Conduit constructing tool and conduit constructed by the same

Abstract

To provide a new pipeline which is sufficiently smoothly inserted into a hole formed by excavation and extending in the longitudinal direction, and a pipeline component which constitutes a part of the pipeline.SOLUTION: A conduit constructing tool 2 is prepared in which a male screw thread 4 is formed at one axial end portion of an outer circumferential surface and a female screw thread 10 is formed at the other axial end portion of an inner circumferential surface, an axial length of the male screw thread 4 is equal to or less than an axial length of the female screw thread 10, and an outer diameter of a male screw thread non-forming region 6 where the male screw thread 4 is not formed is constant in the axial direction, and a conduit 100 is constructed by screwing the male screw thread 4 of one conduit constructing tool 2a with the female screw thread 10 of another conduit constructing tool 2b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tubular conduit component that constitutes part of a conduit to be inserted into a longitudinally extending hole formed by excavation, and to the conduit formed by connecting such components in the axial direction. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In civil engineering works such as tunnel excavation, a pipe is inserted into a longitudinally extending hole formed by excavating the ground, and required items are sometimes inserted inside the pipe.

[0003] Patent Document 1 below shows an example of a pipeline formed by connecting tubular pipeline components made of synthetic resin arranged in series in the axial direction, using a tubular joint called a socket. Numerous annular grooves and annular ridges are formed alternately at equal intervals in the axial direction on the outer circumferential surface of the pipeline component and on the inner circumferential surface of the joint, respectively. The ridges formed on the inner circumferential surface of the joint are fitted into the grooves formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the two pipeline components, thereby connecting the two pipeline components in the axial direction. Therefore, the joint protrudes radially outward because it is attached to the outer circumferential surfaces of the pipeline components. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-199531 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Therefore, when a pipeline is constructed by connecting multiple pipeline components shown in Patent Document 1 in the axial direction and an attempt is made to insert the pipeline into a longitudinally extending hole that has been drilled, the numerous annular ridges formed on the outer peripheral surface and the joints that protrude radially outward interfere with the inner peripheral surface of the hole, creating resistance and preventing the pipeline from being inserted smoothly enough into the hole.

[0006] The present invention was made in consideration of the above facts, and its main technical object is to provide a new pipeline component that forms part of a pipeline that can be inserted smoothly and sufficiently into a longitudinally extending hole formed by drilling, and a new pipeline that is formed by connecting these components in the axial direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, a pipeline constructing device that solves the above-mentioned main technical problem is a cylindrical pipeline constructing device that is a part of a pipeline inserted into a hole that is formed by excavation and extends in the longitudinal direction, and that constitutes the pipeline by being connected in the axial direction, A male thread is formed at one axial end of the outer peripheral surface, and a female thread that can be threaded onto the male thread is formed at the other axial end of the inner peripheral surface, A pipeline component is provided in which the axial length of the male thread is equal to or less than the axial length of the female thread, and the outer diameter of the male thread non-forming region where the male thread is not formed is constant in the axial direction.

[0008] Preferably, the axial length of the male thread is equal to the axial length of the female thread, and the inner diameter of the female thread-free region where the female thread is not formed is constant in the axial direction. In this case, it is preferable that a guide means extending linearly in the axial direction is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the female thread-free region. It is also preferable that an alignment means is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the male thread-free region. Preferably, it is molded from a biodegradable synthetic resin.

