Elastic and spring biased retractable hoses
An extendable and retractable pressure hose can be constructed comprising an input connector, an output connector, an elastic inner hose, an outer cover, and one or more portions of the elastic inner hose engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose. In such a hose, the input connector and output connector can be connected to each end of elastic inner hose and outer cover.
1. A hose having a first end and a second end configured to extend when an extending force exceeds a retracting force and to retract when the retracting force exceeds the extending force, the hose comprising:
a) a tube-shaped outer cover with an extended length and a retracted length, wherein the outer cover can longitudinally extend to the extended length and longitudinally retract to the retracted length;
b) an inner elastic hose capable of stretching to at least two times its natural length and having a tendency to return to its natural length when stretched, wherein:
i) the inner elastic hose is positioned inside of the tube-shaped outer cover;
ii) the inner elastic hose comprises an outer surface comprising:
A) one or more portions engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose; and
B) one or more portions freely movable with respect to the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose;
iii) the extending force is generated by a pressure differential between fluid within the inner elastic hose and an ambient environment at lower pressure than the fluid within the inner plastic hose;
iv) the retracting force is generated by the tendency of the inner elastic hose to return to its natural length when stretched;
c) an input connector attached, at the first end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to be removably attached to a source of pressurized fluid; and
d) an output connector attached, at the second end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to removably connect to a flow restricting device;
wherein one or more structures are affixed to the outer cover, wherein each structure from the one or more structures comprises a material having a greater resistance to wear than the outer cover.
2. The hose of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose is bonded to the outer cover.
3. The hose of claim 2 wherein the each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover is bonded to the outer cover by an activated adhesive composition comprising a bonding component responsive to heat and a microwave radiation absorbing compound intermixed with the bonding component.
4. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the inner elastic hose comprises an outer surface with a natural diameter greater than about 60 percent of a diameter of the tube shaped outer cover's interior surface.
5. The hose of claim 4 , wherein the natural diameter of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose is greater than about 100 percent of the diameter of the tube shaped outer cover's interior surface.
6. The hose of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose:
a) has a stretched radius when the hose is extended and a natural radius when the hose is retracted, wherein the natural radius is less than the extended radius and wherein the extended radius is about equal to an inner radius of the tube shaped outer cover; and
b) is frictionally engaged with the outer cover when the hose is extended.
7. The hose of claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more portions engaged with the outer cover has a coating providing a friction coefficient of greater than about 0.5 between the inner elastic hose and the outer cover.
8. The hose of claim 6 , wherein the outer cover comprises an interior surface coated with an inner layer providing a friction coefficient greater than about 0.5 between the outer cover and the one or more portions engaged with the outer cover.
9. The hose of claim 6 wherein the natural radius of each of the one or more portions engaged with the outer cover is about equal to the inner radius of the tube shaped outer cover.
10. The hose of claim 6 , wherein:
a) the outer cover has an unrestricted pressurized inner radius, a restricted pressurized inner radius, and an unrestricted pressurized outer radius;
b) for each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose, the inner radius of the tube shaped outer cover which is about equal to the extended radius of that portion of the inner hose is the restricted pressurized inner radius;
c) the unrestricted pressurized inner radius of the outer cover is greater than the restricted pressurized inner radius of the outer cover, and is less than the unrestricted pressurized outer radius of the outer cover;
d) the hose comprises a plurality of rings, wherein each ring from the plurality of rings:
i) has an inside diameter smaller than the unrestricted pressurized inner radius of the outer cover of the hose;
has an outside diameter larger than the unrestricted pressurized outer radius of the outer cover of the hose; and
iii) is disposed outside of the outer cover of the hose and at a location along the length of the outer cover where one of the one or more portions of the inner hose is engaged with the outer cover.
11. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the inner elastic hose is a constant radius cylindrical hose.
12. The hose in claim 1 , wherein;
a) the inner elastic hose has a shape comprising one or more ridges;
b) the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which are engaged with the outer cover and which are disposed between the first and second ends of the hose are located at the one or more ridges' apexes.
13. The hose in claim 12 wherein the ridged shape is a corrugated shape.
14. The hose of claim 12 wherein the ridged shape is a convoluted shape.
15. The hose of claim 14 wherein the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which are engaged with the outer cover and which are disposed between the first and second ends of the hose consist of a single continuous portion of the outer surface of the inner hose on the convoluted shape's outermost portion.
