JPH11207823A - Apparatus and method for heating heat-shrinkable tube - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus and method capable of uniformly shrinking a heat-shrinkable tube over the entire periphery thereof. SOLUTION: A curved surface-shaped feed passage 3 into which the heat- shrinkable tube set in an electric wire is to be sent, the heat ray radiation sources (halogen lamps 41, 42) provided on both sides of the feed passage 3 and the outer and inner belts 6, 7 allowing the heat-shrinkable tubes introduced into the feed passage 3 to run along the feed passage 3 are provided. By forming the feed passage into the curved surface shape, the heat-shrinkable tube is revolved and heat rays are applied to the entire surface of the heat-shrinkable tube to uniformly heat the tube.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for shrinking a heat-shrinkable tube used for connecting a wire.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When covering a wire connection portion with a heat-shrinkable tube, an apparatus as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is used. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the heating device, and FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the heating device, omitting an upper structure. This is the heat shrink tube T
This is a device in which the electric wire W fitted therein is fed along the transport path 30 (FIG. 4), and the tube T is heated and contracted by convective heat of the heater 31. This device has a planar transport path 30,
On both sides of the transport path 30, belts 33 driven by rollers 32 are arranged above and below the transport path 30. That is, there are two belts 33 on the upper and lower sides on one side of the transport path 30, and a total of four belts 33 are used on both sides of the transport path 30. In the middle of the transport path 30, the ceramic plates 34 are vertically opposed to each other, and each ceramic plate 34 is provided with a heater 31 such as a nichrome wire.

[0003] When heating the heat-shrinkable tube, the conveying path
An electric wire W into which the heat-shrinkable tube T has been fitted is fed from one end of 30. At this time, the electric wire W is positioned in the middle of the transport path 30, and the electric wire W extending on both sides of the heat-shrinkable tube is sandwiched between the upper and lower belts 33 on both sides of the transport path 30. Each belt
The roller 33 is driven by the rotation of the roller 32 and sends out the heat-shrinkable tube T integrated with the electric wire W to the other end of the transport path 30. The heat-shrinkable tube T is moved between the upper and lower heaters 31 while passing through the transport path 30.
Is heated by the convective heat from the air and contracted.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned heating apparatus has a problem that it is difficult to uniformly shrink the entire circumference of the heat-shrinkable tube. That is, since heating is performed by convective heat from the heater in the planar transport path, the upper and lower portions of the heat-shrinkable tube are easily heated by the heater, but the front and rear portions of the tube in the transport direction are hardly heated and uneven shrinkage is likely to occur. .

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a heating apparatus and a heating method capable of uniformly shrinking a heat-shrinkable tube over the entire circumference.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object is achieved by making the conveying path of the heat-shrinkable tube into a curved surface and performing heating by radiant heat by heat rays.

That is, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a curved conveying path into which a heat-shrinkable tube fitted into an object to be coated is fed, heat radiation sources provided on both sides of the conveying path, and introduced into the conveying path. And a drive mechanism for causing the heat-shrinkable tube to travel along the transport path.

Here, it is optimal that the curved shape of the transport path is an arc shape. The drive mechanism includes a pair of inner belts and a pair of outer belts running along the transport path, each inner belt and the outer belt are in surface contact with each other, and the heat-shrinkable tube is positioned at the middle of the transport path, and both ends thereof It is preferable that the object to be coated extending between the inner belt and the outer belt is sandwiched between the inner belt and the outer belt.

Preferably, a plurality of heat radiation sources are provided, and the radiation sources are alternately arranged on one side and the other side of the transport path. Further, it is desirable that a reflector is provided for the radiation source of the heat ray, and the reflector is a paraboloid.

Further, the method of the present invention is a method for heating a heat-shrinkable tube fitted in a coating object, wherein the heat-shrinkable tube is conveyed along a revolving orbit, and both of the inner and outer peripheral sides of the orbital are revolved. The heat shrink tube is shrunk by heating with a hot wire.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a heat-shrinkable tube is run on the apparatus of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus of the present invention includes an outer peripheral heating unit 1 having a cross section and an inner peripheral heating unit 2 having an L cross section. The outer peripheral heating section 1 is arranged with the concave portion facing sideways, and the inner peripheral heating section 2 is arranged so that the convex portion projecting in the horizontal direction is fitted into the concave portion, and the heat shrink tube is transported between the concave portion and the convex portion. Road 3 is formed. That is, the transfer path 3 of the heat-shrinkable tube is formed in an arcuate curved surface. In this example, the heat-shrinkable tube is introduced from the upper end of the transport path and discharged from the lower end.

On the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion of the outer peripheral heating section 1 and on the outer peripheral surface of the convex section of the inner peripheral heating section 2, a plurality of heat radiation sources for heating the heat-shrinkable tube are attached. In this example, the halogen lamps 41 and 42 for irradiating near infrared rays (for example, wavelength of 1.2 to 1.8 μm) were used. In the figure, an example is shown in which four lamps 41 are installed in the outer peripheral heating unit 1 and two lamps 42 are installed in the inner peripheral heating unit 2, but the number is not particularly limited. The arrangement of these halogen lamps 41 and 42 is such that when viewed from the center of the arc forming the transport path 3, the lamp 41 of the outer peripheral heating unit 1 and the lamp 42 of the inner peripheral heating unit 2 do not line up on the same diameter. preferable. As a result, each of the halogen lamps 41 and 42
Are arranged almost alternately on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side, so that the heat-shrinkable tube is easily shrunk evenly over the entire circumference as described later.

A reflecting plate 5 is provided behind each of the halogen lamps 41 and 42. The reflecting plate 5 is provided to irradiate the heat rays of the lamps 41 and 42 to the conveying path 3 as much as possible. In this example, a parabolic cross section was used.

