JP7316787B2 - Cable connection structure, manufacturing method thereof and replacement method thereof - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cable connection structure, its manufacturing method and its replacement method.

Conventionally, in order to connect cables to each other, a connector is used to compress or crimp at the connection part, the cables are connected to each other, and a black tape is wrapped around them to cover them, resulting in a cable connection structure. constitutes

In constructing the cable connection structure in this way, special jigs are required for compression and crimping, and since it takes time and effort, bolt connectors are used to improve work efficiency at the construction site. There is a case (for example, patent document 1 etc.). This bolt connector fastens a cable using a bolt, and is constructed so that when the bolt is tightened and a predetermined torque is applied, the head of the bolt breaks and falls off. Then, for example, a black tape is wrapped around it to cover it with insulation, thereby forming a cable connection structure. From the standpoint of durability and the like, the cable connection structure is used while being covered with various types of cases. With such a bolt connector, the cable can be fixed simply by tightening the bolt without requiring a special jig, and the work efficiency at the construction site can be improved. In addition, the bolt has an advantage that the cable connection structure can be reduced in size by breaking the head portion of the bolt and falling off the bolt after it is tightened with a predetermined torque.

JP 2016-162628 A

However, since the bolt connector fixes the cable by tightening the bolt, if the cable is repeatedly energized, it will repeat expansion due to heat generation and contraction due to cooling, which will gradually loosen the bolt and cause poor contact. As a result, electrical resistance tends to increase, making it impossible to conduct electricity efficiently. If the slackness further increases, there is concern that heat will be generated and the cable will exceed the allowable limit. Therefore, it was necessary to properly grasp the replacement timing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation as described above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable connection structure and a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for replacing the cable connection structure using such a cable connection structure.

The present inventors have made intensive studies in order to achieve the above object. As a result, by using an insulating member that transmits visible light as the insulating member that covers the top surface of the fastening member, or by covering it with an insulating member or resin that has temperature-sensitive coloring, it is possible to appropriately grasp the replacement timing of the cable connection structure. The present inventors have found that it is possible to do so, and have completed the present invention based on such knowledge.

That is, the gist and configuration of the present invention are as follows.
(1) A cable connection structure having a fastening member for fixing an inserted cable and a connector for connecting a plurality of cables, the cable connection structure having an insulating member covering the entire outer surface of the connector, the insulating member. 2. A cable connection structure according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion covering the top surface of said fastening member has visible light transmittance.
(2) The cable connection structure according to (1), wherein the insulating member has thermochromic properties.
(3) The cable connection structure according to (1) or (2), further comprising a visible light transmissive case that houses at least part of the resin.
(4) The cable connection structure according to (3), wherein the case has thermochromic properties.
(5) A cable connection structure having a fastening member for fixing an inserted cable and a connector for connecting a plurality of cables, the cable connection structure having an insulating member covering the entire outer surface of the connector, the insulating member. is a cable connection structure characterized in that at least part of it has thermochromic properties.
(6) The cable connection structure according to any one of (1) to (5), further comprising a thermo label affixed to the outer surface position of the insulating member covering the top surface of the fastening member.
(7) The cable connection structure according to any one of (1) to (6), which has an eye mark visible from the outside on the top surface of the fastening member.
(8) The cable connection structure according to (7), wherein the eye mark has thermochromic properties.
(9) The cable connection structure according to any one of (3) to (8), wherein the temperature-sensitive colorability is a property in which coloration changes at least in the range of 40°C to 90°C.
(10) After connecting a plurality of cables by inserting a plurality of cables into a connector and fixing them with a fastening member, the entire outer surface of the connector is covered with an insulating member, and the insulating member is at least as thick as the fastening member. A method of manufacturing a cable connection structure, wherein the portion covering the top surface has visible light transparency.
(11) After connecting a plurality of cables by inserting a plurality of cables into a connector and fixing them with a fastening member, the entire outer surface of the connector is covered with an insulating member, and the insulating member is at least as large as the fastening member. A method for manufacturing a cable connection structure, wherein the portion covering the top surface has thermochromic properties.
(12) In the cable connection structure according to any one of (1) to (9), the cable connection structure is replaced with another cable connection structure when looseness of the fastening member is sensed from the outside. and a method for replacing a cable connection structure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, in a cable connection structure for connecting a plurality of cables with a connector represented by, for example, a bolt connector, a cable connection structure capable of appropriately grasping when to replace the cable, and a method of manufacturing the same. It is possible to provide a method for replacing a cable connection structure using a cable connection structure that is flexible.

