JP7453112B2 - branch cable - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a branch cable used for low voltage wiring in condominiums, buildings, housing complexes, factories, tunnels, etc.

Conventionally, power cables that are wired (laid) in apartments, buildings, etc. have been electrically connected to main lines and branch lines, and have been insulated on site. Therefore, there was a problem in that it took time on site and the construction period became longer (implementability deteriorated). To solve this problem, we aim to reduce the amount of processing required on-site, and we are developing branch cables (sometimes also called "branch cables") in which the main line and branch lines are connected and insulated in advance at our own factory. Offering has become commonplace.

In recent years, with the aim of further improving workability, cables made of aluminum or aluminum alloy, which are lighter than conventional cables with conductors made of copper or copper alloy (hereinafter referred to as "copper cables"), have been developed. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 (hereinafter referred to as "prior art" in this specification) using a cable having a conductor (hereinafter referred to as "aluminum cable") ) is proposed.

A cable with a branch 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1 includes a trunk cable 150 and a plurality of branch cables 110 branched and connected to the trunk cable 150. The trunk cable 150 includes a main first trunk cable 50 and a second trunk cable 60 connected to the lower end of the first trunk cable 50. The first trunk cable 50 has a length that occupies more than half of the trunk cable 150. The conductor of the first trunk cable 50 is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy. The conductor of the second trunk cable 60 is made of copper or a copper alloy.

The branch cable 110 illustrated in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1 includes a first branch cable 10 whose one end is connected to the first trunk cable 50, and a second branch cable whose other end is connected to the first branch cable 10. 20. The first branch cable 10 has a length that occupies more than half of the branch cable 110. The conductor of the first branch cable 10 is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy. The conductor of the second branch cable 20 is made of copper or a copper alloy.

The conductor at one end of the first branch cable 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1 is electrically connected to the conductor 51 of the first trunk cable 50. The location where the conductor of the first trunk cable 50 and the conductor of the first branch cable 10 are connected is covered with an insulation treatment part (injection mold 80 in Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-152089

By the way, with conventional technology, aluminum cables have technical issues such as removing oxide films and taking measures against electrical corrosion when connecting cables to devices (distribution boards, electrical equipment, etc.) or connecting cables to each other. Therefore, care must be taken when handling conductors. However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to discern from the appearance which material is used as the conductor of the branch cable.

Furthermore, changing from a conventional copper cable to an aluminum cable increases the size of the cable, which increases the size of the insulating section in the branch cable. As described above, as the insulating portion becomes larger, it becomes difficult to insert the branch cable into the insertion hole, which poses a problem that the workability of wiring the branch cable may deteriorate.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a branch cable in which it is easier to identify the material of the conductor than in the prior art, and the workability related to wiring is improved compared to the prior art. shall be.

(1) The branch cable of the present invention according to claim 1, which has been made to solve the above problem, comprises a trunk cable in which at least one of the conductors is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and each conductor is covered with a sheath; a branch line; and an insulating treatment part that covers a connection portion formed by electrically connecting the respective conductors exposed by removing the coating at a predetermined position of each of the main line and the branch line, and The insulation treatment section includes an identification member, and the identification member is formed in a cylindrical shape separate from the insulation treatment section, and is distinguishable from the insulation treatment section in a state where the connection portion is covered by the insulation treatment section. The identification member is integrally molded, and an identification mark is formed on the outer surface of the identification member to identify the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line.

According to the present invention having the feature as described in (1) above, the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line can be identified from the appearance by the identification mark formed on the outer surface of the identification member. Therefore, it can be easily identified from the appearance that at least one of the conductors of the main line and the branch line is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

(2) The branch cable of the present invention according to claim 2 is the branch cable according to claim 1, in which the identification member is provided with the insulation at at least one end of both ends in the axial direction of the identification member. It is characterized by providing an engaging portion formed to be able to engage with the processing portion.

According to the present invention having the feature (2) above, the engaging portion and the insulation treatment portion are engaged with each other in a state where the identification member is integrally molded with the insulation treatment portion. By engaging the engaging portion and the insulation treatment portion, it becomes difficult for the identification member to come off from the insulation treatment portion.

