Cable laying auxiliary device

Abstract

This cable laying auxiliary device (10A) comprises: a housing (11) that has wheels (15) and is provided so as to be movable in a traveling direction (Z direction); a cable pressing part (12) that is provided in a front portion (11a) of the housing (11) in the traveling direction and presses a cable (1) laid in a groove (5) below the housing (11); and a filler emission part (14) that is positioned behind the cable pressing part (12) in the traveling direction and emits a filler (17) into the groove (5) in an amount corresponding to the number of rotations of the wheels (15) at a time when the housing (11) travels in the traveling direction.

Description

Cable Laying Auxiliary Equipment

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cable installation assist device.

[0002] A cable that is laid directly on the road surface such as the ground (see Patent Document 1) and a cable laying technique (Patent Document 2) are being considered.

[0003] International Publication No. WO 2021 / 255823 International Publication No. WO 2021 / 176534

[0004] When a cable is laid in a groove in the road surface, if the cable still has a bent tendency, it may protrude from the groove onto the road surface. To prevent this, measures such as filling the groove with a filler material can be considered. However, since it takes a certain amount of time for the filler material to harden, the cable may become exposed from the filler before the hardening process has progressed, which can easily interfere with the laying work.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a cable laying auxiliary device that can prevent a cable from being exposed from a trench during the work of laying the cable in the trench.

[0006] A cable laying auxiliary device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing having wheels and movable in the direction of travel, a cable holding section provided at the front of the housing in the direction of travel and configured to hold down a cable laid in a groove below the housing, and a filler ejection section located behind the cable holding section in the direction of travel and configured to eject an amount of filler into the groove according to the number of rotations of the wheels as the housing travels in the direction of travel.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a cable laying auxiliary device that can prevent a cable from being exposed from a trench during the work of laying the cable in the trench.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a cable-laying auxiliary device according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cable-laying auxiliary device as seen from plane A-A in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a configuration diagram of a cable-laying auxiliary device according to a first modified example of this embodiment. Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram of a cable-laying auxiliary device according to a second modified example of this embodiment. Fig. 5 is a configuration diagram of a cable-laying auxiliary device according to a third modified example of this embodiment.

[0009] A cable laying auxiliary device 10A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical parts are designated by the same reference numerals and will not be described again. For ease of explanation, mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions are defined. The X direction is the width direction of the cable laying auxiliary device 10A and the width direction of the groove 5. The Y direction is parallel to the height direction of the cable laying auxiliary device 10A and the depth direction of the groove 5. The Z direction is the traveling direction of the cable laying auxiliary device 10A and the extension direction of the groove 5. The cable 1 held down by the cable laying auxiliary device 10A is, for example, an optical cable or an electric cable.

[0010] For ease of explanation, the cable-laying auxiliary device 10A according to this embodiment will be referred to as auxiliary device 10A below. Fig. 1 is a structural diagram of auxiliary device 10A according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of auxiliary device 10A as viewed from plane A-A in Fig. 1, which is perpendicular to the Z direction. As shown in Fig. 1, auxiliary device 10A includes a housing 11 having wheels 15, a cable retainer 12, a power transmission unit 13, and a filler ejection unit 14.

[0011] The housing 11 is a hollow box or frame. The housing 11 accommodates at least the power transmission unit 13 and the filler ejection unit 14. Wheels 15 are attached to the front portion (front part) 11a and the rear portion (rear part) 11b of the housing 11 in the Z direction. That is, the housing 11 is provided so as to be movable at least in the Z direction. A handle (not shown) that an operator can grip may be attached to the housing 11.

[0012] The cable retainer 12 is provided on the front portion 11a of the housing 11 in the Z direction. The cable retainer 12 presses the cable 1, which is laid in the groove 5 below the housing 11, toward the bottom surface 5a of the groove 5 with a predetermined pressure. This pressure is set to a value that does not impair the transmission characteristics of the cable 1. By the cable retainer 12 pressing down on the cable 1, lifting of the cable 1 in the Y direction (i.e., upward) due to bending or the like is suppressed.

[0013] The cable retainer 12 includes, for example, a roller 16 that contacts the cable 1. The roller 16 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the X direction and is provided so as to be rotatable about a central axis extending in the X direction. However, the cable retainer 12 may include a non-rotating member that contacts the cable 1 instead of the roller 16, as long as excessive friction with the cable 1 is not generated.

[0014] The filler ejection unit 14 is located behind the cable holding unit 12 in the Z direction inside the housing 11. The filler ejection unit 14 ejects an amount of filler 17 into the groove 5 according to the number of rotations of the wheels 15 when the housing 11 moves in the Z direction. The filler 17 is, for example, a curable liquid resin or adhesive.

