Insulation cover for electrical wires

Abstract

The present invention provides an insulating cover that prevents detachment from the wire during the installation of the insulating cover on the wire using an indirect tool, thereby improving the ease of installation on the wire. [Solution] The indirect tool 2 includes an opening degree limiting part 13 that limits the opening degree of a cylindrical cover body 10, which is formed to be openable and closable by a pair of split cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B, to a predetermined half-open state, and an extension part 14 that extends from the opening / closing end side of one split cylindrical body 10A to the opening / closing end side of the other split cylindrical body 10B when the cylindrical cover body is in the half-open state, and approaches the other split cylindrical body 10B. The cylindrical cover body is made of an elastic body that, when opened in its half-open state, allows the pair of split cylindrical bodies to deform elastically in the opening direction against the opening degree limiting part 13, thereby allowing the electric wire 1 to pass through in the half-open state, and when the opening operation is released, elastically returns the pair of split cylindrical bodies to the closing direction, thereby preventing the electric wire from passing through in the half-open state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an insulating cover for an electric wire, which includes a cylindrical cover body formed by connecting a pair of half-cylindrical bodies so as to be openable and closable in the circumferential direction, a locking and holding portion for locking and holding the cylindrical cover body in a closed state, and a gripping portion that extends outward from the opening and closing end side of one of the pair of half-cylindrical bodies and is gripped by an indirect tool.

Background Art

[0002] As the background art of the present invention, for example, when performing work on an overhead distribution line (an electric wire installed in the air), in order to ensure the safety of workers, a part of the insulation coating on the overhead distribution line is removed to form a core wire exposed portion, and then a grounding wire is connected to the core wire exposed portion to ground the overhead distribution line. Also, in order to make the work location on the overhead distribution line in a non-voltage state, core wire exposed portions are formed at the front and rear positions of the work location on the overhead distribution line, and a bypass cable that bypasses the work location is connected across the core wire exposed portions before and after. After the work on the overhead distribution line as described above is completed, in order to protect the core wire exposed portion of the overhead distribution line, an insulating cover that covers the core wire exposed portion is attached to the overhead distribution line.

[0003] As an insulating cover for an electric wire as described above, for example, there is one that includes a cylindrical body formed by connecting a pair of half-cylindrical bodies so as to be openable and closable in the circumferential direction, an engaging portion for locking and holding the cylindrical body in a closed state, and a gripping portion that extends outward from the opening and closing end side of one of the pair of half-cylindrical bodies and is gripped by an indirect tool (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The insulating cover described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a gripping portion, so when attaching it to an electric wire in a way that covers the exposed core wire portion, an indirect tool can be used, which is constructed by attaching a working tool such as pliers to the tip of an insulating operating rod (hot stick). This prevents the risk of electric shock to the worker by coming into contact with the exposed core wire portion. However, when attaching an insulating cover to a wire using the indirect tools described above, the worker must operate one indirect tool with one hand to grip the insulating cover's gripping portion, maintaining one half-cylinder of the fully open insulating cover close to the wire, while simultaneously operating another indirect tool with the other hand to switch the fully open insulating cover to the closed position. Moreover, maintaining one half-cylinder of the fully open insulating cover close to the wire requires a high degree of tension to prevent the insulating cover from falling off, thus requiring considerable effort to attach the insulating cover. Furthermore, the operation of each indirect tool is difficult, making it easy to fuss over the process of attaching the insulating cover to the wire. As a result, the gripping force of the indirect tools may decrease during the insulating cover attachment process, easily leading to the insulating cover falling off.

