Tube socket

Abstract

To provide a tube socket capable of suppressing the amount of materials to be used while maintaining the bondability with a commercially available quick fastener.SOLUTION: A tube socket 100 includes a cylindrical part 110 to be connected to a hot water storage tank (a tank) 10 in the state that the front end is protruded from the hot water storage tank 10, and a flange part 120 extending over the whole periphery from the front end of the cylindrical part 110 to the axial view outward of the cylindrical part 110, the flange part 120 having a curved portion 121 formed in a curved plate shape protruded away from the cylindrical part 110 in the axial direction, the curved portion 121 having an axial length L4 greater than the thickness of the cylindrical part 110.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a plumbing socket. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a piping socket is known that protrudes from a hot water storage tank toward the outer periphery and is connected to an external piping (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In order to reduce costs, inexpensive, commercially available piping joint members called quick fasteners are sometimes used to join the piping socket to the external piping. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-18728 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, there has been a demand to reduce the amount of material used in pipe sockets. To reduce the amount of material used, it is expected that the thickness of the pipe socket will simply be reduced, but this will result in a dimensional difference with commercially available quick fasteners, which may make it impossible to join.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a pipe socket that can reduce the amount of material used while maintaining connectability with commercially available quick fasteners. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A piping socket according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a piping socket protruding from a tank, and comprises a tubular portion connected to the tank with its tip protruding from the tank, and a flange portion extending outwardly from the tip of the tubular portion around the entire circumference of the tubular portion when viewed in the axial direction, wherein the flange portion has a curved portion formed like a curved plate protruding in a direction away from the tubular portion in the axial direction, and the length of the curved portion in the axial direction is greater than the thickness of the tubular portion. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The pipe socket of the present disclosure can reduce the amount of material used while maintaining connectability with commercially available quick fasteners. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a hot water tank according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a piping socket and a hot water tank according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a pipe socket according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connection structure among a pipe socket, an external pipe, and a quick fastener according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a connection structure between a piping socket, an external pipe, and a quick fastener according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a pipe socket, an external pipe, and a quick fastener according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure between a piping socket and an external pipe according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure between a piping socket and an external pipe according to a comparative example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure between a piping socket and an external pipe according to the first modification. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure between a piping socket and an external pipe according to the second modification. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a part of a pipe socket according to the third modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiment of the plumbing socket according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below shows a preferred specific example of the present disclosure. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangements and connection forms of the components shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In addition, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in the independent claims will be described as optional components.

[0010] The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] In addition, each drawing is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily a precise illustration. In addition, in each drawing, the same reference numerals are used for substantially the same configurations, and duplicated explanations may be omitted or simplified.

[0012] [Embodiment Mode] First, a hot water tank 10 including a piping socket 100 according to an embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a hot water tank 10 according to an embodiment. The hot water tank 10 is a tank provided in a hot water supply device, and stores water heated by a heat pump unit (not shown). The hot water tank 10 is provided with a plurality of piping sockets 100 to which a water supply pipe for supplying water into the hot water tank 10 and a water supply pipe for supplying water from the hot water tank 10 to the outside are individually connected. In the example of FIG. 1, two piping sockets 100 are arranged on the upper surface of the hot water tank 10, two piping sockets 100 are arranged on the side surface of the hot water tank 10, and two piping sockets 100 are arranged on the lower surface of the hot water tank 10. The arrangement locations and the number of piping sockets 100 are not limited to this. An external pipe 200 serving as a water flow path is connected to each piping socket 100 by a quick fastener 300 (see FIG. 4).

[0013] Next, a description will be given of the piping socket 100. Here, the piping socket 100 provided on the top of the hot water storage tank 10 is illustrated as an example, but the basic configuration of other piping sockets 100 is similar.

[0014] The piping socket 100 is a metal member. In this embodiment, the piping socket 100 is formed from the same metal material as the hot water tank 10, but the piping socket 100 and the hot water tank 10 may be formed from different materials. For example, the hot water tank 10 is often formed from highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel. In this case, the piping socket 10 is also formed from highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel. Since highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel is a relatively expensive metal material, reducing the amount of use of the highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel is preferable for reducing the cost of the piping socket 100. The piping socket 100 and the hot water tank 10 may be formed from a metal material other than highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel.

