CA2139544C - Tool for mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose and method of use therefor - Google Patents
Tool for mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose and method of use thereforInfo
- Publication number
- CA2139544C CA2139544C CA 2139544 CA2139544A CA2139544C CA 2139544 C CA2139544 C CA 2139544C CA 2139544 CA2139544 CA 2139544 CA 2139544 A CA2139544 A CA 2139544A CA 2139544 C CA2139544 C CA 2139544C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tube
- hose
- protective sleeve
- onto
- end portion
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
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- Protection Of Pipes Against Damage, Friction, And Corrosion (AREA)
Abstract
A tool to facilitate placement of a flaccidly flexible protective sleeve onto a hose includes a hollow tube to receive the protective sleeve thereon, and a conical end portion removably attached to the tube for facilitating sliding placement of the protective sleeve onto the tube. In use, a protective sleeve is slid over the conical end portion and onto the tube, the end portion is removed from the tube, and a hose is passed through the hollow center of the tube.
The protective sleeve is then slid off the end of the tube onto the hose simultaneously as the hose is pulled through the tube to thereby transfer the protective sleeve onto the hose.
The protective sleeve is then slid off the end of the tube onto the hose simultaneously as the hose is pulled through the tube to thereby transfer the protective sleeve onto the hose.
Description
2~39544 .
TOOL FOR MOu N'l'lN~ A PROTECTIVE SLEEVE ONTO A HOSE
AND METHOD OF USE T~RRR~OR
RAC~RoUND OF THE lNV~;N'l'lON
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to hoses and protective sleeves which it thereover. More part;~ rly, the present invention relates to a tool and method of use thereor for mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose.
2. Description of the Relevant Art Protective sleeves for covering hoses, such as central vacuum hoses or the l~ce, are known and are commercially av~ hl~. These protective sleeves or hoses are advantageous because they protect household items, such as f urniture, f rom being scratched or marred by the hose. For exAmrle, protective sleeves for central vacuum hoses are av~ hl~ from Vacsoc Inc. of Concord, Ontario, and from Cen-Tec Systems of Bloomington, T~ ais. The commerci~lly avA;l~hle protective sleeves are flaccidly fl~,~ihlQ and n~ lly include an elastic f abric or f abric-like material as part of tht~i r construction so that they wi~l conf orm snugly to the external contours of the central vacuum hose, which is itself fl~}rihlQ and nnrm~lly ribbed.
However, the ~ob of mounting such a protective sleeve onto a central vacuum hose i5 a dif ficult and time-consuming ef f ort, since the protective sleeve tends to grip the hose at any parti ~ r paint when placed thereon, particularly due to the ribbing, and 21395~
6ince the protective sleeve must generally pass over an enlarged fitting at one end bef ore it reaches the hose itself . A need theref ore exists in the art f or an im-proved method of mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose, and for a tool which will facilitate mounting a protective sleeve onto such a hose.
SUMMARY OF THE ~vh~ N
The present invention provides a tool for facilitating the placement of a protective sleeve onto a hose. The tool in accordance with the present invention i8 generally composed of a substantially cylindr;~Al tube having a hollow passageway formed therethrough, and a substantially con;~Al end portion removably attached to an end of the tube in coAxiAl Al;gnment therewith.
The present invention also provides an improved method of mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose. The method in accordance with the present invention generally includes the steps of: prov;~;ng a tool to assist a user in mounting the protective sleeve onto the hose, the tool being essent;Ally constituted as described immediately hereinabove, placing an open end of a flacci~ly fl~srihll? protective sleeve onto the end portion of the tool, sli~ing a first part of the protective sleeve over the end portion and onto the tube, progressively sliding the rest of the sleeve over the coni~Al end portion and onto the tube until at least substantially the entire protective sleeve is situated on the tube, removing the c~ni~;~l end portion from the tube, passing a first end of a hose through the tube f rom one end thereof and out the other .
end thereof until the second end of the hose is adjacent the one end of the tube, sl;~l;ng the first part of the protective sleeve off of the tube and onto the hose, moving the second end of the hose axially away f rom the one end of the tube while simultaneously f eeding the rest of the protective sleeve onto the hose at a rate equal to the movement of the hose, and separating the tube f rom the hose whereupon the protective sleeve is situated on the hose.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toal f or ~ 1Ah1Y mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tool f or fil;-lAhJy mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose, wherein the ends of the hose have fittings connected thereto which have cross-sections exceeding that of the hose itself .