[0006] In light of this situation, the main objective of the present invention is to provide an insulating cover that prevents the insulating cover from falling off the wire when attaching the insulating cover to the wire using an indirect tool, thereby improving the ease of attachment to the wire. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The first characteristic configuration of the present invention is an insulating cover for an electric wire, comprising a cylindrical cover body formed by connecting a pair of halved cylindrical bodies so as to be openable and closable in the circumferential direction, a locking and holding portion for locking and holding the cylindrical cover body in a closed state, and a gripping portion extending outward from the opening / closing end side of one of the pair of halved cylindrical bodies and being gripped by an indirect tool, An opening degree limiting part is positioned on the connecting end side of the pair of halved cylindrical bodies to limit the opening degree of the cylindrical cover body to a predetermined half-open state, In the partially open state of the cylindrical cover body, an extension portion is provided that extends from the opening / closing end of one half-cylindrical body to the opening / closing end of the other half-cylindrical body, with the extended end close to the opening / closing end of the other half-cylindrical body, thereby preventing the passage of electric wires between the two half-cylindrical bodies. The cylindrical cover body is made of an elastic material that, when the pair of halved cylindrical bodies are opened against the opening restriction of the opening restriction section while the cover body is in a half-open state, allows the pair of halved cylindrical bodies to deform elastically in the opening direction, thereby allowing the electric wire to pass between the other halved cylindrical body and the extension section, and when the opening operation is released, elastically returns the pair of halved cylindrical bodies to the closing direction so that the opening of the cylindrical cover body is in a half-open state, thereby preventing the electric wire from passing between the other halved cylindrical body and the extension section.

[0008] According to this configuration, when attaching the insulating cover to an electric wire in a manner that covers the exposed core wire portion of the electric wire, the worker first uses an indirect tool to grip the gripping portion of the insulating cover and fits the cylindrical cover body, whose opening is limited to a predetermined half-open state by the opening degree limiting portion, onto the electric wire from its open side. When this fitting occurs, the open side of the cylindrical cover body comes into contact with the electric wire, causing the pair of half-cylindrical bodies to open against the opening degree limiting portion of the opening degree limiting portion. This allows the elastic deformation of the pair of half-cylindrical bodies in the opening direction due to the elasticity of the cylindrical cover body, and as a result, the electric wire enters the cylindrical cover body, pushing apart the space between the other half-cylindrical body and the extension portion. Once the electric wire enters the cylindrical cover body, the pushing apart of the cylindrical cover body due to contact with the electric wire is released, and the pair of half-cylindrical bodies elastically return to the closing direction due to the elasticity of the cylindrical cover body, returning the opening of the cylindrical cover body to the half-open state. Then, the open / closed end of the other half-cylindrical body and the extended end of the extension part come close together in a way that prevents the wire from passing through, thus preventing the wire from detaching from inside the cylindrical cover body as the wire passes between them, and thereby preventing the cylindrical cover body from falling off the wire. Once the detachment of the cylindrical cover body is prevented in this way, the worker can complete the installation of the insulating cover to the wire by operating an indirect tool that grips the gripping part of the insulating cover, while operating another indirect tool to switch the half-open cylindrical cover body to the closed state.

[0009] In other words, by providing the insulating cover with an opening limiting portion and an extension portion, and by making the cylindrical cover body of the insulating cover an elastic material, the insulating cover can be configured to have a structure that prevents the cylindrical cover body from falling off the electric wire when the cylindrical cover body is fitted onto the electric wire in a half-open state.

[0010] Furthermore, since the insulating cover is configured to have the above-mentioned means for preventing it from falling off, while the worker operates the indirect tool for switching the insulating cover from a half-open state to a closed state with one hand, the worker only needs to operate the indirect tool for gripping the gripping part of the insulating cover with the other hand to maintain the position of the insulating cover relative to the electric wire in a position that makes it easy to switch the insulating cover from a half-open state to a closed state, thus eliminating the need to perform a highly tensioned operation to prevent the insulating cover from falling off.

[0011] Therefore, when attaching an insulating cover to an electric wire using an indirect tool, it is possible to provide an insulating cover that can be easily prevented from falling off the electric wire and improves the ease of attachment to the electric wire.

[0012] A second characteristic feature of the present invention is that the extended end of the extended portion is formed as a curved portion that curves toward the inside of the cylindrical cover body.

[0013] According to this configuration, when the aforementioned partially open cylindrical cover is fitted onto the electric wire from its open side, the curved portion of the extension functions as a guide that directs the electric wire into the interior of the cylindrical cover. As a result, when fitting the cover, the contact between the electric wire and the cylindrical cover facilitates the spreading of the other half-cylindrical body and the extension, thereby improving the workability when fitting the cylindrical cover onto the electric wire.

