Method of making a reinforced collapsible hose construction

A method of making a reinforced collapsible hose construction and is provided wherein such hose construction comprises a tubular plastic inner component and a reinforcing tubular fabric cover component wherein the inner component comprises at least one substantially rectangular thermoplastic layer and the cover component comprises at least one substantially rectangular fabric layer with the layers being arranged to comprise the tubular components and being fixed together by bonded portions of the thermoplastic layer to define the hose construction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a reinforced collapsible hose construction and to 
a method of making same. 
2. Prior Art Statement 
It is known in the art to provide a so-called collapsible hose construction 
of the type which may be coiled or rolled into a compact roll; and, 
examples of such a hose construction are shown in the following items: 
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,875, 
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,347, and 
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,293. 
It appears from item (1) that a permeable plastic tubing is provided 
consisting of elongated flexible strips which are heat sealed along their 
longitudinal edges. 
It appears from item (2) that a so-called unfurlable heat pipe is provided 
which can be rolled up and is comprised of two flexible heat conductive 
sheets bonded together at the edges of their facing surfaces and wherein 
such sheets are made of flexible material such as aluminum foil. 
It appears from item (3) that a reinforced collapsible hose is provided 
which comprises a tubular plastic inner component and a reinforcing 
tubular fabric cover. However, although not specifically disclosed in this 
patent, a hose of this type is usually fabricated by manually inserting a 
thermoplastic tube inside a prewoven flat loomed fabric cover sheath. The 
thermoplastic tube is then bonded to the cover sheath by inflating same 
with hot steam or air. 
It has also been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,319 to provide a hose, and 
method of making same, wherein such hose is comprised of a textile jacket 
and an inner layer of plastic wherein the plastic is initially applied as 
an outer sleeve and the resulting construction is evaginated. 
However, previously proposed hose of the character mentioned have one or 
more deficiencies including poor collapsibility, poor capability to 
operate at comparatively high internal pressures, and comparatively high 
cost. 
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved reinforced 
collapsible hose construction. 
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of making 
a reinforced collapsible hose construction. 
Other aspects, embodiments, objects, and advantages of this invention will 
become apparent from the following specification, claims, and drawings. 
SUMMARY 
In accordance with the present invention there is provided an improved 
reinforced collapsible hose construction which overcomes the 
above-mentioned deficiencies. The improved hose construction comprises a 
tubular plastic inner component and a reinforcing tubular fabric cover 
component. 
In accordance with one embodiment of this invention the inner component of 
the improved hose construction comprises at least one substantially 
rectangular thermoplastic layer and the cover component thereof comprises 
at least one substantially rectangular fabric layer, with the layers being 
arranged to comprise the tubular components and being fixed together by 
bonded portions of the thermoplastic layer to define the hose 
construction. 
In accordance with another embodiment of this invention there is provided a 
reinforced collapsible hose construction comprising a tubular plastic 
inner component and a reinforcing tubular fabric cover component wherein 
the inner component comprises a pair of substantially rectangular 
thermoplastic layers and the cover component comprises a pair of 
substantially rectangular fabric layers, with the layers being arranged to 
comprise the tubular components and being fixed together by bonded 
associated opposite side edge portions of the thermoplastic layers to 
define the hose construction. 
Also provided, in accordance with this invention, is an improved method of 
making a hose construction of the character mentioned.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates one 
exemplary embodiment of a collapsible reinforced hose construction or hose 
of this invention which is designated generally by the reference numeral 
20; and, this reference to collapsible hose construction is intended to 
define hose constructions of the type which when empty of a fluid to be 
conveyed therethrough may be flattened and wound on a suitable reel, or 
the like, so as to occupy a minimum volume. The hose 20 may range in 
diameter from roughly 0.375 to 1 inch for the usual gardening and 
household applications or such hose may range in diameter from several 
inches to 1 foot for fire hose and commercial or industrial use. Further, 
the hose construction 20 is generally capable of carrying fluids at high 
pressures of the order of hundreds of pounds per square inch gage and as 
high as 1000 psig, for example. 
The hose construction 20 comprises a tubular plastic inner component which 
is designated generally by the reference numberal 21 and a reinforcing 
tubular fabric cover component which is designated generally by the 
reference numeral 22. The inner component comprises at least one 
substantially rectangular thermoplastic continuous layer and the cover 
component comprises at least one substantially rectangular thermoplastic 
fabric layer; however, in this example of the invention the inner 
component comprises a pair of substantially rectangular thermoplastic 
layers each designated by the same reference numeral 23 and the outer 
cover component 22 comprises a pair of substantially rectangular fabric 
layers each designated by the same reference numeral 24. The layers 23 and 
24 are arranged to comprise the tubular components and are fixed together 
by bonded associated opposite side edge portions of the thermoplastic 
layers 23 to define the overall hose construction 20. 
