Tube fittings and liquid spraying devices

Abstract

To provide a structure which is formed by a small number of components and enables easy connection work in a tube joint connected to a tip of a tube.SOLUTION: A tube joint 100 has: a socket part 110 having an insertion cylinder part 111 which is inserted into a tip of a flexible tube 70; and a fixing part 120 which contacts with an outer peripheral surface of a portion, into which the insertion cylinder part 111 is inserted, of the flexible tube 70 and presses the flexible tube 70 in a thickness direction between itself and the insertion cylinder part 111 to fix the flexible tube 70. The fixing part 120 is integrally formed with the socket part 110 through a hinge part 130. The fixing part 120 rotates around the hinge part 130 to be switchable between a non-contact attitude where the fixing part 120 is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the flexible tube 70 and a contact attitude where the fixing part 120 contacts with the outer peripheral surface of the flexible tube 70.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tube joint for connecting a tube to, for example, a container or the like, and a liquid spraying device.

Background Art

[0002] For example, when connecting another member such as a container to the tip of a flexible tube, a joint may be used. When a tensile force acts in the longitudinal direction of the tube in a state where the tube is connected using a joint, the tube may come off. In order to prevent such tube detachment, a structure that sandwiches and fixes the tube in the wall thickness direction may be adopted.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tube joint. The tube joint of Patent Document 1 has a cylindrical socket portion inserted into the tube and a sleeve engaged with the outer periphery of the tube. By pressing the tube in the wall thickness direction with the socket portion and the sleeve, the tube is fixed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Thus, conventional tube fittings typically require two or more parts to secure a tube, consisting of a component inserted inside the tube and a component positioned outside the tube. This results in a large number of parts and increased costs. Furthermore, in the case of a configuration like that shown in Patent Document 1, connecting a tube to the fitting involves a complicated connection process: first, a sleeve is passed through the end of the tube, then a socket is inserted into the inside of the tube end, and finally, the sleeve is engaged with the socket.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a tube fitting connected to the end of a tube that has a small number of parts and is easy to connect. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, one aspect of this disclosure may provide a resin tube joint for connecting a flexible tube to another member. The tube joint includes a socket portion having an insertion cylinder portion that is inserted into the tip of the tube, and a fixing portion that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the tube into which the insertion cylinder portion is inserted, and presses and fixes the tube in the thickness direction between itself and the insertion cylinder portion. The fixing portion is integrally formed with the socket portion via a hinge portion. Furthermore, the fixing portion is configured to be switchable between a non-contact position away from the outer circumferential surface of the tube and a contact position in which it contacts the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the tube into which the insertion cylinder portion is inserted, by rotating around the hinge portion.

[0008] With this configuration, the fixing part is integrally formed with the socket part via the hinge part, thus reducing the number of parts required to make up the tube fitting. When connecting a tube, the insertion tube of the socket part is inserted into the tip of the tube with the fixing part in a non-contact position. Then, the fixing part, which is in a non-contact position, is rotated around the hinge part to a contact position. The fixing part then contacts the outer surface of the portion of the tube into which the insertion tube part is inserted, and presses the tube in the thickness direction between the fixing part and the insertion tube part to fix it in place, making it difficult for the tube to come out of the insertion tube part. In other words, the tube can be prevented from coming out with just a simple operation of rotating the fixing part around the hinge part, making the connection work easier compared to the complex operation of conventional examples.

[0009] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the socket portion may have an outer cylinder portion formed to surround the insertion cylinder portion. In this case, the portion of the tube into which the insertion cylinder portion is inserted can be located inside the outer cylinder portion. The fixing portion can be integrally formed with the outer cylinder portion via the hinge portion, so that the fixing portion can be kept sufficiently far from the insertion cylinder portion, for example, when in a non-contact position, thereby improving the ease of inserting the tube.

[0010] In other embodiments of this disclosure, an outer cylinder-side engaging portion may be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion, and a fixing portion-side engaging portion may be formed on the fixing portion, which engages with the outer cylinder-side engaging portion when in the contact position. With this configuration, when the fixing portion is switched from a non-contact position to a contact position, the fixing portion-side engaging portion engages with the outer cylinder-side engaging portion. This prevents the fixing portion in the contact position from returning to the non-contact position, thereby suppressing the tube from coming out. Furthermore, since the fixing portion in the contact position is positioned relative to the insertion cylinder portion, the tube can be reliably pressed between the fixing portion and the insertion cylinder portion.

