HK1260431B - Joining structure for rubber-cored string, and solidifier for joining rubber-cored string - Google Patents

Description

Joint structure of rope with rubber core and curing agent for joint of rope with rubber core

Technical Field

The present invention mainly relates to a joint structure for aligning and joining the two ends of a rope with a rubber core, or a joint structure for aligning and joining the ends of two ropes with rubber cores, and also relates to a curing agent used when forming such a joint structure for ropes with a rubber core.

Background Art

A rubber ring, formed by joining the two ends of a rubber-cored cord (also called a braided rubber-cored cord) together to form a loop, is used as a hair tie or accessory. A rubber-cored cord consists of one or more rubber cores and a stretchable cover made of braided fiber yarn that covers the rubber cores.

In manufacturing such a rubber ring, a curing agent (also called a hardener) is applied to both ends of a rubber-cored cord forming the rubber ring and cured, or a curing agent is applied locally to a long rubber-cored cord and cured, followed by cutting the cured portion, thereby producing the rubber-cored cord forming the rubber ring (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). Curing the two ends of the rubber-cored cord forming the rubber ring with the curing agent prevents or suppresses fuzzing of the fiber yarn at the ends of the stretchable cover and concavity of the end surface of the rubber core from the ends of the stretchable cover. Furthermore, curing the two ends of the rubber-cored cord with the curing agent in this manner makes it easier to align the two ends and join them with an adhesive, while also improving the joint strength of the two ends.

Prior art literature

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-34317

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-40173.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In terms of the function and quality of rubber rings, it goes without saying that the joint strength of the two ends of the rope with a rubber core is extremely important. For rubber ring manufacturers, improving the joint strength of the two ends of the rope with a rubber core is an eternal issue.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides a joint structure having a higher joint strength than the joint structure of a rubber ring with a rubber core in the prior art. In addition, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides a curing agent that enables a rubber core rope to have such a joint structure having such a higher joint strength.

Means for solving problems

The present invention is a joint structure of a rope with a rubber core, wherein the two ends of the rope with a rubber core are matched together, or the ends of two ropes with rubber cores are matched together and joined with an adhesive; at the two ends of the rope with a rubber core, or the ends of two ropes with rubber cores, a cured portion is formed by a cured curing agent, and the cured portion contains porous particles.

The present invention is a joint structure for ropes with rubber cores, wherein the two ends of a braided rope or a twisted rope formed by braiding or twisting a plurality of ropes with rubber cores are joined together, or the ends of two braided ropes or twisted ropes, each of which is formed by braiding or twisting a plurality of ropes with rubber cores, are joined together and joined with an adhesive; at the two ends of the braided rope or the twisted rope, or at the ends of the two braided ropes or the twisted ropes, a cured portion is formed by a cured curing agent, and the cured portion contains porous particles.

The present invention provides a curing agent that is attached to both ends of a rubber-cored rope, or to the ends of two rubber-cored ropes, to form a rubber-cored rope joint structure. In the rubber-cored rope joint structure, the two ends of the rubber-cored rope, or the ends of the two rubber-cored ropes, are joined together and bonded with an adhesive. The curing agent comprises a solvent containing a curing component and porous particles added to the solvent. The porous particles may be porous polymer particles, porous inorganic particles, carbon particles, gravel particles, or a mixture of these particles. The curing component may be polyvinyl alcohol and the solvent may be water.

The present invention is a method for producing the above-mentioned joint structure of the rope with a rubber core, which includes: a step of attaching a curing agent to both ends of the rope with a rubber core; or a step of locally attaching a curing agent to a long rope with a rubber core, curing the curing agent to form a cured portion, and then cutting the long rope with a rubber core at the cured portion, wherein the curing agent includes: a solvent containing a curing component, and porous particles added to the solvent.

The present invention is a method for producing the above-mentioned joint structure of the rope with rubber core, which includes: locally attaching a curing agent to a long braided rope or twisted rope, curing the curing agent to form a cured portion, and then cutting the long braided rope or twisted rope at the cured portion, wherein the curing agent includes: a solvent containing a curing component, and porous particles added to the solvent.