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method f or placing a protective sleeve onto a hose.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a method f or placing a protective sleeve onto a hose, wher~in the ends of the hose have fittings connected thereto which exceed the diameter of the hose itself.
BRIEF DES~l~ ON OF T~E DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a top elevational view, partially in cross-section, of a preferred embodiment of the tool in accordance with the present invention, the depicted embo~ t including a tube and an end portion.
.
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a protective sleeve f or a hose being mounted on the e-mbodiment of Figure 1.
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view sim;l;~r to Figure 2, with the protective sleeve installed on the tube thereof and the end portion removed f rom the tube.
FIGURES 4 and 5 are side views of the tube and protective sleeve of Figure 3, with a hose inserted through the tube and the protective sleeve being placed thereon, wherein the hose is shown partially cut away.
FIGURE 6 is a side view of the hose of Figures 4 and 5, with the protective sleeve mounted thereon.
For a more c~ rlete understanding of the present invention, the reader is referred to the fo~lowing det~;led descriptionr which should be read in conjunction with the accnmrAnying drawings.
Throughout the f ollowing description and in the drawings, li~;e numbers ref er to lilce parts throughout the several views.
DE~rA~ n DES~:~llON OF THE PREFERRED EMBOD~ENT
Ref erring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, a tool 10 in accordance with a preferred emborl;m~nt of the present invention is shown which includes a tube 12 of preferably cylin~ Al cross-section, having a hnllow passageway 14 formed therethrough. The tube 12 is pref erably f ormed f rom a smooth, durable material such as plastic or metal. It is preferred that the exterior surf ace of the tube 12 be smooth, continuous, and uninterrupted in order to present a sll;tAhle surface for sliding a 2139~
.
f abric or f abric-like protective sleeve thereupon. The tube 12 is preferably three to five feet in length and the passageway 1~ i5 pref erred to be at least three inches in diameter in order to allow a hose 30 to pass therethrough, as well as an optional fitting which may or may not be connected to one end of the hose. As noted, the preferred shape for the tube 12 is cylin~lr;~Al, although it could be made with a geometric cross-section such as for ~xATnrlR an hexagonal or octagonal shape and sti:ll be eqllivalent.
The tool 10 also includes a gener~]ly c~ni~Ally shaped end portion 20 having a connection end 21 which~ is dimensioned to mate with at least one end of the tube. In this regard, the connection end 21 is shown lel~uv~bly attached to a first end 16 of the tube 12. The attachment between the connection end 21 of the end portion 2 0 and the first end 16 of the tube 12 may be by interf erence fit, by means of interconnecting screw threads f ormed on respectively contacting portions of the tube and end portion, or by other appropriate means, so long as the end portion 20 is easily removable by a user of the tool 10. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the end portion 20 is provided with a connector end 21 having a hollow interior opening 22 in which the inside diameter thereof is just slightly larger than the outside diameter of the first end 16 of the tube 12 so as to ~llow the first end to fit F~ hly therein and thereby provide the aforementioned S1;~1Ah1~
interf erence fit therebetween. This structural arrangement ensures that a protective sleeve 18 may be slid over the end portion 2 0 and onto the tube 12 without getting pinched between the tube 12 2~39~
--and the end portion 20. It is preferred, in the practice of the present invention, that the end portion 20 be con;~Ally shaped with a rounded tip 24 in order to present a surface which wi~l not pose any saf ety hazard to pets or ~;mall children, and which wi~l resist piercing of the material of the protective sleeve 18 when placed sl;~ hly thereupon. It is also preferred that the exterior surface of the end portion 20 be smooth, continuous, and uninterrupted in order to present a suitable surface for sl;~;ng a fabric or f abric~ e protective sleeve 18 thereover, as is f urther described hereinbelow. The length of the end portion 20 is not cri~ical, but a sn;t~hle length could be in the range of appro~imately six to eight inches.
The tube 12 together with the end portion 2 0 make up the preferred embol;me~nt of the tool 10 hereof. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will re;~lize that the tool 10 hereof could easily be mo l;f;~1 or ;~ 1;t;~ al features could be added thereto without changing the essent;~l character or function thereof. It is also cont~mrl~ted that the tool 10 hereof could be soad in a package with a protective sleeve 18 to f orm a complete set.
