Reinforced flexible hose

摘要

A flexible hose (100) having a grooved liner (102) forming a part of the side walls of the hose to define an internal bore (101). Helically formed grooves (108) are formed at an external facing side of liner (102) with an innermost side (104) comprising a substantially smooth, non-profiled surface. A coiled wire retainer (107) is housed within each groove (108) to provide a hose (100) resistant to crushing and collapse of the internal bore (101) due to kinking when the hose (100) is flexed.

主权项

1. A flexible hose comprising:
a plastic liner extending along a region of a length of the hose, the liner having a first surface orientated towards an internal bore of the hose and a second surface orientated towards an external surface of the hose, the second surface comprising a helical groove extending over a region of the liner and aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the hose the groove being defined by peaks and troughs and having sidewalls that extend substantially perpendicular to the axis; a helically wound elongate retainer positioned within the groove to sit against the troughs wherein when the liner is bent, the sidewalls of the groove press against the retainer at an inside region of the bend which creates an axial support to increase the resistance to mechanical distortion of the liner, the sidewalls being formed by the plastic liner having a hardness such that the sidewalls do not deform as they press against the retainer at an inside region of the bend such that a resultant back pressure acts to prevent axial distortion of the liner at the region radially inward of the groove; wherein the first surface of the liner is non-profiled relative to the second surface so as to be substantially devoid of the same type of groove present at the second surface; wherein a depth by which the groove extends into the liner from the second surface is such that the elongate retainer is completely housed within the groove; and wherein a width of the retainer is between 50% and 100% of a minimum width of the groove between the side walls when the liner is in an axially straight configuration.