Resin pipe joint, piping, and piping production method
11441716 · 2022-09-13
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
F16L47/32
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16L41/021
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F16L41/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16L47/32
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A resin pipe joint (1, 11) includes a tubular joint body portion (2, 12) defining an internal flow path (P) the internal flow path being configured to allow a fluid to flow therein; and two or more welding end portions (3-3c, 13a, 13b) respectively provided at two or more opening portions (A1-A3) of the internal flow path (P), each of the welding end portions being configured to be welded to an abutting welding end portion of other resin piping member, wherein the internal flow path (P) comprises: one of a branched point (Bp) that branches the internal flow path (P) into two or more portions; a curved point (Cp) that bends the internal flow path (P); and an internal diameter transition point (Tp) that changes an internal diameter of the internal flow path, in mid-way of the internal flow path, and wherein a length (Lh) from the branched point (Bp), the curved point (Cp) or the inner diameter transition point (Tp) to an end face of the welding end portion (3-3c, 13a, 13b) is shorter than half of a straight distance (SD, SD1-SD4) between two points adjacent to each other, the two points being selected from the group consisting of branched points (Bp), curved points (Cp) and inner diameter transition points (Tp) of piping to be formed using the resin pipe joints (1, 11).
Claims
1. Piping comprising: a resin piping member having first and second welding end portions, each of the first and second welding end portions of the resin piping member having a welding end face and an opening defining an inner diameter; and first and second resin pipe joints, each of the resin pipe joints comprising (a) a tubular body portion defining an internal flow path between first and second open ends; and (b) first and second welding end portions provided at the first and second open ends, respectively, of the tubular body portion, each of the welding end portions of each of the first and second resin pipe joints having a welding end face configured to be welded, by the application of resin melting heat and pressure, to the welding end face of one of the first and second welding end portions of the resin piping member, each of the welding end portions having an internal flow path of increasing internal diameter between one of the open ends of the tubular body portion and the welding end face; wherein each of the internal flow paths defined by the internal body portions of the first and second resin pipe joints comprises one of (a) a branch point at which the internal flow path branches into two or more portions, (b) a curve point at which the internal flow path bends, and (c) an internal diameter transition point at which the internal diameter of the internal flow path changes; wherein a length from the one of the branch point, the curve point, and the internal diameter transition point to the welding end face of the welding end portion of each of the first and second resin pipe joints is shorter than half of a shortest straight distance between two points in the piping including the first resin pipe joint, the resin piping member, and the second resin pipe joint, wherein one of the two points is one of a branch point, a curve point, and an internal diameter transition point in the first resin pipe joint, and the other of the two points is one of a branch point, a curve point, and an internal diameter transition point in the second resin pipe joint; wherein the internal flow path of the welding end portion of each of the first and second resin pipe joints is defined by a tapered inner wall surface having a taper angle by which the internal flow path of each of the welding end portions increases in cross-sectional area toward the welding end face of each of the first and second resin pipe joints, whereby at least one of the welding end faces of each of the first and second resin pipe joints has an inner diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of at least one of the welding end portions of the resin piping member; and wherein the taper angle is from 0.5° to 1.0° relative to a central axis line of the internal flow path.
2. The piping according to claim 1, wherein the length from the one of the branch point, the curve point, and the internal diameter transition point of the first resin pipe joint to the welding end face of at least one of the first and second welding end portions of the first resin pipe joint is longer than half of an outer diameter of at least one of the first and second welding end portions of the first resin pipe joint.
3. The piping according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the length from the one of the branch point, the curve point, and the internal diameter transition point of the first resin pipe joint to the welding end face of a first one of the first and second welding end portions of the first resin pipe joint, to an outer diameter of the first one of the first and second welding end portions of the first resin pipe joint, is within a range of from 0.81 to 3.90.
4. The piping according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the shortest straight distance between the two points to an outer diameter of a first one of the first and second welding end portions of the first resin pipe joint is within a range of from 1.61 to 7.9.
