Wiring and pipe material laying path forming device, and wiring and pipe material laying method

Abstract

To provide an installation pathway forming device of a wiring / piping material which can perform operation while visually confirming positions of the wiring / piping material stored inside a corrugated tube and a split portion of the corrugated tube and has high deformation resistant stiffness with respect to drop collision of a falling object and the like.SOLUTION: An installation pathway forming device comprises: a plurality of corrugated tubes D which have hollow cylindrical forms having rectangular cross sections having installation pathways of a wiring / piping material P inside, wherein recessed and projection parts alternately arranged in a longer direction are formed on the inside and outside faces; and a coupler C connecting the two continuous corrugated tubes D on an opposite end. The coupler C includes: a pair of separation regulating locking projection parts 23 which are inserted into respective inner surface recessed parts 3 of the two connected corrugated tubes D and regulates separation; and a relative rotation regulating projection part 26 which does not allow relative rotation only with respect to one corrugated tube D. The coupler C is constructed to allow relative rotation with respect to the other corrugated tube D.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiring and pipe material laying path forming device for accommodating wiring and pipe materials therein, in which a plurality of long corrugated pipes are connected by connecting means, and a method for laying wiring and pipe materials.

[0002] The present invention is characterized by a structure in which a plurality of corrugated pipes for accommodating wiring and pipe materials are connected in series via connecting means, and a method for laying the wiring and pipe materials. In the specification of the present invention, the "two corrugated pipes" connected or to be connected via the connecting means need to be identified and specified only in a scene where identification is necessary. In such a scene, the "two corrugated pipes" are identified using the terms "one corrugated pipe" and "the other corrugated pipe". In a scene where such identification is unnecessary, the term "corrugated pipe" is simply used.

Background Art

[0003] In paragraph "0022" of the specification of Patent Document 1 and FIGS. 6 to 8 of the drawings, there is disclosed a protective pipe 5 for wiring and pipe materials, which is formed of a corrugated pipe having a substantially circular cross section and in which a cutting portion 8 is continuously provided in the axial direction thereof. First, the wiring and pipe material 1 is laid on the laying surface, and then, with the cutting portion 8 of the protective pipe 5 facing downward, it is pressed against the wiring and pipe material 1 on the laying surface, so that the cutting portion 8 is expanded and the wiring and pipe material 1 is accommodated therein.

[0004] Further, in paragraph "0025" of the specification of Patent Document 1, a joint 4 is integrally provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the protective pipe body 2 of the protective pipe 5, and by fitting the joint 4 onto the protective pipe body 3 of another protective pipe 5, a plurality of protective pipes 5 are connected.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Therefore, in the protection pipe 5 disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to lay wiring and piping materials on the laying surface first, and it is impossible to pre-lay the protection pipe 5 and lay the wiring and piping materials in advance, so there are restrictions on the laying of the wiring and piping materials. In addition, unless the cutting portion 8 of the protection pipe 5 is aligned along the entire length of the previously laid wiring and piping materials, the cutting portion 8 will not expand properly. Furthermore, since the cutting portion 8 is located on the back side (lower side) of the protection pipe 5 and is difficult to visually observe, the workability was poor.

[0007] Moreover, since the cross-section of the protection pipe 5 is substantially circular, its deformation resistance rigidity against external forces is low, and it can be easily crushed by the dropping impact of falling objects or by being stepped on by a person, and it could not fully perform the function as a protection pipe for protecting the wiring and piping materials.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming a laying path of wiring and piping materials, which can pre-lay corrugated pipes to pre-form a piping path, and enables the operation of visually confirming the position between the wiring and piping materials accommodated inside the corrugated pipe and the cutting portion of the corrugated pipe, and further has high deformation resistance rigidity against the dropping impact of falling objects.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The invention according to claim 1 for solving the above problems includes a corrugated pipe having a hollow cylindrical shape with a laying path for wiring and piping materials inside, and having uneven portions alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction formed on the inner and outer surfaces, connection means for connecting the corrugated pipes, and is an apparatus for forming a laying path of wiring and piping materials, the pipe wall of the corrugated pipe has a cutting portion continuous in the longitudinal direction, and is deformable so that the cutting portion can be expanded to accommodate wiring and piping materials inside, at least the outer surface convex portion of the uneven portion of the corrugated pipe has a rectangular shape in a cross-sectional view of its inner and outer shapes, and the cutting portion is formed on a specific one of the four sides constituting the outer surface convex portion, The connecting means includes a protruding connecting portion that protrudes in the longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe from one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe while the circumferential rotation with respect to the corrugated pipe is restricted. The protruding connecting portion is inserted into the end portion of the other corrugated pipe connected to one corrugated pipe and is locked to the inner surface recess of the other corrugated pipe, and is a first separation restricting locking portion that restricts relative movement in the separation direction in the longitudinal direction of two consecutive corrugated pipes. It has a first pipe passing opening that is disposed inside the cutting portion of the other corrugated pipe and allows wiring and pipe materials to pass through therebetween. It is characterized in that, in a state where two consecutive corrugated pipes are connected by the connecting means, the protruding connecting portion of the connecting means and the other corrugated pipe are connected so as to be relatively rotatable while their separation is restricted.

[0010] In the invention of claim 1, at one end portion in the longitudinal direction of one of the two corrugated pipes connected to each other, a protruding connecting portion constituting the connecting means protrudes in a state where the circumferential rotation with respect to the corrugated pipe is restricted, that is, in a state where relative rotation is impossible. The protruding connecting portion is inserted into the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the other corrugated pipe in a non-separable manner by a first separation restricting locking portion provided on the protruding connecting portion. Thus, two adjacent corrugated pipes are laid on a laying surface in a state where they are connected so as to be relatively rotatable while being unable to move in the separation direction in the longitudinal direction via the connecting means. That is, any one of a plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series via the connecting means is connected to another adjacent corrugated pipe in a state where relative rotation is possible.

