WO2019099071A1

WO2019099071A1 - Hose structure with longitudinally and helically integrated core reinforcement members

Info

Publication number: WO2019099071A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/044731
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothy O'connor; Jose ROSSI; Erick Williams
Original assignee: Swan Products Llc
Priority date: 2017-11-14
Filing date: 2018-08-01
Publication date: 2019-05-23

Abstract

A reinforced hose (402) comprising an extruded core tube (404) having a circular cylindrical cross- section, a plurality of elongated reinforcement members (414), and a jacket layer (408). The plurality of elongated reinforcement members (414) are disposed within a wall of the core tube (404) and extend longitudinally between a first distal end of the core tube (404) and a second distal end of the core tube (404). The elongated reinforcement members (414) can extend in a substantially straight fashion or can extend in a helical fashion to thereby form a helix within the wall of the core tube (404). One or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members (414) has a greater rigidity than the wall of the core tube (404). A jacket layer (408) encapsulates the extruded core tube (404) and the plurality of elongated reinforcement members (414), and has a circular cylindrical cross-section that is larger than the circular cylindrical cross-section of the extruded core tube (404).

Description

HOSE STRUCTURE WITH UONGITUDINAUUY AND HEUICAUUY INTEGRATED

CORE REINFORCEMENT MEMBERS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO REUATED APPUICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/646,606 filed on March 22, 2018 and entitled “HOSE STRUCTURE WITH LONGITUDINALLY AND HELICALLY INTEGRATED CORE REINLORCEMENT MEMBERS”, and additionally claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/585,831 filed on November 14, 2017 and entitled “HOSE STRUCTURE WITH LONGITUDINALLY INTEGRATED CORE REINFORCEMENT MEMBERS”, both of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention pertains to pipes and hoses, and more specifically to the reinforcement of garden hoses and other fluid carrying hoses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention relates to a reinforced hose, the hose comprising a plurality of reinforcement members integrated with a core tube or a jacket layer of the hose. The longitudinal reinforcement members can be arranged in a vertical or parallel fashion, or the longitudinal reinforcement members can be arranged in a helical fashion, as will be described herein. The longitudinal reinforcement members can be constructed with a greater rigidity than the surrounding hose material, thereby lending increased strength and kink resistance to the overall reinforced hose. In some embodiments, the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members can be co-extruded with one or more of the remaining hose layers, and can be formed from various metals, fibers, and plastics/polymers.

[0004] Hoses are often provided with a multi-layer or multi-piece construction in order to provide greater strength and durability. For example, many hoses consist of a more pliable inner layer and a harder, reinforced outer layer to provide rigidity to the overall hose construction and to protect the inner layer from damage. Various outer layers and reinforced jackets are known in the art, and typically consist of one or more types of fibers arranged in an interleaving or interwoven fashion. A clear top coat is often provided on top of such reinforcing or fibrous outer layers. With these reinforcing fibers and reinforcing layers, varying degrees of reinforcement can be achieved. However, such an approach is fundamentally limited by the mechanical strength of the bond between the reinforcing layer(s) and the inner core or tubing of the hose. That is, many of the advantages conferred by the reinforcing layer are lost if the bond between the reinforcing layer and the inner tubing is weakened or broken entirely. Such damage is not uncommon, particularly over time as the hose assembly is subjected to the repeated stress and strain cycles associated with normal use.

[0005] Further still, jacketed or reinforced hoses are still often subject to kinking, creasing, and other flow-impingements that may arise despite, or even due to, the jacket or reinforcing layer. For example, the jacketing or reinforcing layer is often much stiffer or less pliable than the inner core tubing of the hose, a property which is in part responsible for the protection afforded to the inner core tubing of the hose. However, this stiffness can exacerbate kinking and creasing behavior of the hose due to the decreased ability of the jacketing or reinforcing layer to relax or otherwise bend without significantly decreasing fluid flow through the hose. For a given jacketed or reinforced hose, there exists a minimum radius of curvature beyond which the jacketed or reinforced hose cannot bend without kinking. That is, the jacketing or reinforcing layer will collapse or crease rather than smoothly bending, thereby reducing or eliminating fluid flow through the hose altogether. As such, it would be highly desirable to provide a hose reinforcement that can be integrated with the inner core and additionally prevent kinking, creasing, and other undesirable flow-impinging behaviors.

[0006] In an aspect of the invention, there is provided a reinforced hose comprising: a hollow extruded core tube having a circular cylindrical cross-section wall; a plurality of elongated reinforcement members disposed within the wall of the core tube and extending longitudinally between a first distal end and a second distal end of the core tube, wherein one or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members have a greater rigidity than the wall of the core tube; and a jacket layer encapsulating an outer surface of the extruded core tube and the plurality of elongated reinforcement members, the jacket layer having an outer circular cylindrical cross- section that is larger than the outer circular cylindrical cross-section of the wall of the core tube.

[0007] In one embodiment, the plurality of elongated reinforcement members disposed within the wall of the core tube are arranged symmetrically about the circular cylindrical cross-section of the wall of core tube. [0008] In one embodiment, the plurality of elongated reinforcement members extend longitudinally between the first and second distal ends of the core tube in substantially parallel fashion with respect to one another.

[0009] In one embodiment, the plurality of elongated reinforcement members are disposed within the wall of the core tube such that the plurality of elongated reinforcement members form a first helix spiraling in a first direction with respect to the core tube.

[0010] In another aspect, there is also provided a second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming a second helix spiraling in a second direction with respect to the core tube, such that the second direction is different than the first direction.

[0011] In one embodiment, an inner diameter of the second helix is larger than an inner diameter of the first helix.

[0012] In one embodiment, the plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the first helix induce a first twisting force in the reinforced hose, and the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix induce a second twisting force in the reinforced hose such that the second twisting force cancels the first twisting force.

