Tube unit, degassing module, and method for manufacturing the tube unit

Abstract

A deaeration module 1 equipped with a tube unit 3 obtained by bundling both end sections of a plurality of tubes 2 via a first bundling part 5a and a second bundling part 5b, and a housing 4 which houses the tube unit 3 therein, wherein: each of the plurality of tubes 2 is a tube-shaped film through which a gas passes and a liquid does not pass; and the housing 4 has a first internal-space through hole 15 and a second internal-space through hole 16 which are connected to the internal space A1 of each of the plurality of tubes 2 and into which the bundling parts 5 are inserted, and an external-space through hole 20 which is connected to the external space A2 of the plurality of tubes 2. The tube unit 3 is equipped with a plurality of tubes 2, a bundling part 5 for bundling the end sections 2c of the plurality of tubes 2, and a support member 6 which extends in a solid rod shape and is bundled by the bundling part 5 along with the end sections 2c of the plurality of tubes 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tube unit in which ends of a plurality of tubes are bundled by a bundling part, a degassing module including this tube unit, and a method for manufacturing this tube unit. This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-181178 filed in Japan on November 11, 2022, and the entire disclosure of that application is incorporated herein by reference.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a tube unit in which ends of a plurality of fluororesin tubes are bundled by a bundling part (joint part). This tube unit includes a plurality of bundled fluororesin tubes, a fluororesin sleeve externally fitted to an end of the bundle of these fluororesin tubes, and a bundling part made of a thermally fluid fluororesin that joins and integrates the plurality of fluororesin tubes and the fluororesin sleeve. When manufacturing this tube unit, a plurality of fluororesin tubes with a heat-shrinkable tube made of a thermally fluid fluororesin externally fitted to their ends are bundled, a fluororesin sleeve is externally fitted to an end of the bundle of these fluororesin tubes, and this end is heated to a temperature not lower than the melting point of the heat-shrinkable tube so that the heat-shrinkable tube shrinks and melts. Then, the thermally fluid fluororesin of the heat-shrinkable tube is cooled and solidified to join and integrate the fluororesin tube and the fluororesin sleeve.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a degassing device equipped with such a tube unit, the binding portion of the tube unit is joined to the connector of the housing. Specifically, a circular through-hole is formed in the connector, and the binding portion of the tube unit is joined to the connector by inserting it into this through-hole. For this reason, it is preferable that the binding portion of the tube unit is not flattened.

[0005] Incidentally, when degassing expensive liquids, there is a demand to reduce the number of tubes in the tube unit in order to reduce the amount of liquid drained. However, when the number of tubes is reduced, the heat shrinkage of the heat shrink tubing makes the bundled portion more prone to flattening, and a gap is more likely to form between the connector and the bundled portion. For example, if there are only two tubes, the bundled portion will flatten considerably, making it easier for a large gap to form between the connector and the bundled portion.

[0006] Therefore, one aspect of this disclosure is to provide a tube unit that can suppress the flattening of the binding portion that binds multiple tubes together, a degassing module equipped with this tube unit, and a method for manufacturing this tube unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] [1] A tube unit relating to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of tubes, a binding portion for binding the ends of the plurality of tubes, and an auxiliary member extending in a solid rod shape and bound to the binding portion together with the ends of the plurality of tubes.

[0008] In this tube unit, a solid, rod-shaped auxiliary member is attached to the binding section along with the ends of multiple tubes. The auxiliary member acts as a dummy for the tubes, being attached to the binding section along with the ends of multiple tubes. Therefore, even with a small number of tubes, it is easier to make the binding section circular. This helps to suppress the flattening of the binding section.

[0009] [2] The tube unit described in [1] may be provided with multiple auxiliary members. In this tube unit, by providing multiple auxiliary members, even if the flattening of the binding portion cannot be sufficiently suppressed with only one auxiliary member, the flattening of the binding portion can be sufficiently suppressed.

[0010] [3] In the tube unit described in [1] or [2], the ends of the multiple tubes and auxiliary members may be arranged to form a honeycomb structure. In this tube unit, the arrangement of the ends of the multiple tubes and auxiliary members to form a honeycomb structure can suppress the flattening of the binding portion.

[0011] [4] In the tube unit described in any one of [1] to [3], the ends of the multiple tubes and auxiliary members may be arranged in a regular polygonal shape. In this tube unit, the arrangement of the ends of the multiple tubes and auxiliary members in a regular polygonal shape can suppress the flattening of the binding portion.

[0012] [5] In the tube unit described in any one of [1] to [4], the auxiliary member has a circular outer surface, and the outer diameter of the auxiliary member may be 50% to 150% of the outer diameter of each of the multiple tubes. In this tube unit, the auxiliary member has a circular outer surface, and the outer diameter of the auxiliary member is 50% to 150% of the outer diameter of each of the multiple tubes, so that the auxiliary member can be used appropriately as a dummy for the tube.

[0013] In the tube unit described in any one of [1] to [5], the binding portion may have an outer cylinder fitted onto the ends of the multiple tubes and auxiliary members, and a sealing portion filled between the ends of the multiple tubes, auxiliary members, and the outer cylinder. In this tube unit, the sealing portion is filled between the ends of the multiple tubes, auxiliary members, and the outer cylinder, so that when a fluid such as liquid or gas is supplied from the end face of the binding portion, it is possible to suppress leakage of the fluid between the ends of the multiple tubes, auxiliary members, and the outer cylinder.

[0014] In the tube unit described in [7] [6], the melting point of the sealing portion may be lower than the melting points of the multiple tubes, auxiliary members, and outer cylinder. In this tube unit, the melting point of the sealing portion is lower than the melting points of the multiple tubes, auxiliary members, and outer cylinder. This makes it possible to melt the sealing portion without melting the multiple tubes, auxiliary members, and outer cylinder by heating it at a temperature higher than the melting point of the sealing portion and lower than the melting points of the multiple tubes, auxiliary members, and outer cylinder when manufacturing the tube unit. This makes it possible to properly fill the spaces between the multiple tubes, auxiliary members, and outer cylinder while properly maintaining the state in which the outer cylinder is fitted onto the multiple tubes and auxiliary members.

