Guide jig for assisting pipe joint installation work

Abstract

To provide a guide jig and an installation method that enable integral operation of external piping and a pipe joint, which are installed to a tank, and thereby allow installation work from the inside of the tank.SOLUTION: A guide jig assists in installation work performed from the inside of a tank, for external piping, a pipe joint, and an in-tank piping component that are related to the tank's water supply and drainage. The guide jig includes a head part that is screwed into an internal threaded part of an inner joint part to which the in-tank piping component of the pipe joint is attached, and an elliptical handle part that protrudes forward from a front edge of the head part with both ends supported. The head part includes an axial hole part that engages with a wrench, and the handle part has predetermined rigidity to withstand bending, twisting, or pulling operation during the installation work.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a guide jig for performing installation work of external piping, pipe fittings, and internal piping components related to the water supply and drainage of a tank from inside the tank. [Background technology]

[0002] In the installation of the external piping, pipe fittings, and internal piping components of a tank, there are cases where workers are required both outside and inside the tank, and cases where it is difficult to perform the installation work outside the tank when the tank is installed near the wall of a house, etc. In such cases, proposals have been made to make the installation work of the tank's pipe fittings, etc. more efficient or easier.

[0003] Patent Document 1 proposes an installation jig for installing a fluid pipe fitting in a wall hole, the fluid pipe fitting having a first opening end arranged on the surface of a wall and a second opening end to which a fluid pipe is connected behind the wall, the installation jig comprising an attachment body that is detachably attached to the first opening end of the fluid pipe fitting, and a long string-like body connected to the attachment body, and the attachment body connected to the fluid pipe fitting behind the wall can be pulled from the surface of the wall with the string-like body, thereby guiding the fluid pipe fitting toward the wall hole with the fluid pipe connected to the second opening end so as to cause the first opening end of the fluid pipe fitting to protrude from the surface of the wall.

[0004] Patent Document 2 also proposes a method for fixing a piping fixture in which the piping fixture is arranged on the outside of a mounting plate formed on a piping installation body, the axis of the connection port of the piping fixture is aligned with the axis of the insertion hole opened in the mounting plate, and a fastener is screwed into the connection port of the piping fixture from the inside of the mounting plate, thereby clamping the peripheral edge of the insertion hole in the mounting plate between the flange formed on the piping fixture and the fastener, the method comprising connecting a starting end located on the axis of the connection port of the piping fixture to the piping fixture, pulling the extended guide thread to the inside of the mounting plate through the insertion hole, reeling in the guide thread to align the axis of the connection port of the piping fixture with the axis of the insertion hole, and removing the guide thread after screwing in the fastener. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-86956 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 62-93584 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The piping jig described in Patent Document 1 consists of an attachment body that is detachably attached to a fluid pipe fitting and a string-like body connected to the attachment body, and this piping jig can be used to guide the fluid pipe fitting from the inside of the wall into a wall hole formed in the wall, and the fluid pipe fitting can be disposed in the wall hole. The method of fixing a piping fixture described in Patent Document 2 is a method of fixing a piping fixture to the outside of a mounting plate formed on a piping installation body, in which a guide thread extending from the piping fixture is connected to the axis of the connection port of the piping fixture, and this guide thread is drawn to the inside of the mounting plate through an insertion hole in the mounting plate, and the connection port of the piping fixture is pulled in by hand to fix the piping fixture to the mounting plate.

[0007] The string-like body described in Patent Document 1 can be of any shape or material as long as it can pull the attachment. For example, the string-like body can be selected from metal or synthetic resin chains, leather cords, hemp cords, etc. The guide thread described in Patent Document 2 is a flexible one made of synthetic resin thread, wire, chain, etc. Such string-like bodies and guide threads generally lack rigidity, so while they can pull fluid pipe fittings or piping fixtures, they are not easy to push or twist. For this reason, it is difficult to hold the fluid pipe fittings or piping fixtures in a predetermined position or direction, and installing the fluid pipe fittings or piping fixtures on a wall or mounting panel is not easy and requires skill.

