JP7493177B2 - Piping structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a piping structure that includes a tank body with a drain opening and a drain plug that is attached to the opening.

In the piping structure described in Patent Document 1, a drain plug is attached to an opening formed in a step recessed in the bottom wall of the tank body. The drain plug has a flange portion extending circumferentially outward from the upper end, a cylindrical insertion portion with a male thread formed on the outer periphery, and a drain flow path formed inside. In the above piping structure, the drain plug is attached by inserting the insertion portion into the opening, so that the flange portion is engaged with the periphery of the opening formed in the bottom wall of the tank body, and by screwing into a nut member arranged on the back side of the tank body.

In the above piping structure, if the drain plug is not positioned at the center of the opening, misalignment can occur between the step formed on the tank body and the drain plug, or the packing can be exposed from the outside of the flange, reducing the design. In addition, stress will not be applied evenly to the packing, which may cause water leakage. In other words, if the drain plug cannot be attached at an appropriate position or angle relative to the opening, there is a risk of reduced design and water leakage.

Here, a conventional piping structure is known in which an opening is formed at the corner where the side wall and bottom wall of the tank intersect, as in Patent Document 2. When a drain plug having a flange and an insertion part is attached to such a tank, as in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to attach the insertion part to the center of the opening, as shown in Figure 6, and there is a risk that the drain plug cannot be attached at an appropriate position or angle.

Also, as shown in Figure 7, even if an opening is formed in the bottom wall of the tank body, if the insertion portion of the drain plug attached to the tank body is inclined relative to the opening, a gap may occur between the insertion portion and the opening depending on the shape of the drain plug, making it impossible to install the drain plug at the appropriate position and angle.

JP 2008-267052 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-026607

The inner diameter shape of the drain plug is limited to a certain extent due to the need to remove the plug from the mold during molding, and the outer diameter shape of the drain plug is often the same as the inner diameter shape of the drain plug with a certain thickness added to it. Also, when forming an opening in the tank body, it is not possible to freely set an angle on the inner surface of the opening due to reasons such as the need to remove the mold and processing technology. In particular, when forming an opening at a portion where surfaces intersect, as in Patent Document 2, there are many restrictions.
For this reason, a gap may occur between the drain plug and the opening due to factors such as a difference in angle between the outer surface of the drain plug and the inner surface of the opening of the tank body. In such cases, the drain plug may be installed at an inappropriate position or angle relative to the tank body, which may result in poor design or water leakage.

In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a piping structure that includes a tank body and a drain plug, and that allows the drain plug to be attached at an appropriate position and angle to an opening formed in the tank body.

The present invention as set forth in claim 1 provides a tank body having a drainage opening,
A piping structure comprising a drain plug attached to the opening,
The drain plug has a flange portion that is engaged with a periphery of the opening and an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening,
a guide portion that is disposed between the insertion portion and the opening when the drain plug is attached to the opening and that guides an attachment angle of the drain plug ;
The opening is formed in a step recessed at a corner where a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion of the tank body intersect,
a central axis of the insertion portion is inclined with respect to the bottom wall portion and perpendicular to a forming surface of the opening,
The flange portion is aligned with the step portion,
The piping structure is characterized in that the guide portion matches the inner surface of the opening .

The present invention as set forth in claim 2 provides a tank body having a drainage opening,
A piping structure comprising a drain plug attached to the opening,
The drain plug has a flange portion that is engaged with a periphery of the opening and an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening,
a guide portion that is disposed between the insertion portion and the opening when the drain plug is attached to the opening and that guides the drain plug;
The insertion portion is
The piping structure is characterized in that the opening extends in a direction inclined with respect to a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the opening is formed.

The present invention according to a third aspect is the piping structure according to the first or second aspect, characterized in that the guide portion is a protruding portion protruding from one of the insertion portion or the opening toward the other.

According to the present invention, the guide portion that guides the drain plug makes it possible to install the drain plug at an appropriate position and angle.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a piping structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing each component of the piping structure. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a piping structure according to a second embodiment. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing each component of the piping structure. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description is provided to facilitate understanding of the embodiment, and is not intended to limit or limit the invention.

First Embodiment
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the piping structure according to the first embodiment includes a tank body 10 and a drain plug 20 .

The tank body 10 is a bathtub having a bottom wall 11 that is rectangular in plan view, and side walls 12 that stand upward from the four corners of the bottom wall 11. A step 14 is recessed at a corner 13 that intersects with the bottom wall 11 at the lower end of the side wall 12 adjacent to the washing area, and an opening 15 is formed in the step 14.
The step portion 14 has a shape that matches a flange portion 21 of a drain plug 20 described later, and has an opening 15 formed in its center.
The opening 15 is circular, and a drain plug 20 is attached to the front side of the tank body 10, and a nut 40 is disposed on the back side.