[0014] Furthermore, when the electric wire enters the interior of the cylindrical cover and the other half-cylindrical body and the extension are in close proximity, the curved portion of the extension functions as a guide that directs the electric wire inside the cylindrical cover toward the extension. This makes it difficult for the electric wire inside the cylindrical cover to get caught between the other half-cylindrical body and the extension, and as a result, it is possible to more reliably prevent the electric wire from detaching from the interior of the cylindrical cover by passing through between them.

[0015] Therefore, in the process of attaching insulating covers to electric wires using indirect tools, it is possible to improve the workability when fitting the insulating cover onto the electric wire while more reliably preventing the insulating cover from falling off.

[0016] A third characteristic feature of the present invention is that, when the cylindrical cover body is closed, the extended portion is formed to extend along the inner surface of the other half-cylindrical body and be housed inside the cylindrical cover body.

[0017] According to this configuration, when the cylindrical cover body is closed, the extended portion extends along the inner surface of the other half-cylindrical body, facing the gap on the opening / closing end of the cylindrical cover body, and fitting inside the cylindrical cover body while suitably sealing that gap from the inside.

[0018] Therefore, it is possible to prevent problems such as rainwater seeping into the interior of the cylindrical cover through the gap at the opening and closing end of the cylindrical cover.

[0019] A fourth characteristic feature of the present invention is that the other half-cylindrical body is provided with a guide portion that extends outward from its opening / closing end side along the half-cylindrical end surface of the half-cylindrical body, enabling the electric wire to be guided between the other half-cylindrical body and the extended end of the extension portion in the half-open cylindrical cover body.

[0020] According to this configuration, when fitting the aforementioned partially open cylindrical cover onto the electric wire from its open side, the guide portion provided on the other half-cylindrical body is pressed against the electric wire, and the cylindrical cover is placed over the electric wire. This facilitates the spreading of the space between the other half-cylindrical body and the extension portion by the electric wire as the cylindrical cover comes into contact with the electric wire during fitting, and also allows the electric wire to enter the inside of the cylindrical cover more smoothly from between them.

[0021] Therefore, in the operation of attaching an insulating cover to an electric wire using an indirect tool, the workability when fitting the insulating cover onto the electric wire can be further improved.

[0022] The fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the extension portion has a width greater than the length of the exposed portion of the core wire of the electric wire from which a part of the insulating coating has been removed, and is provided at the central portion in the wiring direction in the tubular cover body.

[0023] According to this configuration, when attaching the insulating cover to the electric wire, with the tubular cover body in a semi-open state fitted onto the electric wire so that the exposed portion of the core wire of the electric wire is located at the central portion in the wiring direction in the tubular cover body, the tubular cover body is switched from the semi-open state to the closed state. Then, the extension portion having a width greater than the exposed portion of the core wire of the electric wire and facing the exposed portion of the core wire comes to block the gap on the opening / closing end side in the tubular cover body.

[0024] Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the occurrence of inconvenience where rainwater or the like enters from the gap on the opening / closing end side in the tubular cover body toward the exposed portion of the core wire of the electric wire located inside the tubular cover body.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] Front view showing the state where the insulating cover is attached to the electric wire [Figure 2] Vertical front view showing the state where the insulating cover is attached to the electric wire [Figure 3] Perspective view showing the fully open state of the insulating cover [Figure 4] (A) is a vertical side view showing the fully open state of the insulating cover, (B) is a vertical side view showing the semi-open state of the insulating cover, and (C) is a vertical side view showing the closed state of the insulating cover [Figure 5] (A) is a side view showing the start state of fitting the insulating cover onto the electric wire in the operation of attaching the insulating cover using an indirect tool, and (B) is a side view showing the state during the fitting of the insulating cover onto the electric wire in the operation of attaching the insulating cover using an indirect tool [Figure 6](A) is a side view showing the completed state of the insulating cover being fitted onto the wire during the insulating cover installation work using indirect tools, and (B) is a side view showing the completed state of the insulating cover being attached to the wire during the insulating cover installation work using indirect tools. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the insulating cover for electric wires according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the insulating cover A for electric wires illustrated in this embodiment is attached to the electric wire 1 after the completion of work on the electric wire (overhead distribution line) 1 installed in the air, in order to protect the exposed core wire portion 1B (see Figure 2) that was formed by removing a part of the insulating coating 1A on the electric wire 1 during the work, by covering the exposed core wire portion 1B. The insulating cover A for electric wires is made of a resin material that has insulating and waterproof properties.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the insulating cover A for electric wires illustrated in this embodiment includes a cylindrical cover body 10 formed by connecting a pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B so as to be openable and closable in the circumferential direction, a locking and holding part 11 for locking and holding the cylindrical cover body 10 in a closed state, and a gripping part 12 that extends outward from the opening and closing end side of the first halved cylindrical body 10A, which is one of the pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B, and is gripped by an indirect tool 2 (see Figures 5 to 6).