(3) The branch cable of the present invention according to claim 3 is the branch cable according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the identification member has a concave portion and a convex portion on an inner surface of the identification member in an axial direction of the identification member. It is characterized by being formed continuously along.

According to the present invention having the feature (3) above, when the identification member is integrally molded with the insulation treatment part and the inner surface of the identification member is not formed with a recess and a protrusion (the identification member is The contact area with the insulation treatment portion increases compared to the case where the inner surface is formed in a flat shape. When the identification member is integrally molded with the insulation treatment portion, the recesses and projections are engaged with the insulation treatment portion, making it difficult for the identification member to come off from the insulation treatment portion.

(4) In the branch cable of the present invention according to claim 4, in the branch cable according to claim 1, 2, or 3, the identification member is connected to an inner surface of an insertion hole in the insulation treatment section through which the branch cable is inserted. It is characterized in that it is arranged at a contact point and is formed to have a higher hardness than a part of the insulation treatment part other than the part where the identification member is arranged.

According to the present invention having the feature (4) above, since the identification member has a higher hardness than the part of the insulation treatment part other than the part where the identification member is arranged, the identification member in the insulation treatment part The coefficient of friction becomes smaller at locations other than the locations where it is placed. Therefore, even if the branch cable comes into contact with the inner surface of the insertion hole through which the branch cable is inserted, the wire passing through the insertion hole and the workability of wiring the branch cable are improved compared to the conventional case.

Further, according to the present invention, since the identification member is molded from a hard material as described above, the volume resistivity is increased compared to a case where the hard material is not used. Therefore, the thickness required for insulating the identification member can be made thinner than when the hard material is not used. Since the thickness necessary for insulating the identification member is thinner as described above, the insulation treatment portion becomes smaller than before.

(5) The branch cable of the present invention according to claim 5 is the branch cable according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the identification mark identifies the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line. Possibly colored, striped or printed.

According to the present invention having the feature (5) above, the material of the conductor of each main line and branch line can be visually identified by the coloring, striping, or printing applied (provided) on the outer surface of the identification member. Can be visually identified. Therefore, it can be more easily identified from the appearance that at least one of the conductors of the main line and the branch line is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

(6) The branch cable of the present invention according to claim 6, which has been made to solve the above problem, comprises a trunk cable in which at least one of each conductor is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and each conductor is covered with a sheath; a branch line; and an insulating treatment part that covers a connection portion formed by electrically connecting the respective conductors exposed by removing the coating at a predetermined position of each of the main line and the branch line, and The insulation treatment section is characterized in that an identification mark is formed on an outer surface of the insulation treatment section to identify the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line.

According to the present invention having the above feature (6), the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line can be identified from the appearance by the identification mark formed on the outer surface of the insulation treatment section. Therefore, it can be easily identified from the appearance that at least one of the conductors of the main line and the branch line is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

(7) In the branch cable of the present invention according to claim 7, in the branch cable according to claim 6, the identification display is a color that allows identification of the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line, or It is characterized by being printed.

According to the present invention having the feature (7) above, the material of the conductor of each main line and branch line can be visually identified from the appearance by coloring or printing on the outer surface of the insulation treatment part. can be identified. Therefore, it can be more easily identified from the appearance that at least one of the conductors of the main line and the branch line is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

(8) The branch cable of the present invention as set forth in claim 8 is characterized in that, in the branch cable as set forth in claim 6, a plurality of protrusions are provided on the outer surface of the insulated portion as the identification display.

According to the present invention having the feature (8) above, the materials of the conductors of the main line and the branch line can be visually identified from the appearance by the protrusions provided on the outer surface of the insulation treatment section. Therefore, it can be more easily identified from the appearance that at least one of the conductors of the main line and the branch line is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Further, according to the present invention, the contact area with the inner surface of the insertion hole through which the branch cable is inserted is reduced by the protrusion provided on the outer surface of the insulated portion compared to a case where no protrusion is provided on the outer surface of the insulated portion. be able to. Therefore, the wire passing through the insertion hole through which the branch cable is inserted is improved compared to the conventional case.