[0015] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a piping socket 100 and a hot water storage tank 10 according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a piping socket 100 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the piping socket 100 has a tubular portion 110 and a flange portion 120, which are integrally formed. The tubular portion 110 and the flange portion 120 are formed with a roughly uniform thickness. The thicknesses of the tubular portion 110 and the flange portion 120 are less than 1.5 mm.

[0016] The tubular portion 110 is a main body of the piping socket 100. The tubular portion 110 is a cylindrical portion with the Z-axis direction as the axial direction. The tubular portion 110 may not be cylindrical, but may be an elliptical cylinder, an elongated cylinder, or a polygonal cylinder. The end portion (base portion 111) of the tubular portion 110 in the negative Z-axis direction is welded to the hot water storage tank 10. Specifically, the hot water storage tank 10 has an inner burring 11 protruding inward by burring processing. The tubular portion 110 is inserted into the inner burring 11, and the end face of the inner burring 11 and the end face of the base portion 111 of the tubular portion 110 are joined by continuously welding them over the entire circumference. The tubular portion 110 may be welded to the outer burring of the hot water storage tank.

[0017] The flange portion 120 is a brim portion that extends outward from the end portion (tip portion 112) of the tube portion 110 in the positive direction of the Z axis over the entire circumference when viewed in the axial direction of the tube portion 110. The flange portion 120 has a curved portion 121 formed in a curved plate shape and a flat portion 122 formed in a flat shape. The details of these will be described later.

[0018] Next, a connection structure between the pipe socket 100, the external pipe 200, and the quick fastener 300 will be described.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connection structure between the piping socket 100, the external pipe 200, and the quick fastener 300 according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a connection structure between the piping socket 100, the external pipe 200, and the quick fastener 300 according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the piping socket 100, the external pipe 200, and the quick fastener 300 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 6, the piping socket 100 is shown by a two-dot chain line. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure between the piping socket 100 and the external pipe 200 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 7, the quick fastener 300 is omitted. In FIG. 7, the circle indicated by the one-dot chain line is shown enlarged.

[0020] The external pipe 200 is made of a resin material or a metal material, and is a cylinder having a portion inserted into the pipe socket 100. In this embodiment, the external pipe 200 is illustrated as an example having a cylindrical shape as a whole, but the portion of the external pipe 200 protruding from the pipe socket 100 (a portion other than an insertion portion 210 described later) may be curved.

[0021] The external pipe 200 is integrally provided with an insertion portion 210 and an external flange portion 220. The insertion portion 210 is a portion disposed at an end of the external pipe 200 in the negative Z-axis direction, and is a portion inserted into the tubular portion 110 of the pipe socket 100. The insertion portion 210 is formed in a shape corresponding to the inner shape of the tubular portion 110. In this embodiment, the insertion portion 210 is a cylindrical portion, and fits into the tubular portion 110 after insertion. A groove portion 211 is continuously formed over the entire circumference on the outer circumferential surface of the insertion portion 210 at a middle position in the Z-axis direction. An O-ring (not shown) is assembled into this groove portion 211.

[0022] The external flange portion 220 is a portion disposed adjacent to the insertion portion 210 in the positive direction of the Z axis, and is an annular portion having a larger outer diameter than the insertion portion 210. The external flange portion 220 overlaps with the flange portion 120 of the piping socket 100 in the positive direction of the Z axis. The external flange portion 220 is aligned coaxially with the flange portion 120, and the outer diameters of the external flange portion 220 and the flange portion 120 are equal to each other.

[0023] The quick fastener 300 is a fastener formed, for example, from sheet metal. The quick fastener 300 is assembled to the flange portion 120 and the external flange portion 220 and fixes them. The quick fastener 300 has a shape that is symmetrical in the Y-axis direction when viewed in the Z-axis direction. The quick fastener 300 has a pair of fixing portions 310 and a flat connecting portion 320 that connects the pair of fixing portions 310.