[0011] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the fixing portion may be integrally formed with the end of the outer cylinder portion via the hinge portion. The fixing portion may also have a plate-like portion that covers the opening at the end of the outer cylinder portion, in which case a fixing portion-side engaging portion can be formed on the plate-like portion.

[0012] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the plate-like portion may have a notch formed at the end opposite to the hinge portion. This allows the tube to be placed within the notch, even if the plate-like portion is shaped to cover the opening at the end of the outer cylinder portion, and the fixing portion to be reliably switched to a contact state.

[0013] In other embodiments of the present disclosure, a plate-like portion may have a projection formed on the edge of the notch that protrudes in the thickness direction of the plate-like portion and extends along the edge of the notch. With this configuration, when the fixing portion is switched to a contact state, the projection comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the tube into which the insertion cylinder portion is inserted, thereby increasing the contact area between the fixing portion and the tube, and suppressing the tube from coming loose.

[0014] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the outer diameter of the insertion tube portion may be set to be larger than the inner diameter of the tube before insertion. In this case, the effect of suppressing the tube from coming out is further enhanced by bringing the fixing portion into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the tube that has been expanded by the insertion tube portion being inserted.

[0015] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the liquid spraying device may include the tube fitting, a bag containing a liquid, a spraying tool for spraying the liquid, and a flexible tube connecting the bag and the spraying tool. At least one of the bag or the spraying tool is the other component. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As explained above, the fixing part that presses and secures the tube in the thickness direction is integrally formed with the socket part via the hinge part, and rotates around the hinge part to contact the outer surface of the tube, thus reducing the number of parts and making connection work easier. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1]It is a diagram showing the usage state of the tube joint according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram for explaining the connection procedure between the bag body, the tube, and the electric spraying tool. [Figure 3] It is a side view showing an enlarged view of the tube, the tube joint, and the connector. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of the tube joint to which the tube is connected. [Figure 5] It is a sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view of the tube joint in a non-contact posture of the fixing part. <​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In describing this embodiment, the configuration of the liquid spraying device A will be described first. The liquid spraying device A comprises a bag body 1 for containing liquid, an electric sprayer 80 capable of continuously spraying liquid, and a flexible tube 70 connecting the bag body 1 and the electric sprayer 80. The bag body 1 is a so-called pouch. The liquid contained in this bag body 1 can be, for example, herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, water, disinfectants, fungicides, antifungal agents, detergents, insecticides (pest control agents), insect repellents, paints, lubricants, solvents, etc., but is not limited to these, and may be any liquid that can be sprayed. Furthermore, the liquid contained in the bag body 1 may be only one of the above examples, or it may be a mixture of any two types.

[0021] The capacity of bag 1 can be set, for example, within the range of 100 ml to 5000 ml. Since bag 1 is used by the user holding it by hand, the capacity can be set so that it weighs, for example, 5 kg or less when filled with liquid, or, considering long-term use, the capacity can be set so that it weighs 1 kg or less when filled with liquid. Bag 1 is preferably long in the vertical direction to ensure stability during use, but it is not limited to this, and the width dimension may be longer than the vertical dimension.

[0022] The bag body 1 is made of, for example, a flexible resin sheet. The bag body 1 also has an outlet forming member 14. Figures 1 and 2 show the position when connecting the flexible tube 70 to the outlet forming member 14 of the bag body 1, and this position is called the non-use position. When spraying liquid with the electric sprayer 80, the bag body 1, which is in the non-use position, is turned upside down (not shown). This position is called the use position.

[0023] The bag 1, in its non-use position, is designed with a bottom shape that allows it to stand upright without tipping over, for example, when placed on a horizontal surface. The bag 1 can be stored or transported in this upright position. Such a bag 1 can be called a self-standing pouch or a standing pouch. Besides "pouch," the bag 1 can also be called a storage bag or a bag-shaped container.

[0024] When not in use, the outlet forming member 14 is positioned on the upper part of the bag body 1. The outlet forming member 14 is a resin molded body. Specifically, the outlet forming member 14 has a base portion 14a and a cylindrical portion 14b that protrudes from the base portion 14a to the outside of the bag body 1. The base portion 14a is formed in a cylindrical shape and is placed between the resin sheets that make up the bag body 1, and the outer surface of the base portion 14a is welded to the resin sheets. The passage formed inside the base portion 14a communicates with the inside of the bag body 1. Also, the passage formed inside the base portion 14a and the inside of the cylindrical portion 14b communicate with each other.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, an outlet 14c is formed on the protruding end surface of the cylindrical portion 14b, through which the liquid contained in the bag 1 flows out. A spirally extending male thread portion 14d is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 14b. When the bag 1 is stored or sold / distributed, a cap (not shown) is attached to the cylindrical portion 14b to close it. On the other hand, before use, the outlet 14c can be opened by loosening and removing the cap.