[0011] Therefore, with the other corrugated pipe and the protruding connection part constituting the connection means rotated relative to each other, in a state where the first pipe passing opening of the protruding connection part is arranged directly below the cutting part of the other corrugated pipe, wiring and piping materials are accommodated inside the plurality of corrugated pipes through the pipe insertion opening formed by expanding each of the continuously linear cutting parts of the plurality of corrugated pipes connected via the connection means. The wiring and piping materials can pass through the first pipe passing opening formed in the part of the protruding connection part of the connection means, enabling the wiring and piping materials to be accommodated inside the plurality of corrugated pipes. Since each of the continuously linear cutting parts of the plurality of corrugated pipes faces upward, the pipe installer can perform the accommodation operation of the wiring and piping materials while visually confirming the presence of each cutting part, thus enabling the accommodation operation to be performed easily and reliably.

[0012] Here, since two adjacent corrugated pipes are connected via the connection means in a state where they are immovable in the separation direction in the longitudinal direction and are relatively rotatable, each of the plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series via the connection means can be relatively rotated independently of the remaining corrugated pipes. For this reason, each of the plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series can be rotated relative to the adjacent corrugated pipes, enabling the laying to be changed to a state where the cutting part faces downward. By the cutting part facing downward, even when the corrugated pipe is exposed for piping outdoors, it is possible to prevent rainwater from entering the inside of the corrugated pipe through the cutting part. Also, with the cutting part of the corrugated pipe facing downward, the rainwater that has entered inside is drained through the cutting part.

[0013] In addition, at least the outer surface convex portion among the concavo-convex portions of the corrugated pipe has a rectangular shape formed on both the inner and outer sides thereof, and the cutting portion is formed on a specific one side among the four sides constituting the outer surface convex portion. Therefore, when the side where the cutting portion is formed is in contact with the laying surface or is arranged in parallel therewith, the two sides adjacent to the side where the cutting portion is formed are parallel to each other and are arranged to face each other in a perpendicular state. Accordingly, in addition to the cross section of the pipe wall of the corrugated pipe being rectangular, in the laying state of the corrugated pipe provided with a pipe wall having concavo-convex portions continuous on the inner and outer surfaces, a pair of pipe wall portions arranged to face each other along a direction parallel to the laying surface are arranged perpendicular to the laying surface. Therefore, since it has a shape with high deformation resistance, even if unexpected falling objects fall and collide with the corrugated pipe or it is stepped on by a person, it is not easily deformed, and the internal wiring and pipe materials can be stably protected over a long period of time.

[0014] Furthermore, in a state where two corrugated pipes are connected via a connecting means, since the connecting means is accommodated inside the opposing end portions of the two corrugated pipes, the two corrugated pipes form a single unit over the entire length without generating any step portions at the connecting portion. Therefore, a person's foot is not caught at the connecting portion of the corrugated pipe, and the overall appearance is also good.

[0015] The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means is constituted by a connecting member separate from the corrugated pipe. At one end portion of the connecting member, a second separation restricting locking portion that is inserted into one end portion of one corrugated pipe and locked to the inner surface concave portion of the one corrugated pipe to restrict movement in the separation direction in the longitudinal direction, a second pipe passing opening portion that is arranged inside the cutting portion of the one corrugated pipe and allows wiring and pipe materials to pass therethrough, and a relative rotation restricting portion that restricts relative circumferential rotation with respect to the one corrugated pipe in a locked state of the second separation restricting locking portion are provided. At the other end portion of the connecting member, the protruding connecting portion inserted into the other corrugated pipe is provided. The first and second pipe passing openings provided in the connecting member are characterized in that they are linearly continuous along the longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe.

[0016] In the invention of claim 2, the connecting means for connecting adjacent corrugated tubes is constituted by a connecting member separate from the corrugated tubes. The connecting member is in a non-detachable state with respect to one corrugated tube by the second separation restricting locking portion provided on itself, and is in a state where relative rotation with respect to the one corrugated tube is impossible by the relative rotation restricting portion provided on itself. The connecting member is connected to the one corrugated tube and is connected to the other corrugated tube such that the protruding connecting portion integrally provided on itself can rotate relatively. Thereby, a plurality of corrugated tubes are connected by a separate connecting member such that a specific one corrugated tube can rotate independently with respect to adjacent corrugated tubes. Further, the first tube passing opening formed in the protruding connecting portion protruding from the other end of the connecting member and the second tube passing opening formed in one end of the connecting member are continuously formed along the longitudinal direction of the corrugated tube, and the continuous first and second tube passing openings are arranged directly below the cutting portion where the corrugated tubes are linearly continuous. Thus, the wiring and piping materials are accommodated inside the plurality of corrugated tubes through the cutting portion where the corrugated tubes are linearly continuous and the first and second tube passing openings of each connecting member arranged directly below it. Since the connecting means is separate from the corrugated tubes, the corrugated tubes can have the same uneven inner and outer surface shapes over their entire lengths, facilitating the design of the mold for forming the corrugated tubes and thus making the manufacture of the corrugated tubes easier.

[0017] The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 2, a relative rotation restricting abutting portion for restricting relative rotation between the one corrugated tube and the connecting member is provided on the outer surface of the connecting member main body of the connecting member by abutting against an abutted portion formed on the inner surface of the longitudinal end portion of the one corrugated tube.

[0018] According to the invention of claim 3, the relative rotation between the one corrugated tube and the connecting member can be restricted by a simple structure by the abutting of the relative rotation restricting abutting portion formed on the outer surface of the connecting member main body of the connecting member and the abutted portion formed on the inner surface of the longitudinal end portion of the one corrugated tube.

[0019] The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3, wherein at least at the longitudinal end portions of the portion of the pipe wall of the corrugated pipe facing the cut portion, a hinge portion serving as a fulcrum when expanding the cut portion is formed, and the relative rotation restricting contact portion contacts the contacted portion formed on the hinge portion from the circumferential direction, thereby restricting the relative rotation.

