JPH0320986A - Shrinkable elastic body sleeve - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To effectively connect the edge parts opposite to each other, by making the sealing members engages with each other for holding the first and second side edge parts at the adjacent position. CONSTITUTION: A sleeve 5 is formed of a sheet 6 of a chemically swollen elastic substance which is shrunk when exposed to the outside air. The sleeve 5 comprises a first side edge part 20 and a second side edge part 22 opposite to each other at a position adjacent to each other, and a sealing part 20 for joining the edge parts 20 and 22. The sealing part 10 has a male sealing member 12 and a female sealing member 14 respectively positioned at the edge parts of 20 and 22. Further, the sealing member 12 has a flange part 12a, and the sealing member 14 has a flange part 14a. The sealing members 12, 14 are formed by a substance harder than the elastic body substance, and strongly seal the opposite edge parts of the sleeve 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a new and improved chemically expanded elastomer sleeve, and more particularly to a pipe having an elongated sleeve as described above. The present invention relates to an improved sleeve for connecting opposing edges of a cable, conduit or similar member when wrapped around the same.

[Conventional technology]

If the distance is long, use a pipe. cable. Joints for interconnecting conduits and other extensions. It is well known that certain shrinkable protectants are used to protect fittings and welds. One of the well-known materials for forming the above-mentioned protective sleeves is a heat-shrinkable material that, when applied over the joint and heated, shrinks to tightly adhere to the parts forming the joint.

These types of sleeves and devices for connecting the above-mentioned components around pipes, cables, etc. are disclosed in U.S. Pat.
379,218, 3,530,898, 4,218
,814,4,241,119 ,4,371,578
, 4,442,154, 4,532,168 and 4,541,145.

A device for connecting mutually opposite sides of the sleeve described above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,866 and is also owned by the applicant. Referring to the prior publication of this patent, the device consists of a rond disposed within a passageway extending between mutually opposing edges of the sleeve. Male and female members, arranged alternately and mutually opposite, are inserted through the gap in the edges of the sleeve to engage the rods together and hold the edges of the sleeve in a parallel position. It stands out from Rondo.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, these rondos are not attached directly to the sleeve. Therefore, the lock state is not very strong. Additionally, since the sleeve expands both longitudinally and laterally, a longer rond is required to accommodate the lateral expansion or expansion of the sleeve.

Therefore, when the sleeve is retracted, the lock is relatively loose when using a longer rod.

Additionally, previously used shrinkable protective tubing required a "flap." The task of this flap is to prevent moisture or water from penetrating from below the sleeve through the gaps created by the various locking devices. The flasop is installed under the above-mentioned gap and protects the pipes or parts lying underneath from moisture. Providing flaps on the protective tubing not only complicates manufacturing, but also makes it difficult to properly install the protective tubing or sleeve over the pipe or other member.

The present invention is a sleeve made of a chemically expanded elastic material that contracts when exposed to the outside air, which is placed over the ends of pipes (etc.) to be connected to each other, and due to the contraction action,
The present invention provides a sleeve in which the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve is closely connected to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention consists of a sheet of chemically expanded elastomer material for sleeve-shaped receptacles that contracts upon exposure to ambient air, the sheet comprising first and second opposing side edges, first and second sealing members extending longitudinally from each of the first and second side edges as a structural member of the sleeve; The sealing member is dimensionally stable when exposed to ambient air and is made of a material that is substantially harder than the elastomeric material, and the sealing member has first and second side edges. A contractible elastic sleeve characterized in that it is made to engage with each other in order to hold it in an adjacent position. [Function] When this sleeve is exposed to the outside air, it contracts in the radial direction,
The first and second sealing members are brought into close contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the pipes, etc. to be connected to each other, and are engaged with each other, so that the pipes, etc. are firmly connected to each other via the sleeve.

〔Example〕

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG.
shows. The sleeve 5 is made of an elastomer material, which is a suitable extensible material such as rubber or plastic. One suitable material for the sheet 6 forming the sleeve 5 is ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), another material is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is coated with a suitable solvent such as acetic acid. A material that chemically expands or swells when brought into contact with an acetate-based swelling agent such as ethyl, a liquid hydrocarbon such as trichloroethane, toluene, acetone, etc. is selected. In this expansion or inflation phase, the sleeve 5 can be packed in a sealed case in a stack for shipping or storage until used, and removed from the case at the time of use. Then, when the sleeve 5 is exposed to the outside air and the solvent evaporates or volatilizes,
Deflate from an expanded or expanded state to its original dimensions.

The sleeve 5 has a first side edge 20 and a second side edge 22 located adjacent to each other and opposite to each other, and a seal for joining the edges 20 and 22 to each other. (or binding) part 10. The seal 10 has a male seal member 12 and a female seal member 4 located at edges 20 and 22, respectively. The sealing member 12 further includes a flange portion 123, and the sealing member 14 further includes a flange portion 14a.

In this embodiment, flange portions 12a and 14a
is made of the same material as the sleeve 5, namely a chemically expanded elastic material that contracts when exposed to the outside air, such as PvC. However, the sealing members 12 and 14 are formed of a material that is substantially harder than the elastomeric material described above, such as polypropylene, to provide a strong seal that firmly joins opposing edges of the sleeve. Or polyethylene is preferable. The flange parts 12a and 14a and the sealing members l2 and 14 can be extruded together or they can be attached to each edge of the sleeve 5, for example by high-frequency welding. The thickness of the flange part is approximately the same as the thickness of the sleeve and O. It is ltm.

