GB2485249A

GB2485249A - A device to repair a kinked hose pipe

Info

Publication number: GB2485249A
Application number: GB1109739.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Lucien Bailhache
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-05
Filing date: 2011-06-10
Publication date: 2012-05-09
Also published as: GB201018638D0; GB201109739D0

Abstract

A device 10 suitable for repairing a kink in a hose pipe (not shown) has a body portion 11 with at least one extending strap 12 and a securing means 14 to receive the strap. The body of the device may take the form of a sheet, which is wrapped around the straightened kink, and strapped into place. More than one strap may be provided, ideally taking the form of cable-ties, i.e. operating on a ratchet principle. The distal end 12a of the band / strap can be tucked within or adjacent the body portion, so as to be hidden. An underside recess 18 accommodates the strap ends. Once this device is installed, the flexible tube / hose is stiffened and further sharp bends / kinks are prevented on the hose. An independent claim relates to a device suitable for surrounding elongate objects, with the strap ends being tucked away, the elongate objects possibly being music or electrical cables.

Description

DEVICE FOR REPAIRING A KINK IN A HOSEPIPE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for repairing a kink in a hosepipe.

BACKGROUND

A common problem experienced in the use of domestic garden hosepipes is that a loop or tangle can occur which is pulled tight and causes a "kink" or permanent deformation and weakness in the hose length. Water can continue to flow through the area of the kink if the hosepipe is straightened ou t, however, future constrictions are prone to occur at that point of given weakness when the hosepipe is moved/coiled or otherwise relocated.

A known repair solution to the problem of hosepipe kinking is to cut out the damaged portion and rejoin it using a metal pipe located internally at the join. The metal pipe is then secured in place using a suitable constricting clamp, e.g. a "jubilee clip". This solution is generally robust but requires tools and also can impede smooth coiling because the metal pipe is not flexible. Furthermore, the protruding nature of the clips can be obstructive and potentially cause injury.

The foregoing method is also commonly used for repairing a leak in a hosepipe which may or may not be the result of a kink. Some other devices/methods have been proposed for specific repair of a leak in a hosepipe, without necessarily recognising the need to repair or mitigate the effects of a kink.

For example, GB2442295 suggests (and illustrates at Figures 3 and 7 of that document) a sleeve with a number of flaps that can be used to repair a leak by acting as a protective shield for maintaining pressure on a sealing compound applied to the surface (i.e. a hole) of the hosepipe. GB2442295 does not recognise the specific problem of kinks developing in hosepipes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly the present invention seeks to provide a device that addresses the problem of hosepipe kinking and can be applied in situ without the need for additional tools or materials.

In one broad aspect there is provided a device for repairing a kink in a hosepipe including a body portion with at least one extending strap and a securing means on the body portion to receive the strap.

It should be noted that "repair" in the context of the invention should be considered "minimising the consequence of a kink in a hosepipe", i.e. by lessening the effect of restricted flow, rather than complete removal or restoration of the kink.

In use, the body portion is located at a kink or weakness in a hosepipe and the strap or tongue encircles said hosepipe and is secured in place by the securing means.

If desired the unneeded protruding excess of the strap can be out away. The inherent rigidity of the body portion is intended to provide supporting strength to the weakened hosepipe and mitigate any restriction of flow.

In a preferred form of the invention the securing means receives the distal ends of said straps and diverts them within or closely adjacent the body portion, such that said distal ends are tucked away and do not protrude from the device. In such an embodiment the straps preferably include a ratchet or toothed surface and the securing means provides an edge against which the teeth can grip or catch.

This form of the invention could include two extending straps in the form of a "cable tie" type construction including ratchet teeth. The receiving means includes two ratchet housings that receive one strap each. In the usual way of a cable tie, the ratchet mechanism allows tightening movement in one direction and a non-return lock in the other direction. Once tightened the ties hold the main body firmly in place over the weakened section of the hosepipe.

