Bonded Multi-Layer Water Hose for Kink Resistance and Easy Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hoses for garden and watering applications lack durability, flexibility, kink resistance, and desirable flow rates while being lightweight, and are difficult to clean and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layer composite hose design featuring an inner tube with a polyvinyl chloride polymer and elastomer, a reinforcement layer with a textile layer embedded in a tie layer, and an outer layer with a different polyvinyl chloride polymer and elastomer, providing enhanced durability, flexibility, and kink resistance, and a polymeric surface that is easy to clean.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional hoses use a textile outer jacket, then they provide basic structural support, but they are difficult to clean and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the outer layer from textile to polymer composition, specifically using a polyvinyl chloride polymer with elastomer. This material substitution transforms the surface properties to be smooth and non-porous, enabling easy cleaning while maintaining structural support functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite material system with three distinct layers: inner tube (polymer composition), reinforcement layer (textile + tie layer), and outer layer (different polymer composition). This composite structure allows the outer polymer layer to provide easy-to-clean surface while the underlying textile reinforcement maintains structural integrity.
2Strength
If hoses use multiple bonded layers for durability, then they achieve improved strength and kink resistance, but they become heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different material properties to different layers: the inner tube uses polymer composition for flexibility and water impermeability, the reinforcement layer uses textile for tensile strength, and the outer layer uses polymer composition for durability and ease of cleaning. Each layer is optimized for its specific function, achieving overall durability without unnecessary weight throughout the entire hose structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose is segmented into three functional layers with distinct material compositions. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently - the polymer-based inner and outer layers provide lightweight durability, while the textile reinforcement layer provides targeted structural support only where needed, rather than using heavy materials throughout the entire hose.
3Reliability
If hoses use different polyvinyl chloride polymers in different layers, then they achieve optimized performance characteristics, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically varies key parameters of the polyvinyl chloride polymer across layers: the inner tube uses PVC with certain viscosity and K-value characteristics, while the outer layer uses PVC with different viscosity and K-value characteristics. This parameter variation optimizes each layer's performance - the inner layer for flexibility and bonding, the outer layer for durability and environmental resistance - while maintaining the same base material family for manufacturing efficiency.
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
The hose exhibits improved durability, flexibility, kink resistance, and flow rates, with a lightweight construction and easy maintenance, maintaining performance across a range of temperatures and pressures.
Implementation Method 1
a reinforcement layer bonded to an outer surface of the inner tube, wherein the reinforcement layer comprises i) a textile layer comprising yarns and ii) a tie layer comprising a second polyvinyl chloride polymer
Data Source
AI summary
A water hose particularly suitable for home and garden use, as well as light industrial or commercial use. The hose has a composite form and contains multiple bonded layers that synergistically contribute to durability, flexibility at a wide range of temperatures, kink resistance, and excellent flow rates while being relatively light in weight as compared to some conventional multi-layer composite hoses.