[0009] Furthermore, according to the present invention, as a pipeline that solves the above-mentioned main technical problem, there is provided a pipeline that is constructed by threading the male thread of one of the above-mentioned pipeline components onto the female thread of another of the above-mentioned pipeline components. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The conduit components constructed according to the present invention are cylindrical, with a male thread formed on one axial end of the outer circumferential surface and a female thread formed on the other axial end of the inner circumferential surface. By threading the male and female threads of each of the two conduit components together, the two conduit components are axially connected to form a conduit. Furthermore, in the conduit components constructed according to the present invention, the axial length of the male thread is less than or equal to the axial length of the female thread. Therefore, when the two conduit components are axially connected, the annular outer peripheral shoulder surface defined at one axial end of the non-male-thread-forming region of the conduit component with the male thread abuts, without any gap, against the other axial end face of the conduit component with the female thread. Furthermore, because the outer diameter of the non-male-thread-forming region is constant in the axial direction, the outer peripheral surfaces of the two axially connected conduit components, i.e., the conduits, are substantially flush in the axial direction. Therefore, when a pipeline formed by connecting multiple pipeline components constructed according to the present invention in series in the axial direction is inserted into a hole, particularly a longitudinally extending hole formed by drilling, the resistance between the pipeline components and the inner surface of the hole is sufficiently small, so that the pipeline can be inserted into the hole sufficiently smoothly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of a pipeline component configured according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the pipeline component shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the pipeline component shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pipeline components shown in FIG. 1 connected in series. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, a more detailed description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of a pipeline component constructed according to the present invention.

[0013] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the conduit component generally designated by the numeral 2 is molded from a suitable synthetic resin, preferably biodegradable, such as polylactic acid. The conduit component 2 is tubular, and in the illustrated embodiment, is substantially cylindrical. A male thread 4 is formed at one axial end of the outer surface of the conduit component 2, and the outer surface of a non-male-thread region 6, where the male thread 4 is not formed, is cylindrical. The outer diameter of the male thread 4 is smaller than the outer diameter of the non-male-thread region 6, and a circular outer shoulder surface 7 is defined at one axial end of the non-male-thread region 6. An alignment means is disposed on the outer surface of the non-male-thread region 6, but the outer diameter of the non-male-thread region 6 is constant in the axial direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the alignment means is a groove 8 extending linearly in the axial direction, with two grooves 8 arranged circumferentially spaced apart. The number of grooves 8 may be any number. The alignment means may not be a groove, but may be any mark such as a recess or a printed line locally formed at the axial end. A female thread 10 capable of engaging with the male thread 4 is formed at the other axial end of the inner surface of the conduit component 2, and the inner surface of the non-female thread region 12, where the female thread 10 is not formed, is cylindrical. The inner diameter of the female thread 10 is larger than the inner diameter of the non-female thread region 12, and an annular inner peripheral shoulder surface 13 is defined at the other axial end of the non-female thread region 12. A guide means extending linearly in the axial direction is disposed on the inner surface of the non-female thread region 12, but the inner diameter of the non-female thread region 12 is constant in the axial direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the guide means is composed of a pair of flat surfaces 14 extending linearly in the axial direction and facing each other in the diametric direction, and four ridges 16 extending linearly in the axial direction on both circumferential sides of each of the pair of flat surfaces 14. The number of flat surfaces 14 and ribs 16 may be arbitrary. The presence of the ribs 16 increases the strength of the pipeline component 2. Here, in the present invention, it is important that the axial length of the male thread 4 is equal to or less than the axial length of the female thread 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the axial length of the male thread 4 is equal to the axial length of the female thread 10.

[0014] Referring to Figure 4, two pipeline components 2 are connected in the axial direction, in other words, in series, by threading the male thread 4 of one pipeline component 2a onto the female thread 10 of the other pipeline component 2b. A pipeline 100 is formed by connecting multiple pipeline components 2 in the axial direction in this manner. The pipeline 100 is inserted into a hole that has been drilled in advance and extends along the longitudinal direction (e.g., the horizontal direction). When inserting the pipeline 100 into the hole, the pipeline 100, to which all of the pipeline components 2 have been connected, may be inserted into the hole in advance, or the pipeline components 2 may be connected sequentially while being inserted into the hole. Necessary items (not shown) are inserted inside the pipeline 100 inserted into the hole.