[0015] In the tube unit described in [8] [6] or [7], the ends of the multiple tubes and the auxiliary members may be spaced apart from each other. In this tube unit, the spacing between the ends of the multiple tubes and the auxiliary members ensures that the ends of the multiple tubes and the auxiliary members are covered by the sealing portion. This further suppresses fluid leakage from the interface between the ends of the multiple tubes and the auxiliary members.

[0016] [9] In any one of [1] to [8], the tube unit may contain fluororesin. In this tube unit, the chemical resistance can be improved by having the multiple tubes contain fluororesin.

[0017]

[10] In the tube unit described in any one of [1] to [9], the binding portion has a first binding portion that binds one end of the plurality of tubes and a second binding portion that binds the other end of the plurality of tubes, and the auxiliary member may extend from the first binding portion to the second binding portion. When the plurality of tubes are bent or wound into a circle to be housed in a housing or the like, some or all of the plurality of tubes may break. Furthermore, the thinner the wall thickness of each of the plurality of tubes, the smaller the diameter of each of the plurality of tubes, and the fewer the number of plurality of tubes, the more likely some or all of the plurality of tubes are to break. However, in this tube unit, because the auxiliary member extends from the first binding portion to the second binding portion, the auxiliary member acts as a guide member or reinforcing member for the plurality of tubes when the plurality of tubes are bent or wound into a circle. This makes it possible to suppress the breaking of some or all of the plurality of tubes when the plurality of tubes are bent or wound into a circle.

[0018] In the tube unit described in

[11]

[10] , the bending strength of the auxiliary member may be higher than the bending strength of each of the tubes. In this tube unit, having a bending strength of the auxiliary member higher than the bending strength of each of the tubes further suppresses the bending of some or all of the tubes when bending or winding the tubes into a circle.

[0019] In the tube unit described in

[12]

[10] or

[11] , the length of the auxiliary member from the first binding portion to the second binding portion may be 95% to 105% of the length of the multiple tubes from the first binding portion to the second binding portion. In this tube unit, by having the length of the auxiliary member from the first binding portion to the second binding portion be 95% to 105% of the length of the multiple tubes from the first binding portion to the second binding portion, the auxiliary member can be placed along substantially the entire length of the multiple tubes. This further suppresses the bending of part or all of the multiple tubes when bending or winding the multiple tubes into a circle.

[0020]

[13] A degassing module according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a degassing module for degassing a liquid, comprising a tube unit as described in any one of [1] to

[12] , and a housing in which the tube unit is housed, wherein each of the plurality of tubes is a tubular membrane that is permeable to gas but not to liquid, and the housing has through holes for internal spaces that communicate with the internal spaces of each of the plurality of tubes and into which the binding portion of the tube unit is inserted, and through holes for external spaces that communicate with the external spaces of the plurality of tubes.

[0021] In this degassing module, air is drawn in from either the internal or external through-hole while liquid is supplied to the other of the two through-holes, thereby degassing the liquid supplied to the degassing module. Since the binding portion of the tube unit is inserted into the internal through-hole, it is possible to prevent gaps from forming between the binding portion and the housing.

[0022] In the degassing module described in

[14]

[13] , the housing further comprises a connector having a through hole for internal space, and the bundling portion may be connected to the connector. In this degassing module, the bundling portion is connected to the connector having a through hole for internal space, which makes it possible to easily connect the bundling portion to the housing while suppressing the formation of a gap between the bundling portion and the connector.

[0023] In the degassing module described in

[15]

[13] or

[14] , the multiple tubes may be wound in a circular shape. In this degassing module, the multiple tubes being wound in a circular shape allows for sufficient length of the multiple tubes even if the housing is small. For this reason, high degassing performance can be obtained even when using multiple tubes with low gas permeability, for example.

[0024]

[16] The manufacturing method of the tube unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a manufacturing method of a tube unit that manufactures a tube unit in which ends of a plurality of tubes are bundled, and includes a bundling step of bundling ends of the plurality of tubes together with an auxiliary member extending in a solid rod shape.

[0025] In this manufacturing method of the tube unit, the ends of the plurality of tubes are bundled together with an auxiliary member extending in a solid rod shape. The auxiliary member is bundled together with the plurality of tubes as a dummy of the tube. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the flattening of the bundling portion.

[0026]

[17] In the manufacturing method of the tube unit according to

[16] , the bundling step may include an inner sleeve fitting step of fitting an inner sleeve made of a heat-melting resin onto at least one end of the plurality of tubes, an outer sleeve fitting step of fitting an outer sleeve made of a heat-shrinking resin onto the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary member, and a heating step of heating the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve after the inner sleeve fitting step and the outer sleeve fitting step to shrink the outer sleeve and melt the inner sleeve. In this manufacturing method of the tube unit, an inner sleeve is fitted onto at least one end of the plurality of tubes, an outer sleeve is fitted onto the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary member, and the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are heated to shrink the outer sleeve and melt the inner sleeve. Thereby, the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary member are gathered by the shrinking outer sleeve and are bundled by the heat-melting resin of the inner sleeve. Thereby, the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary member can be easily bundled.

[0027]

[18] In the method for manufacturing the tube unit described in

[17] , in the outer sleeve fitting step, inside the outer sleeve, the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members may be arranged so as to form a honeycomb structure. In this method for manufacturing the tube unit, by arranging the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members so as to form a honeycomb structure inside the outer sleeve, when the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are heated, it is possible to suppress the flattening of the shrinking outer sleeve. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the flattening of the binding portion.

[0028]

[19] In the method for manufacturing the tube unit described in

[17] or

[18] , in the outer sleeve fitting step, inside the outer sleeve, the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members may be arranged in a regular polygon shape. In this method for manufacturing the tube unit, by arranging the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members in a regular polygon shape inside the outer sleeve, when the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are heated, it is possible to suppress the flattening of the shrinking outer sleeve. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the flattening of the binding portion.