Preferably there is a pipe gripping surface formed on the pipe contacting side of the body portion to assist holding the device longitudinally in place on the hosepipe. The gripping surface could be a series of spaced-apart spikes or ridges.

Alternative forms of the hosepipe repair device may be possible which are functionally equivalent. For example, the body and strap may be continuous with a buckle type arrangement to receive the strap.

The general form of the devioe may have other applioations, suoh as those otherwise assooiated with oonventional cable-ties; this might include bundling elongate items (oables etc) together. Furthermore, the devioe oould be of a form that operates effectively with only one strap/tongue but utilises the diverting aspect of the strap underneath the outward facing surface to provide a tidier appearance without the need for clipping off protruding parts (which can result in sharp edges and the chance of injury)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures la and lb show a perspective view of the "upside" and detail of a tab of a device for repairing a hosepipe according to the invention; Figures 2a and 2b show a perspective view of the "underside" and detail of a securing means of the device from Figure 1; Figures Ia to 3g show various views of the device in a curled configuration, ready for surrounding a hosepipe; Figure 4 shows an end view of an alternative form of device for repairing a hosepipe; Figure 5 shows a plan view of the device from Figure 4; Figure 6 shows a side elevation view of the device from Figure 4; Figure 7 shows an underneath plan view; and Figure 8 shows a cross section view of a hosepipe with a device for repairing a kink according to the form of Figures 4 to 7.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The device of the invention is generally denoted 10 in the drawings. The embodiment of the device illustrated by Figures 1 to 3 includes a body portion 11 and two extending tabs, tongues or straps 12. Straps 12 are in the form of relatively broad tongues with a ratchet surface 13 (best seen in Figure 2) to be received by a securing means opening 14. Body portion 11 is a generally square or rectangular pad and formed integrally with the straps by a suitable process and material, e.g., injection moulded nylon.

The underside (Figure 2) of body portion 11 includes a series of small contacting sprigs or spikes 15 that, in use, grip the outer surface of a hosepipe. These contacting spikes may alternatively be ridges or any other suitable construction.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the upside of the body portion features a series of ridges 17 that contribute rigidity to the body portion when it wraps around a hosepipe H (Figure 3g) and also improve a user's grip on the device.

In use, when a kink/weakness in a hosepipe is identified the user lines up a positioning arrow 16 which may be on either the upside, underside or both of the body portion 11 with the kink. The device is then curled around the hosepipe H to take the form as illustrated by Figure 3.

A leading/distal end 12a of each strap 12 is fed through the securing means aperture 14 whereupon the ratchet surface 13 comes into contact with an edge 14a of the aperture 14. This performs a "non-return" function and it will be appreciated that the non-return function and general construction is analogous to many common cable tie devices used to bind elongate objects together.

It will also be appreciated that once each strap 12 passes in the direction of arrow A into aperture 14 and is secured against an edge 14a (the extent of the insertion being determined by the diameter of the hosepipe H) , the distal end 12a of each strap will effectively be diverted or tucked away from view underneath a second edge 14b of securing aperture 14. In this way no part of the device is protruding in its final form, so no tools are reguired to cut away any excess part of the device.

Overall it is intended that the design be kept smooth and free from protrusions to avoid catching or injury when spooling a hose.

It will be apparent that the embodiment illustrated by the drawings is intended for more or less permanent use, in that cable ties are a "single-use" type construction.

If the device is to be removed then straps 12 must be pried away from the securing means 14 which may cause damage and prohibit further use. However, further forms of the invention may provide for a reusable device, i.e. by enabling the securing means to be movable and thereby release the ratchet surface 13 of strap 12.

Figure 2a illustrates an underside recess 18 in the area adjacent each second edge 14b of the securing means 14 which provides some space to receive straps 12 when the device is in use and otherwise in close contact with a hosepipe. Tightening of the device in place on a hosepipe is generally done by a user folding the straps 12 back underneath the device through apertures 14 (as indicated by arrow A), double-checking the location of the device over a kink and sgueezing until the ratchet teeth click and can travel no further.

