Flexible Hose Over-Molded Cuff Termination Ring Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing over-molding process for plastic cuffs on hoses often pinches the flexible hose, leading to quality and functional defects, particularly in applications like CPAP hoses where a secure connection is crucial.
Innovation Solution
A termination ring configuration with a main ring, secondary ring, and connector members is used, which provides a stable framework for over-molding, ensuring enhanced engagement with the plastic cuff and preventing pinching by allowing the plastic to encapsulate the framework, thereby improving structural integrity and eliminating defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the molding process is applied directly to the helical hose, then the soft plastic cuff is formed, but the flexible hose is pinched, creating quality and functional defects
Solution Approach 1:
A termination ring is introduced as an intermediary component between the helical hose and the molding process. The termination ring provides a rigid, mold-friendly surface that allows the plastic cuff to be formed without pinching the flexible hose. The ring acts as a mediator that translates the molding process into a form-compatible shape, preventing direct contact between the mold and the hose's flexible helical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The termination ring is attached to the hose end before the over-molding process begins. This preliminary action prepares the hose by providing a pre-formed rigid structure that will guide the molding process and prevent defects during cuff formation. The ring is positioned and secured in advance, ensuring the hose is ready for the molding operation without risk of pinching.
2Manufacturing precision
If a termination ring is added to provide a stable framework, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The termination ring serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides a rigid mold-friendly surface for accurate cuff formation, acts as a structural reinforcement for the hose end, and serves as an attachment point for the plastic cuff. By consolidating these functions into a single component, the design achieves high manufacturing precision without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The termination ring is applied only at the specific location where over-molding is required (the hose end), rather than modifying the entire hose structure. This localized approach provides the necessary rigid framework for precision manufacturing only where needed, while leaving the rest of the flexible hose unchanged, thus minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A hose assembly is formed with a flexible helical hose body, a termination ring secured to an end, and over-molded plastic. The termination ring includes a main ring, a secondary ring, and connector members, each configured to span between and be integrally connected with the main and secondary rings. The main ring has an inside surface formed to threadably couple to a corresponding helical portion of the hose body, and be positioned at least two to three turns away from the hose end. The length of the connector members positions the secondary ring at least two turns closer to the hose end. Each connector member has outwardly protruding ridges. Plastic is over-molded to encapsulate the first end of the hose body, to encapsulate the secondary ring and each connector member, and to encapsulate a portion of the main ring, while extending beyond the hose end to form a soft cuff.