protective tube

Abstract

To provide a protective tube with a small number of components and efficient installation. [Solution] This protective tube covers a linear body from two directions by arranging a pair of split tube bodies 2 with their concave sides facing each other. The split tube body 2 has a resin part 3 that is formed in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape and forms the main body of the split tube body 2, and a belt member 4 made of a material with higher tensile strength than the resin part. The belt member 4 has a band portion 41 that is formed in a substantially semi-circular shape, and engaging portions 6 formed at both ends of the band portion for engaging the opposing split tube bodies 2 with each other. The band portion 41 is embedded in the resin part 3 by insert molding. With this configuration, the opposing split tube bodies 2 are engaged with each other via the engaging portions 6 of the belt member 4 which is formed integrally with the resin part 3, so the number of components is reduced, the procedure for installing the protective tube is simplified, and the installation work efficiency can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a protective tube that covers and protects a linear body such as a cable.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, cables laid or buried under the sea have been used as transmission lines for communication or power from island to island. In order to prevent such cables from being damaged by contact with rocky reefs or the like due to being washed by ocean currents and waves, or contact with the bottom of passing ships or anchors lowered from ships, etc., their surroundings are covered and protected by a protective tube. Such a protective tube is formed, for example, by sandwiching a cable from above and below by a pair of half cylindrical tube bodies formed in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and connecting the half tube bodies to each other by a connecting member (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the protective tube described in Patent Document 1 above, the connecting member is a separate body from the half tube body, and furthermore, a connecting pin is required to attach the connecting member to the half tube body. Therefore, the number of members constituting the protective tube increases, the procedures for installing the protective tube also increase, and the working efficiency is poor.

[0005] The present invention solves the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a protective tube with a small number of constituent members and good installation work efficiency.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention relates to a protective tube that covers a linear body from two directions by arranging a pair of halved tubes with their concave sides facing each other, wherein the halved tubes have a resin portion formed in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape and forming the main body of the halved tubes, and a belt member made of a material with higher tensile strength than the resin portion, wherein the belt member has a band portion formed in a substantially semi-circular shape and engaging portions formed at both ends of the band portion for engaging the opposing halved tubes, and the band portion is embedded in the resin portion by insert molding.

[0007] Preferably, the split tubes are connected in multiples along the extension direction of the linear body, and the split tubes covering one side of the linear body and the split tubes covering the other side are arranged to be offset from each other by approximately half a pitch.

[0008] Preferably, the engaging portion has a hook portion provided at one end of the belt portion and a hook receiving portion provided at the other end of the belt portion that engages with the hook portion.

[0009] The resin portion has a body formed in a long, semi-cylindrical shape, and a pair of edges that form both edges of the body in the extension direction and are the contact surfaces with the opposing halved pipe body, and it is preferable that the hook portion and hook receiving portion are not exposed from the body, but only from the edges.

[0010] Preferably, the hook portion and the hook receiving portion engage with each other when the pair of split pipe bodies are brought close together so that their respective edges touch.

[0011] The hook portion has a hook-shaped claw that engages with the hook receiving portion, and it is preferable that the hook-shaped claw is provided along either the extension direction or the radial direction of the body portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the protective tube of the present invention, opposing halved pipe bodies are engaged with each other via an engaging portion of a belt member formed integrally with the resin part. This reduces the number of constituent parts, simplifies the installation procedure for the protective tube, and improves installation efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a protective tube according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] (a) and (b) are perspective views of the split pipe bodies that make up the protective tube described above. [Figure 3] (a) is a cross-sectional view of the split pipe described above, and (b) is a bottom view of the same split pipe. [Figure 4] (a) is a perspective view of the belt members constituting the above-mentioned split pipe body, and (b) is a perspective view showing the state in which the belt members are engaged with each other. [Figure 5] (a) and (b) are perspective views showing the process of assembling the above-mentioned split pipe to form a protective tube. [Figure 6] (a) is a perspective view showing the process of assembling the halved pipes to form a protective tube, and (b) is a side view showing the same process. [Figure 7] (a) and (b) are perspective views of a split pipe body constituting a protective tube according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] (a) is a perspective view of the belt members that make up the split pipe shown in Figure 7, and (b) is a perspective view showing the state in which the belt members are engaged with each other. [Figure 9] (a) is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the state before the belt members shown in Figure 8 are engaged with each other, and (b) is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the state after the belt members are engaged with each other. [Figure 10] (a) is a perspective view showing the process of assembling the halved pipe shown in Figure 7 to form a protective tube, and (b) is a side view showing the same process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The protective tube according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the protective tube 1 has an elongated shape along the linear body (cable) L and covers and protects the outer periphery of the linear body L. The protective tube 1 covers the linear body L from two directions by arranging the concave sides of a pair of half tube bodies 2 to face each other. In the illustrated example, the protective tube 1 is composed of a plurality of half tube bodies 2A that cover the linear body L from above and a plurality of half tube bodies 2B that cover the linear body L from below.

