Flexible pressure tube for conduction of a pressure medium and data transmission between pneumatically-operated structures

Abstract

A flexible pressure tube includes a pressure tube cladding defining an axis and having an interior space for flow of a pressurized medium. The pressure tube cladding is constructed in the form of a homogeneous layer which is suitable to transmit data encoded in light waves in a direction of the axis, wherein the homogeneous layer is made of a flexible optical waveguide material. The pressure tube may be part of an apparatus for conducting pressurized medium and transmission of data, which apparatus includes a coupling assembly having a coupling unit for connecting one axial end of the flexible pressure tube to a pressurized-medium-operated structure, and another coupling unit for connecting the other axial end of the flexible pressure tube to a pressurized-medium-operated structure. Each of the coupling units is constructed to include a connection for the pressurized medium and an integrated communication device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.