JP6684555B2 - Drain tube manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention also relates to the production how of the drain tube.

  Conventionally, a wound drain catheter in which a drain and an outflow pipe are connected by a connector has been used as a surgical medical device for discharging body fluid such as blood accumulated in an affected area to the outside of the body after surgery (for example, Patent Document 1). In the drain of the wound drainage catheter, a partition having a cross-shaped cross section extending from the front end to the rear end is provided in a cylindrical outer wall to form four channels extending in the axial direction, and the outer wall has the four channels. Slits extending along each of the flow paths are formed.

When using the wound drain catheter, for example, the drain and connector portions are inserted into the body and the drain is left in the affected area, and the rear end side portion of the outflow pipe is brought out of the body and connected to a suction device or the like. To do. As a result, blood and the like collected in the affected area enters the flow path through the drain slit and is discharged to the outside of the body through the outflow pipe.
However, in the case of connecting the drain and the outflow pipe with such a connector, a connecting work is required and the manufacturing becomes complicated. Further, when the connector is pulled out from the body, the drain may come off from the connector and remain in the body, or the outflow pipe may come off from the connector and the drain and the connector may remain inside the body.

  In recent years, as a surgical medical device for discharging body fluid such as blood to the outside of the body, for example, a suction pipe part, a connecting pipe part and an outflow pipe part are integrally formed in order from the tip, and communicate with the inside from the tip to the rear end. Drain tubes having a flow path are widely used. In the drain tube, a partition having a cross-shaped cross section that extends from the tip of the suction tube to the rear end of the connection tube is provided in the suction tube and the connection tube. As a result, four channels extending in the axial direction, which are partitioned by the partition section, are formed inside the suction tube section and the connecting tube section. The plurality of flow paths merge into one at the boundary between the connecting pipe portion and the outflow pipe portion. Further, on the outer wall of the suction pipe portion, four slits extending along the respective flow passages from the front end to the rear end of the suction pipe portion are formed so as to correspond to the respective four flow passages. No slit is formed in the connecting pipe portion.

  When using the drain tube, the suction tube portion and the connecting tube portion are inserted into the body and the suction tube portion is left in the affected area, and the portion of the outflow tube portion on the rear end side is taken out of the body and used in a suction device or the like. Connecting. Since the suction tube portion, the connecting tube portion, and the outflow tube portion are integrally formed in the drain tube, there is no fear that the suction tube portion will come off from the connecting tube portion when the drain tube is pulled out from the body. Further, the drain tube can be easily manufactured by extrusion molding.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,481

  In such a drain tube, it is important to suppress the occurrence of so-called kinks such as bending and twisting in the outflow pipe portion located outside the body during use. As a method of suppressing the generation of kinks, for example, increasing the hardness of the drain tube can be considered. However, if the hardness of the drain tube is increased, the flexibility of the suction tube portion is reduced, so that it becomes difficult to place the suction tube portion in the target position in the body.

  The present invention provides a drain tube that can achieve both kink suppression of the outflow pipe portion and ease of placing the suction pipe portion at a target position in the body, a method for manufacturing the drain tube, and a tube manufacturing apparatus that can be used for manufacturing the drain tube. The purpose is to

The present invention has the following configurations.
[1] A resin drain tube in which a suction pipe portion, a connecting pipe portion, and an outflow pipe portion are integrally formed in order from the tip, and a flow path communicating from the tip to the rear end is formed inside thereof. A partition portion extending from the tip to the rear end of the connection pipe portion is provided in the pipe portion and the connection pipe portion, and inside the suction pipe portion and the connection pipe portion, in the axial direction partitioned by the partition portion. A plurality of extending flow passages are formed, and the plurality of flow passages merge into one at the boundary portion between the connecting pipe portion and the outflow pipe portion, and the outer wall of the suction pipe portion is partitioned from the tip by the partition portion. A drain tube, wherein one or more slits extending along the formed flow path are formed, and the hardness of the outflow pipe portion is higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion.
[2] The drain tube according to [1], wherein the outflow pipe portion has a hardness of 60 to 70 degrees, and the suction pipe portion has a hardness of 40 to 50 degrees.
[3] The method for producing a drain tube according to the above [1] or [2], which comprises a resin composition (A) and a resin composition (B) having a hardness higher than that of the resin composition (A). By molding the suction pipe portion with the resin composition (A) by extrusion molding using, and switching from the resin composition (A) to the resin composition (B) during the formation of the connecting pipe portion, A method for producing a drain tube, wherein an outflow pipe portion is molded with the resin composition (B).
[4] A die in which a resin is discharged in a tubular shape, a first extruder for supplying the resin composition (A) to the die, and a resin composition having a hardness higher than that of the resin composition (A) to the die. A second extruder for supplying (B), and a tube manufacturing apparatus.
[5] The second extruder is provided so as to supply the resin composition (B) to an upstream side of a position where the resin composition (A) is supplied to the die, [4] The tube manufacturing apparatus according to.
[6] Further, a first gear pump is provided between the die and the first extruder, and a second gear pump is provided between the die and the second extruder, [4] or [5]. Tube manufacturing equipment.