[0028] As shown in Figures 4-6, the cylindrical cover body 10 of the insulating cover A is provided with an opening degree limiting part 13 positioned on the connecting end side of a pair of half-cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B to limit the opening degree of the cylindrical cover body 10 to a predetermined half-open state, and an extension part 14 that extends from the opening / closing end side of the first half-cylindrical body 10A to the opening / closing end side of the other half-cylindrical body, the second half-cylindrical body 10B, when the cylindrical cover body 10 is in the half-open state, and brings its extended end close to the opening / closing end side of the second half-cylindrical body 10B, making the gap between them smaller than the diameter of the electric wire 1.

[0029] The cylindrical cover body 10 is made of an elastic body that, when the pair of half-cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B are opened against the opening restriction of the opening restriction part 13 while the cover body is half-open, allows the pair of half-cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B to deform elastically in the opening direction, thereby allowing the electric wire 1 to pass between the second half-cylindrical body 10B and the extension part 14. When the opening operation is released, the pair of half-cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B are elastically returned in the closing direction so that the opening of the cylindrical cover body 10 becomes half-open, thereby preventing the electric wire 1 from passing between the second half-cylindrical body 10B and the extension part 14.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, each of the halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B is provided with intermediate portions 10Aa and 10Ba that extend in the wiring direction and have a predetermined cross-sectional shape that secures a substantially constant space between them and the electric wire 1, and end portions 10Ab and 10Bb that extend in the wiring direction from both ends of the intermediate portions 10Aa and 10Ba and have a tapering cross-sectional shape that gradually narrows the space between them and the electric wire 1. Each of the halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B is integrally formed such that their intermediate portions 10Aa and 10Ba are connected so that they can be opened and closed in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, each of the halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B has slits 10a formed in the end portions 10Ab and 10Bb that allow for radial elastic deformation of the end portions 10Ab and 10Bb according to the diameter of the electric wire 1 when the cylindrical cover body 10 is fitted onto the electric wire 1.

[0031] The locking and holding portion 11 is configured such that a pair of locking claws 11A, integrally formed on the opening and closing end side of the intermediate portion 10Aa of the first half-cylindrical body 10A, are inserted into and engaged with a pair of locking holes 11B provided on the opening and closing end side of the intermediate portion 10Ba of the second half-cylindrical body 10B, thereby locking and holding the cylindrical cover body 10 in a closed state.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3 and 5-6, the opening degree limiting section 13 is configured such that a pair of engaging claws 13A, which are integrally formed on both ends 10Ab of the first half-cylindrical body 10A and extend from the connecting end sides of those ends 10Ab, are inserted into and engaged with a pair of engaging holes 13B provided on the connecting end sides of both ends 10Bb of the second half-cylindrical body 10B, thereby limiting the opening degree of the cylindrical cover body 10 to a predetermined half-open state. The extension length of each engaging claw 13A from both ends 10Ab of the first half-cylindrical body 10A at their base end is set to a length that allows for a change in the opening degree between the closed state and the predetermined half-open state of the cylindrical cover body 10. Each engaging hole 13B is formed on a protruding piece 13C, which is integrally formed on both ends 10Bb of the second half-cylindrical body 10B and protrudes outward from the connecting end sides of those ends 10Bb.

[0033] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the insulating cover A for the electric wire is equipped with the aforementioned opening limiting portion 13 and extension portion 14, and the cylindrical cover body 10 is made of an elastic material, so that it has a structure that includes a fall prevention means B to prevent the cylindrical cover body 10 from falling off the electric wire 1 when the cylindrical cover body 10 is fitted onto the electric wire 1 in a half-open state.

