JP5965679B2 - Irrigation tube and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an irrigation tube used for irrigation and a method for producing the same.

When cultivating plants such as vegetables, fruits, and flowers, irrigation is sometimes performed using an irrigation tube in which holes (irrigation holes) are formed at regular intervals in order to save labor.
However, when water is supplied to the irrigation tube, if the water pressure is increased in order to eject water from the irrigation hole vigorously, the irrigation tube moves violently up and down, left and right, and tilts and easily reverses. As a result, uneven irrigation occurred and irrigation was likely to be uneven.

  Therefore, the irrigation tube is often formed, for example, by laminating a long film at the time of manufacturing, and welding inner surfaces facing each other at both ends in the width direction along the longitudinal direction to form an ear part (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Since this ear part contacts the ground and supports the irrigation tube, the inversion of the tube is suppressed.

JP 2006-296310 A JP 2008-295309 A

  However, in the irrigation tube in which the ear portion is formed as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is not always sufficient to suppress the inversion of the tube.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an irrigation tube that hardly reverses when water is supplied, and a method for manufacturing the same.

The irrigation tube of the present invention is a irrigation tube in which a plurality of irrigation holes are formed along the longitudinal direction of the tube, and the inner surfaces facing each other are welded and flattened while securing a plurality of flow paths. It is characterized by being.
Here, the welding is preferably performed in a linear shape along the longitudinal direction of the tube.
Moreover, it is preferable that the said welding is made | formed along the longitudinal direction in the approximate center part of the width direction of a tube.
Furthermore, the welding is preferably performed intermittently.
Moreover, it is preferable that the through-hole is formed in the welding part by which the inner surfaces which the said tube opposes were welded.

In addition, the method for producing the irrigation tube of the present invention sucks at least one surface of the tube so that the inside of the tube expands while conveying the tape-shaped tube, and at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the tube. After piercing by irradiating the tube surface with laser light, the opposing inner surfaces of the pierced tube are welded so as to secure a plurality of flow paths to form a flat shape.
Here, the welding is preferably performed linearly along the longitudinal direction of the tube.
Moreover, it is preferable that the said welding is made along the longitudinal direction in the approximate center part of the width direction of a tube.
Furthermore, the welding is preferably performed intermittently.
Moreover, it is preferable to form a through-hole in the welding part in which the inner surfaces which the said tube opposes were welded.

The irrigation tube of the present invention is difficult to reverse when water is supplied.
Moreover, according to the method for manufacturing an irrigation tube of the present invention, an irrigation tube that is difficult to reverse when water is supplied can be manufactured.

It is a perspective view which shows one embodiment of the irrigation tube of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows a state when the tube for irrigation shown in FIG. 1 is cut | disconnected between a welding part and a welding part. It is a schematic diagram which shows one embodiment of the apparatus used for the manufacturing method of the irrigation tube of this invention. (A) is a perspective view which shows the other embodiment of the irrigation tube of this invention, (b) is sectional drawing when the irrigation tube of (a) is cut | disconnected by the straight line I-I '. It is a perspective view which shows the other embodiment example of the irrigation tube of this invention.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the irrigation tube of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the irrigation tube 10 of the first embodiment, a plurality of irrigation holes 12 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the tube 11, and the inner surfaces 11 a and 11 a facing each other of the tube 11 secure a plurality of flow paths F and F. However, it is welded and flattened.
In FIG. 1, for the convenience of explanation, the dimensional ratio is different from the actual one.

The tube 11 is made of a thermoplastic resin material.
As the thermoplastic resin material, for example, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride and the like can be used.
Further, the thermoplastic resin material may contain pigments, dyes, plasticizers, stabilizers, antioxidants, fillers, and the like, if necessary.

It is preferable that the width _{W 11} of the tube 11 is 40～70Mm. If the width _{W 11} of the tube 11 is 40mm or more, it can supply a sufficient amount of water. On the other hand, the width _{W 11} is equal to 70mm or less, it becomes easy to arranged irrigation tube 10.
The thickness of the tube 11 is preferably 100 to 300 μm. If the thickness of the tube 11 is 100 μm, it can sufficiently withstand the pressure of water supplied to the irrigation tube 10. On the other hand, if the thickness is 300 μm or less, sufficient flexibility can be secured.