[0026] Since the cylindrical portion 14b is provided at the top of the bag body 1, the outlet 14c will be located on the opposite side in the vertical direction from the bottom of the bag body 1. Also, since the cylindrical portion 14b protrudes upward, the outlet 14c opening at the protruding end surface of the cylindrical portion 14b will face upward. In particular, in this embodiment, since the cylindrical portion 14b protrudes diagonally upward to the left, the outlet 14c also faces diagonally upward to the left. If the cylindrical portion 14b protrudes vertically upward, the outlet 14c will also face vertically upward. The cylindrical portion 14b may also protrude diagonally upward to the right, in which case the outlet 14c will also face diagonally upward to the right. In other words, the direction of the outlet 14c may be directly upward or diagonally upward. Furthermore, the position of the outlet 14c may be on the right side of the bag body 1 or in the center in the left-right direction.

[0027] As mentioned above, when spraying liquid with the electric sprayer 80, the bag 1 is placed in an upside-down position (inverted position) (usage position). In this embodiment, a handle (not shown) is detachably attached to the bottom of the bag 1 so that the user can grasp the bag 1 in the usage position. The handle is the part that the user holds when using the bag and can also be called the gripping part. Alternatively, an opening for a handle (not shown) may be formed in the bag 1 without attaching a handle to it.

[0028] When spraying liquid with the electric sprayer 80, by positioning the bag 1 in its in-use orientation (upside down), the liquid contained in the bag 1 is supplied to the outlet forming member 14 by gravity, allowing the liquid supplied from the outlet forming member 14 via the flexible tube 70 to be sprayed by the electric sprayer 80. However, the configuration is not limited to this; it is also possible to configure the electric sprayer 80 to spray the liquid while the bag 1 remains in the orientation shown in Figures 1 and 2 (without turning the bag 1 upside down). In this case, it is necessary to provide a member (a so-called dip tube) inside the bag 1 to draw up the liquid contained in the bag 1 to the outlet forming member 14.

[0029] (Electric spreading tool) Next, the configuration of the electric sprayer 80 shown in Figure 1 will be described. The electric sprayer 80 comprises a main unit 81, a pipe section 82, and a nozzle section 83. The main unit 81 is equipped with a pump, an electric motor to drive the pump, a battery to supply power to the electric motor, etc. (not shown). The main unit 81 is designed to be held by the user in one hand. The main unit 81 is also equipped with an ON / OFF operation switch 81a. By operating the operation switch 81a, the user can start the electric motor or stop the electric motor while it is running.

[0030] The pipe section 82 is provided so as to protrude from the tip of the main body 81 of the device. Liquid discharged from the pump flows through the inside of the pipe section 82. The nozzle section 83 is provided at the tip of the pipe section 82. The liquid that has flowed through the inside of the pipe section 82 is discharged from the nozzle section 83. The nozzle section 83 may spray the liquid in a shower-like manner or in a mist-like manner.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, an intake port 81b is formed at the base end of the device body 81, which communicates with the suction side of the pump. The electric spraying device 80 can also be called, for example, a sprayer.

[0032] (Flexible tubes, connectors, and tube fittings) The flexible tube 70, connector 90, and tube joint 100 connect the bag 1 to the electric sprayer 80, allowing the liquid contained in the bag 1 to be supplied to the electric sprayer 80.

[0033] The flexible tube 70 is made of, for example, a flexible resin tube (flexible tube). The length of the flexible tube 70 can be set arbitrarily, but for example, it can be 100 cm or more. With this length, the user can hold the bag 1 in one hand and move the electric sprayer 80 up and down and left and right with the other hand to widen the spraying area.

[0034] Furthermore, the wall thickness of the flexible tube 70 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0.5 mm or more. Having a wall thickness of this magnitude or more ensures sufficient wall thickness at the connection point with the tube fitting 100, which will be described later, making it easier for a part of the fixing part 120 to bite into the tube, and making it difficult for the flexible tube 70 to come off the tube fitting 100.