[0013] In one embodiment, the second twisting force further cancels a baseline twisting force induced by one or more of the extruded core tube and the jacket layer.

[0014] In one embodiment, the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix are disposed within the wall of the core tube.

[0015] In one embodiment, the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix are disposed within a wall of an intermediate reinforcement tube, the intermediate reinforcement tube disposed between the core tube and the jacket layer.

[0016] In another aspect, there is also provided a first fill layer disposed between the core tube and the intermediate reinforcement tube, such that the first fill layers bonds an outer surface of the core tube to an inner surface of the intermediate reinforcement tube.

[0017] In one embodiment, the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix are disposed on an outer surface of the core tube.

[0018] In one embodiment, the plurality of elongated reinforcement members consists of 4-16 individual elongated reinforcement members.

[0019] In one embodiment, the first direction and the second direction are opposites and the first helix and the second helix overlap to thereby form a plurality of diamond- shaped interstices there between, each diamond-shaped interstice defined between two adjacent elongated reinforcement members of the first helix and two adjacent second elongated reinforcement members of the second helix.

[0020] In one embodiment, the core tube and one or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members are coextruded such that the first helix formed by the plurality of elongated reinforcement members is integrally contained within the wall of the core tube.

[0021] In one embodiment, the core tube, one or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the first helix, and one or more of the plurality of second elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix are triple coextruded.

[0022] In one embodiment, one or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the first helix is different than one or more of the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix.

[0023] In one embodiment, the core tube comprises one or more of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), nylon, polyethylene, and synthetic and natural rubber.

[0024] In one embodiment, the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members comprise one or more of steel, copper, aluminum, aramid fiber, carbon fiber, and nylon fiber

[0025] In one embodiment, the core tube comprises a flexible material having a first rigidity and the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members comprise a semi-rigid material having a second rigidity that is greater than the first rigidity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features of the invention can be obtained, a more particular description of the principles briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only exemplary embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the principles herein are described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0027] FIG. 1A depicts an exploded view of a tube and a plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members; [0028] FIG. 1B depicts a perspective view of a hose with a plurality of integrated longitudinal reinforcement members;

[0029] FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of a coextruded reinforced hose with a plurality of integrally formed longitudinal reinforcement members;

[0030] FIG. 3A depicts an exploded view of a tube and plurality of helical reinforcement members;

[0031] FIG. 3B depicts a perspective view of a hose with a plurality of integrated helical reinforcement members;

[0032] FIG. 4A depicts a perspective view of a hose with a double helix configuration of integrated helical reinforcement members;

[0033] FIG. 4B depicts a cross-sectional view of a double helix hose;

[0034] FIG. 4C depicts a cross-sectional view of a multi-layer double helix hose;

[0035] FIG. 4D depicts a cross-sectional view of a single-layer double helix hose;

[0036] FIG. 4E depicts a cross-sectional view of a single-layer double helix hose;

[0037] FIG. 5A depicts a reinforced hose undergoing 180 degree bending without kinking;

[0038] FIG. 5B depicts a reinforced hose undergoing 360 degree bending without kinking;

[0039] FIG. 5C depicts a reinforced hose undergoing a smaller radius 360 degree bending than FIG 5B, without kinking;

[0040] FIG. 6A depicts a strength test of a reinforced hose;

[0041] FIG. 6B depicts a strength test of a conventional hose;

[0042] FIG. 6C depicts a failure during a strength test of a conventional hose;

[0043] FIG. 7A depicts a cross-sectional view of a reinforced hose with integrated longitudinal reinforcement members;

[0044] FIG. 7B depicts a cross-sectional view of a reinforced hose with a triangular jacket containing integrated longitudinal reinforcement members;

[0045] FIG. 7C depicts a cross-sectional view of a reinforced hose with a square jacket containing integrated longitudinal reinforcement members;

[0046] FIG. 7D depicts a cross-sectional view of a reinforced hose with a hexagonal jacket containing integrated longitudinal reinforcement members; and

[0047] FIG. 7E depicts a cross-sectional view of a reinforced hose with an octagonal jacket containing integrated longitudinal reinforcement members. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Various embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or can be learned by practice of the herein disclosed principles.

[0049] It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.

[0050] FIG. 1A depicts an exploded view of a plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114 and a tube 104 while FIG. 1B depicts a perspective view of the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114 integrated into a wall of the tube 104 to thereby form a hose 102. Note that in FIGS. 1A and 1B the longitudinal reinforcement members 114 are depicted in a vertical or parallel configuration (as opposed to the helical configurations shown in FIGS. 3A- 4E). As used herein, a“hose” can refer to conventional fluid carrying hoses such as garden hoses, and can more broadly refer to various tubings and pipings also used to carry fluids, either pressurized or un-pressurized. Tube 104 can be provided in a variety of configurations as are known in the art, including one-piece, two-piece, and three-piece constructions using one or more of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), nylon, polyethylene, synthetic and natural rubbers, and various other materials. Tube 104 (and hose 102) can include conventional exterior reinforcement layers, such as the interwoven fibrous reinforcement layer seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B. [0051] The plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114 may similarly be provided from a variety of different materials. In addition to those materials listed above, one or more of the longitudinal reinforcement members can be constructed from metals (such as steel, copper, aluminum, etc.) or fibers (such as aramid, carbon, nylon, etc.). In general, tube 102 can be constructed from a material most suitable for carrying fluids while longitudinal reinforcement members 114 can be constructed from materials most suitable for providing torsional strength, tensile strength, shear strength, compressive strength, or some combination of the above. In this manner, material selection for tube 104 can be simplified and better optimized, for example on the basis of the fluid(s) anticipated to contact the inner surface of tube 104, as strength considerations are no longer provided by tube 104 but are instead provided by the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114. For example, in some embodiments, the longitudinal reinforcement members 114 can be selected to have a greater yield strength than tube 104, a greater ultimate tensile strength than tube 104, a greater Young’s modulus than tube 104, and a greater torsional strength than tube 104.

