Braided Hose With Metallic Optics Using Composite Strands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing braided hoses, such as retractable faucet or shower hoses, face challenges in achieving a high-quality metallic appearance while maintaining high tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and corrosion resistance, as they either lack sufficient protection or become stiff due to outer sheaths.
Innovation Solution
A braided hose design combining plastic-coated metal or metallized strands with metallically colored plastic components, where the braid includes a mix of these materials to achieve a high-quality metallic appearance, improved tensile strength, and enhanced abrasion and corrosion resistance at a lower cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a transparent outer hose is used to protect metallized strips from abrasion and corrosion, then protection against abrasion and corrosion is improved, but the hose becomes very stiff
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite braid structure combining metallized strips with plastic-coated braid components. The metallized strips provide metallic appearance and basic protection, while the plastic-coated components maintain flexibility and add corrosion resistance. This composite approach eliminates the need for a stiff transparent outer hose while achieving both protection and flexibility goals.
2Ease of manufacture
If a braid is made of metallically colored plastic, then cost is reduced and flexibility is improved, but tensile strength and abrasion resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a hybrid braid system where plastic-coated braid components provide flexibility and corrosion resistance at low cost, while metallized strips contribute tensile strength and abrasion resistance. The synergistic combination of these different materials achieves all required mechanical properties without relying on a single material type.
3Strength
If a braid is made of metalized strips, then tensile strength and metallic appearance are improved, but abrasion resistance and corrosion resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention pairs metallized strips with plastic-coated braid components in a composite braid structure. The metallized strips maintain their superior tensile strength and metallic appearance, while the plastic-coated components provide the necessary abrasion and corrosion protection, creating a balanced system with all required properties.
4Reliability
If a braid is made of plastic-coated metal or metallized strand combined with metallically colored plastic, then metallic appearance, tensile strength, and abrasion resistance are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different material properties to different components within the braid: plastic-coated braid components in specific proportions (20-80% by weight) provide flexibility and corrosion resistance, while metallized strips provide strength and metallic appearance. This localized assignment of functions to different materials optimizes overall performance while managing complexity through defined composition ranges.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The hose has an inner hose braided with a meshwork including a meshwork component made of metal or a metalized strand that is a metalized band and coated with plastic. The meshwork has another meshwork component i.e. monofilament, made of metallic pigmented or metallic base pigmented plastic. The former component has a metalized foil coated with plastic. The latter component is transparently pigmented. Each component covers 50 percent of the hose. The components are arranged in a braiding direction so that a longitudinal striped structure is formed.