JPH0193691A - Flexible connecting member - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To suitably retain a flexible tube when the flexible tube is arranged as a reversed U-shape between apparatuses by inserting a belt-shaped plate with can curve only to one direction into the flexible tube which can curve to binary directions. CONSTITUTION: A belt-shaped plate 35 made of synthetic resins is rotatably inserted into an interior of a flexible conduit tube 19 extending over the full length. An end section of the belt-shaped plate 35 is contacted to a stair formed between an interior wall of a connecting section 2 to be connected and an interior wall of a projection to limit a movement to a longitudinal direction. The belt-shaped plate 35 is formed from a resilient material, is easy to curve along a surface of the longitudinal direction but is hard to curve to a surface of a lateral direction, and a curving direction of the belt-shaped plate is defined to one direction. A universal connector 28 is rotatably formed at an end section of the tube 19. When the flexible tube is arranged as a reversed U-shape between apparatuses and distance of which are made variable, a position of the reversed U-shape can be retained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention provides a wiring flexible tube that is attached to a movable part and a fixed part of an industrial robot, etc. via a connector, This invention relates to a flexible connecting member that prevents flexible tubes from collapsing and coming into contact with surrounding equipment when piped in an inverted U-shape to avoid interference with equipment.

[Conventional technology] Conventionally, flexible tubes that supply power air and pressure oil to moving parts of industrial robots, etc., or send electricity and control signals, etc., have a certain degree of margin for the amount of movement of moving parts. Although the pipe is arranged in a U-shape with sufficient length, if there is not enough allowance, the U-shaped bent portion of the flexible tube will be greatly deformed as the movable part moves, and the flexible tube will be damaged. For this reason, the piping is provided with sufficient length to prevent overcrowding and large deformation of the U-shaped bent portion.

Also, as equipment becomes more compact, if a part of the equipment hits a flexible tube piped in a U-shape,
Flexible tubes are raised up and piped in an inverted U shape. At this time, in order to prevent the flexible tube arranged in an inverted U-shape from falling and hitting the equipment, the flexible tube is usually suspended with a wire.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, in reality, even if the flexible tube is suspended by a wire, when the wire is loosened due to the movement of the movable part, the flexible tube becomes perpendicular to the plane formed by the inverted U-shaped flexible tube. They would sometimes fall sideways or rise up when pulled by the wire, and this repeated action would damage them.

The purpose of the flexible connecting member of the present invention is to suitably maintain the posture of a flexible tube, even when the tube is piped between devices in an inverted U shape, for example.

The structure of the present invention that achieves the above object will be described below.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The flexible connecting member of the present invention is a flexible connecting member that has a storage space inside, and is a flexible chain member that can be bent in at least two directions. Inside,
It is made by inserting a band-shaped plate that can be bent in only one direction.

The strip plate may be one that is easy to bend along the longitudinal plane and difficult to bend along the width direction. The strip plate may be inserted over the entire length of the flexible tube, or may be inserted into only a portion of the flexible tube.

In particular, when a connector is provided at the end of a flexible tube and the strip plate is inserted only into the middle of the flexible tube, piping the flexible tube in an inverted U shape will make it easier to bend near the connector. To prevent this, flexible tubes are reinforced with mesh wire at the ends, and ring-shaped wires are installed inside the flexible tube to prevent the band from shifting. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a stopper is provided.

Further, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the connector provided at the end is rotatable, or a configuration in which the band plate is rotatable within the flexible tube. At this time, the flexible tube can be piped in an inverted U-shape in any direction regardless of the mounting position of the connector.

[Function] The flexible connecting member of the present invention has the advantage that when a flexible tube is piped between devices in an inverted U-shape along the bend of a strip plate that can be bent in only one direction, the flexible tube is connected by the strip plate. prevent bending due to its own weight.

[Embodiments] In order to further clarify the structure and operation of the present invention explained above, preferred embodiments of the flexible connecting member of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the flexible connecting member of the embodiment near the connector. FIG. 2 shows a partially broken surface of this connector.

As shown in the figure, an electric control box (not shown) of a movable body is attached to one end of the flange portion 1 having a hexagonal engagement surface formed on the outer periphery.
One nipple split body 3 has a protruding connection part 2 for connection to the connected body, and the other has a tube connection part 5 protruding from one end of the flange part 4, which also has a hexagonal engagement surface formed on its outer periphery. An insertion portion consisting of a recess 7 and a convex portion 8 is formed between the joint surfaces with the nipple segment 6 for rotatably attaching both nipple segments 3.6. Nipple split body 6
A nut 10, which is screwed into the threaded part 9 formed at the mouth of the recess 7 of the nipple split body 3, is attached to the convex part 8 through a nylon sliding member 15 having an angular cross section. The nylon sliding member 12 is fitted and locked in an annular structure 11 formed around the shaft of the portion 8, and is attached so as to be immovable in the axial direction.

