JP7336307B2 - Joint structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to joint structures.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a connector. This connector is a flexible metal tube (which is composed of thin crests and troughs) with a joint connected to one end and the other end. A skirt-like flared portion is formed at one end of the flexible tube. A nut forming the joint has a tapered inner surface for receiving the flared portion and a packing accommodating portion. The packing is a rubber packing, a type of gap seal. One end of the packing has a tapered outer surface. The tapered outer surface presses the above-described flared portion against the tapered inner surface. A cylindrical member made of metal is attached to the inner diameter side of the packing.

A person who uses the connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 first inserts one end of the flexible tube through the insertion opening of the nut. He then flares one end with a commercially available tool. A flared portion is thereby formed. The person sandwiches the flared portion between the tapered inner surface of the nut and the tapered outer surface of the packing. Then he screws the nut onto the gas meter's gas connection. The gas connection port is fitted into the nut using the cylindrical member as a guide.

The connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 is fitted into a gas connection port using a cylindrical member as a guide. Being so fitted, the packing is pressed axially so that it does not deform radially. Since the packing is pressed in the axial direction, this packing can obtain a high sealing performance.

JP 2007-78642 A

The connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 is designed to prevent the user from accidentally inserting another gap sealing material in addition to the rubber packing when connecting to the gas connection port of the gas meter. On the contrary, there is a problem that the sealing performance may deteriorate. Decreased sealing performance causes gas leakage. The present invention has been made to solve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a joint structure capable of suppressing deterioration of sealing performance due to incorrect insertion of a gap sealing material.

A joint structure of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The reason why the symbols in the drawings are used in this column is to facilitate understanding of the content of the invention, and is not intended to limit the content to the illustrated range.

To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a fitting structure comprises a pipe 10 and a one end pipe fitting 12. As shown in FIG. The one-end pipe joint 12 is a pipe joint connected to one end 20 of the pipe 10 . The one-end pipe joint 12 has a pipe connection body 40 and a connecting body 42 . The tube connector 40 is a cylindrical object. Tube connector 40 is an object that threadably connects tube 10 to something different than tube 10 . The connector 42 is a cylindrical object fixed to the tube 10 . The connecting body 42 is fixed to the pipe 10 in order to connect the pipe connecting body 40 to the pipe 10 . The pipe connector 40 has a connector inner space forming portion 80 and a connector one end receiving portion 82 . The connecting body space forming portion 80 is a cylindrical portion. The connection body space forming part 80 forms the tube connection body space 100 . The pipe connection internal space 100 is a space that continues to the inside of the pipe 10 via the connector 42 . The connecting body one end receiving portion 82 continues to the connecting body space forming portion 80 . The connecting body one end receiving portion 82 forms an inlet 88 at one end of the connecting body 42 . The connecting body one end receiving portion 82 receives one end of the connecting body 42 through the inlet 88 . The end fitting 12 further includes gap seals 44,46. Gap sealers 44 , 46 seal the gap between connector end receiving portion 82 and one end of connector 42 . The connecting body one end receiving portion 82 has a one end entry space forming portion 96 and a sealing material accommodating portion 98 . The one end entry space forming portion 96 forms a space into which one end of the connecting body 42 enters. The sealant receiver 98 receives the gap sealers 44,46. A connecting body space forming portion 80 has an object connecting portion 90 and a gap region forming portion 91 . The object connection portion 90 is a portion for connecting with an object different from the tube 10 . The gap region forming portion 91 continues to the object connecting portion 90 and the connecting body one end receiving portion 82 . The gap region forming part 91 forms the gap region 103 . The gap region 103 is a gap between the region 101 into which an object different from the tube 10 enters and the space into which one end of the connector 42 enters, in the tube connection body space 100 . Further, the above-described one-end entrance space forming portion 96 has a connecting body space side forming portion 110 and an entrance port side forming portion 112 . The connection body space side forming part 110 forms a space that continues to the pipe connection body space 100 in the space into which one end of the connecting body 42 enters. The connecting body space side forming portion 110 continues to the gap region forming portion 91 . The entrance-port-side forming portion 112 is connected to the connecting body-space-side forming portion 110 via the sealant accommodating portion 98 . The entry port side formation portion 112 forms a space that continues to the entry port 88 at one end of the connection body 42 in the space into which one end of the connection body 42 enters.