[0020] According to the invention of claim 4, since the hinge portion formed at the portion of the pipe wall of the corrugated pipe facing the cut portion and serving as a fulcrum when expanding the cut portion is used as the contacted portion with which the relative rotation restricting contact portion of the connecting member contacts, the structure for restricting the relative rotation of the connecting member becomes simpler.

[0021] The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 3, wherein the relative rotation restricting contact portion is constituted by a contact outer surface disposed opposite to the bottom surface of the inner surface recess of one of the corrugated pipes at the second separation restricting locking portion provided on the connecting member main body. It is characterized in that the relative rotation between the one corrugated pipe and the connecting member is restricted by surface contact between the bottom surface of the inner surface recess and the contact outer surface.

[0022] According to the invention of claim 5, the relative rotation between the one corrugated pipe and the connecting member is restricted by surface contact between the bottom surface of the inner surface recess of one of the corrugated pipes and the contact outer surface which is the outer surface of the second separation restricting locking portion of the connecting member main body disposed opposite to the bottom surface.

[0023] The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein on each of the portions of the inner surface convex portion at the end of the corrugated pipe that are separated by the cut portion and are adjacently disposed, inclined portions that incline toward the outside of the corrugated pipe as they approach the cut portion are respectively formed.

[0024] According to the invention of claim 6, each part that is separated by the cutting part at the inner surface convex part of the end of the corrugated pipe and is arranged adjacent to each other is formed with an inclined part that inclines toward the outside of the corrugated pipe as it approaches the cutting part. Thus, when the connection member provided at the end of one corrugated pipe rotates relative to the other corrugated pipe into which the protruding connection part of the connection member is inserted, it is possible to prevent the opposing end of the first pipe passing opening of the connection member from being caught by the cutting end surface formed by the expansion of the cutting part in the other corrugated pipe.

[0025] The invention of claim 7 is, in any of the inventions of claims 2 to 5 In any of the inventions, the protruding connection part of the connection member is characterized in that it is bent and deformed so that the first pipe passing opening thereof becomes narrower, allowing relative rotation between the connection member and the other corrugated pipe.

[0026] According to the invention of claim 7, when the wiring and wiring pipes are accommodated and protected in the corrugated pipe, it is possible to prevent the connection member and the other corrugated pipe from easily rotating with a small rotational force. Thus, it is possible to maintain the relative position along the rotational direction of the connection member and the other corrugated pipe. After accommodating the wiring and wiring pipes, when the arrangement position of the corrugated pipes is changed by relatively rotating the corrugated pipes one by one, the first pipe passing opening of the protruding connection part of the connection member is bent and deformed so that it becomes narrower, allowing relative rotation between the connection member and the other corrugated pipe.

[0027] The invention of claim 8 is, in any of the inventions of claims 1 to 7, the protruding connection part has a pair of opposing surfaces that respectively face the bottom surfaces of the inner surface recesses in two sides that are arranged opposite to each other by being adjacent to the side having the cutting part among the four rectangular sides that constitute the inner surface recess of the other corrugated pipe. At least a part of the pair of opposing surfaces forms an overhanging part that protrudes outside the inscribed circle of the rectangle that constitutes the bottom surface of the inner surface recess of the other corrugated pipe. The overhanging part serves as a resistance to the relative rotation between the protruding connection part and the other corrugated pipe and the separation of the connected corrugated pipes.

[0028] According to the invention of claim 8, at least a part of a pair of opposing surfaces of the protruding connecting portion is an overhanging portion that protrudes outside the inscribed circle of the rectangle that forms the bottom surface of the inner concave portion of the other corrugated pipe, and the overhanging portion serves as a resistance to the relative rotation between the protruding connecting portion and the other corrugated pipe and the separation of the connected corrugated pipes. This resistance acts to prevent the free relative rotation between the other corrugated pipe and the protruding connecting portion, and also acts to prevent the separation of the two corrugated pipes connected by the connecting means having the protruding connecting portion.

[0029] The invention of claim 9 constitutes the laying path forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. With the cutting portions of a plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series by connecting means facing upward, by expanding the cutting portions of each corrugated pipe, wiring and wiring materials are accommodated inside the plurality of corrugated pipes. Thereafter, the plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series are rotated one by one so that the cutting portions face downward, thereby changing the arrangement of the corrugated pipes with respect to the laying surface.

[0030] According to the invention of claim 9, with the cutting portions of a plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series by connecting means facing upward, by expanding the cutting portions of each corrugated pipe and while visually recognizing the cutting portions, wiring and wiring materials can be accommodated inside the plurality of corrugated pipes. Therefore, the work of accommodating the wiring and wiring materials in the corrugated pipes connected in series can be easily and surely performed. Also, after accommodating the wiring and wiring materials in the corrugated pipes, the operation of rotating all of the plurality of corrugated pipes connected by the connecting means in one operation is difficult because the corrugated pipes may be twisted in the middle. However, by rotating the plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series one by one so that the cutting portions face downward and changing the arrangement of the corrugated pipes with respect to the laying surface, the arrangement of the plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series with respect to the laying surface can be easily changed, and even when the corrugated pipes are exposed and piped outdoors, it is possible to prevent rainwater from entering the inside of the corrugated pipes through the cutting portions. Further, since the cutting portions of the corrugated pipes face downward, the rainwater that has entered the inside is drained through the cutting portions.

Advantages of the Invention

[0031] According to the present invention, in a state where a plurality of corrugated pipes are connected in series via connecting means, each cutting portion that is linearly continuous in each corrugated pipe faces upward. Therefore, a piping worker can perform the work of accommodating wiring and piping materials while visually confirming the presence of each cutting portion, so that the accommodation work can be performed easily and surely. Further, in addition to the cross section of the pipe wall of the corrugated pipe being rectangular, in the laying state of the corrugated pipe provided with a pipe wall having uneven portions continuous on the inner and outer surfaces, a pair of pipe wall portions arranged opposite to each other along a direction parallel to the laying surface are arranged perpendicular to the laying surface, resulting in a shape with high deformation resistance. Therefore, even if an unexpected falling object drops and collides with the corrugated pipe or the corrugated pipe is stepped on by a person, it is not easily deformed, and the internal wiring and piping materials can be stably protected over a long period of time.