Effects of the Invention

According to the present invention, as confirmed by the test results shown below, a joint structure of a rope with a rubber core having a higher joint strength than a conventional joint structure of a rope with a rubber core can be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a perspective view showing a rubber ring having a joint structure of a rope with a rubber core according to the present invention.

FIG2 is a cross-sectional view of a rope with a rubber core constituting the rubber ring shown in FIG1 .

3( a ) to ( d ) are explanatory diagrams showing steps of manufacturing the rubber ring shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a rubber ring having a joint structure of a rope with a rubber core according to the present invention.

5( a ) to ( d ) are explanatory diagrams showing steps of manufacturing the rubber ring shown in FIG. 4 .

6( a ) to ( d ) are explanatory diagrams showing steps of manufacturing the rubber ring shown in FIG. 4 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG1 is a perspective view of a first rubber ring 1 having a rubber-cored cord joint structure according to the present invention, and FIG2 is a cross-sectional view of a rubber-cored cord 11 constituting the first rubber ring 1, cut along its longitudinal direction.

The rubber-cored cord 11 comprises an elongated rubber core 13 made of natural or synthetic rubber, and a stretchable cover 15 covering the rubber core 13. The cross-section of the rubber core 13 (taken along a plane perpendicular to its longitudinal direction) is, for example, rectangular or circular, but the cross-sectional shape of the rubber core 13 is not limited in the present invention. In this embodiment, the rubber-cored cord 11 comprises a single rubber core 13. However, in the present invention, multiple rubber-cored cords 11 may be bundled together using the stretchable cover 15.

The stretchable cover 15 is formed by weaving fiber yarns stretchably along the longitudinal direction of the rubber core cord 11. As the fiber yarns forming the stretchable cover 15, for example, cotton yarn, polyester yarn, rayon yarn, or polyurethane yarn can be used.

The first rubber ring 1 includes a joint structure 2 for aligning the two ends of a rubber-cored cord 11 and joining them with adhesive 21 (see FIG3(d)). The joint structure 2 includes cured portions 23 formed at the two ends of the rubber-cored cord 11, with the end surfaces of the cured portions 23 at the two ends being bonded to each other with adhesive 21.

The cured portion 23 of the rubber-cored rope 11 is formed by attaching a curing agent 25 (see FIG3(a) ) to the rubber-cored rope 11 and curing it. The curing agent 25 includes a solvent containing a curing component and porous particles added to the solvent. As the curing component, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cellulose derivatives, polysaccharides, sugars, glycerol derivatives, polylysine, polyallylamine, polyalkylene polyamine, polyalkylamine, polyethyleneimine, etc. can be used. As the solvent, water is used. Polyvinyl alcohol and water have also been used as the curing component and solvent of the curing agent, respectively, in the previous joint structure of the rubber-cored rope.

Furthermore, an organic solvent-based detergent may be included in the curing agent 25. The detergent itself vaporizes, thereby providing fine pores in the cured portion 23 formed by the curing agent 25. Examples of the organic solvent-based detergent include cyclohexanone, methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, 1,2-dichloropropane (propylene dichloride), dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, toluene, n-heptane, and acetone.

The present invention is characterized in that the curing agent 25 contains porous particles, and the cured portion 23 of the rope 11 with a rubber core contains porous particles. Examples of porous particles include porous polymer particles, porous inorganic particles, carbon particles, gravel particles, and any mixture of these particles. Any porous particles can be used as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. In the present invention, the shape of the porous particles is not limited. The porous particles can be, for example, spherical or linear, and can also be fiber powder. In the present invention, the porous particles are preferably microparticles. The average particle size of the particles is, for example, 50 μm or less. As long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, porous particles of any size can be used.

Examples of porous polymer particles that can be used as the porous particles of the present invention include porous particles made of nylon, polyolefin, polyester, polyurethane, polycarbonate, polyetheretherketone, poly(phenylene ether), or poly(ethersulfone), and any mixtures thereof.

Porous inorganic particles that can be used as the porous particles according to the present invention include porous particles made of silica, alumina, titania, or zirconia, and any mixtures thereof.

Carbon particles that can be used as the porous particles according to the present invention include carbon particles composed of black carbon, white carbon, bamboo charcoal, binchotan charcoal, and any mixtures thereof.