The bonded side edge portions of the layers 23-24 are disposed on opposite 
sides of the hose construction 20 as illustrated at 25 and 26. In making 
the hose construction 20, the inner thermoplastic layers 23 are preferably 
heated, in a manner to be described subsequently, causing plastic flow of 
the thermoplastic material comprising same whereby adjoining portions of 
the two layers 23 are bonded or fixed together as a unitary structure as 
shown at 27 in FIG. 6. During such heating, outside portions of such 
layers 23, because of their heated plastic condition, flow and become 
bonded to inside surface portions of the outer fabric layers 24 as shown 
typically at 30. In this manner, the layers 23 and 24 are, in essence, 
fixed together by the heat bonded portions of the thermoplastic layers to 
define the hose construction 20. 
The layers 23 are rectangular layers or ribbons made of substantially 
fluid-impervious thermoplastic material and the layers 24 are also 
rectangular layers or ribbons made of thermoplastic material. The 
utilization of thermoplastic material for the fabric layers 24 assures 
that inside surface portions 31 thereof become partially molten during 
heating and are heat fused and bonded to adjoining portions of the inner 
layers 23. 
The hose construction 20 also comprises mechanical fastening means 
cooperating with the side edge portions of the thermoplastic layers on 
each side of the hose construction 20 to help hold the bonded opposite 
side edge portions together; and, in the illustration of FIG. 1, such 
mechanical fastening means comprises stitch means 32 illustrated as a 
single row of stitches 33 on each side of the hose construction. Each row 
of stitches 33 is preferably made using thermoplastic thread and such 
thread may be of the same thermoplastic material used to make the fabric 
layers 24. During the process of defining the bonded portions of the 
thermoplastic layers on each side of the hose construction 20 the stitches 
33 also become partially plastic on their outside portions and help seal 
openings 34 (FIG. 6) initially defined in the various layers 23 and 24 by 
apparatus used to form such stitches whereby the fluid-impervious 
character of the inner component 21 is assured. 
Having described the hose construction 20, reference is now made to FIG. 2 
of the drawings which illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the method 
of this invention which may be employed in making a plurality of hose 
constructions which are substantially identical to the hose construction 
20 and such method is designated generally by the reference numeral 37. 
Accordingly, the method comprises making such hose constructions wherein 
each of the hose constructions comprises a tubular plastic inner component 
21 and a reinforcing tubular fabric cover component 22. 
The method 37 comprises the step of providing a pair of thermoplastic webs, 
each designated by the same reference numeral 40, wherein such webs 40 are 
adapted to define a plurality of tubular plastic inner components 21 as 
will be readily apparent from the following description. The method 37 
also comprises the step of providing a pair of fabric webs, each 
designated by the reference numeral 41, wherein such fabric webs 41 are 
adapted to define a plurality of reinforcing tubular fabric cover 
components 22. 
The webs 40 and 41 are placed in stacked relation at a stacking station 42 
with the thermoplastic webs 40 against each other. The stacking station 42 
is comprised of a pair of cooperating rollers 43 which are adapted to urge 
the webs 40 and 41 together in sandwiched relation. The webs 40-41 are 
then suitably fixed together in a plurality of continuous laminated strips 
which are disposed in spaced relation across the width of the webs; and, 
such laminated strips comprise laminated side strips 45 adjoining the side 
edges of the webs and laminated strips 50 disposed intermediate the side 
strips 45. 
The intermediate strips 50 are then suitably cut at a cutting station 52 to 
define a plurality of the hose constructions 20; and, it will be seen that 
each hose construction 20 has a pair of laminated strips of substantially 
equal width or extension defining its opposite sides and such equal width 
laminated side strips define the bonded side edge portions of the layers 
illustrated at 25 and 26 in FIG. 1. 
As mentioned earlier the method 37 comprises the step of fixing the webs 
40-41 together and in this embodiment of the method of this invention such 
fixing step comprises the step of bonding corresponding strips of 
thermoplastic webs 40 to each other and to adjoining strips of the fabric 
webs 41, which are also preferably made of thermoplastic material, with 
such bonding being achieved at a bonding station 55. The bonding achieved 
at the bonding station 55 comprises the step of applying heat to partially 
melt and provide bonding by heat fusion of aligned strips of the webs 
40-41. Although any suitable means for applying heat may be used, in this 
example such heating means comprises applying heat with ultrasonic heating 
means and a plurality of such heating means is illustrated in FIG. 2, and 
each designated by the reference numeral 56. In the illustration of FIG. 2 
two of the heating means 56 are shown defining the laminated side strips 
45 and two of the heating means 56 are shown defining the laminated 
intermediate strips 50. 
