Fittings and Piping Systems

Abstract

A pipe joint whose heat insulating performance is unlikely to deteriorate, and a piping system using the pipe joint are provided. [Solution] A pipe fitting X comprising a tubular fitting main body 10, and at least two receiving portions 11 formed integrally with an opening 10a of the fitting main body 10 and into which a pipe member 20, which is another pipe, can be inserted to connect, wherein the receiving portion 11 has a pipe abutment surface 11a against which an end face 21 of the inserted pipe member 20 abuts, and a bulge portion 12 formed to bulge from the outer surface 10b of the fitting main body 10 corresponding to a region spanning from the pipe abutment surface 11a to a separation position P2 spaced from the pipe abutment surface 11a by a predetermined set distance s toward the end 11b of the receiving portion 11, and a piping system using the pipe fitting X.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pipe joint for connecting a plurality of pipe members and a piping system. [Background technology]

[0002] Drain water generated by an air conditioner installed indoors is generally discharged to the outside using a drain piping structure for air conditioning equipment that has been designed with condensation prevention measures. The drain piping is formed by appropriately connecting a drain pipe (for example, a pipe with a foam layer and a structure that improves thermal insulation performance) and a pipe joint (such as an elbow or a tee) from the air conditioner to the exhaust port. For example, when constructing the drain piping structure, in order to connect the drain port of the air conditioner to a flexible hose, the upstream side (air conditioner side) of the drain pipe connected to the drain port of the air conditioner and the flexible hose is connected by a pipe joint such as an elbow joint or a tee joint.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose that a pipe joint is provided with a heat insulating layer in order to prevent drainage from accumulating and forming condensation at the connection portion of the pipe joint.

[0004] That is, Patent Document 1 discloses a joint having a tubular joint main body and a connection part that is integrally formed at the opening of the joint main body and is connected to another pipe, the joint main body being composed of non-foamed layers on the outer and inner surfaces and a foamed layer (insulating layer) formed between the outer and inner surfaces, and the connection part being composed without a foamed layer.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a pipe joint having a cylindrical joint body and a socket portion connected to the joint body, in which the joint body has a hollow layer (thermal insulation layer). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6953293 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7389604 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] When inserting a pipe member (other pipe) into the receiving portion of a pipe fitting, there was a risk that a gap would occur between the end face of the pipe member and the pipe abutment surface (stopper) against which the end face of the inserted pipe member abuts due to insufficient insertion of the pipe member or beveling of the end face of the pipe member.

[0008] In addition, the pipe member was inserted into the socket of the pipe joint and bonded with an adhesive. At this time, if the holding time during bonding was insufficient, for example, the inserted pipe member would slip back out due to the tapered shape of the socket, which has at least the draft angle required for molding, and a gap (for example, about 2 mm) would occur between the pipe abutment surface and the end face of the pipe member.

[0009] The area where the above-mentioned gap is likely to occur is near the pipe abutment surface of the socket part of the pipe fitting, where there is no insulating layer or the thickness is thinner than the fitting body part, and therefore the insulating performance is inferior to that of the fitting body part. Therefore, when the above-mentioned gap occurs, there is a risk that the insulating performance of the pipe fitting (drain piping) will decrease in the gap area (the connection part of the pipe fitting), causing condensation.

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pipe joint that has a simple structure and whose heat insulating performance is less likely to deteriorate, and a piping system that uses the pipe joint. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] A pipe joint according to the present invention for achieving the above object. SpecialThe characteristic configuration includes a joint body formed in a tubular shape, and at least two sockets formed integrally with an opening of the joint body and into which a pipe member that is another pipe can be inserted for connection, the socket having a pipe abutment surface with which an end face of the inserted pipe member abuts, and a bulge formed so as to bulge from an outer surface of the joint body corresponding to a region extending from the pipe abutment surface to a spaced position spaced a predetermined set distance from the pipe abutment surface toward an end of the socket. The thickness of the cross section of the bulging portion is set to be thicker than the thickness of the cross section of the end of the receiving portion. The point is this.

[0012] According to this configuration, the bulge can increase the thickness of the fitting body portion corresponding to the pipe abutment surface of the receiving portion, and can increase the thickness of the receiving portion corresponding to the separated position, thereby improving the insulation performance of the pipe fitting in the area where the bulge with increased thickness is formed.