[0015] The conduit component 2 constructed according to the present invention is cylindrical and has a male thread 4 formed at one axial end of its outer circumferential surface and a female thread 10 formed at the other axial end of its inner circumferential surface. By threading the male thread 4 and the female thread 10 of each of the two conduit components 2a and 2b together, the two conduit components 2a and 2b are axially connected to form a conduit 100. Furthermore, in the conduit component 2 constructed according to the present invention, the axial length of the male thread 4 is less than or equal to the axial length of the female thread 10. Therefore, when the two conduit components 2a and 2b are axially connected, the outer shoulder surface 7 of the conduit component 2a abuts the other axial end surface of the conduit component 2b without any gap. Furthermore, because the outer diameter of the non-male-thread region 6 is constant in the axial direction, the outer peripheral surfaces of the two axially connected conduit components 2a and 2b, i.e., the conduit 100, are substantially flush with each other in the axial direction. Therefore, when a pipeline 100 formed by connecting multiple pipeline components 2 constructed according to the present invention in series in the axial direction is inserted into a hole, particularly a longitudinally extending hole formed by drilling, the resistance between the pipeline components 2 and the inner surface of the hole is sufficiently small, so that the pipeline 100 can be inserted into the hole sufficiently smoothly.

[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, the axial length of the male thread 4 is equal to the axial length of the female thread 10. Therefore, when the two conduit components 2a and 2b are axially connected, the inner shoulder surface 13 of the conduit component 2b abuts against one axial end face of the conduit component 2a without any gap. Furthermore, because the inner diameter of the non-female thread region 12 is constant in the axial direction, the inner circumferential surfaces of the two axially connected conduit components 2a and 2b, i.e., the conduit 100, are also substantially flush in the axial direction. At this time, the flat surface 14 and the ridge 16 formed on the inner circumferential surface of the non-female thread region 12 are also continuous in the axial direction. Therefore, the flat surface 14 and the ridge 16 can be used as guides to guide the desired item into the conduit 100. In the illustrated embodiment, a groove 8 extending linearly in the axial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the non-male-thread region 6. Therefore, by aligning the circumferential positions of the groove 8, it is possible to confirm from the outside that the inner peripheral surfaces of the two conduit components 2a and 2b are substantially flush in the axial direction. If an arbitrary mark such as a recess or a printed line is provided instead of the groove 8 as the alignment means, the inner peripheral surfaces of the two conduit components can be made substantially flush in the axial direction by aligning the arbitrary mark such as the recess or the printed line on the two conduit components. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the conduit component 2 is molded from a biodegradable synthetic resin. Therefore, the used conduit 100 and conduit component 2 can be left in the soil as is, and there is no need to recover them, thereby reducing labor costs.

[0017] Although the conduit component and the conduit formed therewith according to the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and appropriate modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the male thread-free region on the outer peripheral surface of the conduit component and the cross-sectional shape of the female thread-free region on the inner peripheral surface are both circular, but they may be rectangular if desired. [Explanation of symbols]

[0018] 2 (2a and 2b): Pipe construction equipment 4: Male screw 6: Male thread non-forming area 7: Peripheral shoulder surface 10:Female thread 12: Female thread non-formation area 13: Inner shoulder surface 100: Pipeline

Claims

1. A cylindrical conduit component that is a part of a conduit inserted into a hole that is formed by excavation and extends in the longitudinal direction, and that constitutes the conduit by being connected in the axial direction, A male thread is formed at one axial end of the outer peripheral surface, and a female thread that can be threaded onto the male thread is formed at the other axial end of the inner peripheral surface, The axial length of the male thread is equal to or less than the axial length of the female thread, and the outer diameter of the male thread non-forming region where the male thread is not formed is constant in the axial direction.

2. 2. A pipeline component according to claim 1, wherein the axial length of the male thread is equal to the axial length of the female thread, and the inner diameter of the non-female thread region where the female thread is not formed is constant in the axial direction.

3. 3. A conduit component according to claim 2, wherein a guide means extending linearly in the axial direction is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of said region where no internal thread is formed.

4. 4. The conduit component according to claim 3, wherein a positioning means is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the region where the male thread is not formed.

5. The conduit component according to claim 1, which is molded from a biodegradable synthetic resin.

6. A pipeline constructed by threading the male thread of one pipeline component according to claim 1 onto the female thread of another pipeline component according to claim 1.

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