The sealant receiver 98 receives the gap sealers 44,46. The gap sealing materials 44 , 46 seal the gap between the connector end receiving portion 82 and one end of the connector 42 . In addition to the gap sealers 44 , 46 , when another gap sealer enters the entrance space forming portion 96 at one end, the gap sealer entering the space forming portion 96 at one end is connected to the space sealer at one end by the connector 42 . pushed out from Since the tube connection body space 100 has a gap area 103 , the extruded gap sealant enters the gap area 103 . As a result, even if another gap sealer accidentally enters the one end side pipe joint 12, it is less likely that the gap sealer will interfere with the sealing function of the gap sealers 44 and 46 that are accommodated in the sealant accommodating portion 98. Become. As a result, it is possible to suppress deterioration of sealing performance due to incorrect insertion of the gap sealer.

The sealant receiving portion 98 described above also includes a surrounding grooved portion 116 . Surrounding groove formation 116 forms a groove that surrounds one end of connector 42 and accommodates gap sealant 44 . In this case, the gap region forming part 91 surrounds a part of the tube connection body space 100 and forms a section shallower than the groove formed by the surrounding groove forming part 116 and deeper than the connection body space side forming part 110 . have.

If the misinserted gap sealer had the same shape as the gap sealer 44, the gap sealer that fits in the section of the gap region forming portion 91 would be constricted by the bottom of that section. . When the misinserted gap seal is collapsed, it becomes difficult for the gap seal to move within the gap section. Because the gap seal is less likely to move, movement of the gap seal is less likely to impede fluid flow through the tube.

Alternatively, the length of the section of the gap region forming portion 91 in the direction in which the pipe connection body space 100 extends is greater than the width of the groove formed by the surrounding groove formation portion 116 in the direction in which the pipe connection body space 100 extends. Long is desirable.

Longer sections are less likely to compress crevice seals that are misinserted by objects other than tube 10 that enter the section. If the erroneously inserted gap sealer is reduced in diameter while being difficult to compress in the direction in which the pipe connection body space 100 extends, the erroneously inserted gap sealer will be able to compress the pipe while suppressing movement of the erroneously inserted gap sealer. less likely to impede the flow of fluid therethrough.

Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress deterioration in sealing performance due to incorrect insertion of the gap sealer.

1 is an external view of a joint structure according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 1 is an external view of a tube connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external view of a connecting body according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are given the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Accordingly, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[Configuration of joint structure]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a joint structure according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is an external view of the tube connector according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is an external view of the connecting body according to this embodiment. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the illustrated objects are shown partially cut away. A joint structure according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

The joint structure according to this embodiment is used for connecting an object that can be screwed to another object that can be screwed. Examples of one thing and another are gas pipes and gas appliances. As a result, the joint structure according to this embodiment functions as a connector. The joint structure according to this embodiment includes a known flexible tube 10 made of metal, a one end side pipe joint 12 and a known other end side pipe joint 14 . The one-end pipe joint 12 is a pipe joint connected to one end 20 of the flexible tube 10 . The other end side pipe joint 14 is a pipe joint connected to the other end 22 of the flexible tube 10 .