[0015] The filler ejection unit 14 includes a filler container 18 that stores the filler 17, and a filler extrusion unit 19 that uses rotational power, described below, to extrude the filler 17 from the filler container 18. The filler container 18 is a vertically long container that extends in the Y direction, and has an ejection port 18a for the filler 17 at its bottom. The ejection port 18a opens downward.

[0016] The filler extruding unit 19 is slidably provided within the filler container 18. Specifically, the filler extruding unit 19 is slidably provided on the inner peripheral surface of the filler container 18. The filler extruding unit 19 extends in the Y direction and is threadedly engaged with a rotating shaft 20 having an outer peripheral surface on which a screw groove (thread) is formed. When the rotating shaft 20 is rotated by the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13, the filler extruding unit 19 moves upward or downward along the Y direction depending on the direction of rotation.

[0017] The filler 17 is filled below the filler extruding part 19 inside the filler container 18. Therefore, when the filler extruding part 19 moves downward, the filler 17 is pressed from above by the filler extruding part 19 and is ejected from the ejection port 18 a.

[0018] The power transmission unit 13 transmits rotational power based on the rotation of wheels 15 provided on the front portion 11a or the rear portion 11b of the housing 11 to the filler ejection unit 14. The power transmission unit 13 includes, for example, a transmission mechanism 21 that mechanically connects the wheels 15 and the filler extruding unit 19. The transmission mechanism 21 is composed of a plurality of shafts 22 and a plurality of gears (not shown) and connects the wheels 15 and the rotation shaft 20. Therefore, when the wheels 15 rotate as the housing 11 moves in the Z direction, the power generated by the rotation is transmitted to the rotation shaft 20 of the filler ejection unit 14 via the power transmission unit 13. This causes the rotation shaft 20 to rotate, and further, the filler extruding unit 19 moves downward, causing the filler 17 to be ejected from the filler ejection unit 14.

[0019] The power transmission unit 13 may be a motor (not shown) connected to the rotating shaft 20. In this case, the motor drives the rotating shaft 20 to rotate based on information from a sensor (not shown) that detects the rotation (e.g., the number of rotations) of the wheel 15. In this case, there is no mechanical connection between the wheel 15 and the rotating shaft 20.

[0020] 2, the auxiliary device 10A is placed with the wheels 15, 15 straddling the groove 5. At this time, the outlet 18a of the filler outlet 14 is located above the groove 5. The auxiliary device 10A moves in the Z direction while the cable holder 12 maintains a state in which the cable 1 is pressed against the bottom surface 5a of the groove 5. At this time, because the cable holder 12 is pressing down on the cable 1, the cable 1 is pressed down against the bottom surface 5a, and the cable 1 is prevented from floating up due to its tendency to bend.

[0021] 1, with the cable 1 pressed against the bottom surface 5a, filler 17 is injected into the trench 5 from the filler outlet 14, and the filler 17 hardens. That is, during the installation of the cable 1 in the trench 5, the prevention of the cable 1 from floating up in the trench 5 and the injection of the filler 17 are carried out almost simultaneously. Thus, the cable 1 can be prevented from protruding (being exposed) from the trench 5 until the filler 17 hardens.

[0022] Furthermore, since the filler is filled into the groove 5 while the cable 1 is pressed against the bottom surface 5a, excess air in the groove 5 can be eliminated, and a local decrease in strength of the filler after hardening, which may be caused by excess air, can be suppressed. Furthermore, by setting the height of the housing 11 or the height of a handle (not shown) attached to the housing 11 to a value that matches the height of the worker, the worker can inject the filler 17 into the groove 5 while in a walking position.

[0023] 3 is a configuration diagram of an assisting device 10B according to a first modified example of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the assisting device 10B according to the first modified example further includes a sensor unit 25 and a power adjusting unit 26 in addition to the configuration described above.

[0024] The sensor unit 25 includes a depth sensor 27 that detects the depth of the groove 5 along the Y direction, a width sensor 28 that detects the width of the groove 5 along the X direction, and a distance sensor 29 that detects the travel distance of the housing 11 (auxiliary device 10B) along the Z direction.

[0025] The depth sensor 27 measures, for example, the distance traveled along the Y direction of the support shaft 30 of the cable retainer 12 (roller 16). Alternatively, the depth sensor 27 may be a well-known distance measuring sensor that uses light. The width sensor 28 is also, for example, a well-known distance measuring sensor that uses light. The distance sensor 29 is, for example, an encoder with a well-known configuration that measures the number of rotations of the wheel 15 per unit time. The sensor unit 25 outputs information on the depth and width of the groove 5 detected by the above-mentioned sensors and the travel distance of the housing 11 (auxiliary device 10B) to the power adjustment unit 26.