1 is a schematic plan view of a cable connection structure according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II of the cable connection structure shown in FIG. 1;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Cable connection structure of the first embodiment]
A cable connection structure according to the present embodiment has a fastening member for fixing an inserted cable, and has a connector for connecting a plurality of cables, and an insulating material covering the entire outer surface of the connector. a member, wherein at least a portion of the insulating member covering the top surface of the fastening member has visible light transmittance.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the cable connection structure according to the first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cable connecting structure shown in FIG. 1 along line II. The cable connection structure 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is constructed by inserting two cables 11a and 11b and electrically connecting them with a connector 12. As shown in FIG. The connector 12 has fastening holes for respectively receiving two fastening members 13a and 13b. The cables 11a and 11b are fastened and fixed by these two fastening members 13a and 13b.

In the cable connection structure 1, the connector 12 is covered with an insulating member 14 over its entire outer surface. The connector 12 is thereby insulated. In addition, the insulating member has visible light transmittance in the portion that covers the top surface of the fastening member.

Furthermore, the outer periphery of the insulating member 14 is covered with a case 15 having visible light transparency.

In this way, by covering the connector 12 with a material that transmits visible light, looseness of the fastening members 13a and 13b can be visually confirmed.

Each component of the cable connection structure 1 will be described in detail below.

(Cables 11a, 11b)
The cables 11a and 11b are electrical flow paths, and by electrically connecting them, electricity can be supplied over a longer distance.

For the sake of convenience, a case where two cables are connected will be mainly described below, but the number of cables to be connected in one bolt connector is not particularly limited as long as it is two or more.

The cables 11a and 11b are not particularly limited as long as at least the conductors (metal) of the cables are exposed inside the connector 12 and the two are electrically connected. For example, as the cables 11a and 11b, conductors coated with an insulating resin or the like can be used.

The material of the conductor of the cable is not particularly limited as long as it is a conductive metal or alloy, but copper or aluminum is preferably used from the viewpoint of conductivity, durability and economy. If there are two or more cables, the metal of each cable may be the same or different. For example, if two cables are used, combinations of copper/copper, aluminum/aluminum, and copper/aluminum are preferred.

(Connector 12)
The connector 12 is arranged so as to surround the connecting portion of the two cables 11a and 11b. Further, the connector 12 has a conductive means for electrically connecting the two cables 11a and 11b inside. Furthermore, the connector 12 has fastening member holes for receiving the fastening members 13a and 13b, respectively.

The connector 12 has two cables 11a and 11b inserted through different insertion openings and electrically connected inside. The two cables 11 a and 11 b may be connected in direct contact, or may be connected in indirect contact via the connector 12 . When the two cables 11a and 11b are not in direct contact, a conductive material having conductivity such as metal is used at least inside the connector 12, and the two cables 11a and 11b are connected via the conductive material. can be electrically connected.

When a metal connector is used as the connector 12, the material of the metal connector is not particularly limited as long as it is a metal having conductivity, but copper or aluminum can be used from the viewpoint of conductivity, durability and economy. preferable.

The shape of the connector 12 is not particularly limited. shape), etc.