Examples of the porous particles that can be used as gravel particles in the present invention include those obtained by crushing and sieving porous natural stones such as tourmaline, zeolite, granite, shell fossils, sunstone, coral fossils, chlorite, otei stone, and medical stone, volcanic rocks, and tuff, and any mixtures thereof.

As the adhesive 21 that can be used in the present invention to join the end surfaces of both ends of the rubber core cord 11, a water-insoluble adhesive having permeability is preferably used, and for example, a cyanoacrylate-based adhesive can be used.

Figures 3(a) to 3(d) are explanatory diagrams outlining the steps for manufacturing the first rubber ring 1 shown in Figure 1. First, as shown in Figure 3(a), a curing agent 25 containing porous particles is adhered to a long rubber-cored cord 31 at intervals. The areas of the rubber-cored cord 31 where the curing agent 25 is adhered are spaced apart by the circumference of the first rubber ring 1. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 3(b), the curing agent 25 is cured, forming cured portions 33 containing porous particles at intervals throughout the long rubber-cored cord 31.

After forming the cured portion 33 on the long rubber-cored cord 31, the long rubber-cored cord 31 is cut at the cured portion 33, as shown in FIG3(c). This results in a rubber-cored cord 11 with cured portions 23 formed at both ends, forming the first rubber ring 1. Subsequently, as shown in FIG3(d), adhesive 21 is applied to one end surface of the rubber-cored cord 11, and the two ends of the rubber-cored cord 11 are brought together. When the adhesive 21 cures, the first rubber ring 1 is completed.

In the manufacturing steps illustrated in Figures 3(a) to 3(d), curing agent 25 is applied to the long rubber-cored cord 31 at intervals. However, this step can be omitted by cutting the long rubber-cored cord 31 to obtain the rubber-cored cord 11 that forms the first rubber ring 1. Subsequently, a step of applying curing agent 25 to both ends of the rubber-cored cord 11 is performed. This step can be performed, for example, by dipping both ends of the rubber-cored cord 11 in curing agent 25 contained in a storage container.

FIG4 is a perspective view of a second rubber ring 4 having a rubber-cored cord joint structure 5 according to the present invention. The second rubber ring 4 is formed by aligning the two ends of a braided cord 43 formed by braiding a plurality of rubber-cored cords 41 and joining them with adhesive 21. Cured portions 51 containing porous particles are formed at both ends of the braided cord 43. Each rubber-cored cord 41 is constructed similarly to the rubber-cored cord 11 of the first rubber ring 1 of the previous embodiment.

In this embodiment, the braided cord 43 is formed by triple-braiding three rubber-cored cords 41. However, the present invention is not limited to the number of rubber-cored cords 41 that constitute the braided cord 43 or the braiding method. For example, the braided cord 43 may be composed of two rubber-cored cords 41 braided side by side. Furthermore, a twisted cord formed by twisting together multiple rubber-cored cords 41 may be used instead of the braided cord 43 to form the second rubber ring 4.

Figures 5(a) to 5(d) are explanatory diagrams outlining the steps for manufacturing the second rubber ring 4 shown in Figure 4. First, as shown in Figure 5(a), a curing agent 25 containing porous particles is adhered to a long braided string 61 at intervals. The areas of the braided string 61 where the curing agent 25 is adhered are spaced apart by the circumference of the second rubber ring 4. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 5(b), the curing agent 25 is cured, forming cured portions 63 containing porous particles at intervals throughout the long braided string 61.

After forming the solidified portion 63 on the long braided cord 61, the long braided cord 61 is cut at the solidified portion 63, as shown in FIG5(c). This results in a braided cord 43 having solidified portions 51 formed at both ends, forming the second rubber ring 4. Thereafter, as shown in FIG5(d), adhesive 21 is applied to one end surface of the braided cord 43, and the two ends of the braided cord 43 are then aligned and joined.

FIG6 is an explanatory diagram outlining an alternative manufacturing step for the second rubber ring 4 shown in FIG4 . First, as shown in FIG6( a ), a cuttable strip-shaped binding member 65 is wound around a long braided cord 61 at intervals. Any binding member 65 that can be wound around the braided cord 61 and easily cut can be used; for example, commercially available adhesive tape can be used. The portion of the braided cord 61 where the binding member 65 is wound is spaced farther apart than the circumference of the second rubber ring 4 .

