annular grooves (31) and (32) of the male side pipe (3) may be formed at the construction site, or may be formed in advance before arriving at the construction site.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the distal end opening end (3a) of the male side pipe (3) is replaced with the distal end opening end (2a) of the female side pipe joint (2) of the female side pipe (1). The flange portion (72) of the inner pipe (7) in the male side pipe (3) is fitted into the step portion (24) in the distal end side open end (2a) of the female side pipe joint (2). To abut. By this contact locking, the male pipe (3) is positioned with respect to the female pipe joint (2). In this positioning state, the distal end surface of the female side pipe joint (2) is disposed corresponding to the inner side surface on one side (the distal end side) of the proximal end side annular groove (31) of the male side tube (3).

  When the male side pipe (3) is inserted into the female side pipe joint (2), the O-ring (5) of the male side pipe (3) is placed on the entire inner peripheral surface of the female side pipe joint (2). The female side pipe (1) and the male side pipe (3) are connected in a liquid-tight state.

  In addition, you may make it perform the operation | work which attaches a female side pipe joint (2) to a female side pipe (1) previously, before reaching a construction site.

Finally, the quick fastener (6) is externally fitted from the outside in the radial direction to a portion (pipe connecting portion) straddling between the female side pipe joint (2) and the male side pipe (3) with the flange part (23) interposed therebetween. Install. That is, the Quick fastener (6), the distal end connecting portion (63) (63), arranged so as to face the flange portion of the female fitting (2) (23). At this time, the pair of small-diameter side clamping pieces (61) (61) in the quick fastener (6) are positioned correspondingly to the proximal-side annular groove (31) of the male side tube (3), and the pair of large-diameter sides The sandwiching pieces (62) (62) are positioned in correspondence with the vicinity of the flange portion (23) in the main body portion (21) of the female side pipe joint (2). Then, from that state, the quick fastener (6) is strongly pushed from the outside in the radial direction toward the pipe connecting portion. As a result, the tip connecting portions (63) and (63) of the quick fastener (6) are guided by the outer peripheral surface of the main body (21) in the female side pipe joint (2), so that the respective holding pieces (61) and (62) are guided. After being elastically deformed so as to expand outward and being pushed into a predetermined position, it is restored by an elastic repulsive force, and each clamping piece (61) (62) is closed, whereby a pair of small diameter side clamping pieces (61) ( 61) is accommodated in the annular groove (31) of the male side pipe (3) in a fitted state, elastically sandwiches the annular groove (31) portion of the male side pipe (3) from the outside, and a pair of large diameter sides The clamping pieces (62) (62) elastically clamp the vicinity of the flange portion (23) in the main body (21) of the female side pipe joint (2) from the outside. In this clamping state, the small-diameter side clamping pieces (61) (61) are engaged with the inner surface of the proximal-side annular groove (31), and the large-diameter side clamping pieces (62) (62) are By locking the flange (23) of the pipe joint (2), the female side pipe joint (2) is prevented from coming off from the male side pipe ( 3 ), so that the female side pipe (1) and the male side pipe are protected. (3) is fixed in the connected state.

In this way, the connection work of the female side pipe (1) and the male side pipe ( 3 ) is completed.

  As described above, according to the pipe connecting device of the present embodiment, the one-touch operation is performed by inserting the male side pipe (3) into the female side pipe joint (2) and fitting the quick fastener (6) from the side. Thus, the female side tube (1) and the male side tube (3) can be connected and fixed easily.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, since both the pipes (1) and (3) can be connected and fixed without attaching a flange part such as a brass ring to the male side pipe (3), a conventional copper pipe is used. As in the case, there is no need for any troublesome work such as attaching the flange parts by caulking the male pipe, and the pipe connection work can be made much easier.

  In the present embodiment, the male side pipe (3) is a material that is very stable and inexpensive and uses a three-layer structure without hindrance, so it has excellent corrosion resistance and sufficient durability. As well as material costs can be reliably reduced.

  FIG. 6 is a half-cutaway side view showing a pipe connecting device which is a modification of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the pipe connecting device of this modification, the outer peripheral portion on the distal end side is deeper than the distal annular groove (31) in the male side tube (3) to the depth at which the intermediate aluminum layer (11) is removed. The aluminum layer removing portion (35) is formed by scraping.

  The reinforcing inner pipe (7) provided at the tip of the male side pipe (3) includes a cylindrical metal cylindrical base (71) and a flange formed integrally with the outer periphery of the tip of the cylindrical base (71). A portion (72) and an annular folded piece (73) integrally formed on the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion (72) and extending in the proximal direction in parallel to the tube axis direction.

  The reinforcing inner pipe (7) is fixed by pressing the cylindrical base (71) into the tip of the male side pipe (3). In this fixed state, the flange portion (72) closes the entire end opening end surface (3b) of the male side tube (3), and the annular folded piece (73) is an aluminum layer in the male side tube (3). It arrange | positions in the outer fitting state to the aluminum layer removal part (35) so that the perimeter whole area of a removal part (35) may be covered from an outer side.