[Fastening members 13a and 13b]
The fastening members 13a and 13b fasten and fix the cables 11a and 11b, respectively, and more specifically bolts and the like can be exemplified. Since the cables 11a and 11b are fixed by using the fastening members 13a and 13b in this manner, a connection structure can be easily formed without requiring a special jig compared to compression or crimping. It has the advantage of being able to improve the workability at the construction site. On the other hand, if the fastening members 13a and 13b are used, thermal expansion and contraction may cause looseness in the fastening, and it is expected that the electrical conduction efficiency will be reduced due to such looseness. The structure needs to be replaced and it is important to properly sense when it is time to replace it.

Materials for the fastening members 13a and 13b are not particularly limited, and various metals and alloys can be used. Note that the fastening members 13a and 13b themselves may or may not have conductivity.

Further, the fastening members 13a and 13b are not limited to those whose heads fall off, and may be those whose heads do not fall off even when torque is applied. As long as the fastening member structure is used, loosening of the fastening members 13a and 13b may occur regardless of the presence or absence of the head. A bolt whose head falls off is sometimes called a "share bolt" or a "screw bolt."

The number of fastening members is not particularly limited as long as each cable is fixed with at least one, and each cable may be fixed with a plurality of pieces.

(Insulating member 14)
The insulating member 14 is a member having insulating properties and is arranged to cover the entire outer surface of the connector. Moreover, the insulating member 14 has visible light transmittance at least in the portion that covers the top surface of the fastening member. Here, “visible light” refers to light having a wavelength in the range of 360-830 nm. In addition, "visible light transmittance" refers to transmittance of wavelengths in at least part of these ranges.

As described above, at least the portion of the insulating member 14 that covers the top surfaces of the fastening members has visible light transmittance, so that looseness of the fastening members 13a and 13b can be visually confirmed.

Although the method for detecting looseness of the fastening members 13a and 13b is not particularly limited, in order to accurately detect the replacement time, an eye mark 16 (also referred to as a "matching mark") that can be visually recognized from the outside is used. ). The eye mark 16 attached to the connector 12 and the fastening member 13a will be described below as an example, but the same applies to the connector 12 and the fastening member 13b. The eye mark 16 is attached so that the eye mark of the connector 12 and the eye mark of the fastening member 13a are in a straight line with no slack (when the fastening member 13a is tightened). After starting to use the cable connection structure, as described above, the connector 12 and the fastening member 13a generate heat as power is supplied, and the expansion and contraction thereof are repeated. , loosening occurs. Then, the fastening member 13a rotates, but the connector 12 does not rotate, so the eye mark 16 is no longer linear. Thus, looseness of the fastening member 13a can be sensed.

The eye mark 16 is not particularly limited, and ink, stamp, tape, or the like can be used. Further, although the details will be described later, the fastening member may be coated with a compound or ink exhibiting temperature-sensitive coloring. may be used.

As described above, the insulating member 14 should be transparent to visible light at least in the portion covering the top surface of the fastening member. may have.

The insulating member 14 is not particularly limited as long as it has insulating properties and visible light transmittance. For example, an insulating tape, an insulating tube, or the like can be used. More specifically, examples of the material of the insulating member 14 include vinyl and polyethylene.

Further, the outer surface of the insulating tape or insulating tube described above may be further covered with a resin or the like having visible light transparency, and molded into an appropriate shape. By further covering the outer surface of the insulating tape or insulating tube with the resin in this way, the waterproofness can be improved. Examples of such resins include silicone resins, modified silicone resins, epoxy resins, urethane resins, ethylene propylene rubbers, and ethylene propylene diene rubbers. In such a case, the insulating member 14 is composed of a tape or tube and resin.