[0052] In some embodiments, one or more of the longitudinal or helical reinforcement members disclosed herein can be used in lieu of the various reinforcing yarns and weaving patterns used in conventional hose construction (e.g. an example of such conventional reinforcing yarns can be seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B as the overlapping diamond pattern depicted on the exterior surface of tube 104). In this sense, the fluid carrying material selection is advantageously decoupled from the reinforcing material selection, permitting the usage of inner core materials for tube 104 that previously may not have been possible. In some embodiments, the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114 are substantially elastic, such that they will return to a default (e.g. the straight and/or vertical) configuration absent any external forces acting on either tube 104 or one or more of the longitudinal reinforcement members 114. In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114 can be configured to be substantially inelastic, such that once bent into shape the longitudinal reinforcement member(s) will remain in the bent position. For generally static deployments where the hose or tubing is not expected to undergo significant bending or repositioning, a greater number or greater proportion of inelastic reinforcement members might be desired, whereas in dynamic deployments where the hose or tubing is expected to undergo significant bending, movement, and repositioning a greater number or proportion of elastic reinforcement members might be desired. [0053] As seen in FIG. 1B, the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114 are integrally provided with the structure of tube 104 in order to form a hose 102, with the reinforcement members 114 disposed within tube 104 such that they remain in a substantially parallel or vertical configuration. In some embodiments, the longitudinal reinforcement members 114 might be equally spaced about the circumference of tube 104, although other configurations and arrangements of the reinforcement members 114 relative to both tube 104 and themselves are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Returning now to the discussion of the integral combination of tube 104 and the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114, in some embodiments this might correspond to inserting one or more of the longitudinal reinforcement members 114 into corresponding longitudinal elongated channels spaced around the circumference of tube 104. Such longitudinal elongated channels can be arranged to receive one of the longitudinal reinforcement members 114 in a permanent or semi permanent configuration. For example, in a permanent configuration the longitudinal channels can be provided with a smaller diameter than the reinforcement member 114, such that reinforcement member 114 is installed via a non-reversible press fit. In a semi-permanent configuration, the longitudinal channels can be provided with a larger diameter than in the permanent configuration, such that a reinforcement member 114 can be removed, for example, and a new reinforcement member (perhaps with different, more desirable properties) installed in its place. Alternately, a semi-permanent configuration could rely upon adhesives or a locking mechanism to secure the reinforcement members 114 in place until their removal is desired. Regardless of whether a permanent or semi-permanent configuration is employed, it is contemplated that the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114 are substantially integrated with the surrounding material of hose 102 such that the reinforcement members 114 do not slip or otherwise move relative to hose 102 once installed, in order to thereby provide the desired reinforcing action to hose 102.

[0054] In some embodiments, the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 114 can be integrally formed with one or more layers of hose 102. For example, the longitudinal reinforcement members can be co-extruded with one or more layers of the hose assembly, as can be seen in the cross-sectional view of a hose 202 presented in FIG. 2. Hose 202 consists of a primary tubing 204 with an interior volume 201 and further consists of a plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 214 integrated with or within primary tubing 204. As depicted in FIG. 2, primary tubing 204 comprises a flexible PVC material and the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 214 comprise a semi-rigid PVC material, although it is understood that other material selections and material constructions can be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention. In co-extruded formulations, it is desirable to select a material for the longitudinal reinforcement members 214 that is compatible with the material of primary tubing 204. The two materials should be suitable for co-extrusion according to various processes known in the art, and in some embodiments, can be selected to provide a strong fused bond between the primary tubing 204 and the longitudinal reinforcement members 214.

[0055] In addition to typical co-extrusion operations for integrally forming the primary tubing 204 with the longitudinal reinforcement members 214, pre-formed longitudinal reinforcement members can be injected into the extrusion flow of primary tubing 204. For example, if one or more longitudinal reinforcement members 214 are provided by a wire, cable, or fiber, then a corresponding length of the desired wire, cable, or fiber can be injected into the extrusion flow of primary tubing 204 from the rear of the die. For example, a multi-port die could be utilized such that a plurality of desired wire, cable, or fiber longitudinal reinforcement members are co extruded into the body of primary tubing 204 or another core layer of a reinforced hose of the present invention. Using such a multi-port die and/or co-extrusion process with wire, cable, or fiber longitudinal reinforcement members can advantageously permit the production of a reinforced hose or tubing via a single step process. In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 214 might be co-extruded with primary tubing 204 while a remaining one or more of the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 214 might be injected into the extrusion flow. In this manner, longitudinal reinforcement members with different material properties can be integrally formed with a single primary tubing 204. In some embodiments, a triple co-extrusion can be employed in order to integrally form primary tubing 204 with longitudinal reinforcement members with different material properties.

[0056] In general, in order to co-extrude hose 202, a co-extruder (not shown) can be configured such that the flexible PVC material of primary tubing 204 is extruded through the main extruder plate while the semi-rigid PVC material is introduced by an outer layer distribution plate. Such a configuration can thereby produce the depicted distribution of the longitudinal reinforcement members 214 disposed about the circumference of primary tubing 204. As shown in FIG. 2, hose 202 is provided with 12 longitudinal reinforcement members 214, although it is appreciated that a greater or lesser number of reinforcement members may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, reinforced hose 202 can be provided with anywhere between 4-16 longitudinal reinforcement members. The plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 214 are utilized to balance the forces present in the material of hose 202, and accordingly, a greater force balancing may be achieved by increasing the thickness of the longitudinal reinforcement members 214, increasing the number of longitudinal reinforcement members provided, or some combination of the two.

