JP2001099389A - Vehicle hose protector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a vehicle hose protector that can be easily mounted on a vehicle hose and economically obtained. SOLUTION: Using a thermoplastic elastomer as a material, a thread-like protector element (2) is extruded from rotating inner and outer mandrels, combined in a net shape, and an intersection (3) of a mesh (4) is welded by extrusion heat. A cylindrical mesh protector (1) is obtained. The mesh protector (1) is inserted into the outer surface of the vehicle hose and is elastically attached to the protection portion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle hose such as an automobile, and more particularly to a vehicle which can be suitably used for a water-based hose such as a radiator hose and a heater hose. The present invention relates to a hose protector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Rubber hoses for automobiles, such as rubber hoses for cooling water circulation used in cooling systems (heat exchangers), are known.
A protector is mounted on the outer periphery to protect it from damage, wear, heat, etc. due to contact with various parts in the engine room. Various materials are selected for the protector depending on the purpose and location of the rubber material, resin material, metal material, heat-resistant cloth material, and the like, but a rubber material is often used for the water-based hose.

When a protector is made of rubber material, EP
It is made by extruding a rubber material such as a DM material into a tube, vulcanizing this extruded product into a predetermined shape using a mandrel similarly to a vehicle hose, and cutting it into a predetermined length. That is, the protector must not change the shape of the hose when it is mounted on the hose, and can be mounted so as not to move on the protection part so as not to interfere with other parts. Must be configured. Therefore, after forming an extruded product having an inner diameter that can be mounted on the outer periphery of the hose, the extruded product is formed into a curved tube so as to have the same shape as the mounting portion (protection portion) of the hose, for example, the curved tube portion. A method of vulcanizing and cutting to a predetermined length to form a protector, and inserting the protector from one end of the hose to a protective portion while forcibly expanding the protector to mount the protector has been adopted.

[0004] When a protector is made of a rubber material as described above, it is difficult to attach the protector to a rubber hose, particularly to a curved pipe portion, and it is a difficult operation that requires a great load even by a skilled worker. It was the cause that the sex became low. In addition, in order to vulcanize the protector, it is necessary to prepare a mandrel for the vulcanization, a wooden frame used for cutting, a jig, and the like, which is economically difficult to obtain.

In view of such circumstances, a protector is mounted on a hose in a straight pipe state before vulcanization, and the hose is heated with a heat-resistant adhesive.
After vulcanization, it is mounted on a mandrel and vulcanized (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8-267599), or a heat-shrinkable tube is mounted on a rubber hose mounted on a mandrel before vulcanization and vulcanized. A method using a heat-shrinkable tube as a protector (Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-22938) has been proposed. However, all of these methods are troublesome because they must be extruded or vulcanized, and the mandrel of the hose body also has a protector, which reduces workability and, in addition, reduces weight. However, there are disadvantages such as an increase in size.

It is also known to constitute a protector with nylon fibers (filaments). In this method, first, nylon fiber is produced by a usual fiber production method, and then the obtained fiber is used as a raw material in a knitting machine (blader).
A cylindrical bag is knitted by a machine, and this braided body is attached to a rubber hose as a protector. But,
According to this method, it is not economical to obtain a fiber because it has to go through a process of first preparing a fiber and knitting it by a knitting machine.

[0007]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is as follows.
The vehicle hose protector as described above can be easily manufactured by extrusion molding, can be attached to a predetermined position such as a bent pipe portion without vulcanization, and is easy and economical to install. It is an object of the present invention to provide a hose protector for a vehicle.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a thread-like thermoplastic elastomer is crossed from a nozzle provided on a rotating inner and outer mandrel in a net shape, and the intersection of the extruded mesh is welded by extrusion heat to form a cylindrical shape. A vehicle hose protector in which a mesh protector is formed, the mesh protector is fitted around the outer periphery of the vehicle hose, and is elastically attached to the protection portion has been proposed, and the above-mentioned problem is solved. .

As the thermoplastic elastomer, an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer mainly composed of polypropylene is used. The wire protector element constituting the mesh protector has a wire diameter of about 1 to 3 mm. The length of one side is about 2 to 15 mm, and the inside diameter of the mesh protector is formed to be about 10 to 30% smaller than the outside diameter of the vehicle hose to be mounted. A protector is proposed to solve the above problem.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A hose protector for a vehicle according to the present invention has a thread-like protector element (2) as shown in FIG.
Are formed by a tubular mesh protector (1) having a quadrilateral mesh (4) ... welded at intersections (3) by. This mesh protector (1)
Can be made by extrusion using a net forming die.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a molding die. The extrusion die (5) has an inner mandrel (6) and an outer mandrel (7) rotatably provided, and a certain interval is provided between each mandrel. Nozzles (8) are provided. When the molten material is extruded in a thread form from the nozzles (8), the extrudate in a thread form crosses in a net form, and the intersections are welded by the heat of extrusion. Therefore, the diameter of the protector element (2) can be determined by the diameter of the nozzle (8), and the extrusion speed and mandrel (6), (7)
By changing the rotation speed of the extrudate, meshes of various sizes can be obtained, and the inner diameter of the extrudate can be changed by the outer diameter of the inner mandrel.

