Mounting device and method for mounting information acquisition device

Abstract

To provide a mounting device which enables an information acquisition device to be easily installed at an arbitrarily position on a pipe, and to provide a method for mounting the information acquisition device.SOLUTION: A mounting device is used to mount, by forming a through-bore 2a on an outer circumferential surface of a pipe (a water pipe 2) by means of a boring machine 70, an information acquisition device 80 that acquires information about the inside of the pipe (the water pipe 2) via the through-bore 2a. The mounting device comprises: a pipe mounting part 10 that is mounted to the pipe (the water pipe 2) and that has an opening 11b communicating with the through-bore 2a; a valve part 30 which is mounted so as to communicate with the opening 11b; a valve connection part (a lower valve connection part 20) which connects the opening 11b with the valve part 30; and a mounting part 50 to which the boring machine 70 or the information acquisition device 80 can be mounted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mounting device capable of mounting an information acquisition device that acquires information about the inside of a pipe through which a fluid flows, and a mounting method for the information acquisition device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known technologies for devices that acquire information about the inside of pipes. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a non-stop water pipe inspection device that can insert an inspection rod to inspect the inside of a pipe into a hole formed in the middle of the pipe. The inspection rod is attached to a through flange that is provided so as to communicate with the hole.

[0003] Here, if a hole through which the inspection rod can be inserted is not formed in an existing pipe (pipe), it is necessary to form a hole in the pipe. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for forming a hole in a pipe (water pipe) using a drilling device. In the invention described in Patent Document 2, a step of drilling a hole in the pipe is carried out by attaching the drilling device to a branch joint externally fixed to the pipe.

[0004] As described above, by forming a hole in the pipe using the process described in Patent Document 2 and inserting the inspection rod described in Patent Document 1 into the hole, information on any point in the pipe can be obtained.

[0005] However, when drilling holes in a pipe or installing an information acquisition device as described above, it is necessary to replace the jigs used to attach the drilling device and the information acquisition device to the pipe, which may make the installation of the information acquisition device at any location on the pipe complicated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-62754 [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-217518 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-described situation, and the problem it aims to solve is to provide an installation device and an installation method for an information acquisition device that can easily install an information acquisition device at any location in a piping system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be described.

[0009] The mounting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a device for mounting a pipe on an outer peripheral surface of the pipe using a drilling machine. No. 1 forming a through hole, No. 1 An attachment device for attaching an information acquisition device for acquiring information about the inside of the pipe through a through hole, the attachment device being attached to the pipe, No. 1 a piping attachment part having an opening communicating with the through hole; a valve part attached so as to communicate with the opening; and a valve part connecting the opening and the valve part. No. 1 a valve connection portion; and an attachment portion to which the drilling machine or the information acquisition device can be attached; a second valve connection section that connects the valve section to the drilling machine or the information acquisition device; Equipped with The second valve connection portion is formed in a cylindrical shape and includes a first main body portion that is inserted into the valve portion and a second through hole provided in the drilling machine or the information acquisition device, and a first elastic member that is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the first main body portion and seals between the outer circumferential surface of the first main body portion and the inner circumferential surface of the second through hole, and the first main body portion is inserted so as to be pushed into the second through hole against the frictional force of the first elastic member, thereby being connectable to the drilling machine or the information acquisition device. It is something. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an information acquisition device can be easily installed at any location in a pipe.

[0010] The above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure No. 1 The valve connection is cylindrically formed. No. 2 a main body portion; No. 2 The outer peripheral surface of the main body is provided with the No. 2 A seal is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the main body and the inner peripheral surface of the opening. No. 2 and an elastic member. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to stop water from entering a pipe in a relatively small space.

[0011] The attachment portion according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an abutment portion that abuts against the valve portion on a surface perpendicular to the central axis of the opening. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to easily center the valve portion relative to the opening of the pipe mounting portion.

[0012] The information acquisition device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information about the inside of the pipe, a shaft to which the information acquisition unit can be attached, and a shaft that is No. 1 and an operating portion that is inserted into the through hole. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an information acquisition unit can be installed inside the pipe via a through-hole, so that information inside the pipe can be directly acquired.

[0013] The method for installing an information acquisition device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a drilling machine installation step for installing the drilling machine to the installation device installed on the piping, and after the drilling machine installation step, drilling the drilling machine into the piping using the drilling machine. No. 1 The method includes a through hole forming step of forming a through hole, and an information acquisition device installation step of removing the drilling machine from the mounting device and mounting the information acquisition device to the mounting device after the through hole forming step. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an information acquisition device can be easily installed at any location in a pipe. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an information acquisition device can be easily installed at any location in a pipe. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing an attachment device and a water pipe according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view showing the installation of the mounting device on a water pipe. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing a method for attaching an information acquisition device. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view showing the attachment device and the water pipe in the through-hole forming step. [Figure 6] (a) is a front cross-sectional view showing the information acquisition device, (b) is a side cross-sectional view showing the lower part of the information acquisition device. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view showing the mounting device and the water pipe in the information acquisition device installation step. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view showing the mounting device and the water pipe with the information acquisition device installed. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view showing an attachment device and a water pipe according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view showing an attachment device and a water pipe according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view showing an attachment device and a water pipe according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] In the following description, the directions indicated by arrows U, D, F, B, L, and R in the drawings are defined as the upward, downward, forward, backward, leftward, and rightward directions, respectively. Note that the drawings used in the following description are schematic diagrams, and the specific shapes and dimensions of each member are not limited to those shown in the drawings.

