Axially compressible flexible tubing and method for making same
AssigneeCrushproof Tubing Company
InventorsVance M. Kramer, Jr., Jonathan O. Rodebaugh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A length of flexible helically corrugated rubber tubing is provided with certain characteristics that enable it to be axially compressed to less than half of its normal relaxed length using minimal force while still providing a high resistance to crushing. The tubing has a wall with a uniform thickness, the wall defining external and internal threads with a specially defined pitch and thread height related to the wall thickness.
Claims11
A length of tubing comprising a flexible helically corrugated tube formed of an elastomeric material, said tube having a central axis and a wall of generally uniform thickness, wherein:
- the wall defines a continuous external thread with an external crest and an external root and a corresponding continuous internal thread,
- the external thread has a pitch within a range of six to ten times the thickness of the wall,
- the external thread has a thread height measured from the external crest to the external root within a range of three to five times the thickness of the wall,
- the tube has a normal relaxed linear length,
- the tube is compressible to an axial compressed linear length by a compression force not exceeding 25 pounds applied collinear to the central axis, and
- a ratio of the normal relaxed linear length to the axial compressed linear length is from about 5:1 to about 1.25:1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.