It should be emphasized at this point that the reference to bonding of 
corresponding strips of the thermoplastic webs 40 to each other and to 
adjoining strips of the thermoplastic fabric webs 41 is intended to define 
structure wherein strip portions of the webs 40-41 are partially molten 
and heat fused together and such strip portions of webs 40 and 41 define 
laminated side strips 45 and laminated intermediate strips 50. This 
concept is best seen in FIG. 6 which shows an enlarged side edge portion 
of a completed hose construction 20. 
Reference was made previously to the cutting step being achieved at the 
cutting station 52; and, although any suitable means known in the art may 
be employed to cut the laminated strips 45 and 50, such strips are 
preferably cut using ultrasonic knife means shown as a plurality of 
ultrasonic knives 58. Each ultrasonic knife 58 used to cut an intermediate 
strip 50 serves to bisect such strip, and each ultrasonic knife 58 used to 
cut a side strip 45 serves as a trimming knife for such strip. 
After cutting of the strips 45 and 50 at the cutting station 52 each 
completed hose construction 20 has laminated side strips of substantially 
equal extension 59(FIG.1). These equal extension laminated strips define 
the bonded side edge portions of the layers 23 and 24 previously described 
with the layers 23 being defined by webs 40 and the layers 24 by webs 41. 
As described above, the webs 40 and 41 are fixed together in a plurality of 
continuous strips which are disposed in spaced relation across the width 
of such webs. The fixing step also comprises disposing the mechanical 
fastening means through the webs in spaced rectilinear paths across the 
width of such webs and with the paths being at locations where the strips 
45 or 50 are to be defined at the bonding station, whereby bonding by heat 
fusion during the bonding step results in heat fused parts of 
thermoplastic material completely surrounding the mechanical fastening 
means. In the illustration of FIG. 6 the mechanical fastening means 
comprises stitches 33 which are surrounded by thermoplastic material 
during the bonding step employed in making hose 20. 
In this example of the invention the step of disposing the mechanical 
fastening means is provided at a station 60 where fastening means in the 
form of stitch means or stitches 33 are provided. As indicated earlier the 
stitches 33 in this example of the invention are preferably defined by 
utilizing thermoplastic material or thread similar to the thermoplastic 
material comprising the web 41. The stitches 33 are provided by stitching 
or sewing heads 62 and 63 which may be of any suitable type known in the 
art. 
The sewing heads 62 are provided at the side edges of the webs 40-41 and 
each provides a single stitch 33. The sewing heads 63 are provided in the 
central portion of the webs and provide a pair of spaced parallel stitches 
33. However, regardless of their locations the sewing heads 62 and 63 are 
provided with suitable needles above the moving webs 40-41 and cooperating 
components housed within a structure 64 disposed beneath such moving webs 
so as to provide stitches 33 in accordance with techniques which are known 
in the art. 
As previously mentioned, the method 37 comprises the steps of providing a 
pair of thermoplastic webs and providing a pair of fabric webs 41; and, as 
shown in the left hand portion of FIG. 2 each thermoplastic web 40 is 
bonded or laminated against an associated fabric web 41 to define a 
laminated structure or lamination 66 which is provided on a supply roll 65 
thereof and supported for unwinding rotation. 
Each laminated structure 66 may be made by first defining each 
thermoplastic web 40 as illustrated in FIG. 3. In particular, each web 40 
of FIG. 3 is defined by extrusion thereof from an associated conventional 
extruder 67 and the extruded web 40 is simultaneously bonded against an 
associated fabric web 41 which is unwound from supply roll 68 thereof. The 
bonding action is achieved at a bonding station 70 comprised of a pair of 
cooperating rollers 71 and 72 which are of a type which is well known in 
the art. 
Each laminated structure 66 may also be provided as illustrated in FIG. 4 
wherein each thermoplastic web is defined by extrusion thereof from a 
conventional extruder 67 against an associated roller 73 of known 
construction, and immediately thereafter the extruder web 40 is bonded 
against an associated fabric web 41. The fabric web 41 is unwound from a 
supply roll 74 thereof and the bonding is achieved at a bonding station 
75, comprised of roller 73 and a cooperating roller 76, to define the 
laminated structure 66. It will be appreciated that additional cooperating 
rollers may be used at station 75 to complete the structure 66. 