The drain tube of the present invention achieves both suppression of kinking of the outflow tube and ease of placement of the suction tube at the target position in the body.
According to the method of manufacturing the drain tube of the present invention, it is possible to manufacture the drain tube in which the kink suppression of the outflow pipe portion and the ease of placing the suction pipe portion at the target position in the body are compatible.
If the tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is used, it is possible to manufacture a tube whose hardness changes in the length direction such as a drain tube in which the kink suppression of the outflow pipe portion and the ease of placement of the suction pipe portion at the target position in the body are compatible. can do.

It is the perspective view which showed an example of the drain tube of this invention. It is the perspective view which expanded the front end side of the suction pipe part in the drain tube of FIG. It is the side view which expanded the periphery of the connection pipe part in the drain tube of FIG. It is an AA sectional view of the drain tube of FIG. It is a BB sectional view of the drain tube of FIG. It is CC sectional drawing of the drain tube of FIG. It is sectional drawing which showed the other example of the drain tube of this invention. It is sectional drawing which showed the other example of the drain tube of this invention. It is the schematic which showed an example of the tube manufacturing apparatus of this invention. It is a perspective view showing the die in the tube manufacturing device of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing respective constituent members of the die of FIG. 10 separately. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state at the time of forming a suction tube portion in the die of FIG. 10. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state at the time of forming a connecting pipe portion in the die of FIG. 10. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state at the time of forming the outflow pipe portion in the die of FIG. 10.

In the present invention, the suction tube portion is located on the tip side of the drain tube, a plurality of flow paths are formed by the partition section inside the outer wall, and a slit is formed in the outer wall from the tip along one or more of these flow paths. Means the part where is formed.
The outflow pipe portion means a portion located on the rear end side of the drain tube, having no partition portion inside the outer wall, and having no slit formed therein.
The connection pipe part means a part which is located between the suction pipe part and the outflow pipe part in the drain tube, in which a plurality of flow paths are formed by the partition part inside the outer wall, and the slit is not formed. The boundary between the suction pipe part and the connecting pipe part is aligned with the position of the rear end of the longest slit among the slits formed in the outer wall of the drain tube so as to extend from the tip. The boundary between the connecting pipe portion and the outflow pipe portion coincides with the position of the rear end of the partition portion.

[Drain tube]
An example of the drain tube of the present invention will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 1, the drain tube 1 of the present embodiment is a resin tube in which a suction pipe portion 2, a connecting pipe portion 3 and an outflow pipe portion 4 are integrally formed in order from the tip 1a. The suction pipe part 2, the connection pipe part 3, and the outflow pipe part 4 are provided with a cylindrical outer wall 10 having flexibility, and a flow path is formed inside the outer wall 10 from the front end 1a to the rear end 1b. There is.

  In the present invention, the thickness of the outer wall, depending on the outer diameter of the drain tube, the material, etc. in consideration of the flexibility of the drain tube, the difficulty of crushing when inserted into the body, the difficulty of cutting during the milking operation, etc. It may be set appropriately. The thickness of the outer wall can be set to 0.4 to 2.0 mm, for example.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a partition 12 extending from the tip 1 a to the rear end 3 a of the connecting pipe 3 is provided in each of the suction pipe 2 and the connecting pipe 3.
The partition portion 12 of this example includes a rod-shaped core portion 14 that extends along the central axis inside the suction pipe portion 2 and the connection pipe portion 3, and the suction pipe portion 2 that extends from the core portion 14 to the inner surface of the outer wall 10. And four strip-shaped partition plates 16 formed so as to extend in the axial direction of the connecting pipe portion 3.

  The four partition plates 16 are radially formed from the core portion 14 at intervals of 90 degrees around the axis in a cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the drain tube 1. As a result, inside the suction pipe section 2 and the connecting pipe section 3, four flow paths 20 are formed that are partitioned by the partition section 12 around the central axis. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the four flow paths formed inside the suction pipe portion 2 and the connection pipe portion 3 merge at the boundary between the connection pipe portion 3 and the outflow pipe portion 4, and the outflow pipe portion There is one flow path 22 within 4.

The thickness of the partition plate is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately set in consideration of the width of the flow path partitioned by the partition plate, the crush resistance of the suction pipe part and the connecting pipe part when inserted into the body, and the like. . The thickness of the partition plate can be set to 0.4 to 1.0 mm, for example.
The thickness of the partition plate may be constant or may vary from the core to the outer wall. The thickness of the partition plate is preferably constant from the core portion to the outer wall from the viewpoint that it is easy to prevent the partition plate from bending and the suction pipe portion and the connecting pipe portion from being crushed.