[0035] In this description of the embodiment, the base end of the flexible tube 70 is defined as the end connected to the electric sprayer 80, and the tip end of the flexible tube 70 is defined as the end connected to the bag 1. However, this is defined only for the sake of explanation, and the opposite may be true.

[0036] A connector 90 is attached to the base end of the flexible tube 70, which is connected to the intake port 81b of the electric sprayer 80. The connector 90 is cylindrical and is connected to the intake port 81b by being fitted into the intake port 81b. The structure of the connector 90 can be anything; for example, it is also possible to connect the base end of the flexible tube 70 to the intake port 81b of the electric sprayer 80 using a tube fitting 100.

[0037] The tube fitting 100 is a resin component used to connect the flexible tube 70 to a separate component, the bag body 1. The tube fitting 100 can also be used to connect the flexible tube 70 to various containers, hoses, pipes, other tubes, etc. In this case, the various containers, hoses, pipes, other tubes, etc. correspond to the separate components.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the tube joint 100 has a socket portion 110 and a fixed portion 120, and the fixed portion 120 is integrally formed with the socket portion 110 via a hinge portion 130. The hinge portion 130 is also part of the tube joint 100. That is, for example, by injecting molten resin into a mold and molding it, the socket portion 110, the fixed portion 120 and the hinge portion 130 can be molded in a single step and in a connected state. Therefore, assembly work such as assembling the fixed portion 120 to the socket portion 110 in a later step is unnecessary. The resin constituting the fixed portion 120 is a hard resin that is harder than the resin constituting the flexible tube 70, but it is a material that is difficult to break even when a part such as the hinge portion 130 is provided and moved. Such materials have been known for a long time.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5, the socket portion 110 has an insertion cylinder portion 111 that is inserted into the tip of the flexible tube 70, an outer cylinder portion 112 formed to surround the insertion cylinder portion 111, and an intermediate plate portion 113. As described above, the insertion cylinder portion 111, the outer cylinder portion 112, and the intermediate plate portion 113 are integrally formed. The outer cylinder portion 112 is cylindrical in shape with an axis X (shown in Figures 5 and 6) extending in a predetermined direction. The inner diameter of the outer cylinder portion 112 is set to be sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the flexible tube 70, so that the outer cylinder portion 112 does not easily get in the way when inserting the insertion cylinder portion 111 into the tip of the flexible tube 70. One side of the outer cylinder portion 112 in the direction of axis X is the side to which the bag body 1 is connected, and the other side of the outer cylinder portion 112 in the direction of axis X is the side to which the flexible tube 70 is connected.

[0040] The intermediate plate portion 113 is located in the middle of the outer cylinder portion 112 in the direction of the axis X and extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis X, and is continuous with the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 112. The thickness direction of the intermediate plate portion 113 is in the direction of the axis X. When viewed along the direction of the axis X, the intermediate plate portion 113 is circular, and the center of the intermediate plate portion 113 coincides with the axis X. The thickness of the intermediate plate portion 113 is set to be thinner than the wall thickness of the outer cylinder portion 112. Note that the thickness of the intermediate plate portion 113 and the wall thickness of the outer cylinder portion 112 may be the same, or the thickness of the intermediate plate portion 113 may be thicker than the wall thickness of the outer cylinder portion 112.

[0041] The intermediate plate portion 113 has an annular projection 113a that protrudes to one side in the direction of the axis X and extends in an annular shape around the axis X. The center of the annular projection 113a coincides with the axis X. The outer circumferential surface of the annular projection 113a is radially separated inward from the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 112, creating a gap between the outer circumferential surface of the annular projection 113a and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 112. The tip of the protruding annular projection 113a is located on the side other than one end (one side end) in the direction of the axis X of the outer cylinder portion 112, and therefore, the entire annular projection 113a is located inside the outer cylinder portion 112.

[0042] In the center of the intermediate plate portion 113, a flow hole 113b through which liquid flows is formed, penetrating the intermediate plate portion 113 in the thickness direction. When viewed along the axis X direction, the flow hole 113b is circular, and its center coincides with the axis X. The inner diameter of the flow hole 113b is set to be smaller than the inner diameter of the annular protrusion 113a.

[0043] A female threaded portion 112a is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 112 in a region on one side of the axial X direction compared to the intermediate plate portion 113. The female threaded portion 112a is the part that screws onto the male threaded portion 14d of the cylindrical portion 14b of the bag body 1, and is similar to the female threaded portion formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cap (not shown). By inserting the male threaded portion 14d into the female threaded portion 112a and rotating the tube fitting 100 in the tightening direction, the female threaded portion 112a screws onto the male threaded portion 14d, preventing liquid from leaking between the male threaded portion 14d and the female threaded portion 112a.

