Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an aluminum pipe support which is made of aluminum
and allows reduction in weight, and further which is adjustable in length and allows
high rigidity as a whole.
Background Art
[0002] In constructing a concrete structure, concrete is placed in a form. At this time,
for example, in placing a slab, a pipe support is used in order to support the form
from a lower floor or from below.
[0003] The pipe support in prior art is schematically configured with two pipes so as to
be adjustable in length. In the configuration allowing adjustment in length, adjusting
holes facing each other in the diameter directions are formed at equal pitches in
the axial direction, on the fitting portions of an outer pipe and an inner pipe, and
an adjusting pin is inserted into the adjusting holes in order to fix the fitting
position after the overall length of the pipe support is adjusted. The pipe support
in prior art includes washers which are respectively brought into contact with an
installation surface and a form surface, at the opposite end parts to the fitting
portions of the outer pipe and the inner pipe.
[0004] Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) and other standards define axial rigidity, pressure
resistance and the like (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as "specified
load") of the pipe support having the configuration described above in prior art.
In order to satisfy the specified load, suitable material, that is, heavy material
such as steel pipe or iron is used. This requires a great deal of labor for transportation
to the site in placing a form.
[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses that, in order to reduce such labor of a worker, the
pipe support described above, in the prior art, has components at least including
an outer pipe and an inner pipe made of aluminum alloy.
[0006] Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses that the pipe support of an aluminum alloy
single pipe has the both end parts in the longitudinal direction with an outer diameter
smaller than its average outer diameter and a wall thickness larger than its average
wall thickness, and the center part in the longitudinal direction with an outer diameter
larger than its average outer diameter and a wall thickness smaller than its average
wall thickness, and the outer diameter and the wall thickness are changed smoothly
from the both end parts to the center part.
[0007] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, although the use of aluminum contributes to the
reduction in weight, the change in material may lead to unusable state due to falling
short of the specified load, and may further pose a risk of collapse of the placed
concrete together with the form at the site.
[0008] Although, in Patent Document 1, the pipe support is configured with the aluminum
single pipe as described above in order to achieve the reduction in weight, the configuration
does not allow adjustment in length (height).
[0009] In terms of the issue described above, the length itself of the pipe support is adjustable
in the case where various types of length of the aluminum alloy single pipes according
to Patent Document 1 are prepared, as an example. In this case, a plurality of the
single pipes are used in combination for length adjustment, each having the inner
periphery formed with female screws screwing in mutually opposite directions at the
upper end and the lower end, and connected, by screwing a bolt formed with male screws
screwing in mutually opposite directions from the center in the axial direction, to
the inner peripheries of the end parts where the single pipes are fitted to each other.
There still exists the following issue.
[0010] In the case of the configuration in which the plurality of aluminum alloy single
pipes (either round pipes or rectangular pipes) according to Patent Document 1 are
connected in the axial direction, the bolt inserted for length adjustment may be deformed
and buckled due to the vertical load concentratedly applied thereon, resulting in
that the specified load may not be satisfied as a whole.
[0011] To solve the above issue of Patent Document 1, the present patent applicants have
supposed an aluminum pipe support in Patent Document 2. In Patent Document 2, the
aluminum pipe support includes an aluminum outer pipe which has a pin insertion hole
allowing a position fixing pin to be inserted into at one end in the axial direction,
and an aluminum inner pipe which is configured to be inserted into the outer pipe
and has a plurality of position adjusting holes formed at intervals in the axial direction
so as to allow the pin to be inserted into. Each of the outer pipe and the inner pipe
has a thickness of 1.5 to 4.5 mm at its thinnest portion. The inner diameter of the
inner pipe is 1.5 to 2.5 times the inner diameter of the iron inner pipe satisfying
the targeted specified load.
[0012] Patent Document 2 indicates, to exemplify the iron pipe support conforming to JIS,
the pipe support which satisfies the specified (allowable) load of 9.8 kN (1000 kg)
for use in an extended state to 19.6 kN (2000 kg) for use in a shortened state, includes
an inner pipe having an outer diameter of 48.6 mm (a thickness of 2.5 mm and an `inner
diameter' of 43.6 mm) and an outer pipe having an outer diameter of 60.5 mm (a thickness
of 2.3 mm and an `inner diameter' of 55.9 mm), and has a weight of 15.7 kg, and discloses
the aluminum pipe support configured with the inner pipe and the outer pipe satisfying
the specified conditions described above.