  In the present invention, the number of flow paths formed inside the suction pipe portion and the connection pipe portion is not limited to 4, and may be 3 or less, or 5 or more. For example, in a cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the drain tube, a partition part in which three partition plates are radially formed from the core part at intervals of 120 degrees around the axis in the suction pipe part and the connection pipe part. It is also possible to adopt a mode in which three flow paths are formed around the central axis by the partition section inside the suction tube section and the connecting tube section.

  As the number of flow paths increases, the number of partition plates of the partition part increases, so that the flexibility of the suction pipe part decreases, and it tends to be difficult to leave the suction pipe part at the target position in the body. Further, the flow path tends to be narrowed to reduce the suction amount, and the suction pipe portion and the connecting pipe portion tend not to be crushed when inserted into the body. In terms of balance between ease of placement of the suction pipe part at the target position, width of the flow path, and crush resistance of the suction pipe part and the connection pipe part when inserted into the body, the suction pipe part and the connection pipe part 2-4 are preferable and, as for the number of the flow paths formed in the inside, 4 are especially preferable.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the outer wall 10 of the suction pipe portion 2 is provided with four slits 18 extending along the respective four flow paths 20 partitioned by the partition portion 12 from the tip 1 a to the suction pipe portion 2. The rear end 2a is formed. That is, the outer wall 10 of the suction tube portion 2 is formed with slits 18 extending from the front end 1 a to the rear end 2 a of the suction tube portion 2 at positions corresponding to the four flow paths 20, respectively.
Since the slit 18 is formed in the outer wall 10 of the suction pipe portion 2, the body fluid can be sucked into the flow path 20 from the outer peripheral portion of the suction pipe portion 2 through the slit 18. As a result, it becomes possible to suck out body fluid from a wider area in the body than in the case where there is no slit.

  In the present invention, the slit formed in the suction tube portion extends along the axial direction of the drain tube, and its tip reaches the tip of the drain tube. As a result, even if the body tissue grows to enter the slit portion when the suction pipe portion is left inside the body, the body tissue moves along the slit when the suction pipe portion is pulled out of the body. It can be moved to the tip and removed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the internal tissue that has entered the slit portion from being torn when the suction tube is pulled out of the body.

  The width of the slit may be appropriately determined according to the outer diameter of the drain tube and the like, taking into consideration the outer diameter of the suction tube portion, the suction amount of body fluid, and the like. The width of the slit can be 0.4 to 1.2 mm, for example.

In the present invention, the number of slits is not limited to 4, and may be 3 or less, or 5 or more. Further, the number of slits formed on the outer wall of the suction pipe portion may be the same as or different from the number of flow paths formed inside the suction pipe portion.
For example, when four flow paths are formed inside the suction pipe section like the drain tube 1, three flow paths are provided from the tip at positions corresponding to the three flow paths on the outer wall of the suction pipe section. It may be formed.

When a plurality of slits are formed on the outer wall of the suction pipe portion, the lengths of the slits may be the same or different.
The axial length of the suction tube portion is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately determined in consideration of the position where the drain tube is placed inside the body.

  In the present invention, the axial length of the connecting pipe portion is preferably 30 to 150 mm, more preferably 50 to 100 mm. If the axial length of the connecting pipe portion is not less than the lower limit value, the drain tube will be easier to manufacture. When the axial length of the connecting pipe portion is equal to or less than the upper limit value, the flow resistance in the connecting pipe portion becomes smaller, and it becomes easy to sufficiently increase the suction amount even if the suction by the suction device is not strong. Therefore, it becomes easy to discharge the body fluid accumulated in the body in a short period of time, and it becomes difficult for the flow path to be clogged.

The outflow pipe portion 4 is a portion in which at least a part of the rear end side is exposed outside the body during use. When the drain tube 1 is used, the rear end of the outflow pipe portion 4 is connected to a suction device or the like.
In the outflow pipe portion 4, the partition portion 12 is not provided inside the outer wall 10, and the inside is one flow passage 22.
The length of the outflow pipe portion 4 is not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate.

The outer diameter of the drain tube is not particularly limited and may be set appropriately according to the application. The outer diameter of the drain tube can be, for example, 2 to 10 mm.
The outer diameters of the suction pipe portion, the connecting pipe portion, and the outflow pipe portion are preferably the same from the viewpoint of easy insertion into and removal from the body. The suction pipe portion, the connecting pipe portion, and the outflow pipe portion may have different outer diameters as long as the effects of the present invention, the insertability into the body, and the pullability to the outside are not impaired.

  In the drain tube of the present invention, the hardness of the outflow pipe portion is higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion. Thereby, it is possible to secure the flexibility of the suction pipe portion while suppressing the occurrence of kinks in the outflow pipe portion, and it is easy to place the suction pipe portion at the target position in the body.