[0017] An attachment device 1 according to a first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0018] The mounting device 1 is used to mount an information acquisition device 80 that acquires information about the inside of a water pipe 2. First, the water pipe 2 will be described below with reference to FIG.

[0019] The water pipe 2 shown in Fig. 1 is an existing pipe buried underground. The water pipe 2 is formed to extend in the front-to-rear direction. The water pipe 2 is made of, for example, metal. Tap water (fluid) flows through the water pipe 2.

[0020] In this embodiment, a through hole 2a is formed in the upper surface of any part of the water pipe 2 by performing a through hole forming step described later (see FIG. 5). By opening the through hole 2a, it is possible to form a flow path that branches through the through hole 2a. Note that in the state shown in FIG. 1, the water pipe 2 does not have a through hole 2a for attaching the information acquisition device 80.

[0021] Next, the configuration of the attachment device 1 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The attachment device 1 is installed at any part of the water pipe 2. A drilling machine 70 and an information acquisition device 80, which will be described later, are attached to the attachment device 1 installed on the water pipe 2. The attachment device 1 includes a pipe attachment section 10, a lower valve connection section 20, a valve section 30, an upper valve connection section 40, an attachment section 50, and a cover section 60.

[0022] The pipe mounting part 10 shown in Fig. 1 is attached to a water pipe 2. The pipe mounting part 10 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape that is fitted onto the outer circumferential surface of any part of the water pipe 2. The pipe mounting part 10 is formed so as to be separable into an upper and lower part. The pipe mounting part 10 comprises an upper part 11, a lower part 12, and a connecting part 13.

[0023] The upper portion 11 constitutes the upper part of the pipe mounting portion 10. The upper portion 11 is formed in a roughly half-cylindrical shape. A roughly cylindrical branch portion 11a is formed in the left-right center of the upper portion 11 so as to protrude upward. An opening 11b that opens to the top and bottom is formed in the branch portion 11a. The opening 11b communicates with the inner surface of the upper portion 11. The upper end surface of the branch portion 11a is perpendicular to the central axis (axis facing up and down) of the opening 11b. In addition, a gasket 11c that can seal off water between the inner surface of the pipe mounting portion 10 and the outer peripheral surface of the water pipe 2 is provided on the edge of the opening 11b on the inner surface of the upper portion 11.

[0024] The lower part 12 constitutes the lower part of the pipe mounting part 10. The lower part 12 is formed in a substantially half-cylindrical shape.

[0025] The connecting portion 13 connects the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12. The connecting portion 13 according to this embodiment is composed of a bolt inserted through the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 and a nut fitted onto the bolt. A pair of connecting portions 13 are provided on the left and right sides.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the upper part 11 and the lower part 12 are attached so as to sandwich the water pipe 2 from above and below, and the upper part 11 and the lower part 12 are fixed to each other using a pair of connecting parts 13, thereby making it possible to attach the piping mounting part 10 to the water pipe 2.

[0027] The lower valve connector 20 is disposed in the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10 and is connected to the lower part of the valve portion 30 described later. The lower valve connector 20 includes a main body 21 and an O-ring 22.

[0028] The main body 21 is the main structure of the lower valve connection part 20. The main body 21 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 21 is formed in a shape in which the lower part has a larger diameter than the upper part. The main body 21 has a through hole 21a, a male thread part 21b, and an expanded diameter part 21c.

[0029] The through-hole 21a is a portion that passes through the lower valve connecting portion 20 in the vertical direction.

[0030] The male thread portion 21b constitutes the upper part of the lower valve connection portion 20. The outer circumferential surface of the male thread portion 21b is threaded. The male thread portion 21b is formed in a tapered shape (the diameter gradually decreases as it extends upward).

[0031] The expanded diameter portion 21c constitutes the lower part of the lower valve connection portion 20. The outer diameter of the expanded diameter portion 21c is formed to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10. A pair of grooves extending in the circumferential direction are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the expanded diameter portion 21c, spaced apart in the vertical direction.

[0032] The O-ring 22 is a ring-shaped member that seals (fills) the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the enlarged diameter portion 21c and the inner peripheral surface of the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10. The O-ring 22 is made of a flexible material such as rubber. The O-rings 22 are respectively provided in a pair of grooves formed in the enlarged diameter portion 21c.

[0033] The valve unit 30 can switch between stopping and releasing the water supply in the flow path branching off from the water pipe 2 (the flow path branching off via the through hole 2a). The lower part of the valve unit 30 is connected to the lower valve connection part 20. In this embodiment, a ball valve is used as the valve unit 30. However, the valve unit 30 is not limited to a ball valve, and various valves such as a butterfly valve can be used. The valve unit 30 includes a main body part 31, a valve body part 32, and an operation part 33.

[0034] The main body 31 is the main structure of the valve section 30. The main body 31 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. The main body 31 is formed with a through-hole 31a that passes through the main body 31 in the vertical direction.

[0035] A first female threaded portion 31b is formed on the lower end side of the through hole 31a to mate with the male threaded portion 21b of the lower valve connection portion 20. The inner peripheral surface of the first female threaded portion 31b is threaded. The first female threaded portion 31b is formed in a tapered shape that gradually increases in diameter as it extends downward.

[0036] A second female thread portion 31c is formed on the upper end side of the through hole 31a to mate with a male thread portion 41b of the upper valve connection portion 40 (described later). The inner peripheral surface of the second female thread portion 31c is threaded. The second female thread portion 31c is formed in a tapered shape that gradually increases in diameter as it extends upward.

[0037] 2, the main body 31 is formed such that the lower end 31d is narrower in diameter than the portion (central portion 31e) above the lower end 31d. The main body 31 is also formed with a step 31f connecting the lower end 31d and the central portion 31e. The step 31f forms a surface facing downward.