[0015] A plurality of the half tube bodies 2A and 2B are connected in series along the elongation direction D of the linear body L, respectively. The half tube bodies 2A and 2B have the same shape as each other, and hereinafter, the half tube bodies 2A and 2B may be collectively referred to as the half tube body 2. Further, hereinafter, the direction from the half tube body 2A toward the half tube body 2B orthogonal to the elongation direction D is the vertical direction V according to the illustrated example, the direction orthogonal to both the elongation direction D and the vertical direction V is the radial direction R, and the left side of the paper surface along the elongation direction D is the front, and the right side of the paper surface is the rear.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the half tube body 2 includes a resin part 3 forming the main body of the half tube body 2 and a plurality of belt members 4 made of a material having higher tensile strength than the resin part 3. The resin part 3 is made of a flexible resin such as polyurethane, for example. The belt member 4 is made of a metal such as stainless steel or cast iron or carbon fiber, for example.

[0017] The resin part 3 has a body part 31 formed of an elongated semi-cylindrical body and a pair of edge parts 32 forming both edges of the body part 31 in the elongation direction D. The pair of edge parts 32 serve as contact surfaces with the opposing half tube bodies 2. Further, the resin part 3 has a connection part 5 for connecting to the adjacent half tube body 2 in the elongation direction D. The connection part 5 is composed of a connection convex part 51 protruding along the elongation direction D from the rear end of the body part 31 and a connection concave part 52 recessed in the inner periphery of the body part 3 1 at the front end.

[0018] The connecting convex portion 51 has a semi-cylindrical portion 53 formed coaxially with the body portion 31 and having a smaller diameter than the body portion 31, and a protrusion portion 54 provided on the outer periphery of the semi-cylindrical portion 53. The protrusion portion 54 is provided along the circumferential direction C (see FIG. 2(a)) at the rear end portion of the semi-cylindrical portion 53 and protrudes in a direction orthogonal to the elongation direction D. The connecting concave portion 52 abuts against the outer periphery of the connecting convex portion 51 of the adjacent semi-tube body 2 and has a recess portion 55 recessed along the circumferential direction C on the inner periphery. The protrusion portion 54 of the abutting connecting convex portion 51 fits into the recess portion 55. Further, the connecting concave portion 52 is reinforced by the belt member 4.

[0019] Furthermore, the resin portion 3 has a plurality of convex portions 33 and concave portions 34 provided at respective edge portions 32. The plurality of convex portions 33 are arranged so as to fit into the concave portions 34 of the opposing semi-tube bodies 2.

[0020] The plurality of belt members 4 are each formed in a substantially semi-annular shape along the circumferential direction C of the body portion 31 and have the same shape as each other. These belt members 4 are arranged at equal intervals along the elongation direction D. In the illustrated example, four belt members 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d are arranged from the front end portion to in front of the rear end portion of the body portion 31. The belt members 4a - 4d each have a belt portion 41 formed in a semi-annular sheet shape, and an engaging portion 6 formed at both ends of the belt portion 41 for engaging the opposing semi-tube bodies 2 with each other.

[0021] The engaging portion 6 has a hook portion 61 provided at one end of the belt portion 41 and a hook receiving portion 62 provided at the other end of the belt portion 41 and engaging with the hook portion 61. The belt portion 41 is embedded in the resin portion 3 by insert molding. The hook portion 61 and the hook receiving portion 62 are not exposed to the outside from the body portion 31 and are only exposed to the outside from the edge portion 32. In the illustrated example, the hook portions 61 of the belt members 4a and 4d and the hook receiving portions 62 of the belt members 4b and 4c are arranged so as to line up at one edge portion 32.

