GB2398617A

GB2398617A - Multi-path hose

Info

Publication number: GB2398617A
Application number: GB0303829A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chung-Cheng Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-02-20
Filing date: 2003-02-20
Publication date: 2004-08-25
Also published as: GB0303829D0

Abstract

A multi-path hose includes a flexible tube body with a flow passage in the center of the tube body. The flow passage is comprised of and is characterized by a plurality of parallel thin flow paths with small radius. With such structure, the strength of the tube body is improved to avoid bending, blocking or breaking, and the life of the tube body is extended to lower the production cost.

Description

23986 1 7

MULTI-PATH HOSE

The present invention relates to a flexible tube body with a flow passage in the center thereof. The flow passage is composed of a plurality of parallel thin flow paths with small radius so as to increase the strength of the tube body as well as avoid kinking, obstructing or tearing. The lifetime of the hose is also prolonged while the manufacturing cost is reduced.

While washing a car, windows, pouring water in short distance or watering garden plants, an elastic hose is attached to the water faucet for conveying water.

Refer to Fig. 13, since most of flexible hoses (a) are made of flexible material, when drawing water from water source, the flexible hose (a) with certain length is easy to get tangled due to unwinding process. Thus the radius (al) of the flexible hoses (a) is shortened and the water flow is reduced, even obstructed leading to no water out.

If the flexible hose (a) is made of elastic material, it's easy to kink or tangle thus block the water flow. Instead, the flexible hose (a) is made of material that is harder but still easy for rewinding. Due to the hardness of the material, the flexible hose (a) may be torn down when bending thus the liquid is leaking.

Moreover, the flexible hose (a) lies on the ground while being used. When pass-by step on or cars run over the flexible hose (a), the flow is obstructed. The hose (a) made of soft flexible material may be easy to get broken. There is a need to improve.

General hoses have only a single path. While being used, the inner wall of the hoses needs to resist the pressure of the flow. For increasing the resistance of high pressure, the thickness of the tube wall needs to be increased or coated by other material. Thus the cost of raw material is increased, reducing the market competitiveness.

Refer to Fig. 14, traditional flexible hose (a) is squashed after winding up on a reel (b).

Therefore, it needs to pull out the flexible hose (a) in full length for use so as to make water flowing smoothly. This causes users a mess.

Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a multi-path hose includes a flexible tube body with a flow passage in the center thereof. The device is characterized in that the tube body is composed of a plurality of parallel thin flow paths with small radius. Thus the strength of the hose is increased for avoiding bending, obstruction or tearing. Not only the lifetime of the hose is increased, but also the manufacturing cost is reduced.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to Figs. 1 to 12 of the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is an embodiment of the present invention while being winded up on a reel; Fig. 12 is another embodiment of the present invention while being winded up on a reel; In Figs. 13 and 14, which illustrate the prior art,

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view of a prior art;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a prior art while being winded up on a reel.

Refer to Fig.1 & Fig.2, the present invention is composed of a flexible tube body 1 with a flow passage 11 in the center thereof. The device features on that: the flow passage 11 of the tube body 1 consists of a plurality of parallel thin flow paths 11 a with small radius.

In accordance with the structure mentioned above, the material that makes up the tube body 1 supports each of the thin flow paths 11 a so as to reinforce the strength of the tube body 1. Thus the area of the cross section of the flow passage 11 is reduced when the tube body 1 is bending. Therefore, the liquid inside the flow passage 11 can flow smoothly.

Moreover, due to the composition of the thin flow paths lla, the tube body I has high-strength. Thus even the tube body.1 is rolled by passer- by or cars, the flow passage 11 recovers the original radius of the cross section thereof. Therefore, the flow won't be obstructed and the tube body 1 is unbroken. Also the lifetime of the tube body 1 is increased.

Furthermore, the flow passage 11 of the tube body 1 composed by a plurality of parallel thin flow paths 1 la can resist higher pressure of the flow so that there is no need to use special material and the manufacturing cost is decreased. The market competitiveness is also increased.

Refer to Fig.3 & Fig. 4, the flow passage 11 composes of a plurality of parallel small tubes 12. This is another embodiment of the present invention.

Refer to Fig. 5, & Fig. 6, the cross section of the tube body 1 is oval shape so as to make the tube body I easy in rewinding and handy. The tube body 1 is also constituted by a plurality of parallel thin flow paths 1 la or a plurality of parallel small tubes 12, as shown in Fig.7, & Fig. 8. This is a further embodiment.

Refer to Fig. 9 & Fig. 10, the cross section of the tube body I is rectangle shape. The tube body 1 is as well comprised of a plurality of parallel thin flow paths 11 a so as to have easy rewinding and longer durability.

Refer to Fig. 11 & Fig. 12, while being not used, the tube body 1 is winded up on a reel 2, 2a. Because the flow passage 11 of the tube body 1 includes a plurality of parallel thin flow paths 11a, the tube body 1 won't be squashed while being winding up on the reel 2, 2a. Thus the liquid flow can still flow fluently. Therefore, the present invention only need to be pulled out in a certain length, not the full length of the whole tube body 1, this is more convenient for users.

It should be noted that the above description and accompanying drawings are only used to illustrate some embodiments of the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Any modification of the embodiments should fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-path hose comprising a flexible tube body with a flow passage in the center thereof wherein said flow path of said tube body having a plurality of parallel thin flow paths with small radius.

2. A multi-path hose as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow path includes a plurality of parallel small tubes.

3. A multi-path hose as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tube body has an oval cross section.

4. A multi-path hose as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tube body has a rectangular cross section

5. A multi-path hose substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any one of Figs. 1 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.