JPH073788Y2 - Mechatronic tube - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a multiple tube with electric wire (hereinafter referred to as a mechatronic tube) in which an electric wire is inserted into a part of a plurality of synthetic resin tubes connected to each other.

[Conventional technology]

In various automated labor-saving devices such as industrial robots that use fluid pressure as a drive source, multiple tubes are arranged in parallel and are integrated into a flat shape (flat cable shape) or coil shape. Is used.

Furthermore, recently, in order to be able to simultaneously supply a fluid such as compressed air and an electric signal for controlling the equipment of various automated labor-saving devices, the electric wire is fused to the outer surface of the multiple tube, or the electric wire is fused. One in which these are integrally covered with a jacket along a multiple tube is also used (Shokai Sho 58
-97397, No. 59-85495, etc.). A unit in which these electric wires and tubes are integrated is called a mechatronic tube.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

In recent years, malfunction of the above device due to noise has become a problem, and in the mechatronic tube used for this, use of an electric wire with a shield layer having good noise resistance is being considered instead of an ordinary electric wire. However, since the shield layer of the electric wire is formed by braiding a thin metal wire or spirally winding a metal tape, it is less flexible than an electric wire without a shield layer. Therefore, when this is integrated with the multiple tube, there is a problem that the flexibility of the multiple tube is significantly reduced and the shield layer of the electric wire is easily broken by an external force such as repeated bending. Further, most of the mechatronic tubes are used for violently moving parts in the apparatus, and there is a problem that, for example, when repeated bending is extremely large, a problem such as separation between the tubes of the multiple tubes is likely to occur.

In addition, the mechatronic tube is charged with static electricity generated by friction between the highly insulating tube wall when it contacts a part of the device and when a fluid such as air as a driving source passes through the tube. Cheap. For this reason, there is a problem that it cannot be used in applications such as precision robots and semiconductor manufacturing equipment that particularly dislike static electricity.

Therefore, the present invention solves the problems found in these conventional techniques, has good noise resistance, durability and flexibility,
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechatronic tube that can prevent electrostatic charging.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to solve the above problems, the gist thereof is to house at least one or more first flexible resin tubes for supplying fluid as a drive source and electric wires for transmitting and receiving electric signals for device control. And at least one or more second flexible resin tubes, the first and second flexible resin tubes made of the same resin material are juxtaposed to each other, and the second flexible resin tube is also provided. Is a single-layer conductive resin tube in which a filler that imparts conductivity is mixed, and a mechatronic tube is configured. Another gist is a mechatronic tube in which the first and second flexible resin tubes are both conductive resin tubes in the above mechatronic tube.

[Action]

In this invention, the electric wire is housed in the hollow portion of the conductive resin tube. Here, the conductive resin tube is a flexible synthetic resin tube to which conductivity is imparted by mixing a conductive filler such as carbon black,
The tube wall of this tube serves as a shield layer and has an effect of shielding the electric wire housed inside from electromagnetic waves from the outside. Therefore, since it is possible to use an electric wire that does not have a shield layer having a high flexibility as compared with an electric wire with a shield layer, the flexibility of the multiple tube accommodating this can be favorably maintained. Furthermore, since the electric wire itself does not have a shield layer, it has higher durability against repeated bending as compared with a conventional electric wire with a shield layer. Moreover, since the first and second flexible resin tubes are made of the same resin material, they have a high bonding strength when they are integrated, and therefore, even if they are bent many times, the multiple tubes are Problems such as peeling between tubes are unlikely to occur.

If all the multiple tubes are made of a conductive resin tube, static electricity will be eliminated, and the applicable range will be further expanded.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the mechatronic tube according to the present invention. The illustrated mechatronic tube 1 is the first
4 synthetic resin tubes that will be flexible resin tubes
Then, one conductive resin tube 3 serving as the second flexible resin tube is connected in parallel and in a flat shape, and has a band shape as a whole. Here, the resin tubes 2 and 3 are tubes made of various thermoplastic resins such as polyurethane, polyamide, polyolefin, and fluororesin, and the resin tubes 2 and 3 are mutually fused and arranged in parallel by means such as adhesion. The multiple tubes 4 are formed by connecting them in a flat shape. Then, in the hollow portion of the conductive resin tube 3 at the end of the multiple tube 4, four electric wires 5 having no shield layer for controlling various devices are inserted. .