5. A method for making piping, comprising: (i) providing first and second resin pipe joints, each of the first and second resin pipe joints comprising: a tubular joint body portion defining an internal fluid flow path and having at least two ends; and a welding end portion at at least one end of the body portion, the welding end portion extending to a welding end face defining an opening, the welding end portion having an internal flow path of increasing internal diameter between the one end of the body portion and the welding end face; wherein the internal flow path defines a flow path changing point selected from the group consisting of (a) a branch point at which the internal flow path branches into two or more portions; (b) a curve point at which the internal flow path bends; and (c) an internal diameter transition point at which the internal diameter of the internal flow path changes; (ii) providing a resin piping member having first and second open ends and a welding end portion at each of the first and second open ends, each of the welding end portions of the resin piping member having a welding end face and an internal diameter equal to the internal diameter of the welding end faces of the first and second resin pipe joints; and (iii) holding the welding end face of the welding end portion of the first resin pipe joint against a first one of the welding end faces of the resin piping member while applying resin melting heat and pressure to weld the welding end face of the welding end portion of the first resin pipe joint to the first one of the welding end faces of the resin piping member, and holding the welding end face of the welding end portion of the second resin pipe joint against a second one of the welding end faces of the resin piping member while applying resin melting heat and pressure to weld the welding end face of the second resin pipe joint to the second one of the welding end faces of the resin piping member, thereby connecting the first resin pipe joint, the resin piping member, and the second resin pipe joint; wherein, after the holding and welding step, a length from the flow path changing point of the first resin pipe joint to the welding end face of the welding end portion of the first resin pipe joint is less than half of a straight distance between the flow path changing point of the first resin pipe joint and the flow path changing point of the second resin pipe joint, and a length from the flow path changing point of the second resin pipe joint to the welding end face of the welding end portion of the second resin pipe joint is less than half of the straight distance between the flow path changing point of the first resin pipe joint and the flow path changing point of the second resin pipe joint; wherein the internal flow path of the welding end portion of each of the first and second resin pipe joints is defined by a tapered inner wall surface having a taper angle by which the internal flow path of the welding end portion of each of the first and second resin pipe joints increases in cross-sectional area toward the welding end face of each of the first and second resin pipe joints, whereby at least one of the welding end faces of each of the first and second resin pipe joints has an inner diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of at least one of the welding end portions of the resin piping member; and wherein the taper angle is from 0.5° to 1.0° relative to a central axis line of the internal flow path.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(12) Embodiments of this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. A resin pipe joint 1 illustrated in a plan view and a cross-sectional view in
(13) Here, when constructing piping as described below including the resin pipe joint 1, each of the welding end portions 3a-3c of the resin pipe joint 1 is welded to an abutting end portion of a resin tube member having a straight-pipe shape, curved pipe shape or the like or other resin pipe joint, by using a welding machine (not shown) or the like. The welding can be carried out, for example, by holding the resin pipe joint 1 and the resin tube member or the like on a pair of clamp jigs of the welding machine, in such a posture that the end portion of the resin pipe joint 1 and the end portion of the resin tube member or the like are opposed to each other, and then bringing the resin pipe joint 1 and the resin tube member or the like close to each other while heating both of the end portions of the resin pipe joint 1 and the resin tube member or the like held on the clamp jigs to melt them by a heater or other heating device and abutting their end portions against each other by applying a required pressure. Each of the welding end portions 3a-3c can provide a thickness of 1 mm or more as a welding margin.
(14) Here, the internal flow path P in the joint body portion 2 generally has a circular flow path cross section and serves to allow a fluid, for example a liquid such as a chemical liquid or a gas or other fluid to flow therein so as to supply the fluid to a certain position, when using piping including the resin pipe joint 1. The internal flow path P according to the embodiment is composed of a base portion having a central axis line C1 linearly extending and a branched portion having a central axis line C2 vertically branching from the base portion at the center in mid-way of the extension of the base portion.
(15) The resin pipe joint 1 has a branched point Bp that branches the internal flow path P into two portions at a position where the central axis line C1 of the base portion of the internal flow path P intersects with the central axis line C2 of the branched portion. In the illustrated resin pipe joint 1, the central axis line C1 of the base portion of the internal flow path P and the central axis line C2 of the branched portion intersect at a branched point Bp at an angle of 90°, but it may also be other resin pipe joints in which those central axis lines intersect at other angles.
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(17) In this embodiment, the internal flow path P bends in the middle of its extension and has linear center axis lines C1 and C2 that intersect with each other at an angle of 90°. The resin pipe joint 11 has a curved point Cp that bends the internal flow path P, at a position where the two straight central axis lines C1 and C2 intersect with each other. It may also be a resin pipe joint having an internal flow path in which the central axis lines intersect at an angle other than 90°, although not shown.
(18)
(19) In this embodiment, as shown in
(20) It should be noted that the resin pipe joint having such an inner diameter transition point is not limited to the pipe joint shown in
(21) Piping having a piping portion as illustrated in
(22) The piping portion shown in
(23) When producing piping having such a piping portion, a plurality of resin piping members such as resin pipe joints or resin tube members are used so as to form piping having a predetermined shape, in view of a space to arrange the piping or other conditions. In the recent circumstances where reduction of piping volume is desired, it is particularly necessary that a straight distance SD between two points adjacent to each other selected from the group consisting of branched points Bp, curved points Cp and inner diameter transition points Tp of the resin pipe joints of the piping is relatively short.
