Flexible Hose, in Particular Vacuum Cleaner Hose
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible vacuum cleaner hoses with profiled surfaces tend to snag on edges, leading to increased user effort, jerky movements, damage, noise, and complex repair due to tight braiding and adhesive connections, which complicates manufacturing and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A flexible hose design featuring a wave-shaped inner hose with a smooth braiding sheathing and a hollow connecting member where the sheathing is secured using a sheathing lock and retaining sleeve, allowing for tension-resistant and compression-resistant connections without the need for adhesive strips or excessive braiding, enabling easy cutting and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the hose is tightly braided to improve mechanical strength and reduce kinking, then the mechanical properties improve, but the flexibility deteriorates and the hose becomes stiffer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different braid densities at different locations: the middle section has a first braid density for flexibility, while the end sections have a second, higher braid density for mechanical strength and kink resistance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing strength where needed without compromising overall flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic braid structure where the braid density varies along the hose length. The transition from lower density in the middle to higher density at ends creates a gradient structure that adapts to different functional requirements along the hose, maintaining flexibility in the main body while providing strength at connection points.
2Strength
If adhesive strips are used to connect the sheathing to the inner hose, then the connection strength improves, but the manufacturing complexity and repair difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive strips from the connection method. Instead of using adhesives to attach the sheathing to the inner hose, it relies on the mechanical interference fit and friction between the components, simplifying manufacturing and enabling easy separation for repair purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simple, replaceable connection design where the sheathing can be easily detached and replaced without special tools or adhesives. This approach treats the connection as a simple mechanical assembly that can be quickly disassembled and reassembled, reducing manufacturing complexity and facilitating maintenance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the sheathing projects significantly beyond the inner hose end, then the connection stability improves, but the snagging risk and damage potential increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a moderate projection of the sheathing beyond the inner hose end - enough to provide adequate connection stability for the connecting member, but not excessive projection that would cause snagging. This balanced approach achieves the minimum necessary projection for stability without the harmful effects of excessive extension.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible hose (10), in particular a vacuum cleaner hose, has a wavily profiled inner hose (12), which is surrounded by a substantially smooth sheathing (14) and is provided with a hollow connection piece (18) at at least one end (16). The inner hose with the sheathing extends into the connection piece, the sheathing being fastened to the inner hose by a sheath securing member (20). Also attached to the inner hose is a retaining sleeve (24), which forms a first stop face (28) for the connection piece and has a second stop face (30) for a connecting piece securing member (32) which is fastened to the connection piece in order to fix the latter in a tension- and compression-resistant manner with regard to the inner hose via the retaining sleeve.