[0013] In Patent Document 2, the inner pipe has an inner diameter of 65.4 mm which is 1.5
times the inner diameter (of 43.6 mm) of the inner pipe of the iron pipe support described
above, and a thickness of 2.2 mm at the thinnest portion (an outer diameter of 69.8
mm). The outer pipe has an inner diameter of 70.0 mm, and a thickness of 2.2 mm at
the thinnest portion (an outer diameter of 74.4 mm).
[0014] A pipe support 1 having the configuration according to Patent Document 2 has a weight
of 11.4 kg, which is lighter by approx. 4 kg compared to the iron pipe support having
a weight of 15.7 kg, and satisfies the specified (allowable) load of 9.8 kN (1000
kg) for use in an extended state to 19.6 kN (2000 kg) for use in a shortened state.
In other words, Patent Document 2 achieves the reduction in weight by approx. 25%
compared to the iron pipe support.
[0015] The pipe support in Patent Document 2 is specialized in the reduction in weight while
satisfying the specified load of the iron pipe support and, on the other hands, has
a buckling resistance performance not exceeding the upper limit of the specified load
of the iron pipe support.
Citation List
Patent Literature
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0017] The problem to be solved is that although the aluminum pipe support according to
Patent Document 2 is lighter in weight than the iron pipe support and satisfies the
specified load of the iron pipe support of the same size, the aluminum pipe support
has rigidity in quality lower than the specified load.
Solution to Problem
[0018] To solve the problem described above, in the present invention, an aluminum pipe
support includes an aluminum outer pipe; an aluminum inner pipe configured to be inserted
into the outer pipe; and a pin configured to be inserted and extracted through peripheral
surfaces of the outer pipe and the inner pipe to fix positional adjustment conducted
in terms of an overall height by an axial length of insertion of the inner pipe in
the outer pipe. In the aluminum pipe support, two pieces of the pins are provided.
The inner pipe has an outer periphery formed in any one of a regular hexagonal shape,
a regular octagonal shape, and a regular decagonal shape, and has, at a position not
subjected to insertion of the pin, a cross-sectional area of 1.96 times or larger
than a cross-sectional area at a corresponding position of an inner pipe of a targeted-size
iron pipe support. The outer pipe has an inner shape allowing the inner pipe to be
inserted into, and has, at a position not subjected to the insertion of the pin, a
cross-sectional area of 1.35 times or larger than a cross-sectional area at a corresponding
position of an outer pipe of the targeted-size iron pipe support. The upper limits
of the cross-sectional areas of the inner pipe and the outer pipe are set so that
a total weight of the inner pipe and the outer pipe is lighter than a total weight
of the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the targeted-size iron pipe support.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0019] The present invention satisfies the specified load of the targeted iron pipe support
and achieves reduction in weight, and further achieves high rigidity exceeding the
upper limit of the specified load of the targeted iron pipe support, through breaking
down the fixed idea of considering that an aluminum product is low (poor) in rigidity.
[0020] Moreover, from the viewpoint of the specified load in JIS, in the case where the
iron pipe support satisfying the specified load is used at the position where a load
close to the upper limit is applied, an iron pipe support having a further larger
specified (allowable) load, that is, a larger-size iron pipe support is used in consideration
of safety, or alternatively an increased number of pipe supports per unit area are
used. As a result, such increase in size or such increase in number leads to the increase
in weight.
[0021] The aluminum pipe support according to the present invention achieves high rigidity,
even while having a small rate in weight reduction to the total weight of the inner
and outer pipes of the targeted iron pipe support. Accordingly, in the case described
above, unlike the iron pipe support required to be larger in size, the aluminum pipe
support according to the present invention may not be larger in size, or a smaller
number of pipe supports per unit area compared to the number of iron pipe supports
are required. As a result, in the entire site, the rate in weight reduction becomes
large.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0022]
Fig. 1 is an external view schematically showing a configuration of an aluminum pipe
support according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the aluminum pipe support according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 shows an inner pipe in the aluminum pipe support according to the present invention,
specifically the upper view in Fig. 3 (a) and the front view in Fig. 3 (b).