In order to cause the heat-shrinkable tube to travel along the above-described transport path 3, an outer belt 6 circulating through the outer peripheral heating unit 1 and an inner belt 7 circulating through the inner peripheral heating unit 2 are used. . Four outer rollers 8 having no driving mechanism are arranged in the outer peripheral heating section 1 in a square shape.
The outer belt 6 is hung on the outer periphery of the. Further, the inner peripheral heating section 2 is provided with a single inner roller 9 and a motor 10, and the inner belt 7 is hung between the two to drive this belt.

FIG. 1 shows only the outer belt 6 and the inner belt 7 on one side of the transport path 3, but such belts 6, 7 are provided on both sides of the transport path 3, and the outer belt 6, the inner belt 7 are used two each.

The outer belt 6 and the inner belt 7 come into surface contact with each other at the passage of the transport path 3, and the outer belt 6 also travels in conjunction with the driving of the inner belt 7 by the motor 10. Therefore, when the heat-shrinkable tube fitted to the connection portion of the electric wire is introduced from one end of the transfer path 3, the heat-shrinkable tube is located at the center of the transfer path 3 and receives heat rays from the halogen lamps 41 and 42. At the same time, the heat-shrinkable tube is advanced along the transport path 3 by sandwiching the electric wires projecting from both ends of the heat-shrinkable tube between the outer belt 6 and the inner belt 7 located on both sides of the transport path 3. In this way, the outer belt 6 and the inner belt 7 are brought into surface contact with each other to rotate, so that only one motor 10 is required as a drive source, and the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified.

The use procedure and operation of such an apparatus will be described. A heat-shrinkable tube is fitted around the connection part of the electric wire,
Introduce this from one end. The introduced electric wire W is shown in FIG.
, The outer belt 6 and the inner belt 7 on both sides of the conveying path 3
And the heat-shrinkable tube is located at the center of the transport path 3 and advances along the curved transport path 3.

As shown in FIG. 3,
Heat rays are emitted from almost the entire circumference during the passage through the transport path 3. That is, since the heat-shrinkable tube T is revolved by making the transport path 3 curved, the entire circumference of the heat-shrinkable tube T is irradiated with heat rays to be uniformly heated. In particular, the lamps 41, 42 of the outer peripheral heating unit 1 and the inner peripheral heating unit 2 are arranged almost alternately on the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the transport path 3, and the direct heat rays from the halogen lamps 41, 42 are provided. Both the heat ray and the heat ray passing through the reflection plate 5 are irradiated to the heat shrinkable tube T, whereby the shrinkage with high uniformity can be performed.

The electric wire contracted and attached to the heat-shrinkable tube is discharged from the other end of the transport path 3. By repeatedly performing such operations, the heat shrinkable tube can be continuously heated.

(Test Example) The heat shrinkable tube was heated by using the above-mentioned apparatus, and at the same time, the conventional heating apparatus was also heated to compare the required time and the waterproofness after shrinkage. The test conditions are as follows. Electric wire: Shielded wire (3 cores) Heat shrink tube: Outer diameter before shrinkage = 10mmφ, length = 65
mm Conventional heating device (comparative example): constant temperature bath or the device shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 The number of halogen lamps of the example device (example) used in the test was 3 in total on both the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side. It is a book. Table 1 shows the test results.

[0022]

[Table 1]

As shown in this table, in the comparative example, it took a long time in the case of the thermostatic bath, and in the case of the apparatus shown in FIGS.
On the other hand, it was confirmed that in the heating by the apparatus of the example, the contraction was performed in a short time and a connection portion having sufficient waterproofness could be formed.

[0024]

As described above, according to the apparatus or method of the present invention, the conveying path is formed into a curved surface, heated by the radiant heat of the heat ray, and advanced while revolving the heat-shrinkable tube, so that the entire circumference is evenly distributed. Can shrink. Further, the heat-shrinkable tube can be contracted in a shorter time than in the conventional technique.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a heat-shrinkable tube is run in the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement of a halogen lamp in the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a conventional heat-shrinkable tube heating device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of a conventional heat shrink tube heating device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 outer circumference heating section 2 inner circumference heating section 3 transport path 41,42
Halogen lamp 5 Reflector 6 Outer belt 7 Inner belt 8 Outer roller 9 Inner roller 10 Motor 30 Transport path 31 Heater 32 Roller 33
Belt 34 ceramic plate

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A curved conveying path into which a heat-shrinkable tube inserted into a coating object is fed, a radiation source of heat rays provided on both sides of the conveying path, and a heat-shrinkable tube introduced into the conveying path. A heating device for a heat-shrinkable tube, comprising: a drive mechanism for traveling along a transport path. 2. A drive mechanism comprising a pair of inner belts and a pair of outer belts running along a transport path, wherein each inner belt and the outer belt are in surface contact with each other, and a heat-shrinkable tube is provided in the middle of the transport path. The heating device for a heat-shrinkable tube according to claim 1, wherein the object to be coated is located between the inner belt and the outer belt, and the object to be coated extending to both ends is positioned between the inner belt and the outer belt. 3. The heat shrink tube heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of heat ray radiation sources are provided, and each radiation source is alternately arranged on one side and the other side of the transport path. 4. The heating device for a heat-shrinkable tube according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source of the heat ray includes a reflector, and the reflector is a paraboloid. 5. A method for heating a heat-shrinkable tube fitted in a coating object, wherein the heat-shrinkable tube is conveyed along a revolving orbit and heated by a hot wire from both the inner and outer peripheral sides of the orbital. Heating the heat-shrinkable tube by shrinking the heat-shrinkable tube.