[0022] As shown in Figure 4(a), the hook portion 61 of the belt member 4 has a pair of hook pieces 61a aligned along the extension direction D (thrust direction), and a pair of hook-shaped claws 61b provided at the tip of each hook piece 61a. The pair of hook pieces 61a are configured to be elastically deformable in the direction toward each other. The pair of hook-shaped claws 61b extend toward each other along the extension direction D, and are formed such that their width in the extension direction D increases as they approach the belt portion 41.

[0023] The hook receiving portion 62 has a flat plate portion 62a formed in the shape of a rectangular plate that expands along the extension direction D and the circumferential direction C, a recessed portion 62b formed in the flat plate portion 62a in a rectangular shape from the side furthest from the band portion 41, and a pair of hook-shaped claws 62c provided on two opposing sides of the recessed portion 62b in the extension direction D. The pair of hook-shaped claws 62c extend in a direction toward each other along the extension direction D, and are formed such that their width in the extension direction D increases as they approach the band portion 41.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4(b), when the tip of the hook-shaped claw 61b of one belt member 4 is brought into contact with the tip of the hook-shaped claw 62c of another belt member 4, and the hook-shaped claw 61b is then pushed into the recessed portion 62b, the pair of hook pieces 61a elastically deform so that they move closer together, and the hook-shaped claw 61b engages with the hook-shaped claw 62c. In this way, the hook portion 61 and the hook receiving portion 62 engage the pair of belt members 4 with each other in an easy-to-operate push-in buckle style.

[0025] Next, the procedure for forming a protective tube 1 by combining multiple halved tubes 2 will be explained with reference to Figures 5 and 6. First, as shown in Figure 5(a), multiple halved tubes 2B are connected to each other along the extension direction D by bringing the connecting projection 51 of one halved tube 2B into contact with the connecting recess 52 of another halved tube 2B. At this time, the projection 54 fits into the recess 55, preventing the connected halved tubes 2B from easily coming apart. Then, as shown in Figure 5(b), the linear body L is housed in the concave surface of the multiple connected halved tubes 2B.

[0026] Next, as shown in Figure 6(a), the split pipe body 2A is brought closer to the split pipe body 2B from above so that their respective edges 32 come into contact with each other. At this time, as shown in Figure 6(b), the split pipe body 2A is positioned with its front and rear ends facing opposite directions to the split pipe body 2B, and the belt members 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d of the split pipe body 2A are positioned opposite to the belt members 4b, 4a, 4d, and 4c of the split pipe body 2B, respectively. Then, as the split pipe body 2A is moved downwards in this position and brought closer to the split pipe body 2B, the belt members 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d of the split pipe body 2A engage with the belt members 4b, 4a, 4d, and 4c of the split pipe body 2B, respectively, in the form of insert buckles. As a result, the split pipe bodies 2A and 2B are fixed in place along the extension direction D, offset by approximately half a pitch, without any misalignment of their positions. This misalignment is also prevented by the convex portion 33 fitting into the recess 34 of the opposing half-pipe body 2.

[0027] After attaching the split pipe body 2A to the split pipe body 2B as described above, the recessed portion 55 of the new split pipe body 2A is fitted into the projection 54 of the attached split pipe body 2A, and the new split pipe body 2A is brought closer to the linear body L and the split pipe body 2B from above. Then, the process of engaging the new split pipe body 2A with the split pipe body 2B in the same manner as above is repeated, extending the split pipe body 2A along the extension direction D. As a result, the linear body L is covered and protected by the split pipe bodies 2A and 2B. In this way, the protective pipe 1 can be assembled simply by arranging multiple split pipe bodies 2B below to position the linear body L, and then sequentially fitting the split pipe bodies 2A from above, making it very easy to work with.

[0028] As described above, the protective tube 1 engages opposing halved pipe bodies 2 with each other via the engaging portion 6 of the belt member 4, which is integrally formed with the resin portion 3. Therefore, unlike conventional protective tubes, there is no need for connecting members such as bolts or pins to connect the halved pipe bodies or for bands to be wrapped around the halved pipe bodies. This reduces the number of components and simplifies the installation procedure for the protective tube 1.