According to the present invention, it is possible to identify the material of the conductor more easily than in the prior art, and the workability of branch cable wiring can be improved compared to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the insulation treatment section in Example 1 of the branch cable according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the first identification member. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. FIG. It is an exploded perspective view showing modification 1 of a first identification member. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB of the half body shown in FIG. 4. FIG. It is a figure which shows the modification 2 of a 1st identification member. It is a figure which shows the modification 3 of a 1st identification member. It is a figure which shows the modification 4 of a 1st identification member. It is a perspective view which expands and shows the insulation processing part vicinity in Example 2 of the branch cable based on this invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a first modification of the second embodiment of the branch cable. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a second modification of the second embodiment of the branch cable. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a third modification of the second embodiment of the branch cable.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the branch cable according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8, and a second embodiment of the branch cable according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12.

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the insulation treatment part in Example 1 of the branch cable according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the first identification member, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. , FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing Modification 1 of the first identification member, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB of the half body shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 shows Modification 2 of the first identification member. 7A and 7B are views showing a third modification of the first identification member, and FIG. 8 is a view showing a fourth modification of the first identification member. Note that the arrows in the figure indicate the up-down and front-back directions (the directions of the arrows are only examples). Further, the same constituent members as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and detailed explanations will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates a branch cable of the present invention. The branch cable 1 is used for low-voltage wiring in apartments, buildings, housing complexes, factories, tunnels, and the like. The branch cable 1 is sometimes called a branch cable. Such a branch cable 1 includes a main line 2, a plurality of branch lines 3, an insulation treatment section 4, a first identification member 5, and a second identification member 6. Each configuration of the branch cable 1 will be explained below.

First, the main line 2 will be explained.
The trunk line 2 shown in FIG. 1 includes a conductor (not shown) and a covering 7 formed to cover the outer peripheral surface of the conductor. The conductor of the main line 2 is formed by twisting wires made of aluminum or aluminum alloy (the main line 2 in this embodiment can be said to be a so-called "aluminum cable"). Although not particularly shown, the covering 7 in the middle of the main line 2 is removed (peeled) to an appropriate length. The portion of the main line 2 where the covering 7 is removed will be referred to as the "main line side conductor exposed portion."

Next, the branch line 3 will be explained.
The branch line 3 shown in FIG. 1 includes a conductor (not shown) and a covering 8 formed to cover the outer peripheral surface of the conductor. The conductor of the branch line 3 in this embodiment is formed by twisting wires made of copper or copper alloy (the branch line 3 in this embodiment can be said to be a so-called "copper cable"). Although not particularly shown, the coating 8 at the end of the branch line 3 is removed (peeled) to an appropriate length. The portion of the branch line 3 where the coating 8 is removed will be referred to as a "branch line side conductor exposed portion."

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the conductor of the main line 2 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and the conductor of the branch line 3 is made of copper or a copper alloy, but is not limited to this. It's not a thing. In addition, the conductor of the main line 2 may be made of copper or a copper alloy, and the conductor of the branch line 3 may be made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Further, each of the conductors of the main line 2 and the branch line 3 may be made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Here, the connecting portion between the main line 2 and the branch line 3 will be explained.
Although not particularly shown in the drawings, the main line 2 and the branch line 3 are provided with connection portions that electrically connect their respective conductors to each other. The branch line 3 is branched from the main line 2 via a connecting portion. The connection portion is formed by electrically connecting the main line conductor exposed portion and the branch line side conductor exposed portion. The connection portion is formed by welding a main line side conductor exposed portion and a branch line side conductor exposed portion. In this embodiment, it is assumed that ultrasonic welding is employed as the above-mentioned welding (connection using welding technology is sufficient, and other methods such as resistance welding, spot welding, etc. may also be used).

Next, the insulation processing section 4 will be explained.
The insulation treatment portion 4 shown in FIG. 1 is formed to cover the connection portion. Specifically, it is formed into the shape shown in FIG. 1 by molding using vinyl chloride resin, polyethylene, or the like. The insulation treatment section 4 is formed so as to cover the covering 7 of the main line 2 and the covering 8 of the branch line 3 as well.