[0013] Here, if the predetermined set distance is set to the distance of a gap that may occur between the pipe abutment surface and the end face of the pipe member, even if a gap occurs between the pipe abutment surface and the end face of the pipe member, a bulge with improved insulation performance will be formed in the area extending from the pipe abutment surface to a position spaced a predetermined set distance (gap distance) toward the end of the receiving portion, so that the insulation performance of the pipe joint is less likely to deteriorate. Thus, with this configuration, it is possible to provide a pipe joint that is less susceptible to condensation.

[0014] Furthermore, by providing the bulge portion on the outer surface of the joint body, the strength of the joint body can be improved.

[0015] In addition, by providing a bulge on the outer surface of the fitting main body, the position of the pipe abutment surface can be easily recognized, so that the approximate position (position from the end face) of the pipe member to be inserted into the receiving portion can be determined before inserting the pipe member.

[0016] In addition, the provision of the bulge makes it easy to distinguish the joint from joints for other applications that do not have a bulge, and the bulge acts as a non-slip barrier for the hand, making handling easier and improving workability.

[0017] In this configuration, the provision of the bulge portion makes it possible to provide a pipe joint whose thermal insulation performance is unlikely to deteriorate, and therefore it is possible to provide a pipe joint whose thermal insulation performance is unlikely to deteriorate with a simple structure. In addition, because of the simple structure, assembly and other processes are not required, and the pipe joint can be provided at low cost. Furthermore, according to this configuration, the thickness of the bulge is set to be thicker than the thickness of the end of the receiving portion, so that the insulating performance of the bulge can be reliably improved. For example, even if a gap occurs between the pipe abutment surface and the pipe member, the insulating performance of the pipe joint is less likely to deteriorate.

[0018] A further characteristic configuration of the pipe fitting according to the present invention is that the cross-sectional shape of the bulge portion has an arc-shaped surface centered at a position corresponding to the outer periphery of the pipe abutment surface and with a radius equal to the thickness of the bulge portion, and also has an arc-shaped surface centered at the separated position and with a radius equal to the thickness of the bulge portion.

[0019] In this configuration, the cross-sectional shape of the bulge can be formed by an arc-shaped surface (first arc-shaped surface) centered at a position corresponding to the outer periphery of the pipe abutting surface and having a radius equal to the thickness of the bulge, an arc-shaped surface (second arc-shaped surface) centered at the separated position and having a radius equal to the thickness of the bulge, and a connecting surface connecting the first arc-shaped surface and the second arc-shaped surface. In this way, in this configuration, the cross-sectional shape of the bulge can be suitably defined.

[0020] A characteristic configuration of a pipe joint according to the present invention comprises a joint body formed in a tubular shape, and at least two socket portions formed integrally with an opening of the joint body, into which a pipe member that is another pipe can be inserted and connected, The receiving portion has a pipe abutment surface against which an end surface of the inserted pipe member abuts, a bulge portion formed on an outer surface of the joint body portion corresponding to a region extending from the pipe abutment surface to a position spaced a predetermined distance from the pipe abutment surface toward the end of the socket portion, the bulge portion being bulging from the outer surface, The cross-sectional shape of the bulging portion is such that the center of the cross-sectional shape corresponds to the outer periphery of the pipe contact surface. is the cross-sectional thickness of the bulge The point is that it has an arc-shaped surface with a radius equal to the thickness of the bulging portion, and has an arc-shaped surface with the spaced position as its center and the thickness of the bulging portion as its radius.

