Flexible tube having at least one elongated reinforcing element with a t-shape

A reinforced flexible tube comprising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other and the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements are different from each other;
• and
• the difference between the first and second helically wound elements is also with respect to dimensions of the elements;
• and
• a width of the foot is larger than a height of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles.

A reinforced flexible tube comprising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other and the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements are different from each other;
• and
• the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles have an arm;
• and
• a ratio between a length of the arm of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements to a height thereof is in a range of between 0.5 and 1.

A reinforced flexible tube comprising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other;
• and
• a ratio between a width of the foot of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements and a length of an arm of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements is in a range of between 1 and 3.

A reinforced flexible tube comprising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other and the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements are different from each other;
• and the difference between;
• the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements have a width of the foot and a height;
• and
• a ratio between the width of the foot of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements and the height of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements is in a range of 0.66 and 3.

A reinforced flexible tube comp rising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other and the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements are different from each other;
• and
• the T-shaped profile of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements have a width of the foot and a height;
• and
• a ratio of the width of the foot of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements to a height of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements is in a range of 1.66 to 5.

A reinforced flexible tube comprising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other and the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements are different from each other;
• and
• the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements have a height and an arm with a height;
• and
• a ratio between the height of the arm of the T shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements and the height of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements is in a range of 0.66 and 0.83.

A reinforced flexible tube comprising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other and the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements are different from each other;
• and
• the T-shaped cross-sectional profile of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements have a height and the interlocking lobes have a height;
• and
• a ratio between the height of the interlocking lobes of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements and the height of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements is in a range of 0.16 and 0.66.

A reinforced flexible tube comprising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other and the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements are different from each other and the difference between the first and second elongated reinforcing elements is in a material from which the first and second elongated reinforcing elements are manufactured;
• and
• the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements have a width;
• and
• a ratio of axial play between the first and second elongated reinforcing elements and the width of the T-shaped cross-sectional profiles of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements is in a range of 2% to 10%.

A reinforced flexible tube comprising:

• a helically wound first elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least a part of the first side;
• a helically wound second elongated reinforcing element having a T-shaped cross-sectional profile having a base and a foot projecting from a first side of the base, the base having a pair of spaced apart lobes extending from the first side of the base and further having a second side opposed to and flat and parallel to at least part of the first side;
• and wherein
• the spaced apart pairs of lobes of the first and second helically wound elongated reinforcing elements are interlocked such that each lobe of the base of the first helically wound reinforcing element is positioned to engage one of the pairs of lobes of the second helically wound reinforcing element and the lobes have a convex profile with portions of the convex profile of the lobes of the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements engaging each other and the first and second helically wound reinforcing elements are different from each other;
• and
• the T-shaped profile of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements have a width and a height;
• and
• a ratio of the width of the T-shaped profile of the first and second elongated reinforcing elements to the height of the T-shaped profile of the first and second reinforcing elements is in the range of 1.66 to 5.