[0044] The insertion cylinder portion 111 is provided so as to protrude from the intermediate plate portion 113 toward the other side in the direction of the axis X. The insertion cylinder portion 111 is also cylindrical in shape, and its axis coincides with the axis X of the outer cylinder portion 112. The outer diameter of the insertion cylinder portion 111 is set to be smaller than the inner diameter of the annular projection portion 113a.

[0045] The base end of the insertion cylinder portion 111 (the end on the intermediate plate portion 113 side) is connected to the flow hole 113b of the intermediate plate portion 113, and the insertion cylinder portion 111 can communicate with the inside of the bag body 1 via the flow hole 113b. The tip of the insertion cylinder portion 111 is located slightly to one side of the other end (the other end) in the axial X direction of the outer cylinder portion 112, and in a side view, the tip of the insertion cylinder portion 111 is hidden by the outer cylinder portion 112.

[0046] The inner diameter of the insertion cylinder portion 111 is set to be the same as the inner diameter of the flow hole 113b, and does not change from the base end to the tip of the insertion cylinder portion 111. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, a tapered surface 111a is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the insertion cylinder portion 111 toward its tip. The tapered surface 111a is a surface that narrows in diameter toward the tip so that the tip of the insertion cylinder portion 111 has the smallest diameter. The area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the insertion cylinder portion 111 other than the tapered surface 111a is formed to have the same diameter as the outer diameter of the base end of the insertion cylinder portion 111.

[0047] The outer diameter of the insertion tube portion 111 is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the flexible tube 70 before insertion. Specifically, the region of the insertion tube portion 111 near the base end of the tapered surface 111a and the region of the outer surface of the insertion tube portion 111 other than the tapered surface 111a have an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the flexible tube 70. Therefore, when the insertion tube portion 111 is inserted into the tip of the flexible tube 70 and the tip of the flexible tube 70 reaches the region other than the tapered surface 111a, the tip of the flexible tube 70 is pushed and expanded by the outer surface of the insertion tube portion 111, resulting in an expanded diameter. Since the deformation of the flexible tube 70 at this time is mainly due to elastic deformation, the shape of the flexible tube 70 will be restored to close to its original shape when the insertion tube portion 111 is removed.

[0048] The outer diameter of the flexible tube 70 after expansion can be, for example, greater than or equal to the sum of the outer diameter B before expansion (shown in Figure 7) and the wall thickness C of the flexible tube 70. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the flexible tube 70 after expansion is set to the outer diameter B before expansion plus twice the wall thickness C. By expanding the flexible tube 70 in this way, the inner circumferential surface of the flexible tube 70 can be brought into close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the insertion cylinder portion 111, making it less likely for liquid to leak from between the inner circumferential surface of the flexible tube 70 and the outer circumferential surface of the insertion cylinder portion 111.

[0049] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the portion of the flexible tube 70 into which the insertion cylinder portion 111 is inserted is located inside the outer cylinder portion 112. That is, the tip of the flexible tube 70 is inserted into the outer cylinder portion 112 from the opening 112c on the other side of the outer cylinder portion 112 in the direction of the axis X, and the insertion cylinder portion 111 is inserted into the portion of the flexible tube 70 that is located inside the outer cylinder portion 112. Therefore, the portion of the flexible tube 70 that is located outside the outer cylinder portion 112 has hardly expanded in diameter.

[0050] As shown in Figure 7, an outer cylinder side engaging portion 112b is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 112. Specifically, the outer cylinder side engaging portion 112b is formed near the other end in the axial X direction on the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 112, and is located closer to one side than the opening 112c. The outer cylinder side engaging portion 112b protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 112 and is composed of a ridge that extends in the circumferential direction. The outer cylinder side engaging portion 112b may be continuous or intermittent in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the outer cylinder side engaging portion 112b may be composed of a convex portion or a projection.