[0038] The valve body 32 is capable of sealing off the through-hole 31a. The valve body 32 is formed in a generally spherical shape with a hole that penetrates in one direction. The valve body 32 is provided midway in the up-down direction of the through-hole 31a. The valve body 32 is provided rotatably with respect to the main body 31 around a rotation shaft 32a whose axis is oriented in the left-right direction.

[0039] The operating portion 33 can be operated to rotate the valve body portion 32. The operating portion 33 is connected to the main body portion 31 via a rotation shaft 32a of the main body portion 31.

[0040] By rotating the valve body portion 32 using the operating portion 33, it is possible to switch between a state in which the valve body portion 32 blocks the through hole 31a (a state in which water is stopped) and a state in which the through hole 31a is opened through the hole in the valve body portion 32 (a state in which water is stopped).

[0041] The upper valve connection part 40 is connected to the upper part of the valve part 30. The upper valve connection part 40 includes a main body part 41 and an O-ring 42.

[0042] The main body 41 is the main structure of the upper valve connection part 40. The main body 41 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 41 is formed in a shape in which the upper part has a larger diameter than the lower part. The main body 41 has a through hole 41a, a male thread part 41b, and an expanded diameter part 41c.

[0043] The through-hole 41a is a portion that passes through the upper valve connection portion 40 in the vertical direction.

[0044] The male thread portion 41b constitutes the lower part of the upper valve connection portion 40. The outer peripheral surface of the male thread portion 41b is threaded. The male thread portion 41b is formed in a tapered shape (the diameter gradually decreases as it extends downward). The male thread portion 41b fits into the second female thread portion 31c of the valve portion 30 (main body portion 31).

[0045] The expanded diameter portion 41c constitutes the upper portion of the upper valve connection portion 40. A groove extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the expanded diameter portion 41c. A cover portion 60, which will be described later, is attached to the expanded diameter portion 41c.

[0046] The O-ring 42 is a ring-shaped member provided in a groove formed in the expanded diameter portion 41c, and is made of a flexible material such as rubber.

[0047] The mounting portion 50 is capable of mounting the drilling machine 70 or the information acquisition device 80. Specifically, the mounting portion 50 is formed so that both the drilling machine 70 and the information acquisition device 80 can be detachably attached, and any selected one of the drilling machine 70 and the information acquisition device 80 can be attached. The mounting portion 50 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. The mounting portion 50 is attached to the branch portion 11a of the piping mounting portion 10. As shown in FIG. 1 , the valve portion 30 is disposed inside the mounting portion 50. The mounting portion 50 is formed so that it can be separated into upper and lower portions. The mounting portion 50 includes a first mounting portion 51 and a second mounting portion 52.

[0048] The first mounting portion 51 constitutes the lower portion (lower end portion) of the mounting portion 50. The first mounting portion 51 has a through hole 51a that passes through the first mounting portion 51 in the up-down direction. As shown in FIG. 1 , the lower end portion 31d of the valve portion 30 (main body portion 31) is inserted into the through hole 51a. The inner diameter of the through hole 51a is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the lower end portion 31d. The inner diameter of the through hole 51a is also smaller than the outer diameter of the expanded diameter portion 21c of the lower valve connection portion 20.

[0049] 2, the first mounting portion 51 has an upper surface 51b that faces upward and a lower surface 51c that faces downward. The upper surface 51b and the lower surface 51c are perpendicular to an axis (the central axis of the opening 11b) that faces in the vertical direction. The first mounting portion 51 is fixed to the upper end of the branch portion 11a of the pipe mounting portion 10 using fasteners such as bolts. The first mounting portion 51 also has a flange at its upper end that expands in diameter.

[0050] The second mounting portion 52 constitutes the upper portion (excluding the lower end portion) of the mounting portion 50. The second mounting portion 52 has a through hole 52a formed therein that passes through the second mounting portion 52 in the vertical direction. The inner diameter of the through hole 52a is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the central portion 31e of the main body portion 31 of the valve portion 30. Most of the valve portion 30 (excluding the lower end portion 31d and the operating portion 33 of the main body portion 31) is inserted into the through hole 52a. The lower left portion of the second mounting portion 52 is cut out to avoid interference with the operating portion 33 of the valve portion 30. The inner circumferential surface 52b of the through hole 52a abuts against or is close to the central portion 31e of the main body portion 31.

[0051] The drilling machine 70, the information acquisition device 80, and the cover unit 60 (described later) are attached to the upper end of the second mounting portion 52. The second mounting portion 52 also has a flange with an expanded diameter formed at its lower end. The flanges formed on the second mounting portion 52 and the first mounting portion 51 can be fixed to each other using fasteners such as bolts, thereby fixing the second mounting portion 52 to the first mounting portion 51.

[0052] The cover part 60 closes the through-hole 41a of the upper valve connection part 40. The cover part 60 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. The cover part 60 is fixed to the upper end part of the second mounting part 52 using fasteners such as bolts. The cover part 60 has a recess 61.

[0053] The recess 61 is a portion recessed upward on the underside of the cover part 60. The recess 61 is formed in a substantially circular shape when viewed from the bottom. The enlarged diameter part 41c of the upper valve connection part 40 is inserted into the recess 61. The inner diameter of the recess 61 is formed slightly larger than the outer diameter of the enlarged diameter part 41c of the upper valve connection part 40. The gap between the inner peripheral surface of the recess 61 and the outer peripheral surface of the enlarged diameter part 41c is sealed by an O-ring 42.