The drain plug 20 is a hollow cylinder consisting of a brim-shaped flange portion 21 and a cylindrical insertion portion 22, and has a drain flow path formed therein and forms a drain port 23 at the corner portion 13 of the tank body 10.
The flange portion 21 is formed circumferentially outward from the upper end of the drain plug 20 , and its back surface is engaged with the periphery of the opening 15 via a packing 30 .
The insertion portion 22 is cylindrical and extends from the rear surface of the flange portion 21. A male screw 24 is threaded on its outer periphery, and a guide portion 25 is formed on the end portion on the flange portion 21 side. The central axis C of the insertion portion 22 is inclined with respect to the bottom wall portion 11 and is perpendicular to the surface on which the opening 15 is formed.
3, the guide portion 25 is made up of a number of rib-like protrusions formed at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the drain plug 20 toward the inner surface of the opening 15. The shape connecting the outer surfaces of the guide portions 25 is formed to match the inner surface of the opening 15.

The construction of the piping structure of this embodiment is described below.

First, with the packing 30 placed on the back surface of the flange portion 21, the insertion portion 22 of the drain plug 20 is inserted into the opening 15 from the front side of the tank body 10. At this time, the guide portion 25 is placed between the insertion portion 22 and the opening 15, thereby guiding the drain plug 20 so that it is attached to the center of the opening 15.
Next, the nut 40 is screwed onto the male screw 24 of the insertion portion 22 from the rear surface of the tank body 10, completing the installation of the drain plug 20. At this time, since the shape connecting the outer surfaces of the guide portion 25 matches the inner surface of the opening 15 as described above, the drain plug 20 with the insertion portion 22 inserted therethrough can be easily screwed onto the nut 40 without any rattling.

The drain plug 20 attached to the opening 15 as described above is connected to a drain pipe (not shown) and forms a drain outlet 23 that discharges hot and cold water from the tank body 10 toward the sewer when attached to the opening 15. In addition, the drain outlet 23 can be opened and closed by a rubber plug (not shown) or a drain plug device that is operated by remote control.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The piping structure according to the second embodiment includes a tank body 50 and a drain plug 60.

As in the first embodiment, the tank body 50 is a bathtub having a bottom wall portion 51 that is rectangular in plan view and side walls that stand upward from the four corners of the bottom wall portion 51. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the tank body 50 has a step portion 54 recessed in the bottom wall portion 51, and an opening 55 is formed in the step portion 54.
The step portion 54 has a shape that matches a flange portion 61 of a drain plug 60 described later, and has an opening 55 formed in its center.
The opening 55 is circular, and a drain plug 60 is attached to the front side of the tank body 50, and an adapter 90 and a nut 80 are disposed on the back side.

The drain plug 60 is a hollow cylinder consisting of a brim-shaped flange portion 61 and a cylindrical insertion portion 62, and has a drain flow path formed therein, forming a drain port 63 in the bottom wall portion 51 of the tank body 50.
The flange portion 61 is formed circumferentially outward from the upper end of the drain plug 60, and its back surface is engaged with the periphery of the opening 55 via a packing 70.
The insertion portion 62 is cylindrical and extends from the back surface of the flange portion 61, has a male screw 64 threaded on its outer periphery, and has a guide portion 65 formed at the end portion on the side of the flange portion 61. The central axis C of the insertion portion 62 is inclined with respect to the central axis of the opening 55, the bottom wall portion 51 which is the surface on which the opening 55 is formed, and the back surface of the periphery of the opening 55.
The guide portion 65 is made up of a number of rib-like protrusions formed at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the drain plug 60 toward the inner surface of the opening 55. The shape connecting the outer surfaces of the guide portions 65 is formed to match the inner surface of the opening 55.

The adapter 90 is a plate-like member that is placed between the tank body 50 and the nut 80 on the back surface of the tank body 50. The adapter 90 has an upper surface that contacts the tank body 50 and a lower surface that contacts the nut 80 that is inclined, and the angle of inclination is approximately the same as the angle of inclination of the insertion portion 62. Therefore, when the adapter 90 is attached to the drain plug 60, the lower surface is perpendicular to the central axis C of the insertion portion 62.

The construction of the piping structure of this embodiment is described below.