[0051] The fixed portion 120 is integrally formed with the other end of the outer cylinder portion 112 in the direction of the axis X via the hinge portion 130. The hinge portion 130 is a so-called thin-walled hinge, and by making it thinner than other parts, the thinned portion is made bendable and used as a hinge. The thickness, shape, and resin material of the hinge portion 130 are set so that it does not break even when bent multiple times. In addition, the force required to rotate the hinge portion 130 is set so that it can be easily bent with fingers. The rotation centerline D of the hinge portion 130 (shown only in Figure 6) is a straight line that is radially away from the axis X and extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis X. Because the rotation centerline D is set in this way, the rotation trajectory of the hinge portion 130 is a substantially constant trajectory, and the user can rotate the hinge portion 130 as intended by the design without being particularly aware of it.

[0052] The fixing portion 120 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the flexible tube 70 into which the insertion cylinder portion 111 is inserted, and is a portion that presses and fixes the flexible tube 70 in the thickness direction between itself and the insertion cylinder portion 111. Since the fixing portion 120 is integrated with the outer cylinder portion 112 via the hinge portion 130, it becomes possible to rotate the fixing portion 120 around the hinge portion 130 relative to the outer cylinder portion 112.

[0053] The fixing part 120 in this embodiment is configured to be switchable between a non-contact position (shown in Figures 6 to 8) away from the outer surface of the flexible tube 70 and a contact position (shown in Figures 4 and 5) in which it contacts the outer surface of the portion of the flexible tube 70 into which the insertion cylinder 111 is inserted, by rotating around the hinge part 130. Immediately after molding and demolding the tube joint 100, the fixing part 120 is in the non-contact position. At the time of factory shipment, the insertion cylinder 111 may be inserted into the flexible tube 70 and the fixing part 120 may be switched to the contact position. Alternatively, the tube joint 100 can be distributed immediately after demolding. In this case, with the fixing part 120 in the non-contact position, for example, a user can insert the insertion cylinder 111 into the flexible tube 70, and then rotate the fixing part 120 to switch to the contact position to prevent the flexible tube 70 from coming loose.

[0054] The structure of the fixing part 120 will be described in detail below. The fixing part 120 has a plate-shaped part 121 that covers the opening 112c at one end of the outer cylinder part 112. A hinge part 130 is connected to the end of the plate-shaped part 121. The outer shape of the plate-shaped part 121 is approximately the same circular shape as the outer shape of one end of the outer cylinder part 112. This allows the peripheral edge of the plate-shaped part 121 to contact the periphery of the opening 112c at one end face of the outer cylinder part 112 when in contact position.

[0055] The plate-shaped portion 121 has a notch 121a formed at the end opposite to the hinge portion 130. More specifically, the notch 121a is formed to be approximately U-shaped when viewed from the other end in the axial X direction when the fixed portion 120 is in contact position. Furthermore, the width of the notch 121a is set to be approximately equal to the outer diameter of the flexible tube 70 in the portion where the insertion cylinder portion 111 is not inserted (the portion that is not enlarged), so that the flexible tube 70 can be easily inserted into the notch 121a when switching the fixed portion 120 from a non-contact position to a contact position, and the flexible tube 70 does not hinder the rotation of the fixed portion 120.

[0056] The side of the notch 121a opposite to the open side (the inner side of the notch 121a) is positioned to correspond to the insertion tube portion 111. As a result, when viewed from the other side in the axial X direction with the fixing portion 120 in contact, the insertion tube portion 111 is positioned on the inner side of the notch 121a. Therefore, with the fixing portion 120 in contact, the flexible tube 70 into which the insertion tube portion 111 is inserted will be positioned on the inner side of the notch 121a.

[0057] The width of the notch 121a is set to be approximately equal to, or slightly wider than, the outer diameter of the flexible tube 70 in the portion where the insertion cylinder portion 111 is not inserted (the portion that is not enlarged). Therefore, when switching the fixed portion 120 from a non-contact position to a contact position, the flexible tube 70 can be easily inserted into the notch 121a, and the flexible tube 70 does not obstruct the rotation of the fixed portion 120. Because the notch 121a is formed in this way, when the fixed portion 120 is rotated from a non-contact position to a contact position, the plate-shaped portion 121 does not interfere with the flexible tube 70. In other words, with the insertion cylinder portion 111 inserted into the flexible tube 70, the fixed portion 120 can be rotated from a non-contact position to a contact position.

[0058] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a projection 123 is formed on the edge of the notch 121a in the plate-like portion 121, projecting in the thickness direction of the plate-like portion 121 (one side in the direction of the axis X) and extending along the edge of the notch 121a. The projection direction of the projection 123 is perpendicular to the plate-like portion 121, so that the projection 123 is housed inside the outer cylinder portion 112 when the fixing portion 120 is in contact position.