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention aims to provide a guide jig and an installation method that enable external piping and pipe fittings to be installed in a tank to be operated as a single unit and installed from inside the tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The guide jig of the present invention is a guide jig for assisting in the installation work of external piping, pipe fittings, and internal piping components related to the water supply and drainage of the tank from inside the tank, and the guide jig has a head that screws into the internal thread portion of the internal fitting portion to which the internal piping component of the pipe fitting is attached, and an elliptical handle portion that extends forward with both ends supported from the front edge of the head, the head having an axial hole portion that fits into a wrench, and the handle portion having a predetermined rigidity against bending, twisting, or pulling operations during the installation work.

[0010] In the above invention, the handle portion has an elliptical shape in which the front and rear end portions are smaller than the outer diameter of the mounting hole of the pipe joint provided in the tank, and the central portion is larger.

[0011] In the above invention, the wrench may be a hexagonal wrench, a screwdriver, or a threaded rod.

[0012] The present invention also relates to a method for installing external piping, pipe fittings, and internal piping components for a tank's water supply and drainage from inside the tank, comprising the following steps: First, the tip of the external piping is joined to a pipe fitting, and a guide jig as described in any one of claims 1 to 3 is screwed onto the internal thread of the internal fitting of the pipe fitting to form a piping assembly. Next, the piping assembly arranged outside the tank is lowered from the top of the tank to the vicinity of the mounting hole of the pipe fitting provided in the tank so that the handle portion of the guide jig follows the outer surface of the side wall of the tank. Then, the handle portion inserted and protruding through the mounting hole or the handle portion located near the mounting hole is pulled in from inside the tank, and a wrench is fitted into an axial hole provided in the head of the guide jig, and the wrench is pressed and the handle is pulled, making the piping assembly operable as a whole via the guide jig. Next, after the pipe joint is aligned with the mounting hole and fixed to the tank wall, the guide jig is removed and an in-tank piping part is screwed onto the inner joint portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The guide jig according to the present invention has an axial hole in the head that fits a wrench, and the handle has a predetermined rigidity against bending, twisting, or pulling operations. This makes it possible to operate the piping assembly consisting of the external piping, pipe fittings, and piping components inside the tank as a single unit during the installation work of the external piping, pipe fittings, and piping components inside the tank. Therefore, even if the working space outside the tank is narrow, the piping assembly can be operated to the predetermined installation position and direction from inside the tank, allowing the installation work of the external piping, pipe fittings, and piping components inside the tank to be performed efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a piping assembly using a guide jig according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a guide jig according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of a method for arranging external piping and pipe joints in a tank using a guide jig according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where the handle portion of the guide jig and the wrench are operated with one hand. FIG. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing another example of using the guide jig. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The following describes an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a piping assembly using a guide jig according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a guide jig according to the present invention. A bathtub is a familiar example of a container for storing liquid. Bathtubs are often installed in corners of houses, making it difficult to install external piping and pipe fittings from the outside of the bathtub, and sometimes the installation work must be done from the inside of the bathtub. In such cases, as shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable to form a piping assembly 40 by previously connecting an external piping 30 and a guide jig 10 to a pipe fitting 20. The pipe fitting 20 and external piping 30 can be commercially available. In narrow spaces, an elbow or T-shaped pipe fitting is used as the pipe fitting 30. The guide jig 10 is threadedly connected to the internal thread portion 23a of the internal fitting portion 23 of the pipe fitting 20. The pipe joint 20 is fixed to the mounting hole 50 a of the tank 50 via the sliding ring 252 and the packing 251 by screwing the tightening ring 25 onto the outer thread portion 23 b of the inner joint portion 23 .

[0016] 2, the guide jig 10 has a head 11 having a threaded portion 11a that threads into the internal threaded portion 23a of the inner joint portion 23 of the pipe fitting 20 and an axial hole 11b into which a wrench 60 fits, and an elliptical handle portion 13 that has both ends supported from the tip edge of the head 11 and extends forward. The head 11 of the guide jig 10 is threadedly connected integrally to the pipe fitting 20, and the handle portion 13 has a predetermined rigidity against bending, twisting, or pulling operations during the installation work of the piping assembly 40 into the tank 50, which will be described below.