As shown in FIG. 1, the insulation treatment section 4 is integrally molded with a first identification member 5 and a second identification member 6, which will be described later. Although not particularly shown in the drawings, the insulation treatment section 4 is designed to fit inside each of the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 when integrally molded with the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6. . In addition, in the integrally molded state, the insulation treatment section 4 is provided with an inner surface of each of the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 (for example, the half that constitutes the first identification member 5 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). It is formed so as to be in close contact with the inner surfaces 15) of the split bodies 9 and 10.

Next, the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 will be explained.
The first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 each correspond to an "identification member" described in the claims. The first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 illustrated in FIG. 1 are each formed into a cylindrical shape separate from the insulation treatment section 4. The first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 are each integrally molded with the insulation treatment portion 4 in a state where the connection portion is covered with the insulation treatment portion 4.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 are each placed at a predetermined location in the insulation processing section 4. Here, the above-mentioned "predetermined location" is, for example, a location that comes into contact with the inner surface or edge of the insertion hole when the branch cable 1 is inserted into the insertion hole (not shown).

The first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 illustrated in FIG. 1 have higher hardness than the parts of the insulation treatment section 4 other than the parts where the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 are arranged, respectively. It is formed like this. Specifically, it is made of an insulating material with a JIS hardness (Shore D) of 65 or higher.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first identification member 5 is composed of a pair of half-split bodies 9 and 10. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the second identification member 6 is composed of a pair of half-split bodies 11 and 12. Hereinafter, the first identification member 5 (half bodies 9, 10) will be explained in more detail. In addition, since the second identification member 6 (half bodies 11, 12) has the same basic configuration as the first identification member 5, detailed explanation will be omitted.

The first identification member 5 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is provided with a main line insertion hole 13 at one end in the axial direction (the front end in FIGS. 2 and 3). The main line insertion holes 13 are configured such that the main line insertion holes 13 of each of the half bodies 9 and 10 communicate with each other when the pair of half bodies 9 and 10 are brought into abutting state. The first identification member 5 is provided with an engaging portion 14 at the other end in the axial direction (the rear end in FIGS. 2 and 3). The engaging portion 14 is formed to be able to engage with the insulation treatment portion 4 in a state where the insulation treatment portion 4 and the first identification member 5 are integrally molded. Note that the engaging portion 14 may be provided at one end in the axial direction (the front end in FIG. 3) in addition to the other end in the axial direction of the first identification member 5.

In the first identification member 5 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a fitting protrusion 16 is provided on the inner surface 15 of the half body 9, and a fitting hole 17 is provided on the inner surface 15 of the half body 10. The fitting hole 17 is formed so that the fitting protrusion 16 can fit into the fitting hole 17 when the pair of half bodies 9 and 10 are brought into abutting state.

The first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 illustrated in FIG. (equivalent to "Identification Marking") has been formed. In this embodiment, as the above-mentioned "identification display", each of the half bodies 9, 10, 11, and 12 is colored to identify the material of the conductor of the main line 2 and the branch line 3.

Specifically, the upper sides (half bodies 9, 11) of each of the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 illustrated in FIG. 1 are colored "orange". Further, the lower sides (half bodies 10, 12) of each of the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 illustrated in FIG. 1 are colored "white". Here, "orange" is an indication that a copper cable (branch line 3 in this example) is used, and "white" is an indication that an aluminum cable (in this example, main line 2) is used. (The above coloring is an example. The other two colors are used to identify the conductor material of the main line 2 and branch line 3.) ).

The branch cable 1 of the first embodiment described above has the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 in the modification 1 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the modification 2 shown in FIG. 6, and the modification 2 shown in FIG. It may be replaced with the third modified example shown in the figure or the fourth modified example shown in FIG. 8. Hereinafter, modification 1-4 of the first identification member and the second identification member will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

<Modification 1>
The first identification member 19 illustrated in FIG. 4 is different from the first identification member 5 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) in that a recess 23 and a projection 24 are provided on the inner surface 22 of each of the pair of half-split bodies 20 and 21. It is different from In addition, since the modification 1 of the second identification member has the same basic configuration as the first identification member 19, detailed explanation will be omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the recessed portion 23 and the convex portion 24 are continuously formed along the axial direction of the first identification member 19 (front-back direction in FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 5, the recess 23 has a V-shaped cross section. Further, the convex portion 24 is formed to have a chevron-shaped cross section.