The hardness of the outflow pipe portion is preferably 60 to 70 degrees, more preferably 60 to 67 degrees. When the hardness of the outflow pipe portion is equal to or higher than the lower limit value, it becomes easy to suppress the occurrence of kinks in the outflow pipe portion during use. If the hardness of the outflow pipe portion is less than or equal to the upper limit value, the pump connection is easy. If the hardness of the outflow pipe is too high, the tube will not spread easily when it is connected to the pump, and it will be difficult to insert it.
The hardness of the outflow pipe is determined by cutting the tube so that the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the length direction becomes semi-circular, and covering the round tube of the same size as the tube inner diameter with the cut tube. It can be measured with GS-779 (manufactured by Techlock Co., Ltd.) in a state of being placed.

The suction tube portion preferably has a hardness of 40 to 50 degrees, more preferably 45 to 50 degrees. When the hardness of the suction pipe portion is equal to or higher than the lower limit value, it is easy to prevent the suction pipe portion from being crushed and being blocked when inserted into the body. When the hardness of the suction tube portion is equal to or lower than the upper limit value, the flexibility of the suction tube portion is likely to be sufficiently high, and the suction tube portion can be easily placed at the target position in the body.
The hardness of the suction pipe portion is measured by GS-779 for the partition plate or the outer wall, similarly to the outflow pipe portion, by cutting the suction pipe portion with a cutter or the like.

The hardness of the connecting pipe portion is not particularly limited, but when the suction pipe portion, the connecting pipe portion and the outflow pipe portion are continuously manufactured integrally by extrusion as described later, the hardness of the suction pipe portion and the outflow pipe portion It becomes hardness between hardness.
The hardness of the connecting pipe portion may be constant in the length direction, may be gradually changed, or may be changed stepwise.

Silicone rubber is preferable as a material for forming the drain tube of the present invention. Silicone rubber is more flexible than soft polyurethane or the like. Therefore, by forming the drain tube from silicone rubber, it becomes easy to leave the suction tube portion at the target position in the body.
In the present invention, for example, the hardness of the outflow pipe portion can be made higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion by forming the suction pipe portion and the outflow pipe portion by using two or more kinds of silicone rubbers having different hardness. it can.

  It is preferable to mix a contrast agent in the drain tube to enable contrast using X-rays. Particularly, it is preferable to mix a contrast agent in the suction tube section and the connecting tube section, which are the sections to be inserted into the body of the drain tube. This makes it possible to confirm whether or not the suction tube portion has been placed at the target position in the body. Further, even if the suction pipe portion or the connecting pipe portion is accidentally pulled out when the tube is pulled out, the cut portion existing in the body can be confirmed, so that the tube can be prevented from being left unintentionally in the body.

Known contrast agents can be used, and examples thereof include barium sulfate and titanium oxide.
As the contrast agent, one type may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

The larger the amount of the contrast agent added to the drain tube, the lower the strength of the drain tube and the easier it is to cut, or the more likely it is to collapse when inserted into the body. Therefore, when the contrast agent is mixed in the drain tube, it is preferable to partially mix the contrast agent in a specific portion of the drain tube.
Specifically, for example, in the case of the drain tube 1, it is possible to mix one of the four partition plates 16 in the partition section 12 with a contrast agent from its front end to its rear end.

  When the drain tube 1 is used, the suction tube section 2 and the connecting tube section 3 are inserted into the body, the suction tube section 2 is left in the affected area, and the rear end side portion of the outflow tube section 4 is taken out of the body. Connect to a suction device. By suctioning with a suction device or the like in this state, blood and the like collected in the affected area enters the flow path 20 through the slit 18 portion of the drain tube 1 and is discharged to the outside of the body through the connecting pipe portion 3 and the outflow pipe portion 4.

  In the drain tube of the present invention described above, since the hardness of the outflow pipe portion is higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion, while suppressing the occurrence of kinks in the outflow pipe portion, the flexibility of the suction pipe portion It can be increased sufficiently. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both the suppression of kinking of the outflow pipe portion and the ease of placing the suction pipe portion at the target position in the body.

The drain tube of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned drain tube 1 as long as the hardness of the outflow pipe portion is higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion.
The drain tube of the present invention may be the drain tube 6 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. 7 and 8, the same parts as those in FIGS. 4 and 5 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.
The drain tube 6 includes an elliptic cylindrical outer wall 10A instead of the cylindrical outer wall 10, and the drain tube 1 except that the suction pipe portion 2 and the connecting pipe portion 3 include a partition portion 12A instead of the partition portion 12. Is the same.

  The partition part 12A includes three strip-shaped first partition plates 24, second partition plates 26, and third partition plates 28 extending from the tip of the drain tube 6 to the rear end of the connecting pipe part 3. The first partition plate 24 and the second partition plate 26 are provided so as to extend in the short axis direction and partition the inside of the outer wall 10A near both ends of the outer wall 10A in the long axis direction. The third partition plate 28 extends so as to connect the middle portions of the first partition plate 24 and the second partition plate 26 in the lengthwise direction, and between the first partition plate 24 and the second partition plate 26 in the outer wall 10A. It is provided as a partition.