Next, as shown in FIG6(b), the long braided cord 61 is cut at the binding member 65. As shown in FIG6(c), a curing agent (not shown) containing porous particles is attached to the inner side of at least the remaining portion of the binding member 65 in the resulting braided cord 67. After the curing agent cures to form a cured portion 69 containing porous particles, the braided cord 67 is cut at the cured portion 69, as shown in FIG6(d). This forms cured portions 51 at both ends, resulting in the braided cord 43 that forms the second rubber ring 4. Subsequently, similar to the step described with reference to FIG5(d), adhesive 21 is applied to the end surface of one cured portion 51 of the braided cord 43, and the two ends of the braided cord 43 are then aligned and joined. The step shown in FIG6(c) can also be performed by immersing both ends of the braided cord 67 in the curing agent 25 contained in a storage container.

Example

To confirm the effects of the present invention, the above-described manufacturing steps were performed to produce a first rubber ring 1 shown in FIG1 , having a joint structure 2 according to the present invention. The produced first rubber ring 1 had a circumference of approximately 16 cm, and the rubber-cored cord 11 constituting the first rubber ring 1 had a rubber core 13 having a substantially square cross-section with a side measuring approximately 2 mm.

The curing agent 25 used to make the first rubber ring 1 is prepared by adding porous polymer particles, porous inorganic particles, carbon particles, or gravel particles to a solution containing water as a solvent, polyvinyl alcohol as a curing component, and acetone as an organic solvent-based detergent (specifically, a mixture of approximately 50 wt% water, approximately 20 wt% of a 10% aqueous PVA solution, and approximately 30 wt% acetone). These particles are added at an average ratio of 5 g per 100 ml of the solution. As porous polymer particles, nylon 6 porous fine particles (average particle size of 13 μm) (TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.) were used; as porous inorganic particles, Sylysia 350 (particle size of approximately 4 μm) (Fuji Silysia Chemical Ltd.) was used; as carbon particles, a mixture of binchotan charcoal powder and bamboo charcoal powder (average particle size of 16.72 μm) (Masudaya Co., Ltd.) was used; and as gravel particles, medical stone powder (particle size of 300 mesh) produced in Fuxin City, People's Republic of China was used. It should be noted that the adhesive 21 used to make the first rubber ring 1 was a cyanoacrylate adhesive.

Ten samples of the first rubber ring 1 were prepared for each type of porous particle. The joint strength of the joint structure 2 of the first rubber ring 1 was evaluated for each sample. Furthermore, ten rubber rings with the same structure as the first rubber ring 1, except that the curing agent 25 did not contain porous particles, were prepared as comparative examples. The joint strength of each sample was evaluated. The joint strength was evaluated by measuring the force required to separate the bonded cured portions of the joint structure of the first rubber ring 1 or the comparative example rubber ring joint structure. Specifically, an electronic dynamometer (IMADA CO., LTD.) with a hook attached to the tip of the measuring shaft was fixed to a workbench. Samples of the first rubber ring 1 or the comparative example rubber ring were hung on the hook and stretched away from the electronic dynamometer to separate the two ends of the bonded rubber core rope. The peak value (in kgf) of the tensile force applied to the sample of the first rubber ring 1 or the comparative example rubber ring was recorded.

The above test results are summarized in Table 1 below (the values described in Table 1 are the above-mentioned peak values).

[Table 1]

.

As shown in Table 1, the average force required to separate the two ends of the rubber-cored cord was 7.8 kgf for the comparative example sample, 13.6 kgf for the sample containing porous polymer particles, 13.5 kgf for porous inorganic particles, 13.2 kgf for carbon particles, and 12.7 kgf for the sample containing porous polymer particles, porous inorganic particles, carbon particles, and grit particles in the curing agent, respectively. When porous polymer particles, porous inorganic particles, carbon particles, and grit particles were added to the curing agent 25, the force required to separate the two ends of the rubber-cored cord in the first rubber ring 1 according to the present invention was approximately 1.6 to 1.7 times the force required to separate the two ends of the rubber-cored cord in the comparative example rubber ring. This confirms that the joint strength of the rubber-cored cord joint structure in the rubber ring according to the present invention is significantly improved compared to conventional rubber rings.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is used to join the two ends of the rubber-cored rope 11 to form the first rubber ring 1, and the present invention is used to join the two ends of the braided rope 43 to form the second rubber ring 4. However, it is obvious that the present invention can be used to join the ends of two rubber-cored ropes to connect these rubber-cored ropes, and can also be used to join the ends of two braided ropes or twisted ropes to connect these braided ropes or twisted ropes.

