Abstract:
A household garden hose is provided with an integral electric power cord adapted to be plugged into a standard electrical wall outlet. The power cord extends along the full length of the hose and is adapted to provide electrical power to a power tool or other electrical appliance remote from the wall outlet. An electric resistance heating element is provided to heat fluid flowing through the hose and prevent freezing in cold weather. An outer jacket of insulation is provided over the hose to further resist freezing of liquid flowing through the hose.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates in general to water or “garden” hoses and in particular to an electrically heated flexible elastomeric hose which carries an electrical cord for powering external electrical apparatus.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Prior Developments  
         [0004]     A water delivery problem can arise in colder climates where the temperature falls below the freezing temperature of water. For example, farmers need to supply water to livestock in the field, building contractors need to supply water to outdoor worksites and homeowners need water to wash cars and other equipment during winter months, as well as year round in some very cold climates.  
         [0005]     Presently, livestock is watered by transporting water from an indoor faucet to remote livestock water troughs in the field. This is done with hand carried buckets or by motor vehicle. This is laborious and time consuming.  
         [0006]     Prior attempts to provide water in cold weather include wrapping stationary water pipes with heat tape and insulation and providing localized 110 volt electric heaters or gas heaters on water conduits, containers and troughs. In some cases, water pipes are buried deep underground below the frost line and connected to frost free hydrants. These prior approaches and apparatus are relatively expensive, complicated to set up and use, bulky and generally difficult if not impossible to reposition and move around.  
         [0007]     What is needed is a convenient, inexpensive and easily portable system to prevent water from freezing within hoses in virtually any cold environment. A further need exists for an economical hose of simple construction which is heated by widely available electrical power such as 110 volt AC power available from standard electrical wall outlets. Yet a further need exists for a convenient source of electrical power available at the end of a hose to allow a user to power electrical equipment, hardware and tools including saws, drills and the like and electrical appliances such as livestock grooming equipment as well as electrical water tank heaters for preventing water within a water tank from freezing.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention has been developed to meet the needs noted above by providing a flexible garden hose having an integral resistance heater and a standard electrical extension cord. This construction has the advantages of allowing water to flow at temperatures below its freezing point, and facilitating the electrical connection of 110 volt AC power to electrical equipment located adjacent the end of the heated hose.  
         [0009]     A durable flexible rubber or plastic elastomeric hose, similar to automotive radiator hose, is provided with a flexible resistance heater wire, electrical power conductors and a heat insulating cover or jacket. In one embodiment, the heater wire and electrical power conducting lead wires are molded or otherwise embedded within the walls of the hose.  
         [0010]     The electrical heater wire or wires are advantageously molded, extruded or otherwise embedded within an inner layer of the hose adjacent the hollow core of the hose. An electrical power cord may be molded, extruded or otherwise embedded within an outer heat insulating layer of the hose.  
         [0011]     Another embodiment of the invention eliminates the heater wire, but includes the electrical power leads such that the hose acts as both a water hose and an electrical extension cord. Alternatively, the electrical power leads can be eliminated and only the resistance heater wire or wires are provided along substantially the full length of the hose.  
         [0012]     Various ratings of heating wire maybe provided for adapting the amount of heat produced along a given length of hose so as to provide just enough heat to keep water flowing at various ambient temperatures below freezing. Alternatively, the heater wire can be selected to raise the temperature of the water to a warm or hot temperature, as required for bathing animals on cold days.  
         [0013]     The subject invention is particularly useful to livestock owners, pet owners, pet groomers and homeowners as well as outdoor contractors such as concrete contractors and pressure washer contractors and operators. A particularly beneficial use of the invention is to provide water to a remote livestock water tank with an above-ground, heated, frost-free, flexible garden hose and to provide electrical power to a water tank heater to prevent the water in the livestock water tank from freezing.  
         [0014]     Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts through the several views. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0000]     In the drawings:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of one embodiment of the invention adapted to power and illuminate an outdoor light and fill an outdoor water trough with water;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of a section of hose adapted with an integral electrical extension cord;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a schematic side view of an alternate embodiment of the invention showing the electrical connections between the electrical power leads, and depicting the hose in phantom for the purpose of clarity;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a partial view in central section through the female end of a hose constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention which includes a pair of heating elements;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a partial view in central section through the male end of the hose of  FIG. 4 ; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a view in section taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     The present invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawings, beginning with  FIG. 1  which shows a pair of interconnected hose segments  10 . These segments are constructed and interconnected in accordance with the present invention so as to form a segmented hose system  12 . Each hose segment  10  is fitted on one end with a conventional, annular, internally-threaded female brass hose socket or coupling  14 , and on each opposite end with a conventional, annular, externally-threaded male brass hose plug or coupling  16 .  