[0054] Next, how to install the above-described mounting device 1 on the water pipe 2 will be described.

[0055] First, a worker installing the mounting device 1 places the upper and lower parts 11 and 12 of the pipe mounting part 10 on any part of the water pipe 2, and fastens the upper and lower parts 11 and 12 to each other using fasteners. This completes the mounting of the pipe mounting part 10 to the water pipe 2 (see FIG. 1). The pipe mounting part 10 is mounted so that the opening 11b faces upward.

[0056] Next, the worker attaches components such as the valve unit 30 to the branching portion 11a of the pipe mounting portion 10. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the valve unit 30 to which the lower valve connecting portion 20, the upper valve connecting portion 40, and the first mounting portion 51 are assembled can be attached to the branching portion 11a.

[0057] 3, the lower end 31d of the valve portion 30 (main body portion 31) is inserted into the through-hole 51a of the first mounting portion 51, and the male thread portion 21b of the lower valve connecting portion 20 is fitted into the first female thread portion 31b of the main body portion 31. As a result, the first mounting portion 51 is sandwiched between the valve portion 30 (main body portion 31) and the lower valve connecting portion 20. More specifically, the first mounting portion 51 is sandwiched between the stepped portion 31f of the main body portion 31 and the enlarged diameter portion 21c of the lower valve connecting portion 20.

[0058] The components assembled as described above (lower valve connection portion 20, valve portion 30, upper valve connection portion 40, and first mounting portion 51) can be attached to the branch portion 11a by inserting the enlarged diameter portion 21c (lower valve connection portion 20), which is the lower end portion of the components, into the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10. In this case, the worker pushes the enlarged diameter portion 21c against the frictional force of the O-ring 22 to insert the enlarged diameter portion 21c into the opening 11b. In this state, the first mounting portion 51 is fixed to the branch portion 11a using fasteners such as bolts, thereby fixing the components to the branch portion 11a (see FIG. 1).

[0059] In this state, the upper end surface of the branch portion 11a abuts against the lower surface 51c of the first mounting portion 51. Furthermore, the upper surface 51b of the first mounting portion 51 abuts against the stepped portion 31f of the main body portion 31 of the valve portion 30. As a result, the stepped portion 31f of the valve portion 30 is arranged parallel to a surface (the upper surface 51b and the upper end surface of the branch portion 11a) that is perpendicular to the central axis of the opening 11b. In this way, by using the first mounting portion 51, it is possible to prevent the valve portion 30 from shifting relative to the opening 11b, and it is easy to center the valve portion 30 relative to the opening 11b.

[0060] As described above, the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10 and the outer peripheral surface of the enlarged diameter portion 21c is sealed by the O-ring 22. The O-ring 22 seals the gap. As described above, in this embodiment, water is not sealed by forming male or female threads on the inner peripheral surface of the opening 11b or the outer peripheral surface of the enlarged diameter portion 21c and fitting them together, but by the O-ring 22. This allows the components (the pipe mounting portion 10 and the lower valve connection portion 20) to be made smaller. In other words, if water is sealed by fitting together portions with male or female threads, a machining allowance is required for thread processing, making it difficult to miniaturize the components. In contrast, using the O-ring 22 eliminates the need for thread processing, allowing the components to be miniaturized, thereby saving space.

[0061] Specifically, unlike conventional water distribution valves that are buried underground, the mounting device 1 according to this embodiment must be installed so that it is not buried directly underground, in order to perform maintenance such as replacing the information acquisition unit 84, which will be described later. For this reason, the mounting device 1 is installed so that its periphery is covered with an appropriate box or the like (not shown). According to this embodiment, by adopting a structure using the O-ring 22 as described above, the mounting device 1 can be made smaller, and ultimately the installation space for the box that covers the mounting device 1 can be saved. This reduces the cost of excavation and other work required to install the box, and shortens the process.

[0062] Next, the worker provides the second mounting portion 52 so that the valve portion 30 (main body portion 31) can be inserted therethrough, and fixes the second mounting portion 52 to the first mounting portion 51 using fasteners such as bolts.

[0063] Next, the worker places the cover portion 60 on the upper end portion of the second mounting portion 52 and fixes it to the second mounting portion 52 using fasteners such as bolts. In this way, the installation of the mounting device 1 on the water pipe 2 is completed.

[0064] 1 shows the mounting device 1 after installation on the water pipe 2 has been completed. In this state, the holes (opening 11b, through hole 21a, through hole 31a, and through hole 41a) that penetrate the components that make up the mounting device 1 in the vertical direction are in communication with each other.

[0065] By using the above-described mounting device 1, it is possible to form a through hole 2a in the outer peripheral surface of the water pipe 2 with the drilling machine 70, and to mount the information acquisition device 80 through the through hole 2a.

[0066] The method for installing the information acquisition device 80 will be described below with reference to Figures 4 to 8. As shown in the flowchart of Figure 4, the method for installing the information acquisition device 80 includes a "drilling machine installation step," a "through hole forming step," and an "information acquisition device installation step." Each step will be described in order below.

[0067] First, the "drilling machine installation step" will be described. The drilling machine installation step is a process of installing the drilling machine 70 to the attachment device 1 installed on the water pipe 2. First, the configuration of the drilling machine 70 will be described below.

[0068] 5 is a device that forms a through hole 2a in a water pipe 2. As the drilling machine 70, various devices that can form a hole in a water pipe 2 can be used. The drilling machine 70 includes a support portion 71 and a drill 72.

[0069] The support portion 71 is a portion that is attached to the second attachment portion 52 of the attachment device 1.

