Hose piston for transporting external objects along a flexible hose
AssigneesPaul Thomas, Semen Sorokotyazh, Arman Sassani
InventorsPaul Thomas, Semen Sorokotyazh, Arman Sassani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hose piston is disposed inside a flexible hose which is filled with fluid and movable in any direction upon hydraulic pressure. The rollers of an external device are engaged on the exterior surface of the flexible hose and are located adjacent to the midsection of the hose piston. The fluid pressure inside the flexible hose forces the hose piston to move along a given direction within the flexible hose, which in turn forces the rollers to travel in the same direction. This mechanism can transport the external device along the flexible hose.
Claims30
An apparatus in combination with a flexible hose member which has an exterior surface and an interior surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a hose piston member formed by a multiplicity of individual pieces interconnected in series into a generally cylindrical shaped symmetrical member, the individual pieces including a midsection, two opposite proximal portions interlocked to the midsection, and two opposite distal portions interlocked respectively to the two opposite proximal portions;
- b. said hose piston member disposed inside said flexible hose member and tightly engaged with said interior surface of said flexible hose member in a sealed fashion;
- and
- c. said midsection of said hose piston member having a reduced diameter to accommodate a multiplicity of rollers of an external coupling device, such that the multiplicity of rollers are movably engage and compress said flexible hose member against said midsection of said hose piston member;
- d. whereby when said hose piston member is disposed within said flexible hose member and said hose member is filled with fluid, the fluid pressure difference inside said flexible hose member will force said hose piston member to move along a given direction within said flexible hose member, which in turn causes said multiplicity of rollers of said external coupling device to travel along said flexible hose member in the same direction.
An apparatus in combination with an external device which has at least two opposite rollers movably engaged with a flexible hose member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a hose piston member formed by a multiplicity of pieces interconnected together in series, the hose piston member including a midsection, two opposite proximal portions attached to the midsection, and two opposite distal portions attached respectively to the two opposite proximal portions;
- b. said hose piston member disposed inside said flexible hose member and tightly engaged with said interior surface of said flexible hose member in a sealed fashion;
- and
- c. said midsection of said hose piston member having a reduced diameter to accommodate said at least two opposite rollers of said external device, such that said at least two opposite rollers engage and compress said flexible hose member against said midsection of said hose piston member;
- d. whereby when said hose piston member is disposed within said flexible hose member and said hose member is filled with fluid, the fluid pressure difference inside said flexible hose member will force said hose piston member to move along a given direction within said flexible hose member, which in turn causes said at least two opposite rollers of said external device to travel along said flexible hose member in the same direction.
An apparatus in combination with an external device which has at least two rollers movably engaged with a flexible hose member having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a piston member disposed inside said flexible hose member and tightly engaged with said interior surface of said flexible hose member in a sealed fashion and having a reduced diameter midsection to accommodate said at least two rollers of said external device, such that said at least two rollers engage and compress said flexible hose member against the reduced diameter midsection of the piston member;
- b. whereby when said piston member moves along a given direction inside said flexible hose member under a pressure difference therein, it causes said at least two rollers of said external device to travel along on said flexible hose member in the same direction.
An apparatus in combination with an external device which has at least one roller movably engaged with a hose member, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a piston member disposed inside said hose member in a sealed fashion and having an engagement portion for accommodating said at least one roller of said external device, such that said at least one roller engages against said hose member at the location of the engagement portion of the piston member;
- b. whereby when said piston member moves along a given direction inside said hose member under a pressure difference therein, it causes said at least one roller of said external device to travel along on said hose member in the same direction.
An apparatus used in combination with an external device movably engaged with a hose member, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a piston member disposed inside said hose member in a sealed fashion and having an engagement portion for accommodating said external device, such that said external device engages against the hose member at the location of the engagement portion of the piston member;
- b. whereby when said piston member moves along a given direction inside said hose member under a pressure difference therein, it causes said external device to travel along on said hose member in the same direction.
An apparatus in combination with an external device which has at least one roller movably engaged with a flexible cylinder member, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a piston member disposed inside said flexible cylinder member in a sealed fashion and having an engagement portion for accommodating said at least one roller of said external device, such that said at least one roller engages said flexible cylinder member against the engagement portion of the piston member;
- b. whereby when said piston member moves along a given direction inside said flexible cylinder member under a pressure difference therein, it causes said at least one roller of said external device to travel along on said flexible cylinder member in the same direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.