[0017] The guide jig 10 can be made of resin or metal, and the head 11 and handle 13 can be made of different materials. The head 11 and handle 13 can be molded integrally, or they can be molded by joining them together. A wrench 60, such as a hex wrench, screwdriver, or threaded rod, fits into the axial hole 11b of the head 11. The threaded rod has a threaded portion at the rod-shaped tip and can be threaded into the threaded portion provided in the axial hole 11b.

[0018] As described above, the handle portion 13 has a predetermined rigidity against bending, twisting, or pulling operations performed during the installation work of the external piping, pipe fittings, and internal piping components related to the tank water supply and drainage. In other words, the handle portion 13 has the required strength and durability when operated during the installation work described below, and the handle portion 13 has the resilience or flexibility to return to its original shape after being bent or twisted. The handle portion 13 can be made of, for example, nylon, polypropylene, or fluororesin. The handle portion 13 can also be made of metal, such as rope or mesh wire.

[0019] The handle portion 13 protrudes in an oval shape from the edge of the head portion 11, and its shape is preferably such that the front and rear end portions are smaller and the central portion is larger than the outer diameter of the mounting hole 50a of the pipe fitting 20 provided in the tank 50. The front end of the handle portion 13 easily fits into the mounting hole 50a, and by deforming the central portion to fit through the mounting hole 50a, the guide jig 10 and pipe fitting 20 are less likely to come out of the mounting hole 50a.

[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of using the piping assembly 40 to install the pipe fitting 20 into the mounting hole 50a. This example can be effectively used when the tank 50 is installed near a wall of a house or the like, making installation outside the tank difficult. FIG. 3(a) shows the piping assembly 40 being lowered from the upper end of the exterior of the tank 50 to the vicinity of the mounting hole 50a of the pipe fitting 20 provided in the tank 50, with the handle portion 13 of the guide jig 10 running along the outer surface of the side wall of the tank 50, just as the handle portion 13 of the guide jig 10 is inserted into the mounting hole 50a. Because the external pipe 30 of the piping assembly 40 has a long portion, it is possible to hold the external pipe 30 and lower the handle portion 13 toward the mounting hole 50a. Installation is also possible even when the installation space outside the tank is narrow and the handle portion 13 is bent. When the handle portion 13 reaches the vicinity of the mounting hole 50a, the handle portion 13 can be easily pulled into the inside of the tub 50 by inserting a hook or a finger through the mounting hole 50a.

[0021] When the handle portion 13 of the guide jig 10 is pulled into the inside of the tank 50, the tightening ring 25, the sliding ring 252, and the packing 251 are inserted into the handle portion 13, as shown in Figure 3(b). At this time, the handle portion 13 has an elliptical shape with the front and rear ends smaller than the outer diameter of the mounting hole 50a and the central portion larger, and as shown in Figure 3(c), the tightening ring 25, the sliding ring 252, and the packing 251 can be held at the base of the handle portion 13. This makes it possible to easily attach the pipe fitting 20 to the tank 50.

[0022] Next, as shown in Figure 3(c), the wrench 60 is fitted into the axial hole 11b of the head 11, and the wrench 60 is pushed toward the guide jig while the handle 13 is pulled, making the piping assembly 40 operable as a unit. An example of such an operation is described below (Figure 4). As a result, the piping assembly 40 can be installed in a predetermined position and direction, as shown in Figure 3(d). The clamping ring 25 is then tightened and screwed onto the inner joint portion 23 of the pipe joint 20, thereby installing the piping assembly 40 in the tank 50.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows an example of manipulating the piping assembly 40 as a whole. As shown in FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c), the handle portion 13 of the guide jig 10, which has been pulled into the inside of the tank 50, is fixed with the fingers, and the wrench 60 is fitted into the axial hole 11b of the head 11. Next, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the wrench 60 and the handle portion 13 are held in the hand with the end of the wrench 60 placed against the palm of the hand and the handle portion pulled with the index finger. This allows the piping assembly 40 to be manipulated as a whole, and the installation position and direction of the piping assembly 40 can be set to a predetermined installation state. Note that the above installation work can be performed from outside the tank. In this case, the piping assembly 40 is extended laterally (horizontally) along the outer surface of the side wall of the tank 50. The installation work of the piping assembly 40 is then performed in the same manner as when the piping assembly 40 is extended vertically.

