Abstract:
A method and apparatus suitable for safely and efficiently heating a hose for insertion therein of an attachment. The apparatus includes a heating assembly having at least one hose heater including an electric heating element. The hose heater is adapted to be collapsed, inserted, and expanded into an end of the hose to increase the temperature of the end of the hose.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/614,113, filed Mar. 22, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatuses for industrial hose assemblies. More particularly, this invention relates to a hose heating apparatus which is capable of safely and efficiently heating a hose for insertion of a stem, fitting, or other attachment. 
         [0003]    Hose attachments, such as stems and fittings, are commonly attached to an end of a hose for a variety of applications, such as providing an interface between the hose and another device. The attachments are often inserted into the end of the hose and secured therein. In order to insert the attachment into the hose, the hose may need to be heated to thermally expand an end of the hose to provide an opening capable of mating with the attachment. In the past, primary options for insertion of attachments into hoses, such as thermoplastic hoses, have included the use of either immersion in a heated liquid, particularly water, or direct heating with a torch, such as an asphalt torch, for heating of the hose prior to insertion of the stem or fitting. 
         [0004]    The use of heated liquid can be problematic in that the operator may be exposed to multiple hazards. Those hazards include the heated liquid, the temperature of the vessel containing the heated liquid, any flame or other heat source used to heat the liquid, and/or possible fumes generated by the heat source. 
         [0005]    The use of a torch can also be hazardous, particularly due to the flame that the torch emits while operating the torch, but also the residual heat that lingers after the flame is extinguished. Also, the operator may be exposed to noxious fumes associated with the use of this method. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there is a need for a means for heating industrial hoses for the purpose of inserting of a stem, fitting, or other attachment through a process capable of overcoming shortcomings of the prior art, and particularly, capable of providing enhanced safety to the operator while effectively heating the hose to a desired temperature. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides a method and apparatus suitable for safely and efficiently heating a hose for insertion therein of an attachment. 
         [0008]    According to a first aspect of the invention, a heating assembly for inserting an attachment into an end of a hose includes at least one hose heater comprising an electric heating element. The hose heater is adapted to be collapsed, inserted, and expanded into an end of the hose to increase the temperature of the end of the hose. 
         [0009]    According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of inserting an attachment into an end of a hose includes applying a source of heat to an inner surface of the end of the hose to cause thermal expansion thereof and applying a physical force to the inner surface of the end of the hose to cause physical expansion thereof resulting in expansion of the end of the hose to a suitable inner diameter of the hose to mate with the attachment and inserting the attachment into the end of the hose. 
         [0010]    According to a third aspect of the invention, a method of inserting an attachment into an end of a hose includes collapsing a hose heater comprising an electric heating element. The hose heater is inserted into the end of the hose and released causing the hose heater to expand and apply a physical force to the inner surface of the end of the hose. The electric heating element thermally contacts an inner surface of the end of the hose. The hose is heated with the electric heating element and then the hose heater is removed from the hose. The attachment is inserted into the end of the hose. 
         [0011]    A technical effect of the invention is the ability to provide enhanced safety to an operator while effectively heating a hose to a predetermined temperature. In particular, it is believed that, an operator can heat a hose without being exposed to the hazards associated with heated liquid or flame. 