<Modification 2>
The first identification member 25 shown in FIG. 6 differs from the first identification member 19 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) in that the inner surface 26 is provided with a recess 27 and a projection 28. Note that Modification 2 of the second identification member has the same basic configuration as the first identification member 25, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the recessed portion 27 and the convex portion 28 are continuously formed along the axial direction of the first identification member 25 (front-back direction in FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 6, the recess 27 has a concave cross section. Further, the convex portion 28 is formed to have a convex cross section.

<Modification 3>
The first identification member 29 and the second identification member 30 shown in FIG. It is different from member 6 (see FIG. 1). The stripe 36 corresponds to an "identification display" described in the claims. In this embodiment, the stripes 36 are colored to identify the material of the conductor of the main line 2 or the branch line 3.

Specifically, the upper sides (half bodies 31, 33) of each of the first identification member 29 and the second identification member 30 shown in FIG. 7(a) are provided with a stripe 36 colored "orange". ing. The stripes 36 are formed along the axial direction (front-back direction in FIG. 7A) of each of the first identification member 29 and the second identification member 30. Further, the lower sides (half bodies 32, 34) of each of the first identification member 29 and the second identification member 30 are colored "white". Here, "orange" is an indication that a copper cable (branch line 3) is used, and "white" is an indication that an aluminum cable (main line 2) is used. (The above coloring is an example. The materials of the conductors of the main line 2 and branch line 3 may be identified using two other colors.)

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7B, the first identification member 29 and the second identification member 30 may be provided with stripes 37 on the outer surfaces 35 of the half bodies 31 and 33, respectively. The stripes 37 are formed along the circumferential direction of each of the first identification member 29 and the second identification member 30.

<Modification 4>
The first identification member 38 and the second identification member 39 illustrated in FIG. This is different from the identification member 6 (see FIG. 1). The conductor material indications 45 and 46 correspond to "identification indications" described in the claims. In this embodiment, the conductor material indicators 45 and 46 are indicators (printed characters) for identifying the material of the conductor of the main line 2 or the branch line 3.

Specifically, a conductor material display 45 is provided on the outer surface 44 of the upper side (half bodies 40, 42) of each of the first identification member 38 and the second identification member 39 illustrated in FIG. 7(a). . The conductor material display 45 is engraved with the characters "Cu", which is the elemental symbol for copper. The conductor material display 45 is a display that means that a copper cable (branch line 3) is used. A conductor material display 46 is provided on the outer surface 44 of the lower side (half body 41) of the first identification member 29 illustrated in FIG. 7(b). The conductive material indicator 46 is engraved with the characters "Al" which is the element symbol for aluminum. The conductor material display 46 is a display that means that an aluminum cable (main line 2) is used.

Note that the conductor material indications 45 and 46 are not limited to those stamped as described above, but may be printed on the outer surface 44 of each of the first identification member 38 and the second identification member 39. .

<Other variations>
Although not particularly shown, as another modification, for example, each of the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 shown in FIG. 1 may be provided with a plurality of protrusions. For example, the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 may be provided with a protrusion such as a protrusion 64 shown in FIG. 10, which will be referred to later, on the outer surface 18 of each half body 9, 11. . Further, the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 may be provided with a protrusion such as a protrusion 65 (see FIG. 10) on the outer surface 18 of each half body 10, 12.

If the above-mentioned protrusion is provided, for example, if a protrusion such as the protrusion 64 (see Fig. 10) is provided, it will indicate that a copper cable (branch line 3) is used, and the protrusion 65 (see Fig. 10) will indicate that a copper cable (branch line 3) is used. If a protrusion like this is provided, it may be defined as indicating that an aluminum cable (main line 2) is being used (this is an example).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the first identification members 5, 19, 25, 38 and the second identification members 6, 30, 39 have identification markings (coloring, stripes 36, 37, or conductive material markings). 45, 46), in the wiring work of the branch cable 1, the operator of the branch cable 1 can easily identify the materials of the conductors of the main line 2 and the branch line 3 from their appearance. Therefore, it can be easily identified from the appearance that at least one of the conductors of the main line 2 and the branch line 3 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Further, according to this embodiment, in a state where the first identification members 5, 19, 25, 38 and the second identification members 6, 30, 39 are integrally molded with the insulation treatment part 4, the engaging part 14 and the insulation treatment By engaging with the portion 4, the first identification members 5, 19, 25, 38 and the second identification members 6, 30, 39 become difficult to come off from the insulation treatment portion 4.