Fig. 4 shows the inner pipe in the aluminum pipe support according to the present
invention, specifically the cross-sectional view along an A-A line shown in Fig. 3
in Fig. 4 (a), and the cross-sectional view along a B-B line shown in Fig. 2 in Fig.
4 (b).
Fig. 5 shows an outer pipe in the aluminum pipe support according to the present invention.
Fig. 6 shows the outer pipe in the aluminum pipe support according to the present
invention, specifically the view from an arrow C shown in Fig. 5 in Fig. 6 (a), and
the cross-sectional view along a D-D line shown in Fig. 5 in Fig. 6 (b).
Description of Embodiments
[0023] The present invention aims to provide an aluminum pipe support configured to be lighter
in weight than a targeted iron pipe support and to satisfy the specified load of the
targeted iron pipe support, and further to have rigidity in quality equal to or more
than the specified load. In the aluminum pipe support including an aluminum outer
pipe, an aluminum inner pipe configured to be inserted into the outer pipe, and a
pin configured to be inserted and extracted through the peripheral surfaces of the
outer pipe and the inner pipe to fix positional adjustment conducted in terms of the
overall height by the axial length of the insertion of the inner pipe in the outer
pipe, two pieces of the pins are provided, and the inner pipe has an outer periphery
formed in any one of a regular hexagonal shape, a regular octagonal shape, and a regular
decagonal shape, and has, at a position not subjected to insertion of the pin, a cross-sectional
area of 1.96 times or larger than a cross-sectional area at a corresponding position
of an inner pipe of a targeted-size iron pipe support, while the outer pipe has an
inner shape allowing the inner pipe to be inserted into, and has, at a position not
subjected to the insertion of the pin, a cross-sectional area of 1.35 times or larger
than a cross-sectional area at a corresponding position of an outer pipe of the targeted-size
iron pipe support. The upper limits of the cross-sectional areas of the inner pipe
and the outer pipe are set so that the total weight of the inner pipe and the outer
pipe is lighter than the total weight of the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the
targeted-size iron pipe support.
[0024] In a general pipe support made of either iron or aluminum, the inner pipe also referred
to as an insertion pipe is to be inserted (fitted) into the outer pipe from above
in the vertical direction. Accordingly, the inner pipe has a smaller outer diameter
than the outer pipe, and thus tends to buckle at an upper part in the vertical direction
when used.
[0025] In the present invention, the aluminum pipe support is configured with the inner
pipe and the outer pipe made of aluminum, thus requiring sufficient consideration
of not only the small outer diameter of the inner pipe but also the rigidity of the
material. In Patent Document 2, the thickness of the inner pipe and the inner diameter
of the inner pipe are specified based on the idea that, when the inner diameter of
the inner pipe is set so as to exhibit the load bearing strength satisfying the specified
load, the size of the outer pipe having a larger diameter than the inner pipe is set
correspondingly.
[0026] In Patent Document 2, 'the smallest thicknesses' under the conditions are set in
the range of 1.5 to 4.5 mm, and the inner diameter of the inner pipe is set in the
range of 1.5 to 2.5 times the inner diameter of the inner pipe of the iron pipe support.
When these specifications are satisfied while attaching importance to safety, the
thicknesses `other than' the smallest thicknesses actually do not contribute to the
rigidity and are excessive, and thus shall be subjected to further reduction in weight.
[0027] The present invention focuses on the relation between a cross-sectional area (and
an allowable load) and a total weight, on the basis of the results of the test of
confirming the limit value at which buckling occurs over the specified load, instead
of applying the configuration in which the smallest thickness of the inner pipe and
the inner diameter of the inner pipe are specified in Patent Document 2.
[0028] Specifically, in the present invention, with respect to the cross-sectional areas
of the inner pipe and the outer pipe, the inner pipe has, at a position not subjected
to the insertion of the pin, a cross-sectional area of 1.96 times or larger than the
cross-sectional area at the corresponding position of the inner pipe of the targeted-size
iron pipe support, and the outer pipe has, at a position not subjected to the insertion
of the pin, a cross-sectional area of 1.35 times or larger than the cross-sectional
area at the corresponding position of the outer pipe of the targeted-size iron pipe
support. The lower limits of the cross-sectional areas are set by attaching importance
to the satisfaction of the load bearing capacity of the targeted-size iron pipe support
when extended.
[0029] The specified load may be satisfied when the cross-sectional areas of the inner pipe
and the outer pipe are larger than those of the targeted-size iron pipe support. On
the other hands, the pipe support does not need to have excessively large outer diameters
or external sizes (equivalent to those of the targeted-size iron pipe support), by
attaching importance to the satisfaction of the specified load of the targeted-size
iron pipe support and the reduction in total weight compared to the total weight of
the targeted-size iron pipe support.
[0030] In the case of the inner pipe and the outer pipe having smaller cross-sectional areas
than the conditions of the present invention described above, that is, the case where
the inner pipe has, at a position not subjected to the insertion of the pin, a cross-sectional
area smaller than 1.96 times the cross-sectional area at the corresponding position
of the inner pipe of the targeted-size iron pipe support and the outer pipe has, at
a position not subjected to the insertion of the pin, a cross-sectional area smaller
than 1.35 times the cross-sectional area at the corresponding position of the outer
pipe of the targeted-size iron pipe support, the pipe support is reduced in weight,
but does not satisfy the specified load of the targeted-size iron pipe support.
[0031] As the cross-sectional area is larger, the rigidity can be further enhanced as described
above. On the other hands, as the total weight of the inner pipe and the outer pipe
increases, the merit of being made of aluminum reduces. Accordingly, the respective
upper limits of the cross-sectional areas of the inner pipe and the outer pipe are
set so that the total weight thereof is lighter than the total weight of the inner
pipe and the outer pipe of the targeted-size iron pipe support.
[0032] Two pieces of the pins are provided to be used. In the inner pipe having the outer
periphery formed in any one of a regular hexagonal shape, a regular octagonal shape
and a regular decagonal shape, position adjusting holes respectively corresponding
to the pins are formed at the positions coming into close contact with or in the vicinities
of the inner surfaces of the two sides opposed to each other of the inner periphery.
The two pins are inserted into these position adjusting holes, respectively.
[0033] In an example, the inner pipe has thickened portions which are formed at the portions
not subjected to the insertion of the pins on the two sides opposed to each other
on the inner surface of the inner pipe having the outer periphery formed in a regular
hexagonal shape, a regular octagonal shape or a regular decagonal shape (the portions
excluding the portions of the position adjusting holes), so as to be thickened in
the range of 1.5 to 2.0 times the thickness of the inner pipe, continuously to the
thickness of the inner pipe. If the thickened portions have a thickness smaller than
1.5 times the thickness of the inner pipe, the lower limit value of the cross-sectional
area described above may not be satisfied, and accordingly the rigidity may be insufficient.
If the thickened portions have a thickness larger than 2.0 times, the thickness may
not contribute to the reduction in weight.
[0034] In the range along the axial direction where the position adjusting holes are provided,
the thickened portions are not formed at the portions where the position adjusting
holes are formed and allow the pins to be inserted into. In other words, the thickened
portions are formed with the gaps corresponding to the height of the pins in the axial
direction.
[0035] The arrangement of the thickened portions allows the thickened portions to surely
support the pins subjected to pressure and load, prevents buckling caused by the portions
in the inner pipe in an extended state having a smaller outer diameter than the outer
pipe, and further allows the reduction in weight compared to the iron pipe support
and achieves high rigidity exceeding the specified load of the iron pipe support of
the same size.
[0036] As described above, in the prevent invention, two pieces of the pins are used, and
the proper values of the cross-sectional areas of the aluminum inner and outer pipes
are set through trial and error, resulting in that the pipe support is reduced in
weight compared to the targeted iron pipe support, and the specified load is satisfied.
Moreover, a pipe support having an excellent property of either light weight or high
rigidity is properly used.
Embodiments
[0037] One embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference
to Fig. 1 to Fig. 6. An aluminum pipe support 1 (hereinafter, referred to as a pipe
support) configured to support a form for concrete placement in the present invention
has major components of an outer pipe 2 and an inner pipe 3 made of aluminum, and
two iron pines 2A, 2A.
[0038] In the present embodiment, the targeted-size iron pipe support has the following
specifications.
Targeted-size iron pipe support: 3486 to 2121 mm
Outer pipe
Outer diameter: 60.5 mm
Thickness: 2.3 mm
Cross-sectional area: 420.2 mm2
Inner pipe
Outer diameter: 48.6 mm
Thickness: 2.3 mm
Cross-sectional area: 334.0 mm2
Total weight: 14.2 kg
Load bearing capacity: 14.7 kN (when extended to 3.4 m)
[0039] In the present embodiment, the outer pipe 2 has the inner periphery formed in, for
example, a regular octagonal shape, and the outer periphery which is formed in the
same regular octagonal shape as with the inner periphery and has, at the corner portions,
ribs 2a protruding to the outward directions and extending in the axial direction.
The outer pipe 2 has, on the peripheral surface in the end part in the axial direction
on the ribs 2a where the inner pipe 3 is to be inserted into (hereinafter, the end
part is referred to as the upper part of the outer pipe 2), a male screw 2b formed
in a spiral concave shape (compared to the ribs 2a) as a whole.
[0040] The outer pipe 2 further has the pins 2A, 2A for position fixing with chains at two
of the ribs 2a (the male screw 2b) different in position at the upper end part. The
pins 2A, 2A are made of iron, and respectively have a thickness t of, for example,
4.5 mm.
[0041] The outer pipe 2 is formed with pin insertion holes 2c, 2c which penetrate from one-side
outer periphery to another-side outer periphery and allow the pins 2A, 2A to be inserted
into, at the positions which are close by the thicknesses of the outer pipe 2 and
the inner pipe 3 to the center from the both ends in the orthogonal direction to the
axial direction in the front view of the upper end part in the axial direction shown
in Fig. 5, that is, in the width direction. In the present embodiment, the pin insertion
holes 2c, 2c are formed to be opened wider by, for example, 0.4 mm compared to the
thickness t of the pin 2A, in a length of, for example, 188 mm from the positions
lower by, for example, 50 mm from the upper end in the axial direction.
[0042] The outer pipe 2 according to the present embodiment has an outer diameter including
the ribs 2a of, for example, 100 mm, and an outer diameter excluding the ribs 2a of,
for example, 86.2 mm, a length in the axial direction of, for example, 1620 mm, and
an inner periphery formed in, for example, a regular octagonal shape.
[0043] The outer pipe 2 has a thickness of, for example, 2.0 mm at the portion where none
of the ribs 2a is provided and the position not subjected to the insertion of the
pins 2A, 2A (the position where none of the pin insertion holes 2c, 2c is formed),
and a cross-sectional area of 880 mm
2 including the ribs 2a. The cross-sectional area including the ribs 2a corresponds
to approx. 2.10 times the cross-sectional area of the outer pipe of the targeted-size
iron pipe support described above.
[0044] Moreover, the outer pipe 2 has, on the outer periphery, an adjusting ring 2B which
is configured to screw with the male screw 2b so as to move and slightly adjust the
pin 2A inserted in the pin insertion hole 2c and support the pins 2A, 2A. The adjusting
ring 2B moves in a forward and backward threaded manner along the male screw 2b while
supporting the pin 2A by the upper part, thereby making the pin 2A move in the pin
insertion hole 2c in the axial direction so as to slightly adjust the overall length
of the pipe support 1.
[0045] The inner pipe 3 is configured to be inserted into the outer pipe 2, and has an outer
diameter of, for example, 79.7 mm, a thickness of, for example, 3.0 mm at the position
where none of a thickened portion 3A to be described later is formed, a length in
the axial direction of, for example, 2200 mm, and an outer periphery formed in, for
example, a regular octagonal shape so as to allow the outer pipe 2 to be inserted
into, in the present embodiment.
