Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
EXPANDABLE MR HOSE AND PROCESS
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The presently disclosed subject matter is related to and claims
priority to U.S.
Patent Application Serial No. 15/066,657 entitled "Expandable Air Hose and
Process" filed on
March 10, 2016.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the invention
[0003] The present invention relates to pneumatic air hoses. More
specifically, the
present invention pertains to an improved air hose that is utilized in
conjunction with an air
compressor and a variety of pneumatic tools such as blow guns, nail guns, and
air staplers.
[0004] An air compressor is a device that converts power from a motor or
engine into
energy to compress air. The compressed air is generally contained within a
pressure vessel, and
the release of the compressed air can be triggered in quick bursts. Two of the
most common uses
for an air compressor are inflation and pneumatic tools.
[0005] An inflation attachment includes a nozzle that allows one to
inflate everything
from beach balls to automobile tires. Pneumatic tools are generally faster,
lighter and more
powerful than traditional power tools. Some pneumatic tools that are useful
with an air
compressor include: a blown gun, a nail gun, an air stapler, and a spray gun.
[0006] An air compressor is usually attached to a pneumatic tool by an
elongated air
hose. However, these hoses can be bulky and cumbersome to work with. Such
elongated hoses
can be easily tangled and frustrating to unwind and rewind neatly for each
use. A traditional hose
also may require significant storage space. Therefore, there exists a need for
an improved air
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hose that is compact and configured for use with air compressors.
[0007] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0008] Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to hoses.
These include
devices that have been patented and published in patent application
publications. Devices in the
art include those that expand longitudinally and laterally upon the
application of fluid pressure.
Other devices include a hose for fluids having an inner tube member made from
elastic material
and an outer tube member made from a non-elastic material. These prior art
devices, however, do
not disclose a hose utilized with an air compressor and having the structure
of the present
invention. The foregoing is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the
present disclosure,
which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and
differentiating the unique aspects
of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in
the prior art.
[0009] Specifically, U.S. Patent Number 8,291,942 to Berardi discloses a
hose that
expands longitudinally and laterally upon the application of fluid pressure.
The Berardi device
can expand longitudinally up to six times its contracted length. The Berardi
device discloses an
inner tube made from elastic material and an outer tube made from non-elastic
material. The
inner tube is positioned concentrically within the outer tube secured by the
first end and second
end of both inner and outer tubes.
[00010] Similarly, Published U.S. Patent Application Number 2013/0087205 to
Berardi
discloses a hose having an inner tube member made from elastic material and an
outer tube
member made from a non-elastic material. The inner tube member is secured to
the outer tube at
the ends by an inlet coupler and an outlet coupler. The inlet coupler is
adapted to secure to a
water supply and the outlet coupler is coupled to a flow restrictor allowing
the inner tube to
equalize in pressure with water received from water supply. Water expands the
inner tube
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longitudinally and laterally.
[00011]
U.S. Patent Number 4,895,185 to Champleboux discloses a flexible hose and
expandable hose for utilization in fields. The Champleboux device discloses a
hose including at
least two pairs of adjacent reinforcing layers made of flexible cables
disposed helically and
attached to at least one rigid end piece. Rigid end piece include an inner
supporting element and
an outer gripping element. Inner supporting element and outer gripping element
are coaxial and
having conical compression surfaces, which diverge toward one end. The
Champleboux device
is a hose for well packers.
[00012] Finally, U.S. Patent Number 6,889,701 to Kovacik discloses a reel
for storing an
air hose having a spring-loaded pulley system mounted therein. The reel
includes a hollow reel
housing with a flange mounted thereon exterior of the housing, a pulley
rotatably mounted inside
the housing. The pulley further includes a nozzle mounted thereon. A reel hose
is wound on the
pulley with one end attached to the nozzle.
[00013] The devices disclosed in the prior art have several known
drawbacks. These
devices are limited as they are not adapted for use with an air compressor.
One invention
discloses a hose that expands longitudinally and laterally upon the
application of fluid pressure.
Another invention discloses a hose for fluids having an inner tube member made
from elastic
material and an outer tube member made from a non-elastic material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[00014] It is thus an object of this invention to provide a novel
pneumatic air hose.
