Flexible Hose Grooved Liner Axial Support Kinking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flexible hoses with helical wire reinforcement still tend to collapse or kink when bent, causing blockages and preventing fluid flow due to insufficient resistance to mechanical distortion.

Innovation Solution

A flexible hose design featuring a liner with external helical grooves and an elongate retainer within these grooves, providing both radial and axial support to prevent kinking and collapse, where the internal surface remains smooth and devoid of grooves.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a helical wire is used for radial support to reinforce the hose, then resistance to crushing is improved, but resistance to internal collapse when bent deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to crushingVSAvoidresistance to internal collapse when bent

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions from conventional radial support (single dimension) to combined radial and axial support (multiple dimensions). The helical wire is positioned in external grooves and constrained by groove sidewalls, creating axial support in addition to radial support, thereby preventing kinking and internal collapse during bending while maintaining crushing resistance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The groove sidewalls act as intermediary elements that transmit and distribute forces. When the hose bends, the groove sidewalls press against the helical wire, creating axial support. This intermediary mechanism converts the conventional radial support into combined radial and axial support, solving the problem of internal collapse during bending

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the liner has external facing grooves with helical wire, then axial support and resistance to kinking are improved, but the internal surface smoothness may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to kinkingVSAvoidinternal surface smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies different surface qualities to different locations of the liner. The external surface has grooves for housing the helical wire and providing axial support, while the internal surface remains smooth for fluid flow. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between kinking resistance and internal surface smoothness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The liner surface is segmented into two distinct zones: an external facing side with grooves for mechanical support and an internal facing side that is smooth for fluid flow. This segmentation allows each surface to optimize its function without compromising the other

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9157558B2Reinforced flexible hose

Publication Date: 2015.10.13 AFLEX HOSE

AI summary

A flexible hose (100) having a grooved liner (102) forming a part of the side walls of the hose to define an internal bore (101). Helically formed grooves (108) are formed at an external facing side of liner (102) with an innermost side (104) comprising a substantially smooth, non-profiled surface. A coiled wire retainer (107) is housed within each groove (108) to provide a hose (100) resistant to crushing and collapse of the internal bore (101) due to kinking when the hose (100) is flexed.