  Here, the thickness of the annular folded piece (73) of the reinforcing inner pipe (7) is set so as to match the depth of the aluminum layer removing portion (35). The diameter dimension coincides with the outer diameter dimension of the outer peripheral synthetic resin layer (13) in the male side pipe (3), and the outer peripheral face of the annular folded piece (73) and the outer peripheral face of the male side pipe (3) are the same surface. Placed on top.

  In the pipe connection device of this modified example, the other configuration is substantially the same as the configuration of the pipe connection device of the above-described embodiment. Therefore, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  In the pipe connection device of this modification, the female side pipe (1) and the male side pipe (3) are connected and fixed in the same procedure as in the above embodiment.

  In the pipe connection device of this modification, the same effect can be obtained as described above. Moreover, in this pipe connecting device, corrosion of the aluminum layer (11) can be prevented more reliably.

  That is, the O-ring (5) is mounted in the distal-side annular groove (32) of the male side tube (3), but the distal side, that is, the distal-side annular shape of the male side tube (3) with respect to the O-ring (5). The tip side of the groove (32) is in contact with the fluid flowing through the male side pipe (3). For this reason, if the aluminum layer (11) is exposed on the tip side of the male side pipe (3), the aluminum layer (11) may come into contact with the fluid and the aluminum layer (11) may be corroded. . For example, in the pipe connection device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, since the edge of the aluminum layer (11) is exposed at the end opening end face (3b) of the male side pipe (3), the exposed aluminum layer ( 11) There is a possibility that the corrosion proceeds from the edge.

  Therefore, in this modified example, the outer peripheral portion on the tip side is formed as the aluminum layer removing portion (35) without the aluminum layer from the tip side annular groove (32) in the male side tube (3). The flowing fluid does not come into contact with the aluminum layer at all, and corrosion of the aluminum layer can be prevented more reliably.

  Furthermore, in this modified example, the aluminum layer removal portion (35) is covered by the annular folded piece (73) of the reinforcing inner pipe (7), and the outer peripheral surface of the annular folded piece (73) and the male side pipe ( 3) Since the outer peripheral surface of the base end side is flush with the male pipe (3), when the distal end of the male pipe (3) is fitted into the female pipe joint (2), the annular folded piece (73) Both the outer peripheral surface and the base end side outer peripheral surface of the male side pipe (3) are in surface contact with the inner peripheral surface of the distal end opening end (2a) of the female side pipe joint (2). For this reason, the male side pipe (3) can be fitted into the female side pipe joint (2) in a stable state, and as a result, the female side pipe (1) and the male side pipe (3) can be further stabilized. Connection can be fixed.

  The pipe connecting device of the present invention can be applied to, for example, a case where a female side pipe and a male side pipe in an internal pipe of an outdoor water heater or the like are liquid-tightly connected.

1: Female tube 11: Aluminum layer (metal layer)
12: Inner synthetic resin layer 13: Outer synthetic resin layer 1a: Tip side open end 2: Female side pipe joint 23: Flange part 3: Male side pipe 3a: Tip side open end 31: Base end side annular groove 32: Tip side annular groove 35: aluminum layer removal part (metal layer removal part)
5: O-ring 6: Quick fastener (tube coupling member)
61: Small diameter side clamping piece (male side pipe clamping piece)
62: Large diameter side clamping piece (pipe fitting clamping piece)
7: Inner pipe 73 for reinforcement: An annular folded piece

Claims (4)

A pipe connection device for fitting and connecting a distal end opening end of a male pipe whose outer peripheral side is formed of a synthetic resin layer to a female pipe joint provided at a distal end opening end of a female pipe. ,
A tip-side annular groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tip-side opening end of the male side tube;
A proximal-side annular groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of the proximal-side than the distal-side opening end of the male-side tube;
An O-ring attached to the tip-side annular groove and in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the female-side pipe joint;
A pair of male side tube clamping pieces housed in the base end side annular groove and elastically sandwiching the base end side annular groove portion of the male side tube from outside, and the female side pipe joint from outside. A pipe coupling member connected with a pair of pipe joint clamping pieces,
The pair of male side pipe clamping pieces in the pipe coupling member are engaged with the inner side surface of the base end side annular groove, and the pair of pipe joint clamping pieces are provided on the outer periphery of the distal end of the female side pipe joint. By engaging the flange portion, the female side pipe joint and the male side pipe are connected and fixed ,
The male side pipe has an intermediate metal layer, an inner synthetic resin layer laminated on the inner peripheral surface side of the metal layer, and an outer synthetic resin layer laminated on the outer peripheral surface side of the metal layer,
A pipe characterized in that a metal layer removing portion is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the male side tube on the front end side of the front end side annular groove by scraping the outer peripheral portion to a position deeper than the metal layer. Connected device.   The pipe connection device according to claim 1, wherein the pipe coupling member is configured by a quick fastener that is fitted from outside in a radial direction. A metal reinforcing inner pipe is press-fitted into the tip of the male side pipe,
The pipe connecting device according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a folded piece that is folded outward at the distal end of the inner pipe for reinforcement and extends to the proximal end side and covers the metal layer removing portion. The pipe connecting device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a metal reinforcing inner pipe is press-fitted into a distal end portion of the male side pipe.

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