Flush Air Hose Guide With Rollers and Dust-Sealing Stopper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hose guides allow dust and moisture to enter compartments through an orifice, causing wear on hoses and potentially damaging them.
Innovation Solution
A hose guide with a frusto-conical receiver and a roller assembly, including non-grooved and grooved rollers, that accommodates an air hose and uses a complementary stopper to prevent ingress of dust and moisture, ensuring a watertight seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a hose guide is used to reduce hose wear, then hose durability is improved, but dust and moisture can enter the compartment through the orifice
Solution Approach 1:
A stopper is introduced as an intermediary element between the hose guide and the compartment. The stopper fills the gap created by the hose guide's opening, preventing dust and moisture from entering the compartment while allowing the hose guide to maintain its hose-wear-reducing function. This mediator resolves the contradiction by blocking the harmful path without interfering with the useful function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the hose guide (for wear reduction), the stopper (for sealing), and the compartment (for housing). By dividing the system into separate elements with specialized functions, each component can optimize its performance without compromising the others, allowing the hose guide to reduce wear while the stopper prevents contamination.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a hose guide with rollers is used, then hose wear is reduced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The hose guide assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: the rollers reduce hose wear through rotation, the frusto-conical receiver guides the hose into position, and the stopper prevents contamination. By combining these functions into a single integrated assembly, the device achieves multi-functionality without requiring separate components, thereby managing complexity while delivering comprehensive protection.
3Ease of operation
If the receiver opening is sized to accommodate the hose, then hose passage is facilitated, but dust and moisture can ingress into the compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper acts as an intermediary element that seals the gap between the receiver opening and the hose. It allows the opening to remain large enough for easy hose passage while blocking the path for dust and moisture ingress. The stopper mediates between the conflicting requirements of accessibility and protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is applied locally at the interface between the receiver opening and the hose, rather than requiring a complete closure of the opening. The stopper provides localized sealing quality exactly where needed (at the compartment entrance) while leaving the hose passage area open and accessible.
Data Source
AI summary
A hose guide having a base with a back side, a front side and a hose receiving orifice. A receiver extends from the front side of the base. The receiver has a terminal end that communicates an interior surface and an exterior surface. The terminal end may define a plurality of fillets. A roller assembly is affixed to the back side the base. The roller assembly supports a plurality of rollers for engaging an external surface of a hose. When installed, the hose guide of the invention is flush with a sealing surface, such as a panel, for providing a sealing surface therewith. Rollers are provided for reducing damage to a hose passing therethrough. Use of a complementary shaped stopper helps to prevent an ingress of water and dust through the hose guide, e.g., into a hose reel containing compartment.