Further, according to this embodiment, in a state where the first identification members 19, 25 and the second identification member are integrally molded with the insulation treatment section 4, the inner surface 22 of the first identification members 19, 25 and the second identification member, Compared to the case where the concave parts 23, 27 and the convex parts 24, 28 are not formed in the insulation treatment part 26 (the case where the inner surfaces of the first identification member and the second identification member are formed in a planar shape), Contact area increases. When the first identification members 19, 25 and the second identification member are integrally molded with the insulation treatment section 4, the recesses 23, 27, the projections 24, 28, and the insulation treatment section 4 are engaged with each other. The identification members 19, 25 and the second identification member are difficult to come off from the insulation treatment section 4.

Further, according to this embodiment, the first identification members 5, 19, 25, 38 and the second identification members 6, 30, 39 are the first identification members 5, 19, 25, 38 and the The first identification members 5, 19, 25, 38 and the second identification members 6, 30 in the insulation treatment section 4 have higher hardness than the locations other than the locations where the second identification members 6, 30, 39 are arranged. The coefficient of friction becomes smaller than the location where 39 is placed. Therefore, when the branch cable 1 is inserted into an insertion hole (not shown), even if it comes into contact with the inner surface or edge of the insertion hole, the wire passing through the insertion hole and the workability related to the wiring of the branch cable 1 are easier than before. improves.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the first identification members 5, 19, 25, 38 and the second identification members 6, 30, 39 are molded from a hard material as described above. The volume resistivity is higher than when no material is used. Therefore, the thickness necessary for insulating the first identification members 5, 19, 25, 38 and the second identification members 6, 30, 39 can be made thinner than in the case where the hard material is not used. Since the thickness necessary for insulating the first identification members 5, 19, 25, and 38 and the second identification members 6, 30, and 39 is reduced as described above, the insulation processing portion 4 is made smaller than before.

Further, according to this embodiment, when the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 are provided with projections (projections 64 and 65 as shown in FIG. 10), in addition to the above, the branch cable 1 is not shown. When inserted into the insertion hole, the contact area with the inner surface or edge of the insertion hole can be reduced compared to the case where the first identification member 5 and the second identification member 6 are not provided with projections. Therefore, the wire passing through the insertion hole is improved compared to the conventional method.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be explained.
As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8, according to this embodiment, it is easier to identify the material of the conductor than in the prior art, and the workability related to wiring of the branch cable 1 is improved compared to the conventional technology. It has the effect of being able to be improved more than technology.

In addition to Embodiment 1, the branch cable according to the present invention may use Embodiment 2 below. Embodiment 2 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the insulation treatment part in Example 2 of the branch cable according to the present invention, FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing Modification 1 of Example 2 of the branch cable, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the branch cable. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a second modification of the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a third modification of the second embodiment of the branch cable. Note that the arrows in the figure indicate the up-down and front-back directions (the directions of the arrows are merely examples). Further, the same constituent members as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and detailed explanations will be omitted.

In FIG. 9(a), reference numeral 51 indicates Example 2 of the branch cable according to the present invention. The branch cable 51 differs from the first embodiment in that it includes an insulation treatment section 52. The configuration of the insulation processing section 52 will be described below.

The insulation treatment portion 52 shown in FIG. 9(a) is formed to cover the connection portion. The insulation treatment section 52 has an identification mark 54 formed on the outer surface 53 thereof. The identification display 54 is formed as a display that allows the materials of the conductors of the main line 2 and the branch line 3 to be identified.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the identification display 54 identifies the materials of the conductors of the main line 2 and the branch line 3 on the upper and lower sides of the outer surface 53 of the insulated section 52, respectively. Coloring has been applied to make it.