The present invention also encompasses an improved method of install;ng a protective sleeve 18 onto a hose 30 using the tool 10 hereof, and the reader will gain a better understanding of the use of the tool 10 hereof af ter reading the f ollawing description of the method in accordance with the present invention. The f ollowing description is directed primarily to placing a protective 2139~;4~
sleeve 18 on a hose 30 in the form of a fl~7~;hl~, rihh~r~ central vacuum hose such as might be used in f~le.qning a home or the li~ce.
However, the tool and method according to the present invention are appropriate f or use in any application of placing a protective sleeve onto a hose.
In practicing the method in accordance with the present invention, a hollow and flac~ ly flP~ihl~ protective sleeve 18, pref erably constructed of an elastic f abric material although this is not a requirement, is applied to the exterior surf ace of a hose 3 0 using the tool 10. Initi~lly, the connection end 21 of the end portion 2 0 is attached to the first end 16 of the tube 12. A first open end 19 of the protective sleeve 18 is slirl~hly placed onto the end portion 20 from the tip 24 toward the connection end 21 thereof. A first part 18a of the protective sleeve 18, ad]acent to the open end 19 thereof, is slid over the con;~;~l end portion 20 and onto the tube 12. Subsequently, the rest of the protective sleeve 18 are progressively slid over the c~ni~l end portion 20 and onto the tube 12, in turn, until at least substantially the entire protective sleeve 18 is situated on and surrounding the tube 12.
The first part 18a should be now located adjacent the second end 17 of the tube 12. Once the protective sleeve 18 has been placed on the tube 12, the end portion 20 is removed therefrom and the hose 30 is passed through the tube 12 starting from either the first end 16 or the second end 17 thereof, the second end being depicted for thi8 purpose irl Figure 4. When using the tool 10 to mount a protective sleeve 18 onto the hose 3 0 which is in the f orm of a 213954~
.
central vacuum hose, the first end 32 of the central vacuum hose is defined by a connector fitt;ng which is firstly ed through the tube 12. This is done because the othe~ end 34 of the vacuum hose is defined by a handle fitting that has a much larger cross-section than the connector fitting, which makes it impossible to be passed through the passageway 14 of the tube 12, since the tube diameter is too small due to the limited accnmmc~l~tive elasticity of the protective sleeve 18 which prevents it being placed onto a tube of so large a cross-section.
The hose 30 is passed through the tube until the second end 34 of the hose is adjacent the second end 17 of the tube 12. The hose 30 is then pu~led back out of the tube 12 (the second end 34 being pulled axially away f rom the second end 17 of the tube) while the first part 18a of the protective sleeve 18 is slid of f of the tube 12 and placed f eedably onto the hose 3 0 starting f rom adjacent the second end 34 thereof at a rate that matches movement of the hose with respect to the tube 12. The hose 30 is pulled through the passageway 14 of the tube 12 while the protective sleeve 18 is transferred from the exterior surface of the tube 12 and onto the ho~e 30. Af ter the entire length of the protective sleeve 18 has been placed surroundingly onto the hose 30 along the full length thereof between the first and second ends 32, 34, the tube 12 is separated from the hose 30 whereupon the protective sleeve 18 i~3 surroundingly located onto the hose.
While the above description detAils passing the hose through the tube 12 f r~n the second end thereof, the hose can, of course, 21395~4 be passed through the tube starting from either of the first or the second ends thereof.
The above described method of mounting a protective sleeve 18 onto a hose 30 is ~;~n;fi--~ntly superior to the previously known method because it i8 much faster and e~ r than the cumbersome task of continuously stretching parts of the elastic protective sleeve 18 over the connector fitting at the first end 3 2 of the hose 30. A business using the method and to~L according to the present invention would reali~e a s;gn;f;~nt savings in labor cost if this task were to be perf ormed repetitively on the iob. The above described process would be essentially reversed if a user wished to use the tool hereof to remove the protective sleeve 18 f rom the hose 3 O.
Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the f oregaing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive, and that the invention is not limited to the spe~;fic emb~;~-~t described herein. Many morl;f;~tions will occur to those ski~led in the art to which the invention pertains. For instance, the end portion may be composed of a series of cnn;f~l shape def;n;ng wires, rather than an actual continuous cc~n;c;ll surface, and/or the tube may be c~nposed of a series of tube shape defining wires, each oriented parallel to the tube axis, rather than an actual continuous tube surf ace. All such m~l;f;~tions which f~ll within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present 2139~41 .
inventio~.