This embodiment can be modified by including straps generally too long to comfortably fit within the sleeve against a hosepipe, but which have gradations marked off on the strap (12) surface corresponding to a diameter of pipe. In other words, a user would cut off the extended strap at an appropriate marker to enclose, say, a 35mm diameter pipe (or other diameter of cables etc. to be enclosed, e.g. for tidying up hi-fl cables), yet still benefit from the invention where the distal ends of the straps are tucked away. In a yet further form the marked gradations could be perforated or otherwise able to be manually snapped/broken/twisted off without the need of a cutting tool.

Figures 4 to 8 illustrate an alternative simplified form that uses a familiar cable tie strap 12, also with ratchet teeth 13 to be received by a securing housing 14 -also of the familiar cable-tie type. The housings 14 are located on the upside of the body portion 11 to receive (illustrated in Figure 5) a leading end 12a of a strap. The advantage of this second form is that it can accommodate a much wider range of pipe diameters (such as aquatic, agricultural and horticultural hoses, industrial cleaning hoses, hydraulic and pneumatic machine hoses etc), however, the cable tie strap should be cut away (at approximately portion C) to make the hosepipe H tidy for continued use.

Again referring to Figure 5, it will be apparent that rigidity is imparted to the hosepipe H by the body portion 11 rolled around it, in combination with the longitudinal ridges 15 on the underside thereof seen in Figure 4.

Further forms of the invention may feature a wider single strap 12 with a buckle or similar arrangement to be secured.

The device 10 according to the invention is intended to be an injection moulded plastic (e.g. nylon) single piece that can be sold in packs and generally discarded after use.

The invention has been generally referred to as a device suitable for repairing a kink in a hosepipe and described with reference to a domestic garden situation, however, it will be appreciated that there are other potential uses. For example, the device may be used: For strengthening two pipe abutments or joins, e.g. in electrical ducting; as a stress release buttress in applications where flexible pipes are bent to extremes and could potentially kink, e.g. in central heating pipe runs, or underfloor heating systems; in medical uses, e.g. an adaptation as a finger splint in a softer material wi t h adjustable straps (utilising a belt/buckle), or as a much larger unit designed as a leg splint; as a protector against wear by movement, e.g. where a pipe expands and contracts over a hard or abrasive surface, sccring the surface, eventually leading to failure; as a replacement for conventional cable-ties and, specifically, as cable shielding given the elongate nature of the device (e.g. to surround a plurality of hi-fi cables, wires etc) . In such an application the device could be formed of a more flexible material.

In further forms the device may be generally narrower and include only one strap which otherwise tucks away as described. In this way it can be used as a more conventional cable-tie, but resulting in a tidier appearance in use. For example, it is not necessary to trim off excess plastic as it is with a conventional cable-tie that can lead to sharp edges that cause injury.

All of the above can benefit from a device essentially for kink repair, stress/support relief and/or break repair.

Claims

What I Claim Is: 1. A device for repairing a kink in a hosepipe including a body portion with at least one extending strap and a securing means to receive the strap.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the securing means receives a leading or distal end of a strap and, in use, diverts it within or closely adjacent the body portion, such that said distal end is tucked away.
3. The device of claim 1 or 2 wherein the strap includes a ratchet surface, for being received by a corresponding tooth or edge in the securing means.
4. The device of any of the preceding claims wherein the strap and receiving means are a cable tie construction with a stepped surface and ratchet housing respectively.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the ratchet housing is releasable.
6. The device of any preceding claim wherein there are at least two straps.
7. The device of any preceding claim wherein there are ridges or spikes formed on a surface of the body portion.
8. A device for surrounding elongate objects including a body portion with at least one extending strap and a securing means, wherein the securing means receives a leading or distal end of a strap and, in use, diverts it within or closely adjaoent the body portion, suoh that said distal end is tucked away in use.
9. A device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.