         [0022]     One of the female hose sockets  14  on a first hose segment  10  is shown threaded to a standard outdoor spigot  18  mounted to an exterior wall  20  of a building. The male hose plug  16  on the other end of the first hose segment  10  is shown screwed into the female hose socket  14  of the other or second hose segment  10  to form a watertight interconnection  22 . The male hose plug  16  on the opposite end of the second hose segment is shown screwed into a fitting  24  on a water tank or water trough  26 .  
         [0023]     The hose system  12  allows water  28  to flow along the entire length of the interconnected hose segments  10 ,  10  and into tank  26 . For example, water from a public water line, well, tank or other source is fed through water line  30 , through open spigot  18 , through the first and second hose segments  10 ,  10 , across interconnection  22  and into tank  26 . Of course, the system  12  may be connected to an end application other than a tank. For example, the system  12  may be connected to a valve or spray nozzle commonly used with garden hoses, or to a power washer or other water-using apparatus.  
         [0024]     As further seen in  FIG. 1 , each hose segment  10  is provided with an electrically insulated power cord  32 , which, as seen in  FIG. 2 , extends along substantially the entire length of each hose segment  10 . Power cord  32  is shown as a conventional extension power cord having a “hot” current carrying lead wire  34 , a “neutral” lead wire  36  and an optional ground wire  38 , as discussed further below.  
         [0025]     Preferably, the wires  34 ,  36  and  38  are insert molded, extruded or otherwise embedded within the flexible wall  40  ( FIG. 2 ) of each hose segment  10 . It is convenient to extend at least one end of each power cord  32  at least several feet, for example, up to three feet or more beyond the end of each hose segment  10 . In  FIG. 1 , power cord  32  extends over three feet from its exit point from hose wall  40  adjacent each female socket  14  and terminates in a standard two or three prong outdoor electrical plug  42 .  
         [0026]     A standard two or three socket outdoor electrical socket  44  is connected to the opposite end of each power cord  32 . Socket  44  can be closely fitted and fixed to the exterior of hose  10  adjacent each male hose coupling  16 , as shown in  FIG. 1  adjacent interconnection  22 . Alternatively, socket  44  can be located several feet or more beyond each male hose coupling  16  as further shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0027]     In use, all watertight connections are made with hose sockets  14  and hose plugs  16  such as shown in  FIG. 1 . Electrical connections between male and female electrical plug and socket connectors  42 ,  44  are then made to form an electrical interconnection  46  adjacent hose interconnection  22 .  
         [0028]     An arch or loop is formed around hose interconnection  22  by an end portion of power cord  32  on the second hose segment  10  connected to tank  26 . In this manner, the end of the power cord  32  loops around and is separated and spaced apart from the hose interconnection  22 . A conventional male electrical plug  48  on an external or remote electrical appliance such as outdoor light  50  is connected to the female electrical connector  44  adjacent tank  26 . The male electrical plug  42  adjacent spigot  18  is then plugged into a conventional electrical wall outlet  52  mounted on building wall  20  so as to receive electrical power from electrical power lines  54 . Appliance  50  can then be switched on and off remotely from wall outlet  52  so as to illuminate tank  26 . Of course, virtually any other electrical apparatus can be operated in place of light  50  such as an electric heater for heating the water  28  in the tank  26  and preventing the water from freezing.  
         [0029]     Another embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 3  wherein hose segment  10  is further provided with an electrical resistance heating element  56  such as a nichrome wire. The general exterior configuration of system  12  of  FIG. 1  is substantially the same using the hose segment  10  of  FIG. 3  as it is with the hose segment  10  of  FIG. 2 . However, the water or other liquid or fluid flowing through flow channel  60  of the hose segment  10  of  FIG. 3  is heated and prevented from freezing by the heat provided by heating element  56 .  
         [0030]     In this embodiment, the heating element  56  is preferably molded within the flexible inner elastomeric wall  40  of hose segment  10  adjacent flow channel  60 , and can take the form of a narrow wire loop. Heating element  56  may include a substantially unheated low resistance portion  62  which may extend along the full length of the hose segment  10  and a high resistance heated wire portion  64  which extends parallel to the low resistance portion along the full length of the hose. Alternatively, the entire length of the looped heating element may be formed as a high resistance heating element.  