  Inside the suction pipe section 2 and the connecting pipe section 3, four flow paths 20A are formed that are partitioned by the partition section 12A around the central axis. The four flow passages 20A formed inside the suction pipe portion 2 and the connection pipe portion 3 join at the boundary portion between the connection pipe portion 3 and the outflow pipe portion, and form one flow passage in the outflow pipe portion.

  On the outer wall 10A of the suction pipe portion 2, four slits 18 extending along each of the four flow passages 20A partitioned by the partition portion 12A are formed from the tip to the rear end of the suction pipe portion 2. That is, the outer wall 10A of the suction pipe portion 2 is formed with slits 18 extending from the tip to the rear end of the suction pipe portion 2 at positions corresponding to the four flow paths 20A.

Similar to the drain tube 1, the drain tube 6 has a hardness of the outflow pipe portion higher than that of the suction pipe portion, so that the outflow pipe portion is prevented from kinking and the suction pipe portion is moved to a target position in the body. It is possible to achieve both ease of indwelling.
Further, since the drain tube 6 has the elliptic cylindrical outer wall 10A, the drain tube 6 has a flattened shape as compared with the drain tube 1 having the cylindrical outer wall 10 and can be made thinner, so that the inside of the body such as the back side of an organ is It is easy to indwell the suction tube portion 2 in the narrow portion. In this way, the drain tube 6 is preferably used when draining body fluid in a narrow space such as the back side of an organ.

  Further, since the drain tube 6 is placed on the back side of the organ or the like, it may be difficult to confirm the position by X-rays. Therefore, when the contrast agent is mixed in a flat drain tube such as the drain tube 6, it is preferable to mix the contrast agent in the whole of the suction tube section and the connecting tube section.

  Further, the drain tube of the present invention is not limited to a mode in which a plurality of flow channels partitioned by the partition section around the central axis are formed in the suction tube section and the connection tube section. For example, in the drain tube of the present invention, the inside of the suction pipe portion and the connection pipe portion is partitioned by a partition plate extending in parallel in the axial direction, and a plurality of axially extending flow paths are formed in a line in the width direction. It may be.

[Tube manufacturing equipment]
The tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus for manufacturing a tube whose hardness changes in the length direction. The tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention can be suitably used for manufacturing the drain tube of the present invention. Hereinafter, as an example of the tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, a tube manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the drain tube 1 will be shown and described.
As shown in FIG. 9, the tube manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a die 110, a first extruder 120, a first gear pump 122, a second extruder 130, and a second gear pump 132.

The first extruder 120 supplies the resin composition (A) to the die 110. The 2nd extruder 130 supplies the resin composition (B) whose hardness is higher than the resin composition (A) to the die 110.
The first extruder 120 and the second extruder 130 are not particularly limited, and known extruders can be used.

In the tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the extruder that supplies the resin composition for forming the rear end side portion of the tube to the die supplies the resin composition for forming the front end side portion of the tube to the die. It is preferably located upstream of the extruder in the die. For example, in the tube manufacturing apparatus 100, the first extruder 120 that supplies the resin composition (A) forming the tip side portion of the drain tube 1 is provided at a position near the tip of the die 110. And the 2nd extruder 130 which supplies the resin composition (B) which forms the rear end side part of the drain tube 1 is a resin composition in the upstream of the position where the resin composition (A) is supplied in the die 110. It is provided so as to supply the object (B).
As a result, during extrusion molding, when the state in which the resin composition is supplied to the downstream side (tip side) of the die is switched to the state in which the resin composition is supplied to the upstream side (rear end side) of the die, The resin composition already supplied to the downstream side of the die and existing inside the die is quickly extruded. Therefore, the resin composition during extrusion molding is efficiently replaced in a shorter time. Particularly when the drain tube of the present invention is manufactured, the length of the connecting pipe portion can be further shortened by efficiently switching the resin composition during molding of the connecting pipe portion in a short time. Thereby, the flow resistance in the connecting pipe portion is low, a sufficient suction amount can be secured even if the suction by the suction device is not strong, and a drain tube capable of discharging body fluid to the outside of the body in a shorter time can be easily obtained.

The first gear pump 122 is provided between the die 110 and the first extruder 120. The second gear pump 132 is provided between the die 110 and the second extruder 130. In the present invention, the gear pump is preferably provided between the die and the extruder in this way. Thereby, the supply amount of the resin composition from the extruder to the die can be easily controlled.
The first gear pump 122 and the second gear pump 132 are not particularly limited, and known gear pumps can be adopted.

The die 110 is a member that ejects resin in a tubular shape.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the die 110 of this example includes a cylindrical out die 112, a first inner core die 114, a second inner core die 116, and a third inner core which are inserted into the out die 112. And a die 118.

