Pipe fittings
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025027755
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-04
- Estimated Expiration
- 2045-02-25
Smart Images
Figure 2026141259000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[[Technical Field]]
[0001] The present invention relates to a pipe fitting used for connecting a pipe body which is a hose made of a material such as soft polyvinyl chloride. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pipe fitting in which a pipe body is inserted along the outer circumferential surface of a nipple, a sleeve is interposed from the outside of the pipe body, and then the inner circumferential surface of the pipe body is brought into close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the nipple by pressing with a nut, the pipe fitting being capable of connecting multi-sized pipe bodies. [[Background Art]]
[0002] Pipe bodies targeted by this type of pipe fitting have various sizes. For this reason, for example, when a customer newly purchases a watering joint at a retail store, if the customer does not know the size of the hose currently in use, the customer cannot know which watering joint to purchase. To purchase a product of the correct size, the customer has to consult a staff member at the sales floor or go home to check the size before purchasing, which is time-consuming. Under such circumstances, as a prior art, a hose joint that enables hoses with different inner diameters to be connected to the same joint has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-31675
[0004] In the pipe fitting described in Patent Document 1, a fitting portion for attaching a small-diameter hose is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the front half of the nipple portion of the fitting body, a bamboo shoot-shaped cylindrical portion is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rear half, the bamboo shoot portion of the cylindrical portion for attaching a large-diameter hose gradually increases in diameter toward the rear end, further, the sleeve mounted on the outside of the nipple portion is provided with pressing portions respectively corresponding to the small-diameter hose attaching fitting portion and the large-diameter hose attaching cylindrical portion, and a hose nut that presses the sleeve in the radial direction is screwed onto the fitting body, so that two hoses with different diameters can be commonly connected to one hose fitting. [[Summary of Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]
[0005] Incidentally, although pipes come in various sizes, the range of sizes used to be not very wide. The pipe fittings described in Patent Document 1 were also proposed during a time when the range of sizes was narrow. However, in recent years, the variations in pipe sizes have become more abundant as functionality has been pursued. For example, for watering hoses, the inner diameters range from 7.5 mm, 9 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 13.5 mm, 15 mm, etc., and there is a possibility that the range will expand even further in the future. In recent years, with the abundance of size variations, pipe fittings corresponding to these have also become available, but for example, fittings for 7.5 to 9 mm and fittings for 12 to 15 mm are provided separately, meaning that the roles are divided into pipe fittings for small diameter ranges and pipe fittings for large diameter ranges, and it is not possible to use a single pipe fitting to handle everything from small diameters to large diameters.
[0006] In addition to this, even within the limited and narrow range covered by conventional technology, there are structural problems. For example, in the pipe fitting described in Patent Document 1, when tightening a large-diameter hose, the smaller the size of the small-diameter hose in the front half of the nipple section, in conjunction with the fitting section for attaching the large-diameter hose, the longer the required radial movement distance of the sleeve tends to be, increasing the effort and burden of the tightening work. From a design standpoint, increasing the taper angle of the hose nut to shrink the sleeve increases the load on the sleeve, making it more prone to breakage, and the torque during tightening increases due to the large deformation of the sleeve, thus increasing the burden. Increasing the thickness of the sleeve in the outer diameter direction to tighten a small-diameter hose necessitates a larger hose nut, resulting in a larger fitting body, and the increased thickness also increases the burden during tightening. Conversely, if the taper angle or thickness is reduced, another problem arises, such as increased water leakage.
[0007] The present invention aims to address these problems and to provide a pipe joint that can connect pipes of various sizes, not just those of different sizes within a short range, and that is also easy to assemble and highly practical. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] To achieve this objective, the present invention provides a pipe joint for connecting pipes, comprising: a nipple provided along the insertion space of the pipe; two sleeves formed along the outer surface of the nipple, which are attachable to surround the outer circumference of the insertion space of the pipe and are radially deformable, comprising a large-diameter sleeve and a small-diameter sleeve; and a nut positioned outside the two sleeves for circumferentially covering and tightening the outer surfaces of the sleeves, wherein the nipple has a large-diameter cylindrical portion on its outer surface at the base for attaching a large-diameter pipe and a small-diameter cylindrical portion on its outer surface at the tip for attaching a small-diameter pipe, and depending on the size of the pipes to be connected, either only one sleeve is attached or the two sleeves are attached continuously in the insertion direction, or one of these configurations is selected.
[0009] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a pipe joint for connecting pipes, comprising: a nipple provided along the insertion space of the pipe; a plurality of sleeves formed along the outer surface of the nipple, which are attachable to surround the outer circumference of the insertion space of the pipe and are radially deformable, and which correspond to a plurality of pipes of different sizes; and a nut positioned outside the plurality of sleeves for circumferentially covering and tightening the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of sleeves, wherein the nipple is provided with a maximum diameter cylindrical portion for attaching the pipe of the largest diameter on its outer surface at the base, a cylindrical portion for attaching a pipe of a smaller diameter than the pipe of the largest diameter on its outer surface at the tip, and then a cylindrical portion for attaching a pipe of an even smaller diameter, and this is repeated from the pipe of the largest diameter to the pipe of the smallest diameter, and depending on the size of the pipes to be connected, it is possible to select whether only one sleeve is attached or whether a plurality of sleeves are attached in the required number in the insertion direction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0010] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of a pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) is a perspective view showing the connection of the large pipe bodies, Figure 1(b) is a perspective view showing the connection of the small pipe bodies, and Figure 1(c) is a perspective view of Figure 1(b) with the nut removed. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing a nipple of a pipe fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 2(a) is a front view, Figure 2(b) is a side view, Figure 2(c) is a top view, Figure 2(d) is a bottom view, and Figure 2(e) is a perspective view. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram showing a nut of a pipe fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 3(a) is a front view, Figure 3(b) is a side view, Figure 3(c) is a top view, Figure 3(d) is a bottom view, Figure 3(e) is a perspective view, and Figure 3(f) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 3(b). [Figure 4]These are explanatory diagrams showing a large-diameter sleeve and a small-diameter sleeve of a pipe fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention. For the large-diameter sleeve, Figure 4(a) is a front view, Figure 4(b) is a top view, Figure 4(c) is a bottom view, and Figure 4(d) is a perspective view. For the small-diameter sleeve, Figure 4(e) is a front view, Figure 4(f) is a top view, Figure 4(g) is a bottom view, and Figure 4(h) is a perspective view. [Figure 5] This figure illustrates a method for fastening a hose to a pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing a sleeve locking portion provided on the nipple of a pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 6(a) is a cross-sectional view, Figure 6(b) is an enlarged view of portion C in Figure 6(a), and Figure 6(c) is an enlarged view of portion D in Figure 6(a). [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing a pipe engagement portion provided on the nipple of a pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7(a) is a cross-sectional view showing how a large pipe is connected, Figure 7(b) is a cross-sectional view showing how a small pipe is connected, and Figure 7(c) is an enlarged view of part E in Figure 7(b). [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the overall configuration of a pipe joint according to another embodiment of the present invention, with the nut removed. Figure 1(a) is a perspective view, and Figure 1(b) is a cross-sectional view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0011] <Embodiments of the Invention> (Regarding the overall configuration of pipe fittings) The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the drawings are created for illustrative purposes and may intentionally omit components that are not necessary for the explanation in order to make them easier to understand. Also, components may be intentionally enlarged or reduced in size for illustrative purposes and are not drawings that show an accurate scale. In the following explanation, the same reference numerals in different figures indicate parts with the same function, and redundant explanations in each figure will be omitted as appropriate.
[0012] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the pipe joint 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a pipe joint 100 for connecting a large pipe body B1 or a small pipe body B2, and comprises a nipple 1 provided along the insertion space of these pipe bodies, two sleeves formed along the outer surface of the nipple 1 that can be attached to surround the outer circumference of the insertion space of the pipe body and are deformable in the radial direction, a large-diameter sleeve 3 and a small-diameter sleeve 4, and a nut 2 positioned outside the two sleeves to cover the outer surface of the sleeves in the circumferential direction and tighten them. In this embodiment, the large pipe body B1 is assumed to be a pipe body with an inner diameter in the range of 12 mm to 15 mm, and the small pipe body B2 is assumed to be a pipe body with an inner diameter in the range of 7.5 mm to 9 mm. In each range, it is possible to fix the pipe body with sufficient holding force by adjusting the degree of tightening of the nut 2.
[0013] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of a pipe fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 1(a) is a perspective view showing the connection of the large pipe body, Figure 1(b) is a perspective view showing the connection of the small pipe body, and Figure 1(c) is a perspective view with the nut removed in Figure 1(b). Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the nipple of the pipe fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 2(a) is a front view, Figure 2(b) is a side view, Figure 2(c) is a top view, Figure 2(d) is a bottom view, and Figure 2(e) is a perspective view. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the nut of the pipe fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 3(a) is a front view, Figure 3(b) is a side view, Figure 3(c) is a top view, Figure 3(d) is a bottom view, Figure 3(e) is a perspective view, and Figure 3(f) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 3(b).
[0014] More specifically, the pipe joint 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, comprises as its main components a nipple 1 having a guide portion 11 provided facing the inner surface of a large pipe body B1 or a small pipe body B2, a nut 2 having an inclined surface 21 (tapered surface) inside the nut provided facing the outer surface of the guide portion 11 and inclined in the axial direction, and a large-diameter sleeve 3 and / or a small-diameter sleeve 4 arranged on the inclined surface 21 inside the nut 2. Here, as shown in Figure 1(c), when connecting the small pipe body B2, the small-diameter sleeve 4 is placed on top of the large-diameter sleeve 3, and the connection is made by the small-diameter sleeve 4. On the other hand, when connecting the large pipe body B1, only the large-diameter sleeve 3 is placed (see Figure 5), and the connection is made by the large-diameter sleeve 3. Furthermore, the inner and outer diameters of the large tube B1 and the small tube B2 are not fixed; there are multiple sizes that fall within a predetermined range, and by adjusting the tightness of nut 2, it is possible to connect and secure hoses of multiple sizes.
[0015] As shown in Figures 2(a), 2(b), and 2(e), the outer surface of the nipple 1 is provided with multiple continuous axial grooves or multiple grooves at appropriate intervals, forming a guide portion 11 for guiding the hose. These grooves include a large-diameter sleeve locking portion 13 that restricts the movement of the large-diameter sleeve 3 in the direction of insertion and removal from the pipe, a small-diameter sleeve locking portion 14 that restricts the movement of the small-diameter sleeve 4 in the direction of insertion and removal from the pipe, a large-pipe engagement portion 15 that restricts the movement of the large-pipe B1 in the direction of insertion and removal, and a small-pipe engagement portion 16 that restricts the movement of the small-pipe B2 in the direction of insertion and removal. Details of these locking and engagement portions will be described later. In Figure 2(b), the area from above the large-diameter sleeve locking portion 13 to the large-tube engagement portion 15 functions as a large-diameter cylindrical portion for mounting a large-diameter pipe, and the area from above the small-diameter sleeve locking portion 14 to the small-tube engagement portion 16 functions as a small-diameter cylindrical portion for mounting a small-diameter pipe.
[0016] In the illustration, a male threaded portion 12 for screwing a nut 2 onto is provided on the lower outer circumference of the guide portion 11. The pipe can be fixed in place by tightening the nut 2 to the required extent according to the size of the pipe. Furthermore, below the male threaded portion 12, there is a groove 17 for fitting a sprinkler fitting component that engages with the tool, and a protrusion 18 to make it easier to apply force when tightening by hand.
[0017] As shown in Figure 3(f), the inclined surface 21 inside the nut 2 is provided with a large-area tapered section 23 with a large inner diameter and a small-area tapered section 24 with a small inner diameter. Although not shown in the figure, a female threaded section 25 is cut in the lower area of the inclined surface inside the nut so that the nut 2 can be screwed onto the nipple 1. The large-area tapered section 23 functions to tighten the large-diameter sleeve 3, and the small-area tapered section 24 functions to tighten the small-diameter sleeve 4. In this embodiment, a non-tapered area 22 is positioned between the large-area tapered section 23 and the small-area tapered section 24, and in the figure, non-tapered areas are also provided below the large-area tapered section 23 and above the small-area tapered section 24. Furthermore, the taper angles of the large-area tapered section 23 and the small-area tapered section 24 are set to be of different magnitudes. Specifically, the taper angle of the large-area tapered section 23 is set to be larger than the taper angle of the small-area tapered section 24. In this embodiment, a tube with an inner diameter in the range of 12 mm to 15 mm is assumed as the large tube B1, and a tube with an inner diameter in the range of 7.5 mm to 9 mm is assumed as the small tube B2. The adjustment range for the large tube B1 is larger, hence the relationship between the angles described above. However, if the adjustment ranges for the large and small tube sizes are reversed, the relationship between the taper angles will also be reversed.
[0018] In the embodiment, a non-tapered region is provided with different taper angles; however, modified configurations are also possible, such as providing consecutive tapered portions with different taper angles without a non-tapered region, or providing a single taper angle. A detailed description of these modifications is omitted herein, but from the design perspective, such modifications tend to complicate design due to problems including an increased size of the joint body, and shortened nuts and nipples. If the joint body becomes larger, the amount of resin used increases, and the sleeve becomes thicker. Therefore, for the same amount of deformation, the force required for deformation is greater than that for a thin sleeve, resulting in an increased burden on nut fastening work. If the nuts and nipples are shortened, the shorter sleeve increases the force required for deformation, increasing the burden when fastening the nut. In order to secure the same amount of deformation, it is necessary to increase the wall thickness, which further increases the burden. In addition, the shortened nipple reduces the insertion depth of the hose, which may make the hose easier to pull out. However, even though the design is more complicated, it is not impossible to implement, and the modified design still functions to a certain extent as a pipe joint capable of connecting multiple sizes of pipe bodies, so these modifications are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.
[0019] Figure 4 is an explanatory view showing a large-diameter size sleeve and a small-diameter size sleeve of the pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. For the large-diameter size sleeve, Figure 4(a) is a front view, Figure 4(b) is a plan view, Figure 4(c) is a bottom view, and Figure 4(d) is a perspective view; for the small-diameter size sleeve, Figure 4(e) is a front view, Figure 4(f) is a plan view, Figure 4(g) is a bottom view, and Figure 4(h) is a perspective view.
[0020] The large-diameter size sleeve 3 and the small-diameter size sleeve 4 are made of an elastically deformable material, such as polyacetal resin or other synthetic resins with excellent surface slippage, toughness and heat resistance, and formed into a substantially cylindrical shape capable of expanding and contracting in the radial direction. The inner diameter of the sleeve is set to be substantially the same as or larger than the outer diameter of the pipe body B1 or B2 when the diameter is expanded, and smaller than the outer diameter of the pipe body B1 or B2 when the diameter is contracted.
[0021] In this embodiment, the large-diameter sleeve 3 is provided with eight split ends 31 that allow for diameter reduction at the tip end in the insertion / removal direction of the sleeve, one of which is a fully split end 32 that penetrates all the way to the base. The small-diameter sleeve 4 is provided with six split ends 41 that allow for diameter reduction at the tip end in the insertion / removal direction of the sleeve, one of which is a fully split end 42 that penetrates all the way to the base.
[0022] The outer diameters of the large-diameter sleeve 3 and the small-diameter sleeve 4 should be smaller than the inner diameters of the opposing nut 2, and it is desirable that the hose compression rate be set to 60% or more when the nut is fully tightened.
[0023] Naturally, the large-diameter sleeve 3 is larger than the small-diameter sleeve 4. However, as can be seen by comparing Figures 4(d) and 4(h), the large-diameter sleeve 3 is thinner than the small-diameter sleeve 4 (see also Figure 6(a)). In other words, the small-diameter sleeve 4 is thicker than the large-diameter sleeve 3. The reason for this is that the upper area of the nut 2 where the small-diameter sleeve 4 is placed must be large enough for the large tube B1 to pass through, while at the same time the small-diameter sleeve 4 needs to sufficiently tighten the small tube B2.
[0024] As described above, the pipe joint 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention can fasten a wide range of pipes of various sizes by selecting either a configuration using only the large-diameter sleeve 3 or a configuration using both the large-diameter sleeve 3 and the small-diameter sleeve 4. The specific fastening method will now be explained.
[0025] (Regarding the method of fastening hoses to pipe fittings) Figure 5 illustrates a method for fastening a hose to a pipe fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention. When attaching a large hose (pipe body B1), the procedure is as shown in the upper half of Figure 5. First, the large-diameter sleeve 3 is pushed into the nipple 1 until its bottom surface overcomes the large-diameter sleeve locking portion 13 (see also Figures 6(a) and 6(b)). Next, the large hose (pipe body B1) is inserted until it abuts against the protrusion (flange) of the nipple. Finally, the nut 2 is tightened onto the nipple 1 until the required amount of hose compression is achieved.
[0026] When attaching the thin hose (tube B2), follow the procedure shown in the lower half of Figure 5. First, attach the large-diameter sleeve 3 to the nipple 1 by pushing it in until the bottom surface of the large-diameter sleeve 3 overcomes the large-diameter sleeve locking portion 13 (see also Figures 6(a) and 6(b)). Next, attach the small-diameter sleeve 4 to the nipple 1 by pushing it in until the bottom surface of the small-diameter sleeve 4 overcomes the small-diameter sleeve locking portion 14 and the entire sleeve abuts against the large-diameter sleeve 3 (see also Figures 6(a) and 6(c)). Furthermore, insert the thin hose (tube B2) until it abuts against the bottom surface of the small-diameter sleeve 4. Finally, tighten the nut 2 to the nipple 1 until the required amount of hose compression is achieved.
[0027] As can be understood from the above, according to the pipe joint 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, two sleeves are used for one joint, and a tapered portion is provided on the inner surface of one nut that allows tightening of each sleeve. By selectively using one or two sleeves, and by varying the hose insertion amount and the tightening amount of the nut, it is possible to fasten hoses of different sizes using parts that are common except for the sleeves.
[0028] Conventional technology, even when it was possible to connect hoses of different sizes, required separate fittings for the larger and smaller areas, or even if only one fitting was used, many attachments were required. However, in the embodiment of the present invention, a single common part is used, except for the sleeve.
[0029] (Regarding the configuration of the sleeve locking mechanism) Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a sleeve locking portion provided on the nipple of a pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 6(a) is a cross-sectional view, Figure 6(b) is an enlarged view of portion C in Figure 6(a), and Figure 6(c) is an enlarged view of portion D in Figure 6(a).
[0030] As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the nipple 1 is provided with a large-diameter sleeve locking portion 13 near the protrusion (flange) and slightly above the position of the bottom surface of the large-diameter sleeve 3. The large-diameter sleeve locking portion 13 allows confirmation of whether the sleeve has been properly attached to the nipple by the click sensation felt when the bottom surface of the large-diameter sleeve 3 moves over it, and also prevents the sleeve from falling off and being lost if the nipple is not covered with a nut.
[0031] As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(c), the nipple 1 is provided with a small-diameter sleeve locking portion 14 located slightly above the position of the bottom surface of the small-diameter sleeve 4 stacked on top of the large-diameter sleeve 3. The small-diameter sleeve locking portion 14 allows confirmation of whether the sleeve has been properly attached to the nipple by the click sensation felt when the bottom surface of the small-diameter sleeve 4 moves over it, and also prevents the sleeve from falling off and being lost if the nipple is not covered with a nut.
[0032] (Regarding the configuration of the pipe engagement part) Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a pipe engagement portion provided on the nipple of a pipe joint according to an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 7(a) is a cross-sectional view showing how a large pipe body is connected, Figure 7(b) is a cross-sectional view showing how a small pipe body is connected, and Figure 7(c) is an enlarged view of part E in Figure 7(b).
[0033] As shown in Figure 2(a), Figure 7(a), and Figure 7(b), in the pipe joint 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the nipple 1 is provided with a large pipe engagement portion 15 and a small pipe engagement portion 16 in order to prevent the hose from being unintentionally inserted or removed when attaching a large hose (pipe body B1) or a small hose (pipe body B2). The large pipe engagement portion 15 functions to restrict the movement of the large pipe body B1 in the insertion and removal direction, and the small pipe engagement portion 16 and the small pipe body B2 in the insertion and removal direction.
[0034] Restricting movement is achieved by the cooperation of these engaging parts and the tip of the sleeve to push the hose into the engaging part. As shown in Figure 7(c) as an example of application to a thin hose (tube B2), when the small-diameter sleeve 4 is tightened and reduced in diameter, the tip of the small-diameter sleeve 4 is positioned in the recess of the uneven surface of the nipple 1, which is the thin tube engaging part 16, so that the thin hose (tube B2) is pushed into the thin tube engaging part 16. There is a protrusion just above the thin tube engaging part 16, so when the hose is pulled in the direction of being pulled out of the nipple, the protrusion acts as a stopper and makes it difficult to pull out. As for the large tube engaging part 15, since it is inserted deep inside, it is not configured in this embodiment to exhibit a stopper function, but by designing the dimensions appropriately, the protrusion and the large-diameter sleeve 3 may also cooperate to exhibit a stopper function for the large tube engaging part 15.
[0035] <Another Embodiment of the Invention> Up to this point, we have described an embodiment that allows for the fastening of hoses of different sizes by dividing the area into two regions, large and small, and making the mounting method of two different sleeves selectable. By extending this concept and increasing the variations of sleeves, it is possible to attach hoses of different sizes over a wider range of areas. This alternative embodiment will now be described.
[0036] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of a pipe joint according to another embodiment of the present invention with the nut removed, where Figure 8(a) is a perspective view and Figure 8(b) is a cross-sectional view. As shown in Figure 8, the pipe joint 100A according to another embodiment of the present invention is a pipe joint 100A for connecting a pipe body selected from pipe bodies of various sizes belonging to four ranges, and comprises a nipple 1A provided along the insertion space of these pipe bodies, and four sleeves that are attachable and radially deformable so as to surround the outer circumference of the insertion space of the pipe body formed along the outer surface of the nipple 1A, a first sleeve 3A, a second sleeve 4A, a third sleeve 5A, a fourth sleeve 6A, and a single nut 2A (not shown) positioned outside the four sleeves for circumferentially covering and tightening the outer surfaces of the sleeves.
[0037] In another embodiment of the present invention, the pipe joint 100A fastens the pipe body by selecting one of the following configurations depending on the size of the pipe: using only one sleeve, the first sleeve 3A; using two sleeves, the first sleeve 3A and the second sleeve 4A; using three sleeves, the first sleeve 3A, the second sleeve 4A and the third sleeve 5A; or using all four sleeves. With this configuration, in this other embodiment of the present invention, a single common part, other than the sleeves, can accommodate a wider range of hose sizes.
[0038] <Note> The other embodiment can be considered a conceptual extension of the embodiment described above, and can adopt the same configuration as the details described in the previous embodiment. The technical ideas behind these embodiments are provided below as an addendum.
[0039] (1) A pipe joint for connecting pipes, A nipple provided along the insertion space of the aforementioned pipe, The nipple is formed along the outer surface of the tube, and is attachable to surround the outer circumference of the insertion space of the tube, and is radially deformable, and comprises multiple sleeves corresponding to multiple tubes of different sizes, The system comprises a nut positioned on the outside of the plurality of sleeves, for circumferentially covering and tightening the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of sleeves, The nipple is configured such that the outer circumference of its base side has a maximum diameter cylindrical section for attaching the largest diameter pipe, the outer circumference of its tip side has a cylindrical section for attaching a pipe with a smaller diameter than the largest diameter pipe, and then a cylindrical section for attaching a pipe with an even smaller diameter, and this is repeated from the largest diameter pipe down to the smallest diameter pipe. Depending on the size of the pipe to be connected, it is possible to choose whether only one sleeve is installed or whether multiple sleeves are installed consecutively in the insertion direction as needed. A pipe joint A characterized by the following features.
[0040] Here, the multiple sleeves in pipe joint A should not be understood as three or more excluding two, but rather as encompassing two as well. In other words, given the above explanation that it is "configured to repeat from the pipe body of the largest diameter to the pipe body of the smallest diameter," there is no rational reason to assume that the case where the smallest diameter follows the largest diameter is excluded.
[0041] (2) The aforementioned multiple sleeves are designed so that the wall thickness decreases as they are used to accommodate larger diameter tubes. The pipe fitting A described in (1), characterized in that
[0042] (3) The nut has tapered sections in multiple regions with different inner diameter sizes. The tapered portions in the multiple regions are such that each tapered portion corresponds to one of the multiple sleeves. The pipe fitting A described in (1), characterized in that
[0043] (4) The tapered portions of the multiple regions are continuous tapered portions. The pipe joint A as described in (3), characterized by the above.
[0044] (5) Non-tapered regions are arranged between each of the tapered regions of the aforementioned multiple regions. The pipe joint A as described in (3), characterized by the above.
[0045] (6) The taper angles of each tapered portion in the aforementioned multiple regions are all of different magnitudes. A pipe fitting A as described in any one of (3) to (5), characterized by the above.
[0046] (7) The nipple is provided with sleeve locking portions that restrict the movement of the plurality of sleeves in the direction of insertion into and removal from the pipe. The pipe fitting A described in (1), characterized in that
[0047] (8) The nipple is provided with a tube engagement portion that restricts the movement of the tube in the insertion and removal direction. The pipe fitting A described in (1), characterized in that
[0048] (9) The aforementioned pipe engagement portion is a recess provided on the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion, The tubular body, when moved in the insertion / removal direction, is pushed into the recess, causing it to catch in the recess and making it difficult to remove. The pipe fitting A as described in (8), characterized by the features described above.
[0049] As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention and the pipe fittings according to other embodiments, it is possible to fasten hoses of different sizes together using common parts other than the sleeve, and to provide pipe fittings that are easy to assemble and highly practical. As a result, even if a customer does not know the size of the hose they are using, they can purchase fittings with confidence without having to consult with a sales associate or go through the trouble of reconfirming the hose size. This also offers significant advantages to retailers, as it reduces the need for customers to consult with sales associates and improves operational efficiency.
[0050] Although embodiments of the present invention and pipe joints according to other embodiments have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, and their structure and function have been explained, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and any design changes that do not depart from the gist of the present invention are also included. For example, the number of sleeves may be three in addition to two or four in a row. Furthermore, since the configuration is such that tightening is performed with a nut, even if the sleeve locking portion is omitted, the pipe joint will still function sufficiently and will still fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0051] 1 Nipple 11 Information Department 12 Male threaded section 13. Large diameter sleeve locking section (sleeve locking section) 14. Small diameter sleeve locking part (sleeve locking part) 15. Large tube engagement part (tube engagement part) 16. Capillary Tube Engagement Section (Tube Engagement Section) 17 Groove 18. Protruding 2 nuts 21. Inclined surface inside the nut 22 Non-tapered region 23 Large-area tapered section 24 Small area tapered section 25 Female thread section 3. Large diameter sleeves (sleeves) 31 Split section 32 Full portion 4. Small diameter size sleeves (sleeves) 41 Split section 42 Full portion 100 Pipe Fittings B1 Large bore (tube) B2 Small tube (tube) 1A Nipple 3A First Sleeve 4A Second Sleeve 5A Third Sleeve 6A The fourth sleeve 100A pipe fittings
Claims
1. A pipe joint for connecting pipes, A nipple provided along the insertion space of the aforementioned pipe, Two sleeves that can be attached to surround the outer circumference of the insertion space of the tube formed along the outer surface of the nipple and are deformable in the radial direction, comprising a large-diameter sleeve and a small-diameter sleeve, The two sleeves are positioned on the outside of each sleeve and include a nut for circumferentially covering and tightening the outer surface of each sleeve, The aforementioned nipple has a large-diameter cylindrical portion on its outer circumference at the base for attaching to a large-diameter pipe, and a small-diameter cylindrical portion on its outer circumference at the tip for attaching to a small-diameter pipe. Depending on the size of the pipe to be connected, either a single sleeve is installed, or two sleeves are installed consecutively in the insertion direction. A pipe fitting characterized by the following features.
2. The aforementioned large-diameter sleeve is thinner than the aforementioned small-diameter sleeve. The pipe fitting according to feature 1.
3. The nut has two tapered sections: a large-area tapered section with a large inner diameter and a small-area tapered section with a small inner diameter. The aforementioned large-area tapered portion is configured to tighten the aforementioned large-diameter sleeve, The aforementioned small-region tapered portion is configured to tighten the small-diameter sleeve. The pipe fitting according to feature 1.
4. The large-area tapered section and the small-area tapered section are continuous tapered sections. The pipe fitting according to feature 3.
5. A non-tapered region is located between the large tapered region and the small tapered region. The pipe fitting according to feature 3.
6. The taper angles of the large-area tapered section and the small-area tapered section are of different magnitudes. A pipe fitting according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized by the features described herein.
7. The nipple is provided with sleeve locking portions that restrict the movement of the plurality of sleeves in the direction of insertion into and removal from the pipe. The pipe fitting according to feature 1.
8. The nipple is provided with a tube engagement portion that restricts the movement of the tube in the insertion and removal direction. The pipe fitting according to feature 1.
9. The aforementioned pipe engagement portion is a recess provided on the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion, The tubular body, when moved in the insertion / removal direction, is pushed into the recess, causing it to catch in the recess and making it difficult to remove. The pipe fitting according to feature 8.
10. A pipe joint for connecting pipes, A nipple provided along the insertion space of the aforementioned pipe, The nipple is formed along the outer surface of the tube, and is attachable to surround the outer circumference of the insertion space of the tube, and is radially deformable, and comprises multiple sleeves corresponding to multiple tubes of different sizes, The system comprises a nut positioned on the outside of the plurality of sleeves, for circumferentially covering and tightening the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of sleeves, The nipple is configured such that the outer circumference of its base side has a maximum diameter cylindrical section for attaching the largest diameter pipe, the outer circumference of its tip side has a cylindrical section for attaching a pipe with a smaller diameter than the largest diameter pipe, and then a cylindrical section for attaching a pipe with an even smaller diameter, and this is repeated from the largest diameter pipe down to the smallest diameter pipe. Depending on the size of the pipe to be connected, it is possible to choose whether only one sleeve is installed or whether multiple sleeves are installed consecutively in the insertion direction as needed. A pipe fitting characterized by the following features.