Advantages of the Invention

[0029] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the flattening of the binding portion that binds the plurality of tubes.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030] [Figure 1] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a degassing module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a tube unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line III-III shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 of another example. [Figure 6] It is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 of another example. [Figure 7]This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the relationship between the binding portion and the auxiliary member. [Figure 8] This is a diagram illustrating a method for bundling tubes. [Figure 9] This is a diagram illustrating a method for bundling tubes. [Figure 10] This is a diagram illustrating a method for bundling tubes. [Figure 11] This is a diagram illustrating a method for bundling tubes. [Figure 12] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the tube unit of the comparative example connected to the connector. [Figure 13] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a tube unit connected to a connector. [Figure 14] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a degassing module according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a tube unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16] Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the tube unit extended in a straight line. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] The following describes in detail the embodiment of the tube unit, the degassing module, and the manufacturing method of the tube unit with reference to the drawings. In all the figures, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0032] [First Embodiment] <Vacuum Module> Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a degassing module according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the degassing module 1 is a module for degassing a liquid. The degassing module 1 comprises a tube unit 3 in which both ends of a plurality of tubes 2 are bound together by a first binding portion 5a and a second binding portion 5b, and a housing 4 that houses the tube unit 3.

[0033] The liquid to be degassed by degassing module 1 is not particularly limited. When degassing module 1 is used for degassing a liquid in liquid chromatography, the liquid to be degassed by degassing module 1 may be a nitrile solvent such as acetonitrile, a ketone solvent such as acetone, or an ester solvent such as ethyl acetate, which are used as high-performance liquid chromatography solvents "HIL-SOL" and large-volume preparative liquid chromatography solvents "Presol" from Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.

[0034] Tube 2 is a tubular membrane that is permeable to gases but impermeable to liquids. The material, membrane shape, and membrane form of Tube 2 are not particularly limited. Examples of materials for Tube 2 include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer (PFA), tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP), tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer (ethylene copolymer resin) (ETFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), amorphous fluoropolymer (amorphous fluororesin; AF), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polypropylene (PP), polymethylpentene (PMP), silicon, polyimide, and polyamide. An example of an amorphous fluoropolymer is Teflon® AF.

[0035] The degassing module 1 is divided into two regions within the housing 4 by multiple tubes 2: the internal space A1 of each tube 2 and the external space A2 of the tubes 2 (see Figure 4). The degassing module 1 in this embodiment is an internal perfusion type degassing module, where the internal space A1 is the region to which liquid is supplied, and the external space A2 is the region to which air is drawn in (pressure reduced). The degassing module 1 degasses the liquid by supplying liquid to the internal space A1 of each tube 2 and simultaneously drawing in (pressure reducing) air from the external space A2 of the tubes 2. However, the degassing module 1 may also be an external perfusion type degassing module. If the degassing module 1 is an external perfusion type degassing module, the internal space A1 becomes the region to which air is drawn in (pressure reduced), and the external space A2 becomes the region to which liquid is supplied. The external perfusion type degassing module 1 degasses the liquid by supplying liquid to the external space A2 of multiple tubes 2, and simultaneously drawing in (degassing) air from the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2.

[0036] The housing 4 comprises a housing body 11, a lid 12, a first connector 13, and a second connector 14.

[0037] The housing body 11 is a container having an opening on one end face. The housing body 11 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape. The lid 12 is a lid that is airtightly joined to the housing body 11 and closes the opening of the housing body 11. The joining of the housing body 11 and the lid 12 can be done, for example, by welding, screwing, fitting, etc. If there are no manufacturing problems, the housing 4 may not be divided into the housing body 11 and the lid 12, but may be formed integrally.

[0038] The first connector 13 and the second connector 14 are hermetically connected to the cover portion 12. The connection of the first connector 13 and the second connector 14 to the cover portion 12 can be performed, for example, by welding, screwing, mating, etc.

[0039] The first connector 13 is connected to the first binding portion 5a of the tube unit 3. The first connector 13 has a first through-hole 15 for internal space that communicates with the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2 and penetrates the inside and outside of the housing 4. The first binding portion 5a is connected to the first connector 13 while inserted into the first through-hole 15 for internal space. The connection between the first connector 13 and the first binding portion 5a can be made by, for example, welding, screwing, or fitting. The first connector 13 is joined to a first pipe 18 that communicates with the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2 via the first through-hole 15 for internal space. The connection between the first connector 13 and the first pipe 18 can be made by, for example, welding, screwing, or fitting.

[0040] The second connector 14 is connected to the second binding portion 5b of the tube unit 3. The second connector 14 has a second through-hole 16 for internal space that communicates with the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2 and penetrates the inside and outside of the housing 4. The second binding portion 5b is connected to the second connector 14 while inserted into the second through-hole 16 for internal space. The connection between the second connector 14 and the second binding portion 5b can be made by, for example, welding, screwing, or fitting. The second connector 14 is joined to a second pipe 19 that communicates with the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2 via a first through-hole 15 for internal space. The connection between the first connector 13 and the second pipe 19 can be made by, for example, welding, screwing, or fitting.

[0041] The housing body 11 has a through-hole 20 for external space that penetrates the inside and outside of the housing 4. The through-hole 20 for external space communicates with the external space A2 of the multiple tubes 2 inside the housing 4. The housing body 11 is joined to a third pipe 21 that communicates with the external space A2 of the multiple tubes 2 inside the housing 4 via the through-hole 20 for external space. Therefore, by connecting a suction pump (not shown) to the third pipe 21 and operating the suction pump, the external space A2 of the multiple tubes 2 inside the housing 4 can be depressurized. The housing body 11 and the third pipe 21 can be joined by, for example, welding, screwing, fitting, etc.

[0042] <Tube Unit> Refer to Figures 2 to 4 to explain the tube unit 3 in detail.

[0043] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a tube unit according to the first embodiment, and Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the tube unit 3 comprises a plurality of tubes 2, a first binding portion 5a that binds the first end 2a, which is one end of the plurality of tubes 2, a second binding portion 5b that binds the second end 2b, which is the other end of the plurality of tubes 2, and one or more auxiliary members 6 that extend in a solid rod shape and are bound together with the plurality of tubes 2 to the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b, respectively.

[0044] The first binding portion 5a is located at one end of the tube unit 3 and is connected to the first connector 13 of the housing 4. The second binding portion 5b is located at the other end of the tube unit 3 and is connected to the second connector 14 of the housing 4. Since the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b have the same configuration, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b will be described together as the binding portion 5. Similarly, since the first end portion 2a and the second end portion 2b have the same configuration, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, the first end portion 2a and the second end portion 2b will be described together as the end portion 2c. However, these may have different configurations. Of the two end faces of the binding portion 5, the end face located at the tip of the tube unit 3 is called the first end face 5c, and the end face located on the opposite side of the tip of the tube unit 3 is called the second end face 5d.