  The out die 112 includes a cylindrical outer wall 112a. Four openings 112b extending in the axial direction are formed in the outer wall 112a at intervals of 90 degrees in the circumferential direction. The resin composition (A) supplied from the first extruder 120 and the resin composition (B) supplied from the second extruder 130 flow into the inside of the out die 112 through the four openings 112b. ing.

The first inner core die 114 is provided with four pillar-shaped core portions 114a whose tip surfaces are fan-shaped with a central angle of 90 degrees. The four core portions 114a are arranged so that their corners face each other and are spaced apart from each other so that a cross-shaped space is formed between them when viewed from the front side when viewed from the front side.
The first inner core die 114 is arranged in the out die 112 such that all four core portions 114 a are separated from the inner surface of the out die 112.

  The second inner core die 116 is a columnar member having a cross-shaped tip surface. The second inner core die 116 can be advanced or retracted in the axial direction while being fitted in the cross-shaped space formed between the four core portions 114a of the first inner core die 114.

The third inner core die 118 includes four columnar core portions 118a arranged on the outer peripheral side of each of the four core portions 114a of the first inner core die 114. The inner side surface shape of the core part 118a is curved so as to follow the outer peripheral surface of the core part 114a of the first inner core die 114. The outer surface shape of the core portion 118 a is curved so as to follow the inner surface of the out die 112.
In the third inner core die 118, the inner surfaces of the four core portions 118a are in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the four core portions 114a of the first inner core die 114, and the outer surfaces of the four core portions 118a are the inner surfaces of the out die 112. It can be moved forward or backward in the axial direction while being in contact with.

As shown in FIG. 12, the tips of the first inner core die 114 and the third inner core die 118 are aligned with the tips of the out die 112, and the second inner core die 116 is axially retracted. In this state, by supplying the resin composition into the out die 112 through the opening 112b, the resin composition is discharged from the tip of the die 110 in the shape of the suction pipe portion 2.
Specifically, the outer wall 10 of the suction tube portion 2 is formed by the space between the inner surface of the out die 112 and the outer surfaces of the four core portions 114 a of the first inner core die 114. Further, the four core portions 118 a of the third inner core die 118 form four slits 18 in the outer wall 10. The partition portion 12 of the suction pipe portion 2 is formed by the cross-shaped space formed between the four core portions 114 a of the first inner core die 114.

As shown in FIG. 13, only the tip of the first inner core die 114 is aligned with the tip of the out die 112, and both the second inner core die 116 and the third inner core die 118 are axially retracted. In this state, by supplying the resin composition into the out die 112 through the opening 112b, the resin composition is discharged from the tip of the die 110 in the shape of the connecting pipe portion 3.
Specifically, the outer wall 10 of the connecting pipe portion 3 is formed by the space between the inner surface of the out die 112 and the outer surfaces of the four core portions 114 a of the first inner core die 114. The partition portion 12 of the connecting pipe portion 3 is formed by the cross-shaped space formed between the four core portions 114 a of the first inner core die 114.

As shown in FIG. 14, the tip of the first inner core die 114 and the tip of the second inner core die 116 are aligned with the tip of the out die 112, or the tip of the second inner core die 116 is projected up to 5 mm from the tip of 112. Let The third inner core die 118 is in a retracted state. In this state, by supplying the resin composition into the out die 112 through the opening 112b, the resin composition is discharged from the tip of the die 110 in the shape of the outflow pipe portion 4.
Specifically, the outer wall 10 of the annular outflow pipe portion 4 is formed by the space between the inner surface of the out die 112 and the outer surfaces of the first inner core die 114 and the second inner core die 116.

  As described above, in the tube manufacturing apparatus 100, suction is performed by advancing or retracting the second inner core die 116 and the third inner core die 118 in the axial direction while continuously supplying the resin composition to the die 110. The drain tube 1 can be obtained by integrally extruding the pipe portion 2, the connecting pipe portion 3, and the outflow pipe portion 4.

  Further, at the time of molding the suction pipe section 2, the resin composition (A) is supplied from the first extruder 120 to the die 110. Next, during molding of the connecting pipe part 3, from the state where the resin composition (A) is being supplied from the first extruder 120 to the die 110, the resin composition (B) is supplied from the second extruder 130 to the die 110. Switch to supply state. Then, when molding the outflow pipe portion 4, the resin composition (B) is supplied from the second extruder 130 to the die 110. Thereby, the drain tube 1 in which the hardness of the outflow pipe portion 4 is higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion 2 is obtained. Since the resin composition (A) and the resin composition (B) are mixed in the connecting pipe portion 3, the hardness of the connecting pipe portion 3 is between the hardness of the suction pipe portion 2 and the hardness of the outflow pipe portion 4. .