In another embodiment, the flange portion is made of a hard material that does not expand when exposed to the chemicals used to expand the sleeve 5. The flange portion includes sealing members 12 and 14.
can be made from the same material as the sleeve 5 and be thinner than the sleeve 5, i.e. about 0. 0 5 +n. The flange part can also be welded to the edge of the sleeve 5. As shown in FIG.
2 extends over the entire length of the edge 20 of the sleeve 5, and likewise the female sealing member l4 extends over the entire length of the edge 22. This advantageously provides an engaging action over the entire length of the edges 20 and 22 when they are adjacent to each other.

As shown, the sealing member 12 has a raised portion extending from its body 12C, ie, a longitudinally extending protrusion 12b, with the female sealing member 14 engaging the protrusion 12b. The recess 14b made in the size and shape is inserted into the main body 1.
It has on 4C.

As mentioned above, the present invention requires a flap to prevent moisture and water from penetrating from beneath the sleeve 5 and from wetting the pipe or other member around which the sleeve 5 is secured. I don't. However, the sleeve of the present invention may include small bead, for example a bead made of butyl rubber plaster placed longitudinally in the recess 14b. By using beat l6,
Can be sealed to prevent moisture and water penetration. This beat, which creates a waterproof seal, has a diameter of approximately 1. 0 fi. After the projections 12b and recesses 14b are engaged, the beats 16 expand to create a substantially watertight seal. The sealing members 12 and 14 in accordance with the present invention may take on other shapes, configurations, or configurations capable of performing the intended engagement action of the present invention. In use, the sleeve 5 is used to connect two pipes to each other. It can be pre-shaped to approximately match the shape of a cable, conduit or similar member, but with somewhat larger dimensions to allow sliding over the joint of the pipe or the like. Then, when two pipes (etc.) to be connected to each other are inserted into the sleeve 5 so as to face each other, and the sleeve 5 is exposed to the outside air, the solvent volatilizes or evaporates and begins to shrink. However, the dimensions of the sealing members 12 and 14 remain stable even when exposed to the outside air. Therefore, these parts do not shrink. Once the sleeve has contracted enough to engage the pipe, further contraction is prevented. At this point, the protruding portion 12b of the sealing member 12 is connected to the recessed portion 14b of the sealing member l4.
At the same time, the entire sleeve 5 tightly and closely engages the two pipes over their entire length, and the pipes are connected to each other via the sleeve 5. The sleeve 5 of the invention can be made in various sizes. For example, its length can be 30 countries or 40 CI1. When the length of the sleeve is 30CI1, the sealing member 12
and 14 will be approximately 30 cm in length. The sleeve of the present invention can be used with thinner or thicker pipes, eg, about 1370 mm in diameter. The material forming the sleeve 5 is very flexible, and its tensile strength decreases by about 50% in the expanded state.
When exposed to the outside air, it regains its original tensile strength.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that non-essential features of the invention may be varied in various ways without departing from the scope and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. It should be obvious that it can be done.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The sleeve of the present invention is configured such that it is expanded in advance with a solvent and then contracted by exposing it to the outside air, and the sealing members provided facing each other are engaged with each other. It is something that can be connected.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part of the sleeve when opposing edges of the sleeve are engaged. 5...Sleeve, 6...Sheet, 10...Sealing part, 12.14...Sealing member, 12b...Protrusion part, 1
2 C, 1 4 C.・=Main body, 12a, 14a...
・Flange part, 14b... recessed part, 16... beat,
20.22...Edge.

Claims (1)

Claims: (1) a sheet of chemically expanded elastomeric material for forming a sleeve that contracts upon exposure to ambient air, the sheet having first and second opposing sides that can be adjacent to each other; a first and second sealing member extending longitudinally from each of the first and second side edges as a component of the sleeve, the sealing member being a component of the sleeve; dimensionally stable when touched and made of a material that is substantially harder than the elastomeric material, the sealing member retaining the first and second side edges in an adjacent position; A contractible elastomer sleeve, characterized in that the sleeve is configured to interengage with each other. The sleeve of claim 1, including: (2) a flange extending from each of said first and second sealing members and secured to each of said first and second side edges. 3. The sleeve of claim 2, wherein said flange and said sealing member are made of the same material. (4) said first sealing member has a male connector member extending longitudinally of said first side edge, said second sealing member engaging said first male connector member; 2. The sleeve of claim 1, further comprising a longitudinally extending female connector member on said second side edge for mating. 5. A sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said sealing member is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene and polyethylene. (6) comprising a sheet of chemically expanded elastomeric material for forming a sleeve that contracts upon exposure to ambient air, said sheet having first and second opposing edges of said sleeve that can be brought into close proximity to each other; , first and second flange members longitudinally joined to each of the first and second opposing edges, the first and second flange members being made from the elastomeric material; , first and second sealing members projecting longitudinally from the first and second flange members, the sealing members being made of a material substantially harder than the elastomeric material, and A contractible elastomer sleeve, characterized in that the first and second opposing edges of the sleeve are configured to interengage to hold the first and second opposing edges in an adjacent position. 7. The sleeve of claim 6, wherein the first and second flange members are radio frequency welded to the first and second opposing edges of the sleeve, respectively. (8) said first sealing member has a male connector member extending longitudinally of said first edge; said second sealing member is adapted to engage said male connector member; 7. The sleeve of claim 6 including a longitudinally extending female connector member at the second edge. (9) The sleeve according to claim 6, wherein the dimensions of the first and second sealing members are stable even when exposed to outside air. 10. The sleeve of claim 9, wherein said sealing member is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene and polyethylene. 11. The sleeve of claim 8, further comprising a beat extending substantially longitudinally of said female connector member to create a substantially watertight seal.