[0070] The drill 72 is a part that forms the through hole 2a in the water pipe 2. The drill 72 is formed in a shape that is long in the vertical direction. The drill 72 is supported by the support part 71 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis whose axis is oriented in the vertical direction and so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

[0071] In the drilling machine installation step, the worker first removes the cover portion 60 from the mounting device 1. Next, the worker positions the drilling machine 70 so that the drill 72 is inserted through each of the through holes (opening 11b, through hole 21a, through hole 31a, and through hole 41a) of the mounting device 1. Next, the worker fixes the support portion 71 to the upper end portion of the second mounting portion 52 using fasteners such as bolts. In this way, the drilling machine installation step is completed.

[0072] Next, the "through hole forming step" will be described. The through hole forming step is a process of forming through holes 2a in the water pipe 2. In the through hole forming step, as shown in FIG. 5, the worker feeds drill 72 along each of the through holes (opening 11b, through hole 21a, through hole 31a, and through hole 41a) in the attachment device 1 to drill holes in the water pipe 2 and form through holes 2a. In this way, the through hole forming step is completed.

[0073] When the through hole 2a is formed in the water pipe 2, the through hole 2a communicates with each of the through holes (opening 11b, through hole 21a, through hole 31a, and through hole 41a) of the attachment device 1. As a result, a flow path that branches upward via the through hole 2a is formed in the water pipe 2. At this time, the valve unit 30 can be operated to close the through hole 31a with the valve body unit 32, thereby stopping water from flowing through the branched flow paths.

[0074] Next, the "information acquisition device installation step" will be described. The information acquisition device installation step shown in Figures 7 and 8 is a process of installing the information acquisition device 80 to the mounting device 1. In the information acquisition device installation step, the worker first removes the drilling machine 70 from the mounting device 1.

[0075] Next, the worker installs the information acquisition device 80 on the mounting device 1. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the information acquisition device 80 is installed without water interruption. First, the configuration of the information acquisition device 80 will be described below.

[0076] 6 acquires information about the inside of the water pipe 2 through the through-hole 2a. The information acquisition device 80 is attached to the attachment device 1. The information acquisition device 80 includes a support portion 81, a shaft portion 82, an operation portion 83, and an information acquisition portion 84.

[0077] The support part 81 shown in Fig. 6(a) is a part that is attached to the second attachment part 52 of the attachment device 1. The support part 81 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape (a cylindrical shape with an expanded diameter at the bottom end) with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. The support part 81 is formed with a through-hole 81a that passes through the support part 81 in the vertical direction.

[0078] A first expanded diameter portion 81c is formed at the lower end of the through hole 81a, and the diameter of the first expanded diameter portion 81c is expanded toward the vertical center portion (center portion 81b) of the through hole 81a. As shown in FIG. 8, when the information acquisition device 80 is installed in the mounting device 1, the expanded diameter portion 41c of the upper valve connection portion 40 is inserted into the first expanded diameter portion 81c. The inner diameter of the first expanded diameter portion 81c is formed slightly larger than the outer diameter of the expanded diameter portion 41c of the upper valve connection portion 40. The gap between the inner circumferential surface of the first expanded diameter portion 81c and the outer circumferential surface of the expanded diameter portion 41c is sealed by an O-ring 42.

[0079] A second enlarged diameter portion 81d is formed on the upper end side of the through hole 81a, the diameter of which is enlarged relative to the central portion 81b. The inner peripheral surface of the second enlarged diameter portion 81d is threaded.

[0080] The shaft portion 82 shown in FIG. 6 is a portion to which an information acquisition unit 84, which will be described later, can be attached. The shaft portion 82 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape that is long in the vertical direction. The shaft portion 82 is inserted into a through-hole 81a of the support portion 81. As shown in FIG. 6(a), the outer diameter of the portion of the shaft portion 82 excluding the upper end portion is formed to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of a central portion 81b of the through-hole 81a. In addition, the outer diameter of the upper end portion of the shaft portion 82 is formed to be larger than the inner diameter of the central portion 81b of the through-hole 81a.

[0081] 6(b), a mounting portion 82a to which the information acquisition unit 84 is attached is formed at the lower end of the shaft portion 82. The front side surface of the mounting portion 82a is formed as a flat surface onto which the information acquisition unit 84 can be attached.

[0082] Further, a groove extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 82. A plurality of such grooves (three in the illustrated example) are formed at intervals in the vertical direction. Each of the grooves is provided with an O-ring 82b that seals (fills) the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 82 and the inner peripheral surface of the central portion 81b of the through-hole 81a, etc. The O-ring 82b is formed of a flexible material such as rubber.

[0083] The operating part 83 is used to attach the shaft part 82 to the support part 81. The operating part 83 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. The operating part 83 is attached to the upper end of the shaft part 82. The outer peripheral surface of the operating part 83 is threaded. The shaft part 82 can be attached to the support part 81 by screwing the operating part 83 into the second enlarged diameter part 81d of the support part 81.

[0084] 6 acquires information about the inside of the water pipe 2. The information acquiring unit 84 is formed of an elastically deformable plate-shaped member and strain gauges (not shown) provided on the surfaces (front and rear surfaces) of the plate-shaped member. The information acquiring unit 84 is fixed to the front surface of the mounting portion 82a using an appropriate fastener.

