FLEXIBLE HOSE CONSTRUCTIONS AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

摘要

Methods are provided for providing novel flexible hose constructions. In one embodiment, the improvement includes the steps of forming an inner corrugated ho se of polymeric material to have a plurality of outwardly convex projections with rece sses therebetween, then disposing an outer sleeve of reinforcing material in telescop ing relation on the inner hose, and then disposing an outer sleeve of polymeric mate rial in telescoping relation on the sleeve of reinforcing material. A tube of polymeric material is disposed between the sleeve of reinforcing material and the inner hose by ext ruding the tube onto the inner hose before disposing the sleeve of reinforcing material thereon. The inner hose is formed with an outer layer of one thermoplastic material and a n inner layer of a different thermoplastic material. The tube is formed from the same thermoplastic polymeric material that forms the outer layer of the inner hose. T he outer sleeve is formed of the same thermoplastic polymeric material that forms the tub e by the steps of extruding to cause the tube to be bonded to the projections of the inne r hose. The bonding of the sleeve of polymeric material is caused to be bonded to the tu be of polymeric material through the sleeve of reinforcing material by extruding the s leeve of polymeric material onto the sleeve of reinforcing material. One embodiment of th e flexible hose construction of this invention comprising an inner corrugated hose which is made of polymeric material and which has a plurality of outwardly convex proj ections with recesses therebetween which extend from one end thereof to the other end th ereof. An outer sleeve of reinforcing material is disposed in telescoping relation on t he inner hose, and a tube of polymeric material is disposed between the sleeve of reinfor cing material and the inner hose and extends into a generally-straight-line manner fr om projection to projection of the inner hose. In this way the flexibility characte ristics of the inner hose is not substantially reduced.