Furthermore, an O-ring 13 fitted around the tip of the convex portion 8 is provided between the concave portion 7 and the convex portion 8 via a nylon sliding member 14 having a rectangular cross section as a metal wear prevention member. Therefore, the recess 7 and the protrusion 8 do not come into direct metal contact during the relative rotation of the two nipple division bodies 3.6, so the relative rotation becomes smooth, preventing the generation of metal powder due to abrasion, and preventing metal powder, dust, etc. Prevent entry into the interior of both nipple division bodies 3 and 6. Further, a tube insertion hole 16 is formed in a stepped manner in the tube connection portion 5 of the nipple split body 6. The flexible conduit tube 19 inserted into the tube insertion hole 16 is made of a metal flexible tube 17.
The outer periphery of the terminal cap is coated with vinyl, and the inner end 27 of the terminal cap is coated with vinyl. outer 21
is covered. The tightening nut 22, which has an inner collar 23 through which the tip of the flexible conduit tube 19 is inserted, is flexible while maintaining airtightness by screwing into the threaded part formed in the tube connection part 5. The sexual conduit tube 19 is securely attached to the tube insertion hole 16. Further, in order to increase the bending strength of the flexible conduit tube 19, a net tube 30 is provided on the inner collar 23, and the flexible conduit tube 19 is strung with a steel wire 29 protruding from the net tube 30. This net tube 30 has a structure in which the tip of the steel wire 29 is brazed to a pipe 33 with a brazing material 31 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, or by caulking as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. It has a structure in which it is attached to a pipe 33 by a ring 32 or the like, and is fitted into the stepped portion of the inner collar 23 and press-fitted with a stepped ring 34 to be attached.

On the other hand, inside the flexible conduit tube 19, a band-shaped plate 35 made of synthetic resin shown in FIG. 7 is rotatably inserted over the entire length. The end of the strip plate 35 contacts a step 36 formed between the inner wall of the connected object connecting portion 2 and the inner wall of the convex portion 8, thereby restricting movement in the longitudinal direction. This band-shaped plate 35 is made of an elastic material, and is easy to bend along the longitudinal direction, but is difficult to bend along the width direction. This allows flexible conduit tube 19
The direction of curvature is defined as one direction. In this way, if the universal connector 2 is configured to be freely rotatable and the band plate 35 is configured to be freely rotatable within the flexible conduit tube 19, even if the flexible conduit tube 19 is bent in any direction, the band-shaped plate 35 is configured to be freely rotatable. Plate 35 is subjected to rotational moments such that it always aligns perpendicularly to the plane formed by the bends of flexible conduit tube 190.

As shown in FIG. 8, the flexible conduit tube 19 configured with the rotatable universal connector 28 is connected between equipment, for example, between the main body of an industrial robot and the tip of the arm, in an inverted U-shape. When the arm, which is a movable part, is moved in any direction, the flexible conduit tube 19 bends greatly and is subjected to a force due to its own weight that tries to topple it, but the strip part 35 forms an inverted U-shape. The flexible conduit tube 19 is prevented from bending in the lateral direction since the surfaces are aligned perpendicularly to the plane to be formed.

Therefore, even if the flexible conduit tube 19 is moved in any direction, it can maintain an inverted U-shaped posture without falling down.

Note that the belt-shaped plate is not limited to a synthetic resin plate with a uniform thickness and width; it may also be one in which the thickness of the middle part becomes gradually thinner, as shown in Figure 9, or a plate made of synthetic resin, as shown in Figure 10. Alternatively, the width of the intermediate portion may be gradually narrowed. In the former case, it is possible to reduce the weight of the strip plate and save on materials, and the area within the flexible conduit tube 19 can be used effectively. In the latter case, the same effect as the former can be obtained, and the width can be determined depending on the location where bending is likely to occur, allowing for effective reinforcement.

Further, the band-shaped plate can partition the flexible conduit tube 19 into two chambers, and by providing a power line and a signal line in each chamber, interference between the two chambers can be suppressed to a low level. In addition, if the two chambers are tightly partitioned, a combination of a signal line and power air or a combination of power air and pressure oil can be realized.

As described above in detail, the flexible connecting member of the present invention has the excellent effect that the bending of the flexible tube can be limited to one direction by the band-shaped plate. As a result, for example, even if flexible tubes are piped between devices in an inverted U-shape and the distance between the devices is changed, the inverted U-shaped posture can be maintained without falling over.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the shape of the flexible conduit tube near the universal connector, Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the structure of the universal connector, Fig. 3 is an external view showing the brazing type net tube, Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of this net tube, Fig. 5 is an external view showing the structure of the caulking type net tube, Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the structure of this net tube, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the structure of this net tube. Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a flexible conduit tube is connected to equipment; Fig. 9 is an external view showing the shape of a band plate of another embodiment; Fig. 10; FIG. 3 is an external view showing the shape of a strip plate of another example. 19... Flexible conduit tube 28...
・ Universal connector 35 ... Band agent Patent attorney Tsutomu Sadatsu 11 cars + 9: J 3rd
Figure 5 Figure 7 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A flexible connecting member having an internal storage space, in a flexible tube that can be bent in at least two directions,
A flexible connecting member made by inserting a band-shaped plate that can be bent in only one direction. 2. The flexible connecting member according to claim 1, comprising rotatable universal connectors at both ends of the flexible tube. 3. The flexible connecting member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the band-shaped plate is rotatably inserted in the axial circumferential direction of the flexible tube.