GB2261926A

GB2261926A - Improvements in or relating to the joining of a hose onto a pipe

Info

Publication number: GB2261926A
Application number: GB9122986A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Harris Johnson
Original assignee: TERMUNIQUE Ltd
Current assignee: TERMUNIQUE Ltd
Priority date: 1991-10-30
Filing date: 1991-10-30
Publication date: 1993-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-30
Also published as: GB2261926B; GB9122986D0

Abstract

A reinforced rubber hose (6) is fitted over the end of a metal tube (2) such that an external bead (4) on the tube (2) engages in an internal groove (8) of the hose (6). A substantially cylindrical collar (10) is slid over the hose to surround and retain the joint. Because of the importance of having the external diameter of the end region of the hose no larger than the internal diameter of the collar (10), the collar may be positioned around the hose during part of its production, for example, during the vulcanisation thereof, to ensure the accuracy of the final external diameter of the hose. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO THE JOINING OF A HOSE ONTO A PIPE The present invention relates to a method of joining a hose onto a pipe, to a hose assembly for facilitating such a joining operation, and to a method of making a hose assembly for facilitating such a joining operation.

There are many situations in which it is required to make a fluid tight joint between a flexible hose and a rigid pipe. For example, motor vehicle engines generally incorporate a number of rubber hoses fastened onto metal pipes.

Generally, such joints are made by fitting the rubber hose onto the pipe and then holding the two together by applying one or more "JubileeM" clips around the hose to form a joint.

Such joints do have a number of disadvantages. First of all, it is not clear that such joints remain fluid tight if the pressure they have to withstand exceeds about two atmospheres. Traditionally, for pressures of this magnitude, two or more clips are used to form the joint.

However, the clips which are available have to be tightened or expanded by hand, which is expensive of labour, and the clips distress the rubber and therefore need regular adjustment.

It is an object of the present invention to improve upon the presently known arrangements for joining hoses onto pipes.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of joining a hose onto a pipe, wherein interengaging means in the form of at least one projection engageable with at least one corresponding recess are provided at or near an end of the pipe externally thereof and at or near an end of the hose internally thereof, said method comprising the steps of fitting said end of the pipe into said end of the hose such that said interengaging means engage to join the hose and the pipe, and positioning a collar to surround the hose and said engaged interengaging means to thereby retain the joint between the hose and the pipe formed by said engaged interengaging means.

A method of the invention has the advantage that the manual operations previously required to fit one or more clips onto the hose to form a joint are no longer necessary. With the invention it is necessary only to push-fit the pipe into the hose and then to position the collar around the joint. The collar may, for example, be slid into position. Thus, the method may be undertaken using only two simple push steps, and therefore it may be performed automatically.

The interengaging means may comprise any appropriate arrangements of projections and recesses. However, where the pipe is a metal tube, for example for a motor vehicle engine, it is usual for the tube to be provided with a circumferentially extending bead at or near its end. It is preferred to utilise this bead in the joining method, and to provide a corresponding, circumferentially extending groove in the internal surface of said hose at or near said end thereof. It will be appreciated that as the end of the pipe is pushed within the end of the hose, the interengaging means engage, for example, the bead engages within the groove, and this engagement can be felt.Once the engagement of the interengaging means has taken place, the collar, which may have been previously mounted on the length of the hose, is pushed over the joint formed thereby to surround and retain the joint.

The collar is preferably substantially cylindrical and has an inner diameter which is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose. Generally, the collar is slidable, for example, along the hose, into position surrounding the engaged interengaging means to retain the joint.

Preferably, the hose is a reinforced hose, made of rubber, plastics material, or other elastomeric material, for example, of vulcanised silicone rubber or vulcanised natural rubber. The collar may be made of any rigid material, for example of metal or plastics material.

The invention also extends to a hose assembly for facilitating the joining of a hose onto a pipe, the hose assembly comprising a hose having a groove extending internally of the hose at or near one end thereof, and a retaining collar for retaining said one end of the hose on a pipe, wherein the collar is substantially cylindrical and the inner diameter of said collar is larger than or substantially equal to the outer diameter of said hose.

In use, the hose is arranged to be pushed around the end of a pipe, for example a metal tube, having a bead which is arranged to engage within the groove of the hose to form a joint between the hose and the pipe. The retaining collar may then be moved to surround the joint to thereby retain the joint. The groove provided internally of the hose is preferably a substantially continuous groove extending circumferentially thereof.

In such an arrangement it is important that the outer diameter of the hose is no larger than the inner diameter of the collar, and preferably that the inner diameter of the collar is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose. It will be appreciated that formation of the joint will be prevented if the outer diameter of the hose is larger than the inner diameter of the collar.

Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer diameter of the hose has been determined by the inner diameter of the collar. For example, where the hose has undergone a vulcanisation treatment, the collar has been positioned around the end of the hose during that vulcanisation to determine the outer diameter of the collar.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for making a hose assembly for facilitating the joining of a hose onto a pipe, the hose assembly comprising a hose made of a flexible material and a collar, the inner diameter of the collar being larger than or substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose, the method comprising determining the outer diameter of the hose during its manufacture by way of the collar.

Preferably, the inner diameter of the collar is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose.

In an embodiment, the hose is fabricated of vulcanised rubber, and comprising the steps of positioning the collar on an end region of the hose prior to vulcanisation, and vulcanising the hose with the collar in position.

The invention also extends to a hose assembly made by a method as defined above.

Embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a hose assembly and a pipe before joining, and Figure 2 shows the hose assembly and pipe of Figure 1 after the hose has been joined onto the pipe.

The drawings illustrate the joining of a reinforced hose onto a metal tube of a motor vehicle engine. Although the invention will be particularly described with respect to the joining of hoses to metal pipes in such a location, it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to any circumstances where it is required to join flexible and non-flexible tubes in a fluid tight manner.

The metal tubes, as pipe 2, used in motor vehicle engines are frequently provided adjacent their ends with a substantially continuous, circumferentially extending bead 4. A reinforced hose 6, of rubber, plastics material or other elastomeric material, to be joined onto the tube 2 is provided adjacent one of its ends with a substantially continuous groove 8 which extends circumferentially around the inner surface of the hose 6. It will therefore be appreciated that the end of the pipe 2 may be pushed into the end of the hose 6 until the bead 4 is received within the groove 8. The bead 4 and the groove 8 thereby form interengaging means acting to join the pipe 2 and the hose 6.

To make the joint secure, a substantially cylindrical retaining sleeve or collar 10 is slid over the outer surface of the hose 6 to surround and retain the joint as is shown in Figure 2. It will be appreciated that the collar 10 acts to hold the joint together.

The joint between the hose 6 and the pipe 2 can be formed very easily. Thus, the collar 10 is positioned on the hose 6, but away from its end, and the end of the pipe 2 is pushed into the end of the hose 6 until the bead 4 engages within the groove 8. The collar 10 is then pushed along the hose 6 towards its end until it is positioned around the formed joint as is illustrated in Figure 2. The simple pushing operations required can, in fact, be performed automatically.

Although the joint can be assembled very easily, it is able to withstand high pressures and still remain fluid tight. The joint will certainly withstand the normal pressures of the order of two atmospheres experienced in current motor vehicle engines, and tests have shown that the joints should be secure up to at least eight atmospheres. The joint also has the advantage over the current arrangements utilising clips that it is easier, and therefore cheaper, to fit.

It is important that the inner diameter of the collar 10 is larger than or substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose 6. Preferably, the inner diameter of the collar 10 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose 6 to ensure a tight fit and a secure joint. However, it will be appreciated that if the reinforced hoses are subjected to any processing steps their outer diameters may change. This risk of change to the outer diameter arises, for example, in the case of hoses fabricated from silicone or natural rubber which are vulcanised. Accordingly, it is proposed that during the vulcanisation or other processing, the collar 10 should be positioned around the end of the hose 6 to thereby ensure that the resulting external diameter of the hose in its end region will be accurately substantially equal to the inner diameter of the collar 10. In this respect, where the processing is vulcanisation or another treatment at high temperature, the collar 10 may be made of nylon, or any other plastics material which stays rigid up to about 250 degrees centigrade. Alternatively, the collar may be made of a metal, for example of aluminium. It will be appreciated that utilising the collar during hose production avoids any tolerance problems between the hose and the collar. It will also be appreciated that the use of the collar to determine the outer diameter of the end portion of the hose is applicable to any production process for hoses.

It should be appreciated that modifications in and variations to the invention as described above may be made within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of joining a hose onto a pipe, wherein interengaging means in the form of at least one projection engageable with at least one corresponding recess are provided at or near an end of the pipe externally thereof and at or near an end of the hose internally thereof, said method comprising the steps of fitting said end of the pipe into said end of the hose such that said interengaging means engage to join the hose and the pipe, and positioning a collar to surround the hose and said engaged interengaging means to thereby retain the joint between the hose and the pipe formed by said engaged interengaging means.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said interengaging means comprises a circumferentially extending bead provided at or near the end of said pipe, and a corresponding, circumferentially extending groove provided in the internal surface of said hose at or near said end thereof.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said end of said pipe is pushed within said end of the hose until said interengaging means engage, and then said collar is pushed over the joint formed thereby to surround and retain the joint.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said collar is substantially cylindrical, having an inner diameter which is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose, and wherein the collar is slidable into position surrounding the engaged interengaging means to retain the joint.

5. A hose assembly for facilitating the joining of a hose onto a pipe, the hose assembly comprising a hose having a groove extending internally of the hose at or near one end thereof, and a retaining collar for retaining said one end of the hose on a pipe, wherein the collar is substantially cylindrical and the inner diameter of said collar is larger than or substantially equal to the outer diameter of said hose.

6. A hose assembly as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the outer diameter of the hose is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the collar.

7. A hose assembly as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the outer diameter of the hose has been determined by the inner diameter of the collar.

8. A hose assembly as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the hose is a reinforced hose made of vulcanised rubber.

9. A hose assembly as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 8, wherein the groove provided internally of said hose is a substantially continuous groove extending circumferentially thereof.

10. A hose assembly as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 9, wherein said collar is made of rigid material.

11. A method for making a hose assembly for facilitating the joining of a hose onto a pipe, the hose assembly comprising a hose made of a flexible material and a collar, the inner diameter of the collar being larger than or substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose, the method comprising determining the outer diameter of the hose during its manufacture by way of the collar.

12. A method as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the inner diameter of the collar is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the hose.

13. A method as claimed in Claim 11 or 12, comprising the steps of positioning the collar on an end region of the hose prior to further processing, and subjecting the hose to the further processing with the collar in position.

14. A method as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the hose is fabricated of vulcanised rubber, and wherein said further processing to which the hose is subjected with the collar on an end region thereof is vulcanising the hose.

15. A hose assembly made by a method as claimed in any of Claims 11 to 14.

16. A method of joining a hose onto a pipe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A hose assembly for facilitating the jointing of a hose onto a pipe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A method of making a hose assembly for facilitating the jointing of a hose onto a pipe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.