The irrigation holes 12 are formed in parallel at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the tube 11.
Irrigation holes 12, spacing _{S 12} in the longitudinal direction of the tube 11 is preferably 50 to 300 mm. If spacing _{S 12} is 50mm or more, it can be irrigated at moderate intervals. On the other hand, it is possible to spacing _{S 12} is equal to or less than 300 mm, is uniformly irrigated.
The diameter of the irrigation hole 12 is preferably 0.2 to 1.0 mm. If the hole diameter of the irrigation hole 12 is 0.2 mm or more, sufficient irrigation can be performed. On the other hand, if the hole diameter is 1.0 mm or less, water can be uniformly irrigated.

The formation position of the irrigation hole 12 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably formed at a position where the distance D12 from the end of the tube 11 in the width direction to the center of the irrigation hole ₁₂ is 5 to 25 mm. If the distance D ₁₂ is within the above range, sufficient watering effect can be easily obtained.

  The irrigation tube 10 is flattened by welding the inner surfaces 11a, 11a facing each other while securing the plurality of flow paths F, F. Therefore, even when water is supplied to the irrigation tube 10, the cross-sectional shape when cut in the width direction of the tube 11 is not circular and can maintain a flat shape, so that the irrigation tube 10 is difficult to roll. Therefore, the irrigation tube 10 is not easily reversed when water is supplied, and irrigation unevenness is suppressed and irrigation can be performed uniformly.

In the irrigation tube 10 of the first embodiment, the inner surfaces 11a and 11a are welded at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction at a substantially central portion in the width direction of the tube 11 to form a welded portion 13. . In this way, the welded portions 13 are formed in a row in an intermittent line, and as shown in FIG. 1, two flow paths F and F are secured in the irrigation tube 10.
In the present invention, the “flow path” refers to a passage that is continuously formed in the irrigation tube along the longitudinal direction of the tube and through which the supplied water passes through the irrigation tube.

It is preferable that the width _{W 13} of the welded portion 13 is 5 to 10 mm. If the width W ₁₃ of the welded portion 13 is 5mm or more, the inner surface 11a, since it is possible the welding of 11a between the more robust, or used for a long, even or increasing the water pressure at the water supply flaky It can be maintained well. However, if the width _{W 13} is more than 10 mm, it is difficult to supply a sufficient amount of water for the passage F, F is narrowed.

It is preferred length _{L 13} of the welded portion 13 is 10 to 20 mm. If the length L ₁₃ of the welded portion 13 is 10mm or more, the inner surface 11a, since it is possible the welding of 11a between the more robust, and used for a long or, flat even or increasing the water pressure at the water supply Can be maintained well.

By the way, when using the irrigation tube 10, it is cut at an arbitrary length, and water is supplied by connecting a water supply pipe to one end of the tube 11 in the longitudinal direction.
As shown in FIG. 1, if the welded portion 13 is formed so as to be intermittent, the shape of the cut surface when cut between the welded portion 13 and the welded portion 13 (non-welded portion). Becomes circular (see FIG. 2), and it is easy to connect the irrigation tube 10 to the water supply pipe.
In FIG. 2, the same components as those in FIG.

Welds 13, it is preferred spacing _{S 13} in the longitudinal direction of the tube 11 is 75～150Mm. If spacing S ₁₃ is 75mm or more, because the area of the non-weld portion can be sufficiently secured, if cut at the non-weld portion when used in watering tube 10, it tends to easily connect to the water pipe. On the other hand, if the spacing S ₁₃ is 150mm or less, when cut in the middle of the non-weld portion, the cut ends can be easily connected to the water pipe.

The irrigation tube 10 can be manufactured using, for example, the following manufacturing apparatus.
Here, FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an apparatus for manufacturing an irrigation tube.
The manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes an extruder 20 that produces a tube 111, pinch rolls 30 and 30 that take the tube 111 into a tape-like tube 112 (hereinafter referred to as “tape-like tube 112”), and Laser light is given to one side of the tape-shaped tube 112 between the first suction device 40 and the second suction device 50 disposed on both sides of the tape-shaped tube 112 and between the first suction device 40 and the second suction device 50. A laser beam generator 60 that irradiates and punctures at intervals, welding means 70 that welds the opposed inner surfaces of the pierced tape-shaped tube 112 so as to secure a plurality of flow paths, and flattening by the welding. And a take-up roll 80 for taking up the irrigation tube 10.

  An annular die 21 is attached to the extruder 20 constituting the manufacturing apparatus 1. Therefore, the tube 111 can be obtained by discharging the molten thermoplastic resin material from the annular die 21.