First, with the packing 70 placed on the back surface of the flange portion 61, the insertion portion 62 of the drain plug 60 is inserted into the opening 55 from the front side of the tank body 50. At this time, the guide portion 65 is placed between the insertion portion 62 and the opening 55, thereby guiding the drain plug 60 so that it is attached to the center of the opening 55.
Next, the adapter 90 is inserted into the insertion portion 62 from the rear surface of the tank body 50, and the nut 80 is screwed onto the male screw 64 of the insertion portion 62, completing the installation of the drain plug 60. At this time, since the shape connecting the outer surfaces of the guide portion 65 matches the inner surface of the opening 55, the drain plug 60 with the insertion portion 62 inserted therethrough can be easily screwed onto the nut 80 without any rattling. Furthermore, when the adapter 90 is attached to the drain plug 60, the bottom surface is perpendicular to the direction in which stress is applied due to the above-mentioned screwing. This makes it possible to evenly transmit the stress applied by screwing the drain plug 60 and the nut 80 together.

The drain plug 60 attached to the opening 55 as described above is connected to a drain pipe (not shown) and forms a drain outlet 63 that drains hot and cold water from the tank body 50 toward the sewer when attached to the opening 55. The drain outlet 63 is made possible by a rubber plug (not shown) or a drain plug device that is operated by remote control.

In the first and second embodiments, the drain plug has a guide portion at the insertion portion. The guide portion is disposed between the insertion portion and the opening when the drain plug is attached to the opening, and guides the drain plug to the appropriate position, making it possible to attach the drain plug at the appropriate position and angle. In addition, the guide portion suppresses wobbling of the drain plug when it is attached to the opening, so that the position of the drain plug does not move when the nut is screwed into it, and the installation angle of the drain plug does not become tilted.

The first and second embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the piping structure of the present invention is not limited to the shapes of the above-mentioned embodiments, and various design changes may be made without departing from the gist of the invention. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the guide portion is a rib-shaped protrusion formed on the drain plug side, but it may be a thick portion formed around the entire circumference of the drain plug, or the guide portion may be formed on the tank body side. Furthermore, the guide portion may be formed by a member separate from the drain plug and the tank body.
In addition, the shape of a resin molded product may be limited due to the molding method. For example, a resin molded product cannot be removed from a mold, and an undercut shape cannot be created. In addition, since the molded product shrinks when cooled from a high-temperature molten state during molding, it is preferable that the thickness of the molded product is as uniform as possible. In addition, the opening to which the drain plug is attached may be formed by post-processing or by a mold. Here, when the opening is formed by post-processing, the direction and shape of the opening vary depending on the worker. In addition, when the opening is formed by a mold, the direction of the opening is limited by the direction of removal of the mold.
For the reasons stated above, there are certain restrictions on the shape of the tank body, and the openings formed in the tank body are also subject to variation and shape restrictions, so if a guide portion is formed, it is desirable to form the guide portion on the drain plug side.

Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the insertion portion of the drain plug is cylindrical, but it may be oval, elliptical, rectangular, or any other shape other than circular.
In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the tank body is a bathtub, but it may be a sink, a washbowl, or any other tank body.

Reference Signs List 10, 50 Tank body 11, 51 Bottom wall portion 12 Side wall portion 13 Corner portion 14, 54 Step portion 15, 55 Opening 20, 60 Drain plug 21, 61 Flange portion 22, 62 Insertion portion 23, 63 Drain port 24, 64 Male screw 25, 65 Guide portion 30, 70 Gasket 40, 80 Nut 90 Adapter C Central axis

Claims (3)

A tank body having a drainage opening formed therein;
A piping structure comprising a drain plug attached to the opening,
The drain plug has a flange portion that is engaged with a periphery of the opening and an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening,
a guide portion that is disposed between the insertion portion and the opening when the drain plug is attached to the opening and that guides an attachment angle of the drain plug ;
The opening is formed in a step recessed at a corner where a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion of the tank body intersect,
a central axis of the insertion portion is inclined with respect to the bottom wall portion and perpendicular to a forming surface of the opening,
The flange portion is aligned with the step portion,
A piping structure, characterized in that the guide portion matches an inner surface of the opening . A tank body having a drainage opening formed therein;
A piping structure comprising a drain plug attached to the opening,
The drain plug has a flange portion that is engaged with a periphery of the opening and an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening,
a guide portion that is disposed between the insertion portion and the opening when the drain plug is attached to the opening and that guides the drain plug;
The insertion portion is
A piping structure, characterized in that the opening extends in a direction inclined with respect to a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the opening is formed. 3. The piping structure according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portion is a protruding portion protruding from one of the insertion portion or the opening toward the other.

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