[0032] Furthermore, since a plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series via connecting means can be rotated relative to the remaining corrugated pipes independently of each other one by one, each of the plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series can be sequentially rotated relative to the adjacent corrugated pipes one by one, so that the laying can be changed to a state where the cutting portion faces downward. By the cutting portion facing downward, even when the corrugated pipe is exposed outdoors, it is possible to prevent rainwater from entering the inside of the corrugated pipe through the cutting portion. Further, when the cutting portion of the corrugated pipe faces downward, the rainwater that has entered the inside is drained through the cutting portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0033]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 8

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Figure 15

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Figure 17

Figure 18-A

Figure 18-B

Figure 19

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0034] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the best embodiments. The wiring and pipe arrangement path forming device of the present invention includes a plurality of corrugated tubes D having concave and convex portions alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction on the inner and outer surfaces, and a connector C that connects the plurality of corrugated tubes D. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, the connector C is inserted inseparably in the longitudinal direction into the opposing end portions of each of the successively connected corrugated tubes D, so that each corrugated tube D is connected in series. Both the corrugated tube D and the connector C are formed by injection molding of resin. Regarding the reference numerals of the corrugated tubes, when generally referring to the corrugated tube, the general reference numeral "D" is used, and when specifying individual corrugated tubes in a state where a plurality of corrugated tubes are connected in series via the connector C, reference numerals "D1, D2, D3, ···" with numerals added to the general reference numeral "D" are used.

[0035] First, referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the corrugated tube D will be described. The corrugated tube D has a rectangular (square) cross-section with all four sides having the same width. On its inner and outer surfaces, concave and convex portions are alternately formed. On the outer surface side, outer surface convex portions 1 and outer surface concave portions 2 are alternately provided. On the inner surface side, portions corresponding to the outer surface convex portions 1 and outer surface concave portions 2 become inner surface concave portions 3 and inner surface convex portions 4, respectively, and are alternately provided, so that as a whole, it has a flexible square tube shape. At both longitudinal ends of the corrugated tube D, portions approximately half the width of the bottom plate portion 2a of the outer surface concave portion 2 protrude as protrusion portions 2a'. On one of the opposing surfaces that become the upper or lower surface of the corrugated tube D having a rectangular cross-section, a linear cutting portion 5 continuous in the longitudinal direction is formed at the central portion in the width direction, and on the other of the opposing surfaces at the central portion in the width direction, a hinge portion 6 having an expanded U-shaped cross-section and being elastically deformable protrudes outward with respect to the protruding plate portion 4a of the inner surface convex portion 4 (bottom plate portion 2a of the outer surface concave portion 2), and is formed linearly continuously in the longitudinal direction facing the cutting portion 5. The concave portion opening inside the hinge portion 6 serves as an insertion space portion 6a into which a relative rotation restricting convex portion 26 of a connector C described later is inserted. On the portion of the outer surface convex portion 1 of the corrugated tube D where the cutting portion 5 is formed, a pair of gently inclined portions 7 that gently incline inward are provided, and the intersection portion of the pair of gently inclined portions 7 slightly enters the inside of the corrugated tube D with respect to other portions, and the cutting portion 5 is formed at the intersection portion. On the other hand, on the portion of the inner surface convex portion 4 of the corrugated tube D where the cutting portion 5 is formed, a pair of interference avoidance inclined portions 8 for avoiding interference with the connector C during relative rotation of the non-rotating side corrugated tube D and the connector C among the two corrugated tubes D connected via the connector C are formed to incline outward. In this embodiment, the pair of interference avoidance inclined portions 8 are formed over the entire length, but it is also possible to form them only at both longitudinal ends of the corrugated tube D where the connector C is internally inserted. The hollow portion inside the corrugated tube D having a rectangular cross-section serves as a tube accommodation space 13 for accommodating the wiring and pipe material P.In the above-described corrugated pipe D having a square tube shape, a cutting portion 5 is formed in the longitudinal direction on the surface facing the surface where the hinge portion 6 is formed, so that in a cross-sectional view, the cutting portion 5 is expanded with the hinge portion 6 as a fulcrum, forming a two-part connection structure. When the cutting portion 5 of the corrugated pipe D is expanded, the cutting portion 5 is closed and naturally adheres due to the elastic restoring force of the hinge portion 6.

[0036] On the other hand, at the central portion in the width direction of the surface where the hinge portion 6 is provided, which faces the surface where the cutting portion 5 is provided in the corrugated pipe D, hinge arrangement recesses 11 having a cross-sectional isosceles trapezoid shape with a wider outer width are continuously formed in the longitudinal direction. The hinge portion 6 having an expanded U-shaped cross-section is arranged in a form that fits into the hinge arrangement recesses 11. Therefore, at the portion of the outer surface convex portion 1 (inner surface concave portion 3), the two ends of the hinge portion 6 having an expanded U-shaped cross-section and the protruding plate portion 1a of the outer surface convex portion 1 (bottom plate portion 3a of the inner surface concave portion 3) are connected by a pair of connecting plate portions 12. Note that the connecting plate portions 12 do not exist in the outer surface concave portion 2.