[0045] The binding section 5 binds the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 together by surrounding them. The binding section 5 comprises an outer cylinder 7 fitted onto the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6, and a sealing section 8 filled between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2, the auxiliary members 6, and the outer cylinder 7.

[0046] The outer cylinder 7 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and forms the outermost layer of the binding portion 5. The outer cylinder 7 is the part that connects to the first connector 13 or the second connector 14 of the housing 4. The material of the outer cylinder 7 is preferably a thermoplastic resin, more preferably a thermoplastic resin with a higher melting temperature than the sealing portion 8, and even more preferably a thermoplastic resin with excellent chemical resistance and solvent resistance, and a higher melting temperature than the sealing portion 8. Examples of materials for such an outer cylinder 7 include fluororesins such as PFA and PTFE.

[0047] The sealing portion 8 binds the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 together, and seals the spaces between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2, the auxiliary members 6, and the outer cylinder 7. The sealing portion 8 does not fill the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2, but fills the spaces between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6, and the spaces between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 and the outer cylinder 7. Therefore, only the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2 is open from the first end face 5c of the binding portion 5. Because the sealing portion 8 fills the spaces between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6, the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are spaced apart from each other. The material of the sealing portion 8 is preferably a thermoplastic resin, more preferably a thermoplastic resin with a lower melting temperature than the material (thermoplastic resin) used for the outer cylinder 7 and the tubes 2 (ends 2c), and even more preferably a thermoplastic resin with excellent chemical resistance and solvent resistance, and a lower melting temperature than the material (thermoplastic resin) used for the outer cylinder 7 and the tubes 2 (ends 2c). Examples of materials for such a sealing portion 8 include fluororesins such as FEP and PFA.

[0048] The binding portion 5 is formed, for example, by heating and melting the inner sleeve 32 (see Figures 9 and 10), which will become the sealing portion 8, and by heating and shrinking the outer sleeve 33 (see Figures 10 and 11), which will become the outer cylinder 7, as will be described later. When the binding portion 5 is heated during its formation, it shrinks while containing the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6, thereby binding the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 together. For this reason, the melting point of the sealing portion 8 is higher than the melting points of the multiple tubes 2, the auxiliary members 6, and the outer cylinder 7.

[0049] The auxiliary member 6 is a member that acts as a dummy for the tube 2 and is bound to the binding section 5 (first binding section 5a or second binding section 5b) together with multiple tubes 2. In this embodiment, the auxiliary member 6 bound by the first binding section 5a and the auxiliary member 6 bound by the second binding section 5b are separate members. The auxiliary member 6 does not extend from the first binding section 5a to the second binding section 5b.

[0050] By the way, since the binding portion 5 is connected to the first connector 13 or the second connector 14 of the housing 4, it is preferable that it is not flattened. When the binding portion 5 is said not to be flattened, it includes cases where it is flattened to such an extent that no gap is created between the binding portion 5 and the first connector 13 or the second connector 14 when the binding portion 5 is connected to the first connector 13 or the second connector 14. However, as described above, when the binding portion 5 is formed, the outer sleeve 33 which becomes the outer cylinder 7 shrinks while containing the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary member 6. For this reason, if the auxiliary member 6 is not provided, depending on the number of multiple tubes 2, the binding portion 5 may become flattened, making it easy for a gap to be created between the binding portion 5 and the first connector 13 or the second connector 14. For example, if there are two tubes 2, the binding portion 5 will become significantly flattened, making it easy for a large gap to be created between the binding portion 5 and the first connector 13 or the second connector 14.

[0051] Therefore, in this embodiment, the auxiliary member 6 is attached to the binding portion 5 together with multiple tubes 2 as a dummy for the tube 2. The auxiliary member 6 is provided as a dummy for the tube 2 in order to suppress the flattening of the binding portion 5 when it is formed.

[0052] The number of auxiliary members 6 that are tied to the binding section 5 along with the multiple tubes 2 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the number of tubes 2 tied to the binding section 5 in order to prevent the binding section 5 from becoming flattened. The arrangement of the multiple tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 tied to the binding section 5 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the number of tubes 2 tied to the binding section 5 in order to prevent the binding section 5 from becoming flattened.

[0053] For example, from the viewpoint of suppressing flattening of the binding portion 5, it is preferable that the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 be arranged in a honeycomb structure. Arranging the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 in a honeycomb structure means that, as illustrated in Figure 3, one of the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 is positioned at any position in each regular hexagon that is arranged without gaps. In this case, the total number of ends 2c of the tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 to be bound to the binding portion 5 can be, for example, 7 or 19. Figure 3 shows an example in which the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged in a honeycomb structure by binding 6 ends 2c of the tubes 2 and 1 auxiliary member 6 to the binding portion 5. Figure 5 shows an example in which the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged in a honeycomb structure by binding 15 ends 2c of the tubes 2 and 4 auxiliary members 6 to the binding portion 5. Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 3 of another example.

[0054] For example, from the viewpoint of suppressing flattening of the binding portion 5, it is preferable that the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged in a regular polygonal shape. Arrangement of the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 in a regular polygonal shape means that, as illustrated in Figure 3, the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged such that the overall outer shape of the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 is a regular polygon. This regular polygonal shape can be, for example, an equilateral triangle, a regular square, a regular pentagon, a regular hexagon, a regular octagon, etc. In this case, the total number of ends 2c of the tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 bound to the binding portion 5 can be, for example, 3, 7, 19, etc. Figure 6 shows an example in which the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged in an equilateral triangle shape by binding the ends 2c of two tubes 2 and one auxiliary member 6 to the binding portion 5. Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 3 of another example. Figure 3 shows an example in which the ends 2c of six tubes 2 and one auxiliary member 6 are fastened to a fastening section 5, resulting in the arrangement of the ends 2c of multiple tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 in a regular hexagonal shape. Figure 5 shows an example in which the ends 2c of fifteen tubes 2 and four auxiliary members 6 are fastened to a fastening section 5, resulting in the arrangement of the ends 2c of multiple tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 in a regular hexagonal shape.