[0024] Each fixing portion 310 has a first portion 311, a second portion 312, a third portion 313, and a fourth portion 314. The first portion 311 is a flat portion extending in the negative X-axis direction from the end of the connecting portion 320 in the Y-axis direction. The second portion 312 is a flat portion extending at an angle with respect to the X-axis direction from the end of the first portion 311 in the negative X-axis direction. The second portion 312 is inclined so as to move away from the central axis of the quick fastener 300 in the Y-axis direction as it progresses in the negative X-axis direction. A first opening 315 extending in the X-axis direction is formed in the middle of the second portion 312 in the Z-axis direction.

[0025] The third portion 313 is a flat portion extending at an angle with respect to the X-axis direction from the end portion in the negative X-axis direction of the second portion 312. The third portion 313 is inclined so as to approach the central axis of the quick fastener 300 in the Y-axis direction as it progresses in the negative X-axis direction. A second opening 316 extending in the X-axis direction is formed in the middle portion of the third portion 313 in the Z-axis direction.

[0026] The fourth portion 314 is a flat portion extending outward along the Y-axis direction from the end portion of the third portion 313 in the negative X-axis direction. A third opening 317 extending in the Y-axis direction is formed in the middle portion of the fourth portion 314 in the Z-axis direction. The first opening 315 and the second opening 316 are separated. The second opening 316 and the third opening 317 are formed continuously. The second opening 316 and the third opening 317 are arranged at the same position as the first opening 315 in the Z-axis direction.

[0027] The assembled piping socket 100 and the external piping 200 are adapted to enter between the third portions 313 of the fixing portions 310. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the flange portion 120 of the piping socket 100 and the external flange portion 220 of the external piping 200 are overlapped and slide in the positive direction of the X-axis while entering between the third portions 313 of the fixing portions 310. By this entry, the overlapped flange portion 120 and the external flange portion 220 are fitted into the first opening 315, the second opening 316, and the third opening 317 of each fixing portion 310 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). In other words, the length L1 in the Z-axis direction of each of the first opening 315, the second opening 316, and the third opening 317 is approximately equal to the length L2 in the Z-axis direction of the overlapped flange portion 120 and the external flange portion 220. As described above, since the quick fastener 300 is a commercially available product, the length L1 is a specified value, and it is difficult to arbitrarily change the length L1.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 7, the flange portion 120 of the piping socket 100 has a curved portion 121 in contact with the external flange portion 220. The curved portion 121 is formed in a curved plate shape protruding in the axial direction (Z-axis positive direction) away from the tubular portion 110. The surface of the curved portion 121 in the Z-axis positive direction is a convex curved surface protruding in the Z-axis positive direction. This convex curved surface allows the external piping 200 to be smoothly inserted into the tubular portion 110. On the other hand, the surface of the curved portion 121 in the Z-axis negative direction is a concave curved surface recessed in the Z-axis positive direction. Furthermore, the end surface 123 of the curved portion 121 in the Z-axis positive direction is formed flat. Since this end surface 123 is in surface contact with the external flange portion 220, the contact area can be increased. The radial length L3 of the end surface 123 is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 0.9 mm or less. If the length L3 is 0.5 mm or more, the perpendicularity of the end surface 123 is increased, and stable processing is possible. If the length L3 is 0.9 mm or less, an increase in size in the radial direction can be suppressed, and therefore an increase in the moment can also be suppressed.

[0029] The flat portion 122 extends flatly outward from the outer periphery of the curved portion 121 as viewed in the Z-axis direction. The flat portion 122 extends parallel to the XY plane. The Z-axis minus face of the flat portion 122 and the starting point of the curved portion 121 are located at the same position in the Z-axis direction. Therefore, the length L4 in the Z-axis direction between the Z-axis minus face of the flat portion 122 and the end face 123 is the Z-axis length of the flange portion 120. This length L4 is greater than the thickness of the tubular portion 110. The sum of this length L4 and the Z-axis length L5 of the external flange portion 220 is slightly smaller than the length L1 of the quick fastener 300. Therefore, the overlapping flange portion 120 and the external flange portion 220 are fitted into the first opening 315, the second opening 316, and the third opening 317 of each fixing portion 310.

[0030] The radial length L6 of the flat portion 122 is preferably 0.5 mm or more. When the length L6 is 0.5 mm or more, the perpendicularity of the flat portion 122 is increased, and stable machining is possible. Furthermore, the sum of the length L6 and the length L3 is preferably 1.0 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less. When the sum is 1.0 mm or more, the perpendicularity of both the end face 123 and the flat portion 122 can be increased, and stable machining of both can be possible. When the sum is 2.5 mm or less, the radial size of the flange portion 120 can be suppressed, and therefore an increase in the moment can also be suppressed.

