Flexible Hose Cuff Structure for Stable Embedded Conductor Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible hoses with integrated conductors suffer from inconsistent conductor positioning due to residual heat, rough inner bores, and labor-intensive connector attachment processes.
Innovation Solution
A flexible hose design featuring a helically wound ribbon with a helical support rib, where adjacent windings are attached by weld material, and a lower rib portion with grooves for conductors, ensuring smoothness and precise conductor placement, using a separate welding material to allow cooling and prevent conductor movement, and incorporating a flattened rib for strain relief.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductors are embedded in the helical support rib during manufacturing, then the hose achieves structural support and electrical functionality, but residual heat causes conductors to move and positioning varies
Solution Approach 1:
The conductors are embedded in the helical support rib while the material is still molten, before the material cools and solidifies. This preliminary action ensures conductors are locked in position before any heat-induced movement can occur, resolving the positioning consistency issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the temperature parameter of the support rib material during manufacturing. By maintaining the material in a molten state during conductor embedding and then allowing it to cool, the patent changes the material's physical state to prevent conductor movement while ensuring consistent positioning.
2Ease of operation
If the hose wall is made thin to provide flexibility, then the hose can bend easily, but the inner bore becomes rough and may collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The hose wall is segmented into two functional layers: a thin outer flexible layer for bendability and an inner smooth layer for flow efficiency and collapse resistance. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose employs a composite structure combining different material properties - the outer layer provides flexibility while the inner layer provides smoothness and structural support. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between thin-wall flexibility and inner bore integrity.
3Device complexity
If conductors are integrated into the support rib, then the hose achieves a unitary structure, but connecting conductors to connectors becomes labour intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the conductor connection process from the main hose manufacturing process. By allowing the helical support rib with embedded conductors to be manufactured separately and then attached to the hose body, the patent simplifies the overall manufacturing process and enables automated connector attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductors are pre-positioned and embedded in the support rib during its manufacturing, before the rib is attached to the hose body. This preliminary action simplifies subsequent connector attachment by providing ready-to-connect conductor ends in precise positions.
4Strength
If the support rib is positioned on top of the tubular body, then the hose achieves crush resistance, but the inner bore smoothness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The support rib is designed with local quality variations - the outer surface provides crush resistance while the inner surface that contacts the tubular body is smoothed to maintain bore smoothness. This local differentiation allows the rib to provide structural support without compromising flow characteristics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures consistent conductor positioning, smooth inner bore, and simplified connector attachment, reducing manufacturing complexity and minimizing exposed conductors, while maintaining crush resistance and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
adjacent windings of the ribbon are attached to each other by means of a weld material
Implementation Method 2
residual heat in the materials used for manufacturing the hoses, so that the conductors or wires can 'travel' in the still at least partially molten material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A flexible plastic hose comprising a flexible hose wall comprising a thin-walled tubular body with a helical outer support rib and a cuff connected to a first extremity of the tubular body. The cuff comprises a connector portion through which the tubular body is connectable to an external device and a strain relief portion located at an entrance side of the cuff where the tubular body enters the cuff, wherein the strain relief portion has, at least partially, an internal screw-thread complementary to the helical reinforcing rib and provided for holding a portion of the first extremity of the tubular body without being bonded thereto. The strain relief portion comprises at least one shell which is integrally formed with the connector portion and is hingedly connected thereto and which covers at least part of the tubular body in circumferential direction.