[0034] With the above configuration, when attaching the insulating cover A to the electric wire 1 in a manner that covers the exposed core wire portion 1B of the electric wire 1, the worker first uses an indirect tool 2 that grips the gripping portion 12 of the insulating cover A, as shown in Figure 5(A), to fit the cylindrical cover body 10, whose opening is limited to a predetermined half-open state by the opening limiting portion 13, onto the electric wire 1 from its open side. As a result of the external fitting at this time, as shown in Figure 5(B), the open side of the cylindrical cover body 10 comes into contact with the electric wire 1, causing the pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B to open against the opening restriction of the opening restriction part 13. This allows the elastic deformation of the pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B in the opening direction due to the elasticity of the cylindrical cover body 10 including the opening restriction part 13 (hereinafter simply referred to as the elasticity of the cylindrical cover body 10), and as a result the electric wire 1 enters the inside of the cylindrical cover body 10 while pushing apart the space between the second halved cylindrical body 10B and the extension part 14 in the cylindrical cover body 10. Then, when the electric wire 1 enters the interior of the cylindrical cover body 10, as shown in Figure 6(A), the expansion of the cylindrical cover body 10 due to contact with the electric wire 1 is released, and the elasticity of the cylindrical cover body 10 causes the pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B to elastically return to a half-open state. As a result, the opening / closing end of the second halved cylindrical body 10B and the extended end of the extended portion 14 come into close proximity in a state that prevents the electric wire 1 from passing through, thus preventing the electric wire 1 from detaching from the interior of the cylindrical cover body 10 as the electric wire 1 passes between them, and thereby preventing the cylindrical cover body 10 from falling off the electric wire 1. Once the cylindrical cover body 10 is prevented from falling off in this way, the worker, as shown in Figure 6(A), operates the indirect tool 2 that grips the gripping portion 12 of the insulating cover A, while operating another indirect tool 3 to switch the partially open cylindrical cover body 10 to a closed state, as shown in Figure 6(B), thereby completing the installation of the insulating cover A onto the electric wire 1.

[0035] In other words, in the insulating cover A for electric wires illustrated in this embodiment, as described above, the detachment prevention means B is provided to prevent the cylindrical cover body 10 from falling off the electric wire 1. As shown in Figure 6(A), while the worker operates the indirect tool 3 for switching the insulating cover A from a half-open state to a closed state with one hand, the worker only needs to operate the indirect tool 2 for gripping the gripping portion 12 of the insulating cover A with the other hand to maintain the position of the insulating cover A relative to the electric wire 1 in a position that makes it easy to switch the insulating cover A from a half-open state to a closed state. This eliminates the need to perform a high-tension operation to prevent the insulating cover A from falling off.

[0036] Therefore, when attaching the insulating cover A to the electric wire 1 using indirect tools 2 and 3, it is possible to easily prevent the inconvenience of the insulating cover A falling off the electric wire 1, and the ease of attaching the insulating cover A to the electric wire 1 can be greatly improved.

[0037] As shown in Figures 4-6, in the cylindrical cover body 10, the aforementioned extension portion 14 is integrally formed on the opening and closing end side of the first half-cylindrical body 10A. The extension portion 14 is formed as a curved portion 14A, which curves toward the inside of the cylindrical cover body 10 at its extension end.

[0038] With this configuration, as shown in Figure 5, when the aforementioned partially open cylindrical cover body 10 is fitted onto the electric wire 1 from its open side, the curved portion 14A of the extension portion 14 functions as a guide portion that guides the electric wire 1 into the interior of the cylindrical cover body 10. As a result, when fitting the cover body, the contact between the electric wire 1 and the cylindrical cover body 10 makes it easier for the electric wire 1 to spread the second partially open cylindrical body 10B and the extension portion 14, thereby improving the workability when fitting the cylindrical cover body 10 onto the electric wire 1.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, when the electric wire 1 enters the interior of the cylindrical cover body 10 and the second half-cylindrical body 10B and the extension portion 14 are in close proximity, the curved portion 14A of the extension portion 14 functions as a guide that directs the electric wire 1 inside the cylindrical cover body 10 towards the extension portion 14. This makes it difficult for the electric wire 1 inside the cylindrical cover body 10 to enter between the second half-cylindrical body 10B and the extension portion 14, and as a result, it is possible to more reliably prevent the electric wire 1 from detaching from the interior of the cylindrical cover body 10 by passing through between them.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, the extension portion 14 of the first split cylindrical body 10A has a width W that is longer than the length L of the exposed core wire portion 1B of the electric wire 1 from which a portion of the insulating coating 1A has been removed, and is provided in the center of the cylindrical cover body 10 in the wiring direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4(C), when the cylindrical cover body 10 is closed, the extension portion 14 is formed to extend along the inner surface of the second split cylindrical body 10B and be housed inside the cylindrical cover body 10.

