Helically wound hose from co-extruded profile with reinforcing ribs interlocked at adjacent convolutions

Abstract

A flexible hose having resistance to radial crush is formed from a bonded and interlocked helically wound rod or strip of plastic co-extrusion. The co-extruded profile of the strip is defined by a pair of matable rib components which are joined by a web. The rib components are bonded, sealed and interlocked together at adjoining convolutions of the profile not only to form the hose but also to form a composite rib integrated into the hose for resisting radial crushing and axially directed deformation forces exerted on the hose. The composite rib is formed from a material having a hardness which is greater than that of at least a part of the web for rendering the rib with a relatively stiff bend resistance characteristic and the web with a relatively soft and flexible characteristic. The web itself may be a co-extrusion of two materials placed in series, or in parallel as a laminate, or a combination thereof. If a laminate, one of its materials may be the same as that of the rib but much thinner so as to provide a larger surface area for greater bonding or adhesion among the several parts of the extruded profile. Different materials, especially in a laminate, enable the hose to be tailored for specific uses and environments which come into contact with either or both the inside and outside of the hose.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.