The mesh protector (1) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer. As this thermoplastic elastomer, an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer mainly composed of polypropylene having excellent heat resistance is preferably used, and EPT is blended to improve flexibility, shape followability and heat resistance. There is also. In addition, PVC, ester, amide, urethane, perfluorocarbon-based thermoplastic elastomers and the like can be appropriately used depending on the use temperature, location, and the like. The hardness of the elastomer may be about the same as the rubber hardness used for an ordinary hose in consideration of flexibility and durability. For example, a hardness of about 60 to 95 (ASTM Shore A) is used.

The wire diameter of the protector element (2) is preferably about 1 to 3 mm in diameter in view of shape followability, durability and the like. If the wire diameter is too small, the strength becomes insufficient. Other parts and the like come into direct contact with the outer surface of the vehicle hose, so that the purpose of protection cannot be achieved. Also, if too thick
The hose no longer conforms to the outer shape of the hose, and it becomes difficult to protect the hose by rising from the hose.
Or change the shape of the

The quadrilateral mesh (4) formed by the protector element (2) is substantially rhombic,
The length of one side is about 2 to 15 mm. If the length of the side is short, the shape following ability is poor, and the amount of material used is large, so that it is not economical to obtain.If the length of the side is long, the exposed surface of the vehicle hose becomes large, The possibility that parts and the like come into contact is increased.

Referring to FIG. 4, the possibility that another portion of the outer surface of the hose is likely to come into contact is when the mesh area is maximized, and the mesh angle (α) at that time is 90 °. . Assuming that the wire diameter (d) of the protector element (2), the length of one side of the mesh (L), and the outer diameter of the hose (D),
The condition that another component comes into contact with the outer surface of the metal is expressed by the following equation. That is, the height of the upper end of the mesh is larger than the radius of the hose.

(D + d) cos θ + d> D Here, θ is a mesh contact angle, and θ = 81 L /
It is represented by (D + d).

If the value obtained by the above equation is larger than D, there is no possibility of contact with the outer surface of the hose. There is a possibility of damage.

The inner diameter of the mesh protector (1) is formed to be smaller by about 10 to 30% than the outer diameter of the hose (9). If the inner diameter of the protector (1) is larger than the outer diameter of the hose, the protector (1) may fall off the hose or move after mounting, and if the inner diameter is too small, mounting work may be troublesome. This is because the hose may be deformed after mounting.

The mesh protector (1) formed by extrusion molding as described above is cut into a predetermined length, and inserted while being expanded from one end of the vehicle hose (9). Then, when brought to the position to be protected, the diameter is reduced by the restoring action and the hose is in close contact with the outer surface of the hose. Even when the mounting position is a curved pipe portion, the mesh protector (1) elastically adheres to the protective portion of the hose (9) and does not move due to vibration, impact, or the like of the vehicle.

[0020]

EXAMPLE A mesh protector as described below was made from a thermoplastic elastomer mainly composed of polypropylene according to the size of various hoses and attached to the hose. Without moving,
Good results were obtained.

[0021]

[Table 1]

In the above table, the mesh has an angle (α) of about 60 ° before mounting and about 90 ° after mounting.
The mesh angle (α) is set to about 45 to 75 ° before mounting, and about 60 to 120 after mounting.
° can be configured.

[0023]

According to the present invention, a tubular mesh protector is formed by extruding a thermoplastic elastomer in the form of a thread and combining it in a net shape by welding the intersections of the meshes by extrusion heat. Since the protector is expanded and inserted into the outer periphery of the vehicle hose and attached to the protection part, the protector made of a rubber material is formed into a curved pipe in order to correspond to the bent pipe part like a conventional rubber material protector. Even if vulcanization is not performed, there is shape followability, mounting is easy, and jigs such as mandrels and wooden frames for vulcanization and the like are not required. In addition, the mesh structure can reduce the weight, and it has flexible flexibility, bendability and elasticity, so it adheres to the outer surface of the hose without falling off or rising even in a curved tube or straight tube. However, since it can be made by continuous extrusion, it is economically obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of an extrusion die used for molding.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a state where the hose is mounted on a hose.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship with a hose or the like,
(A) is an explanatory diagram of a mesh, and (B) is an explanatory diagram of a relationship between a hose and a protector element.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mesh protector 2 Protector element 3 Intersection 4 Mesh 5 Extrusion die 6 Internal mandrel 7 External mandrel 8 Nozzle 9 Hose

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A tubular mesh protector in which a thread-like thermoplastic elastomer is crossed from a nozzle provided on a rotating inner and outer mandrel in a net shape, and an intersection of an extruded mesh is welded by extrusion heat to form the mesh protector. -A hose protector for a vehicle, wherein the hose is inserted into the outer periphery of the hose for a vehicle and is elastically attached to the protection portion. 2. The thermoplastic elastomer is an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer mainly composed of polypropylene.
The vehicle hose protector according to claim 1, wherein 3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thread protector element constituting the mesh protector has a wire diameter of 1 to 3 mm, and a length of one side of the mesh is 2 to 15 mm. Hose protector.