[0085] The information acquisition unit 84 acquires the flow velocity and direction of water flowing through the water pipe 2 by detecting the deformation of the plate-shaped member due to the water pressure using a strain gauge (see FIG. 6(b)). Appropriate lead wires (not shown) are connected to the strain gauges. The results acquired by the information acquisition unit 84 can be transmitted to an external device (such as an external server) by an appropriate communication device connected to the lead wires. Although not shown in FIG. 6 etc., an insertion hole for pulling the lead wires out of the information acquisition device 80 may be formed in an appropriate location of the information acquisition device 80 (for example, the shaft portion 82).

[0086] A method for installing the information acquisition device 80 as described above on the attachment device 1 will be described in detail below.

[0087] First, the worker attaches the support portion 81 to the second attachment portion 52 of the attachment device 1. The attachment is performed by fixing the support portion 81 to the upper end of the second attachment portion 52 of the attachment device 1 using fasteners such as bolts. In this state, the through hole 81a of the support portion 81 communicates with the flow paths of the attachment device 1 (opening 11b, through hole 21a, through hole 31a, and through hole 41a). At this point, the flow paths of the attachment device 1 (through hole 31a) are assumed to be blocked by the valve body portion 32 of the valve portion 30.

[0088] Next, the operator inserts the shaft portion 82, on which the operation portion 83 and the information acquisition portion 84 are provided, into the through-hole 81a of the support portion 81. At this point, the lower end portion of the information acquisition portion 84 is positioned above the valve body portion 32 of the valve portion 30.

[0089] Next, the worker operates the valve portion 30 to open the flow path (through-hole 31a) of the attachment device 1. In this state, the O-ring 82b (the lowest O-ring 82b) provided on the shaft portion 82 seals off water between the shaft portion 82 and the through-hole 81a (center portion 81b). Next, the worker presses down the shaft portion 82 to insert it into the flow path of the attachment device 1. The worker also screws the operating portion 83 into the second enlarged diameter portion 81d of the support portion 81, attaching the shaft portion 82 to the support portion 81. In this way, the information acquisition device installation step is completed.

[0090] 8 shows the state after installation of the information acquisition device 80 is completed. In this state, the lower part of the information acquisition unit 84 is located inside the water pipe 2 via the through-hole 2a. This allows the information acquisition unit 84 to acquire the flow velocity and flow direction of water inside the water pipe 2.

[0091] Furthermore, when replacing or maintaining the information acquisition unit 84, the shaft unit 82 on which the operation unit 83 and the information acquisition unit 84 are provided can be removed from the support unit 81. In this case, the worker removes the shaft unit 82 etc. by reversing the procedure of the above-described installation work.

[0092] In this embodiment, the multiple O-rings 82b provided on the shaft portion 82 are provided to constantly seal off the flow path of the attachment device 1 and the through-hole 81a (central portion 81b) of the support portion 81 when attaching or detaching the shaft portion 82 or the like to or from the support portion 81. That is, in this embodiment, at each stage when attaching or detaching the shaft portion 82 or the like (for example, before or after the shaft portion 82 or the like passes through the valve body portion 32), one of the multiple O-rings 82b seals off the flow path or the through-hole 81a of the attachment device 1. In this way, in this embodiment, the information acquisition device 80 can be installed without interrupting the water supply.

[0093] The above has described the method for installing the information acquisition device 80. Note that the above-described method for installing the information acquisition device 80 is one example, and the installation work is not limited to the above-described example, and can be changed as appropriate.

[0094] For example, in the information acquisition device installation step, after removing the drilling machine 70 from the mounting device 1, a step of fitting a bushing (corrosion prevention core) to protect the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 2a may be performed. In this case, an appropriate bushing fitting device is used to insert a substantially cylindrical metallic bushing into the through hole 2a, and then the bushing is deformed (expanded in diameter). This allows the bushing to be fitted into the through hole 2a, protecting the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 2a.

[0095] In this case, a bushing attachment device can be installed on the attachment device 1. Specifically, the bushing attachment device can be fixed to the upper end of the support portion 71 and the second attachment portion 52 using fasteners such as bolts.

[0096] According to the above-described method for installing the information acquisition device 80, it is possible to install multiple types of devices, such as the drilling machine 70 and the information acquisition device 80 (and even the bushing installation device), using the same installation device 1. This eliminates the need to change the installation device (jig) for each job, and the information acquisition device 80 can be easily installed at any location on the water pipe 2.

[0097] As described above, the mounting device 1 according to this embodiment has the following features: An attachment device for forming a through hole 2a on the outer peripheral surface of a pipe (water pipe 2) using a drilling machine 70, and attaching an information acquisition device 80 that acquires information about the inside of the pipe (water pipe 2) through the through hole 2a, a pipe mounting portion 10 attached to the pipe (water pipe 2) and having an opening 11b communicating with the through hole 2a; a valve portion 30 attached so as to communicate with the opening portion 11b; a valve connection portion (lower valve connection portion 20) that connects the opening portion 11b and the valve portion 30; a mounting portion 50 to which the drilling machine 70 or the information acquisition device 80 can be mounted; It is equipped with the following. With this configuration, the information acquisition device 80 can be easily installed at any location in the pipe (water pipe 2). That is, the same mounting device 1 can be used to mount the drilling machine 70 for forming the through hole 2a in the pipe (water pipe 2) and the information acquisition device 80. This eliminates the need to change the jig for each operation, and the information acquisition device 80 can be easily installed at any location in the pipe (water pipe 2).

[0098] In addition, the valve connection portion (lower valve connection portion 20) is A cylindrically formed main body 21; an elastic member (O-ring 22) provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body 21 to seal between the outer peripheral surface of the main body 21 and the inner peripheral surface of the opening 11b; It is equipped with the following. This configuration makes it possible to stop water from entering the piping (water pipe 2) in a relatively small space. For example, if water is stopped by forming a male thread and a female thread and fitting them together, it is difficult to reduce the size of the component because a machining allowance is required for thread processing. In contrast, if an elastic component (O-ring 22) is used, thread processing is not required and the component can be made smaller, thereby saving space.