[0055] From the viewpoint of ensuring that the auxiliary member 6 functions properly as a dummy for the tube 2, it is preferable that it has a circular outer surface similar to that of the tube 2. In this case, the outer diameter D1 of the auxiliary member 6 is preferably 50% to 150% of the outer diameter D2 of each of the multiple tubes 2, and more preferably 70% to 120%. The outer diameter D1 of the auxiliary member 6 can be appropriately adjusted according to the shape or length of the housing 4 or the tube 2.

[0056] As long as the auxiliary member 6 is fastened to the binding portion 5 together with the multiple tubes 2, the length of the auxiliary member 6 and its position within the binding portion 5 are not particularly limited. For example, as shown in Figure 4, both ends of the auxiliary member 6 may be located at the first end face 5c and the second end face 5d of the binding portion 5 and exposed from the binding portion 5. As shown in the example in Figure 7(a), one end of the auxiliary member 6 may be located at the first end face 5c of the binding portion 5 and exposed from the binding portion 5. The other end of the binding portion 5 may protrude from the second end face 5d of the binding portion 5. As shown in the example in Figure 7(b), one end of the auxiliary member 6 may be located at the first end face 5c of the binding portion 5 and exposed from the binding portion 5. The other end of the binding portion 5 may be located recessed from the second end face 5d of the binding portion 5 and embedded in the binding portion 5. As shown in the example in Figure 7(c), one end of the auxiliary member 6 may be recessed from the first end face 5c of the binding portion 5 and embedded in the binding portion 5. The other end of the auxiliary member 6 may be located at the second end face 5d of the binding portion 5 and exposed from the binding portion 5. As shown in the example in Figure 7(d), both ends of the auxiliary member 6 may be recessed from the first end face 5c and the second end face 5d of the binding portion 5 and embedded in the binding portion 5. Figures 7(a), 7(b), 7(c), and 7(d) are schematic cross-sectional views showing an example of the relationship between the binding portion and the auxiliary member.

[0057] The material of the auxiliary member 6 is preferably one that has chemical resistance and solvent resistance. Examples of materials for such an auxiliary member 6 include ceramics such as zirconia and alumina, and metals such as stainless steel (stainless steel such as SUS316, stainless steel coated with fluororesin, etc.). The material of the auxiliary member 6 may also be a resin material such as a thermoplastic resin or a cured thermosetting resin with a higher melting temperature than the material constituting the sealing part 8. Examples of resin materials for such an auxiliary member 6 include polyamide, polyimide, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), ETFE, FEP, PFA, and PTFE.

[0058] As shown in Figure 1, in the degassing module 1, multiple tubes 2 are wound in a circular shape, and the first bundling section 5a and the second bundling section 5b are connected to the first connector 13 and the second connector 14. The number of turns of the multiple tubes 2 is not particularly limited and is appropriately selected according to the required degassing performance. To maintain the circular winding state, the circularly wound portions of the multiple tubes 2 may be bundled together with clips or the like. The bundled portions may be at one location or multiple locations.

[0059] When degassing a liquid using the degassing module 1 configured in this way, a suction pump connected to the third pipe 21 sucks (depressurizes) the external space A2 of the multiple tubes 2 inside the housing 4 while supplying liquid to the first pipe 18 and discharging liquid from the second pipe 19. The liquid supplied to the first pipe 18 is then supplied to the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2 via the first through-hole 15 for the internal space of the first connector 13. At this time, the external space A2 of the multiple tubes 2 inside the housing 4 is under reduced pressure, so as the liquid passes through the internal space A1 of each of the multiple tubes 2, dissolved gases and bubbles in the liquid are drawn into the external space A2 of the multiple tubes 2 inside the housing 4 by permeating through each of the multiple tubes 2. This degasses the liquid. The degassed liquid is discharged to the second pipe 19 via the second through-hole 16 for the internal space of the second connector 14. The liquid may also be supplied from the second pipe 19 and discharged from the first pipe 18.

[0060] <Manufacturing method for tube units> An example of a manufacturing method for the tube unit 3 will be described.

[0061] In the manufacturing method of the tube unit 3 according to this embodiment, an inner sleeve fitting step, an outer sleeve fitting step, and a heating step are performed. The inner sleeve fitting step, the outer sleeve fitting step, and the heating step are binding steps that bind the ends of the multiple tubes 2 together. In the following description, the steps will be described assuming that they are performed in the order of inner sleeve fitting step, outer sleeve fitting step, and heating step, but these steps may be performed in any order.

[0062] As shown in Figure 8, in the inner sleeve fitting step, a plurality of tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 are prepared. As shown in Figure 9, in the inner sleeve fitting step, an inner sleeve 32 made of a heat-meltable resin is fitted onto each of the ends 2c of the plurality of tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6. The inner sleeve 32 becomes a sealing portion 8 when heated and melted. The heat-meltable resin forming the inner sleeve 32 is a resin that melts and becomes fluid when heated above its melting point. Preferably, this heat-meltable resin is a resin that shrinks when heated near its melting point and melts when heated above its melting point. Preferably, the melting point of this heat-meltable resin is lower than the melting points of the plurality of tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6, and also lower than the decomposition temperature of the plurality of tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6. This heat-meltable resin can be the same resin as the sealing portion 8. The inner circumference of the inner sleeve 32 is greater than or equal to the outer circumference of the plurality of tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6, and preferably greater than the outer circumference of the plurality of tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6.

[0063] In the inner sleeve fitting step, the inner sleeve 32 is then heated and shrunk to temporarily fix it to the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6. The heating temperature for temporarily fixing the inner sleeve 32 is below the melting point of the inner sleeve 32, and preferably below the melting point of the inner sleeve 32. This prevents the inner sleeve 32 from falling off the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6. However, if the inner sleeve 32 falling off is not a problem, it is not necessary to heat and shrink the inner sleeve 32 for temporary fixing.