In the present invention, it is obvious that the amount of porous particles contained in the cured part of the joint structure of the rope with rubber core, or the amount or proportion of porous particles contained in the curing agent can be appropriately adjusted in a manner or within the range of obtaining the effect of the present invention.

In the present invention, the porous particles contained in the cured portion of the rubber-cored cord's joint structure, or the porous particles contained in the curing agent, can be colored to a color identical to or similar to the fibers of the rubber-cored cord's stretch cover. By coloring the porous particles in this manner, the presence of the porous particles can be rendered less noticeable within the rubber-cored cord's joint structure. Furthermore, the solvent of the curing agent can also be colored to a color identical to or similar to the fibers of the rubber-cored cord's stretch cover.

The above description is used to illustrate the disclosed technical solution and should not be understood as limiting the technical solution described in the claims or narrowing the scope. In addition, the various components of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments. Obviously, various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims.

Description of Reference Numerals

1 rubber ring

11 Rope with rubber core

2 Joint structure

21 Adhesive

23 Curing part

25 curing agent

4 rubber rings

41 Rope with rubber core

43 braided rope

5 Joint structure

51 Curing part.

Claims (6)

1. A joint structure for a rope with a rubber core, wherein two ends of a rope with a rubber core are joined together, or the ends of two ropes with rubber cores are joined together and bonded with an adhesive. At both ends of a rubber-core rope, or at the ends of two rubber-core ropes, a curing agent containing an organic solvent-based detergent is cured to form a cured portion, which contains porous particles. The porous particles are porous polymer particles, carbon particles, gravel particles, or any mixture of these particles. 2. A joint structure for ropes with rubber cores, wherein the two ends of a braided rope or twisted rope formed by weaving or twisting multiple ropes with rubber cores are joined together, or the ends of two braided ropes or twisted ropes each formed by weaving or twisting multiple ropes with rubber cores are joined together and joined with an adhesive. At both ends of a braided or twisted rope, or at the ends of two braided or twisted ropes, a curing agent containing an organic solvent-based detergent is cured to form a cured portion, which contains porous particles. The porous particles are porous polymer particles, carbon particles, gravel particles, or any mixture of these particles. 3. A curing agent, which is attached to both ends of a rubber-core rope or the ends of two rubber-core ropes to form a joint structure of the rubber-core ropes, wherein the two ends of the rubber-core ropes are joined together or the ends of the two rubber-core ropes are joined together and bonded with an adhesive. The curing agent comprises: a solvent containing curing components, porous particles added to the solvent, and an organic solvent-based detergent. The porous particles are porous polymer particles, carbon particles, gravel particles, or any mixture of these particles. 4. The curing agent according to claim 3, wherein the curing agent is polyvinyl alcohol and the solvent is water. 5. A method for manufacturing the joint structure of the rope with a rubber core as described in claim 1, comprising: The steps include: applying a curing agent to both ends of a rope with a rubber core; or, partially applying a curing agent to a strip of rope with a rubber core, allowing the curing agent to cure and form a cured portion, and then cutting the strip of rope with a rubber core at the cured portion. The curing agent comprises: a solvent containing curing components, porous particles added to the solvent, and an organic solvent-based detergent. The porous particles are porous polymer particles, carbon particles, gravel particles, or any mixture of these particles. 6. A method for manufacturing the joint structure of the rope with a rubber core as described in claim 2, comprising: The steps include: locally applying a curing agent to a long strip of braided or twisted rope; curing the curing agent to form a cured portion; and then cutting the long strip of braided or twisted rope at the cured portion. The curing agent comprises: a solvent containing curing components, porous particles added to the solvent, and an organic solvent-based detergent. The porous particles are porous polymer particles, carbon particles, gravel particles, or any mixture of these particles.