From the viewpoint of design, the resin may be poured into a mold and molded into an appropriate shape, or may be poured into a case 15 described later to form an insulating tape or an insulating tube and the case 15. may be placed between

In addition, it is preferable that such an insulating member 14 has temperature-sensitive colorability. The term "temperature-sensitive coloring" refers to the property of irreversibly coloring, changing the coloring, or disappearing when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature. Here, if the fastening members 13a and 13b become loose, the looseness acts as a resistance, heat is generated during the energization, and the temperature of the connector 12 and its surroundings rises. Therefore, if the insulating member 14 has a temperature-sensitive coloring property, it will be colored as the temperature rises, and loosening of the fastening members 13a and 13b can be detected.

The temperature range in which such a color change occurs is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the color change occurs at least at 40 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower, and the color change may occur at 50 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower. More preferably, the color change occurs at 60°C or higher and 90°C or lower. In the above temperature range, if the temperature is equal to or higher than the lower limit, the temperature of the insulating member 14 depends on the temperature change of the insulating member 14 due to the heat generated by the loosening of the fastening members 13a and 13b and the temperature change of the installation environment of the cable connection structure. change can be distinguished. Further, when the temperature is equal to or less than the above upper limit value, deterioration of the insulating member 14 due to temperature can be suppressed. If the temperature reaches the above temperature range even once, it can be determined that a large amount of looseness has occurred in the fastening members 13a and 13b. It can be sensed by its coloration. When the coloration changes in multiple stages with temperature changes, at least one of the temperature changes may be included in the temperature range described above.

Specific means for such coloring include a resin impregnated with a dye exhibiting thermosensitive coloring in the above temperature range, a resin exhibiting thermosensitive coloring in the above temperature range, and the like.

It should be noted that it may be used as an eye mark attached to the connector 12 and the fastening members 13a and 13b by making it into an ink having such a temperature-sensitive coloring property.

In this way, in addition to external visibility such as the eye marks of the fastening members 13a and 13b, for example, temperature-sensitive coloration using chemical change can be used to more accurately sense looseness of the fastening members. can.

(Case 15)
Although not an essential aspect, as described above, the case 15 having visible light transmittance that accommodates at least part of the resin of the insulating member 14 may be provided. By providing such a case 15, waterproofness can be improved while maintaining the visibility of the fastening members 13a and 13b.

Examples of materials for the case 15 include silicone resin, modified silicone resin, epoxy resin, urethane resin, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, and the like.

In addition, it is preferable that the case 15 also has temperature-sensitive colorability, like the insulating member 14 . The definition of temperature-sensitive colorability, the temperature range, and the specific method of coloring are the same as those described for the insulating member 14, so descriptions thereof will be omitted here.

(thermo label)
Although not an essential aspect, the cable connection structure 1 includes a thermo label (also called "thermo tape") affixed to the outer surface position of the insulating member covering the top surfaces of the fastening members 13a and 13b. .).

A thermolabel is a tape-shaped thermo-indicating material whose surface color changes according to temperature. As with the temperature-sensitive coloring described above, one that undergoes an irreversible change is used.

By using such a thermo label, the color changes even once when the temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, and loosening of the fastening members 13a and 13b can be detected.

The temperature range in which such a color change occurs is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the color change occurs at least at 40 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower, and the color change may occur at 50 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower. More preferably, the color change occurs at 60°C or higher and 90°C or lower. If the temperature reaches the above temperature range even once, it can be determined that a large amount of looseness has occurred in the fastening members 13a and 13b. It can be sensed by its coloration. When the coloration changes in multiple stages with temperature changes, at least one of the temperature changes may be included in the temperature range described above.

The position of the thermo label is not particularly limited as long as the heat generated from the connector 12 reaches sufficiently.

(Other members)
Outside the insulating member 14 (on the side opposite to the connector 12 when viewed from the insulating member 14), other members other than the case 15 can be appropriately arranged. It is preferable not to dispose a member that does not transmit visible light on the entire surface. If such members are arranged, the visibility of the fastening members 13a and 13b may be lost, and looseness may not be sensed at least visually.

