Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ 104'1620 1~
This invention relates to elongated convoluted hose construc- ~
tions~ t
Numerous hose constructionsmade of one or more strips of ;
helically wound elastomeric material have bee~ proposed heretofore. ~
Examples of such hose constructions are presented in United States ~.
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Patent Nos. 3,199,541 and 3,255,780. .
However. some of the previously proposed hose constructions of
the character mentioned, including the one mentioned above, do not pro-
vide optimum stress-free'flexibility, and/or are comparatively expensive
to manufacture. Others of such'previously proposed hose constructions ,:: ~
do not have optimum structural integrity. ~ :
It is an object of one aspect of this invention to provide an ..
elastomeric hose oE simple construction made from a single strip of 1.~
elastomeric material. '~t`:' '
An object of another aspect of this invention is to provide a
~ hose construction of the'character mentioned having optimum stress-free
: flexibility yet'having optimum structural integrity. ~
~;~ . An ob~ect of yet another aspect'of this invention is the pro- ~ .. ~ .
vision of a hose construction of the character mentioned which is of ~:. .
20. inexpensive construction. .~
An ob~ect of another aspect of this invention is the.provision ' '.;
of an elongated convoluted hose construction comprising an elongated . ...
elastomeric strip having first and second connecting means defining ~: '
i~ opposite side edge portions-thereof with the strip being disposed in a : ~. .
j helical pattern with the first and second connecting means connected .
- together to define the hose construction having alternating crests and . ~
~: troughs. The strip when viewed in cross section has a free outwardly :'''~. .
convex U-shaped portion of un'iform wall thickness which defines the .- ' ' .
crests and the hose construction is easily flexed from a rectilinear con- ~ :
figuration upon applying a flexing force thereagainst due to its free ~ .
~ .
U-shaped portion and uniform wall thickness; and, the hose construction
ls resilient and returne su~-tantially to its rectilinear confi~ratlon ¦~
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upon removal of the flexing force.
sy one broad aspect of this invention, an elongated convoluted hose
construction is provided comprising an elongated elastomeric strip having
first and second connecting means defining opposite side edge portions there-
of, the strip being disposed in a helical pattern with the first and second
connecting means connected together to define the hose construction having
alternating crests and troughs, the strip having a free unobstructed out-
wardly convex U-shaped portion of uniform wall tkickness which is the only
part of the strip defining the crests, the outwardly convex U-shaped portion
being defined by a bight and by a pair of parallel legs extending from PF-
site ends of the bight, the hose construction being easily flexed from a
rectilinear configuration upon applying a flexing force thereagainst due to
the free U-shaped portion and uniform wall thickness, the free U-shaped p~r-
tion being defined by the bight together with a part of one of the pair of
parallel legs and the entire other leg of the pair of parallel legs, the
strip further comprising a lateral extension extending perpendicularly out-
wardly from one of the parallel legs and away from koth of the legs, the
lateral extension having an outer end portion provided with a rectangular .
channel therein, the rectangular channel com~rising the second aonnecting
means and the other of the parallel legs of the outwardly oonvex U-shaped
portion of the strip having a substantially straight terminal end portion
which also has the uniform thickness and defines the first connecting means,
the channel extending into the outer end portion with the open end thereof
opening in a direction opposite from the direction of opening of the out-
wardly convex U-shaped portion, the hose construction being resilient and. .
returning substantially to the rectilinear configuration upon removal of the
flexing force.
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By one mDdification, thereof the outer end portion has a thickness
which is substantially greater than the thickness of the lateral extension
and the channel extends into the substantially greater thickness outer end
portion.
By a further modification, thc channel has a pair of parallel sides
interconnected by a ~ottom wall which extends substantially perpendicular to
the bottom edges of ~1e parallel sides, especially where the parallel sides
are planar sides and the bottom wdll is a planar bottom wall.
By a still further m~dification, the thickness of the outer end
portion is approximately equal to one-half the height of the one leg of the
U-shaped portion.
By another variant, the lateral extension with the rectangular
channel therein defines a roug~ly U-shaped connector at the terminal end of
the extension which defines the second connecting means, the U-shaped con-
nector being defined by a bight having a surface which is a continuation of
a surface of the lateral extensi~l and a pair of parallel arms extending
perpendicular to the bight.
By modifications, thereof the parallel arms ~ay be of equal length,
or may be of unequal length.
By a further modification, one of the parallel arms is arranged
within the confines of an associated crest when viewing a wall of the hose
construction in cross section and the one arm is shorter than the other arm,
while in a still further modification, one of the parallel arms is arranged
wi thin the confines of an associated crest when viewing a wall of the hose
oonstruction in cro.ss section and the one arm is longer than the other arm.
