Polymeric flexible hose construction and method of making same

#In a tank or canister type vacuum cleaner a flexible hose construction is usually employed and is connected to the tank of the vacuum cleaner at one end and to a rotatable cleaning brush, or the like, at the other end which is powered by an electric motor whereby it is necessary to provide an electrical conductor with the hose construction for conveying electricity along the length thereof. In addition, it is necessary to make such a vacuum cleaner hose construction which is capable of operating in a non-collapsing manner while keeping the electrical conductor in a protected area.

#Because of the substantial market for vacuum cleaner hose constructions of the character mentioned there is keen competition to produce such a hose construction at minimum cost.

#It is a feature of this invention to provide a simple, economical, and highly flexible hose construction which is particularly adapted to be used with tank-type vacuum cleaners.

#The accompanying drawings show present preferred embodiments of this invention, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a view with parts in cross section, parts in elevation, parts shown schematically, and parts broken away illustrating an apparatus and method employed in making the hose construction of this invention;

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken essentially on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 showing an extrusion apparatus and method for defining the hose construction of this invention which is a single-piece polymeric construction having a pair of longitudinally extending passages;

#Reference is now made to FIG. 5 of the drawings which illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a polymeric flexible hose construction of this invention which is designated generally by the reference numeral 20 and such hose construction 20 is made utilizing the method of this invention which will be described in detail subsequently. The hose construction 20 is particularly adapted to be used as a vacuum cleaner hose and has a plurality of longitudinally extending passages defined in a single piece of polymeric material.

#The hose construction 20 comprises a tubular wall 21 defining a main longitudinally extending passage 22 for conveying a fluid such as air containing particles or objects picked up by vacuum action; and, such hose construction has wall means 23 adjoining the tubular wall 21 and defining a second longitudinally extending passage 24 for electrical conductor means, to be subsequently described, and the wall means 23 has a wall portion 25 which is common with the tubular wall 21.

#The tubular wall 21 of the hose construction 20 has a plurality of convolutions a representative few of which are designated by the same reference numeral 26 and such convolutions are defined by a continuous longitudinally extending helical convolution also designated by the reference numeral 26. The hose construction 20 also has a reinforcing member which is in the form of a continuous helical member 27 which is disposed within the continuous helical convolution of the tubular wall 21. The helical reinforcing member 27 of this example is comprised of a central metal wire 30, see FIG. 4, which has a plastic sleeve or coating 31 therearound and the sleeve 31 may be made of a material compatible with the material used to make wall 21 so as to provide a tenacious bond between member 27 and wall 21.