[0064] As shown in Figure 10, in the outer sleeve fitting step, an outer sleeve 33 made of heat-shrinkable resin is fitted onto the end of the tube bundle 31, which is a bundle of multiple tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6. The outer sleeve 33 becomes an outer cylinder 7 when heated and shrunk. The heat-shrinkable resin that forms the outer sleeve 33 is a resin that shrinks when heated to near its melting point and melts and becomes fluid when heated above its melting point. The melting point of this heat-shrinkable resin is higher than the melting point of the heat-meltable resin that forms the inner sleeve 32. Preferably, the melting point of this heat-shrinkable resin is lower than the melting points of the multiple tubes 2, and also lower than the decomposition temperature of the multiple tubes 2. This heat-shrinkable resin can be the same resin as the outer cylinder 7. Preferably, the inner circumference of the outer sleeve 33 is greater than or equal to the outer circumference of the tube bundle 31.

[0065] In the outer sleeve fitting step, the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged inside the outer sleeve 33 to form a honeycomb structure. Alternatively, in the outer sleeve fitting step, the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged inside the outer sleeve 33 to form a regular polygon shape.

[0066] As shown in Figure 11, in the heating step, the inner sleeve 32 and outer sleeve 33 are heated to shrink the outer sleeve 33 and melt the inner sleeve 32. In the heating step, the inner sleeve 32 and outer sleeve 33 are heated at a temperature higher than the melting point of the heat-meltable resin of the inner sleeve 32 and lower than the melting point of the heat-shrinkable resin of the outer sleeve 33. As a result, the outer sleeve 33 shrinks, narrowing the gap between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2, the auxiliary members 6, and the outer sleeve 33. The heat-meltable resin of the inner sleeve 32 melts and flows, sealing the gaps between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2, the auxiliary members 6, and the outer sleeve 33. At this time, by adjusting the wall thickness of the inner sleeve 32, the gaps between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2, the auxiliary members 6, and the outer sleeve 33 can be properly sealed. If the area between these is large, the wall thickness of the inner sleeve 32 is increased. If the amount of heat-meltable resin in the inner sleeve 32 is insufficient to seal the gaps between them, the gaps can be sealed by arranging multiple inner sleeves 32 or by adding additional components made of the same heat-meltable resin as the inner sleeve 32.

[0067] From the viewpoint of preventing the outer sleeve 33 from falling off the tube bundle 31, the outer sleeve 33 may be heated and slightly shrunk before the heating step to temporarily fix the outer sleeve 33 to the tube bundle 31. In this case, the heating temperature of the outer sleeve 33 is below the melting point of the outer sleeve 33, and preferably below the melting point of the outer sleeve 33. However, if the outer sleeve 33 falling off is not a problem, it is not necessary to heat and shrink the outer sleeve 33 for temporary fixing.

[0068] This completes the tube unit 3, in which the ends 2c of multiple tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 are bound together by the binding portion 5.

[0069] Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a tube unit of a comparative example connected to a connector. Figure 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a tube unit of another example connected to a connector.

[0070] As shown in Figure 12, the comparative example tube unit 103 does not have auxiliary members, and only the ends 2c of the two tubes 2 are bound together by the binding portion 5. Therefore, when the binding portion 5 is formed, the outer sleeve 33, which becomes the outer cylinder 7, shrinks while enclosing the ends 2c of the two tubes 2, causing the binding portion 5 to become significantly flattened, and a large gap is likely to occur between the binding portion 5 and the first connector 13 or the second connector 14.

[0071] In contrast, as shown in Figure 13, in the other example of the tube unit 3, two tubes 2 and one auxiliary member 6 are bound together by a binding portion 5, and the two tubes 2 and the auxiliary member 6 are arranged in a honeycomb structure and also in an equilateral triangle shape. Therefore, when the outer sleeve 33, which becomes the outer cylinder 7, shrinks while enclosing the ends 2c of the two tubes 2 and the auxiliary member 6 during the formation of the binding portion 5, the binding portion 5 is less likely to flatten, and a gap is less likely to occur between the binding portion 5 and the first connector 13 or the second connector 14.

[0072] As described above, in the tube unit 3 according to this embodiment, a solid, rod-shaped auxiliary member 6 is bound to the binding portion 5 together with the ends 2c of multiple tubes 2. The auxiliary member 6 is bound to the ends 2c of multiple tubes 2 by the binding portion 5 as a dummy for the tubes 2. Therefore, even with a small number of tubes 2, it is easier to make the binding portion 5 circular. This makes it possible to suppress the flattening of the binding portion 5.

[0073] In this tube unit 3, by providing multiple auxiliary members 6, even if the flattening of the binding portion 5 cannot be sufficiently suppressed with only one auxiliary member 6, the flattening of the binding portion 5 can be sufficiently suppressed.

[0074] In this tube unit 3, the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged in a honeycomb structure, which helps to prevent the binding portion 5 from becoming flattened.

[0075] In this tube unit 3, the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are arranged in a regular polygonal shape, which helps to prevent the binding portion 5 from becoming flattened.

[0076] In this tube unit 3, the auxiliary member 6 has a circular outer surface, and the outer diameter of the auxiliary member 6 is 50% to 150% or 70% to 120% of the outer diameter of each of the multiple tubes 2, so that the auxiliary member 6 can be used appropriately as a dummy for the tubes 2.

[0077] In this tube unit 3, a sealing portion 8 is filled between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2, the auxiliary members 6, and the outer cylinder 7. This prevents the fluid, such as liquid or gas, from leaking out between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2, the auxiliary members 6, and the outer cylinder 7 when the fluid is supplied from the first end face 5c of the binding portion 5.

[0078] In this tube unit 3, the melting point of the sealing portion 8 is lower than the melting points of the multiple tubes 2, auxiliary members 6, and outer cylinder 7. As a result, when manufacturing the tube unit 3, by heating at a temperature higher than the melting point of the sealing portion 8 and lower than the melting points of the multiple tubes 2, auxiliary members 6, and outer cylinder 7, the sealing portion 8 can be melted without melting the multiple tubes 2, auxiliary members 6, and outer cylinder 7. This allows the sealing portion 8 to be properly filled between the multiple tubes 2, auxiliary members 6, and outer cylinder 7 while properly maintaining the state in which the outer cylinder 7 is fitted onto the multiple tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6.

[0079] In this tube unit 3, the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are spaced apart from each other, so that the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are covered by the sealing portion 8. This further suppresses fluid leakage from the interface between the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6.

[0080] In this tube unit 3, the chemical resistance can be improved by having multiple tubes 2 containing fluororesin.