         [0012]    Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view representing an industrial hose and a heating assembly in accordance with an aspect of this invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  contains two perspective views representing a hose heater of the heating assembly of  FIG. 1  prior to insertion and after insertion into a hose in accordance with an aspect of this invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view representing multiple hose heaters in accordance with aspects of this invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  includes a plan view representing a flat pattern used to form a rolled sleeve of the hose heater of  FIGS. 1-3 , and perspective, end, and detailed views of a rolled sleeve in accordance with aspects of this invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  includes plan and side views representing a flat electric heating element suitable for use in combinations with the rolled sleeve to form a hose heater in accordance with aspects of this invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view representing a controller in accordance with an aspect of this invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention is generally applicable to methods of heating hoses, such as thermoplastic hoses, and provides means for expanding a hose by safely and efficiently heating the hose for insertion of a stem, fitting, or other attachment. The aforementioned hose assembly allows an operator to heat an individual hose or multiple hoses safely, without the hazards associated with the use of boiling water, flames, and other sources of heat. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  represents a heating assembly  10  in accordance with an aspect of the invention. The assembly  10  is represented as including two hose heaters  14 , each comprising an electric heating element  18 , preferably a flexible resistive heater, and a rolled sleeve  20 . The heating element  18  is wrapped around or within the sleeve  20 , which is sized to be compatible with an industrial hose  12  that requires insertion of a stem, fitting, or other attachment (not shown). The sleeve  20  may support the heating element  18  and define an exterior shape of the hose heater  14 .  FIG. 2  represents the hose heater  14  prior to insertion into the hose  12  and after insertion into the hose  12 . The heating element  18 , when inserted into the hose  12 , can preferably provide uniform heat conduction to an interior surface of one end the hose  12 . 
         [0021]    The hose heater  14  is configured to collapse in diameter to fit securely inside the hose  12  and then be released to contact a maximum amount of inner surface area within one end of the hose  12 . The hose heater  14  comprises a gap along its axial or longitudinal length that provides the hose heater  14  with the ability to collapse, release, and expand in diameter. Upon releasing the hose heater  14  within the hose  12 , the hose heater  14 , preferably through the sleeve  20 , exerts a physical force or pressure on the inner surface area inside the end of the hose  12 . This physical force improves the thermal contact between the hose heater  14  and the hose  12  and further may promote expansion of the diameter of the hose  12  during heating. The hose heater  14  may be removed when a desired temperature of the hose  12  is reached, preferably prior to inserting the attachment. 
         [0022]    In particular, the hose heater  14  is designed to heat the hose  12  to a desired temperature so that upon reaching the desired temperature, the hose  12  softens and expands to allow for insertion of the attachment into the hose  12 . The size and shape of the hose heater  14  may be configured to be compatible with specific hoses and attachments developed for particular applications.  FIG. 1  represents each hose heater  14  comprising support members  22  secured to the heating element  18 , and an expansion assembly  24 . If necessary, the expansion assembly  24  may be used to promote expansion of the end of the hose  12  during heating. The hose heater  14  is further represented as comprising an electrical connection  30  adapted to received electricity from a power source in order to heat the heating element  18 . The electrical connection  30  is electrically connected by electrical cords  34  to a controller  16  adapted to regulate the temperature of the hose heaters  14 . The controller  16  comprises electrical ports  36 , controls  38 , and a cord  40 . In addition, the support members  22  may include an insulated material, such as a heat resistant polymer or rubber, on a surface of the support members  22  to provide hand grips for the operator to safely insert and remove the hose heaters  14  from the hose  12 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  represents multiple non-limiting embodiments of the hose heater  14 . The heating element  18  of three hose heaters  14  adapted to mate with hoses  12  with relatively large inner diameters are represented as being secured to the support members  22 . The support members  22  provide a platform for the expansion assembly  24  adapted to expand the inner diameter of the hose  12  once the hose  12  has reached the predetermined temperature or during the heating process. Preferably, the expansion of the hose  12  is elastic deformation. It is believed that significant plastic deformation may present problems when the attachment is secured to the hose  12 , such as difficulties in a crimping process. The expansion assembly  24  may be constructed in any manner known in the art suitable for expanding the hose  12 . For example, each of the three expansion assemblies  24  represented in  FIG. 3  comprises a positioning component  26 , for example, a threaded bolt, mechanically connected to a plurality of arms  28  that are pivotably attached to the hose heater  14 . With this arrangement, the positioning component  26  can be rotated in a first direction to pivot and extend the arms  28  and in a second direction to pivot and contract the arms  28 , thereby expanding and contracting the outer diameter of the hose heater  14 , respectively, that is, increasing and decreasing the width of the gap along the longitudinal length of the hose heater  14 . 