[0046] The inner pipe 3 has the thickened portions 3A which are formed on the two sides
opposed to each other on the inner periphery so as to be thickened compared to the
thickness of the inner pipe 3, continuously to the thickness of the inner pipe 3.
In other words, in the present embodiment, the pin 2A inserted in a position adjusting
hole 3B through the outer pipe 2 is supported by the thickened portion 3A.
[0047] The inner pipe 3 has the position adjusting holes 3B, 3B which penetrate from one-side
outer periphery to another-side outer periphery of the periphery so as to be bored
at an interval on the thickened portions 3A, 3A in the axial direction, and has a
cross-sectional area including the thickened portion 3A, 3A of 1036 mm
2. The cross-sectional area including the thickened portion 3A, 3A corresponds to approx.
3.10 times the cross-sectional area of the inner pipe of the targeted-size iron pipe
support described above.
[0048] The reference numeral 4 is an outer pipe washer provided so as to be fitted inwardly
to the end face opposite to the side with the rib 2a formed in the axial direction
of the outer pipe 2. The reference numeral 5 is an inner pipe washer provided so as
to be fitted outwardly to the end face opposite to the side subjected to the insertion
in the outer pipe 2 in the axial direction of the inner pipe 3.
[0049] The results of a buckling test and the confirmation of weight with respect to the
pipe support 1 having the configuration described above according to the present invention
will be described below. In the buckling test based on assumption of the use in an
extended state, the inner pipe inserted in the outer pipe installed on a flat place
is left still for a predetermined period of time under the pressure vertically (downwardly
in the axial direction) applied from the upper end of the inner pipe, and is observed
to check the occurrence of buckling or the like, and repeatedly subjected to more
pressure (in increments of 1t) after a predetermined period of time for observation
until buckling occurs.
[0050] The pipe support 1 in Example 1 having the configuration described above is configured
so as to realize `high rigidity' with the total weight slightly lighter than that
of the targeted-size iron pipe support described above. The pipe support 1 in Example
2 is configured so as to realize `large reduction in weight' with the rigidity slightly
higher than that of the targeted-size iron pipe support described above. The values
enclosed in parentheses below indicate rates of change with respect to the targeted-size
iron pipe support described above.
<Example 1> 3492 mm when extended to 2421 mm when shortened
Cross-sectional area of outer pipe: 880.0 mm2 (approx. 2.41 times)
Cross-sectional area of inner pipe: 1036.0 mm2 (approx. 3.25 times)
Total weight: 13.1 kg (approx. 0.94 times)
Load bearing capacity when extended: 35 kN (approx. 2.38 times)
<Example 2> 3492 mm when extended to 2421 mm when shortened
Cross-sectional area of outer pipe: 491.6 mm2 (approx. 1.35 times)
Cross-sectional area of inner pipe: 624.5 mm2 (approx. 1.96 times)
Total weight: 9.0 kg (approx. 0.64 times)
Load bearing capacity when extended: 15 kN (approx. 1.02 times)
[0051] According to the test, Example 1 is reduced in total weight by approx. 6% and has
high rigidity with a load bearing capacity of 200% or more, and Example 2 is higher
in load bearing capacity by approx. 2% and is drastically reduced in total weight
by 30% or more.
[0052] Accordingly, the present invention allows more options of products depending on placing
importance on high rigidity or light weight compared to the targeted-size iron pipe
support. In an example, in the former case, a smaller number of pipe supports per
unit area are required, resulting in achieving the reduction of the number of pipe
supports to be conveyed and the reduction of the positions of arrangement, while in
the latter case, resulting in achieving the reduction of the labor of workers who
convey those to the positions of arrangement.
Reference Signs List
[0053]
1: (ALUMINUM) PIPE SUPPORT
2: OUTER PIPE
2a: RIB
2c: PIN INSERTION HOLE
2A: PIN
3: INNER PIPE
3A: THICKENED PORTION
3B: POSITION ADJUSTING HOLE