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the longitudinal reinforcement members 214 have a lesser thickness than primary tubing 204 and are flush with the outer surface of primary tubing 204. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to provide thicker reinforcement members for greater strength (whether torsional, compressive, tensile, or shear). Consequently, it is also contemplated that one or more of the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 214 can protrude beyond the outer face of primary tubing 204, can protrude beyond the inner face of primary tubing 204, or both. For example, such protrusions can be beneficial in situations in which hose 202 experiences thermal swings, allowing freer movement of the material as primary tubing 204 and longitudinal reinforcement members 214 will typically undergo different amounts of thermal expansion or contraction (due to their different material construction).

[0058] Additionally, FIG. 2 depicts the longitudinal reinforcement members 214 arranged in a symmetric fashion along the circumference of primary tubing 204, although this is not necessarily required. For example, asymmetrical arrangements may be desired in instances where a hose is expected to experience a greater amount of stress or loading in a certain direction - a greater concentration of reinforcement members 214 can thus be provided along the corresponding portion of primary tubing 204. In some embodiments, rather than modifying the symmetry or the spacing between the longitudinal reinforcement members 214, the reinforcement members themselves may be modified. In the example above, this might correspond to increasing the thickness or strengthening the material properties of the reinforcement members in the corresponding portion of primary tubing 204 that is expected to experience greater stress or loading. As such, non-identical reinforcement members can be provided within a single primary tubing 204, varied spacing between reinforcement members can be provided, or some combination of the two may be provided, in order to achieve specific or directional reinforcement about the hose 202. [0059] Further adjustments can be made to the longitudinal length of various ones of the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 214. In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the reinforcement members span substantially the same longitudinal length as the primary tubing 204. For example, in such equal length configurations, a given longitudinal reinforcement member might be terminate at a male coupling at a first distal end of hose 202 and terminate at a female coupling at a second distal end of hose 202. However, in some embodiments, a given longitudinal reinforcement member might be of a lesser longitudinal length than the longitudinal length of primary tubing 204. For example, a given longitudinal reinforcement member might terminate at only one of either a male coupling at a first distal end of hose 202 or a female coupling at a second distal end of hose 202, but not both. In some embodiments, a given longitudinal reinforcement member might not terminate at either the first distal end or the second distal end of hose 202, but instead might span some intermediate length between the two distal ends. Such a configuration might be desirable in order to provide increased flexibility along some specified length at either distal end. Such flexibility can be advantageous in order to more easily bend and attach one end of the hose to a coupling or fluid source, particularly in tight spaces, and can be advantageous in order to more easily allow a user to direct or manipulate the other end of the hose as desired. In a garden hose embodiment, for example, the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 214 can be offset from either distal end of hose 202 by 2-4 feet, although it is understood that other offsets are possible.

[0060] In addition to the aforementioned adjustments of the longitudinal length of various ones of the reinforcement members, it is further contemplated that the positioning and arrangement of the reinforcement members themselves with respect to the hose body or tube can be adjusted, as is illustrated via the helical configuration of reinforcement members in FIGS. 3 A and 3B. In particular, FIG. 3 A depicts an exploded view of a plurality of helical reinforcement members 314 before being received into a corresponding plurality of helical channels 322, while FIG. 3B depicts a perspective view of the plurality of helical reinforcement members after being integrated along the circumference of tube 304 to thereby form hose 302.

[0061] Turning first to FIG. 3A, it is first noted that, as shown, helical reinforcement members 314 do not inherently possess a helical or spiral shape when in the relaxed or unconstrained position. That is, the helical reinforcement members 314 are relatively elastic and spring back to a substantially vertical state absent a bending or constraining force imparted by one of the helical channels 322 upon insertion of the helical reinforcement member. As discussed previously with respect to the substantially vertical longitudinal reinforcement members 114 of FIGS. 1A and 1B, it is likewise contemplated that the helical reinforcement members 314 can be designed with various material properties as is desired, e.g. to vary their elasticity, their default/relaxed state, etc. Although not shown, it is contemplated that in some embodiments, the helical reinforcement members 314 may assume a helical or spiral shape even when in the relaxed position, although it is not necessarily the case that the this will exactly match the helical shape of the helical channel 322 in which the reinforcement members 314 are received.

[0062] As depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the helical reinforcement members 314 are arranged such that they spiral from left to right (or counter-clockwise in a top-down view of hose 302), although it is equally possible that the helical reinforcement members 314 can be arranged to spiral in the opposite direction. In some embodiments, the degree or rate of spiral can be determined by the length of tube 304 and hose 302, e.g. such that a fixed number of spirals are executed no matter the length of the hose. For example, say that the helical reinforcement members 314 are configured to compete two full turns along the length of the hose - the degree of spiral in a 50 ft. hose would be twice that found in a 100 ft. hose. In some embodiments, the degree or rate of spiral can be fixed or pre-determined, such that the total number of spirals executed by the helical reinforcement members 314 is determined the length of hose 302 and/or tube 304.

[0063] Notably, the spiral configuration of the helical reinforcement members 314, regardless of their specific helical orientation, will impart a corresponding twisting force upon the hose 302, such that the material of tube 304 is also caused to twist in the same direction as helical reinforcement members 314. This twisting force is often noticeable when attempting to coil or spool a hose, at which time the twisting force can cause kinks or otherwise resist the smooth and continuous coiling of the hose in a single direction or orientation. While this twisting force is generally undesirable due to the complication it introduces to coiling or storing hoses, it is contemplated that the helical reinforcement members can be integrated into tube 304 such that the twisting force associated with the helical reinforcement members 314 is substantially eliminated or strongly reduced. Although the twisting force is inherent to the helical configuration of the helical reinforcement members 314, and as such cannot be eliminated in isolation, the twisting force of the helical reinforcement members 314 can be designed such that it cancels out with an opposing twisting force that also acts upon tube 304 of hose 302.

