Lightweight, high flow hose assembly and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344899-B2
Application number	US-201715782101-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2017
Priority date	Apr 24, 2015
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A hose assembly, preferably a garden hose assembly, including a fabric jacketed tube that is lightweight, durable and versatile. The tube is radially expandable when pressurized by a fluid, such as water, but does not increase in length. The two layer construction of the hose assembly allows for storage in relatively compact spaces, similar flow rates, approximately one-half the weight, and improved maneuverability when compared to conventional hose constructions. In one embodiment the jacket is formed around the tube in a continuous process that welds a fabric, preferably using hot air, into the jacket. The welded joint forms a region of jacket that is preferably about twice the thickness of the rest of the jacket. This thicker region results in a stiffer section of jacket that makes the hose more controllable and consistent in use.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for producing a hose assembly, comprising the steps of:
obtaining an inner tube comprising one or more of i) a thermoplastic material and ii) an elastomeric material;
obtaining a fabric having a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side, the sides located between the ends;
wrapping the fabric around the inner tube and abutting the first side and the second side of the fabric, and
heating the fabric to melt and bond the first side to the second side along a length of the sides thereby forming an outer tube having a weld seam along the longitudinal length of the hose assembly, wherein during formation of the outer tube a section of the inner tube is located inside the outer tube.

2. The process according to claim 1 , further including the step of overlapping the first side and the second side of the fabric 9.5 mm+/−3.0 mm.

3. The process according to claim 2 , further including the step of overlapping the first side and the second side of the fabric 9.5 mm+/−1.5 mm, and further including the steps of connecting a female coupler to a first end of the inner tube and a first end of the outer tube and connecting a male coupler to a second end of the inner tube and a second end of the outer tube, wherein the outer tube is not connected or attached to the inner tube between the male coupler and the female coupler.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the heating step comprises heating the fabric with a hot air at a temperature between 550° C. and 750° C.

5. The process according to claim 4 , further including the step of partially forming the fabric around the inner tube with a folding fixture and shaping the fabric into a round, tubular profile using a die.

6. The process according to claim 5 , further including a step of passing the inner tube and the outer tube through a set of rollers which force heated fabric surfaces against each other under pressure after the heating step.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the heating step comprises heating the fabric with a hot air at a temperature between 550° C. and 750° C., and further including the steps of connecting a female coupler to a first end of the inner tube and a first end of the outer tube and connecting a male coupler to a second end of the inner tube and a second end of the outer tube, wherein the outer tube is not connected or attached to the inner tube between the male coupler and the female coupler.

8. The process according to claim 7 , further including the step of partially forming the fabric around the inner tube with a folding fixture and shaping the fabric into a round, tubular profile using a die.

9. The process according to claim 8 , further including a step of passing the inner tube and the outer tube through a set of rollers which force heated fabric surfaces against each other under pressure after the heating step.

10. The process according to claim 4 , wherein the inner tube comprises polyvinyl chloride, and wherein the outer tube comprises polyester.

11. A process for producing a hose assembly, comprising the steps of:
obtaining an inner tube comprising one or more of i) a thermoplastic material and ii) an elastomeric material;
obtaining a fabric having a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side, the sides located between the ends;
wrapping the fabric around the inner tube and abutting the first side and the second side of the fabric, and
heating the fabric to melt and bond the first side to the second side along a length of the sides thereby forming an outer tube having a weld seam along the longitudinal length of the hose assembly, wherein during formation of the outer tube a section of the inner tube is located inside the outer tube, and wherein the outer tube is unattached, unconnected, unbonded and unsecured to the inner tube along the entire length of the inner tube between a first end and a second end of the outer tube.

12. The process according to claim 11 , further including the step of overlapping the first side and the second side of the fabric 9.5 mm+/−3.0 mm.

13. The process according to claim 12 , further including the step of overlapping the first side and the second side of the fabric 9.5 mm+/−1.5 mm, and further including the steps of connecting a female coupler to a first end of the inner tube and the first end of the outer tube and connecting a male coupler to a second end of the inner tube and the second end of the outer tube, wherein the outer tube is not connected or attached to the inner tube between the male coupler and the female coupler.

14. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the heating step comprises heating the fabric with a hot air at a temperature between 550° C. and 750° C.

15. The process according to claim 14 , further including the step of partially forming the fabric around the inner tube with a folding fixture and shaping the fabric into a round, tubular profile using a die.

16. The process according to claim 15 , further including a step of passing the inner tube and the outer tube through a set of rollers which force heated fabric surfaces against each other under pressure after the heating step.

17. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the heating step comprises heating the fabric with a hot air at a temperature between 550° C. and 750° C., and further including the steps of connecting a female coupler to a first end of the inner tube and the first end of the outer tube and connecting a male coupler to a second end of the inner tube and the second end of the outer tube, wherein the outer tube is not connected or attached to the inner tube between the male coupler and the female coupler.

18. The process according to claim 17 , further including the step of partially forming the fabric around the inner tube with a folding fixture and shaping the fabric into a round, tubular profile using a die.

19. The process according to claim 18 , further including a step of passing the inner tube and the outer tube through a set of rollers which force heated fabric surfaces against each other under pressure after the heating step.

20. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the inner tube comprises polyvinyl chloride, and wherein the outer tube comprises polyester.

Assignees

• Teknor Apex Co

Inventors

• Blanchette Gil
• Melo Michael
• Correa Steve
• Chapman Timothy L
• Van Beek Marlon
• Parker Jr John W
• Burke Paul
• Eilertson Ron

Classifications

• F16L33/207 Primary

  only a sleeve being contracted on the hose · CPC title

• F16L11/12

  with arrangements for particular purposes, e.g. specially profiled, with protecting layer, heated, electrically conducting (F16L11/11 takes precedence) · CPC title