End-slotted flexible metal hose

• US 6,312,021 B1
• Filed: 01/20/1998
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tru-Flex LLC (Nelson Global Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.
• Inventors: Thomas, R. Winfield
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicholson, Eric K.
• Application Number:
  US09/009,552
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 285/252, 285/253, 285/235, 285/236, 285/226, 285/903, 285/322, 285/382
• US Class Current: 285/253
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 25/0036 Joints for corrugated pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/903 Corrugated

Abstract

An end-slotted flexible metal hose includes a hose section with body and end sections and a hose clamp. The hose section forms a bore therethrough having a relatively constant diameter. The end section includes a plurality of slots which extend through a sidewall of the hose section to the bore and permit the end section to be constricted by the hose clamp to reduce the bore diameter to provide a relatively tight engagement with a tube on which the hose assembly is mounted.

Claims

1. An end-slotted flexible metal hose assembly, which comprises:

(a) a flexible hose with an end and a corrugated section including a corrugated section end;

(b) a compressible slot formed in said flexible hose in proximity to the end thereof;

(c) a gasket including a gasket bore receiving said flexible metal hose and a gasket outer surface;

(d) a clamp generally encircling said gasket in contact with the outer surface thereof and including constriction means for constricting said gasket on said flexible hose;

(e) a generally cylindrical flexible hose extension extending from said corrugated section end and terminating at an extension end formed by said flexible hose end;

(f) said gasket having a first section with corrugations in the bore thereof corresponding to the corrugations of said flexible pipe corrugated section; and

(g) said gasket having a second section with said gasket bore having a generally smooth-walled configuration thereat and receiving said extension.

2. The flexible hose assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said gasket first section includes a first outside diameter at the outer surface thereof;

(b) said gasket second section includes a second outside diameter at the outer surface thereof;

(c) said gasket first outside diameter is greater than said gasket second outside diameter;

(d) said gasket forms a shoulder between its first and second sections at the outer surface thereof; and

(e) said clamp has a first inside diameter corresponding to the outside diameter of said gasket first section and a second, lesser inside diameter corresponding to the outside diameter of the gasket second section.

3. The flexible hose assembly according to claim 2, which includes:

(a) a plurality of said slots formed in said extension and positioned in radially-spaced relation around same.

4. The flexible hose assembly according to claim 3, which includes:

(a) said slots being positioned in spaced relation inwardly from said hose extension end.

5. The flexible hose assembly according to claim 3, which includes:

(a) each said slot being open at said extension end.

6. The flexible hose assembly according to claim 2, which includes:

(a) said flexible hose corrugated section having a plurality of longitudinally-extending slots positioned in radially-spaced relation and covered by said gasket first section.

7. An end-slotted flexible hose assembly for connection to a rigid pipe having an end, which comprises:

(a) a flexible hose with an end and a corrugated section including a corrugated section end;

(b) a compressible slot formed in said flexible hose in proximity to the end thereof;

(c) a gasket including a gasket bore receiving said flexible metal hose and a gasket outer surface, said gasket being located substantially entirely outside said flexible hose;

(d) a clamp generally encircling said gasket in contact with the outer surface thereof and including constriction means for constricting said gasket on said flexible hose;

(e) said flexible hose having a hose bore adapted to telescopically receive the rigid pipe;

(f) said clamp overlying said slot and said gasket; and

(g) said clamp having an expanded position with said flexible hose bore having a relatively constant diameter and a constricted position with said flexible hose bore having a reduced diameter at said slot.

8. The flexible hose assembly according to claim 7, which includes:

(a) a plurality of said slots positioned in radially-spaced relation around said hose corrugated section and covered by said gasket; and

(b) said gasket bore having a corrugated configuration corresponding to the corrugated configuration of said hose corrugated section.