[0037] When accommodating the wiring and piping material P inside the corrugated pipe D of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5(a), with the surface provided with the cutting portion 5 facing upward, the wiring and piping material P is accommodated inside the corrugated pipe D through the pipe insertion opening 14 formed by expanding both sides of the portion of the cutting portion 5 with the hinge portion 6 as a fulcrum. Then, as shown in Fig. 5(b), after the accommodation, the pipe insertion opening 14 is closed. After the wiring and piping material P is accommodated inside a plurality of corrugated pipes D connected in series via the connector C, each of the plurality of corrugated pipes D is inverted (rotated half a turn) one by one, and the surface on which the cutting portion 5 is formed is brought into contact with the laying surface F, and the plurality of corrugated pipes D connected in series are installed on the laying surface F. Therefore, in a state where the wiring and piping material P is accommodated inside, a pair of opposing surfaces of the corrugated pipe D provided with the cutting portion 5 and the hinge portion 6 are perpendicular to another pair of opposing surfaces with respect to the laying surface F. In addition to the cross-section of the corrugated pipe D itself being rectangular, uneven portions are alternately provided over the entire length in the longitudinal direction, so that the deformation resistance strength (deformation resistance rigidity) against external forces acting in the installed state, especially on each surface, is a large structure. Therefore, even when a large impact load acts due to a falling object or the like during installation, or when stepped on by a person, the corrugated pipe D has the advantage that it does not easily deform.

[0038] Next, with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, the connector C for connecting the corrugated pipes D will be described. The connector C utilizes each inner surface recess 3 closest to the most opposed ends of the two corrugated pipes D to be connected, and connects the two corrugated pipes D. It corresponds to the inner peripheral surface shape of the corrugated pipe D, and first and second pipe passage openings 21a and 21b that allow the passage of the wiring and pipe material P are formed in specific portions along the circumferential direction. A connector body 22 having a substantially C shape or a substantially U shape is provided by missing a part of the circumferential direction of an annular body having a predetermined length along the arrangement direction Q of the wiring and pipe material P. At both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the connector body 22 along the arrangement direction Q, separation restricting locking protrusions 23 that are fitted into each inner surface recess 3 closest to the most opposed ends of the two corrugated pipes D to be connected are formed in a protruding state over the entire circumference. Between the separation restricting locking protrusions 23, on the outside thereof, a protrusion arrangement recess 24 in which the protruding portions 2a' of the opposed ends of the two corrugated pipes D to be connected are arranged in a close state is formed. The portion of the connector body 22 facing the first and second pipe passage openings 21a and 21b is a hinge portion facing arrangement portion 22a arranged inside each hinge portion 6 of the two corrugated pipes D to be connected on the outside thereof. The portion of each separation restricting locking protrusion 23 corresponding to the hinge portion facing arrangement portion 22a is missing by a predetermined length along the circumferential direction, and fitting recesses 25 that are respectively fitted to the inner ends of the connecting plate portions 12 arranged on both sides of the hinge portion 6 of the corrugated pipe D are formed.

[0039] Here, in the present invention, the connector C not only simply connects the two corrugated pipes D so as not to separate them in the longitudinal direction, but in this connection state, by making one of the two corrugated pipes D connected by the connector C rotatable relative to the other, after the wiring and pipe material P is accommodated, by rotating only a specific corrugated pipe D by half a turn (inverting), the surface on which the cutting portion 5, which was the upper surface when the wiring and pipe material P was accommodated, is brought into close contact with or opposed to the laying surface F, so that the structure can prevent the intrusion of rainwater and the like from the cutting portion 5. Since the cutting portion 5 of the corrugated pipe D faces downward, the rainwater that has entered inside is drained through the cutting portion 5. In order to achieve the above, a relative rotation restricting convex portion 26 that is inserted and fitted only to one hinge portion 6 of the two corrugated pipes D connected via the connector C is formed along the arrangement direction Q only on one part of the two fitting recesses 25 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the connector body 22. Due to the presence of the relative rotation restricting convex portion 26, the connector C cannot rotate relative to one of the two corrugated pipes D connected via the connector C and is integrally rotated with the connector C, while the relative rotation of the connector C with respect to the other corrugated pipe D is possible.

[0040] Also, in order to enable the wiring and pipe material P to pass through the connector body 22, the first and second pipe passing openings 21a and 21b provided in the connector body 22 are portions arranged inside different corrugated pipes D respectively in a state where the two corrugated pipes D are connected via the connector C, and the pipe passing openings 21a and 21b are arranged linearly along the arrangement direction Q while maintaining the same width. When the connector C is divided in half along the arrangement direction Q, the side where the relative rotation restricting convex portion 26 is not arranged corresponds to the "projecting connection portion" in the "connector C", and the corrugated pipe D into which the portion corresponding to the "projecting connection portion" in the connector C is inserted and the connector C have a structure that allows relative rotation.

[0041] Also, as shown in Fig. 8(a), in a state where each half portion along the arrangement direction Q of the connector C is inserted into the opposing end portions of the two corrugated pipes D, in a cross-sectional view, a part on the outer peripheral side of the separation regulation locking convex portion 23 of the connector C projects outward with respect to the inscribed circle A of the protruding plate portion 1a of the outer surface convex portion 1 of the corrugated pipe D having a rectangular cross-section, and a total of four protruding portions 23a are provided. In a state where the two corrugated pipes D are connected by the connector C, the corrugated pipe D on the side that can rotate relative to the connector C has the respective protruding portions 23a serving as the rotational resistance of the relative rotation, and by slightly increasing the total insertion area of the separation regulation locking convex portion 23 with respect to the inner surface concave portion 3 of the corrugated pipe D, the resistance to separation of the two connected corrugated pipes D also increases.

[0042] Further, the connector C is deformable as a whole so that the first and second pipe passing openings 21a and 21b become narrower. As will be described later, when only one of the two corrugated pipes D connected by the connector C is rotated half a turn to bring the surface having the cut portion 5 into close contact with or oppositely arranged with respect to the laying surface F, the other corrugated pipe D and the portion corresponding to the "protruding connection portion" of the connector C relatively rotate due to significant deformation of the end portion of the other corrugated pipe D. However, since the connector C is deformable as a whole so that the first and second pipe passing openings 21a and 21b become narrower, the relative rotation becomes easier. In Figs. 6 to 8, reference numeral 27 denotes the inner surface of the hinge portion opposing portion 22a of the connector body 22, and more specifically, it is a pipe support portion provided along the circumferential direction at the central portion along the arrangement direction Q. The upper surface of the pipe support portion 27 is flat so as to easily support the wiring and pipe material P.