The one-end pipe joint 12 has a pipe connecting body 40 made of metal, a connecting body 42 made of metal, an O-ring 44 , a sealing material 46 , and a drop-off prevention tool 48 . The tube connector 40 is a cylindrical object. Tube connector 40 is the object that threadably connects flexible tube 10 to one or the other described above. The connector 42 is a cylindrical object fixed to the flexible tube 10 . The connecting body 42 is fixed to the flexible tube 10 in order to connect the tube connecting body 40 to the flexible tube 10 . In this embodiment, the pipe connector 40 is rotatable along the surface of the connector 42 . The connector 42 is connected to the flexible tube 10 such that its central axis and the central axis of the one end 20 of the flexible tube 10 are coaxial. This allows the tube connector 40 to rotate along the surface of the one end 20 of the flexible tube 10 . As a result, the pipe connector 40 is connected to the flexible tube 10 by the connector 42 so as to be rotatable along the surface of the one end 20 of the flexible tube 10 . The connector 42 continues to one end 20 of the flexible tube 10 . The O-ring 44 and the sealing material 46 are the gap sealing material according to this embodiment. The O-ring 44 and the sealing material 46 seal the gap between the tube connector 40 and the connecting body 42 . O-rings 44 per se are well known and will not be described in detail here. In the case of this embodiment, the sealing material 46 has the following functions. Its function is to seal the gap between the tube connector 40 and the connector 42 at temperatures at which the O-ring 44 loses its function. The composition of the sealing material 46 for achieving its function and other aspects of the sealing material 46 are similar to known packings. Therefore, their detailed description is not repeated here. The drop prevention tool 48 connects the pipe connector 40 to the connector 42 so as to prevent the connector 42 from falling off from the pipe connector 40 . In this embodiment, the drop-off prevention tool 48 is a ring having a smooth surface and a part of which is notched.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the tube connector 40 has a connector inner space forming portion 80 and a connector one end receiving portion 82 . The connecting body space forming portion 80 is a cylindrical portion. The connection body space forming part 80 forms the tube connection body space 100 . The tube connection internal space 100 is a space that continues to the inside of the flexible tube 10 via the connector 42 . The connecting body one end receiving portion 82 continues to the connecting body space forming portion 80 . The connecting body one end receiving portion 82 forms an inlet 88 at one end of the connecting body 42 . The connecting body one-end receiving portion 82 receives one end of the connecting body 42 through an inlet 88 thereof. In this embodiment, it is the gap between the connecting body one end receiving portion 82 and the one end of the connecting body 42 that is directly sealed by the O-ring 44 and the sealing material 46 described above. As a result, the O-ring 44 and the sealing material 46 seal the gap between the tube connector 40 and the connecting body 42 .

The connecting body space forming portion 80 has a threaded portion 90 and a gap area forming portion 91 . A threaded portion 90 is formed at one end of the connecting body space forming portion 80 . In this embodiment, this threaded portion 90 is a female thread. In the present embodiment, this threaded portion 90 is a portion for connecting the above-described "something that can be screwed". Therefore, this threaded portion 90 is the object connecting portion according to the present embodiment. The gap region forming portion 91 continues to the threaded portion 90 and the connecting body one end receiving portion 82 . The gap region forming part 91 forms the gap region 103 . The clearance area 103 is an area adjacent to the area 101 where the above-described "something that can be screwed" enters in the tube connection body space 100 described above.

In the case of this embodiment, the gap region forming portion 91 surrounds a portion of the pipe connection internal space 100 . The gap region forming portion 91 forms a step with the connecting body one end receiving portion 82 . In the case of this embodiment, the gap region forming portion 91 is shallower than the groove formed by the surrounding groove forming portion 116 and deeper than the connecting body space side forming portion 110 in the connecting body space forming portion 80 . This will form a long interval. In the case of this embodiment, the length of the section of the gap region forming portion 91 in the direction in which the pipe connection body space 100 extends is the length of the groove formed by the surrounding groove formation portion 116 in the direction in which the pipe connection body space 100 extends. longer than wide.

The connecting body one end receiving portion 82 has a one end entry space forming portion 96 and a sealing material accommodating portion 98 . The one end entry space forming portion 96 forms a space into which one end of the connecting body 42 enters. A space into which one end of the connector 42 enters is adjacent to the gap region 103 . Therefore, the gap region 103 is a gap between the region 101 into which the above-described “something that can be screw-connected” enters and the space into which one end of the connecting body 42 enters, in the tube connection body space 100 described above. . The sealant accommodation portion 98 accommodates the O-ring 44 and the sealant 46 . As a result, in the present embodiment, the O-ring 44 and the sealing material 46 are sealed in the gap between the connecting body one end receiving portion 82 and the one end of the connecting body 42 between the one end entrance space forming portion 96 and the connecting body 42 . It becomes a gap from one end.

