Fluid Hose Anti-Kink Chevron Projections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid hose devices for ventilators are expensive to produce, prone to kinking, and lack sufficient dimensional stability, making them inflexible and rigid, which is undesirable for patient comfort.
Innovation Solution
A fluid hose device with anti-kink projections and connecting webs arranged in an alternating chevron pattern along its length, providing increased dimensional stability and flexibility, and produced using a simple injection molding method.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If thin-walled fluid lines with helical reinforcement ribs are used, then the line becomes more resistant to crushing and obstruction, but the production cost increases and the line tends to kink due to reduced dimensional stability
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid line is segmented into multiple layers with distinct functions: an inner fluid-conducting layer, a middle reinforcement layer with radial and circumferential elements, and an outer protective layer. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently, reducing overall production complexity and cost while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement structure uses local quality by placing radial reinforcement elements only in specific zones where crushing resistance is most needed, rather than uniformly throughout. The circumferential elements are strategically positioned to prevent kinking at critical locations, optimizing material usage and production efficiency.
2Strength
If thin-walled fluid lines with helical reinforcement ribs are used, then the line becomes more resistant to crushing, but the line has reduced dimensional stability and tends to kink
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement elements are pre-formed with specific geometries and arrangements that inherently prevent kinking before the line is put into service. The radial elements are positioned at predetermined angles and spacings that proactively maintain dimensional stability under various bending conditions, preventing kink formation rather than reacting to it.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid line employs a composite structure combining different material properties: the inner layer uses flexible material for fluid conduction, the reinforcement layer incorporates rigid radial and circumferential elements for structural stability, and the outer layer provides additional protection. This composite approach balances flexibility with dimensional stability, preventing kinking while maintaining crush resistance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If reinforcement elements are added to prevent kinking, then dimensional stability improves, but the line becomes more inflexible and rigid
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structure is designed to be dynamically adaptive: the radial elements allow controlled bending within a minimum bend radius while preventing excessive deformation. The circumferential elements provide rotational stability without restricting necessary flexibility for patient movement and positioning, achieving a dynamic balance between stability and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid line maintains a flexible thin-walled structure with the reinforcement elements integrated as subtle radial and circumferential features rather than bulky components. The inner and outer layers use flexible materials that conform to the reinforcement elements, allowing the line to bend and flex naturally within design parameters while the reinforcement prevents kinking, achieving flexibility with enhanced dimensional stability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a fluid hose device (1) comprising a fluid hose (2), through which a fluid can be transported, having a plurality of anti-kink projections (3) which are spaced apart from one another and provided in the longitudinal direction (L) of the fluid hose (1), which projections extend in a circular manner around the external surface (7) of the fluid hose (2), wherein a group (9) of a plurality of connecting webs (4) is provided in each case between two adjacent anti-kink projections (3), which webs interconnect the adjacent anti-kink projections (3), wherein the groups (9) are arranged in an alternating chevron pattern in the longitudinal direction (L) of the fluid hose (1).