[0024] As described above, the guide jig 10 is used by threading it onto the pipe fitting 20. However, by threading an operating tool of various shapes onto the guide jig 10, it can be used as a handling aid for handling piping or wiring in high places or narrow spaces. For example, it is useful when pulling in piping or wiring that has been pulled out into a narrow work space, particularly in work spaces that are difficult for people to reach. Cable pulling tools, cable catchers, and the like are used for similar purposes and are commercially available, but these generally have small gripping, pulling, or pulling forces for piping or wiring and are not suitable as handling aids for piping, wiring, etc. in the installation work described above.

[0025] Figure 5 shows an example of a handling aid using a guide jig 10. This handling aid 65 has the guide jig 10 and a rod 66. The rod 66 is a threaded rod that is screwed into a threaded portion provided at the bottom of the guide jig 10. It is convenient if the size of the threaded portion is such that a rod such as a commercially available cable puller or cable catcher can be screwed into it. As shown in Figure 5, this handling aid 65 hooks the handle 13 of the guide jig 10 onto the tip of a pipe or wiring 68 protruding into a narrow work space, and tightens the pipe or wiring 68 with the handle portion 13. This integrates the handling aid 65 and the pipe or wiring 68, allowing the pipe or wiring 68 to be pulled out or drawn to the required length or position. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 10 Guide jig 11 Head 11a Threaded part 11b Axial hole 13 Handle 20 Pipe fittings 23 Inner joint 23a Internal thread 23b External thread 25 tightening ring 251 Gasket 252 Sliding 30 External piping 40 Piping assembly 50 tanks 50a mounting hole 60 wrench 65 Handling aids 66 Rod 68 Piping or wiring

Claims

1. A guide jig for assisting the installation of external piping, pipe fittings, and internal piping components related to the water supply and drainage of the tank from the inside of the tank, The guide jig has a head portion that screws into an internal thread portion of an internal joint portion to which the in-tank piping component of the pipe joint is attached, and an elliptical handle portion whose both ends are supported from a front end edge portion of the head portion and which protrudes forward, The head has an axial hole for fitting a wrench therein, and the handle has a predetermined rigidity against bending, twisting or pulling operations during the installation work.

2. 2. The guide jig according to claim 1, wherein the handle portion has an elliptical shape with a diameter smaller at its front and rear ends and larger at its central portion than the outer diameter of the mounting hole for the pipe joint provided in the tank.

3. 3. The guide jig according to claim 1, wherein the wrench is a hexagonal wrench, a screwdriver, or a threaded rod.

4. An installation method for installing external piping, pipe fittings, and internal piping components for the tank water supply and drainage from inside the tank by performing the following operations. First, the tip of an external pipe is joined to a pipe joint, and the guide jig according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is screwed onto the internal thread of the inner joint part of the pipe joint to form a pipe assembly. Next, the piping assembly arranged outside the tank is lowered from the top end of the tank to near the mounting hole of the pipe fitting provided in the tank so that the handle portion of the guide jig follows the outer surface of the side wall of the tank. Then, the handle portion that has been inserted through the mounting hole and protrudes or the handle portion that is located near the mounting hole is pulled in from inside the tank, a wrench is fitted into the axial hole portion provided in the head of the guide jig, the wrench is pressed, and the handle is pulled, making it possible to operate the piping assembly as a unit via the guide jig. Next, after the pipe joint is aligned with the mounting hole and fixed to the tank wall, the guide jig is removed and an in-tank piping part is screwed onto the inner joint portion.

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