The one-end entrance space forming portion 96 has a connecting body space side forming portion 110 and an entrance port side forming portion 112 . The connecting body space-side forming part 110 continues to the connecting body space forming part 80 . The connection body space side forming part 110 forms a space that continues to the tube connection body space 100 in the space into which one end of the connecting body 42 enters. The entrance-port-side forming portion 112 is connected to the connecting body-space-side forming portion 110 via the sealant accommodating portion 98 . The entry port side formation portion 112 forms a space that continues to the entry port 88 at one end of the connection body 42 in the space into which one end of the connection body 42 enters.

The entrance-side forming portion 112 has a connecting-body-side groove forming portion 114 . The connecting body groove forming part 114 forms a groove. The groove surrounds the space formed by the inlet-side formation portion 112 . A drop prevention tool 48 is fitted in the groove.

The sealant-receiving portion 98 has a surrounding grooved portion 116 and an adjacent grooved portion 118 . The surrounding groove forming portion 116 forms a groove surrounding one end of the connecting body 42 . Adjacent grooved portion 118 forms a groove adjacent to surrounding grooved portion 116 and surrounding one end of connector 42 . In this embodiment, the O-ring 44 is accommodated in the groove formed by the surrounding groove forming portion 116 . The seal material 46 is accommodated in the groove formed by the adjacent groove forming portion 118 .

As shown in FIG. 3 , the connecting body 42 forms a cylinder interior space 130 . The in-cylinder space 130 is a space that continues inside the flexible tube 10 .

In the case of this embodiment, the connecting body 42 has a trunk portion 140 , a pipe one end fixing portion 142 , and a tube side groove forming portion 144 . The trunk portion 140 forms the in-cylinder space 130 . The tube one end fixing portion 142 is arranged at one end of the body portion 140 . The tube one end fixing part 142 is fixed to the one end 20 of the flexible tube 10 . The tube-side groove forming portion 144 is arranged on the outer circumference of any part of the trunk portion 140 (one end of the trunk portion 140 in this embodiment). The cylinder-side groove forming portion 144 is arranged so as to surround the trunk portion 140 . The tube-side groove forming portion 144 forms a groove. The fall prevention tool 48 fits into the groove formed by the tube-side groove forming portion 144 .

In the case of the present embodiment, the drop-off prevention tool 48 is fitted into the groove formed by the connecting body groove-forming part 114 and the drop-off prevention tool 48 is fitted into the groove formed by the tube-side groove forming part 144 . As a result, the pipe connector 40 is connected to the connector 42 so as to be rotatable along the surface of the one end 20 of the flexible tube 10 . The drop-off prevention member 48 connects the tube connector 40 so that the movement in the direction along the central axis of the connector 42 is restricted independently of the rotation along the surface of the one end 20 of the flexible tube 10 . It will be connected to the body 42 .

The other end side pipe joint 14 is a pipe joint that screw-connects the flexible tube 10 to the other of the above-mentioned one and the other. In the case of this embodiment, the other end side pipe joint 14 is configured by a well-known nipple. In this embodiment, this nipple has a portion that is externally threaded. Since the other end side pipe joint 14 is constituted by a well-known nipple, detailed description thereof will not be repeated here.

[Connection method of joint structure]
An example of the connection method of the joint structure according to this embodiment will be described. The joint structure according to this embodiment is used in an assembled state as shown in FIG. First, the operator connects the nipple of the other end side pipe joint 14 to something that can be screwed. In this example, the "something that can be threaded" is a pipe joint connected to a gas pipe. When the nipple of the pipe joint 14 on the other end is connected to the pipe joint connected to the gas pipe, the operator inserts the threaded portion 90 of the pipe connector 40 of the pipe joint 12 on the other end into another object that can be threaded. connect to. In this example, it is assumed that the "other object that can be threaded" is a threaded portion provided in a well-known gas appliance. When the threaded portion 90 of the pipe connector 40 is connected to the threaded portion provided on the gas appliance, the connection between the gas pipe and the gas appliance by the joint structure according to this embodiment is completed.

At this time, if an operator mistakenly inserts a well-known sealing material into the one end side pipe joint 12 , the sealing material is pushed out of the one end entrance space forming portion 96 by the connecting body 42 . The extruded sealing material enters the gap region 103 .