The first suction device 40 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown), and includes a pair of suction nozzles 41 and 41 arranged to face each other with the tape-like tube 112 interposed therebetween. The second suction device 50 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) and includes a pair of suction nozzles 51, 51 disposed so as to face each other with the tape-like tube 112 interposed therebetween. By using such first suction device 40 and second suction device 50, the inside of the tape-like tube 112 can be sufficiently expanded.
The first suction device 40 and the second suction device 50 are disposed with a space therebetween, and the first suction device 40 is disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the laser light generator 60, and the second suction device. The machine 50 is disposed downstream of the laser light generator 60.

Examples of the laser generated by the laser light generator 60 include a carbon dioxide laser, a YAG laser, and a semiconductor laser. A carbon dioxide laser is preferable because it is versatile and can be easily drilled.
In the present embodiment, the laser light generator 60 can reciprocate along the width direction of the tape-shaped tube 112. Thereby, the laser beam can be irradiated to an arbitrary position in the width direction of the tape-like tube 112.

Examples of the welding means 70 include an ultrasonic sealing machine including a vibrator 71 and a roll 72.
In this embodiment, the vibrator 71 and the roll 72 sandwich and press the substantially central portion in the width direction of the tape-shaped tube 112 at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction, and can transmit ultrasonic vibration from the vibrator 71. It is like that. As a result, the sandwiched portion is softened and melted so that the inner surfaces facing each other of the tape-shaped tube 112 are welded to each other, and welded at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction to the substantially central portion in the width direction of the tape-shaped tube 112. The part can be formed.

  The winding roll 80 is rotationally driven to wind up the obtained irrigation tube 10. By winding the irrigation tube 10 by the winding roll 80, the tape-shaped tube 112 can be conveyed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the winding roll 80 serves as a conveying unit.

An embodiment of a method for producing an irrigation tube using the production apparatus 1 will be described.
In the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, a tube manufacturing process for continuously manufacturing the tape-shaped tube 112, a perforating process for drilling one side of the tape-shaped tube 112 at a predetermined interval, and an inner surface of the tape-shaped tube 112 facing each other. There are a welding step of welding each other so as to secure a plurality of flow paths, and a winding step of winding the irrigation tube 10 flattened by the welding step.

Tube manufacturing process:
In the tube manufacturing process, the tube 111 is manufactured by extruding the thermoplastic resin material with the extruder 20, and the tube 111 is formed into a tape shape. Specifically, the thermoplastic resin material is melted and discharged from the annular die 21 to produce the tube 111, and the tube 111 is sandwiched between the pinch rolls 30 and 30 to obtain the tape-like tube 112.

The extrusion temperature is preferably 150 to 200 ° C. If the extrusion molding temperature is 150 ° C. or higher, the tube 111 can be easily molded, and if it is 200 ° C. or lower, deterioration of the thermoplastic resin material can be prevented.
The diameter of the annular die 21 is preferably 30 to 50 mm. If the diameter of the annular die 21 is 30 mm or more, the irrigation tube 10 capable of sufficiently supplying water can be obtained, and if it is 50 mm or less, the irrigation tube 10 suitable for use can be obtained.
The tube 111 obtained by discharging from the die 21 may be cooled by water cooling or air cooling as necessary.

Drilling process:
In the drilling step, laser light is irradiated from the laser light generator 60 to the surface on one side of the tape-shaped tube 112 to form a irrigation hole. At that time, the laser light generator 60 is reciprocated in the width direction of the tape-shaped tube 112 so that the irrigation holes are formed in parallel along the longitudinal direction of the tape-shaped tube 112 at predetermined intervals. .

The intensity of the laser beam is preferably 12 to ²⁰ W / cm ² . If the intensity of the laser beam is 12 W / cm ² or more, the hole can be easily drilled, and if it is 20 W / cm ² or less, the predetermined hole diameter can be easily set.

In the present embodiment, the tape-like tube 112 is sucked by the first suction device 40 and the second suction device 50 to expand the inside of the tube, and in this state, the tape-like tube 112 is irradiated with laser and punched.
In suctioning the tape-shaped tube 112, it is preferable that the interval inside the tube is 3 to 5 mm. If the interval inside the tube is 3 mm or more, penetration from one surface of the tape-shaped tube 112 to the other surface can be sufficiently prevented. However, it may be difficult to aspirate so that the interval inside the tube exceeds 5 mm.