In the tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention described above, the resin composition (A) is supplied from the first extruder to the die to start the extrusion molding, and the resin composition (A) is supplied to the resin composition ( The tube can be continuously extruded by switching to the supply of B). Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a tube whose hardness changes in the length direction, such as a drain tube in which the hardness of the outflow pipe portion is higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is particularly effective for manufacturing the drain tube of the present invention that can both suppress kink in the outflow pipe portion and easily maintain the suction pipe portion at the target position in the body.

The tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the tube manufacturing apparatus 100 described above.
For example, the form of the die in the tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately designed according to the target tube shape. Specifically, the tube manufacturing apparatus of the present invention may be a tube manufacturing apparatus including a die for molding the drain tube 6 instead of the die 110. Further, the tube manufacturing apparatus may be equipped with a die for manufacturing a tube having no partition portion or slit from the front end to the rear end.

[Drain tube manufacturing method]
The method of manufacturing the drain tube of the present invention is a method of manufacturing the above-described drain tube of the present invention by extrusion molding.
In the method for producing a drain tube of the present invention, the suction tube portion is obtained by performing extrusion molding using the resin composition (A) and the resin composition (B) having a hardness higher than that of the resin composition (A). The drain tube is manufactured by integrally molding the connecting pipe part and the outflow pipe part. Specifically, the suction pipe part is formed by the resin composition (A) by extrusion molding, the resin composition (A) is switched to the resin composition (B) during the formation of the connecting pipe part, and the outflow pipe part is formed. The resin composition (B) is used for molding. As described above, when the suction pipe part, the connecting pipe part and the outflow pipe part are continuously manufactured integrally by extrusion molding, the resin composition for forming the tube during the molding of the connecting pipe part is formed from the resin composition (A). Switch to the resin composition (B).

As the resin composition (A), a resin composition containing a resin such as silicone rubber as an essential component and, if necessary, a contrast agent or an additive (C-25A, C-25B manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) or the like. Is mentioned.
Specific examples of the resin composition (A) include, for example, 100 parts by mass of silicone rubber compound, 2.0 parts by mass of organohydrogenpolysiloxane (trade name "C-25B", manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and platinum-based compound. An addition reaction type silicone rubber composition in which 0.5 part by mass of a catalyst (trade name "C-25A", manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) is mixed and kneaded with a mixing roll is mentioned.
The hardness of the resin composition (A) is preferably 40 to 50 degrees, more preferably 45 to 50 degrees.

Examples of the resin composition (B) include a resin composition that contains a resin such as silicone rubber having a hardness higher than that of the resin used in the resin composition (A) as an essential component, and optionally contains an additive and the like. .
Specific examples of the resin composition (B) include, for example, 100 parts by mass of a silicone rubber compound having a hardness higher than that of the resin composition (A), an organohydrogenpolysiloxane (trade name "C-25B", Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.). (Manufactured by Mitsui Chemical Co., Ltd.) and 0.5 part by mass of a platinum-based catalyst (trade name "C-25A", manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and kneaded with a mixing roll. .

The hardness of the resin composition (B) is preferably 60 to 70 degrees, more preferably 60 to 67 degrees.
The hardness of the resin composition can be measured by measuring the suction pipe portion, the connecting pipe portion, the outflow pipe portion and the like formed of the resin composition in the obtained drain tube by the method described above.

Hereinafter, a method of using the tube manufacturing apparatus 100 described above will be described as an example of the method of manufacturing the drain tube of the present invention.
First, as shown in FIG. 12, the tips of the first inner core die 114 and the third inner core die 118 are aligned with the tips of the out die 112, and the second inner core die 116 is axially retracted. In this state, the resin composition (A) is supplied from the first extruder 120 to the die 110 while controlling the supply amount by the first gear pump 122. The supplied resin composition (A) flows into the inside of the out die 112 through the opening 112b, and is discharged from the tip of the die 110 in the shape of the suction pipe portion 2.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 13, the third inner core die 118 is axially retracted while supplying the resin composition (A) to the die 110. In this state, the resin composition (A) is supplied from the first extruder 120 while being controlled by the first gear pump 122 and the second gear pump 132, and then the resin composition (B) is supplied from the second extruder 130. Switch to the state of supplying. The resin composition (A) and the resin composition (B) supplied in this state are discharged from the die 110 in the shape of the connecting pipe portion 3.

The mode of switching from the state of supplying the resin composition (A) to the die 110 to the state of supplying the resin composition (B) is not particularly limited as long as the discharge of the resin composition from the die 110 is not interrupted. . For example, while gradually decreasing the supply amount of the resin composition (A) from the first extruder 120 to the die 110, the second extruder may be used so that the total supply amount of the resin composition to the die 110 becomes constant. The amount of the resin composition (B) supplied from 130 to the die 110 may be gradually increased. Further, at the same time when the supply of the resin composition (A) from the first extruder 120 to the die 110 is stopped, the resin from the second extruder 130 to the die 110 is adjusted so that the total supply amount of the resin composition becomes constant. The supply of the composition (B) may be started.
In either case, since the resin composition (A) and the resin composition (B) are mixed in the formed connecting pipe portion 3, the hardness of the connecting pipe portion 3 is the same as the hardness of the suction pipe portion 2 and the outflow. The hardness is between those of the tube portion 4. Further, in the length direction of the connecting pipe portion 3, since the proportion of the resin composition (B) is higher in the portion near the outflow pipe portion 4 than in the portion near the suction pipe portion 2, the portion near the outflow pipe portion 4 is higher. The hardness of the portion is higher than the hardness of the portion near the suction tube portion 2.