TOOL FOR MOu N'l'lN~ A PROTECTIVE SLEEVE ONTO A HOSE
AND METHOD OF USE T~RRR~OR
RAC~RoUND OF THE lNV~;N'l'lON
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to hoses and protective sleeves which it thereover. More part;~ rly, the present invention relates to a tool and method of use thereor for mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose.
2. Description of the Relevant Art Protective sleeves for covering hoses, such as central vacuum hoses or the l~ce, are known and are commercially av~ hl~. These protective sleeves or hoses are advantageous because they protect household items, such as f urniture, f rom being scratched or marred by the hose. For exAmrle, protective sleeves for central vacuum hoses are av~ hl~ from Vacsoc Inc. of Concord, Ontario, and from Cen-Tec Systems of Bloomington, T~ ais. The commerci~lly avA;l~hle protective sleeves are flaccidly fl~,~ihlQ and n~ lly include an elastic f abric or f abric-like material as part of tht~i r construction so that they wi~l conf orm snugly to the external contours of the central vacuum hose, which is itself fl~}rihlQ and nnrm~lly ribbed.
However, the ~ob of mounting such a protective sleeve onto a central vacuum hose i5 a dif ficult and time-consuming ef f ort, since the protective sleeve tends to grip the hose at any parti ~ r paint when placed thereon, particularly due to the ribbing, and 21395~
6ince the protective sleeve must generally pass over an enlarged fitting at one end bef ore it reaches the hose itself . A need theref ore exists in the art f or an im-proved method of mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose, and for a tool which will facilitate mounting a protective sleeve onto such a hose.
SUMMARY OF THE ~vh~ N
The present invention provides a tool for facilitating the placement of a protective sleeve onto a hose. The tool in accordance with the present invention i8 generally composed of a substantially cylindr;~Al tube having a hollow passageway formed therethrough, and a substantially con;~Al end portion removably attached to an end of the tube in coAxiAl Al;gnment therewith.
The present invention also provides an improved method of mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose. The method in accordance with the present invention generally includes the steps of: prov;~;ng a tool to assist a user in mounting the protective sleeve onto the hose, the tool being essent;Ally constituted as described immediately hereinabove, placing an open end of a flacci~ly fl~srihll? protective sleeve onto the end portion of the tool, sli~ing a first part of the protective sleeve over the end portion and onto the tube, progressively sliding the rest of the sleeve over the coni~Al end portion and onto the tube until at least substantially the entire protective sleeve is situated on the tube, removing the c~ni~;~l end portion from the tube, passing a first end of a hose through the tube f rom one end thereof and out the other .
end thereof until the second end of the hose is adjacent the one end of the tube, sl;~l;ng the first part of the protective sleeve off of the tube and onto the hose, moving the second end of the hose axially away f rom the one end of the tube while simultaneously f eeding the rest of the protective sleeve onto the hose at a rate equal to the movement of the hose, and separating the tube f rom the hose whereupon the protective sleeve is situated on the hose.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toal f or ~ 1Ah1Y mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tool f or fil;-lAhJy mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose, wherein the ends of the hose have fittings connected thereto which have cross-sections exceeding that of the hose itself .
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method f or placing a protective sleeve onto a hose.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a method f or placing a protective sleeve onto a hose, wher~in the ends of the hose have fittings connected thereto which exceed the diameter of the hose itself.
BRIEF DES~l~ ON OF T~E DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a top elevational view, partially in cross-section, of a preferred embodiment of the tool in accordance with the present invention, the depicted embo~ t including a tube and an end portion.
.
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a protective sleeve f or a hose being mounted on the e-mbodiment of Figure 1.
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view sim;l;~r to Figure 2, with the protective sleeve installed on the tube thereof and the end portion removed f rom the tube.
FIGURES 4 and 5 are side views of the tube and protective sleeve of Figure 3, with a hose inserted through the tube and the protective sleeve being placed thereon, wherein the hose is shown partially cut away.
FIGURE 6 is a side view of the hose of Figures 4 and 5, with the protective sleeve mounted thereon.