In this case, the conductive resin tube 3 is made of, for example, carbon black, graphite, fine metal powder, or a conductive filler made of a fine fibrous material of these substances, which is used alone or in combination of two or more of the thermoplastic resin. It is made of a resin composition dispersed in a resin and is adjusted to have a conductivity of about 10 ² Ω · cm. The resin forming the conductive resin tube 3 is made of the same material as the synthetic resin tube 2 containing no conductive filler.
When the two and three are integrated, the bonding strength between the two is increased and peeling between the tubes can be prevented, which is advantageous.

In the mechatronic tube 1 configured in this way, the conductive resin tube 3 shields the electric wire 5, and thus the noise resistance is enhanced. Since the electric wire 5 is more flexible than the electric wire with the shield layer, the flexibility of the multiple tube 4 for accommodating the electric wire 5 is maintained well, and the electric wire is durable against repeated bending. It is also advantageous in terms of aspects.

FIG. 2 is an end view showing another embodiment of the mechatronic tube according to the present invention. The same parts as those in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicate description will be omitted.
In the illustrated mechatronic tube 10, the tube 3 for accommodating the electric wire 5 and the other four fluid tubes 3a are both made of a conductive resin. According to this example, since all the tubes 3 and 3a are electrically conductive and are a single layer, in addition to the effect described in the embodiment shown in FIG. Rub the outer surface of
There is also an advantage that even if the stored electric wire 5 moves to rub the inner surface of the tube 3 and a fluid such as supplied air rubs the inner surface of the tube 3a, static electricity is not charged. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for applications such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment in which static electricity is extremely disliked. Furthermore, when all tubes are made of the same material in this way, in addition to the method of integrating a plurality of preformed tubes by means such as fusion or adhesion, they are extruded collectively in a state of being connected in parallel. can do.

In each of the above-mentioned examples, the description is made of the five tubes and the four electric wires, but it is of course possible to increase or decrease the number of them, and the number and position of the tubes for accommodating the electric wires are It can be arbitrarily selected according to the conditions. Further, there is no problem in stacking these flat multiple tubes or forming them into a coil.

[Effect of device]

As described above, in the mechatronic tube according to the present invention, at least one of the multiple tubes is made of a conductive resin, and the electric wire is housed in the hollow portion of the conductive resin tube. It has high noise resistance against the stored electric wire, therefore it is not necessary to use the electric wire with the shield layer as in the past, and therefore the flexibility of the multiple tubes in the stored electric wire is well maintained. In addition, since the resin of all tubes including this conductive resin tube is the same material in this mechatronic tube, each tube is firmly integrated, and therefore even if there are many repeated bends It is possible to prevent peeling between them, and it is possible to exert a great effect in terms of durability.

Also, when all the tubes that make up the multiple tubes are made of a conductive resin, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, each tube is not charged even when its inner and outer surfaces are rubbed, so static electricity is a problem. It is convenient to use it in such a place.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the mechatronic tube according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an end view showing another embodiment of the mechatronic tube according to the present invention. 1,10: Mechatronic tube, 2: Synthetic resin tube, 3,3a: Conductive resin tube, 4: Multiple tube, 5: Electric wire.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. At least one or more first flexible resin tubes for supplying a fluid as a drive source, and at least one or more first flexible resin tubes for accommodating electric wires for transmitting and receiving electric signals for device control. Two flexible resin tubes, the first and second flexible resin tubes made of the same resin material are juxtaposed to each other, and the second flexible resin tube imparts conductivity. A mechatronic tube characterized by being a single-layer conductive resin tube having a filler mixed therein. 2. The mechatronic tube according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second flexible resin tubes is a conductive resin tube.