[0041] With the above configuration, when attaching the insulating cover A to the electric wire 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 6(A), the cylindrical cover body 10 is fitted onto the electric wire 1 in a half-open state so that the exposed core wire portion 1B of the electric wire 1 is located in the center of the cylindrical cover body 10 in the wiring direction. Then, as shown in Figure 6, the cylindrical cover body 10 is switched from the half-open state to the closed state. As a result, as shown in Figures 2 and 4(C), the extension portion 14, which has a width W longer than the length L of the exposed core wire portion 1B of the electric wire 1 and faces the exposed core wire portion 1B, extends along the inner surface of the second half-cylindrical body 10B, and so that it faces the gap on the opening / closing end side of the cylindrical cover body 10, and the gap is suitably closed from the inside of the cylindrical cover body 10, and the extension portion 14 fits inside the cylindrical cover body 10.

[0042] As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the inconvenience of rainwater or other liquids seeping in from the gap at the opening end of the cylindrical cover body 10 towards the exposed core portion 1B of the electric wire 1 located inside the cylindrical cover body 10.

[0043] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the second split cylindrical body 10B is provided with a guide portion 15 that extends outward from its opening / closing end along the split end surface of the second split cylindrical body 10B, enabling the electric wire 1 to be guided between the second split cylindrical body 10B and the extended end of the extension portion 14 in the partially open cylindrical cover body 10.

[0044] With this configuration, when fitting the aforementioned partially open cylindrical cover body 10 onto the electric wire 1 from its open side, as shown in Figure 5, by pressing the guide portion 15 of the second half-cylindrical body 10B against the electric wire 1 and then covering the electric wire 1 with the cylindrical cover body 10, it is possible to facilitate the spreading of the space between the second half-cylindrical body 10B and the extension portion 14 by the electric wire 1 when the electric wire 1 and the cylindrical cover body 10 come into contact during fitting, and to make it smoother for the electric wire 1 to enter the interior of the cylindrical cover body 10 from between them.

[0045] As a result, in the process of attaching the insulating cover A to the electric wire 1 using indirect tools 2 and 3, the workability when fitting the insulating cover A onto the electric wire 1 can be further improved.

[0046] As shown in Figure 2, at both ends of the intermediate portions 10Aa and 10Ba of each of the halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B, a sponge member 16 is attached across the pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B. This sponge member 16 fills the space formed between the closed cylindrical cover body 10 and the electric wire 1 when the insulating cover A for the electric wire is attached to the electric wire 1. The sponge member 16 has elasticity that allows the cylindrical cover body 10 to elastically return to a half-open state, and has adhesive properties on the inner surface that contacts the electric wire 1.

[0047] With this configuration, when fitting the partially open cylindrical cover body 10 onto the electric wire 1 from its open side, the elasticity of the sponge member 16 allows the cylindrical cover body 10 to be held in a partially open state. Furthermore, when the cylindrical cover body 10 is fitted onto the electric wire 1, the inner surfaces of each sponge member 16 adhere to the electric wire 1, making it easy to switch the fitted position of the cylindrical cover body 10 to the closed state without continuously using the indirect tool 2 that grips the gripping portion 12 of the insulating cover A.

[0048] As a result, the workability when fitting the partially open cylindrical cover body 10 onto the electric wire 1 can be improved, and the switching from the partially open state to the closed state of the cylindrical cover body 10 after it has been fitted onto the electric wire 1 can be made easier.

[0049] Furthermore, when the cylindrical cover body 10 is switched to the closed state, the space between the closed cylindrical cover body 10 and the electric wire 1 is filled with the sponge member 16, thereby preventing rainwater that seeps into the inside of the cylindrical cover body 10 from entering through gaps between the electric wire 1 and both ends of the cylindrical cover body 10, and from flowing towards the exposed core wire portion 1B of the electric wire 1 located in the center of the inside of the cylindrical cover body 10.