Specifically, the upper side of the insulation treatment section 52 is colored "orange". Further, the lower side of the insulation treatment section 52 is colored "white". Here, "orange" is an indication that a copper cable (branch line 3 in this example) is used, and "white" is an indication that an aluminum cable (in this example, main line 2) is used. (The above coloring is an example. The other two colors are used to identify the conductor material of the main line 2 and branch line 3.) ).

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the identification display 54 is a part of the upper side of the outer surface 53 of the insulation treatment part 52 (from approximately the middle part in the front-rear direction of the insulation treatment part 52 to the rear). The part that spans the edges) may be colored orange.

The branch cable 51 of the second embodiment described above may be replaced with modification 1 shown in FIG. 10, modification 2 shown in FIG. 11, or modification 3 shown in FIG. 12. Modification 1-3 of the branch cable 51 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12.

<Modification 1>
In the branch cable 61 shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of protrusions 64 and 65 are formed on the outer surface 63 of the insulation treatment section 62. The protrusions 64 and 65 correspond to the "identification display" described in the claims. A plurality of protrusions 64 are provided on the upper side of the outer surface 63 of the insulation treatment section 62 . The protrusion 64 has an arcuate cross section. A plurality of protrusions 65 are provided on the lower side of the outer surface 63 of the insulation treatment section 62 . The protrusion 65 is formed so as to extend from one end of the insulation treatment portion 62 in the axial direction (front-back direction in FIG. 10) to the other end.

The protrusions 64 and 65 correspond to "identification indicators" described in the claims. For example, if a protrusion 64 is provided, it indicates that a copper cable (branch line 3) is being used, and if a protrusion 65 is provided, it indicates that an aluminum cable (main line 2) is being used. It may be defined as something to be displayed (this is an example).

<Modification 2>
The branch cable 71 shown in FIG. 11 is configured to include an insulation treatment section 72. The branch cable 71 shown in FIG. The branch cable 71 differs from the branch cable 61 of the first modification in that a plurality of protrusions 73 are provided in place of the protrusions 64 in the insulation treatment section 62 shown in FIG. 10. The protrusion 73 illustrated in FIG. 11 is formed to extend from one end of the insulation treatment portion 72 in the axial direction (front-back direction in FIG. 11) to the other end. The protrusions 73 illustrated in FIG. 11 are formed such that the distance between the protrusions 73 is narrower than the distance between the protrusions 65.

<Modification 3>
In the branch cable 81 shown in FIG. 12, conductor material markings 84 and 85 are formed on the outer surface 83 of the insulation treatment section 82. The conductor material indications 84 and 85 correspond to "identification indications" described in the claims. In this embodiment, the conductor material indications 84 and 85 are indications (printed characters) for identifying the material of the conductor of the main line 2 or the branch line 3.

Specifically, the conductor material display 84 shown in FIG. 12 is engraved with the letters "Cu", which is the elemental symbol for copper. The conductor material display 84 is a display that means that a copper cable (branch line 3) is used. Further, the conductive material display 85 shown in FIG. 12 is engraved with the characters "Al" which is the element symbol of aluminum. The conductor material display 85 is a display indicating that an aluminum cable (main line 2) is used.

Note that the conductor material indications 84 and 85 are not limited to those stamped as described above, but may be printed on the outer surface 83 of the insulation treatment section 82.

<Other variations>
Although not particularly shown, as another modification, stripes may be provided on the upper side of the outer surface 53 (see FIG. 9) of the insulation treatment section 52. This stripe, like the stripe 36 (see FIG. 7(a)) in the third modification of the first embodiment, is formed along the axial direction (front-back direction in FIG. 9) of the insulation treatment section 52 (see FIG. 9). It is assumed that the