[0064] In particular, such an opposing twisting force may be provided by a reinforcing yarn that is conventionally integrated into either tube 304 or hose 302 as a strength member or structural element. Such a yarn or strength member is co-extruded with tube 304 and/or hose 302 and is imparted with an inherent twist from the screw-type extrusion that is most commonly used in the manufacture of such tubes and hoses. Accordingly, the helical reinforcement members 314 can be configured such that they spiral in the opposite direction as compared to the yarn or strength member of tube 304, such that two opposing twisting forces are generated and, ideally, substantially cancel each other out. In order to achieve this net twisting force of approximately zero, various properties of both the yarn/strength member and the helical reinforcement members 314 can be adjusted as desired (e.g. minimize cost of adjustments, minimize re-tooling time required to make adjustments, etc.) or as dictated by engineering requirements (e.g. maintain a minimum Young’s Modulus for the helical reinforcement members 314). As would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, various adjustments can be made as desired, so long as an equal but opposite adjustment is made such that the net twisting force remains substantially balanced, i.e. zero.

[0065] With respect to design, as mentioned previously, hose 302, tube 304 and helical reinforcement members 314 can be substantially similar to hose 102, tube 104 and longitudinal reinforcement members 114, with of course the exception of the arrangement of the reinforcement members. Additionally, tube 304 may be provided with a reinforcement yarn or weaving pattern such as the overlapping diamond pattern depicted on the exterior surface of tube 104, in which case the twisting force of helical reinforcement members 314 would be designed to cancel out the twisting force of the overlapping diamond pattern, or the twisting force of the overlapping diamond pattern would be designed to cancel out the twisting force of helical reinforcement members 314, depending upon which of the two components was designed first or is less flexible to modification or adjustment.

[0066] With respect to manufacture, hose 302 can be manufactured in substantially the same manner as hose 102, with the difference being that the helical reinforcement members 314 are extruded into the tube 304 in a rotated pattern, whereas the vertical reinforcement members 114 would be extruded into the tube 104 in a fixed or stationary pattern. Alternatively, hose 302 can be manufactured such that the helical reinforcement members 314 are inserted into helical channels 322 rather than the vertical channels depicted in FIGS 1A-B.

[0067] The above described embodiments have contemplated only a single layer of helical reinforcement members. However, some embodiments may employ multiple layers of helical reinforcement members, as seen in FIG. 4A, which depicts a double helix hose 402 having a core tube 404 integrated with a first plurality of helical reinforcement members 414 forming a first helix spiraling in a first direction, and an intermediate reinforcement tube 408 (having a greater inner diameter than core tube 404) integrated with a second plurality of helical reinforcement members 418 that form a second helix spiraling spiral in a second direction that is different from the first direction. In some embodiments, the first and second directions can be opposites, i.e. the first helix and the second helix spiral in opposite directions. In some embodiments, the first and second plurality of helical reinforcement members 414,418 can overlap to form diamond-shaped interstices there between, such that no helical reinforcement members are present in or cross the diamond- shaped interstices. The use of a double helix hose 402 can advantageously reduce the strength requirements for each individual reinforcement member in order to achieve comparable performance to the single layer helix hose 302. For example, all else equal, the double helix hose 402 might require each of its constituent helical reinforcement members 414,418 to only be half as strong as the helical reinforcement members 314 of single layer helix hose 302 in order for the two hoses to have comparable strength and/or performance. In some instances, the reduction in required strength of the helical reinforcement members may be greater than linear, i.e. the helical reinforcement members 414,418 may need to be only one-third as strong as the helical reinforcement members 314 in order for double helix hose 402 and single helix hose 302 to have comparable strength and/or performance. Such performance increases can be attributed at least in part to the greater distribution of force that is achieved by double helix hose 402, which comprises both an inner (core) tube 404 containing a plurality of inner helical reinforcement members 414 and an outer (intermediate reinforcement) tube 408 containing a plurality of outer helical reinforcement members 418 and fully enveloping the inner (core) tube 404. While double helix hose 402 is depicted as a multi-layer design, i.e. the inner and outer helical reinforcement members 414,418 are disposed on separate and distinct layers of the double helix hose 402, it is also contemplated that a double helix hose design might dispose inner and outer helical reinforcement members on the same layer, as will be discussed with respect to FIGS. 4D-E. [0068] In some embodiments, the inner tube 404 and inner helical reinforcement members 414 may be the same as the inner tube 304 and the helical reinforcement members 314 that are depicted in FIGS. 3A-B, such that single helix hose 302 can be converted into a double helix hose by extruding the outer tube 408 and outer helical reinforcement members 418 over the single helix hose 302. However, it is appreciated that the material composition of inner tube 404 and inner helical reinforcement members 414 can vary from that of single helix hose 302 without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0069] In some embodiments, the same material composition may be utilized in both the inner components (tube 404 and helical members 414) and the outer components (tube 408 and helical members 418) of the double helix hose 402, such that the two helical layers provide similar performance in any given condition or use case. For example, if the inner and outer layers of double helix hose 402 are constructed from the same constituent materials, then thermal expansion and contraction effects will be less pronounced and of lesser concern as a potential failure mechanism for the double helix hose 402. On the contrary, if the inner tube 404 and outer tube 408 are made of materials with dramatically different thermal expansion coefficients, then large temperature swings may cause the double helix hose 402 to fail or otherwise perform in an undesirable or unpredictable manner. As an additional benefit, the manufacturing cost and complexity of double helix hose 402 may be reduced when similar materials are used for both the inner components and the outer components. However, in some embodiments it may be desirable to vary or otherwise adjust the material composition from the inner components and the outer components. For example, the outer tube 408 may function as an exterior or jacket layer of the composite double helix hose structure 402, meaning that outer tube 408 will be manufactured with a material composition that is more durable, harder, stronger, stiffer, etc. with respect to the inner tube 404.