         [0024]    The above-described expansion assembly  24  and support members  22  may be too large to be utilized in hose heaters  14  adapted to mate with hoses  12  with relatively small inner diameters. Therefore,  FIG. 3  represents three smaller hose heaters  14 , each comprising a pair of electrical leads  32  adapted to receive electricity from a power source in order to heat the heating element  18 . It is believed that thermal expansion due to the heat emitted by the heating element  18  causes enough expansion in smaller diameter hoses for insertion of attachments. However, hose heaters  14  of all sizes may comprise any combination of the support members  22 , the expansion assembly  24 , the electrical connection  30 , and the electrical leads  32 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  includes isolated views representing the rolled sleeve  20 . As represented, the rolled sleeve  20  may be formed from a flat pattern into a cylinder shape comprising a space or gap between opposing ends of the flat pattern to allow the rolled sleeve  20  to contract to decrease its outer diameter for insertion into the hose  12 , and then expand within the hose  12 . The opposing ends of the rolled sleeve  20  may be bent inward as represented or otherwise modified to avoid sharp edges. Although the rolled sleeve  20  is represented as being cylindrical in shape, it within the scope of this invention that the rolled sleeve  20  can have other shapes that conform to a hose or enable the sleeve  20  to shape a hose during expansion to mate with attachments of similar shape. The sleeve  20  may be formed of any suitable material known in the art. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  represents the heating element  18  laid flat and comprising the pair of electrical leads  32  electrically connected to the heating element  18 . The heating element  18  may be any type of heating element suitable for heating the hose  12 . As previously stated, the heating element  18  is preferably a flexible resistive heat source that heats the hose  12  through conduction, a non-limiting example being a silicone rubber heater such as those produced by the Tempco Electric Heater Corporation located in Wood Dale, Ill. 
         [0027]    The heating assembly  10  can allow for one hose  12  to be heated at a time, or multiple hoses  12  at a time.  FIG. 1  represents the assembly  10  as a multiple heating station adapted to heat up to four hoses  12  simultaneously. Individual hose heaters  14  may be connected to a controller  16  by the electrical cords  34 . Each electrical cord  34  may connect the electrical connection  30 , electrical leads  32 , or other means of electrical contact of one or more of the hose heaters  14  to one or more of the electrical ports  36  on the controller  16 . 
         [0028]    The controller  16  preferably allows for simple and safe operation of the heating assembly  10 . The operator can use the controls  38 , located on the controller  16 , to regulate the temperature of the electric heating element  18  and achieve the predetermined temperature of the inner surface of one end of the hose  12 . The controller  16  is represented as comprising the cord  40  adapted to electrically connect directly to a wall outlet and provide power to the controller  16 , although other power supply connections are foreseeable and within the scope of the invention.  FIG. 6  represents an isolated view of the controller  16 . Preferably, the controller  16  is adapted to accommodate for heat loss. For example, the heat necessary to adequately increase the temperature of the hose  12  will depend on the size, thickness, and material of the particular hose  12 . Therefore, the heating element  18  preferably is adapted to operate at a temperature above the desired temperature of the hose  12 . An operational temperature of the heating element  18  may be determined by the operator or predetermined by the controller  16 . In addition, larger heating elements  18  may require more energy in order to reach the desired operational temperature and, therefore, are preferably adapted to operate with larger amounts of power than smaller heating elements  18  to ensure consistency. 
         [0029]    In view of the above, it can be seen that a significant advantage of this invention is that means for heating an industrial hose for insertion of a stem, fitting, or other attachment is disclosed which provides for enhanced safety to an operator while effectively heating the hose to the desired temperature. 
         [0030]    While the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the physical configuration of the hose heater  14 , the controller  16 , and the industrial hose assembly  10  could differ from that shown, and materials and processes other than those noted could be used. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.