Welding process:
In the welding step, the inner surfaces facing each other in the width direction of the tape-like tube 112 obtained in the perforating step are welded so as to secure a plurality of flow paths, thereby forming a welded portion. In this way, the irrigation tube 10 is obtained.
As a welding method, for example, a substantially central portion in the width direction of the tape-like tube 112 is sandwiched and pressed between the vibrator 71 and the roll 72 at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction, and ultrasonic vibration is transmitted from the vibrator 71. The method of welding is applied.
The welding temperature is appropriately selected according to the thermoplastic resin material to be used, and is, for example, 250 to 300 ° C.
After the welding, the tape-like tube 112 is cooled as necessary.

Winding process:
In the winding process, the obtained irrigation tube 10 is wound up by a winding roll 80 to form a roll.

According to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the first suction device 40 and the second suction device 50 irradiate the laser beam with the inside of the tape-shaped tube 112 being expanded, so that one of the tape-shaped tubes 112 is used. Penetration from one surface to the other can be prevented. Moreover, since the suction is applied, the inside of the tape-like tube 112 can be easily expanded.
Furthermore, since the tape-like tube 112 is sucked by the first suction device 40 and the second suction device 50 before and after the laser light irradiation, the inside of the tape-like tube 112 can be sufficiently expanded. It is possible to easily prevent penetration from one surface to the other surface and bonding between one surface and the other surface by a resin melted by laser light irradiation.

The irrigation tube 10 thus obtained is used, for example, as follows.
That is, first, the irrigation tube 10 is cut between the welded portion 13 and the welded portion 13 (non-welded portion) so as to have an arbitrary length. Next, the irrigation tube 10 is arranged at a predetermined position in the field, a water supply pipe is connected to one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the irrigation tube 10, and water supply to the irrigation tube 10 is started. As a result, water is ejected from the irrigation holes 12 to irrigate the field.

  The irrigation tube of the present invention described above is welded and flattened while the inner surfaces of the tubes facing each other are secured with a plurality of flow paths, so that even when water is supplied, the flattened shape can be maintained and rolled. Hateful. For this reason, the irrigation tube of the present invention is less likely to reverse than the case of preventing inversion by the ear as in the conventional irrigation tube, and irrigation unevenness is suppressed and uniform irrigation can be achieved.

  Moreover, according to the irrigation tube of the present invention, the cross-sectional shape in the width direction of the tube when water is supplied differs between the welded portion and the non-welded portion. Therefore, the direction of water ejected from the irrigation hole formed in the vicinity of the welded portion and the irrigation hole formed in the vicinity of the non-welded portion is likely to be different, and irrigation can be performed more dispersedly.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, 2nd Embodiment of the irrigation tube of this invention is described, referring FIG.
In the irrigation tube 10 of the second embodiment, the difference from the irrigation tube 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is that the welded portion 13 is a continuous linear shape, A plurality of through holes 14 penetrating the welded portion 13 are formed. Since the other components are the same as those of the irrigation tube 10 of the first embodiment, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the irrigation tube 10 of the second embodiment is continuously welded along the longitudinal direction at the substantially central portion in the width direction of the tube 11 with each other. The weld portion 13 is formed. In this way, the welded portions 13 are formed in a line in a continuous line, and two flow paths F and F are secured in the irrigation tube 10 as shown in FIG.
If the welded portion 13 is formed so as to have a continuous linear shape, the inner surfaces 11a and 11a are welded more firmly, so the welded portion 13 does not peel off even if the water pressure during water feeding is increased. The flow paths F and F can be secured. Therefore, the flat shape is more easily maintained, and the reversal at the time of water supply can be further suppressed.

  When the irrigation tube 10 shown in FIG. 4 (a) is used, the inner surfaces 11a and 11a are peeled off at one end portion in the longitudinal direction and the welded portion 13 in the vicinity thereof, and the flatness of this portion is released. Then, it may be connected to the water pipe, or may be connected to the water pipe via a joint. The same applies to the case where the irrigation tube 10 is cut at an arbitrary length.

By the way, when water is supplied to the irrigation tube 10, the two flow paths F and F expand as shown in FIG. 4B, and a recess H is formed by the flow paths F and F and the welded portion 13. Depending on the formation position of the irrigation hole 12, the water ejected from the irrigation hole 12 may flow into and accumulate in the depression H, and the irrigation hole 12 is blocked by the water W accumulated in the depression H, and water is ejected from the irrigation hole 12. It may be difficult.
However, in the case of the irrigation tube 10 shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the through hole 14 penetrating the welded portion 13 from the front surface to the back surface is formed in the welded portion 13. Even if water flows in, the water is discharged from the through hole 14. Therefore, regardless of the position where the irrigation hole 12 is formed, water does not easily accumulate in the depression H, and blockage of the irrigation hole 12 by water can be suppressed, and water can be constantly ejected from the irrigation hole 12 at a constant rate.