(24) Here, conventionally, when a length Lh from the branched point Bp, the curved point Cp, or the inner diameter transition point Tp to the end face of the welding end portion of the resin pipe joint was too long as a joint used for a predetermined portion of piping having a predetermined shape, the end portion(s) of the resin pipe joint was cut and shortened during the production of the piping, but there was a problem that such a cutting operation remarkably deteriorated the production efficiency of the piping.
(25) For example, as shown in
(26) As described above, when the end portion of the resin pipe joint 1 is cut so as to coincide with the shape of the piping, the pipe inner diameter of the cut end portion will become smaller than the pipe inner diameter of the original end portion. Therefore, when the cut end portion is welded to an end portion of a resin tube member or the like, a step due to the difference in inner diameter is formed in the welding portion, so that a liquid pool is formed and a flow rate is reduced at the time of use. However, this invention can also be applied to any resin pipe joint in which the internal flow path is not tapered as stated above.
(27) In this invention, in order to address such a problem, the length Lh from the branched point Bp, the curved point Cp or the inner diameter transition point Tp of the resin pipe joint 1, 11, 21 to the end face of the welding end portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b is shorter than half of the straight distance SD between two points adjacent to each other, the two points being selected from the group consisting of the branched points Bp, curved points Cp and inner diameter transition points Tp of the piping formed using the resin pipe joints 1, 11. Here, the piping consisting of the piping portion shown in
(28) Therefore, the resin pipe joint 1, 11, 21 can be used for piping having a predetermined shape without cutting the end portion of the resin pipe joint 1, 11, 21, so that the cutting operation of the end portion, which has the problem as stated above, can be eliminated. For the shape of the predetermined piping portion in the piping, when the length Lh from each of the branched points Bp, the curved points Cp or the inner diameter transition points Tp adjacent to each other of the resin pipe joints 1, 11, 21 to the end face of the welding end portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b is short, a straight-pipe shaped resin tube member 51, 52, 53 or the like having a suitable length may be arranged between the resin pipe joints, as shown in
(29) When the end portion 3c of the above resin pipe joint 1 or the like is welded to the end portion 51a of another resin piping member, for example the resin tube member 51, the end portions 3c and 51a of the resin pipe joint 1 and the resin tube member 51, which have the same inner diameter, can be abutted against and welded to each other, because it is not necessary to cut the end portion 3c of the resin pipe joint 1, 11, as shown in
(30) Here, the branched point Bp and the curved point Cp refer to intersected points of the central axis lines of the internal flow path P, the central axis lines having extending directions different from each other, in the resin pipe joint in which the internal flow path P is branched or bent, as described above for the resin pipe joint 1, 11 as an example. Further, the inner diameter transition point Tp refers to a middle point on the central axis line C of the internal flow path P in the region A whose inner diameter changes, in the resin pipe joint in which the inner diameter of the internal flow path P changes, as described above for the resin pipe joint 21 as an example.
(31) Further, the length Lh from the branched point Bp, the curved point Cp or the inner diameter transition point Tp to the end face of the welding end portion is measured in the direction along the central axis line of the internal flow path P in that section.
(32) Further, the straight distance SD between two points adjacent to each other, the two points being selected from the group consisting of the branched points Bp, curved points Cp and inner diameter transition points Tp of the piping, means a straight distance between the branched point, curved point or inner diameter transition point of the resin pipe joint and a branched point, curved point or inner diameter transition point of other resin pipe joint adjacent to the former resin pipe joint. Therefore, for example in the piping portion illustrated in
(33) When producing the piping using such resin pipe joints 1, 11, 21, it is not necessary to cut the end portions even if the resin pipe joints 1, 11, 21 are used for the portion having the shortest distance SDmin between two points of the piping.
(34) As a result, for example in the case of the resin pipe joint 1 in which the internal flow path P is tapered, it can be connected to another resin piping member without causing the inner diameter change due to cutting of the end portion. That is, when connecting the resin pipe joint 1 to the other resin piping member, the welding end portion 3a, 3b or 3c of the resin pipe joint 1 and the end portion of the other resin pipe joint having the same inner diameter as that of the welding end portion 3a, 3b or 3c can be abutted against and welded to each other. As a result, it is possible to remove the risk of decreasing the flow rate during use and the possibility of liquid pooling due to the difference in inner diameter at the welding portion as described above. However, “the same inner diameter” as used herein does not require that the inner diameters are strictly coincident, and an inner diameter difference which can be considered to be a tolerance that will unavoidably occur during molding, such as an inner diameter difference of about 0.4 mm or less, is allowable.
