Vacuum Cleaner Hose Wire Helix for Kink-Resistant Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum cleaner hoses tend to kink at connection points and when bent, leading to reduced suction power and potential permanent damage, as existing kink protection devices fail to effectively stabilize the hose against bending loads.
Innovation Solution
A hose with a wire coil made of spring steel is embedded in the groove-shaped channel, screwed into the hose, and fixed at one end to prevent kinking without compromising bending flexibility, using a socket or sleeve for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the hose is made with helical ribs and grooves for bending flexibility, then the hose can be easily bent and positioned, but the hose tends to kink and collapse under tensile stress
Solution Approach 1:
The hose combines plastic material for the helical rib structure with a wire coil (metal material) embedded in the groove-shaped channel. This composite construction allows the plastic to provide bending flexibility while the wire coil provides kink resistance, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The wire coil is specifically positioned within the groove-shaped channel between the helical ribs, providing localized reinforcement exactly where kinking occurs during bending. This local quality enhancement maintains overall flexibility while preventing collapse at critical points
2Reliability
If external support structures like tubular grommets or cage-like structures are added for kink protection, then resistance to kinking improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wire coil is integrated directly into the hose structure by embedding it within the groove-shaped channel formed by the helical ribs. This merging of the support structure with the hose itself eliminates the need for separate external support components, reducing device complexity while maintaining kink protection
Solution Approach 2:
The wire coil is nested within the groove-shaped channel between the helical ribs, with the coil fitting inside the existing hose structure. This nesting approach allows the support element to be contained within the hose rather than adding external complexity
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 solution effectively prevents kinking and collapsing of the hose while maintaining its flexibility, ensuring consistent suction power and extending the hose's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
the wire helix is screwed into the groove-shaped channel from one end of the hose... made of spring steel... effectively reinforced against kinking and collapsing without significantly impairing its bending flexibility
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 4
AI summary
A kink protection for hoses with an outer corrugated structure, in particular for vacuum cleaner hoses (1), is proposed. Such hoses (1) have at least one external channel (7) which runs in the shape of a helix and is in the form of a groove. The kink protection is formed by a wire helix (13) made of spring steel, which is screwed into the groove-shaped channel (7) from one end of the hose and is attached to the end of the hose. This kink protection, which is attached over the entire length of the hose or only partially at the hose points at risk of kinking, does not affect its bending flexibility.