16. The hose of claim 12 , wherein the hose further comprises, at each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover and which is disposed between the first and second ends of the hose, a bonding spacer filling a gap between the outer surface of the inner elastic hose and an inner surface of the outer cover.
17. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the outer cover is a porous hydrophobic outer cover.
18. The hose of claim 1 , wherein the one or more structures comprise at least one structure selected from the group consisting of:
a) a wear resistant button;
b) a wear resistant dot
c) a wear resistant line;
d) a wear resistant ring, and
e) a wear resistant coil.
19. A hose having a first end and a second end configured to extend when an extending force exceeds a retracting force and to retract when the retracting force exceeds the extending force, the hose comprising:
a) a tube-shaped outer cover with an extended length and a retracted length, wherein the outer cover can longitudinally extend to the extended length and longitudinally retract to the retracted length;
b) an inner elastic hose capable of stretching to at least two times its natural length and having a tendency to return to its natural length when stretched, wherein:
i) the inner elastic hose is positioned inside of the tube-shaped outer cover;
ii) the inner elastic hose comprises an outer surface with a natural diameter greater than about 60 percent of a diameter of the tube shaped outer cover's interior surface;
iii) the extending force is generated by a pressure differential between fluid within the inner elastic hose and an ambient environment at lower pressure than the fluid within the inner plastic hose;
iv) the retracting force is generated by the tendency of the inner elastic hose to return to its natural length when stretched;
c) an input connector attached, at the first end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to be removably attached to a source of pressurized fluid; and
d) an output connector attached, at the second end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to removably connect to a flow restricting device;
wherein the inner elastic hose comprises an outer surface comprising:
A) one or more portions engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose; and
B) one or more portions freely movable with respect to the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose;
wherein the one or more portions of the inner elastic hose are engaged with the outer cover by one or more bonds formed by an activated adhesive composition comprising a bonding component responsive to heat and a microwave radiation absorbing compound intermixed with the bonding component.
20. The hose of claim 19 , wherein the inner elastic hose comprises a substantially cylindrical outer surface.
21. The hose of claim 19 , wherein the natural diameter of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose is greater than about 65 percent of the diameter of the tube shaped outer cover's interior surface.
22. A hose having a first end and a second end configured to extend when an extending force exceeds a retracting force and to retract when the retracting force exceeds the extending force, the hose comprising:
a) a tube-shaped outer cover with an extended length and a retracted length, wherein the outer cover can longitudinally extend to the extended length and longitudinally retract to the retracted length;
b) an inner elastic hose capable of stretching to at least two times its natural length and having a tendency to return to its natural length when stretched, wherein:
i) the inner elastic hose is positioned inside of the tube-shaped outer cover;
ii) the inner elastic hose comprises an outer surface comprising:
A) one or more portions engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose; and
B) one or more portions freely movable with respect to the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose;
iii) the extending force is generated by a pressure differential between fluid within the inner elastic hose and an ambient environment at lower pressure than the fluid within the inner plastic hose;
iv) the retracting force is generated by the tendency of the inner elastic hose to return to its natural length when stretched;
c) an input connector attached, at the first end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to be removably attached to a source of pressurized fluid; and
d) an output connector attached, at the second end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to removably connect to a flow restricting device;
wherein each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose is bonded to the outer cover;
wherein the each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover is bonded to the outer cover by an activated adhesive composition comprising a bonding component responsive to heat and a microwave radiation absorbing compound intermixed with the bonding component.
23. A hose having a first end and a second end configured to extend when an extending force exceeds a retracting force and to retract when the retracting force exceeds the extending force, the hose comprising:
a) a tube-shaped outer cover with an extended length and a retracted length, wherein the outer cover can longitudinally extend to the extended length and longitudinally retract to the retracted length;
b) an inner elastic hose capable of stretching to at least two times its natural length and having a tendency to return to its natural length when stretched, wherein:
i) the inner elastic hose is positioned inside of the tube-shaped outer cover;
ii) the inner elastic hose comprises an outer surface comprising:
A) one or more portions engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose; and
B) one or more portions freely movable with respect to the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose;
iii) the extending force is generated by a pressure differential between fluid within the inner elastic hose and an ambient environment at lower pressure than the fluid within the inner plastic hose;
iv) the retracting force is generated by the tendency of the inner elastic hose to return to its natural length when stretched;
c) an input connector attached, at the first end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to be removably attached to a source of pressurized fluid; and
d) an output connector attached, at the second end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to removably connect to a flow restricting device;
wherein each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose:
A) has a stretched radius when the hose is extended and a natural radius when the hose is retracted, wherein the natural radius is less than the extended radius and wherein the extended radius is about equal to an inner radius of the tube shaped outer cover; and
B) is frictionally engaged with the outer cover when the hose is extended.
24. The hose of claim 23 , wherein each of the one or more portions engaged with the outer cover has a coating providing a friction coefficient of greater than about 0.5 between the inner elastic hose and the outer cover.
25. The hose of claim 23 , wherein the outer cover comprises an interior surface coated with an inner layer providing a friction coefficient greater than about 0.5 between the outer cover and the one or more portions engaged with the outer cover.
26. The hose of claim 23 wherein the natural radius of each of the one or more portions engaged with the outer cover is about equal to the inner radius of the tube shaped outer cover.
27. The hose of claim 23 , wherein:
a) the outer cover has an unrestricted pressurized inner radius, a restricted pressurized inner radius, and an unrestricted pressurized outer radius;
b) for each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose, the inner radius of the tube shaped outer cover which is about equal to the extended radius of that portion of the inner hose is the restricted pressurized inner radius;
c) the unrestricted pressurized inner radius of the outer cover is greater than the restricted pressurized inner radius of the outer cover, and is less than the unrestricted pressurized outer radius of the outer cover;
d) the hose comprises a plurality of rings, wherein each ring from the plurality of rings:
i) has an inside diameter smaller than the unrestricted pressurized inner radius of the outer cover of the hose;
ii) has an outside diameter larger than the unrestricted pressurized outer radius of the outer cover of the hose; and
iii) is disposed outside of the outer cover of the hose and at a location along the length of the outer cover where one of the one or more portions of the inner hose is engaged with the outer cover.
28. A hose having a first end and a second end configured to extend when an extending force exceeds a retracting force and to retract when the retracting force exceeds the extending force, the hose comprising:
a) a tube-shaped outer cover with an extended length and a retracted length, wherein the outer cover can longitudinally extend to the extended length and longitudinally retract to the retracted length;
b) an inner elastic hose capable of stretching to at least two times its natural length and having a tendency to return to its natural length when stretched, wherein:
i) the inner elastic hose is positioned inside of the tube-shaped outer cover;
ii) the inner elastic hose comprises an outer surface comprising:
A) one or more portions engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose; and
B) one or more portions freely movable with respect to the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose;
iii) the extending force is generated by a pressure differential between fluid within the inner elastic hose and an ambient environment at lower pressure than the fluid within the inner plastic hose;
iv) the retracting force is generated by the tendency of the inner elastic hose to return to its natural length when stretched;
c) an input connector attached, at the first end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to be removably attached to a source of pressurized fluid; and
d) an output connector attached, at the second end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to removably connect to a flow restricting device;
wherein:
A) the inner elastic hose has a shape comprising one or more ridges;
B) the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which are engaged with the outer cover and which are disposed between the first and second ends of the hose are located at the one or more ridges' apexes;
wherein the hose further comprises, at each of the one or more portions of the outer surface of the inner elastic hose which is engaged with the outer cover and which is disposed between the first and second ends of the hose, a bonding spacer filling a gap between the outer surface of the inner elastic hose and an inner surface of the outer cover.
29. A hose having a first end and a second end configured to extend when an extending force exceeds a retracting force and to retract when the retracting force exceeds the extending force, the hose comprising:
a) a tube-shaped outer cover with an extended length and a retracted length, wherein the outer cover can longitudinally extend to the extended length and longitudinally retract to the retracted length;
b) an inner elastic hose capable of stretching to at least two times its natural length and having a tendency to return to its natural length when stretched, wherein:
i) the inner elastic hose is positioned inside of the tube-shaped outer cover;
ii) the inner elastic hose comprises an outer surface comprising:
A) one or more portions engaged with the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose; and
B) one or more portions freely movable with respect to the outer cover and disposed between the first and second ends of the hose;
iii) the extending force is generated by a pressure differential between fluid within the inner elastic hose and an ambient environment at lower pressure than the fluid within the inner plastic hose;
iv) the retracting force is generated by the tendency of the inner elastic hose to return to its natural length when stretched;
c) an input connector attached, at the first end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to be removably attached to a source of pressurized fluid; and
d) an output connector attached, at the second end of the hose, to both the outer cover and the inner elastic hose and designed to removably connect to a flow restricting device;
wherein the outer cover is a porous hydrophobic outer cover.