[0070] In addition to material composition, it can be seen from FIG. 4A that the inner helical reinforcement members 414 and the outer helical reinforcement members 418 differ in their design and integration into the double helix hose 402. Namely, as depicted, the inner helical reinforcement members 414 and the outer helical reinforcement members 418 are wound in opposite directions (although it is noted they may be wound in the same direction without departing from the scope of the present invention). As discussed above, helical reinforcement members will impart a twisting force on the hose structure with which they are integrated, with the magnitude of the twisting force determined by factors such as material composition, geometric dimensions, the degree of twist, the number of helical reinforcement members, etc., and with the direction of the twisting force determined by the direction in which the helical reinforcement members are wound. Accordingly, the two sets of helical reinforcement members 414, 418 can be designed such that they impart twisting forces upon double helix hose 402 that are substantially equal in magnitude but substantially opposite in direction, such that there is no net twisting force present on the double helix hose 402 (or no net twisting force present due to the inner and/or outer helical reinforcement members 414,418).

[0071] In some embodiments, these double helix designs such as double helix hose 402 can be configured without a conventional reinforcing yarn or other strength member on one or more of inner tube 404 and outer tube 408, as the combination of the inner and outer helical reinforcement members 414,418, can instead function as structural members providing burst strength and other desired performance characteristics. Whereas the twisting action of a conventional hose with a reinforcement yarn was accepted as a required tradeoff for achieving burst strength, the double helix hose 402 makes no such tradeoff and is able to achieve equal or greater burst strength and performance as compared to a conventional hose all the while avoiding the issue of any twisting force being present in the hose. This alone can assist in reducing kinking or the propensity to kink, even before considering the fact that the helical reinforcement members 414,418 can be configured to provide sufficient rigidity to reinforce the inner and outer tubes 404,408 against the collapse of their interior volume/kinking. Accordingly, taken in combination, double helix hose 402 provides a hose with improved strength and durability that is almost entirely resistant to the kinking commonly experienced with conventional hoses and tubings.

[0072] FIGS. 4B-C depict cross-sectional views of two different embodiments of a multi-layer double helix hose. In particular, FIG. 4B depicts a cross-sectional view of the double helix hose 402 of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4C depicts a cross-sectional view of a multi-layer double helix hose with multiple intervening or fill layers. In FIG. 4B, it is seen that the inner helical reinforcement members 414 and the outer helical reinforcement members 418 rotate or twist in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows. While a greater number of outer helical reinforcement members 418 than inner helical reinforcement members 414 are shown, it is possible that these two numbers be equal, or that there be a greater number of inner helical reinforcement members 414 than outer helical reinforcement members 418. Additionally, it is noted that FIG. 4B is not drawn to scale, and that the relative diameter of the inner fluid channel 401 can exceed the thickness of one or more of the inner and outer tubes 404,408. In some embodiments, rather than being disposed within the wall of the tubes 404,408, one or more of the helical reinforcement members 414,418 can instead be disposed upon a surface (interior or exterior) of the tubes 404,408, such that at least a portion of the helical reinforcement member is not contained within the tube 404,408.

[0073] FIG. 4C depicts a cross-sectional view of an multi-layer double helix hose 403 with intervening or fill layers in addition to the inner and outer tubes 404,408. In particular, an inner fill layer 307 and an outer fill layer 309 are shown. These fill layers can be used to provide additional functionalities or design characteristics to the double layer helix hose 403. For example, inner fill layer 307 might be provided as an adhesive or bond layer to couple the inner tube 304 to the outer tube 308. In another example, outer fill layer 309 might be provided as a jacket layer that encapsulates outer tube 308 and provides protection from scuffs, abrasions, punctures, cuts, etc., thereby allowing outer tube 308 to be made from a softer or more pliable material because it does not itself have to directly come in to contact with the outside world. While not shown, in some embodiments one or more of the fill layers 307,309 can instead be provided as a third tube with a third plurality of helical reinforcement members.

[0074] FIG. 4D depicts a double helix hose 403d that is not of a multi-layer construction, i.e. the inner and outer helical reinforcement members 414,418 are disposed on a single tube 404 (although in some embodiments additional layers, such as jacketing layers, may be provided on top of tube 404). Here, because the inner and outer helical members 414,418 are on the same tube 404, they are more tightly coupled to one another, meaning that their opposing twisting forces may more easily cancel out given that both of the twisting forces couple directly into the same tube 404 (compare this to hose 403 of FIG. 4C, wherein the twisting force from outer helical members 418 must couple through outer tube 308, into inner fill layer 307, and then finally into inner tube 304). The single layer design of double helix hose 403d can additionally reduce manufacturing costs and complexity, as the inner and outer helical reinforcement members 414,418 can be coextruded into or onto tube 404 simultaneously and in a single step to thereby form a unitary construction of the hose 403d. While FIG. 4D depicts the outer helical reinforcement members 418 on the exterior surface of tube 304, it is also possible that a single layer double helix hose design be provided wherein the inner and outer helical reinforcement members 414,418 are both disposed inside of a single tube.

[0075] FIG. 4E shows one such embodiments of a single layer double helix hose 403e, wherein the inner helical reinforcement members 414 and the outer helical reinforcement members 418 are both provided within the wall of a tube 404. As shown, the inner and outer helical reinforcement members 414,418 are offset by some distance such that they do not contact one another. However, in some embodiments it is possible that one or more of the inner and outer helical reinforcement members do contact one another or are otherwise arranged in a nested or interlocked configuration.