  After the ratio of the resin composition (B) in the resin composition discharged from the die 110 becomes sufficiently high, the second inner core die 118 is retracted as shown in FIG. The core die 116 is advanced in the axial direction so that the tips of the first inner core die 114 and the second inner core die 116 are aligned with the tips of the out die 112. The resin composition (B) supplied in this state is discharged from the tip of the die 110 into the shape of the outflow pipe portion 4. Thereby, the drain tube 1 in which the suction pipe portion 2, the connection pipe portion 3 and the outflow pipe portion 4 are integrally formed is obtained.

  As described above, when the suction pipe portion 2, the connecting pipe portion 3 and the outflow pipe portion 4 are continuously extrusion-molded, the resin composition forming the tube during the molding of the connecting pipe portion 3 is the resin composition (A). By switching from the resin composition to the resin composition (B), the hardness of the outflow pipe portion 4 becomes higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion 2. Therefore, in the obtained drain tube 1, the kink suppression of the outflow tube portion 4 and the ease of placing the suction tube portion 2 at the target position in the body are compatible.

  According to the drain tube manufacturing method of the present invention described above, a drain tube in which the hardness of the outflow pipe portion is higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion can be obtained. Therefore, in the drain tube obtained by the manufacturing method of the present invention, suppression of kinking of the outflow pipe portion and ease of placement of the suction pipe portion at the target position in the body are compatible with each other.

  The method of manufacturing the drain tube of the present invention is not limited to the method of manufacturing the tube manufacturing apparatus 100. For example, the method of manufacturing the drain tube of the present invention may be a method of manufacturing a drain tube having another shape such as the drain tube 6.

1,6 Drain tube 2 Suction pipe part 3 Connection pipe part 4 Outflow pipe part 10,10A Outer wall 12 Partition part 14 Core part 16 Partition plate 18 Slit 20, 20A, 22 Flow path 24 1st partition plate 26 2nd partition plate 28 Third partition plate 100 Tube manufacturing device 110 Die 112 Out die 114 First inner core die 116 Second inner core die 118 Third inner core die 120 First extruder 122 First gear pump 130 Second extruder 132 Second gear pump

Claims (3)

A suction pipe part, a connecting pipe part, and an outflow pipe part are formed integrally from the tip, and a flow path communicating from the tip to the rear end is formed inside them.
In the suction pipe portion and the connecting pipe portion, a partition portion extending from the tip to the rear end of the connecting pipe portion is provided.
Inside the suction pipe part and the connecting pipe part, a plurality of flow paths that are partitioned by the partition part and extend in the axial direction are formed,
The plurality of flow paths merge into one at the boundary portion between the connection pipe portion and the outflow pipe portion,
On the outer wall of the suction pipe portion, one or more slits extending from the tip along the flow path partitioned by the partition portion are formed,
Hardness of the outflow pipe portion is higher than the hardness of the suction pipe portion, a method of manufacturing a resin drain tube using a tube manufacturing apparatus,
The tube manufacturing apparatus has a die for discharging resin in a tubular shape, a first extruder for supplying the resin composition (A) to the die, and a die having a higher hardness than the resin composition (A). A second extruder for supplying the resin composition (B),
The second extruder is provided so as to supply the resin composition (B) to an upstream side of a position where the resin composition (A) is supplied in the die,
By extrusion molding using the resin composition (A) and the resin composition (B),
Molding the suction tube portion with the resin composition (A),
While the supply of the resin composition (A) from the first extruder to the die is stopped during the molding of the connecting pipe portion, at the same time, the second supply amount of the resin composition is kept constant so that the total supply amount of the resin composition becomes constant. The supply of the resin composition (B) from the extruder to the die is started, the resin composition (A) inside the die is extruded with the resin composition (B), and the resin composition (A) is removed. Switching to the resin composition (B),
A method of manufacturing a drain tube, wherein the outflow pipe portion is molded with the resin composition (B). The drain tube was cut so that the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the length direction was semicircular, and placed on a round bar having a size equal to the inner diameter of the tube so as to cover the cut tube. When measuring the hardness with 779 (manufactured by Techrock),
The drain tube manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the outflow pipe portion has a hardness of 60 to 70 degrees, and the suction pipe portion has a hardness of 40 to 50 degrees.   The drain according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tube manufacturing device includes a first gear pump between the die and the first extruder, and a second gear pump between the die and the second extruder. Tube manufacturing method.

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