[0099] Unlike conventional water distribution valves that are buried underground, the mounting device 1 according to this embodiment must be installed so that it is not buried directly underground, in order to perform maintenance such as replacing the information acquisition unit 84. For this reason, the mounting device 1 is installed so that its periphery is covered by an appropriate box or the like. According to this embodiment, by adopting a structure using an elastic member (O-ring 22) as described above, the mounting device 1 can be made smaller, and the installation space for the box that covers the mounting device 1 can be saved. This reduces the cost of excavation and other work required to install the box, and shortens the process.

[0100] In addition, the mounting portion 50 is The opening 11b has a contact portion (upper surface 51b) that contacts the valve portion 30 (step portion 31f) on a surface perpendicular to the central axis of the opening 11b. With this configuration, the centering of the valve portion 30 relative to the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10 can be easily performed.

[0101] In addition, the information acquisition device 80 An information acquisition unit 84 that acquires information about the inside of the piping (water pipe 2); a shaft portion 82 to which the information acquisition unit 84 can be attached; an operating portion 83 for inserting the shaft portion 82 into the through-hole 2a; It is equipped with the following. With this configuration, the information acquisition unit 84 can be installed inside the pipe (water pipe 2) via the through-hole 2a, and therefore information about the inside of the pipe (water pipe 2) can be directly acquired.

[0102] The method of attaching the information acquisition device 80 according to this embodiment is as follows: A method for attaching an information acquisition device 80 using the attachment device 1 according to this embodiment, a drilling machine installation step of installing the drilling machine 70 to the installation device 1 installed on the piping (water pipe 2); a through-hole forming step of forming the through-hole 2a in the piping (water pipe 2) using the drilling machine 70 after the drilling machine installation step; an information acquisition device installation step of removing the drilling machine 70 from the mounting device 1 and attaching the information acquisition device 80 to the mounting device 1 after the through-hole forming step; It is equipped with the following. With this configuration, it is possible to use the same mounting device 1 to mount the drilling machine 70 for forming the through hole 2a in the pipe (water pipe 2) and to mount the information acquisition device 80. This eliminates the need to change the jig for each job, and makes it possible to easily install the information acquisition device 80 at any location in the pipe (water pipe 2).

[0103] The water pipe 2 according to this embodiment is one embodiment of the piping according to the present invention. The lower valve connector 20 according to this embodiment is one embodiment of the valve connector according to the present invention. The O-ring 22 according to this embodiment is one embodiment of the elastic member according to the present invention. Moreover, the upper surface 51b according to this embodiment is one embodiment of the contact portion according to the present invention.

[0104] Although the first embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims.

[0105] For example, in the present embodiment, the abutment portion (upper surface 51b) of the mounting portion 50 and the step portion 31f of the valve portion 30 are in contact with each other over substantially the entire surfaces thereof, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the abutment portion (upper surface 51b) of the mounting portion 50 and the step portion 31f of the valve portion 30 may be in contact with each other over at least a portion of a plane perpendicular to an axis (the central axis of the opening 11b) facing in the vertical direction. In this case, for example, the mounting portion 50 and the valve portion 30 may be in contact with each other at multiple points (for example, three points) or a line within an imaginary plane perpendicular to the central axis of the opening 11b.

[0106] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the valve portion 30 is centered with respect to the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10 by abutting the upper surface 51b of the first mounting portion 51 against the stepped portion 31f of the valve portion 30, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, instead of or in addition to the above configuration, the valve portion 30 may be centered by abutting the central portion 31e of the valve portion 30 against the inner circumferential surface 52b of the through hole 52a of the second mounting portion 52. In this case, the inner diameter of the through hole 52a may be formed to be approximately the same dimension as the outer diameter of the central portion 31e of the valve portion 30.

[0107] Further, other embodiments (second to fourth embodiments) of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 9 to 11. In the following description of the other embodiments, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and configurations that are generally similar to those of the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0108] An attachment device 1A according to a second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 9 differs from the first embodiment in that it does not include an upper valve connection portion 40, a second attachment portion 52, or a cover portion 60. In the attachment device 1A, the valve portion 30 is positioned so that it is substantially entirely exposed. An appropriate lid may be provided to close the upper end of the through-hole 31a of the valve portion 30. In addition, in the attachment device 1A, a drilling machine 70 or an information acquisition device 80 may be directly attached to the first attachment portion 51.

[0109] The above-described mounting device 1A also provides substantially the same effects as those of the first embodiment. Furthermore, the above-described mounting device 1A can reduce the number of components and simplify the configuration of the device.

[0110] An attachment device 1B according to a third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 10 differs from the attachment device 1A according to the second embodiment in the configuration of a pipe attachment portion 10A.

[0111] In the pipe mounting portion 10A of the mounting device 1B, one end of the upper portion 11 and one end of the lower portion 12 in the left-right direction are connected by a connecting portion 13A having a rotation shaft 13a facing in the front-to-rear direction, rather than by a bolt and nut. In the pipe mounting portion 10A, the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 are connected so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft 13a.

[0112] When attaching the piping mounting portion 10A to the water pipe 2, the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 are rotated around the rotation axis 13a to sandwich the water pipe 2 from above and below, and the other ends of the upper portion 11 and the lower portion 12 in the left-right direction are fixed using the connecting portion 13 (bolts and nuts).