By yet a further modification, the elongated elastomeric strip is
a strip of thermoplastic material.
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By a further mt~dificatic)n, the strip is a continuous extruded
strip having substantially the sc~ne cross-sectional configuration at each
location throughout the entire length.
Ey a still further modification, the lateral extension of the strip
defines a substantially s~.ooth inside surface of the hose construction.
By yet another aspect, the hose construction includes atIhesive
means bonding the first and second connecting means together in a tenacious
manner.
Ey a variation thereof, the adhesive means comprises a molten ad-
hesive of the same elastomeric ~aterial as the strip.
By another variant thereof, the adhesive means ca~prises a solventtype adhesive.
By another aspect of this invention, the hose construction includes
adhesive means konding the first and second connecting means together, the
adhesive means also ex*ending in a substantially U-shaped configuration and
serving as the sole means bonding opposite side edge portions of the strip
together.
By another aspect of this invention, an elongated convoluted hose
constr~lction is provided camprising an elongated elastomeric strip of thermL-
plastic material having first and second connecting means defining oppositeside edge portions thereof, the strip being disposed in a helical pattern
with the first and second connecting means connected together to define the
hose construction having alternating crests and troughs, the strip having a
free unobstructed outwardly convex U-shaped portion of substantial vertical
height and of uniform wall thickness which is the only part of the strip
defining the crests, the outwardly convex U-shaped portion of the strip
being defined by a bight and a pair of parallel legs extending from opposite
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ends of the bight, the strip having a lateral extension extending perpendicu-
larly outwardly from one of the parallel legs and away from both of the
legs, the lateral extension having an outer end portion provided with a rec-
tangular channel therein, the rectangular channel cc~prising the first con-
necting means and the other of the parallel legs of the outwardly convex
portion of the strip having a substantially straight terminal end which also
has the uniform thickness and defines the second connecting means, the hose
oonstruction being easily flexed from a rectilinear configuration uFon apply-
ing a flexing force thereagainst due to the free U-shaped portion and uniform
wall thickness, the free U-shaped portion being defined by the bight together
with a part of one of the pair of parallel legs and the entire other leg of
the pair of parallel legs, the channel extending into the outer end portion
with the open end thereof opening in a direction opFosite from the direction ~-
of opening of the outwardly convex U-shaped portion, the hose construction
being resilient and returning substantially to the retilinear oonfiguratiQn
upon removal of the flexing force.
By a variant thereof, the strip is in the form of an extruded strip
and the lateral extension of the strip defines a substantially smooth inside
surface for the hose CQnStrUCtiOn.
By another aspect, the elongated convoluted hose construction above
noted includes adhesive means bonding the first and second connecting means -~
in a tenacious manner.
By one variant thereof, the adhesive means camprises a molten ad-
hesive of the same elastomeric material as the strip.
In the acccmpanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a view with parts in cross section, parts in elevation,
and parts broken away of one exemplary embodiment of a flexible hose cQn-
struction of an aspect of this invention~made from an elongated strip of
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104~6Z0
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elastomeric material which has been wDund in a helical pattern with op~osed
side edge portions thereof sui~ably connected together;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a short length of the strip used
to m~ke the hose construction of Figure;
Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view particu-
larly illustrating the manner in which opposite side edge portions of the
strip of Figure 2 are connected together;
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Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view particularly
illustrating in an exaggerated'manner'the stretching action that occurs ,;
, along one side of the'hose construction of Figure 1 upon sharply bending ' -
or flexing such hose construction;
Figure 5 is a fragmentar~ cross-sectional view illustrating
another form of adhesive which may be employed to connect opposite side '.,
edge portions of the elastomeric strip of Figure 2 to define the hose .
construction of Figure l;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to the i :
':"- :.
right side portion of Figure 3 and illustrating the manner in which
opposite side portions of a modified elastomeric strip are connected
together to define another embodiment of the hose construction of another
aspect of this invention; and
Figure'7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to ' .
Figure 6 and illustrating the manner in which opposite side portions of ,' :
another modified elastomeric st~ip are connected together to define still .' ' ~.
another embodiment of the hose construction of yet another aspect of this
invention.
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Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawing
which illustrates one exemplary embodiment of an elongated con-
voluted hose construction or hose 20 of one aspect of this invention
and, such hose construction is made of a single elongated
elastomeric strip which is designated generally by the
reference numeral 21 and as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 the
strip 21 has first connecting means 22 and second connecting
mean~ 23 defining opposite side edge portions thereof. The
strip 21 is disposed or wound in a helical pattern with the
first 22 and second 23 connecting means connected together
as best illustrated in FIG. 3 to define the hose construction
20 which has alternating crests 24 and troughs 25.
