The Boeing Company

Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

Ronald Joseph Talamantez

Jayant Dahyabhai Patel

Clifford John Petersen

Oliver D Murray

A sleeve for coupling together two fluid-handling conduits includes a compressible and resilient tubular core and a protective fabric cover which covers at least portions of the outer surface of the core and is substantially inexpansible in the radial and circumferential directions so as to resist radial and circumferential expansion of the core. The core is preferably a cellular elastomeric foam and the fabric cover advantageously is integrally molded into the core. The core is sized slightly smaller in diameter than the conduits to be joined so that it is expanded radially when installed onto a conduit. Expansion of the core is resisted by the fabric cover, and thus the core is radially compressed and provides a continuous restoring force urging the sleeve against the conduit. The sleeve preferably includes strike-through regions in which the foam material of the core penetrates through to the outer surface of the sleeve so as to form slip-resistant surfaces for engagement by plastic tie-wraps or other clamping devices. The inner surface of the core at both ends preferably includes a fabric layer which provides a slip-enhancing surface facilitating sliding the sleeve over the ends of the conduits or hoses to be joined. In a further preferred embodiment, a pressure-activated or thermally activated adhesive band covers the inner surface of the sleeve for sealing the sleeve to a conduit.

Sleeve for joining tubular conduits

The present invention is directed to a new and improved flexible hose assembly for transmitting pressurized air, gases and/or fluids between two spaced apart components. The hose assembly includes an inner liner surrounded by a helix formed of thermoplastic material having a substantially flat surface portion for bonding with the inner liner, eliminating the need for a outer cord to prevent the helix from floating relative to the liner. A self-adjusting retainer ring serves to compress the flexible hose onto the beaded end portion of a component with increasing pressure as the pressure increases within the hose assembly. Preferably the retainer ring is formed from a single piece of thermoplastic material.

Growing community of inventors

Fountain Valley, CA, United States of America

Ronald Joseph Talamantez