[0029] Furthermore, the engaging portion 6 engages simply by bringing the split pipe bodies 2A and 2B close together so that their respective edges 32 come into contact with each other, making the installation of the protective pipe 1 extremely easy and improving installation efficiency. In this case, since the band portion 41 of the engaging portion 6 is embedded in the resin portion 3, it does not wobble and is firmly and precisely fixed in the predetermined position. Therefore, the engagement work of the split pipe bodies 2A and 2B can be performed smoothly.

[0030] Furthermore, because the main body of the split pipe 2 is made of resin 3, the protective pipe 1 is lighter than a metal protective pipe and has excellent transportability on land. On the other hand, since the engaging part 6 is made of a material with high tensile strength such as metal or carbon fiber, the engaging part 6 is less likely to break even when a large load is applied during engagement, and the split pipes 2A and 2B can be reliably engaged. In addition, by forming the belt member 4 from metal or carbon fiber, the specific gravity of the protective pipe 1 is higher compared to when the protective pipe is made of resin alone. As a result, the protective pipe 1 sinks more easily without the need to add weights, and is less likely to float up from the seabed even when affected by currents. This suppresses damage to the linear body L due to floating and displacement of the linear body L from its installation location, and the linear body L can be protected stably.

[0031] Furthermore, since the resin part 3 is made of a flexible material, the protective tube 1 can be bent, increasing the freedom of laying the linear body L, such as allowing the linear body L to curve naturally. On the other hand, since the connecting recess 52 is reinforced by the belt member 4, the connecting part 5, which is composed of the connecting protrusion 51 and the connecting recess 52, can reliably connect the halved pipe bodies 2A or 2B to each other while allowing the desired flexibility.

[0032] Furthermore, since the split pipe bodies 2A and 2B are positioned with approximately half a pitch offset from each other, one split pipe body 2 is held in place by engagement with two opposing split pipe bodies 2. In addition, the split pipe bodies 2A and 2B are connected to adjacent split pipe bodies 2A and 2B in the extension direction D by connection parts 5. Therefore, the split pipe bodies 2 are less likely to fall off the protective pipe 1, and the linear body L can be stably protected. In the above description, the split pipe bodies 2A and 2B are positioned horizontally above and below, respectively, but in actual construction, for example, they may be positioned vertically to the left and right, respectively.

[0033] Furthermore, since the engaging portion 6 (hook portion 61 and hook receiving portion 62) is exposed only from the edge portion 32 of the resin portion 3, it is not exposed to the outside when the halved pipe bodies 2A and 2B are connected to each other via their respective edges 32. As a result, the engaging portion 6 is not exposed to the outside after the protective pipe 1 is installed, and the linear body L can be protected stably over a long period of time without being damaged by contact with gravel, rocks, etc.

[0034] Furthermore, since the split tube bodies 2A and 2B have the same shape, the effort of distinguishing between the split tube bodies 2A and 2B each time when forming the protective tube 1 is eliminated, improving the efficiency of the assembly work of the protective tube 1. In addition, since the split tube bodies 2A and 2B can be insert-molded using one type of mold, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0035] Next, a protective tube according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 10. As shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), the shape of the engaging portion 6 in the split pipe bodies 2A and 2B that constitute this protective tube is different from that of the protective tube 1 described above. In addition, the hook receiving portion 62 of the engaging portion 6 is exposed to the outside by providing a notch 35 in the body portion 31 of the resin portion 3. On the other hand, at the location where the hook portion 61 of the engaging portion 6 is positioned, the body portion 31 is provided with an overhang 36 that extends along the circumferential direction C. The overhang 36 has a shape complementary to the notch 35 and fits into the notch 35 of the opposing split pipe body 2 so that the hook receiving portion 62 is not exposed to the outside (see Figures 10(a) and 10(b) described later).

[0036] As shown in Figure 8(a), the hook portion 63 of the belt member 4 has a flat plate portion 63a formed in the shape of a rectangular plate that expands along the extension direction D and the circumferential direction C, a hole portion 63b provided linearly along the extension direction D at approximately the center of the flat plate portion 63a, and a hook-shaped claw 63c formed adjacent to the hole portion 63b on the side opposite to the belt portion 41. The hook-shaped claw 63c is formed by pushing outward in the radial direction R from approximately the center of the flat plate portion 63a, and is inclined such that the distance from the flat plate portion 63a increases as it approaches the belt portion 41.

