GARDEN HOSE COUPLING WITH PROTECTIVE, STRAIN REDUCING SLEEVE

摘要

A flexible hose assembly, in particular a garden hose, having an end fitting including a protective, strain reducing sleeve fixedly secured at the male end segment of a fluid conveying tube. The sleeve is flexible and provides strain relief to the portion of the tube surrounded by the sleeve and reduces the ability of the tube to kink in the area adjacent to the end fitting. The prevention of kinks at the male end of the tube reduces stresses in this area of the tube and greatly extends the working life of the sleeve and tube assembly. The sleeve additionally serves as a gripping surface for one or more of facilitating the attachment of the hose assembly to another device such as a flow control device and holding the end of the hose during use.

主权项

1. A hose assembly, comprising:
a tube comprising a polymeric material, the tube having a first end and a second end, an end fitting comprising a coupler comprising a threaded section, a flexible polymeric sleeve having a first end and a second end, wherein the sleeve extends over a portion of the tube with the first end of the sleeve located adjacent the first end of the tube, wherein the first end of the sleeve and the first end of the hose are fixedly secured to the end fitting, wherein the sleeve has a first wall thickness in a connection segment extending a distance from the first end of the sleeve and a lesser, variable wall thickness along a length of the sleeve inwardly from the connection segment in a strain reducing segment that tapers down in wall thickness in a direction towards the second end.