For a more c~ rlete understanding of the present invention, the reader is referred to the fo~lowing det~;led descriptionr which should be read in conjunction with the accnmrAnying drawings.
Throughout the f ollowing description and in the drawings, li~;e numbers ref er to lilce parts throughout the several views.
DE~rA~ n DES~:~llON OF THE PREFERRED EMBOD~ENT
Ref erring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, a tool 10 in accordance with a preferred emborl;m~nt of the present invention is shown which includes a tube 12 of preferably cylin~ Al cross-section, having a hnllow passageway 14 formed therethrough. The tube 12 is pref erably f ormed f rom a smooth, durable material such as plastic or metal. It is preferred that the exterior surf ace of the tube 12 be smooth, continuous, and uninterrupted in order to present a sll;tAhle surface for sliding a 2139~
.
f abric or f abric-like protective sleeve thereupon. The tube 12 is preferably three to five feet in length and the passageway 1~ i5 pref erred to be at least three inches in diameter in order to allow a hose 30 to pass therethrough, as well as an optional fitting which may or may not be connected to one end of the hose. As noted, the preferred shape for the tube 12 is cylin~lr;~Al, although it could be made with a geometric cross-section such as for ~xATnrlR an hexagonal or octagonal shape and sti:ll be eqllivalent.
The tool 10 also includes a gener~]ly c~ni~Ally shaped end portion 20 having a connection end 21 which~ is dimensioned to mate with at least one end of the tube. In this regard, the connection end 21 is shown lel~uv~bly attached to a first end 16 of the tube 12. The attachment between the connection end 21 of the end portion 2 0 and the first end 16 of the tube 12 may be by interf erence fit, by means of interconnecting screw threads f ormed on respectively contacting portions of the tube and end portion, or by other appropriate means, so long as the end portion 20 is easily removable by a user of the tool 10. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the end portion 20 is provided with a connector end 21 having a hollow interior opening 22 in which the inside diameter thereof is just slightly larger than the outside diameter of the first end 16 of the tube 12 so as to ~llow the first end to fit F~ hly therein and thereby provide the aforementioned S1;~1Ah1~
interf erence fit therebetween. This structural arrangement ensures that a protective sleeve 18 may be slid over the end portion 2 0 and onto the tube 12 without getting pinched between the tube 12 2~39~
--and the end portion 20. It is preferred, in the practice of the present invention, that the end portion 20 be con;~Ally shaped with a rounded tip 24 in order to present a surface which wi~l not pose any saf ety hazard to pets or ~;mall children, and which wi~l resist piercing of the material of the protective sleeve 18 when placed sl;~ hly thereupon. It is also preferred that the exterior surface of the end portion 20 be smooth, continuous, and uninterrupted in order to present a suitable surface for sl;~;ng a fabric or f abric~ e protective sleeve 18 thereover, as is f urther described hereinbelow. The length of the end portion 20 is not cri~ical, but a sn;t~hle length could be in the range of appro~imately six to eight inches.
The tube 12 together with the end portion 2 0 make up the preferred embol;me~nt of the tool 10 hereof. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will re;~lize that the tool 10 hereof could easily be mo l;f;~1 or ;~ 1;t;~ al features could be added thereto without changing the essent;~l character or function thereof. It is also cont~mrl~ted that the tool 10 hereof could be soad in a package with a protective sleeve 18 to f orm a complete set.
The present invention also encompasses an improved method of install;ng a protective sleeve 18 onto a hose 30 using the tool 10 hereof, and the reader will gain a better understanding of the use of the tool 10 hereof af ter reading the f ollawing description of the method in accordance with the present invention. The f ollowing description is directed primarily to placing a protective 2139~;4~
sleeve 18 on a hose 30 in the form of a fl~7~;hl~, rihh~r~ central vacuum hose such as might be used in f~le.qning a home or the li~ce.
However, the tool and method according to the present invention are appropriate f or use in any application of placing a protective sleeve onto a hose.
In practicing the method in accordance with the present invention, a hollow and flac~ ly flP~ihl~ protective sleeve 18, pref erably constructed of an elastic f abric material although this is not a requirement, is applied to the exterior surf ace of a hose 3 0 using the tool 10. Initi~lly, the connection end 21 of the end portion 2 0 is attached to the first end 16 of the tube 12. A first open end 19 of the protective sleeve 18 is slirl~hly placed onto the end portion 20 from the tip 24 toward the connection end 21 thereof. A first part 18a of the protective sleeve 18, ad]acent to the open end 19 thereof, is slid over the con;~;~l end portion 20 and onto the tube 12. Subsequently, the rest of the protective sleeve 18 are progressively slid over the c~ni~l end portion 20 and onto the tube 12, in turn, until at least substantially the entire protective sleeve 18 is situated on and surrounding the tube 12.