[0021] According to this configuration, the bulge can increase the thickness of the fitting body portion corresponding to the pipe abutment surface of the receiving portion, and can increase the thickness of the receiving portion corresponding to the separated position, thereby improving the insulation performance of the pipe fitting in the area where the bulge with increased thickness is formed. Here, if the predetermined set distance is set to the distance of a gap that may occur between the pipe abutment surface and the end face of the pipe member, even if a gap occurs between the pipe abutment surface and the end face of the pipe member, a bulge with improved insulation performance will be formed in the area extending from the pipe abutment surface to a position spaced a predetermined set distance (gap distance) toward the end of the receiving portion, so that the insulation performance of the pipe joint is less likely to deteriorate. Thus, with this configuration, it is possible to provide a pipe joint that is less susceptible to condensation. Furthermore, by providing the bulge portion on the outer surface of the joint body, the strength of the joint body can be improved. In addition, by providing a bulge on the outer surface of the fitting main body, the position of the pipe abutment surface can be easily recognized, so that the approximate position (position from the end face) of the pipe member to be inserted into the receiving portion can be determined before inserting the pipe member. In addition, the provision of the bulge makes it easy to distinguish the joint from joints for other applications that do not have a bulge, and the bulge acts as a non-slip barrier for the hand, making handling easier and improving workability. In this configuration, the provision of the bulge portion makes it possible to provide a pipe joint whose thermal insulation performance is unlikely to deteriorate, and therefore it is possible to provide a pipe joint whose thermal insulation performance is unlikely to deteriorate with a simple structure. In addition, because of the simple structure, assembly and other processes are not required, and the pipe joint can be provided at low cost. In this configuration, the cross-sectional shape of the bulge can be formed by an arc-shaped surface (first arc-shaped surface) centered at a position corresponding to the outer periphery of the pipe abutting surface and having a radius equal to the thickness of the bulge, an arc-shaped surface (second arc-shaped surface) centered at the separated position and having a radius equal to the thickness of the bulge, and a connecting surface connecting the first arc-shaped surface and the second arc-shaped surface. In this way, in this configuration, the cross-sectional shape of the bulge can be suitably defined.

[0022] A further characteristic feature of the pipe joint according to the present invention is that the joint body is formed from polyvinyl chloride.

[0023] According to this configuration, the joint body can be manufactured at low cost.

[0024] A further characteristic feature of the pipe joint according to the present invention is that the joint body is formed from a transparent material.

[0025] This configuration makes it easy to visually check from the outside the connection state (bonding state) of the pipe members at the receiving portion. Also, since the pipe joint has a difference in thickness between the bulge around the pipe abutment surface and the receiving portion, when molded from a single transparent material, the transparency of these portions differs, creating a gradation, making it easy to check the installation, for example, whether the insertion length of the pipe members is within an appropriate range.

[0026] A further characteristic feature of the pipe joint according to the present invention is that the joint body has an outer surface which is textured.

[0027] By providing an embossed surface as in this configuration, even if condensation occurs on the outer surface of the joint body, the condensation is less likely to drip.

[0028] A further characteristic feature of the pipe joint according to the present invention is that the resin material that is the main material constituting the joint body is blended with a material that has a lower thermal conductivity than the resin material.

[0029] According to this configuration, the thermal conductivity of the joint body can be reduced, and therefore the heat insulating performance of the pipe joint can be improved.

[0030] A further characteristic feature of the pipe joint according to the present invention is that the pipe member is a drainage piping for an air conditioner.

[0031] According to this configuration, the drain pipe constituting the drain pipe structure of the air conditioner can be used as the pipe member. Therefore, by connecting such a pipe member to the pipe joint of this configuration, It is possible to provide a drain piping structure in which the heat insulating performance is less likely to deteriorate and condensation is less likely to occur.

[0032] A characteristic configuration of the piping system according to the present invention is that the above-described pipe joint is used.

[0033] According to this configuration, a piping system in which condensation is unlikely to occur can be provided by using pipe joints whose thermal insulation performance is unlikely to deteriorate. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a pipe joint (elbow joint) of the embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1A to 1C are plan views (front view, right side view, left side view, top view, and bottom view) showing a pipe joint (elbow joint) of an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a pipe joint (tee joint) of a first modified embodiment. [Figure 4] 3A to 3C are plan views (front view, right side view, left side view, top view, and bottom view) showing a pipe joint (tee joint) of Alternative Example 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a pipe joint (Y-joint) of a second modified embodiment. [Figure 6] 11A to 11C are plan views (front view, right side view, left side view, top view, and bottom view) showing a pipe joint (Y-shaped joint) of Alternative Example 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a pipe joint (socket type joint) of a third modified embodiment. [Figure 8] 11A to 11C are plan views (front view, right side view, left side view, top view, and bottom view) showing a pipe joint (socket-type joint) of Alternative Example 3. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a pipe joint (socket type joint) of a fourth modified embodiment. [Figure 10] 11A to 11C are plan views (front view, right side view, left side view, top view, and bottom view) showing a pipe joint (socket-type joint) of Alternative Example 4. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a pipe joint (elbow joint) of a fifth modified embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pipe fitting X of the present invention comprises a fitting body 10 formed in a tubular shape, and at least two receiving portions 11 formed integrally with an opening 10a of the fitting body 10 and into which a pipe member 20, which is another pipe, can be inserted and connected, the receiving portion 11 having a pipe abutment surface 11a with which an end face 21 of the inserted pipe member 20 abuts, and a bulge portion 12 formed to bulge from the outer surface 10b of the fitting body 10 corresponding to a region spanning the pipe abutment surface 11a and a separation position P2 spaced from the pipe abutment surface 11a by a predetermined set distance s toward the end 11b of the receiving portion 11.