In addition to the portions covering the top surfaces of the fastening members 13a and 13b, insulating members having visible light transmittance are used in appropriate portions, and the date of construction, the name of the contractor, the name of the contractor, etc. The convenience of construction and maintenance inspection can be improved by describing the contact information etc. In addition, if the connection part has an irregular shape, it is possible to prevent mistakes in construction by describing the cable size and points to note in construction.

[Manufacturing Method of Cable Connection Structure of First Embodiment]
In the method for manufacturing a cable connection structure according to the present embodiment, a plurality of cables are inserted into a connector and fixed with a fastening member to connect the plurality of cables, and then the entire outer surface of the connector is covered with an insulating member. The insulating member is characterized in that at least a portion covering the top surface of the fastening member has visible light transmittance. A specific example of the method for manufacturing the cable connection structure of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. An example of constructing a double structure of 14b will be described.

Specifically, first, a plurality of cables 11a and 11b are inserted into the connector 12, and then the cables 11a and 11b are fixed using fastening members 13a and 13b to enable electrical connection. At this time, since the cables 11a and 11b can be fixed by, for example, bolts as the fastening members 13a and 13b, it is possible to improve the work efficiency at the construction site.

Next, the entire outer surface of the connector 12 is covered with an insulating member 14 that transmits visible light. More specifically, when an insulating tape is used as the insulating member 14, the insulating tape is wound around at least the connector. Moreover, when using an insulating tube, a connector is inserted in the insulating tube. For example, a heat-shrinkable tube may be used to increase the adhesion to the insulating tube. By using the insulating tape or the insulating tube in this way, insulation from the connector 12 can be achieved, and the strength against disconnection of the cables 11a and 11b from the connector 12 can be increased. In the method of manufacturing the cable connection structure of the present embodiment, an insulating tape or an insulating tube having visible light transmittance is used at least for the portion covering the top surface of the fastening member 13 .

After that, at least part of the connector 12 is housed in a case 15 having visible light transparency. The case 15 has a resin injection port 151 for injecting the raw material of the resin 14b having visible light postability, and the raw material of the resin 14b is injected from here. After injecting a sufficient amount of resin, the raw material of the resin 14b is subjected to curing treatment such as heat treatment or light irradiation treatment to obtain the cured resin 14b. When using the resin 14b and the case 15, a material having visible light transmittance is used at least for the portions covering the top surfaces of the fastening members 13a and 13b.

[Cable connection structure of the second embodiment]
A cable connection structure according to this embodiment has a fastening member for fixing an inserted cable, and has a connector for connecting a plurality of cables, and covers at least the top surface of the fastening member. The insulating member has a temperature-sensitive coloring property.

Since the cables, connectors, and fastening members are the same as those described for the cable connection structure of the first embodiment, descriptions thereof are omitted here. Further, in this embodiment, unlike the cable connection structure of the first embodiment, the insulation member may or may not be used for the portion covering the top surface of the fastening member, even if the insulation member has visible light transparency. However, at least the portion of the fastening member that covers the top surface of the fastening member has thermochromic properties. Since the temperature-sensitive coloring is the same as that described for the cable connection structure of the first embodiment, detailed description is omitted here. In this way, when the fastening member is loosened and the vicinity of the fastening member becomes hot, the insulating member covering the fastening member has temperature-sensitive coloration, so that the color changes and the temperature rises up to a predetermined temperature. You can feel it rising.

When the insulating member 14 has a structure in which a tape or tube and a resin are used together, it is sufficient that at least one of them covers the top surface of the fastening member and has visible light transmittance. Both the tape or tube and the resin may have visible light transparency.

[Method for Manufacturing Cable Connection Structure of Second Embodiment]
In the method for manufacturing a cable connection structure according to the present embodiment, after connecting a plurality of cables by inserting a plurality of cables into a connector and fixing them with a fastening member, at least the top surface of the fastening member is A part thereof is covered with an insulating member having thermochromic properties.