The laminated structure 66 may also be defined by providing a thermoplastic 
web 40 from an independent supply roll 80 thereof and bonding such 
thermoplastic web 40 at a bonding station 81 to an associated fabric web 
41 which is also provided on a suitable supply roll 82 thereof. A pair of 
cooperating rollers 83 and 84 are provided at the bonding station 81 to 
define the laminated structure 66. 
Having described the hose construction 20 of this invention and the 
preferred method of making same, including modifications of such method, 
reference is now made to FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the drawings which 
illustrate other exemplary embodiments of the hose construction of this 
invention. The hose constructions of FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are very 
similar to the hose construction 20 and thus will be designated by the 
reference numerals 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, and 20E respectively and 
representative parts of each hose construction which are similar to 
corresponding parts of the hose construction 20 will be designated in the 
drawings by the same reference numerals as in the hose construction 20 
(whether or not such representative parts are mentioned in the 
specification) followed by an associated letter designation, either A, B, 
C, D, or E and not described again in detail. Only those components parts 
of each hose construction which are different from corresponding parts of 
the hose construction 20 will be designated by a new reference numeral 
also followed by an associated letter designation and described in detail. 
The hose construction 20A of FIG. 7 comprises the tubular plastic inner 
component 21A comprised of substantially rectangular thermoplastic layers 
23A and tubular fabric cover component 22A comprised of substantially 
rectangular fabric layers 24A. Each of the rectangular thermoplastic 
layers is detached from an associated rectangular fabric layer throughout 
the interface thereof intermediate its bonded opposite side edge portions. 
This detachment is shown in an exaggerated manner at 86A for the two 
layers 23A in FIG. 7. 
The hose construction 20B of FIG. 8 comprises the tubular inner component 
21B and tubular fabric cover component 22B and comprises mechanical 
fastening means which cooperate with the side edge portions of 
thermoplastic layers on each side of the hose construction to help hold 
the bonded opposite side edge portions fixed together; and, such fastening 
means comprises at least one row of thermoplastic staples 87B on each side 
of the hose construction 20B. The thermoplastic staples 87B on each side 
are disposed with their elongate dimension in an aligned rectilinear path 
88B; and, such thermoplastic staples are preferably made of the same 
thermoplastic material as the thermoplastic material used to make the 
outer cover 22B or a thermoplastic material which is compatible with such 
cover. 
It will be appreciated that a plurality of hose construction 20B may be 
made using the method 37 and substituting stapling heads for the heads 62 
and 63. After stapling, the staples 87B are passed through the bonding 
station 55 whereby the outside portions thereof become partially molten 
and fused to adjoining thermoplastic materials thereby assuring the 
provision of a fluid tight seal for the hose construction 20B around the 
staples 87B. 
The hose construction 20C of FIG. 9 is comprised of a tubular inner 
component 21C and a reinforcing tubular fabric cover component 22C and 
stitch means 32C. The stitch means 32C consists of two rows of stitches 
33C of thermoplastic material on each side of the hose construction and is 
illustrated typically at 90C. The stitches 33C may be provided using 
stitching heads similar to heads 62 and 63 which have been modified to 
provide multiple rows of stitches. 
The hose construction 20D of FIG. 10 is a bifolded construction. The 
bifolded construction illustrated in FIG. 10 comprises a tubular plastic 
inner component 21D comprised of one rectangular thermoplastic layer 23D 
and a tubular cover component 22D comprised of one rectangular fabric 
layer 24D. The layers 23D and 24D are disposed with their peripheral edges 
in aligned relation and bifolded with opposite side edge portions of the 
thermoplastic layer in adjoining relation and corresponding opposite side 
edge portions of the fabric layer against the adjoining side edge portions 
of the thermoplastic layer as illustrated at 92D. The bonded portions of 
the thermoplastic layer 23D serve to fix the opposite side edge portions 
in a high strength manner and complete the hose construction 20D. The hose 
construction 20D also has mechanical fastening means in the form of stitch 
means 32D consisting of a single row of stitches 33D. 
The hose construction 20E of FIG. 11 comprises an inner tubular component 
21E, an outer cover component 22E, and also comprises a pair of outer 
substantially rectangular thermoplastic layers 95E defining a tubular 
component 96E. The layers 95E serve the multiple purpose of reinforcing, 
protecting, and improving the aesthetic appeal of the hose construction 
20E. The outer layers 95E are fixed in position by opposite side edge 
portions thereof bonded against corresponding portions of the fabric 
layers, as shown at 97E, at each side of the hose construction 20E. The 
hose construction 20E also has stitch means 32E on each side thereof. 