[0043] Next, with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11, the connection structure of the corrugated tube D by the connector C will be described. The two corrugated tubes D1 and D2 are relatively rotatable via the connector C and are connected inseparably along the longitudinal direction. With the two corrugated tubes D1 and D2 expanded at the respective cutting portions 5, the respective portions obtained by dividing the connector C along the arrangement direction Q are inserted into the interior from the opening surfaces of the opposing end portions of the respective corrugated tubes D1 and D2. Then, by closing the cutting portions 5 of the respective corrugated tubes D1 and D2, the two corrugated tubes D1 and D2 are connected in series via the connector C.

[0044] That is, each separation restriction locking convex portion 23 of the connector C is respectively fitted into the innermost surface recess 3 closest to the respective opposing end portions of the two corrugated tubes D1 and D2 connected to each other. Further, as shown in FIG. 10(b), each protruding portion 2a' of the opposing end portions of the two corrugated tubes D1 and D2 is accommodated and arranged in the protruding portion arrangement recess 24 of the connector C with a slight gap 28 formed between the respective tip surfaces thereof. Thus, the two corrugated tubes D1 and D2 are connected inseparably along the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 11(a), the relative rotation restricting convex portion 26 provided only on the side of one corrugated tube D1 along the wiring / wiring material P arrangement direction Q in the hinge portion opposing arrangement portion 22a of the connector body 22 of the connector C is inserted into the insertion space portion 6a of the hinge portion 6 of the one corrugated tube D1 along the longitudinal direction of the corrugated tube D1. As a result, the connector C is non-rotatable relative to the one corrugated tube D1, but is rotatable relative to the other corrugated tube D2, and the two corrugated tubes D1 and D2 are connected via the connector C.

[0045] Similarly, in Fig. 12, the corrugated pipes D2, D3 and D3, D4 are connected in the above-described state via the connectors C. Thus, a plurality of corrugated pipes D connected in series are connected such that any one corrugated pipe can rotate relative to another adjacent corrugated pipe, and this connection structure is one of the features of the present invention. In a plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series via a number of connectors that is one less than the total number of corrugated pipes to be connected, each connector has a structure in which the whole of it is inserted into the connection part of the corrugated pipe. Therefore, there is no step at the connection part of the plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series, so that a person or an object is not caught on the step. In addition, since the connector is entirely inserted into the connection part of each corrugated pipe and cannot be visually recognized from the outside, the appearance is also improved.

[0046] Next, with reference to Figs. 12 to 18, after the wiring and wiring materials P are housed inside a plurality of corrugated pipes D1 to D4 connected in series via the connectors C, the operation of rotating each of the plurality of corrugated pipes D1 to D4 by half a turn (inverting) and bringing the surface having the cutting part 5 into close contact with the laying surface F will be described. In the schematic diagram of Fig. 12, a state in which a total of four corrugated pipes D1 to D4 are connected in series is shown as an example, and the ratio of the length to the width of each of the corrugated pipes D1 to D4 is shown ignoring it.

[0047] In a state where a plurality of corrugated pipes D1 to D4 are connected in series via a connector C, each cutting portion 5 formed longitudinally on the surface facing the surface provided with the hinge portion 6 of each corrugated pipe D1 to D4 is arranged in a straight line, the surface on which the cutting portion 5 is formed faces upward, and each corrugated pipe D1 to D4 is installed on the laying surface F. Since each corrugated pipe D1 to D4 is divided by the cutting portion 5 and has a two-part connection structure connected by the hinge portion 6 in a cross-sectional view, as shown in FIG. 13, when each corrugated pipe D1 to D3 of the two-part connection structure is deformed outward with the hinge portion 6 as a fulcrum, the cutting portion 5 is expanded so as to be slightly wider with respect to the first and second pipe passing openings 21a, 21b of the connector C, and a pipe insertion opening 14 is formed. Through the pipe insertion opening 14 and each pipe passing opening 21a, 21b of the connector C, wiring and pipe materials P are accommodated in the continuous pipe accommodation spaces 13 inside each corrugated pipe D1 to D4. Then, when the expanded cutting portion 5 is closed, a cross-sectional view of the portion including the connector C at the opposing ends of each corrugated pipe D1, D2 [(D2, D3), (D3, D4)] connected by the connector C is as shown in FIG. 14, and the wiring and pipe materials P accommodated in the continuous pipe accommodation spaces 13 of each corrugated pipe D1 to D4 are supported by the pipe support portions 27 of each connector C.

[0048] In this state, when only the corrugated pipe D1 at one end of the serially connected corrugated pipes D1 to D4 is rotated semi-circularly (reversed), since the connector C cannot rotate relative to the corrugated pipe D1, it rotates integrally with the corrugated pipe D1. However, the portion of the connector C that protrudes from the corrugated pipe D1 and is inserted into the corrugated pipe D2 corresponds to the protruding connection portion C1 of the connector C in claim 1 (see FIGS. 7(c) and 17(a)). By relatively rotating semi-circularly (reversing) with respect to the non-rotating corrugated pipe D2, a cross-sectional view of the opposing ends on the corrugated pipe D1 side of each corrugated pipe D1, D2 connected by the connector C, and a longitudinal sectional view of each corrugated pipe D1, D2 are as shown in FIGS. 15 and 17, respectively. The wiring and pipe materials P that have lost the support by the pipe support portion 27 of the connector C are in contact with or disposed close to the interference avoidance inclined portion 8 formed on the inner surface convex portion 4 on the corrugated pipe D1 side, and on the corrugated pipe D2 side, are supported by the portions on both sides of the hinge portion 6 in a cross-sectional view.