The strip 21, when viewed in cross section, has an
outwardly convex substantially U-shaped portion, also desig-
nated by the reference numeral 24, of uniform wall thickness
26 throughout which defines the crests 24 and such U-shaped
portion has a free or unstrained portion 27 of substantial
- - ~ertical height 28 with the free portion 27 and uniform wall
thickness 26 cooperating to enable the hose construction 20
to be easily flexed from a rectilinear configuration thereof,
such as is shown in FIG. 1, for example, upon applying a
flexing force thereagains*. The hose construction 20 is
resilient in character due to the so-called elastic memory
of the elastomeric material used to make the hose construction
whereby such hose construction will return to its substantially
rectilinear configuration upon removal of any flexing force
; applied thereagainst.
As best seen in FIG. 2 the outwardly convex U-
shaped portion 24 is defined by a bight 29 and a pair of
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parallel legs 30 and 31 extending from opposite ends nf the
bight 29 and the strip 21 has a lateral extension 32 extend-
ing perpendicularly outwardly from one of the parallel legs
31-31 and in this example the extension 32 extends perpen- ;
dicularly outwardly from leg 30 away from both of the legs 30
and 31. The lateral extension 32 has an outer end portion
which is designated generally by the reference numeral 33 ,~
and the outer end portion 33 has a rectangular channel 34
defined therein; and, the channel 34 comprises the connecting
means 23. The channel 34 is defined by a pa-r of substantially
planar parallel sides each designated by the same reference
numeral 35 and the sides 35 have bottom edge's which are inter-
connected by a substantially planar bottom 360f such channel 34.
The channel 34 in the outer end portion 33 defines
a roughly U-shaped eonnector which may be considered the con-
necting means 23 and such U-shaped connector or connecting
means also is designatéd by the reference numeral 23. The
U-shaped connector or connecting means 23 at the terminal end
- of the extension 32 is defined by a b-ight 42 and a pair of
parallel arms each designated by the same reference numeral 43
extending from opposite ends of the bight 42 and with the arms
43 extending perpendicular to the bight 42. In the embodiment
of FIG. 2 the arms 43 have an approximately equal extension or
height and the outer end portion 33 of the extension 32 has a
height 40 which is roughly equal to one half of the overall
height or thickness 41 of the strip 21. Further, the height
40 is approximately equal to the height 28 of the free or un- ~ v
restrained portion 27.
The bight 42 has an outside surface 44 shown coplanar
30 with and asa continuation ofa planarsurface 450f extension32 '
and the -6_
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adjoining surfaces 45 and 44 of the extension 32 and
bight 42 respectively define the inside surface of an asso-
ciated trough 25 when the strip 21 is wound in helical form
to define hose construction 20.
S The strip 21 is perferably made by extrusion
process and inasmuch as such process is well known in the -
art a detailed description thereof will not be presented
herein. The strip is perferably made of a thermoplastic
material and it will be seen that adhesive means designated
by the reference numeral 47 in FIG. 3 is provided for bond-
ing the first 22 and second 23 connecting means together
in a tenacious manner. /
The adhesive means 47 of FIG. 3 is in the form of
a plastic adhesive 47 which is preferably made of the same
lS material used to makc the elongated helically wound strip 21.
The plastic adhesi~ve 47 may be suitably disposed between the
-.~ :
-terminal end portion of the leg 31 and the channel 34 using
any technique known in the art. For example, plastic material
47 in molten form may be disposed in channel 34 whereupon the
terminal end portion of leg 31, which may be regarded as
connecting means 22, is placed therewithin and allowed to -
cool and set to define à high strength tenacious bond between
connecting means 22 and 23. It will also be noted that the
. , .
plastic adhesive 47 assumes a substantially U-shaped con- -
figuration around the entire terminal end portion of leg 31.
~ .................. . . . ~ .. ..
ln the present disclosure the ~lastic
adhesive means 47 is shown as having a substantial thickness
; and a roughly U-shaped configuration while being disposed
around the entire terminal end portion of the leg 31; however,
it will be appreciated that such U-shaped adhesive means 47
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may be comparatively thinner than shown. Further, for '`'
, illustrative purposes, the adhesive means 47 is shown cross ~!
hatched as plastic in different directions from the plastic ~ ~
component portions of the strip 21 that it bonds together; '~ -
and, the adhesive means 47 defines a single piece unitary
mass of plastic resulting in connections of exceptionally
high strength.
