Helically wound flexible hose

• US 6,244,303 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2000
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Veyance Technologies Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Adams, Anthony Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): BRINSON, PATRICK F
• Application Number:
  US09/489,350
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 138/129, 138/122, 138/132, 138/144, 138/150, 138/154, 138/174, 138/173, 138/153
• US Class Current: 138/129
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 11/081 comprising one or more layers of a helically wound cord or wire in combination with braided layers F16L11/088

Abstract

A flexible hose 10 having a flexible material 12 and a more rigid material 14. The flexible material 12 and the more rigid material 14 being helically wound and molded together to form a hose 10 with an exterior surface 16 and an interior surface 18. The cross-section of the more rigid material 14 having at least two peninsulas 20, extending in longitudinally opposite directions, at least one radially inwardly extending peninsula 22, and at least one radially outwardly extending peninsula 22. The longitudinally extending peninsulas 20 are embedded in the flexible material 12 and the radially extending peninsulas 22, 24 are at least partially embedded in the flexible material 12. In the preferred embodiment, the longitudinally extending peninsulas 20 are centrally located in the flexible material 12 between the respective surfaces 16, 18 of the hose 10 and the radially outwardly extending peninsula 24 extends beyond the flexible material 12 on the exterior surface 16 of the hose 10.

Claims

1. A flexible hose (10) comprising a flexible material (12) and a material (14) more rigid than the flexible material (12), the more rigid material (14) and the flexible material (12) being helically wound and molded together to form a hose (10) with an exterior surface (16) and an interior surface (18), the hose (10) being characterized by:

the cross-section of the more rigid material (14) having at least two peninsulas (20), extending in longitudinally opposite directions, at least one radially inwardly extending peninsula (22), and at least one radially outwardly extending peninsula (24), the longitudinally extending peninsulas (20) being embedded in the flexible material (12) and the radially extending peninsulas (22, 24) being at least partially embedded in the flexible material (12).

2. A flexible hose (10) as in claim 1, the hose (10) being further characterized by:

the flexible material (12) having an average thickness HT measured from the interior surface (18) of the hose (10) to the exterior surface (16) of the hose (10), the longitudinally extending peninsulas (20) being embedded in the flexible material (12) at least 10% of the thickness HT of the flexible material (12) below each surface (16, 18) of the hose (10).

3. A flexible hose (10) as in claim 1, the hose (10) being further characterized by:

the radially outwardly extending peninsula (24) extending radially beyond the flexible material (12) on the external surface (16) of the hose (10).

4. A flexible hose (10) as in claim 1, the hose (10) being further characterized by:

each longitudinally extending peninsula (20) being centrally located in the flexible material (12) between the interior surface (18) and the exterior surface (16) of the hose (10).

5. A flexible hose (10) as in claim 1, the hose (10) being further characterized by:

the radially inwardly extending peninsula (22) extending to form a portion of the interior surface (18) of the hose (10).