[0049] Here, when the connector C inserted into the end of the corrugated pipe D2 rotates relative to the non-rotating corrugated pipe D2, as shown in FIG. 18, the corrugated pipe D2 expands at the cutting portion 5, enabling the relative rotation of the connector C. Here, during the relative rotation of the connector C, the end face portion 22b (see FIGS. 6 and 18) corresponding to the open end along the circumferential direction of the protruding portion arrangement recess 24 in the connector body 22 is such that, as shown in FIGS. 18-A(a) and 18-B(c), the portion of the cutting portion 5 of the protruding portion 2a' (the protruding plate portion 4a of the inner surface convex portion 4) abuts against the interference avoidance inclined portion 8 inclined outward, so that the connector C rotates smoothly without interfering with the cutting end face of the protruding portion 2a'. Then, when the connector C further rotates, passing through the intermediate state of FIG. 18-A(b), it reaches the inverted state shown in FIG. 15(b), where only the corrugated pipe D1 is turned upside down, and the surface provided with the cutting portion 5 is arranged in a state of being in close contact with the laying surface F, and this state is shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 15.

[0050] Next, in exactly the same manner, when only the corrugated pipe D2 is rotated half a turn (inverted), at the portion of the connector C that is connected to the inverted corrugated pipe D1 in the corrugated pipe D2, the corrugated pipe D2 rotates relative to the non-rotating connector C while the cutting portion 5 at the opposing end portion thereof expands, and at the connection portion of the corrugated pipe D2 with another corrugated pipe D3, as described above during the inversion of the corrugated pipe D1, half of it is inserted into the corrugated pipe D3, and the connector C that rotates integrally with the corrugated pipe D2 rotates relative to the non-rotating corrugated pipe D3, whereby the corrugated pipe D2 is half-inverted (inverted) and assumes the state shown in FIG. 16(b). Hereinafter, when each of the remaining corrugated pipes D3 and D4 is rotated half a turn one by one, the plurality of corrugated pipes D1 to D4, which are connected in series via the connector C and house the wiring and pipe material P inside, are all inverted upside down and arranged in a state where the surface having the cutting portion 5 is in close contact with the laying surface F. By arranging all of the plurality of corrugated pipes D1 to D4 in a state where the surface having the cutting portion 5 faces downward, it is possible to prevent rainwater from entering the interior even when installed outdoors. Further, since the cutting portion 5 of the corrugated pipe D faces downward, the rainwater that has entered the interior is drained through the cutting portion 5.

[0051] Note that FIGS. 18-A and 18-B illustrate the state where the interval E (see FIG. 7(a)) between the first and second pipe passing openings 21a and 21b of the connector C is not narrowed, in other words, the connector body 22 of the connector C does not bend and deform around the vicinity of both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the pipe support portion 27 (the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction Q). The connector body 22 of the connector C is bendable and deformable so that the interval E between the first and second pipe passing openings 21a and 21b becomes narrower as described in claim 7. When, inside the other corrugated pipe D2, the connector C rotates relative to the other corrugated pipe D2 in the state of being bent and deformed as described above, the expansion of the cutting portion 5 of the other corrugated pipe D2 can be made smaller than the case shown in FIGS. 18-A and 18-B, and the relative rotation of the connector C also becomes easier.

[0052] As described above, the corrugated pipe D in which the wiring and piping material P is accommodated inside is maintained in a state where the cut portion 5 is closed by the elastic restoring force of the hinge portion 6. Moreover, in the above installation state, since the cut portion 5 faces downward, the cut portion 5 is not easily expanded in the installation state of the corrugated pipe D. However, the corrugated pipe D may be installed and used with the cut portion 5 facing upward without being inverted after accommodating the wiring and piping material P. When a large impact force due to a falling object or a person stepping on it with a large force is applied to the corrugated pipe D, the cut portion 5 may be expanded and the periphery thereof may be damaged.

[0053] Therefore, by fitting the U-shaped opening prevention tool B as shown in FIG. 19 into the outer surface recess 2 of the corrugated pipe D, it is possible to prevent the cut portion 5 of the corrugated pipe D from expanding due to the action of an external force or aging use. The U-shaped opening prevention tool B is integrally provided with a U-shaped fitting portion 32 in which a portion corresponding to one side of the entire shape of the outer surface recess 2 of the corrugated pipe D is missing inside the thin plate-shaped main body portion 31. The entire opening prevention tool B is elastically deformed slightly outward, and the fitting portion 32 is fitted into the outer surface recess 2 of the corrugated pipe D in a state of intersecting or non-intersecting with the cut portion 5. In the above embodiment using the opening prevention tool B, two opening prevention tools B are used as a set. However, even if only one of the opening prevention tools B is used, it is possible to prevent the cut portion 5 from expanding. Also, in a state where the cut portion 5 faces downward, the cut portion 5 may be prevented from expanding by the opening prevention tool B.

[0054] Further, in the above embodiment, since the connector C for connecting the two corrugated pipes D is separate from the corrugated pipe D, the hollow cylindrical corrugated pipe D has a shape in which the outer surface convex portion 1 and the outer surface concave portion 2 are alternately provided along the longitudinal direction. Therefore, there is an advantage that the design of the mold and the injection molding of the corrugated pipe D are relatively easy. However, in the present invention, it is also possible to configure the connector C to be divided along the arrangement direction Q, and the portion on the side where the relative rotation restricting convex portion 26 is not provided (the portion corresponding to the "projecting connection portion" in claim 1) to be integrally provided only at one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe D.

[0055] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the shapes of the respective separation regulation locking convex portions 23 that are inserted and locked into the inner surface concave portions 3 of the opposing end portions of the two corrugated pipes D connected to each other, that is, the shapes of the first and second separation regulation locking convex portions in claim 2, are the same, but they may also have different shapes.