[0036] The bulge portion 12 has a cross-sectional thickness t2, which is greater than the socket portion thickness t1, which is the cross-sectional thickness of the end portion 11b of the socket portion 11. The cross section is a cut surface of a plane parallel to the axis O of the socket portion 11.

[0037] The pipe joint X is a joint for connecting different pipe members 20, which are other pipes. The pipe member 20 can be, for example, a drain drain pipe constituting a drain piping structure of an air conditioner, but is not limited thereto. As such a pipe member 20, for example, a drain pipe connected to a drain port of an air conditioner or a flexible hose can be used, but is not limited thereto. The drain pipe is not particularly limited as long as it is a pipe that allows a fluid to flow, but for example, a multi-layer pipe made of polyvinyl chloride resin can be used. When connecting the pipe members 20, the upstream side (air conditioner side) of the drain pipe and the flexible hose are connected by the pipe joint X. These pipe joints X may connect pipe members 20 of the same diameter to each other, or may connect pipe members 20 of different diameters to each other.

[0038] The pipe joint X may be in any form as long as it can connect different pipe members 20 together, for example, an L-shaped elbow joint, a T-shaped tee joint, a Y-shaped joint, a socket-type joint, or the like, but is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the pipe joint X is an elbow joint, and the pipe member 20, which is another pipe, is a drainage pipe. The elbow joint is an L-shaped pipe joint that changes the direction of the flow path by approximately 90°. The angle of change may be an angle for gradient (for example, 1.17°) with respect to the axis O of the receiving portion 11. In this case, the angle α of the change is 91.17°, but the angle is not limited to this value.

[0039] The joint body 10 has a tubular appearance, and is configured so that drainage generated by an air conditioner flows down through a tubular flow path 15 formed inside. The material constituting the joint body 10 is not particularly limited, but for example, a synthetic resin composition may be used. The synthetic resin composition may be polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC), polypropylene resin (PP), polyethylene resin (PE), or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin (ABS), but is not limited thereto, and may be appropriately selected according to required performance such as thermal insulation performance and cost. For example, by molding the joint body 10 from a single material of polyvinyl chloride resin, disassembly and separation are not required during recycling, which is preferable. Furthermore, if the drain pipe is made of polyvinyl chloride resin, there is no need to disassemble the pipe joint X and the drain pipe during recycling, and therefore there is no need to remove the joint between them.

[0040] In the above synthetic resin composition, a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the main resin material can be blended with the main resin material.

[0041] Examples of materials with low thermal conductivity include, but are not limited to, rubbers such as styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), known foaming agents, rubber, and charcoal. When SBR is mixed with PVC, it is preferable to use 1 to 10 parts of SBR per 100 parts of PVC, taking into consideration recyclability, but this is not limited to the above. It is recommended to mix these materials at about 1 to 10 parts per 100 parts of the main resin material.

[0042] With this configuration, the thermal conductivity of the joint body 10 can be reduced, and the heat insulating performance of the pipe joint X can be improved.

[0043] The joint body 10 can be formed of a synthetic resin composition having transparency. In this specification, "transparency" means that the joint body 10 has a degree of transparency that allows one to see through the synthetic resin composition, which is the material of the joint body 10, from one side to the other side, and means that the joint body 10 has a visible light transmittance of, for example, 30% or more, more preferably 70% or more. The visible light transmittance can be measured in a conventional manner using a known spectrophotometer.

[0044] If the synthetic resin composition has transparency as in this configuration, the connection (bonding) state of the pipe member 20 in the receiving portion 11 can be easily visually confirmed from the outside by bonding with, for example, a colored adhesive.

[0045] The joint body 10 may be formed with a foamed layer (thermal insulation layer) (not shown). The foamed layer may be formed on the entire pipe joint, or the outer surface and / or the inner surface may be a non-foamed layer. In this case, the joint body 10 may be composed of non-foamed layers on the outer and inner surfaces, and a foamed layer formed between the outer and inner surfaces. The foamed layer may be formed by adding, for example, a known foaming material (such as microcapsules) to the main material, or may be a foamable resin.

[0046] The receiving portion 11 is formed integrally with the opening 10a of the joint body 10, and its structure is not particularly limited as long as it is in a form in which the pipe member 20 can be inserted and connected. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the receiving portion 11 is in a cylindrical form into which the pipe member 20 can be inserted. The inner diameter of the receiving portion 11 is set to be larger than the outer diameter of the pipe member 20 so that the pipe member 20 can be inserted. In this case, it is preferable that the inner diameter of the receiving portion 11 is set to an inner diameter that is large enough to hold the inserted pipe member 20 without rattling.

[0047] In the pipe joint X (elbow joint) of this embodiment, a case will be described in which it is provided with two sockets 11. The inner diameters of the two sockets 11 may be the same or different. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the inner diameters of the two sockets 11 are the same.

[0048] The receiving portion 11 has a pipe abutment surface 11a against which the end face 21 of the inserted pipe member 20 abuts. That is, the pipe abutment surface 11a is formed so that the entire or almost entire end face 21 can abut against the innermost part of the cylindrical receiving portion 11. The surface shape of the pipe abutment surface 11a (the shape viewed from the opening 10a side) may be configured to match or approximately match the surface shape of the end face 21 of the abutting pipe member 20. The inner diameter d1 of the receiving portion 11 is set to be larger than the diameter d (inner diameter) of the flow path 15 by the amount of the pipe abutment surface 11a formed in the receiving portion 11.

[0049] End 11b of socket portion 11 forms the outer periphery of opening 10a of joint body 10. Socket portion thickness t1, which is the cross-sectional thickness of end 11b of socket portion 11, is set to be smaller than joint body thickness t, which is the thickness of joint body 10. Outer diameter D of socket portion 11 is the sum of inner diameter d1 of socket portion 11 and socket portion thickness t1 (D=d1+2t1).

[0050] The bulge 12 is formed so as to bulge from the outer surface 10b of the joint body 10. The bulge 12 is formed on the outer surface 10b of the joint body 10 corresponding to a region extending from the pipe abutment surface 11a to a separation position P2 that is separated from the pipe abutment surface 11a by a predetermined set distance s toward the end 11b of the socket portion 11. It is sufficient that the bulge 12 is formed at least at a position on the outer surface 10b that corresponds to the region.

[0051] The shape of the bulge 12 is not particularly limited as long as it is formed to bulge from the outer surface 10b of the joint body 10, and it may be in a form that protrudes in a convex shape from the outer surface 10b. Moreover, the bulge 12 may be formed up to the end 11b of the socket portion 11.

[0052] In this embodiment, the bulge 12 is described as having a portion that gradually protrudes outward from the outer surface 10b of the joint body 10, and a portion that gradually becomes equal in thickness to the end 11b of the socket 11 toward the end 11b of the socket 11. However, the shape of the bulge 12 is not limited to this. The specific shape will be described later.

[0053] With this configuration, the bulge 12 can increase the thickness of the fitting body 10 corresponding to the pipe abutment surface 11a of the receiving portion 11, and can also increase the thickness of the receiving portion 11 corresponding to the separation position P2. This improves the insulation performance of the pipe fitting X in the area where the bulge 12 with increased thickness is formed.

[0054] In this specification, the "wall thickness" (bulge wall thickness t2) refers to the distance (thickness) from position P1 (or spaced position P2) corresponding to the outer periphery of the pipe abutment surface 11a to the outer surface of the bulge portion 12 in the cross-sectional shape of the bulge portion 12.