[0050] The gripping portion 12 is configured such that, when the insulating cover A is attached to the electric wire 1, the entire insulating cover A, including the gripping portion 12, is contained within a protective tube (not shown) that protects the electric wire 1. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the gripping portion 12 is formed in a trapezoidal shape that tapers towards the end as it extends outward from the opening and closing end of the first split cylindrical body 10A.

[0051] This eliminates the need to cut off the gripping portion 12 from the insulating cover A after it has been attached to the electric wire 1, which was necessary when the extension length of the gripping portion 12 was set to a length that prevented the entire insulating cover A, including the gripping portion 12, from being housed inside the protective tube. This improves the ease of attaching the insulating cover A to the electric wire 1.

[0052] Furthermore, when moving the protective tube along the electric wire 1 to cover the insulating cover A attached to the electric wire 1, the pair of inclined edges 12A on the gripping portion 12 function as guides that direct the contact portion of the protective tube with the gripping portion 12 outwards from the gripping portion 12. This improves the workability when covering the insulating cover A with the protective tube.

[0053] As shown in Figures 4-6, the surface of the gripping portion 12 has multiple protrusions 12B that function as anti-slip features when the gripping portion 12 is gripped by the indirect tool 2. This prevents the insulating cover A from slipping off the indirect tool 2 when the insulating cover A is fitted onto the electric wire 1 while the gripping portion 12 is gripped by the indirect tool 2.

[0054] As shown in Figure 1, the guide portion 15 of the second split cylindrical body 10B described above is formed in a trapezoidal shape that is similar to the gripping portion 12 but smaller than the gripping portion 12. When the cylindrical cover body 10 is closed, it is positioned to face the gripping portion 12 of the first split cylindrical body 10A and to fit within the outer edge of the gripping portion 12.

[0055] This prevents the guide portion 15 of the second split cylindrical body 10B from obstructing the movement of the protective pipe along the electric wire 1 when the insulating cover A attached to the electric wire 1 is covered with a protective pipe.

[0056] As shown in Figures 1 and 5-6, in each of the halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B, a plurality of reinforcing ribs 10b are formed on the opening and closing end sides of the intermediate portions 10Aa and 10Ba, respectively, to prevent elastic deformation at the opening and closing end sides of the intermediate portions 10Aa and 10Ba, with a length extending from both ends of the intermediate portions 10Aa and 10Ba.

[0057] As a result, as shown in Figure 6(A), when using the indirect tool 3 to clamp the opening and closing ends of the partially open cylindrical cover body 10 with the indirect tool 3 to switch the cylindrical cover body 10 from a partially open state to a closed state, the clamping by the indirect tool 3 at that time causes the opening and closing ends of the intermediate parts 10Aa and 10Ba of each half-cylindrical body 10A and 10B to elastically deform, making it difficult to insert and engage each locking claw 11A of each locking claw 11A of the locking holding part 11 for locking and holding the cylindrical cover body 10 in the closed state into each locking hole 11B, thus preventing the occurrence of such problems.

[0058] As a result, in the process of attaching the insulating cover A to the electric wire 1 using indirect tools 2 and 3, the workability when switching the cylindrical cover body 10 of the insulating cover A from a half-open state to a closed state and locking and holding it in the closed state with the locking and holding part 11 can be improved.

[0059] [Another embodiment] Another embodiment of the present invention will be described. Furthermore, the configurations of each of the separate embodiments described below are not limited to being applied individually, but can also be applied in combination with the above-described embodiments or other separate embodiments.

[0060] (1) In the above embodiment, the insulating cover A is provided as an example in which the elasticity of the cylindrical cover body 10 including the opening degree limiting portion 13 allows for elastic deformation of each half-cylindrical body 10A, 10B in the opening direction when an opening operation is performed on each half-cylindrical body 10A, 10B from a half-open state against the opening degree limiting portion 13, and when the opening operation is released, each half-cylindrical body 10A, 10B is provided as an example in which the elasticity of the cylindrical cover body 10 including the opening degree limiting portion 13 allows for elastic deformation of each half-cylindrical body 10A, 10B in the opening direction when the opening operation is released, but the embodiment is not limited to this, for example, the opening degree limiting portion 13 in the cylindrical cover body 10 The elasticity of only the pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B, excluding the pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B, or the elasticity of only the opening degree limiting portion 13 in the cylindrical cover body 10, excluding the pair of halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B, etc., may allow for elastic deformation of each of the halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B in the opening direction when an opening operation is performed on each of the halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B from a half-open state against the opening degree limiting portion 13, and may also be configured to elastically return each of the halved cylindrical bodies 10A and 10B to their closed position when the opening operation is released.