[0113] The above-described mounting device 1B also provides substantially the same effects as those of the second embodiment. Moreover, according to the above-described mounting device 1B, it is possible to reduce the number of fixing points using bolts and nuts, and it is possible to improve the workability of mounting the pipe mounting portion 10A to the water pipe 2.

[0114] An attachment device 1C according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 11 differs from the attachment device 1A according to the second embodiment in the configuration of a lower portion 12B of a pipe attachment portion 10B.

[0115] In this embodiment, the lower portion 12B is formed by a U-bolt, rather than by a substantially half-cylindrical member similar to the upper portion 11. Both ends of the lower portion 12B are threaded. An existing U-bolt can be used as the lower portion 12B.

[0116] When attaching the piping mounting portion 10B to the water pipe 2, both ends of the lower portion 12B are inserted into the upper portion 11 so as to sandwich the water pipe 2 from above and below, and then the connecting portions 13B (nuts) are fitted to both ends of the lower portion 12B.

[0117] The above-described mounting device 1C also provides substantially the same effects as those of the second embodiment. Furthermore, according to the above-described mounting device 1C, the pipe mounting portion 10B can be mounted to the water pipe 2 using an existing U-bolt.

[0118] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configurations, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims.

[0119] For example, in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which an elastic member (O-ring 22) is used to seal between the valve connection portion (lower valve connection portion 20) and the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the valve connection portion (lower valve connection portion 20) and the opening 11b of the pipe mounting portion 10 may be threaded and fitted together to seal off water.

[0120] In addition, in this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 84 is configured by providing a strain gauge on the surface of a plate-shaped member, but is not limited to this. Any configuration can be adopted as the information acquisition unit 84.

[0121] In addition, in this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 84 (information acquisition device 80) acquires the flow velocity of water inside the water pipe 2, but is not limited to this. For example, the information acquisition unit 84 may acquire various other information such as pressure, temperature, vibration, images (video), turbidity, etc. inside the pipe.

[0122] Here, when acquiring the temperature, image (video), or turbidity inside the pipe, a thermometer, a camera, or a turbidity meter may be used at the tip of the shaft 82 instead of or in addition to the information acquisition unit 84 according to this embodiment. When acquiring the pressure inside the pipe, for example, a through-hole through which the pressure inside the pipe can be extracted may be provided in the shaft 82, and an appropriate pressure sensor may be provided in this through-hole. Alternatively, a pressure sensor may be provided directly in the mounting device 1 without providing the shaft 82. In this case, the pressure inside the pipe extracted through each through-hole (opening 11b, through-hole 21a, through-hole 31a, and through-hole 41a) of the mounting device 1 may be acquired by the pressure sensor.

[0123] In addition, in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the pipe mounting portions 10, 10A, 10B, each divided into two pieces, are formed using the upper portion 11, 11A and the lower portion 12, 12A, 12B, each of which has a substantially semicircular shape (a substantially half-cylinder shape or a U-shape) when viewed from the front, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pipe mounting portions 10, 10A, 10B, each divided into three or more pieces, may be formed using a member obtained by dividing a cylinder into three or more pieces (for example, equally divided).

[0124] In addition, in the present embodiment, the installation devices 1 to 1C are installed on a water pipe 2 by way of example, but are not limited to this. The installation devices 1 to 1C can be installed on various types of pipes (pipes) through which fluids flow, such as other metal pipes and pipes made of resin (resin pipes). [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 1 Mounting device 10 Piping attachment part 20 Lower valve connection 30 Valve section 50 Mounting part 70 Drilling machine 80 Information acquisition device

Claims

1. An attachment device for forming a first through hole in an outer peripheral surface of a pipe using a drilling machine, and attaching an information acquisition device that acquires information inside the pipe through the first through hole, a pipe mounting portion attached to the pipe and having an opening portion communicating with the first through hole; a valve portion attached to communicate with the opening; a first valve connection portion that connects the opening and the valve portion; a mounting portion to which the drilling machine or the information acquisition device can be mounted; a second valve connection section that connects the valve section to the drilling machine or the information acquisition device; Equipped with The second valve connection portion is a first main body portion formed in a cylindrical shape and inserted into the valve portion and a second through hole provided in the drilling machine or the information acquisition device; a first elastic member provided on an outer peripheral surface of the first main body portion and sealing a gap between the outer peripheral surface of the first main body portion and an inner peripheral surface of the second through hole; Equipped with The first main body portion is inserted into the second through-hole so as to be pushed against the frictional force of the first elastic member, thereby being connectable to the drilling machine or the information acquisition device. Mounting device.

2. The first valve connection portion is a second main body portion formed in a cylindrical shape; a second elastic member provided on an outer peripheral surface of the second main body portion and sealing the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the second main body portion and an inner peripheral surface of the opening; Equipped with The mounting device of claim 1 .

3. The mounting portion is a contact portion that contacts the valve portion on a surface perpendicular to the central axis of the opening; The mounting device of claim 1 .

4. The information acquisition device an information acquisition unit that acquires information about the inside of the piping; a shaft portion to which the information acquisition unit can be attached; an operation portion configured to insert the shaft portion into the first through hole; Equipped with The mounting device of claim 1 .

5. A method for mounting an information acquisition device using the mounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: a drilling machine installation step of installing the drilling machine to the installation device attached to the piping; a through-hole forming step of forming the first through-hole in the piping using the drilling machine after the drilling machine installing step; an information acquisition device installation step of removing the drilling machine from the mounting device and mounting the information acquisition device to the mounting device after the through hole forming step; A method for installing an information acquisition device comprising:

Images