[0055] As described above, when inserting the pipe member 29 into the receiving portion 11 of the pipe joint X, there is a risk of a gap occurring between the pipe abutment surface 11a and the end face 21 of the pipe member 20. Therefore, it is preferable to set the predetermined set distance s to the distance of a gap that may occur between the pipe abutment surface 11a and the end face 21 of the pipe member 20.

[0056] As a result, even if a gap occurs between the pipe abutment surface 11a and the end face 21 of the pipe member 20, the bulge 12 with improved thermal insulation performance is formed in the region extending from the pipe abutment surface 11a to the separation position P2 spaced a predetermined set distance s (gap distance) toward the end 11b of the socket portion 11, so that the thermal insulation performance of the pipe fitting X is unlikely to deteriorate. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to provide a pipe fitting X in which condensation is unlikely to occur.

[0057] Furthermore, by providing the bulge 12 on the outer surface 10b of the joint body 10, the strength of the joint body 10 can be improved.

[0058] Furthermore, by providing the bulge portion 12 on the outer surface 10b of the fitting main body portion 10, the position of the pipe abutment surface 11a can be easily recognized, so that the approximate position (position from the end face 21) of the pipe member 20 to be inserted into the receiving portion 11 can be determined before inserting the pipe member 20.

[0059] Since the pipe joint X of this embodiment has two socket portions 11, it is preferable to provide each of the socket portions 11 (11A, 11B) with a bulge portion 12 (12A, 12B).

[0060] By providing a plurality (two) of bulging portions 12 (12A, 12B) in this manner, the strength of the hand main body portion 10 can be further improved.

[0061] The wall 13 between the two bulges 12 has a uniform thickness (wall thickness t of the joint body). The pipe joint X (elbow joint) of this embodiment has an L-shape, and the inner wall 14 located at the inner corner of the L-shape has two bulges 12 (12A, 12B) close to each other. This improves the strength of the inner wall 14, which is considered to be easily cracked.

[0062] The bulging portion 12 has a cross-sectional thickness t2, which is preferably greater than the socket portion 11 has a cross-sectional thickness t1, which is the thickness of the end 11b of the socket portion 11.

[0063] This allows the thickness of the bulge 12 to be set thicker than the thickness of the end 11b of the receiving portion 11, thereby reliably improving the insulating performance of the bulge 12. For example, even if a gap occurs between the pipe abutment surface 11a and the pipe member 20, the insulating performance of the pipe fitting X is less likely to deteriorate.

[0064] In this embodiment, the sizes of the above-mentioned components are set as follows, but are not limited to these dimensions. Diameter d of flow passage 15: 19 to 100 mm Fitting body thickness t 5.5~20mm Socket wall thickness t1 2.5~5.0mm Bulging part thickness t2 5.5~20mm (set so that t2>t1) Inner diameter d1 of socket 11: 32 to 115 mm Outer diameter D of socket 11: 39~125mm Setting distance s 0.1~3.0mm Depth L of socket 11: 15 to 50 mm Thickness T of the tube member 20: 5.5 to 15 mm

[0065] The bulge thickness t2 is preferably set to be equal to the joint body thickness t. This allows the heat insulating performance of the bulge 12 to be equal to the heat insulating performance of the joint body 10.

[0066] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the bulge portion 12 is described as having an arc-shaped surface (first arc-shaped surface) 121 centered at position P1 corresponding to the outer periphery of the pipe abutment surface 11a and with a radius equal to the bulge portion thickness t2, and also having an arc-shaped surface (second arc-shaped surface) 122 centered at the separation position P2 and with a radius equal to the bulge portion thickness t2 (Figure 1).

[0067] In this configuration, the cross-sectional shape of the bulge 12 can be formed by a first arc surface 121, a second arc surface 122, and a connection surface 123 that connects the first arc surface 121 and the second arc surface 122. The first arc surface 121 is a portion that gradually protrudes outward from the outer surface 10b of the joint body 10, and the second arc surface 122 is a portion that gradually becomes equal to the thickness of the end 11b of the socket 11 toward the end 11b of the socket 11. The cross-sectional shape of the connection surface 123 can be linear or arc-shaped, but is not limited to these. By making the cross-sectional shape of the connection surface 123 linear, the bulge thickness t2 of this portion can be made uniform.