[Description of effects of the present embodiment]
As described above, the joint structure according to the present embodiment can suppress deterioration in sealing performance due to erroneous insertion of the gap sealing material.

In addition, in the joint structure according to this embodiment, if the shape of the sealing material inserted by mistake is the same as that of the O-ring 44, the movement of the O-ring 44 is less likely to block the flow of fluid through the pipe.

[Modification]
The embodiments disclosed this time are examples in all respects. The scope of the invention is not limited based on the embodiments described above. Of course, various design changes may be made to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the configuration of the other end side pipe joint 14 is not particularly limited. Other types of pipe joints may be used instead of the nipples described above.

Also, the other end side pipe joint 14 may have a female threaded portion instead of the male threaded portion. The joint structure according to the present invention may include a universal joint for a pipe joint instead of the other end pipe joint 14 described above.

Further, the gap sealing material included in the joint structure according to the present invention is not limited to the above. The joint structure according to the present invention may have another packing instead of the O-ring 44 and the sealing material 46 described above. Of course, the number of packings included in the joint structure according to the present invention is not limited to one.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Flexible tube 12 One end pipe joint 14 Other end pipe joint 20 One end 22 Other end 40 Pipe connector 42 Connector 44 Sealing material 44 O-ring 46 Sealing material 48 Removal Drop prevention tool 80 Connecting body space forming part 82 Connecting body one end receiving part 88 Entrance port 90 Threaded part 91 Gap area forming part 103 Gap area 96 One end entering space forming part 98 Sealing material accommodating part 100 Pipe connection body space 106 Connection body side groove formation part 110 Connection body space side formation part 112 Entrance side formation part 114 Connection body side groove formation part 116 Surrounding groove formation part 118 Adjacent groove formation part 130 Inner cylinder Space 140...Body part 142...Pipe one end fixing part 144...Cylinder side groove forming part

Claims (2)

a tube;
a one end side pipe joint that is a pipe joint connected to one end of the pipe;
The one end side pipe joint is
a pipe connector, which is a cylindrical object that screw-connects the pipe to something different from the pipe;
A joint structure having a connecting body, which is a tubular body fixed to the pipe for connecting the pipe connecting body to the pipe,
The tube connector is
a connecting body space-forming portion that is a cylindrical portion that forms a pipe connecting body space that is a space that continues to the inside of the pipe via the connecting body;
a coupling body one end receiving section that continues to the connection body space forming section, forms an entrance for one end of the coupling body, and receives one end of the coupling body through the entrance;
The one end side pipe joint is
further comprising a gap sealing material for sealing a gap between the one end receiving portion of the connecting body and the one end of the connecting body;
The connecting body one end receiving portion is
a one-end entry space forming part that forms a space into which one end of the connecting body enters;
a sealing material receiving portion for receiving the gap sealing material;
The connection body space forming part is
an object connection portion for connecting to the object different from the tube;
A gap region connected to the object connecting portion and the one end receiving portion of the connector and serving as a gap between a region into which the object different from the pipe enters and a space into which the one end of the connector enters in the pipe connection body space and a gap region forming portion to form ,
The one-end entry space forming part is
a connecting body space side forming portion that forms a space that continues to the pipe connecting body space in the space into which one end of the connecting body enters and that continues to the gap region forming portion;
an entrance port side forming portion that continues to the connection body space side forming portion through the sealing material accommodating portion and forms a space, in the space into which the one end of the connecting body enters, that continues to the entrance port of the one end of the connecting body; has
the seal receiving portion having a surrounding groove forming portion surrounding one end of the connecting body to form a groove for receiving the gap seal;
The clearance region forming portion has a section that surrounds a part of the pipe connecting body space and has a bottom that is shallower than the groove formed by the surrounding groove forming portion and deeper than the connecting body space side forming portion. A joint structure characterized by: The length of the section of the gap region forming portion in the direction in which the pipe connection body space extends is longer than the width of the groove formed by the surrounding groove formation portion in the direction in which the pipe connection body space extends. The joint structure according to claim 1 , characterized by:

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