In addition, the above-mentioned stripes may be formed along the circumferential direction of the insulation treatment portion 52 (see FIG. 9), like the stripes 37 shown in FIG. 7(b).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the identification display (coloring, protrusions 64, 65, 73, conductive material display 84, 85, or stripe) formed on the insulation treatment portions 52, 62, 72, 82 Therefore, in the wiring work of the branch cables 51, 61, 71, 81, the operator of the branch cables 51, 61, 71, 81 can easily identify the material of the conductor of the main line 2 and branch line 3 from the appearance. can. Therefore, it can be easily identified from the appearance that at least one of the conductors of the main line 2 and the branch line 3 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Further, according to the present embodiment, by providing the protrusions 64, 65, 73 on the insulation processing parts 62, 72, when the branch cables 61, 71 are inserted into the insertion holes (not shown), the inner surfaces and edges of the insertion holes The contact area can be reduced compared to the case where the protrusions 64, 65, 73 are not provided on the insulation treated parts 62, 72. Therefore, the wire passing through the insertion hole is improved compared to the conventional method.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be explained.
As described above with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12, this embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment.

In addition, it goes without saying that the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the above description, in the branch cable 1 according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 1), the first identification member 5 is composed of a pair of half-split bodies 9 and 10, and the second identification member 6 is composed of a pair of half-split bodies 11, Although the configuration is made up of 12 pieces, the configuration is not limited to this, and the following configuration may be used.

That is, although not particularly shown in the drawings, the branch cable according to the present invention has a structure in which the first identification member 5 (see FIG. 1) is integrally molded with a pair of half-split bodies 9 and 10, and the second identification member 5 (see FIG. The member 6 (see FIG. 1) may be configured such that a pair of half-split bodies 11 and 12 are integrally molded.

1, 51, 61, 71, 81...branch cable, 2...main line, 3...branch line, 4, 52, 62, 72, 82...insulation processing section, 5, 19, 25, 29, 38...first identification member (Identification member), 6, 30, 39...Second identification member (Identification member), 7, 8...Coating, 9-12, 20, 21, 31-34, 40-43...Half body, 13...Main wire insertion Hole, 14... Engaging portion, 15, 22, 26... Inner surface, 16... Fitting projection, 17... Fitting hole, 18, 35, 44, 53, 63, 83... Outer surface, 23, 27... Recessed portion, 24, 28... Convex portion, 36, 37... Stripe (identification display), 45, 46, 84, 85... Conductor material display (identification display), 54... Identification display, 64, 65, 73... Protrusion (identification display)

Claims (8)

A main line and a branch line in which at least one of the conductors is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and each conductor is covered with a coating;
an insulating treatment section that covers a connection portion formed by electrically connecting the respective conductors exposed by removing the coating at a predetermined position of each of the main line and the branch line;
Equipped with
The insulation treatment section includes an identification member,
The identification member is formed in a cylindrical shape separate from the insulation treatment portion, and is integrally molded with the insulation treatment portion in a state where the connection portion is covered by the insulation treatment portion, and is integrally formed with the insulation treatment portion. A branch cable characterized in that an identification mark is formed on an outer surface of the main line and the branch line to identify the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line. The branch cable according to claim 1,
The branch cable, wherein the identification member is provided with an engaging portion formed to be able to engage with the insulation treatment portion at at least one of both ends in the axial direction of the identification member. The branch cable according to claim 1 or 2,
The branch cable is characterized in that the identification member has a concave portion and a convex portion continuously formed on an inner surface of the identification member along an axial direction of the identification member. The branch cable according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
The identification member is disposed at a portion of the insulation treatment portion that contacts the inner surface of the insertion hole through which the branch cable is inserted, and has a hardness higher than a portion of the insulation treatment portion other than the portion where the identification member is placed. A branch cable characterized in that it is formed so that. The branch cable according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4,
The branch cable, wherein the identification display is colored, striped, or printed so that the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line can be identified. A main line and a branch line in which at least one of the conductors is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and each conductor is covered with a coating;
an insulating treatment section that covers a connection portion formed by electrically connecting the respective conductors exposed by removing the coating at a predetermined position of each of the main line and the branch line;
Equipped with
The branch cable is characterized in that the insulation treatment portion has an identification mark formed on an outer surface of the insulation treatment portion to identify the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line. The branch cable according to claim 6,
The branch cable, wherein the identification display is colored or printed so that the material of the conductor of each of the main line and the branch line can be identified. The branch cable according to claim 6,
A branch cable characterized in that, as the identification display, a plurality of protrusions are provided on the outer surface of the insulation treatment section.

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