(35) In the piping according to the present invention, at least one of the two or more resin pipe joints forming the piping may be a resin pipe joint in which the length Lh is shorter than half of the straight distance SD between two points, as described above. Preferably, the two or more resin pipe joints may be resin pipe joints in which the length Lh is shorter than half of the shortest straight distance SDmin between two points. In particular, it is more preferable that the length Lh of such a resin pipe joint forming the piping is shorter than half of the shortest straight distance SDmin between two points.
(36) On the other hand, if the length Lh from the branched point Bp, curved point Cp or inner diameter transition point Tp of the resin pipe joint 1, 11, 21 to the end face of the welding end portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b is too short, the welding margin cannot be sufficiently ensured and the welding portion cannot be strongly welded, as well as an end portion that is not the welding end portion may be melted due to heat of a heater during welding. For example, if the length Lh is too short in the resin pipe joint 1 shown in
(37) Therefore, the length Lh from the branched point Bp, curved point Cp or inner diameter transition point Tp of the resin pipe joint 1, 11, 21 to the end face of the welding end portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b is preferably longer than half of the pipe outer diameter De at the portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b.
(38) More particularly, the ratio (Lh/De) of the length Lh from the branched point Bp, curved point Cp, or inner diameter transition point Tp to the end face of the welding end portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b, to the pipe outer diameter De, is preferably in a range of from 0.81 to 3.90. If the ratio (Lh/De) of the length Lh to the pipe outer diameter De is less than 0.81, the welding margin cannot be sufficiently ensured as described above, or any unintended portion may be melted due to the heat of the heater during welding. On the other hand, if the ratio (Lh/De) of the length Lh to the pipe outer diameter De is larger than 3.90, the straight distance SD between the two points of the piping to be formed will be longer, so that it may be necessary to cut the end portion. From this viewpoint, the ratio (Lh/De) of the length Lh to the pipe outer diameter De may be more preferably from 0.98 to 3.23.
(39) The length Lh from the branched point Bp, curved point Cp or inner diameter transition point Tp to the end face of the welding end portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b may be from 12.5 mm to 25.0 mm, for example.
(40) Although not shown, if the pipe outer diameter De is different at each of the two or more welding end portions of the resin pipe joint, the above condition of the length Lh is preferably satisfied based on the pipe outer diameter De of the largest welding end portion. Alternatively, in the resin pipe joint having the T-shaped internal flow path as shown in
(41) Further, in the piping formed by using the resin pipe joint 1, 11, 21, the ratio (SDmin/De) of the shortest straight distance SDmin between two points, among the straight distances SD between two points adjacent to each other, the two points being selected from the group consisting of the branched points Bp, curved points Cp and inner diameter transition points Tp, to the pipe outer diameter De at the welding end portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b of the resin pipe joint 1, 11, 21 having the branched point Bp, curved point Cp or inner diameter transition point Tp, is preferably in a range of from 1.61 to 7.9.
(42) If the ratio (SDmin/De) is less than 1.61, the welding margin of the resin pipe joint cannot be sufficiently obtained, and unintended portions of the resin pipe joint may be melted by the heater heat during welding. Further, if the ratio (SDmin/De) is larger than 7.9, the straight distance SD between two points of the piping to be formed may be longer.
(43) For such reasons, the ratio (SDmin/De) may preferably be from 2.0 to 6.46.
(44) Here, when the welding end portions of the two resin pipe joints forming the shortest straight distance SDmin between two points have different pipe outer diameters De, the above ratio (SDmin/De) can be calculated based on the outer pipe diameter De of the larger welding end portion of them.
(45) Specifically, the shortest straight distance SDmin between two points can be from 25.0 mm to 50.0 mm.
(46) It should be noted that in the present invention, the resin piping member includes various resin pipe joints such as the Tee shown in
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
(47) 1, 11, 21, 31 resin pipe joint 2, 12, 22 joint body portion 3a-3c, 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b welding end portion 51-54 resin tube member 51a welding end portion of resin tube member 101a-101c core pin P internal flow path A1-A3 opening portion of internal flow path C1, C2 central axis line of internal flow path Bp branched point Cp curved point Tp inner diameter transition point Lh Length from branched point, curved point or inner diameter transition point to end face of welding end portion De pipe outer diameter at welding end portion SD, SD1-SD4 straight distance between two points adjacent to each other, selected from the group consisting of branched points, curved points and inner diameter transition points of piping SDmin minimum straight distance between two points