[0076] FIGS. 5A-C depict various configurations of a reinforced hose 502 in use, where reinforced hose 502 has been reinforced with one or more of the reinforcement members described above, including both longitudinal/vertical reinforcement members and helical reinforcement members, arranged in configurations including single layer, double layer, multi layer, etc. In FIG. 5A, reinforced hose 502 is coupled at a first end to a source of pressurized fluid 520, e.g. a garden tap or spigot, and coupled at a second end to a nozzle 530. In such a configuration, reinforced hose 502 might commonly be used for garden watering tasks. As illustrated, reinforced hose 502 is doubled back upon itself such that the hose is guided through approximately a 180 degree turn. In such a position, conventional hoses quite often will kink or crease as the minimum radius of curvature for the hose is exceeded. Such kinks are a common and widespread frustration for hose users. However, unlike conventional hoses, reinforced hose 502 offers very high kink resistance due to the reinforcing action provided by the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members. In a first aspect, the reinforcement members act to prevent the inward collapse of the hose that is commonly associated with kink formation. In other words, the reinforcement members provide additional stiffness such that reinforced hose 502 is too stiff to crease inwards and kink. In a second aspect, the reinforcement members act to prevent the minimum radius of curvature that will cause hose 502 to kink from being achieved. For example, this might be achieved by selecting the material properties of the longitudinal reinforcement members such that their minimum radius of curvature in normal operating conditions exceeds the minimum radius of curvature that will cause hose 502 to kink.

[0077] In order for reinforced hose 502 to curve or bend, the reinforcement members on the exterior portion of the curve (e.g. the leftmost reinforcement members in the curved portion of hose 502 in FIG. 5A) are subjected to a tensile force while the reinforcement members on the interior portion of the curve (e.g. the rightmost reinforcement members in the curved portion of hose 502 in FIG. 5A) are subjected to a compressive force. Based on the typical forces and stresses that are exerted on hoses in normal operation (normal gardening and watering usage in this example) the Young’s modulus or other material properties of the longitudinal reinforcement members can be selected such that they undergo only slight deformation in response to these forces. In effect, this slight deformation translates to the increased minimum radius of curvature of reinforced hose 502 during bending events. For example, in the context of the 180 degree bend depicted in FIG. 5A, a conventional hose without the presently disclosed longitudinal reinforcement members might experience a bend radius of three inches, which will cause kinking. The reinforced hose 502, on the other hand, might experience a bend radius of three feet in response to the exact same stresses as the conventional hose and does not kink. In other words, the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members resist the bending action and force reinforced hose 502 into a position that is far less likely to kink.

[0078] Similarly, FIGS. 5B and 5C depict reinforced hose 502 undergoing 360 degree bends, e.g. creating a loop in the hose. Whereas a conventional hose would likely experience kinking, creasing, or folding at one or more points along the loop of the hose, reinforced hose 502 is able to withstand looping without any adverse effects or impingements upon the flow of fluid through the hose, as the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members once again act to resist or otherwise dissipate the forces and stresses that would act to cause conventional hoses to kink. Even as the loop in hose 502 is tightened (e.g. from the larger radius loop 534 of FIG. 5B to the smaller radius loop 540 of FIG. 5C) the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members act to prevent the hose from collapsing or folding, effectively maintaining the circular cross-section of the hollow cylindrical fluid passageway within hose 502.

[0079] In some embodiments, it is contemplated that the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members can become the primary load or force bearing components of a reinforced hose. That is, forces and stresses applied to a reinforced hose are borne entirely, or substantially, by the reinforcement members and are generally not transferred into the inner tubing material of the reinforced hose. For example, FIGS. 6A-C depict a tensile strength comparison between a reinforced hose 602 containing a plurality of reinforcement members 612 (either longitudinal/vertical or helical) in accordance with aspects of the present invention, and a conventional hose 632. In the comparison, reinforced hose 602 and conventional hose 632 are provided in equal lengths /, and are affixed at one end to test weights of equal mass. The two hoses are then suspended vertically, such that each hose fully supports the test weight. In reinforced hose 602, the force from the hanging test weight is transferred into the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members 612, which bear the load without substantially deforming (e.g. elongating). However, in conventional hose 632, the force from the hanging test weight is transferred entirely into the hose itself, which deforms longitudinally (vertically) by an amount Al in response to the applied force, as seen in FIG. 6B. Given enough time, or a sufficiently heavy test weight, conventional hose 632 will ultimately deform beyond its ultimate tensile strength and will snap, rendering the hose 632 useless, as seen in FIG. 6C. While hoses may not commonly be used to suspend weights as is shown in the test of FIGS. 6A-C, hoses do commonly experience various longitudinal or tensile forces during use (e.g. a gardener yanks too hard on a hose coupled to a spigot and applies a tensile force to the hose), and the increased strength of reinforced hose 602 provides many benefits in such situations.

[0080] FIGS. 7A-E depict various cross-sectional views of geometric configurations of hoses and reinforcement members (either longitudinal or helical), and are provided by way of example and are not intended to be limiting. In some embodiments, a combination of longitudinal and helical reinforcement members can be provided in a single hose configuration, either combined in the same layer (e.g. one layer is half longitudinal reinforcement members and half helical reinforcement members), in different layers (e.g. inner layer of helical reinforcement members and outer layer of longitudinal reinforcement members), or some combination of the two.

[0081] FIG. 7A depicts a circular hose configuration 702, similar to the various reinforced hoses discussed previously. The reinforced hose 702 contains fully embedded reinforcement members, which are fully contained within the material of the wall of hose 702 and are not exposed at either the inner or outer surfaces of hose 702. The plurality of reinforcement members can be directly integrated with the fluid carrying portion of hose 702, or can be provided in a separate layer that is bonded on top of an interior fluid carrying portion of hose 702 (e.g. provided in a jacket or jacket layer).