[0056] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, all the connection portions of the plurality of corrugated pipes D are connected by the connector C provided with the relative rotation regulation convex portion 26. However, both ends of a specific corrugated pipe among the plurality of corrugated pipes may be connected by a connector that does not have the relative rotation regulation convex portion 26. For example, since there is no risk of rainwater or the like entering from the cutting portion 5 in the wiring and piping materials arranged indoors, with the cutting portion 5 facing upward, that is, without inverting each corrugated pipe, if the wiring and piping materials are housed inside the plurality of corrugated pipes connected by the connector, it is also possible to leave them in that state. In this case, since the connector and the corrugated pipe do not rotate relative to each other, the connector only needs to have a function of simply connecting the two corrugated pipes.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0057] A: Inscribed circle of the inner surface concave portion of the corrugated pipe C: Connector C1: Protruding connection portion D: Corrugated pipe F: Laying surface P: Wiring and piping materials Q: Laying direction of the wiring and piping materials 1: Outer surface convex portion 2: Outer surface concave portion 3: Inner surface concave portion 4: Inner surface convex portion 5: Cutting portion 6: Hinge portion 8: Interference avoidance inclined portion 14: Pipe insertion opening 21a: First pipe passing opening (first pipe passing opening portion) 21b: Second pipe passing opening (second pipe passing opening portion) 22: Connector body 23: Separation regulation locking convex portion (first separation regulation locking portion, second separation regulation locking portion) 26: Relative rotation regulation convex portion (relative rotation regulation contact portion)

Claims

1. A corrugated pipe having a hollow cylindrical shape with a routing path for wiring and piping materials inside, and having concave and convex portions arranged alternately in the longitudinal direction formed on the inner and outer surfaces, and connecting means for connecting the corrugated pipes, which is a routing path forming device for wiring and piping materials, and the pipe wall of the corrugated pipe has a cutting portion continuous in the longitudinal direction, and is deformable so that wiring and piping materials can be accommodated inside by expanding the cutting portion, and at least the outer surface convex portion of the concave and convex portions of the corrugated pipe has a rectangular shape in a cross-sectional view for both its inner and outer shapes, and the cutting portion is formed on a specific one of the four sides constituting the outer surface convex portion, and the connecting means includes a protruding connecting portion protruding in the longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe from one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe, with the circumferential rotation with respect to the corrugated pipe being restricted, and the protruding connecting portion is inserted into the end portion of the other corrugated pipe connected to one corrugated pipe, and is locked to the inner surface concave portion of the other corrugated pipe, and a first separation restricting locking portion for restricting relative movement in the separation direction in the longitudinal direction of two consecutive corrugated pipes, and is disposed inside the cutting portion of the other corrugated pipe, and has a first pipe passing opening through which wiring and piping materials can pass therebetween, and A routing path forming device for wiring and piping materials, characterized in that, in a state where two consecutive corrugated pipes are connected by the connecting means, the protruding connecting portion of the connecting means and the other corrugated pipe are connected so as to be relatively rotatable while their separation is restricted.

2. The connecting means is constituted by a connecting member separate from the corrugated pipe, and at one end portion of the connecting member, a second separation restricting locking portion that is inserted into one end portion of one corrugated pipe and locked to the inner surface concave portion of the one corrugated pipe to restrict movement in the separation direction in the longitudinal direction, a second pipe passing opening that is disposed inside the cutting portion of the one corrugated pipe and through which wiring and piping materials can pass therebetween, and a relative rotation restricting portion that restricts circumferential relative rotation with respect to the one corrugated pipe in a locked state of the second separation restricting locking portion, and at the other end portion of the connecting member, the protruding connecting portion inserted into the other corrugated pipe is provided, and The first and second pipe passing openings provided in the connecting member are linearly continuous along the longitudinal direction of the corrugated pipe. The routing path forming device for wiring and piping materials according to Claim 1.

3. On the outer surface of the connection member body of the connection member, a relative rotation restricting contact portion is provided which restricts relative rotation between the one corrugated pipe and the connection member by contacting a contact portion formed on the inner surface of the longitudinal end portion of the one corrugated pipe. The wiring / wiring material laying path forming device according to claim 2, characterized in that.

4. At least at the longitudinal end portions of the portion of the wall of the corrugated pipe facing the cutting portion, a hinge portion serving as a fulcrum when expanding the cutting portion is formed, and the relative rotation restricting contact portion contacts the contact portion formed on the hinge portion from the circumferential direction, and the relative rotation is restricted. The wiring / wiring material laying path forming device according to claim 3, characterized in that.

5. The relative rotation restricting contact portion is constituted by a contact outer surface disposed opposite to the bottom surface of the inner surface concave portion of the one corrugated pipe in the second separation restricting locking portion provided on the connection member body. The relative rotation between the one corrugated pipe and the connection member is restricted by surface contact between the bottom surface of the inner surface concave portion and the contact outer surface. The wiring / wiring material laying path forming device according to claim 3, characterized in that.

6. On each of the portions of the inner surface convex portion at the end of the corrugated pipe that are separated by the cutting portion and are adjacently arranged, inclined portions that incline toward the outside of the corrugated pipe as they approach the cutting portion are respectively formed. The wiring / wiring material laying path forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that.

7. The protruding connection portion of the connection member is bent and deformed so that its first pipe passing opening becomes narrower, and allows relative rotation between the connection member and the other corrugated pipe. The wiring / wiring material laying path forming device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that.

8. The protruding connection portion has a pair of opposing surfaces that respectively oppose the bottom surfaces of the inner surface concave portions on two sides that are arranged opposite to each other by being adjacent to the side having the cutting portion among the four rectangular sides that constitute the inner surface concave portion of the other corrugated pipe. At least a part of the pair of opposing surfaces is an overhanging portion that protrudes outside the inscribed circle of the rectangle that constitutes the bottom surface of the inner surface concave portion of the other corrugated pipe, and the overhanging portion serves as a resistance to relative rotation between the protruding connection portion and the other corrugated pipe and separation of the connected corrugated pipes. The wiring / wiring material laying path forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that.

9. It constitutes the laying path forming device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and in a state where the cutting parts of a plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series by connection means are directed upward, by expanding the cutting parts of each corrugated pipe, wiring and wiring materials are accommodated inside the plurality of corrugated pipes, Thereafter, a method for laying wiring and wiring materials, characterized in that a plurality of corrugated pipes connected in series are rotated one by one so that the cutting part faces downward, thereby changing the arrangement of the corrugated pipes with respect to the laying surface.

Images