[0059] As shown in Figure 5, when the fixed part 120 is in contact position, a portion of the flexible tube 70 is positioned in the inner part of the notch 121a, and the protruding part 123 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the flexible tube 70 that is expanded in diameter by the insertion cylinder portion 111. More specifically, when the fixed part 120 is in contact position, the shortest distance between the outer circumferential surface of the insertion cylinder portion 111 and the protruding tip of the protruding part 123 is configured to be less than the thickness of the flexible tube 70. In this way, the protruding part 123 can be brought into contact with the flexible tube 70 by the dimensions of the protruding part 123 in the protruding direction and its radial relative position to the flexible tube 70. Furthermore, the degree of contact between the protruding part 123 and the flexible tube 70 can also be arbitrarily set by the dimensions of the protruding part 123 in the protruding direction and its radial positional relationship to the flexible tube 70. For example, the longer the dimension of the protruding portion 123 in the protruding direction, the stronger the contact between the protruding portion 123 and the flexible tube 70. Also, the closer the protruding portion 123 is to the central axis of the flexible tube 70, the stronger the contact between the protruding portion 123 and the flexible tube 70.

[0060] In this embodiment, the dimensions of the projection 123 in the projection direction and its positional relationship with the flexible tube 70 are set such that when the projection 123 comes into contact with the flexible tube 70, a portion of the flexible tube 70 is compressed between the projection 123 and the insertion cylinder portion 111. At this time, since the tube joint 100 is made entirely of a resin that is harder than the flexible tube 70, the portion of the flexible tube 70 that comes into contact with the projection 123 deforms, causing the projection 123 to bite into the flexible tube 70.

[0061] When the protruding portion 123 bites into the flexible tube 70, a reaction force from the flexible tube 70 acts on the fixed portion 120. When the fulcrum is the hinge portion 130, the pressing force from the finger acts on the plate-shaped portion 121 on the side opposite the hinge portion 130, and the reaction force from the flexible tube 70 acts on the side closer to the hinge portion 130. Therefore, by the principle of leverage, the fixed portion 120 can be switched to a contact position with little force while resisting the reaction force from the flexible tube 70.

[0062] The plate-like portion 121 has a peripheral wall portion 121c that protrudes in the same direction as the projection portion 123 and extends in the circumferential direction of the plate-like portion 121. The peripheral wall portion 121c is provided in all parts except the portion where the notch portion 121a is formed, and is continuous with the projection portion 123. The peripheral wall portion 121c has a fixing portion side engaging portion 121b that engages with the outer cylinder side engaging portion 112b when the fixing portion 120 is in a contact position. In other words, the plate-like portion 121 has a fixing portion side engaging portion 121b formed thereon, and by engaging with the outer cylinder side engaging portion 112b, the fixing portion 120 is held in a contact position. Then, by the engagement of the fixing portion side engaging portion 121b and the outer cylinder side engaging portion 112b, the projection portion 123 is fixed relative to the insertion cylinder portion 111. This ensures that the protruding portion 123 makes secure contact with the flexible tube 70 into which the insertion cylinder portion 111 is inserted, and that the flexible tube 70 is securely pressed in the thickness direction.

[0063] The fixed part-side engaging part 121b is composed of a ridge that protrudes radially outward from the outer surface of the peripheral wall part 121c and extends in the circumferential direction. When the fixed part 120 is brought into contact position, the fixed part 120 is pressed toward one side in the axial X direction. As a result, the fixed part-side engaging part 121b overcomes the outer cylinder-side engaging part 112b and is positioned toward one side in the axial X direction relative to the outer cylinder-side engaging part 112b, and engages with the outer cylinder-side engaging part 112b by hooking onto it from one side. When the fixed part-side engaging part 121b overcomes the outer cylinder-side engaging part 112b, both undergo slight elastic deformation, and their shapes are restored after overcoming the obstacle.

[0064] The fixed-part-side engaging portion 121b may be continuous or intermittent in the circumferential direction. Alternatively, one of the outer cylinder-side engaging portion 112b and the fixed-part-side engaging portion 121b may be configured as a convex portion and the other as a concave portion, in which case the two engage by the convex portion fitting into the concave portion.

[0065] (modified version) Figures 10 and 11 show a modified tube joint 100 according to an embodiment. This modified form applies the configuration of the present invention to the connector 90 described above and includes a connecting pipe portion 140. The connecting pipe portion 140 protrudes from the socket portion 110 in the direction opposite to the flexible tube 70, and this connecting pipe portion 140 is configured to be inserted into and connected to the intake port 81b of the electric sprayer 80 shown in Figure 2.