[00015] It is further an object of this invention to provide such a
pneumatic air hose which
is expandable when in use and which shrinks to a non-expanded state when not
in use.
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[00016] It is a further object of this invention to provide a process of
utilizing an
expandable pneumatic air hose.
[00017] These as well as other objects are achieved by an expandable
pneumatic air hose
formed from an inner elastic tubular member surrounded by an outer inelastic
tubular sleeve.
The process is carried out by connecting one end of the elastic tubular member
to an air
compressor and connecting the other end thereof to a pneumatic tool, engaging
the air
compressor to expand the inner tubular member to an extended state while the
outer tubular
sleeve is extended along with the inner tubular member to a length greater
than the original non-
extended state. Upon disengagement of the air compressor the expandable hose
resumes its
original non-extended state.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00018] FIG. lA is a perspective view of the expandable air hose of this
invention in the
non-extended state.
[00019] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a portion of the extendable air
hose in the
extended state.
[00020] FIG. 2A is a cross section of an end of the expandable hose in the
non-extended
state.
[00021] FIG. 2B is a plan view of the extendable air hose in the non-
extended state having
a length D.
[00022] FIG. 3A is a cross section of the extendable air hose in the
extended state.
[00023] FIG. 3B is a plan view of the extendable air hose in the extended
state having a
length D2.
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[00024] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the pneumatic air hose in its
operational mode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[00025] In accordance with this invention, it has been found that a
pneumatic air hose may
be formed so as to be extendable for use with pneumatic tools while having a
non-extended
shorter state for storage when not in use. Various other advantages and
features will become
apparent from the following description.
[00026] Figure lA is a perspective view in partial cutaway of the
extendable hose 1
in accordance with this invention. The extendable hose has an inner tubular
elastic
member 3 surrounded by a tubular inelastic sleeve 5. Inner elastic tubular
member 3 is
connected to pneumatic fitting 7 which can be connected to a pneumatic tool or
air compressor in
the conventional mode. A handle 9 facilitates attachment. The expandable air
hose 1 when
inflated extends to approximately one and one-half to two times its non-
extended state. When
extended the outer non-elastic tubular sleeve 5 is extended along with the
elastic tubular member
3. Inelastic sleeve 5 is capable of extending to the greater length due to a
very loose ruffling
about the elastic tubular member 3.
[00027] When the expandable hose is inflated in actual use the inelastic
outer sleeve 5 is
extended to the full extent of the extension of the inner tubular member 3.
Such is illustrated in
Figure 1B where the inelastic tubular sleeve has been extended to
substantially remove the
ruffles therein. This is further illustrated in the cutaway view of Figure 2A
which illustrates the
extendable hose 1 in the non-extended state.
[00028] Figure 3A is a partial cutaway view of the extendable hose 1 in
the extended state.
The arrows in Figure 3A indicate the direction of expansion when in the
extended state.
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[00029] Figure 2B is a plan view of the expandable pneumatic hose 1 in the
non-extended
state having a length D. Figure 3B is a plan view showing the expandable hose
1 in the extended
state having a length D2. In actual operation the ratio D2 to D is within the
range of 1.5 to 2.
This extension occurs upon application of compressed air at a pressure within
the range of 90-
120 psi.
[00030] Figure 4 is a plan view of the expandable hose 1 connected to an
air compressor
21 and to a pneumatic tool 23. When inflated and extended the expandable hose
1 has the
extended length to facilitate use thereof. However, when the air compressor is
disengaged the
expandable hose has memory and returns to the original non-extended state.
[00031] Suitable materials of construction for the outer tubular inelastic
sleeve are nylon
or other inelastic materials. The inner elastic tubular member 3 is preferably
formed from a
thermoplastic elastomer or natural butyl rubbers. In test of the expandable
hose it has been
found that pressures up to 600 psi may be achieved without rupture of the
elastic tubular
member.
[00032] Having set forth a description of the expandable pneumatic hose,
as well as the
process of using same, such description is not meant to be used in a limiting
sense but to be
limited only by the spirit and scope of the following appended claims.
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