A plurality of hose constructions 20E may be made employing the method 37 
as modified to enable provision of the outer layers 95E thereof. 
Accordingly, FIG. 12 illustrates a modification of the method 37 wherein a 
pair of webs 100 are disposed on opposite sides of the laminated 
structures 66 and the webs are made of suitable thermoplastic material. 
Each web 100 is provided on a suitable supply roll 101 thereof and 
supported for unwinding rotation and each laminated structure 66 is 
provided on an associated supply roll 65 thereof. The webs 100 and 
structures 66 are moved into the stacking station 42 between the rollers 
43 and in a similar manner as previously described. Stitch means is 
provided through the webs 100 and structure 66 at a station which is 
substantially identical to the station 60 and also in the manner described 
previously. The resulting construction is processed through the remainder 
of components and stations of the method 37, as described earlier to 
define a plurality of hose constructions 20E. 
Reference has been made throughout this disclosure to the hose construction 
comprising a tubular plastic inner component and a reinforcing tubular 
fabric covered component. However, it is to be understood that the tubular 
configuration of each of these components is defined by either a pair of 
rectangular sheets or layers or a single rectangular sheet or layer. For 
example, each of the inner components 21, 21A, 21B, 21C and 21E is defined 
by a pair of rectangular fluid impervious thermoplastic layers while the 
tubular inner component 21D is defined by a single rectangular fluid 
impervious thermoplastic layer. Similarly, each reinforcing tubular fabric 
cover component 22, 22A, 22B, 22C and 22E is defined by a pair of 
rectangular fabric layers while the tubular cover component 22D is defined 
by a single rectangular fabric layer. 
The method 37 of this invention enables the simultaneous forming of a 
plurality of collapsible reinforced hose constructions and it will be 
appreciated that in each instance each of such hose constructions may be 
individually wound on an independent supply roll therefor with a pair of 
typical supply rolls being designated by the reference numeral SR in FIG. 
2 of the drawings. 
In the presentation of the method of this invention it will be seen that 
the supports for the various rolls, rollers, and components employed in 
carrying out such method; heating and/or cooling means for certain 
rollers; power sources; controls; and the like have not been illustrated 
and described; however, it will be appreciated that these items will be 
provided, as is known in the art, to enable carrying out the method. 
In this disclosure of the invention a particular mechanical fastening means 
has been presented with a particular hose construction; however, it will 
be appreciated that such fastening means may be used interchangeably on 
any of the hose constructions of this invention. 
Each hose construction of this invention preferably utilizes a fluid 
impervious inner tube or component made of thermoplastic material. 
Further, each outer component, including the sleeve component 96E of hose 
20E, is also preferably made of thermoplastic material. However, it is to 
be understood that each reinforcing tubular fabric cover component need 
not necessarily be made of thermoplastic materials. In the event the 
fabric cover component is not made of thermoplastic material it is 
preferred that it be such that thermoplastic material will readily adhere 
thereto in a high strength and tenancious manner. 
The hose construction of this invention may be of any suitable size within 
the range previously described. A typical garden hose made in accordance 
with this invention would have an effective flow diameter of 5/8 of an 
inch and such a garden hose would preferably be made using a polyester 
elastomer 0.005-0.010 inch thick to define the inner tube thereof. An 
example of a polyester elastomer which would be preferred is sold by the 
E. I. Dupont de Nemours and Company, 1007 Market Street, Wilmington, Del. 
19898, under the registered trademark "Hytrel." Such a 5/8 inch hose 
construction would also use a reinforcing tubular fabric cover component 
preferably made of a square woven polyester fabric material having warp 
and weft threads or yarns ranging between 1000 and 2000 denier. The square 
woven polyester fabric would be arranged with the warp yarns thereof 
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose and the weft yarns disposed 
perpendicular to such longitudinal axis. 
However, it is to be understood that the reinforcing tubular fabric cover 
component of the hose construction of this invention need not necessarily 
be made of a square woven fabric material. Indeed, such cover component 
may be made of any woven or non-woven material known in the art. 
In this disclosure of the method of this invention the bonding step has 
been described as utilizing ultrasonic means to provide the described 
bonding action. Similarly, the cutting step has been described as 
utilizing ultrasonic cutting means. However, it will be appreciated that 
any suitable means known in the art may be provided to provide bonding 
and/or cutting. 
While present exemplary embodiments of this invention, and methods of 
practicing the same, have been illustrated and described, it will be 
recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously embodied and 
practiced within the scope of the following claims.