[0081] In the degassing module 1 according to this embodiment, the liquid supplied to the degassing module 1 is degassed by supplying liquid to the first through-hole 15 for the internal space while simultaneously drawing in air from the through-hole 20 for the external space. Since the binding portion 5 of the tube unit 3 is connected to the first through-hole 15 and the second through-hole 16 for the internal space, it is possible to suppress the formation of a gap between the binding portion 5 and the housing 4.

[0082] In this degassing module 1, the binding portion 5 of the tube unit 3 is connected to a first connector 13 with a first through-hole 15 for internal space and a second connector 14 with a second through-hole 16 for internal space. This makes it possible to easily connect the binding portion 5 to the housing 4 while suppressing the formation of gaps between the binding portion 5 and the first connector 13 and the second connector 14.

[0083] In this degassing module 1, multiple tubes 2 are wound in a circular shape, which allows for sufficient length of multiple tubes 2 even with a small housing 4. Therefore, high degassing performance can be obtained even when using multiple tubes 2 with low gas permeability, for example.

[0084] In the manufacturing method of the tube unit according to this embodiment, the ends 2c of multiple tubes 2 are bound together with an auxiliary member 6 that extends in the shape of a solid rod. The auxiliary member 6 is used as a dummy for the tubes 2 and is bound together with the multiple tubes 2. Therefore, even if the number of tubes 2 is small, it is possible to suppress the flattening of the bound portion 5.

[0085] In this method of manufacturing the tube unit, an inner sleeve 32 is fitted onto each of the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6, and an outer sleeve 33 is fitted onto the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6. The inner sleeve 32 and outer sleeve 33 are then heated to shrink the outer sleeve 33 and melt the inner sleeve 32. As a result, the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 are gathered together by the shrinking outer sleeve 33 and bound together by the heat-meltable resin of the inner sleeve 32. This makes it easy to bind the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary members 6 together.

[0086] In this method of manufacturing the tube unit, by arranging the ends 2c of multiple tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 inside the outer sleeve 33 in a honeycomb structure, or by arranging the ends 2c of multiple tubes 2 and auxiliary members 6 in a regular polygonal shape, it is possible to suppress the flattening of the outer sleeve 33 when the inner sleeve 32 and outer sleeve 33 are heated. This makes it possible to suppress the flattening of the binding portion 5.

[0087] [Second Embodiment] A second embodiment will now be described. The degassing module and tube unit according to the second embodiment are basically the same as those according to the first embodiment, except that the auxiliary member extends from the first binding portion to the second binding portion. For this reason, only the differences from the degassing module and tube unit according to the first embodiment will be described below, and the descriptions of the same matters as those according to the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0088] Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a degassing module according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, the degassing module 1A according to the second embodiment comprises a tube unit 3A in which both ends of a plurality of tubes 2 are bound together by a first binding portion 5a and a second binding portion 5b, and a housing 4 that houses the tube unit 3A.

[0089] Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a tube unit according to the second embodiment. Figure 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the tube unit shown in Figure 15 extended in a straight line. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the tube unit 3A according to the second embodiment comprises a plurality of tubes 2, a first binding portion 5a that binds the first ends 2a of the plurality of tubes 2, a second binding portion 5b that binds the second ends 2b of the plurality of tubes 2, and one or more auxiliary members 6A that extend in a solid rod shape and are bound together with the plurality of tubes 2 to the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b.

[0090] The auxiliary member 6A, like the auxiliary member 6 of the first embodiment, is a member that is bound to the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b together with the multiple tubes 2 as a dummy for the tubes 2. Unlike the auxiliary member 6 of the first embodiment, the auxiliary member 6A extends from the first binding portion 5a to the second binding portion 5b. One end of the auxiliary member 6A is bound to the first binding portion 5a together with the first ends 2a of the multiple tubes 2, and the other end of the auxiliary member 6A is bound to the second binding portion 5b together with the second ends 2b of the multiple tubes 2.

[0091] By the way, when multiple tubes 2 are bent or coiled into a circle to be housed in a housing 4, etc., some or all of the tubes 2 may break. Furthermore, the thinner the wall thickness of each tube 2, the smaller the diameter of each tube 2, and the fewer the number of tubes 2, the more likely some or all of the tubes 2 are to break.

[0092] Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to prevent some or all of the tubes 2 from breaking when the tubes 2 are bent or wound into a circle, the auxiliary member 6A is made to extend from the first binding portion 5a to the second binding portion 5b, and the auxiliary member 6A is made to function as a guide member or reinforcing member for the tubes 2.

[0093] The auxiliary member 6A is wound in a circular shape together with the multiple tubes 2. The length of the auxiliary member 6A is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of aligning the auxiliary member 6A with the multiple tubes 2, the length L1 of the auxiliary member 6A from the first binding portion 5a to the second binding portion 5b is preferably 95% to 105% and more preferably 99% to 101% of the length L2 of the multiple tubes 2 from the first binding portion 5a to the second binding portion 5b.

[0094] The bending strength of the auxiliary member 6A is not particularly limited. From the viewpoint of preventing some or all of the tubes 2 from breaking when the tubes 2 are bent or wound into a circle, it is preferable that the bending strength of the auxiliary member 6A is higher than the bending strength of each of the tubes 2. It is preferable that the buckling load of the auxiliary member 6A is greater than the buckling load of each of the tubes 2.

[0095] The number of auxiliary members 6A, the outer diameter of auxiliary members 6A, and their arrangement in the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b can be the same as those of the auxiliary member 6 in the first embodiment. The manufacturing method of the tube unit 3A can be the same as that of the manufacturing method of the tube unit 3 in the first embodiment.

[0096] Thus, in the tube unit 3A according to this embodiment, the auxiliary member 6A extends from the first binding portion 5a to the second binding portion 5b, so that when bending or winding the multiple tubes 2 into a circle, the auxiliary member 6 acts as a guide member or reinforcing member for the multiple tubes 2. This makes it possible to suppress the bending of part or all of the multiple tubes 2 when bending or winding the multiple tubes 2 into a circle.

[0097] In this tube unit 3A, the bending strength of the auxiliary member 6A is higher than the bending strength of each of the multiple tubes 2, which further suppresses the bending of some or all of the multiple tubes 2 when bending or winding the multiple tubes 2 into a circular shape.