         [0031]     The free ends of the heating element portions  62  and  64  are respectively electrically connected to the hot and neutral leads  34 ,  36  of power cord  32 . A thermostat  66  is wired in series with the high resistance heater portion  64 , while entire length of the loop formed by heating element  56  is wired in parallel with the leads  34 ,  36  of the power cord  32 . If thermostat  66  opens due to excessive temperature in wall  40 , power is prevented from flowing through heating element  56 , but power will still be available at socket  44 .  
         [0032]     As further seen in  FIG. 3 , the lead wires  34 ,  36 ,  38  of power cord  32  are molded within a cylindrical foam-type insulation layer  70  which encircles and thermally insulates the inner hose wall  40  as well as heating element  56  and any fluid flowing through the flow channel  60  of hose segment  10 . Layer  70  may be molded or otherwise applied over wall  40  in the form of a polyethylene foam.  
         [0033]     Another embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 4, 5  and  6  wherein a hose segment  10  is provided with a pair of heating elements  56  each having a low resistance lead portion  62  and a high resistance lead portion  64  insert molded within hose wall  40 . As shown, lead portions  62  and  64  are disposed parallel to one another and parallel to the longitudinal axis  72  of flowpath  60 . However, lead wire portions  62  and  64  can be arranged in a spiral pattern around axis  72  as an alternate construction.  
         [0034]     Each heating element loop  56  is advantageously connected in a separate parallel electrical circuit with lead wires  34  and  36  in the manner as shown with the single heating element loop  56  shown in  FIG. 3 . In this case, if one heating element  56  burns out or is turned off by a thermostat  66 , the other heating element  56  may be able to continue operating to keep fluid from freezing within flow channel  60 .  
         [0035]     As further seen in  FIGS. 4, 5  and  6 , the hot, neutral and optional ground leads  34 ,  36  and  38  are disposed generally parallel with one another and parallel with axis  72 . Leads  34 ,  36  and  38  are shown circumferentially spaced apart within the annular insulation layer  70 . These leads can be equally spaced 120 degrees apart, or at any other relative spacing. It is of course possible to arrange leads  34 ,  36  and  38  in a spiral pattern around axis  72 .  
         [0036]     While the lead wires  34 ,  36  and  38  are shown insert molded or extruded within the walls of insulation layer  70 , it is also possible to simply lay the leads  34 ,  36  and  38  over the exterior or radially outer surface of hose wall  40 , and then mold or otherwise apply insulation layer  70  over the lead wires  34 ,  36  and  38  so as to secure the lead wires along the interface between layer  70  and wall  40 .  
         [0037]     As seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , socket  14  and plug  16  are provided with axially-spaced radially-extending serrations or teeth  74  along the outer surface of a tubular anchor or plug portion  76 . Plug portions  76  not only anchor the socket  14  and plug  16  to the inner ends of hose wall  40 , they also provide an internal support for reacting compressive clamping forces from annular band clamps  80 .  
         [0038]     Band clamps  80  serve as strain reliefs as they clamp power cord  32  and leads  34 ,  36  and  38  firmly against the outer surface of insulation layer  70 . Lead wires  34 ,  36  and  38  exit the end of each hose segment  10  adjacent an annular undercut  82  formed in the rear wall of each respective socket  14  and plug  16 . A plastic or rubber annular washer  84  ( FIG. 4 ) is shown provided against the wall  86  of socket  14 .  
         [0039]     A sealant  88  such as silicone rubber can be applied within and around the annular undercuts  82  to seal the connection between the plugs  76  and hose wall  40  and also cover and waterproof the lead wires  34 ,  36  and  38  at their exit points from insulation layer  70 .  
         [0040]     As seen in  FIG. 5 , female power connector  44  is shown mounted directly to the outer surface of insulation layer  70  by adhesives, for example. Tape or other attachment advices can also be used for this purpose. Power connector  44  is molded as a block of insulting material such as a plastic material. A ground fault interrupter (GFI)  90  of conventional design is insert molded into plug  44  and connected to lead wires  34 ,  36  and  38 . Upon detecting an imbalance in current flow between leads  34  and  36 , the GFI opens the circuit in hot lead  34  in a known fashion, thereby preventing any power from being delivered by power cord  32 .  
         [0041]     There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodiment of the invention presently contemplated. However, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.