[0031] Here, from the viewpoint of workability, it is desirable to increase the radii of curvature R1, R2, and R3 as shown in Fig. 7. Even if the radii of curvature R1, R2, and R3 are increased, the overall length of flange portion 120 in the Z-axis direction can be made compact because curved portion 121 is formed into a curved plate shape that protrudes in the positive direction of the Z-axis and flat portion 122 extends outward from the outer periphery of curved portion 121.

[0032] Furthermore, on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion 110, a portion corresponding to the groove portion 211 of the external piping 200 is a portion (O-ring seal portion) that comes into contact with an O-ring (not shown) to compress and seal. As described above, the radii of curvature R1, R2, and R3 can be increased while the overall length of the flange portion 120 in the Z-axis direction is made compact, so that a certain degree of workability can be exhibited even if there are restrictions on the O-ring seal portion. In this way, the piping socket 100 seals by compressing the O-ring with the inner peripheral surface (cylindrical surface) of the tubular portion 110.

[0033] Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure between a piping socket 100Z and an external pipe 200 according to a comparative example. Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7. The piping socket 100Z shown in Fig. 8 is a conventional example, in which a tubular portion 110z and a flange portion 120z are integrally formed. The tubular portion 110z and the flange portion 120z are formed to have a generally uniform thickness.

[0034] The tube portion 110z is a cylindrical portion with its axis in the Z-axis direction. The flange portion 120z is a flat flange portion extending outward from the end (tip portion 112z) of the tube portion 110 in the Z-axis plus direction over the entire circumference when viewed in the axial direction of the tube portion 110. The flange portion 120z fits into the first opening 315, the second opening 316, and the third opening 317 of each fixing portion 310 while overlapping the external flange portion 220. That is, the total value of the thickness of the flange portion 120z and the length L5 of the external flange portion 220 in the Z-axis direction is slightly smaller than the length L1 of each of the first opening 315, the second opening 316, and the third opening 317 in the Z-axis direction. Compared to the thickness of the piping socket 100Z of the comparative example, the thickness of the piping socket 100 of this embodiment is smaller. For this reason, the piping socket 100 of this embodiment can reduce the amount of material used compared to the conventional piping socket 100Z of the comparative example.

[0035] As described above, the piping socket 100 of this embodiment comprises a tubular portion 110 connected to the hot water storage tank 10 with its tip protruding from the hot water storage tank 10, and a flange portion 120 extending outward from the tip of the tubular portion 110 around the entire circumference of the tubular portion 110 when viewed in the axial direction of the tubular portion 110, and the flange portion 120 has a curved portion 121 formed in the shape of a curved plate protruding in the axial direction away from the tubular portion 110, and the axial length L4 of the curved portion 121 is greater than the thickness of the tubular portion 110.

[0036] According to this, the curved portion 121 having a curved plate shape can ensure the length L4 for fitting into the quick fastener 300. As a result, the external flange portion 220 of the external pipe 200 and the curved portion 121 can be fitted into the first opening 315, the second opening 316, and the third opening 317 of the quick fastener 300 in an overlapping state. Therefore, the joinability with the quick fastener 300 can be ensured. Furthermore, since the axial length L4 of the flange portion 120 is greater than the thickness of the tubular portion 110, the amount of material used can be reduced compared to the piping socket 100Z of the comparative example having the flange portion 120 with a thickness equal to that of the tubular portion 110z.

[0037] Since the end surface 123 of the curved portion 121 in the axial direction (positive direction of the Z axis) is formed flat, it is possible to increase the contact area between the flange portion 120 and the external flange portion 220. This makes it possible to improve the adhesion between the flange portion 120 and the external flange portion 220.

[0038] Since the flat portion 122 extends flatly from the outer peripheral edge of the curved portion 121, it is possible to increase the contact area between the flange portion 120 and the quick fastener 300. This makes it possible to improve the bond between the flange portion 120 and the quick fastener 300.

[0039] Since the flat portion 122 extends outward from the outer circumferential edge of the curved portion 121 when viewed in the axial direction, the flat portion 122 can be easily manufactured.