  The hole diameter and the formation position of the through-hole 14 are not particularly limited as long as the size and position allow the water flowing into the depression H to be discharged.

The irrigation tube 10 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B can be manufactured, for example, as follows.
First, a tube preparation process, a drilling process, and a welding process are performed in the same manner as the irrigation tube 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. Next, a penetration step for forming a through hole in the welded portion formed in the welding step). Thereafter, the irrigation tube 10 obtained in the winding step is wound up.
The method for forming the through hole in the welded part in the penetration process is not particularly limited as long as the welded part 13 can be penetrated from the front surface to the back surface, and includes machining using a punch or the like, laser processing, and the like.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments. For example, in the first and second embodiments, the welding of the inner surfaces of the tubes facing each other is made in a line along the longitudinal direction at a substantially central portion in the width direction of the tube, but is displaced from the substantially central portion. Or two or more rows. Moreover, the welding may be made along the width direction of the tube, as long as a plurality of flow paths can be secured.
Moreover, although the welding part is intermittently formed in 1st Embodiment, you may form continuously. Further, the form of welding is not limited to a linear shape, and may be, for example, a dot shape.
On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the welded portion is formed continuously, but may be formed intermittently.

Moreover, in the said 1st, 2nd embodiment, although the irrigation hole is formed in parallel along the longitudinal direction of a tube, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, an irrigation hole may be formed in zigzag form.
In FIG. 5, the same components as those in FIG.

In the first and second embodiments, the manufacturing apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 3 is used, and the first suction device 40 and the second suction device 50 are arranged before and after the laser beam irradiation, so that the tape-shaped tube is used. 112 is sucked, but a suction machine (first suction machine 40) may be arranged only before laser light irradiation, or a suction machine (second suction machine 50) is arranged only after laser light irradiation. Also good. However, even in that case, in order to expand the inside of the tape-shaped tube 112, the suction device preferably includes a pair of suction nozzles 51, 51 arranged so as to face each other with the tape-shaped tube 112 interposed therebetween.
In the manufacturing apparatus 1, a heat sealing machine or the like may be used as the welding means 70 instead of the ultrasonic sealing machine.

Moreover, in the manufacturing method of the irrigation tube of this invention, you may produce a tape-shaped tube by laminating | stacking two elongate films and heat-sealing the both ends of the width direction along a longitudinal direction. In this case, ears are formed at both ends in the width direction of the irrigation tube.
Further, the irrigation holes may be formed on both sides of the tape-like tube. For example, the irrigation hole may be formed by penetrating from one surface of the tape-like tube 112 to the other surface using a needle or the like.

10: Irrigation tube, 11: Tube, 11a: Inner surface, 12: Irrigation hole, 13: Welded part, 14: Through hole, F: Channel, H: Depression, W: Water.

Claims (11)

In the irrigation tube in which a plurality of irrigation holes are formed along the longitudinal direction of the tube,
The inner surfaces facing each other are welded and flattened while securing a plurality of flow paths ,
The irrigation tube, wherein the irrigation hole is formed in each flow path .   The irrigation tube according to claim 1, wherein the welding is performed in a linear shape along a longitudinal direction of the tube.   The irrigation tube according to claim 2, wherein the welding is performed along a longitudinal direction at a substantially central portion in a width direction of the tube.   The irrigation tube according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the welding is performed intermittently. 5. The irrigation tube according to claim 4, wherein a length of the welding is 10 to 20 mm, and a distance between the weldings in a longitudinal direction of the tube is 75 to 150 mm. The irrigation tube according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein a through-hole is formed in a welded portion where inner surfaces facing each other of the tube are welded.   While transporting the tape-shaped tube, sucking at least one side of the tube so that the inside of the tube expands, and punching by irradiating the tube surface with laser light at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the tube, A method for producing an irrigation tube, characterized in that the inner surfaces facing each other of the perforated tube are welded so as to secure a plurality of flow paths and are flattened. The said welding is made in linear form along the longitudinal direction of a tube, The manufacturing method of the tube for irrigation of Claim 7 characterized by the above-mentioned. 9. The method for manufacturing an irrigation tube according to claim 8 , wherein the welding is performed along a longitudinal direction at a substantially central portion in a width direction of the tube. The method for manufacturing an irrigation tube according to claim 8 or 9 , wherein the welding is performed intermittently. The method for producing a irrigation tube according to any one of claims 7 to 10 , wherein a through hole is formed in a welded portion where inner surfaces facing each other of the tube are welded.

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