[0082] FIGS. 7B-E depict various cross sectional views of reinforced hose configurations and geometries that make use of a reinforcement jacket that is provided external to an interior fluid carrying tubing of the hose, although it is appreciated that any of these configurations could be provided in a single piece construction such that the longitudinal reinforcement members are integrally formed with the fluid carrying portion of the reinforced hose.

[0083] FIG. 7B depicts a cross-sectional view of a triangular reinforcement jacket 712, wherein a reinforcement member is provided in each corner of the triangle, although other arrangements of reinforcement members are also possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, longitudinal reinforcement members may be provided in each of the corners of the triangular reinforcement jacket 712 as shown, while one or more helical reinforcement members (not shown) could be provided along one or more edges of the triangular reinforcement jacket 712. The filler material of reinforcement jacket 712 (i.e. the material that is not the reinforcement members) can be constructed of the same material as the inner core of the reinforced hose, or can be constructed from a third material that is different from both the inner core of the reinforced hose and the reinforcement members.

[0084] FIG. 7C depicts a cross-sectional view of a square reinforcement jacket 722, wherein a reinforcement member is provided in each corner of the square, although other arrangements of reinforcement members are also possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the square reinforcement jacket 722 could instead contain four reinforcement members per side rather than the two that are depicted. As an additional example, longitudinal reinforcement members may be provided in each of the corners of the square reinforcement jacket 722 as shown, while one or more helical reinforcement members (not shown) could be provided along one or more edges of the square reinforcement jacket 722.

[0085] FIG. 7D depicts a cross-sectional view of a hexagonal reinforcement jacket 732, wherein a reinforcement member is provided in each corner of the hexagon, although other arrangements of reinforcement members are also possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the hexagonal reinforcement jacket 732 could instead contain three reinforcement members per face, rather than the two that are currently depicted. In another example, the hexagonal reinforcement jacket 732 could instead contain a reinforcement member in every other corner, rather than in every corner as is currently depicted.

[0086] FIG. 7E depicts a cross-sectional view of an octagonal reinforcement jacket 742, wherein a reinforcement member is provided in each corner of the octagon, although other arrangements of reinforcement members are also possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the octagonal reinforcement jacket 742 could instead contain four reinforcement members in every other face, rather than the two reinforcement members per face that is currently depicted.

Claims

CLAIMS We claim:

1. A reinforced hose comprising:

a hollow extruded core tube having a circular cylindrical cross-section wall;

a plurality of elongated reinforcement members disposed within the wall of the core tube and extending longitudinally between a first distal end and a second distal end of the core tube, wherein one or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members have a greater rigidity than the wall of the core tube; and

a jacket layer encapsulating an outer surface of the extruded core tube and the plurality of elongated reinforcement members, the jacket layer having an outer circular cylindrical cross- section that is larger than the outer circular cylindrical cross-section of the wall of the core tube.

2. The reinforced hose of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elongated reinforcement members disposed within the wall of the core tube are arranged symmetrically about the circular cylindrical cross-section of the wall of core tube.

3. The reinforced hose of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elongated reinforcement members extend longitudinally between the first and second distal ends of the core tube in substantially parallel fashion with respect to one another.

4. The reinforced hose of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elongated reinforcement members are disposed within the wall of the core tube such that the plurality of elongated reinforcement members form a first helix spiraling in a first direction with respect to the core tube.

5. The reinforced hose of claim 4, further comprising a second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming a second helix spiraling in a second direction with respect to the core tube, such that the second direction is different than the first direction.

6. The reinforced hose of claim 5, wherein an inner diameter of the second helix is larger than an inner diameter of the first helix.

7. The reinforced hose of claim 5, where the plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the first helix induce a first twisting force in the reinforced hose, and the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix induce a second twisting force in the reinforced hose such that the second twisting force cancels the first twisting force.

8. The reinforced hose of claim 7, where the second twisting force further cancels a baseline twisting force induced by one or more of the extruded core tube and the jacket layer.

9. The reinforced hose of claim 6, wherein the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix are disposed within the wall of the core tube.

10. The reinforced hose of claim 6, wherein the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix are disposed within a wall of an intermediate reinforcement tube, the intermediate reinforcement tube disposed between the core tube and the jacket layer.

11. The reinforced hose of claim 10, further comprising a first fill layer disposed between the core tube and the intermediate reinforcement tube, such that the first fill layers bonds an outer surface of the core tube to an inner surface of the intermediate reinforcement tube.

12. The reinforced hose of claim 5, wherein the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix are disposed on an outer surface of the core tube.

13. The reinforced hose of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elongated reinforcement members consists of 4-16 individual elongated reinforcement members.

14. The reinforced hose of claim 5, wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposites and the first helix and the second helix overlap to thereby form a plurality of diamond shaped interstices there between, each diamond- shaped interstice defined between two adjacent elongated reinforcement members of the first helix and two adjacent second elongated reinforcement members of the second helix.

15. The reinforced hose of claim 1, wherein the core tube and one or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members are coextruded such that the first helix formed by the plurality of elongated reinforcement members is integrally contained within the wall of the core tube.

16. The reinforced hose of claim 5, wherein the core tube, one or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the first helix, and one or more of the plurality of second elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix are triple coextruded.

17. The reinforced hose of claim 5, wherein one or more of the plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the first helix is different than one or more of the second plurality of elongated reinforcement members forming the second helix.

18. The reinforced hose of claim 1, wherein the core tube comprises one or more of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), nylon, polyethylene, and synthetic and natural rubber.

19. The reinforced hose of claim 1, wherein the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members comprise one or more of steel, copper, aluminum, aramid fiber, carbon fiber, and nylon fiber.

20. The reinforced hose of claim 1, wherein the core tube comprises a flexible material having a first rigidity and the plurality of longitudinal reinforcement members comprise a semi-rigid material having a second rigidity that is greater than the first rigidity.