The first part 18a should be now located adjacent the second end 17 of the tube 12. Once the protective sleeve 18 has been placed on the tube 12, the end portion 20 is removed therefrom and the hose 30 is passed through the tube 12 starting from either the first end 16 or the second end 17 thereof, the second end being depicted for thi8 purpose irl Figure 4. When using the tool 10 to mount a protective sleeve 18 onto the hose 3 0 which is in the f orm of a 213954~
.
central vacuum hose, the first end 32 of the central vacuum hose is defined by a connector fitt;ng which is firstly ed through the tube 12. This is done because the othe~ end 34 of the vacuum hose is defined by a handle fitting that has a much larger cross-section than the connector fitting, which makes it impossible to be passed through the passageway 14 of the tube 12, since the tube diameter is too small due to the limited accnmmc~l~tive elasticity of the protective sleeve 18 which prevents it being placed onto a tube of so large a cross-section.
The hose 30 is passed through the tube until the second end 34 of the hose is adjacent the second end 17 of the tube 12. The hose 30 is then pu~led back out of the tube 12 (the second end 34 being pulled axially away f rom the second end 17 of the tube) while the first part 18a of the protective sleeve 18 is slid of f of the tube 12 and placed f eedably onto the hose 3 0 starting f rom adjacent the second end 34 thereof at a rate that matches movement of the hose with respect to the tube 12. The hose 30 is pulled through the passageway 14 of the tube 12 while the protective sleeve 18 is transferred from the exterior surface of the tube 12 and onto the ho~e 30. Af ter the entire length of the protective sleeve 18 has been placed surroundingly onto the hose 30 along the full length thereof between the first and second ends 32, 34, the tube 12 is separated from the hose 30 whereupon the protective sleeve 18 i~3 surroundingly located onto the hose.
While the above description detAils passing the hose through the tube 12 f r~n the second end thereof, the hose can, of course, 21395~4 be passed through the tube starting from either of the first or the second ends thereof.
The above described method of mounting a protective sleeve 18 onto a hose 30 is ~;~n;fi--~ntly superior to the previously known method because it i8 much faster and e~ r than the cumbersome task of continuously stretching parts of the elastic protective sleeve 18 over the connector fitting at the first end 3 2 of the hose 30. A business using the method and to~L according to the present invention would reali~e a s;gn;f;~nt savings in labor cost if this task were to be perf ormed repetitively on the iob. The above described process would be essentially reversed if a user wished to use the tool hereof to remove the protective sleeve 18 f rom the hose 3 O.
Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the f oregaing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive, and that the invention is not limited to the spe~;fic emb~;~-~t described herein. Many morl;f;~tions will occur to those ski~led in the art to which the invention pertains. For instance, the end portion may be composed of a series of cnn;f~l shape def;n;ng wires, rather than an actual continuous cc~n;c;ll surface, and/or the tube may be c~nposed of a series of tube shape defining wires, each oriented parallel to the tube axis, rather than an actual continuous tube surf ace. All such m~l;f;~tions which f~ll within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present 2139~41 .
inventio~.
Claims (8)
1. A tool for facilitating the placement of a protective sleeve onto a hose, comprising:
a tube having a first end and a second end, said tube having a hollow passageway extending therethrough between said first and second ends thereof;
an end portion having a substantially conical shape defined between a tip and an opposite connection end, said connection end being dimensioned to mate with at least one of said first and second ends of said tube; and attachment means for removably attaching said connection end to one of said first and second ends of said tube so that said tip is substantially coaxially aligned with said tube;
wherein said tube and said end portion each have a substantially smooth exterior surface;
wherein said attachment means comprises an interference fit between said connection end and at least one of said first and second ends of said tube; and wherein said tube has a first outer diameter, and said connection end of said end portion has a second outer diameter, further wherein said second outer diameter is at least equal to said first outer diameter.
a tube having a first end and a second end, said tube having a hollow passageway extending therethrough between said first and second ends thereof;
an end portion having a substantially conical shape defined between a tip and an opposite connection end, said connection end being dimensioned to mate with at least one of said first and second ends of said tube; and attachment means for removably attaching said connection end to one of said first and second ends of said tube so that said tip is substantially coaxially aligned with said tube;
wherein said tube and said end portion each have a substantially smooth exterior surface;
wherein said attachment means comprises an interference fit between said connection end and at least one of said first and second ends of said tube; and wherein said tube has a first outer diameter, and said connection end of said end portion has a second outer diameter, further wherein said second outer diameter is at least equal to said first outer diameter.