The hose construction 20 has optimum flexibility
as previously mentioned and such flexibility is due to a
~0 comparatively free or unobstructed portion of the U-shaped ~
,~ portion with such comparatively free portion having the : ,
-substantial height 28 defined by the bight 29, about half ~' ,
of leg 31, and the entire other leg 30. This arrangement ~' '
- ' - enables easy stretching of the U-shaped portion 24 from ',~
its normal U-shaped'configura*ion to the exaggerated stretched
, configuration illustrated at 51 in ~I6. 4 whereby the hose 20 '~'
, defined from strip 21 is easily flexed. Further~ with the ,~'hose construction 20 being made of a thermoplastic resilient
material having elastic memory, once the flexing force is
removed the hose construction quickly returns to its ori-
~; ginal configuration independently of external forces.
Instead of utilizing adhesive means in the formof the molten plastic adhesive 47 illustrated and described
in connection with FIG. 3, commercially available adhesive '~
means of any suitably type may be used and such adhesive
means is indicated by dots and designated generally by
the reference numeral 52 in FIG. 5. Such commercially -
available adhesive 52 may be a suitable adhesive composi-
tion or may be in the form of a solvent of any type well
known in the art which ca,uses softening of the thermoplastic
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material and upon evaporation of the volatile constituents
of the solvent and setting a single-piece unitary mass is
prov;ded similar to the single-piece unitary mass provided -
by bonding utilizing the molten adhesive means 47 of FIG. 3.
Other exemplary embodiments of the hoseconstruction
- of aspects of this invention are illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 of .
the drawing. The hose constructions illustrated in FIGS. 6
and 7 are very similar to the hose construction 20; there-
fore, such hose constructions will be designated generally
by the reference numerals 20A and 20B respectively and com-
. . r ~ .
ponent parts of each hose construction 20A or 20B which are
similar to corresponding parts of the hose construction 20 1
will be designated by the same numeral as in hose construc- i
- tion 20 also followed by the associated letter designation
either A or B and not described again. Only those component
parts of each hose construction 20A ansl 20B which are dif-
ferent from corresponding parts of the hose construction 20
:
will be designated by a new numeral also followed~by their
associated letter designation and described in detail.
The hose construction 20A of FIG. 6 is also defined
from a single-piece helically wound elastomeric strip 21A of ~,
.,
substantially uniform thickness 26A throughout; however, in
- this embodiment the connecting means 23A at the terminal end
of the extension 32Ais defined by a bight 42A and a pair of
parallel arms 53A and 54Aof unequal èxtension or height
extending from opposite sides of the bight 42A and perpendi-
cular thereto.
In particular the arm 53A which is disposed within
the confines of the crest 24A and hence against the inside
30 surfdoe of leg 3L~ has d greater hoight or xtencion th-n ',~
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109~620 ~
the leg 54A which is arranged against the outside surface
of leg 31A. However, in a similar manner as in the hose
construction 20 the crest 24A has a free or unrestrained
portion 27A of substantial vertical height 28A enabling
the hose construction 20A to be easily flexed.
The stPip 21A is also preferably made by extru- i
~ion process and of a suitable thermoplastic material.
Adhesive means 47Ais provided for bonding together the -
. . first.22A and second 23A connecting means of the strip 2h9
in a tenacious manner; and, such adhesive means 47Ais pre-
ferably in the form of a suitable plastic adhesive 47A which -
~ay be nade of the same material used to make the elongated ~
;~ helically wound strip 21A. .. ~: .
rhe hose construction 20B of FIG. 7is also defined
.-
from a single-piece helically wound elastomeric strip 21B;
- ~ d, in this embodiment the connecting means 23B at the ;
*er~inal end of the extension 32Bis defined by a bight 428
- and a pair of parallel arms 55B and 56B also of unequal ex- -
tension or height qxtending from opposite sides of the bight J;
42B and perpendicular thereto.
However, the arm S5B which is disposed within the r.
-confines of the crest 24B and hence against the inside sur- ~-
-face of leg 31B has a lesser or smaller height or extension
than the leg56a which is arranged against the outside sur-
face of leg ~lB. Nevertheless, as in the hose construction
20 the crest 24B has a free or unrestrained portion 27B of
substantial vertical height 28B which also enables the hose
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construction 20B to be easily flexed.
~he strip 21Bis also preferably made by extrusion
process and of a suitable thermoplastic material. Adhesive
neans 47B is provided for bonding together the first 2iB
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and second 23B connecting means of the strip 21B in a
tenacious manner; and, as described earlier for strip 21
and 21A such adhesive means 47B is preferably in the :
form of a suitable plastic adhesive 47B whic may be made ~,
S of the same material used to make the elongated helically
. wound strip 21B.
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