[0040] [Variations] Next, a modified example of the pipe socket according to the present embodiment will be described. In the following description, the same parts as those in the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0041] (Variation 1) Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure between a piping socket 100A and an external pipe 200 according to the first modification. Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 9, in the flange portion 120a of the piping socket 100A, the end face in the Z-axis positive direction of the curved portion 121a does not have to be formed flat. Specifically, the face in the Z-axis positive direction of the curved portion 121a has a curved shape as a whole. Therefore, the curved portion 121a is in approximate line contact with the external flange portion 220 of the external pipe 200 over the entire circumference.

[0042] (Variation 2) Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection structure between a piping socket 100B according to Modification 2 and an external pipe 200. Fig. 10 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 10, the flange portion 120b of the piping socket 100B does not have a flat portion. Specifically, the flange portion 120b has only a curved portion 121.

[0043] (Variation 3) Fig. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a part of a plumbing socket 100C according to Modification 3. As shown in Fig. 11, in the flange portion 120c of the plumbing socket 100C, the flat portion 122c extends inwardly in a flat shape from the outer circumferential edge of the curved portion 121 as viewed in the Z-axis direction. The tip of the flat portion 122c is disposed with a gap from the tube portion 110. In this case, the flange portion 120c can be made smaller as viewed in the Z-axis direction while also increasing its strength.

[0044] (others) Although the embodiments have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. In addition, the present disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art can conceive, or forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] [Note] The above description of the embodiments and the like discloses the following techniques.

[0046] (Technology 1) A piping socket protruding from the tank, a cylindrical portion connected to the tank with a tip portion protruding from the tank; a flange portion extending outward from the tip portion of the cylindrical portion over an entire circumference of the cylindrical portion as viewed in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion, The flange portion has a curved portion formed in a curved plate shape protruding in a direction away from the cylindrical portion in the axial direction, The length of the curved portion in the axial direction is greater than the thickness of the cylindrical portion. Plumbing socket.

[0047] (Technology 2) An end surface of the curved portion in the axial direction is formed flat. Plumbing socket as described in technique 1.

[0048] (Technology 3) A flat portion extending flatly from an outer circumferential edge of the curved portion is provided. Plumbing socket according to technique 1 or 2.

[0049] (Technology 4) The flat portion extends outward from an outer circumferential edge of the curved portion when viewed in the axial direction. The plumbing socket according to any one of the first to third aspects.

[0050] (Technology 5) The flat portion extends inward from an outer circumferential edge of the curved portion when viewed in the axial direction. The plumbing socket according to any one of the first to third aspects. [Industrial Applicability]

[0051] The present disclosure is broadly applicable to piping sockets that protrude from a tank. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10 Hot water tank (tank) 11 Internal Burring 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100Z Plumbing Socket 110, 110z cylinder part 111 Base 112, 112z tip 120, 120a, 120b, 120c, 120z flange part 121, 121a curved section 122, 122c flat part 123 End face 200 External piping 210 Insertion section 211 Groove 220 External flange part 300 Quick Fastener 310 Fixed part 311 First part 312 Second part 313 Third part 314 Fourth part 315 First opening 316 Second opening 317 Third opening 320 Connection part L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 Length R1, R2, R3 radius of curvature

Claims

1. A piping socket protruding from the tank, a cylindrical portion connected to the tank with a tip portion protruding from the tank; a flange portion extending outward from the tip portion of the cylindrical portion over an entire circumference of the cylindrical portion as viewed in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion, The flange portion has a curved portion formed in a curved plate shape protruding in a direction away from the cylindrical portion in the axial direction, The length of the curved portion in the axial direction is greater than the thickness of the cylindrical portion. Plumbing socket.

2. An end surface of the curved portion in the axial direction is formed flat.

2. A plumbing socket as claimed in claim 1.

3. A flat portion extending flatly from an outer circumferential edge of the curved portion is provided. A plumbing socket according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The flat portion extends outward from an outer circumferential edge of the curved portion when viewed in the axial direction.

4. A plumbing socket as claimed in claim 3.

5. The flat portion extends inward from an outer circumferential edge of the curved portion when viewed in the axial direction.

4. A plumbing socket as claimed in claim 3.

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