[0066] In the modified example, the insertion tube portion 111 is integrally molded with the connecting tube portion 140. Therefore, the intermediate plate portion 113 is omitted in the modified example. Also, since it is not a screw connection, the female thread portion 112a is omitted. Thus, the present invention can also be applied to a connector 90 for connecting a flexible tube 70 to an electric sprayer 80.

[0067] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, in the tube joint 100 according to this embodiment, the fixing portion 120 is integrally formed with the socket portion 110 via the hinge portion 130, thus reducing the number of parts that make up the tube joint 100. When connecting the flexible tube 70, with the fixing portion 120 in the non-contact position shown in Figures 6 and 7, the insertion cylinder portion 111 of the socket portion 110 is inserted into the tip of the flexible tube 70. Then, when the fixing portion 120, which is in the non-contact position, is rotated around the hinge portion 130 to the contact position, the fixing portion 120 comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the flexible tube 70 into which the insertion cylinder portion 111 is inserted, as shown in Figure 5. In this state, the protruding portion 123 not only presses against the flexible tube 70 but also acts to bite into the flexible tube 70. As a result, the fixing part 120 presses and fixes the flexible tube 70 between itself and the insertion cylinder part 111 in the thickness direction, making it difficult for the flexible tube 70 to come out of the insertion cylinder part 111. In this way, the flexible tube 70 can be prevented from coming out by simply rotating the fixing part 120 around the hinge part 130, making the connection work easier compared to the complex operation of the conventional example.

[0068] The embodiments described above are in all respects merely illustrative and should not be interpreted restrictively. Furthermore, any modifications or changes that fall within the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0069] As described above, the tube joint according to the present invention can be used, for example, to connect a flexible tube to a container or the like. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 70 Flexible Tube 100 Tube Fittings 110 Socket part 111 Insertion tube 112 Outer cylinder part 112b Outer cylinder side engagement portion 112c aperture 120 Fixed part 121 Plate-like part 121a Notch 121b Fixed part side engaging part 123 Protrusion 130 Hinge section

Claims

1. A resin tube fitting for connecting a flexible tube to another component, A socket portion having an insertion tube portion that is inserted into the tip of the aforementioned tube, A fixing portion that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the portion into which the insertion cylinder portion of the tube is inserted, and presses the tube in the thickness direction between itself and the insertion cylinder portion to secure it, It has, The socket portion has an outer cylinder portion formed to surround the insertion cylinder portion, The portion of the tube into which the insertion cylinder is inserted is located inside the outer cylinder. The aforementioned fixing portion is integrally formed with the outer cylindrical portion of the socket portion via the hinge portion. The tube joint is characterized in that the fixing portion is configured to be switchable between a non-contact position away from the outer surface of the tube and a contact position in which it contacts the outer surface of the portion of the tube into which the insertion cylinder is inserted, by rotating around the hinge portion.

2. In the tube fitting according to claim 1, An outer cylinder side engagement portion is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion. A tube joint characterized in that the fixed portion has a fixed portion side engaging portion that engages with the outer cylinder side engaging portion when in the contact position.

3. In the tube fitting according to claim 2, The fixing portion is integrally formed with the end of the outer cylinder portion via the hinge portion and has a plate-like portion that covers the opening at the end of the outer cylinder portion. A tube joint characterized in that the fixed-side engaging portion is formed on the plate-like portion.

4. In the tube fitting according to claim 3, The plate-like portion has a notch formed at the end opposite to the hinge portion, A projection is formed on the edge of the notch in the plate-like portion, projecting in the thickness direction of the plate-like portion and extending along the edge of the notch. A tube joint characterized in that, when the fixed portion is in the contact position, the tube is positioned in the notch and the protruding portion contacts the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the tube into which the insertion cylinder portion is inserted.

5. In the tube fitting according to claim 1, The outer diameter of the insertion tube portion is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the tube before insertion. The fixing portion is characterized in that it contacts the outer circumferential surface of the portion of the tube into which the insertion cylinder portion is inserted and which has expanded in diameter.

6. A tube fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A bag containing liquid, A spraying device for spraying the aforementioned liquid, A flexible tube connecting the bag and the spraying device, Equipped with, A liquid spraying device characterized in that at least one of the bag or the spraying device is the separate component.

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