Multi-layered stretchable hose

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874298-B2
Application number	US-201514743551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 5, 2008
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

The systems and methods described herein relate to an improved stretchable hose apparatus which enables the transmission of high-throughput signals along several conductors within a conductor cable. In particular, the stretchable hose enables consistent high speed communications and high power transmission between a buoyant object and an optional underwater device in all weather conditions by permitting compression of the conductor cable in a first range of hose extensions and limiting elastic elongation of the conductor cable in a second greater range up to full hose extension.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stretchable multi-layered, ocean-resistant hose apparatus comprising:
a stretchable hose comprising:
a plurality of layers comprising:
at least one strength member layer comprising reinforcing fiber cords;
at least one stretch limiter layer; and
at least one reinforcement layer,

wherein each of the plurality of layers is helically wrapped about an inner liner layer, wherein the plurality of layers comprises an elastomeric material adapted to provide stretching of the hose to a stretched length greater than 200 percent of an unstretched length of the hose, and wherein the hose is adapted to be heat-curable to increase tensile strength;
at least one conductor cable, each conductor cable comprising a conductive cross-sectional area capable of high-throughput of at least one of data, power, and communication and helically wrapped in a corresponding cable layer, at least one cable layer located between the plurality of layers,
wherein at least one conductor cable in a first cable layer forms a first helical ridge and a first helical valley and a second at least one conductor cable in a second cable layer is disposed within the first helical valley, between the first helical ridge, and
wherein a conductor spacer layer is located between the first conductor cable layer and the second conductor cable layer; and

an ocean-resistant coupling engaged with an end of the stretchable hose and adapted to couple the stretchable hose to a buoyant object, wherein the coupling is adapted to resist corrosion and water leakage; and
wherein the hose apparatus is adapted to stretch a predetermined amount to accommodate a predicted vertical heave of a buoyant object.

2. The stretchable hose of claim 1 , wherein the at least one strength member layer has a strength member helical wrap angle of between about 60 degrees and about 85 degrees relative to a cable axis and is adapted to provide the hose with a tensile strength of between about 1,000 lbs and at least about 50,000 lbs.

3. The stretchable hose of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stretch limiter layer has a stretch limiter helical wrap angle of between about 25 degrees and about 75 degrees relative to a cable axis.

4. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the hose is adapted to survive about one million to about ten million stretch cycles.

5. The stretchable hose of claim 1 , further comprising binding means adjacent the end of the hose engaged with the coupling.

6. The stretchable hose of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, neoprene, Buna-N, latex, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), butyl rubber, silicone, nylon, FKM, and combinations thereof.

7. The stretchable hose of claim 1 , further comprising a reinforced outer jacket to protect the cables, the conductors, and the other hose layers from external pressure, cuts, fish bite, and corrosion and increase the tensile strength capacity of the hose.

8. A stretchable multi-layered, ocean-resistant, high-throughput hose apparatus comprising:
a stretchable hose comprising:
a plurality of layers comprising:
at least one strength member layer comprising reinforcing fiber cords;
at least one stretch limiter layer;
at least one reinforcement layer,

wherein each of the plurality of layers is helically wrapped about an inner liner layer; and
a plurality of conductor cables, each conductor cable comprising a conductive cross-sectional area capable of high-throughput of at least one of data, power, and communication and helically wrapped in a corresponding cable layer, at least one cable layer located between the plurality of layers,
wherein at least one conductor cable in a first cable layer forms a first helical ridge and a first helical valley and a second at least one conductor cables in a second cable layer is disposed within the first helical valley, between the first helical ridge, and
wherein a conductor spacer layer is located between the first conductor cable layer and the second conductor cable layer; and

an ocean-resistant coupling engaged with an end of the stretchable hose and adapted to couple the stretchable hose to a buoyant object,
wherein the hose apparatus is adapted to stretch a predetermined amount to accommodate a predicted vertical heave of the buoyant object.

9. The stretchable hose of claim 8 , wherein each conductor cable comprises at least two conductors arranged in a twisted pair.

10. The stretchable hose of claim 8 , wherein each conductor cable comprises two or more twisted pairs.

11. The stretchable hose of claim 8 , wherein at least one conductor cable is adapted to provide high-throughput of at least megabit Ethernet to gigabit Ethernet.

12. The stretchable hose of claim 8 , wherein at least one conductor cable is adapted to provide high-throughput of at least about 1 kilowatt to about 1 megawatt of power.

13. The stretchable hose of claim 8 , wherein the ocean-resistant coupling is adapted to pass at least one conductor cable from within the plurality of layers through the hose coupling to an external surface without exposure to water or corrosion.

14. The stretchable hose of claim 8 , wherein each conductor cable is wrapped at a steep wrap angle of between about 64 degrees and about 84 degrees relative to a cable axis.

15. A method for manufacturing the stretchable multi-layered, ocean-resistant hose apparatus of claim 8 , the method comprising the steps of:
forming a stretchable hose comprising the steps of:
providing an inner liner layer defining a central core;
wrapping an inner strength member set comprising at least one layer with reinforcing fiber cords in a forward helical direction about the inner liner layer in overlapping convolutions;
wrapping a first stretch limiter set in a forward helical direction about the inner strength member set;
wrapping a reinforcement layer about the first stretch limiter set;
wrapping a second stretch limiter set about the reinforcement layer in a counter helical direction;
wrapping an outer strength member set comprising at least one layer with reinforcing fiber cords in a counter helical direction about the second stretch limiter set in overlapping convolutions;
counter-helically wrapping a first plurality of conductor cables in a corresponding first cable layer, such that the first plurality of conductor cables forms a first helical ridge and a first helical valley;
wrapping a second at least one conductor cable in a second cable layer, such that the second at least one conductor cable is disposed within the first helical valley, between the first helical ridge;
wrapping a conductor spacer layer between the first at least one conductor cable and the second at least one conductor cable,
wherein each of the first and second at least one conductor cables comprises a conductive cross-sectional area capable of high-throughput; and
covering the wrapped layers with a reinforced outer jacket comprising at least one protective layer,
wherein each wrapped layer comprises elastomeric material; and

engaging an end of the hose with an ocean-resistant coupling.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the inner strength member set is helically wrapped at an angle between about 60 degrees and about 85 degrees relative to a cable axis.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first stretch limiter set comprises stretch limiter layers helically wrapped at decreasing wrap angles about the inner strength member set.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second stretch limiter

Assignees

• Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst

Inventors

• Peters Donald B

Classifications

• H02G3/0468

  Corrugated · CPC title

• F16L11/083

  three or more layers · CPC title

• F16L11/087

  three or more layers · CPC title

• G10K11/006

  Transducer mounting in underwater equipment, e.g. sonobuoys · CPC title

• F16L11/10

  with reinforcements not embedded in the wall (F16L11/11 takes precedence) · CPC title