The specific operation is the same as the method for manufacturing the cable connection structure of the first embodiment described above. You don't have to use it. Instead, when an insulating tape or an insulating tube is used as the insulating member, for example, it is applied to them or mixed with a compound or ink having a temperature-sensitive coloring property to have a temperature-sensitive coloring property. You can get insulating tapes and insulating tubes. Similarly, resins and cases having temperature-sensitive coloring properties can be obtained by applying them or by mixing compounds or inks having temperature-sensitive coloring properties with their raw materials. .

[How to replace the cable connection structure]
The cable connection structure replacement method according to the present embodiment is such that, in either the cable connection structure of the first or second embodiment, when the loosening of the fastening member is detected from the outside, another cable connection structure is replaced. Characterized by exchanging with the body.

As described above, in the cable connection structures of the first and second embodiments, as the insulating member covering the top surface of the fastening member, an insulating member having visible light transmittance is used, or an insulating member or resin having temperature-sensitive coloring is used. The looseness of the fastening member can be sensed from the outside by covering with. Therefore, when the loosening of the fastening member is detected, it is determined that it is time to replace the cable connection structure, and the cable connection structure is replaced with another cable connection structure.

More specifically, for example, when the eye mark is used to confirm the replacement time, it can be determined that the replacement time has come when the deviation of the eye mark is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle. In addition, when checking the replacement time by using temperature-sensitive coloring or a thermo label on an insulating member, case, etc., when a predetermined coloring occurs, that is, when the surrounding temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, the cable connection It can be determined that it is time to replace the structure.

Reference Signs List 1 cable connection structure 11a, 11b cable 12 connector 13a, 13b fastening member 14 insulating member 15 case 151 resin inlet 16 eye mark

Claims (10)

A cable connection structure having a fastening member for fixing an inserted cable and a connector for connecting a plurality of cables,
Having an insulating member covering the entire outer surface of the connector,
at least a portion of the insulating member covering the top surface of the fastening member has visible light transmittance,
Having an eye mark visible from the outside on the top surface of the fastening member,
A cable connection structure, wherein the eye mark has temperature-sensitive coloring. The cable connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the insulating member has thermochromic properties. 3. The cable connection structure according to claim 1, further comprising a visible light transmissive case that houses at least part of the insulating member . 4. The cable connection structure according to claim 3, wherein the case has thermochromic properties. A cable connection structure having a fastening member for fixing an inserted cable and a connector for connecting a plurality of cables,
Having an insulating member covering the entire outer surface of the connector,
At least a portion of the insulating member has thermochromic properties,
Having an eye mark visible from the outside on the top surface of the fastening member,
A cable connection structure, wherein the eye mark has temperature-sensitive coloring. The cable connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a thermolabel (registered trademark) affixed to the outer surface position of said insulating member covering the top surface of said fastening member. The cable connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the temperature-sensitive colorability is a property in which coloration changes at least in the range of 40°C or higher and 90°C or lower. A method for manufacturing a cable connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
After connecting a plurality of cables by inserting a plurality of cables into the connector and fixing them with a fastening member, covering the entire outer surface of the connector with an insulating member,
at least a portion of the insulating member covering the top surface of the fastening member has visible light transmittance,
Having an eye mark visible from the outside on the top surface of the fastening member,
A method for manufacturing a cable connection structure, wherein the eye mark has temperature-sensitive coloring. A method for manufacturing the cable connection structure according to claim 5,
After connecting a plurality of cables by inserting a plurality of cables into the connector and fixing them with a fastening member, covering the entire outer surface of the connector with an insulating member,
At least a portion of the insulating member covering the top surface of the fastening member has temperature-sensitive coloring,
Having an eye mark visible from the outside on the top surface of the fastening member,
A method for manufacturing a cable connection structure, wherein the eye mark has temperature-sensitive coloring. 8. The cable connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cable connection structure is replaced with another cable connection structure when looseness of the fastening member is sensed from the outside. body replacement method.

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