[0026] The power adjusting unit 26 is configured with a speed change gear that adjusts the rotation speed of the shaft 22. Alternatively, if the power transmitting unit 13 is configured with a motor or the like, the power adjusting unit 26 may control the power transmitting unit 13 based on information obtained by the sensor unit 25.

[0027] Based on the above information, the power adjustment unit 26 adjusts the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13 to adjust the amount of the filler 17 emitted. For example, the power adjustment unit 26 adjusts the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13 so that the filler 17 reaches the opening 5 b of the groove 5.

[0028] The volume per unit length in the groove 5 along the Z direction can be determined from the above value detected by the sensor unit 25. The power adjustment unit 26 adjusts the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13 based on this volume and the traveling speed of the housing 11 (auxiliary device 10B) so that an appropriate amount of filler 17 is emitted, for example, an amount that fills the groove 5 with filler 17. In other words, according to the first modification of this embodiment, an appropriate amount of filler 17 can be automatically injected depending on the width and depth of the groove 5.

[0029] Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram of an auxiliary device 10C according to a second modified example of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the auxiliary device 10C includes an installation section 34 for the guide 33 in addition to the configuration of the auxiliary device 10B according to the first modified example. The installation section 34 is provided between the cable holding section 12 and the filler material outlet section 14 in the Z direction. The installation section 34 is driven by the rotational power of the power transmission section 13, and installs the guide 33 for the cable 1 in the groove 5 in which the cable 1 is laid.

[0030] The guide 33 prevents the cable 1 from lifting up after being pressed by the cable pressing portion 12 and before the filler 17 is poured. The guide 33 has, for example, a U-shape that straddles the cable 1 in the X direction. However, the shape of the guide 33 is arbitrary as long as it can prevent the cable 1 from lifting up. The guide 33 may also be a weight that presses the cable 1 against the bottom surface 5 a of the groove 5.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 4 , the installation unit 34 includes a guide container 35 that stores a plurality of guides 33, and a guide push-out unit 36 ​​that is provided in the guide container 35 and pushes the guides 33 out of the guide container 35 using the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13. The guide container 35 is a vertically elongated container that extends in the Y direction, and has an outlet 35a for the guides 33 at its bottom. The outlet 35a opens downward. The outlet 35a is located in front of the outlet 18a for the filler 17 in the Z direction. For example, the outlet 35a and the outlet 18a are aligned in a line along the Z direction.

[0032] The guide push-out portion 36 is slidably provided within the guide container 35. Specifically, the guide push-out portion 36 is slidably provided on the inner peripheral surface of the guide container 35. The guide push-out portion 36 extends in the Y direction and is threadedly engaged with a rotating shaft 37 having an outer peripheral surface on which a screw groove (thread) is formed. When the rotating shaft 37 is rotated by the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13, the guide push-out portion 36 moves upward or downward along the Y direction depending on the direction of rotation.

[0033] The multiple guides 33 are stored in a row along the Y direction below the guide push-out portion 36 inside the guide container 35. Therefore, when the guide push-out portion 36 moves downward, the guides 33 as a whole are pressed from above by the guide push-out portion 36, and are sequentially pushed downward through the outlet 35 a, starting with the lowest guide 33.

[0034] Like the filler ejection unit 14, the installation unit 34 is also driven by the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13. Therefore, the installation unit 34 pushes out the guide 33 while the auxiliary device 10C is moving in the Z direction.

[0035] By placing the guide 33 in the groove 5 so as to straddle the cable 1, the cable 1 is prevented from floating up after being held down by the cable holding portion 12 and before the filler material 17 is poured in. Furthermore, the prevention of the cable 1 from floating up by the guide 33 is maintained at least until the filler material 17 is poured into the groove 5 and hardens. Therefore, it is possible to promote the prevention of the cable 1 from floating up (i.e., exposure from the groove 5) before the filler material 17 hardens.

[0036] 5 is a configuration diagram of an auxiliary device 10D according to a third modified example of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the auxiliary device 10D includes an adhesive ejection unit 39 that ejects adhesive 38 in addition to the configuration of the auxiliary device 10B according to the first modified example. The adhesive ejection unit 39 is provided between the cable pressing unit 12 and the filler ejection unit 14 in the Z direction. The adhesive ejection unit 39 is driven by the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13 and ejects the adhesive 38 into the groove 5 in which the cable 1 is laid. Note that the adhesive 38 in this example is a so-called instant adhesive that begins to harden quickly after being ejected.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5 , the adhesive ejection unit 39 includes an adhesive container 40 that stores adhesive 38, and an adhesive extrusion unit 41 that is provided in the adhesive container 40 and that extrudes the adhesive 38 from the adhesive container 40 using the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13. The adhesive container 40 is a vertically elongated container that extends in the Y direction, and has an ejection port 40a for the adhesive 38 at its bottom. The ejection port 40a opens downward. The ejection port 40a for the adhesive 38 is located in front of the ejection port 18a for the filler 17 in the Z direction. For example, the ejection port 40a and the ejection port 18a are aligned in a line along the Z direction.