[0068] With this configuration, the cross-sectional shape of the bulging portion 12 can be determined.

[0069] The outer surface 10b of the joint body 10 may be textured. The textured surface may be textured by a known process, for example, a chemical process such as etching or a physical process such as sandblasting. The textured surface may be provided on the entire outer surface 10b or only on a portion of the outer surface 10b.

[0070] By providing the textured surface as in this configuration, even if condensation occurs on the outer surface 10b of the joint body 10, the condensation is less likely to drip.

[0071] For example, a (drain) piping system (not shown) for an air conditioning system can be provided by using the above-mentioned pipe joint X. The piping system can be constructed in such a way that condensation is unlikely to occur by using the above-mentioned pipe joint X, which is unlikely to deteriorate in heat insulation performance.

[0072] [Another Example 1] In the above embodiment, the pipe joint X is an elbow joint, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the pipe joint X may be a T-shaped tee joint (FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0073] The Tee joint is a pipe joint that merges or branches flow paths, and in this embodiment, a case is described in which the Tee joint has three sockets 11 (11A1, 11B1, 11C1). In this case, the sockets 11A1, 11B1, 11C1 each have a bulge 12A1, 12B1, 12C1, respectively.

[0074] The tubular inner flow path 15 branches into two flow paths 15A1 and 15B1. In addition, the two bulging portions 12 (12A1 and 12C1) are adjacent to each other on the inner circumferential wall portion 14A1, and the two bulging portions 12 (12B1 and 12C1) are adjacent to each other on the inner circumferential wall portion 14B1.

[0075] In this embodiment, the angle at which the flow paths join or branch may be an angle for gradient (e.g., 1.17 degrees) with respect to the axis O of the receiving port 11. For example, when drain flows from the top to the bottom of the paper, the two flow paths 15A1 and 15B1 can be configured to intersect at an angle β (91.17°). The angle is not limited to this value.

[0076] [Another Example 2] In the above-described embodiment, the pipe joint X is an elbow joint or a tee joint. However, the pipe joint X is not limited to this, and may be a Y-shaped joint (FIGS. 5 and 6).

[0077] The Y-joint is a pipe joint that joins or branches flow paths, and in this embodiment, a case is described in which the Y-joint has three sockets 11 (11A2, 11B2, 11C2). In this case, the sockets 11A2, 11B2, 11C2 have bulging portions 12A2, 12B2, 12C2, respectively.

[0078] The tubular inner flow passage 15 branches into two flow passages 15A2 and 15B2. In this embodiment, the angle γ at which the flow passages join or branch is 45° with respect to the axis O of the receiving portion 11, but the angle is not limited to this.

[0079] [Another Example 3] In the above-described embodiment, the pipe joint X is an elbow joint, a tee joint, or a Y-joint. However, the pipe joint X is not limited to this, and may be a socket-type socket joint (FIGS. 7 and 8).

[0080] A socket joint is a pipe joint that connects flow paths in a straight line, and in this embodiment, a case will be described in which it is used to connect pipe members 20 of the same diameter to each other.

[0081] In this embodiment, a case where two sockets 11 (11A3, 11B3) are provided will be described. In this case, each socket 11A3, 11B3 has a bulging portion 12A3, 12B3, respectively. In this case, the bulging portions 12A3, 12B3 can be formed as an integral part.

[0082] The tubular inner flow passage 15 has two flow passages 15A3 and 15B3 connected to each other to form a straight flow passage.

[0083] [Another Example 4] In the above-mentioned third alternative embodiment, the pipe joint X may be a socket joint for connecting pipe members 20 having different diameters to each other (FIGS. 9 and 10).

[0084] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the socket 11A3 in Alternative Embodiment 3 is set smaller than the inner diameter of the socket 11B3, and accordingly, the outer diameter of the bulge 12A3 is set smaller than the outer diameter of the bulge 12B3.

[0085] [Alternative Example 5] As shown in FIG. 11, a low-conductivity portion 16 having a lower thermal conductivity than the resin material may be provided at a portion of the joint body 10 having the bulge 12 on the side of the socket portion 11.

[0086] The low-conductivity portion 16 may be made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than, for example, a resin material. The material may be, for example, sponge or foamed rubber, but is not limited to these.