[0098] In this tube unit 3A, the length L1 of the auxiliary member 6A from the first binding portion 5a to the second binding portion 5b is 95% to 105% or 99% to 101% of the length L2 of the multiple tubes 2 from the first binding portion 5a to the second binding portion 5b, allowing the auxiliary member 6A to be placed along almost the entire length of the multiple tubes 2. This further suppresses the bending of part or all of the multiple tubes 2 when bending or winding them into a circle.

[0099] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0100] For example, in the present embodiment described above, the degassing module is of the internal perfusion type, and the liquid is degassed by drawing in air from the external space through hole 20 while flowing the liquid from the first internal space through hole 15 to the second internal space through hole 16. However, the degassing module may also be of the external perfusion type. In this case, for example, two through holes, a first external space through hole and a second external space through hole, may be formed as external space through holes, and one through hole may be formed as an internal space through hole, and the liquid may be degassed by drawing in air from the internal space through hole while flowing the liquid from the first external space through hole to the second internal space through hole.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the inner sleeve 32 was described as being fitted onto each of the ends 2c of the multiple tubes 2 and the auxiliary member 6. However, the inner sleeve 32 may be fitted onto at least one end 2c of the multiple tubes 2.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the housing 4 was described as comprising a first connector 13 and a second connector 14, and the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b of the tube unit 3 were connected to the first connector 13 and the second connector 14 of the housing 4. However, the housing may not have connectors, and the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b of the tube unit 3 may be directly connected to the housing. A cylindrical attachment may be attached to the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b of the tube unit 3, and the first binding portion 5a and the second binding portion 5b of the tube unit 3 may be connected to the first connector 13 and the second connector 14 of the housing 4 via this attachment. In this case, if the binding portion is flattened, a gap will occur between the binding portion and the housing, for example, between the binding portion and the attachment, or between the attachment and the connector. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1... Degassing module, 1A... Degassing module, 2... Tube, 2a... First end, 2b... Second end, 2c... End, 3... Tube unit, 3A... Tube unit, 4... Housing, 5... Binding part, 5a... First binding part, 5b... Second binding part, 5c... First end face, 5d... Second end face, 6... Auxiliary member, 6A... Auxiliary member, 7... Outer cylinder, 8... Sealing part, 11... Housing body, 12... Lid, 13... First connector, 14... Second connector, 15... First through hole for internal space (through hole for internal space), 16... Second through hole for internal space (through hole for internal space), 18... First tube, 19... Second tube, 20... Through hole for external space, 21... Third tube, 31... Tube bundle, 32... Inner sleeve, 33... Outer sleeve, 103... Tube unit, A1... Internal space, A2... External space, D1... Outer diameter, D2... Outer diameter.

Claims

1. Multiple tubes, A binding portion for binding the ends of the plurality of tubes, It comprises an auxiliary member that extends in a solid rod shape and is bound to the binding portion together with the ends of the plurality of tubes, The ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members are spaced apart from each other. The auxiliary member is a dummy member of the tube, positioned at the location of the binding portion where the end of the tube should be located. Tube unit.

2. A plurality of the aforementioned auxiliary members are provided. The tube unit according to claim 1.

3. The ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members are arranged to form a honeycomb structure. The tube unit according to claim 1.

4. The ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members are arranged in a regular polygonal shape. The tube unit according to claim 1.

5. The auxiliary member has a circular outer surface, The outer diameter of the auxiliary member is 50% to 150% of the outer diameter of each of the plurality of tubes. The tube unit according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned binding portion is An outer cylinder fitted onto the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members, The plurality of tubes have a sealing portion filled between the ends of the tubes, the auxiliary members, and the outer cylinder, The tube unit according to claim 1.

7. The melting point of the sealing portion is lower than the melting points of the plurality of tubes, the auxiliary members, and the outer cylinder. The tube unit according to claim 6.

8. The plurality of tubes contain fluororesin. The tube unit according to claim 1.

9. The binding portion comprises a first binding portion for binding one end of the plurality of tubes, and a second binding portion for binding the other end of the plurality of tubes, The auxiliary member extends from the first binding portion to the second binding portion. The tube unit according to claim 1.

10. The bending strength of the auxiliary member is higher than the bending strength of each of the plurality of tubes. The tube unit according to claim 9.

11. The length of the auxiliary member from the first binding portion to the second binding portion is 95% to 105% of the length of the plurality of tubes from the first binding portion to the second binding portion. The tube unit according to claim 9.

12. A degassing module for degassing liquids, A tube unit according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The system comprises a housing in which the tube unit is housed, Each of the aforementioned plurality of tubes is a tubular membrane that is permeable to gas but not to liquid. The housing has through-holes for the internal space that communicate with the internal space of each of the plurality of tubes and into which the binding portion of the tube unit is inserted, and through-holes for the external space that communicate with the external space of the plurality of tubes. Degassing module.

13. The housing further includes a connector in which the through-hole for the internal space is formed, The fastening portion is connected to the connector. The degassing module according to claim 12.

14. The aforementioned multiple tubes are wound in a circular shape. The degassing module according to claim 12.

15. A method for manufacturing a tube unit in which the ends of multiple tubes are bound together, The end of each of the plurality of tubes is attached to an auxiliary member that extends in the shape of a solid rod, and the end of each of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary member are attached to each other at a binding point while being spaced apart from each other. The auxiliary member is a dummy member of the tube, positioned at the location of the binding portion where the end of the tube should be located. A method for manufacturing tube units.

16. The aforementioned bundling step is, An inner sleeve fitting step is to fit an inner sleeve made of a heat-meltable resin onto at least one of the ends of the plurality of tubes, An outer sleeve fitting step is performed by fitting an outer sleeve made of heat-shrinkable resin onto the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members, The process includes a heating step, which, after the inner sleeve fitting step and the outer sleeve fitting step, heats the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve to shrink the outer sleeve and melt the inner sleeve. A method for manufacturing a tube unit according to claim 15.

17. In the outer sleeve fitting step, the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members are arranged inside the outer sleeve to form a honeycomb structure. A method for manufacturing a tube unit according to claim 16.

18. In the outer sleeve fitting step, the ends of the plurality of tubes and the auxiliary members are arranged in a regular polygonal shape inside the outer sleeve. A method for manufacturing a tube unit according to claim 16.

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