[0038] The adhesive extruding unit 41 is slidably provided within the adhesive container 40. Specifically, the adhesive extruding unit 41 is slidably provided on the inner circumferential surface of the adhesive container 40. The adhesive extruding unit 41 extends in the Y direction and is threadedly engaged with a rotating shaft 42 having an outer circumferential surface on which a screw groove (thread) is formed. When the rotating shaft 42 is rotated by the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13, the adhesive extruding unit 41 moves upward or downward along the Y direction depending on the direction of rotation.

[0039] The adhesive 38 is stored below the adhesive extruding section 41 inside the adhesive container 40. Therefore, when the adhesive extruding section 41 moves downward, the adhesive 38 is pressed from above by the adhesive extruding section 41 and is ejected from the ejection port 40 a.

[0040] Like the filler ejection unit 14, the adhesive ejection unit 39 is also driven by the rotational power of the power transmission unit 13. Therefore, the adhesive ejection unit 39 ejects the adhesive 38 while the auxiliary device 10D is moving in the Z direction. Note that while the auxiliary device 10D is moving, the adhesive 38 may be ejected continuously or intermittently. In either case, however, the amount of adhesive 38 ejected is sufficient to prevent the cable 1 from lifting up.

[0041] By ejecting the above-mentioned amount of adhesive 38 onto the cable 1, the cable 1 is prevented from lifting up after being held down by the cable holder 12 and before the filler 17 is poured in. Furthermore, the prevention of the cable 1 from lifting up by the hardened adhesive 38 is maintained at least until the filler 17 is poured into the groove 5 and hardens. Therefore, it is possible to promote the prevention of the cable 1 from lifting up (i.e., exposure from the groove 5) before the filler 17 hardens.

[0042] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Cable 5 Groove 5b Opening 10A to 10D Cable laying auxiliary device (auxiliary device) 11 Housing 13 Power transmission section 14 Filler material ejection section 15 Wheels 17 Filler material 18 Filler material container 19 Filler material extrusion section 21 Transmission mechanism 25 Sensor section 26 Power adjustment section 27 Sensor 33 Guide 34 Installation section 35 Guide container 36 Guide extrusion section 38 Adhesive 39 Adhesive ejection section 40 Adhesive container 41 Adhesive extrusion section

Claims

1. A cable laying auxiliary device comprising: a housing having wheels and movable in a direction of travel; a cable holding unit provided at the front of the housing in the direction of travel and configured to hold down a cable laid in a groove below the housing; and a filler ejection unit located behind the cable holding unit in the direction of travel and configured to eject an amount of filler into the groove according to the number of rotations of the wheels as the housing travels in the direction of travel.

2. A cable laying auxiliary device as described in claim 1, comprising a power transmission unit that transmits rotational power based on the rotation of the wheel to the filler material ejection unit, the filler material ejection unit including a filler material container that stores the filler material, and a filler material extrusion unit that is slidably disposed within the filler material container and that uses the rotational power to push the filler material out of the filler material container.

3. The cable-laying assist device according to claim 2, wherein the power transmission unit includes a transmission mechanism that mechanically connects the wheel and the filler material extrusion unit.

4. A cable laying auxiliary device as described in claim 2 or 3, comprising: a sensor unit that detects the depth and width of the groove and the travel distance of the housing; and a power adjustment unit that adjusts the rotational power based on the depth and width and the travel distance detected by the sensor unit so that the filler reaches the opening of the groove.

5. A cable laying auxiliary device as described in claim 2 or 3, further comprising an installation section that is provided between the cable holding section and the filler material ejection section in the traveling direction, is driven by the rotational power, and installs a guide for the cable in the groove in which the cable is laid.

6. A cable laying auxiliary device as described in claim 5, wherein the installation section includes: a guide container that stores the guide; and a guide pushing section that is provided within the guide container and pushes the guide out of the guide container by the rotational power.

7. A cable laying auxiliary device as described in claim 2 or 3, further comprising an adhesive ejection section that is disposed between the cable holding section and the filler ejection section in the traveling direction, that is driven by the rotational power, and that ejects adhesive into the groove in which the cable is laid.

8. A cable laying auxiliary device as described in claim 7, wherein the adhesive ejection section includes an adhesive container that stores the adhesive, and an adhesive extrusion section that is slidably disposed within the adhesive container and that extrudes the adhesive from the adhesive container using the rotational power.

Images