[0087] Figure 11 shows a case in which the low-conductivity portion 16 has a low-conductivity portion 16A at a portion on the side of the socket portion 11 of the joint main body portion 10 having the bulge portion 12A, and a low-conductivity portion 16B at a portion on the side of the socket portion 11 of the joint main body portion 10 having the bulge portion 12B.

[0088] The low conductive portion 16 can be formed by removing a region of the joint body 10 corresponding to the location where the low conductive portion 16 is to be formed, and disposing the above-mentioned material in the removed region.

[0089] If the above-mentioned material is not placed in the removed area, when the pipe member 20 is inserted into the socket portion 11, the low-conductivity portion 16B can become an air layer.

[0090] The low-conductivity portion 16 may be formed inside the joint body 10 (between the outer surface of the bulge 12 and the inner wall of the socket portion 11).

[0091] By providing the low conductive portion 16, the heat insulating performance of the pipe joint X is less likely to deteriorate, and a pipe joint in which condensation is less likely to occur can be provided.

[0092] If the low-conductivity portion 16 is made of, for example, foamed rubber, when the pipe member 20 is inserted into the receiving portion 11, the frictional force between the outer surface of the pipe member 20 and the foamed rubber at the contact portion makes it difficult for the pipe member 20 to come out of the receiving portion 11. In this case, it is no longer necessary to use an adhesive to bond the pipe member 20 at the receiving portion 11, so that the cost of using the adhesive can be reduced and the process of bonding using an adhesive can be omitted.

[0093] The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and can be arbitrarily modified in accordance with the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0094] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to a pipe joint that connects a plurality of pipe members in a drain piping structure, and to a piping system using the pipe joint. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] X Pipe Fittings s Setting distance P2 Separate position t1 Socket wall thickness t2 Thickness of bulging part 10. Joint body 10a opening 10b Outer surface 11 Socket 11a Pipe contact surface 11b End 12 Bulge 20 Pipe members 21 End face

Claims

1. The joint body has a tubular shape, and at least two sockets are formed integrally with an opening of the joint body, into which a pipe member that is another pipe can be inserted and connected. The receiving portion has a pipe abutment surface against which an end surface of the inserted pipe member abuts, A pipe fitting comprising an outer surface of the fitting body corresponding to a region spanning from the pipe abutment surface to a position spaced a predetermined distance from the pipe abutment surface toward the end of the receiving portion, the outer surface being provided with a bulge portion formed to bulge from the outer surface, and the bulge portion thickness, which is the cross-sectional thickness of the bulge portion, is greater than the receiving portion thickness, which is the cross-sectional thickness of the end of the receiving portion.

2. A pipe fitting as described in claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the bulge has an arc-shaped surface centered at a position corresponding to the outer periphery of the pipe abutment surface and with a radius equal to the thickness of the bulge, and also has an arc-shaped surface centered at the separation position and with a radius equal to the thickness of the bulge.

3. A joint comprising: a tubular body; and at least two receiving ports formed integrally with an opening of the joint body, into which a tubular member that is another tube can be inserted for connection; The receiving portion has a pipe abutment surface against which an end surface of the inserted pipe member abuts, a bulge portion formed on an outer surface of the joint body portion corresponding to a region extending from the pipe abutment surface to a position spaced a predetermined distance from the pipe abutment surface toward the end of the socket portion, the bulge portion being bulging from the outer surface, The cross-sectional shape of the bulge portion has an arc-shaped surface centered at a position corresponding to the outer periphery of the pipe abutment surface and with a radius equal to the bulge portion thickness, which is the thickness of the cross section of the bulge portion, and a pipe fitting having an arc-shaped surface centered at the separation position and with a radius equal to the bulge portion thickness.

4. 4. A pipe joint according to claim 1 or 3, wherein said joint body is made of polyvinyl chloride.

5. 4. A pipe joint according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the joint body is formed from a transparent material.

6. 4. A pipe joint according to claim 1 or 3, wherein an outer surface of the joint body is provided with an embossed surface.

7. 4. A pipe joint according to claim 1, wherein the resin material which is the main material constituting the joint body is blended with a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the resin material.

8. 4. A pipe joint according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the pipe member is a drainage pipe for an air conditioner.

9. A piping system using the pipe joint according to claim 1 or 3.

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