2. The tool of Claim 1, wherein said tube and said end portion are each constructed of a plastic material.
3. The tool of Claim 2, further comprising a flaccidly flexible, elastic protective sleeve for placing onto a hose to protect the hose, wherein at least one end of the hose in dimensioned to pass through said hollow passageway of said tube.
4. The tool of Claim 3, wherein the hose is a flexible central vacuum hose.
5. The tool of Claim 4, wherein the hose has a first fitting at a first end thereof and a second fitting at a second end thereof, wherein at least one of said first and second fittings is dimensioned to pass through said hollow passageway of said tube.
6. A method of mounting a flaccidly flexible protective sleeve having a first end and a second end onto a hose, said method comprising the steps of:
placing the protective sleeve onto a tube having a hollow passageway between a first end and a second end thereof;
inserting the first end of the hose through the hollow passageway of the tube and thereupon passing the hose through the hollow passageway until a preselected location of the hose is adjacent the second end of the tube;
sliding a first part of the protective sleeve off of the tube and onto the preselected location of the hose;
pulling the second end of the hose axially away from the second end of the tube while simultaneously progressively transferring the rest of the protective sleeve from the tube onto the hose until all the protective sleeve is transferred onto the hose; and removing the hose from the tube.
placing the protective sleeve onto a tube having a hollow passageway between a first end and a second end thereof;
inserting the first end of the hose through the hollow passageway of the tube and thereupon passing the hose through the hollow passageway until a preselected location of the hose is adjacent the second end of the tube;
sliding a first part of the protective sleeve off of the tube and onto the preselected location of the hose;
pulling the second end of the hose axially away from the second end of the tube while simultaneously progressively transferring the rest of the protective sleeve from the tube onto the hose until all the protective sleeve is transferred onto the hose; and removing the hose from the tube.
7. The method of Claim 6, wherein said step of placing comprises the steps of:
attaching a substantially conically shaped end portion to one of the first and second ends of the tube, a tip of the end portion being axially aligned with the tube and facing away from the tube;
placing an open end of the first part of the protective sleeve onto the conical end starting from the tip thereof;
sliding a first part of the protective sleeve over the end portion and onto the tube;
progressively sliding the rest of the protective sleeve over the end portion and onto the tube until at least substantially the entire protective sleeve is situated on the tube; and removing the conical end portion from the tube.
attaching a substantially conically shaped end portion to one of the first and second ends of the tube, a tip of the end portion being axially aligned with the tube and facing away from the tube;
placing an open end of the first part of the protective sleeve onto the conical end starting from the tip thereof;
sliding a first part of the protective sleeve over the end portion and onto the tube;
progressively sliding the rest of the protective sleeve over the end portion and onto the tube until at least substantially the entire protective sleeve is situated on the tube; and removing the conical end portion from the tube.
8. The method of Claim 7, wherein said step of inserting comprises the preselected location being the second end of the hose.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2139544 CA2139544C (en) | 1993-06-21 | 1995-01-04 | Tool for mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose and method of use therefor |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US08/080,367 US5419030A (en) | 1993-06-21 | 1993-06-21 | Method for mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose |
| CA 2139544 CA2139544C (en) | 1993-06-21 | 1995-01-04 | Tool for mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose and method of use therefor |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2139544A1 CA2139544A1 (en) | 1996-07-05 |
| CA2139544C true CA2139544C (en) | 1999-02-16 |
Family
ID=29402844
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2139544 Expired - Fee Related CA2139544C (en) | 1993-06-21 | 1995-01-04 | Tool for mounting a protective sleeve onto a hose and method of use therefor |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2139544C (en) |
-
1995
- 1995-01-04 CA CA 2139544 patent/CA2139544C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2139544A1 (en) | 1996-07-05 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |