Patent Application
20110221190
The present invention relates to a tube joint consisting of resin, i.e., a resin pipe joint having a structure to which a tube functioning as a fluid transfer path is connected while flaring the tube, and more particularly to a resin pipe joint which is preferred also in piping for a liquid having high purity or ultrapure water to be handled in a production process of various technical fields such as production of semiconductor devices, production of medical equipment and medicines, food processing, and chemical industry, and which is used as means for connecting a fluid apparatus such as a pump, a valve, or a filter, or a tube that is a fluid transfer path.
As a resin pipe joint of this kind, a tube joint disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is known. Namely, the tube joint is structured in the following manner. A synthetic resin-made tube 1 is forcedly pressed onto an inner cylinder portion 5 of a joint body 4, or, as shown in FIG. 2 of Patent Literature 1, a tube end portion 2 is previously flared and then fitted to the inner cylinder portion 5. Then, a union nut 6 which is previously fitted to the tube is screwed with the joint body, and forcedly moved in the axial direction of the joint body 4 by performing a fastening operation, whereby a flaring base portion 2a of the tube 1 is strongly pressed in the axial direction by an edge portion 6a to seal between the tube 1 and the inner cylinder portion 5.
As a structure similar to the above-described structure, a structure disclosed in FIGS. 8 and 9 of Patent Literature 2, and a resin pipe joint disclosed in FIG. 6 of Patent Literature 3 are known. As shown in these figures, a joint structure in which the tip end of a tube is flared, externally fitted to a joint body, and fastened by a nut has an advantage that a good sealing function is obtained although a pipe joint is economically configured by a small number (two) of components, i.e., the joint body and a union nut, as compared with a structure disclosed in FIG. 5 of Patent Literature 2, FIG. 5 of Patent Literature 3, and the like, i.e., a pipe joint having a three-component structure in which an end of a tube that is flared and externally fitted to an inner ring that is a dedicated component is fitted into a tubular receiving port of a joint body, and fastened by a union nut.
In a conventional resin pipe joint which is configured by two components as described above, however, an end of a tube is flared and firmly fitted, and a flaring base portion is fastened by a union nut, and, probably because the fastening is performed in order to attain a sealing function, there is a tendency that the joint is relatively weak against a force of pulling the tube out of a joint body. A pulling movement itself of a tube is problematic. There is a further problem in that this movement causes also a seal point due to the pressing by an edge portion to be shifted, and the sealing property is adversely influenced. In the case where, in order to handle a high-temperature fluid of 100° C. or higher, a resin pipe joint is formed by a resin material having a large coefficient of expansion such as a fluorine resin, particularly, these problems become more noticeable.
As disclosed in Patent Literature 4, therefore, it is known that a resin pipe joint which exerts not only a sealing function but also a resistance against pulling of a tube is obtained by disposing pulling resistant means having a structure in which a C-like split ring is interposed between a flared portion of the tube and a union nut in a state where the ring is fitted into a peripheral groove of the tube flared portion. In the resin pipe joint disclosed in Patent Literature 4, however, preprocessing of previously forming the peripheral groove in the tube flared portion is necessary, and the number of components is increased to three. Therefore, there arises a new problem in that the economical advantage which is originally provided in such a resin pipe joint is impaired.
In order that a resin pipe joint configured by two components or a joint body and a union nut is formed so as to have a high resistance against pulling without causing the new problem, consequently, there remains room for further improvement.
Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent. Application Laid-Open No. 2002-357294
In view of the above-discussed circumstances, it is an object of the invention to provide a resin pipe joint in which, although an economical configuration formed by two components or a joint body and a union nut is employed, both a resistance against pulling and an excellent sealing property can be attained.
The invention set forth in claim 1 is characterized in that a resin pipe joint has: a synthetic resin-made joint body 1 including an inner cylinder portion 4 to which an end portion of a synthetic resin-made tube 3 is externally fittable and attachable while being flared, and an external thread portion 5; and
a synthetic resin-made union nut 2 including: an internal thread portion 8 which is screwable with the external thread portion 5; a seal pressing portion 10 which is actable on a small-diameter portion of a flaring changing region 9 in a flared portion 3A of the tube 3, the flared portion being externally fitted to the inner cylinder portion 4; a slipping-off prevention pressing portion 11 which is actable on a large-diameter portion of the flaring changing region 9; and a pressing inner peripheral portion 13 which is externally fittable to a flared straight portion 12 of the flared portion 3A, the flared straight portion surrounding a constant-diameter straight barrel cylinder portion 4B, and
the resin pipe joint is set so that, by a screw advancement of the union nut 2 in a direction of an axis P of the joint body 1, the screw advancement being caused by screwing the internal thread portion 8 to the external thread portion 5 in a state where an end of the tube 3 is externally fitted and attached to the inner cylinder portion 4 and the flared portion 3A is formed, the pressing inner peripheral portion 13 is externally fitted to the flared straight portion 12, a portion of the large-diameter portion of the flaring changing region 9 is pressed in the direction of the axis P by the slipping-off prevention pressing portion 11, a diameter of the portion being larger than a diameter of the inner cylinder portion 4, and the small-diameter portion of the flaring changing region 9 is pressed in the direction of the axis P by the seal pressing portion 10.
The invention set forth in claim 2 is characterized in that a resin pipe joint has: a synthetic resin-made joint body 1 including an inner cylinder portion 4 to which an end portion of a synthetic resin-made tube 3 is externally fittable and attachable while being flared, and an external thread portion 5; and
a synthetic resin-made union nut 2 including: an internal thread portion 8 which is screwable with the external thread portion 5; a seal pressing portion 10 which is actable on a small-diameter portion of a flaring changing region 9 in a flared portion 3A of the tube 3, the flared portion being externally fitted to the inner cylinder portion 4; a slipping-off prevention pressing portion 11 which is actable on a large-diameter portion of the flaring changing region 9; and a pressing inner peripheral portion 13 which is externally fittable to a flared straight portion 12 of the flared portion 3A, the flared straight portion surrounding a constant-diameter straight barrel cylinder portion 4B, and
the resin pipe joint is set so that, by a screw advancement of the union nut 2 in a direction of an axis P of the joint body 1, the screw advancement being caused by screwing the internal thread portion 8 to the external thread portion 5 in a state where the tube 3 is externally fitted and attached to the inner cylinder portion 4 and the flared portion 3A is formed, the pressing inner peripheral portion 13 is pressingly contacted with and externally fitted to the flared straight portion 12, the large-diameter portion of the flaring changing region 9 is pressed in the direction of the axis P by the slipping-off prevention pressing portion 11, and the small-diameter portion of the flaring changing region 9 is pressed in the direction of the axis P by the seal pressing portion 10.
The invention set forth in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the resin pipe joint according to claim 2, the pressing inner peripheral portion 13 is pressingly contacted with and externally fitted to the flared straight portion 12 in a degree in which a radial gap is not formed between the pressing inner peripheral portion and the flared straight portion 12, and co-rotation of the flared portion 3A due to fastening of the union nut 2 does not occur.
The invention set forth in claim 4 is characterized in that, in the resin pipe joint according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the inner cylinder portion 4 is formed by an end-tapered cylinder portion 4A which causes the tube 3 to be gradually flared, and the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B which is formed in succession to a large-diameter side of the end-tapered cylinder portion 4A, and the flaring changing region 9 of the tube 3 is a portion which is put over the end-tapered cylinder portion 4A.
The invention set forth in claim 5 is characterized in that, in the resin pipe joint according to claim 4, the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B is extended to an end of the inner cylinder portion 4, the end being opposite to the end-tapered cylinder portion 4A.
The invention set forth in claim 6 is characterized in that, in the resin pipe joint according to claim 4, the inner cylinder portion 4 has a small-diameter straight barrel cylinder portion 4C which is formed in a side of the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B in a state where a diameter is smaller than the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B, the side being opposite to the end-tapered cylinder portion 4A.
The invention set forth in claim 7 is characterized in that, in the resin pipe joint according to any one of claims 1 to 3, both the joint body 1 and the union nut 2 are made of a fluorine resin.
The invention set forth in claim 8 is characterized in that, in the resin pipe joint according to claim 4, both the joint body 1 and the union nut 2 are made of a fluorine resin.
The invention set forth in claim 9 is characterized in that, in the resin pipe joint according to claim 5, both the joint body 1 and the union nut 2 are made of a fluorine resin.
The invention set forth in claim 10 is characterized in that, in the resin pipe joint according to claim 6, both the joint body 1 and the union nut 2 are made of a fluorine resin.
According to the invention of claim 1, although its detail will be described in the paragraph of embodiments, a sealing portion is formed in a tip end place of the inner cylinder portion, the tube and the joint body are satisfactorily sealed without causing the fluid to enter between the inner cylinder portion and the flared portion. The flared straight portion which is externally fitted to the inner cylinder portion is surrounded by the outer peripheral face of the straight barrel cylinder portion and the pressing inner peripheral portion, and held so as not to be expandingly deformed, and the slipping-off prevention pressing portion is positioned so as to substantially press the flared straight portion in the axial direction. Therefore, the synergy between the function in which the slipping-off prevention pressing portion directly strongly prevents the flared straight portion from performing a slipping off movement, and that in which radial expanding deformation of the flared straight portion due to a pulling force is suppressed produces a function of strongly regulating a movement of the flared portion in the axial direction and in a direction of slipping off from the inner cylinder portion. As a result, it is possible to provide a resin pipe joint in which, although an economical configuration formed by two components or a joint body and a union nut is employed, both a resistance against pulling and an excellent sealing property can be attained.
According to the invention of claim 2, although its detail will be described in the paragraph of embodiments, a sealing portion is formed in a tip end place of the inner cylinder portion, the tube and the joint body are satisfactorily sealed without causing the fluid to enter between the inner cylinder portion and the flared portion. The flared straight portion which is externally fitted to the inner cylinder portion is pressignly contacted with the outer peripheral face of the straight barrel cylinder portion and the pressing inner peripheral portion, and held so as not to be expandingly deformed, and the slipping-off prevention pressing portion is positioned so as to press the large-diameter portion of the flaring changing region in the axial direction. Therefore, the synergy between the function in which radial expanding deformation of the flared straight portion due to a pulling force is blocked, and that in which the slipping-off prevention pressing portion suppresses the flared straight portion from performing a slipping off movement produces a function of strongly regulating a movement of the flared portion in the axial direction and in a direction of slipping off from the inner cylinder portion. As a result, it is possible to provide a resin pipe joint in which, although an economical configuration formed by two components or a joint body and a union nut is employed, both a resistance against pulling and an excellent sealing property can be attained.
According to the invention of claim 3, co-rotation of the flared portion due to fastening of the union nut does not occur, and, while preventing disadvantages such as a shift of a seal point and reduction of the resistance against pulling due to a rotation movement of the flared portion from occurring, the flared straight portion can be firmly interposed and fixed between the straight barrel cylinder portion and the pressing inner peripheral face. There is an advantage that further improvement of the resistance against pulling is enabled.
According to the invention of claim 4, external fitting and attachment to the inner cylinder portion by flaring the tube with using the end-tapered cylinder portion are easily performed, and the place where the seal pressing portion acts on the flaring changing region, and that where the slipping-off prevention pressing portion acts on the flaring changing region are separated from each other in the axial direction. The sealing function and the slipping-off preventing function are easily clearly exerted. There is an advantage that the advantage of the invention of claim 1 or 2 can be enhanced.
According to the invention of claim 5, the inner cylinder portion is formed into a straight pipe shape having a tapered tip end portion. Therefore, there is an advantage that mold shaping, cutting work, and the like are easily performed, and the productivity is excellent.
According to the invention of claim 6, the inner cylinder portion is formed into an end-enlarged pipe shape having a tapered tip end portion and a base narrowed portion. Therefore, there is an advantage that the resistance against pulling of the tube is more excellent.
According to the inventions of claims 7 to 10, both the joint body and the union nut are made of a fluorine resin having excellent chemical resistance and heat resistance. Even when the fluid is a medical solution or a chemical solution, or the fluid is a high-temperature fluid, the joint structure portion is not deformed, and leakage does not easily occur. Therefore, the good sealing property and the resistance against pulling can be maintained. A fluorine resin is preferable because it is stable at a high temperature, and has high water repellency, a low coefficient of friction, a high chemical resistance, and a high electrical insulating property.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the resin pipe joint of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in
As shown in
The diameter of the portion where the external thread portion 5 if formed is clearly larger than not only the small-diameter straight barrel cylinder portion 4C, but also the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B which has the maximum diameter in the inner cylinder portion 4. A side peripheral wall 15 which is perpendicular to the axis P is formed in a step portion which is the boundary between the external thread portion and the small-diameter straight barrel cylinder portion 4C. The tip end face of the inner cylinder portion 4 is formed by a reverse taper angle which, as advancing toward the radially inner side, is closer to the inner deeper side (the deeper side in the direction of the axis P). Namely, a cut face 16 in which the diameter is larger as further advancing toward the tip end is formed, and the shape of a liquid pool peripheral portion 17 formed by expandingly displacing the inner peripheral face of the tube 3 toward the flared portion is made to have an inner-peripheral side flared shape, so that the fluid hardly stagnates in the liquid pool peripheral portion 17. The cut face 16 is formed so that its maximum diameter has a substantially intermediate value between the inner and outer diameters of the tube 3 in a natural state. However, the value is not limited to this.
As shown in
In the seal peripheral edge 10, the inner diameter is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tube 3, and a pressing face 10a is formed as a side peripheral face which is perpendicular to the axis P. In the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11, the diameter of the inner peripheral face is set to a value which is larger than the diameter of the outer peripheral face 4b of the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B which has the maximum diameter in the inner cylinder portion 4, and smaller than the diameter of the pressing inner peripheral portion 13 that is substantially equal or equal to a diameter that is obtained by adding the thickness of the tube 3 (it is set to a state in which the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 acts on the large-diameter end portion of the flaring changing region 9). Alternatively, it is not limited to this (for example, the diameter is smaller than that of the outer peripheral face 4b). Also a pressing face 11a of the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 is a side peripheral face which is perpendicular to the axis P.
The pressing inner peripheral portion 13 is set to a value at which it is press-inserted (pressingly contacted with and externally fitted) to the flared straight portion 12 in a degree in which a radial gap is not formed between the pressing inner peripheral portion and the flared straight portion 12, and co-rotation of the flared portion 3A due to fastening of the union nut 2 does not occur, and slipping-off preventing means N is configured. This is conducted in order that the fastening of the union nut 2 causes the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 to press the flared straight portion 12 so as to bite in the axial direction in order to block slipping off of the tube 3, and relief deformation in which the flared straight portion 12 is radially outward expanded is prevented from occurring by the pressing force, thereby obtaining the enhanced resistance against pulling due to cooperation with the slipping-off prevention pressing portion 11. The diameter of the pressing inner peripheral portion 13 may be set so that a radial gap is not formed or substantially not formed between the pressing inner peripheral portion and the flared straight portion 12. This is conducted in order that the fastening of the union nut 2 causes the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 to press the flared straight portion 12 in the axial direction, so that deformation in which the flared straight portion 12 is radially outward expanded is not caused or substantially not caused, thereby obtaining an effective resistance against pulling.
Next, the end portion of the tube 3 is externally fitted and inserted into the inner cylinder portion 4 by forcibly pushing the tube 3 at normal temperature to be attached while being flared, by heating the tube with using a heating source so as to be easily expandingly deformed and then pushing it, or by previously flaring the tube end with using a flaring machine (not shown) and then pushing it into the inner cylinder portion 4, so that the tube is inserted until the tube end butts against the side peripheral wall 15 as shown in
As shown in
In this case, as described above, the state is formed where a gap is not formed or substantially not formed in a radial direction between the pressing inner peripheral portion 13 and the flared straight portion 12. In Embodiment 1, the flaring changing region 9 of the tube 3 is formed as a portion which is put over the end-tapered cylinder portion 4A. The flaring changing region 9 is in a state of a tapered pipe which is gradually flared, and the seal peripheral edge 10 and the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 are in positional relationships in which they are separated from each other in the direction of the axis P. As the angle formed by the outer peripheral face 4a of the end-tapered cylinder portion 4A and the axis P is steeper, the distance between the seal peripheral edge 10 and the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 in the direction of the axis P is shorter. The seal peripheral edge 10 and the tip end of the inner cylinder portion 4 are slightly separated from each other in the direction of the axis P (see
As shown in
The flared straight portion 12 of the flared portion 3A which is pressingly externally fitted to the inner cylinder portion 4 is surrounded by the outer peripheral face 4b of the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B and the pressing inner peripheral portion 13, and held so as not to be expandingly deformed, and the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 is positioned so as to substantially bite the flared straight portion 12. This can resist a pulling force which is acted on the flared portion 3A by engagement of the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 which presses the flared straight portion 12 so as to bite the large-diameter portion of the flaring changing region 9, i.e., substantially the flared straight portion 12, and can brake and block a sliding movement of the flared portion 3A in the slipping-off direction due to that the flared straight portion 12 can be expandingly deformed by the pulling force while using the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 as the basing point. Even when the flared portion 3A is slightly slidingly moved in the direction of the axis P, also the seal point in the sealing portion S is shifted, and there is a possibility that the sealing function becomes uncertain. This can be prevented from occurring. Therefore, the slipping-off preventing means N for strongly regulating a movement in the direction of the axis P and in the direction along which the flared portion 3A slips off from the inner cylinder portion 4 is configured, thereby realizing an excellent resistance against pulling. As a result, the flare type resin pipe joint A configured by the joint body 1 and the union nut 2 is realized as an improved configuration which can be simply assembled by a nut operation in a state where the tube is attached to the inner cylinder portion, thereby attaining an excellent assembling property, and both the excellent sealing property due to the sealing portion S, and the high resistance against pulling due to the slipping-off preventing means N can be attained.
As shown in
In the joint body 1 in Embodiment 2, namely, the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B, end-expanded cylinder portion 4D, and small-diameter straight barrel cylinder portion 4C of the joint body 1 in Embodiment 1 are replaced with the straight cylinder portion 4E. In the flared portion 3A in Embodiment 2, the flared straight portion 12, diameter-reduction changing region 18, and squeezed straight portion 19 of the flared portion 3A in Embodiment 1 are replaced with the flared long-straight portion 20. In other words, the straight cylinder portion 4E in Embodiment 2 has a configuration in which the straight barrel cylinder portion 4B in Embodiment 1 is extended to the end of the inner cylinder portion 4, the end being opposite to the end-tapered cylinder portion 4A. The flared long-straight portion 20 in Embodiment 2 has a configuration in which the flared straight portion 12 in Embodiment 1 is extended to the side peripheral wall 15.
When the resin pipe joints A of Embodiments 1 and 2 are compared with each other, the joint of Embodiment 1 having the inner cylinder portion 4 in which the axial direction sectional shape exhibits a mountain-like shape is more excellent in the resistance against pulling of the tube 3, but has a disadvantage that the diameter of the inner region of the inner cylinder portion 4 is reduced and hence the working is difficult. From the viewpoint of easiness of working, the joint of Embodiment 2 having the inner cylinder portion 4 in which the axial direction sectional shape is a substantially straight shape is more excellent. Therefore, the joints may be adequately selected and set in consideration of their advantages and disadvantages.
In the slipping-off preventing means N in Embodiments 1 and 2, the diameter of the pressing inner peripheral portion 13 may be set so that a radial gap is not formed or substantially not formed between the pressing inner peripheral portion and the flared straight portion 12. Also in this configuration, the slipping-off preventing means N for regulating so that the fastening of the union nut 2 causes the slipping-off prevention peripheral edge 11 to press the flared straight portion 12 in the axial direction, whereby deformation in which the flared straight portion 12 is radially outward expanded is not caused or substantially not caused is configured, and an effective resistance against pulling can be obtained.
The seal pressing portion 10 and the slipping-off prevention pressing portion 11 may be configured by intermittent peripheral edges which are formed by division into a plurality of peripheral portions, or the angle of the edge portion in a sectional shape may be an angle which is other than 90 deg. (right angle) shown in
As the synthetic resin, various resins such as PEEK (polyether ether ketone) and PP (polypropylene) may be used in addition to a fluorine resin. As a fluorine resin, various resins such as PTFE, PFA, PVDF, and ETFE may be useful.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-202362 | Aug 2008 | JP | national |
| 2008-202363 | Aug 2008 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2009/062747 | 7/14/2009 | WO | 00 | 4/29/2011 |
