Kink resistant hose system with layer of spaced geometrical units and method of manufacturing
View Patent ↗A fluid conduit includes a flexible member having a tubular wall and a plurality of geometric segments located adjacent to the tubular wall. The geometric segments are disposed about a central axis of the conduit and spaced apart relative to each other to define a gap therebetween. The gap is sized to be closed by contact between adjacent geometric segments upon a predetermined flexure of the flexible member. A method of forming the conduit includes forming a flexible member with a tubular wall and forming a plurality of grooves about the central axis in the tubular wall. The geometric segments in one embodiment are formed from the intersections of a first plurality of helical grooves formed at a first angle relative to the central axis and a second plurality of helical grooves formed at a second angle mutually opposite from the first angle.
1. A fluid hose, comprising:
a flexible member having a tubular wall configured to convey a fluid, the tubular wall defining a central axis extending through the flexible member;
a plurality of geometric segments disposed adjacent to the tubular wall, the geometric segments disposed circumferentially about and longitudinally along the central axis and spaced apart relative to each other to define a gap therebetween, the gap formed by (i) a first plurality of spaced grooves formed in the tubular wall and (ii) a second plurality of spaced grooves formed in the tubular wall, the gap separates the plurality of adjacent geometric segments, and the gap extending both longitudinally and circumferentially around the central axis, and sized to be closed by contact between adjacent geometric segments upon a predetermined flexure of the flexible member; and
an outer layer, wherein a portion of the outer layer is located in the gap between adjacent geometric segments.
2. The fluid hose of claim 1 , wherein geometric segments are bonded to the tubular wall.
3. The fluid hose of claim 1 , wherein the geometric segments are integrally formed on the tubular wall, the geometric segments being defined by a plurality of grooves formed about the central axis in a portion of the tubular wall.
4. The fluid hose of claim 3 , wherein each of the geometric segments has a base portion located adjacent to the tubular wall and a tip portion spaced radially from the tubular wall, and wherein the flexure of the flexible member is limited by contact between the tip portions of the adjacent geometric segments.
5. The fluid hose of claim 4 , wherein the flexure of the flexible member is adjustable by varying one or more of:
a radial thickness of the geometric segments as measured from the base portion to the tip portion; and
a gap width between the geometric segments as measured between the respective base portions of the geometric segments.
6. The fluid hose of claim 4 , wherein the flexible member is formed from a compressible material, and wherein the flexure of the flexible member is adjustable by varying the compressibility of the material at the tip portions of the geometric segments.
7. The fluid hose of claim 1 , wherein each of the geometric segments has a diamond-shaped geometry.
8. A fluid hose, comprising:
a flexible member having a tubular wall configured to convey a fluid, the tubular wall defining a central axis extending through the flexible member;
a plurality of geometric segments disposed adjacent to the tubular wall, the geometric segments defined by (i) a first plurality of spaced helical grooves formed in the tubular wall at a first angle relative to the central axis and (ii) a second plurality of spaced helical grooves formed in the tubular wall at a second angle relative to the central axis, the first angle and the second angle being mutually opposite with respect to the central axis;
wherein the first helical grooves and the second helical grooves define a gap between adjacent geometric segments, the gap sized to be closed by contact between the adjacent geometric segments upon a predetermined flexure of the flexible member; and
an outer layer, wherein a portion of the outer layer is located in the gap between adjacent geometric segments.
9. The fluid hose of claim 8 , wherein:
the first helical grooves have a first spacing therebetween,
the second helical grooves have a second spacing therebetween, and
the first spacing and the second spacing are equal such that a geometry of the geometric segments formed by the first and the second helical grooves is substantially similar.
10. The fluid hose of claim 9 , wherein:
the first spacing varies between adjacent grooves of the first helical grooves,
the second spacing varies between adjacent grooves of the second helical grooves, and
the geometry of the geometric segments formed by the first and the second helical grooves is different.
11. The fluid hose of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the outer layer in the gap between adjacent geometric segments is compressed when the flexible member is bent so that the adjacent geometric segments come together.
12. The fluid hose of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the outer layer in the gap between adjacent geometric segments is stretched when the flexible member is bent so that the adjacent geometric segments move apart.
13. The fluid hose of claim 1 , wherein the density of the outer layer is different than the density of the geometric segments.
14. The fluid hose of claim 13 , wherein the density of the outer layer is less than the density of the geometric segments.
15. The fluid hose of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the outer layer in the gap between adjacent geometric segments is compressed when the flexible member is bent so that the adjacent geometric segments come together.
16. The fluid hose of claim 8 , wherein the density of the outer layer is different than the density of the geometric segments.
17. The fluid hose of claim 16 , wherein the density of the outer layer is less than the density of the geometric segments.