[0037] The hook receiving portion 64 has a flat plate portion 64a formed in the shape of a rectangular plate that expands along the extension direction D and the circumferential direction C, a hole portion 64b provided in the flat plate portion 64a in a U-shape, and an inclined piece 64c bordered by the hole portion 64b and inclined relative to the flat plate portion 64a. The hole portion 64b is provided along the side of the flat plate portion 64a furthest from the band portion 41 and along two sides perpendicular to that side, and its width in the extension direction D is slightly larger than the width of the flat plate portion 63a in the same direction. The inclined piece 64c is formed by pushing the area of ​​the flat plate portion 63a surrounded by the hole portion 64b inward in the radial direction R, and is inclined such that the distance from the flat plate portion 64a increases as it moves away from the band portion 41. The flat plate portion 64a and the inclined piece 64c are configured to be elastically deformable in the direction away from each other.

[0038] As shown in Figures 8(b) and 9(a)(b), when the flat portion 63a of one belt member 4 is inserted into the hole 64b from between the flat portion 64a and the inclined piece 64c of another belt member 4, the flat portion 64a and the inclined piece 64c elastically deform, causing the hook-shaped claw 63c to pass through the hole 64b. At this point, the end 63d of the hook-shaped claw 63c on the band portion 41 side engages with the end of the flat portion 64a adjacent to the hole 64b. In this case, the end 63d of the hook-shaped claw 63c is formed in a wavy shape in plan view. This makes it difficult for the hook-shaped claw 63c to detach from the end of the flat portion 64a. In this way, the pair of belt members 4 are engaged with each other.

[0039] Even with the belt member 4 configured as described above, as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), when the split pipe body 2A is brought closer to the split pipe body 2B from above so that their respective edges 32 come into contact with each other, the belt members 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d of the split pipe body 2A engage with the belt members 4b, 4a, 4d, and 4c of the split pipe body 2B, respectively (see Figure 10(b)). The protective tube formed in this way can also obtain the same effect as the protective tube 1 described above.

[0040] Furthermore, the protective tube according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways. For example, the engaging portion is not necessarily limited to one that engages using a hook-shaped claw, but may be configured to engage using a bolt or pin. Also, the number of belt members provided on one split tube is not limited to four, and can be appropriately determined depending on the engagement method of the engaging portion, the length of the split tube, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 Protection tube 2, 2A, 2B Half tube body 3 Resin part 31 Torso 32 Edge 4 Belt members 41 Band 6 Engaging part 61, 63 Hook section 61b, 63c Claws 62, 64 Hook receiving section D Extension direction R Radial direction L linear body

Claims

1. A protective tube in which a pair of halved tube bodies are positioned with their concave sides facing each other to cover a linear body from two directions, The aforementioned split tube comprises a resin portion formed in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape and forming the main body of the split tube, and a belt member made of a material with higher tensile strength than the resin portion. The protective tube is characterized in that the belt member has a band portion formed in a substantially semi-circular shape and engaging portions formed at both ends of the band portion for engaging the opposing halved pipe bodies, and the band portion is embedded in the resin portion by insert molding.

2. The protective tube according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of the halved tubes are connected along the extension direction of the linear body, and the halved tubes covering one side of the linear body and the halved tubes covering the other side are arranged to be offset from each other by approximately half a pitch.

3. The protective tube according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the engaging portion has a hook portion provided at one end of the band portion and a hook receiving portion provided at the other end of the band portion that engages with the hook portion.

4. The resin portion has a body formed in a long semi-cylindrical shape, and a pair of edges that form both edges of the body in the extension direction and serve as contact surfaces with the opposing half-tube body. The protective tube according to claim 3, characterized in that the hook portion and the hook receiving portion are not exposed from the body portion, but are exposed only from the edge portion.

5. The protective tube according to claim 4, characterized in that the hook portion and the hook receiving portion engage with each other when the pair of split tube bodies are brought close together so that their respective edges come into contact.

6. The hook portion has a hook-shaped claw that engages with the hook receiving portion. The protective tube according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the hook-shaped claw is provided along either the extension direction or the radial direction of the body portion.

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