[0061] (2) In the above embodiment, the gripping portion 12 and the guide portion 15 were exemplified as being formed in a tapered trapezoidal shape, but they are not limited to this, and may be formed in a semicircular or rectangular shape, for example.

[0062] (3) In the above embodiment, the opening degree limiting portion 13 is provided as an example in which a pair of engaging claws 13A extending from the connecting end side of the first half-cylindrical body 10A are inserted into and engaged with a pair of engaging holes 13B provided on the connecting end side of the second half-cylindrical body 10B, thereby limiting the opening degree of the cylindrical cover body 10 to a predetermined half-open state. However, the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the opening degree of the cylindrical cover body 10 may be limited to a predetermined half-open state by the contact of protruding portions formed outward from the connecting end side of each half-cylindrical body 10A, 10B.

[0063] (4) In the above embodiment, the extension portion 14 was exemplified as having a curved portion 14A at its extension end that curves toward the inside of the cylindrical cover body 10. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, the extension end may be formed as an inclined portion that slopes toward the inside of the cylindrical cover body 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 1 electric wire 1A Insulation Coating 1B Exposed core wire portion 2 Indirect tools 10. Cylindrical cover 10A One half-tube (first half-tube) 10B The other half-cylindrical body (second half-cylindrical body) 11 Lock holding part 12 Grip part 13 Opening degree limiting section 14 Extension 14A Curved section 15 Guide section B Fall prevention means L Length of exposed core wire W Width of the extended portion

Claims

1. An insulating cover for an electric wire, comprising a cylindrical cover body formed by connecting a pair of halved cylindrical bodies so as to be openable and closable in the circumferential direction, a locking and holding part for locking and holding the cylindrical cover body in a closed state, and a gripping part extending outward from the opening / closing end of one of the pair of halved cylindrical bodies and being gripped by an indirect tool, An opening degree limiting part is positioned on the connecting end side of the pair of halved cylindrical bodies to limit the opening degree of the cylindrical cover body to a predetermined half-open state, In the partially open state of the cylindrical cover body, an extension portion is provided that extends from the opening / closing end of one half-cylindrical body to the opening / closing end of the other half-cylindrical body, with the extended end close to the opening / closing end of the other half-cylindrical body, thereby preventing the passage of electric wires between the two half-cylindrical bodies. The cylindrical cover body is an insulating cover for electric wires, comprising an elastic body that, when the pair of split cylindrical bodies are opened against the opening restriction of the opening restriction part while the cylindrical cover body is in a half-open state, allows elastic deformation of the pair of split cylindrical bodies in the opening direction, thereby allowing the electric wire to pass between the other split cylindrical body and the extension part, and when the opening operation is released, elastically returns the pair of split cylindrical bodies in the closing direction so that the opening of the cylindrical cover body is in a half-open state, thereby preventing the electric wire from passing between the other split cylindrical body and the extension part.

2. The insulating cover for electric wires according to claim 1, wherein the extended end of the extended portion is formed into a curved portion that curves toward the inside of the cylindrical cover body.

3. In the closed state of the cylindrical cover body, the extension portion is formed to fit inside the cylindrical cover body in a state that extends along the inner surface of the other half-cylindrical body. The insulating cover for electric wire according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The insulating cover for electric wires according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the other half-cylindrical body is provided with a guide portion that extends outward from its opening / closing end side along the half-cut end surface of the half-cylindrical body, enabling the electric wire to be guided between the other half-cylindrical body and the extended end side of the extension portion in the half-open cylindrical cover body.

5. The insulating cover for electric wire according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the extended portion has a width longer than the length of the exposed core wire portion of the electric wire from which a portion of the insulating coating has been removed, and is provided in the central part of the cylindrical cover body in the wiring direction.

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