EXTENSIBLE HOSE DEVICE FOR DELIVERING A FLUID

Abstract: An extensible device for delivering a fluid includes a first fitting (3) for a source of liquid in pressure, a second fitting (4) for a dispenser (5) and a hose (2), fixed to each fitting first (3) and second (4), with coils, and is made of high resistance plastic material Polyamide Pa10 type or Nylon 6 or Polyamide Pa11, Pa12 or Rilsan or Polyurethane or Polyethylene or Polyester or Polyvinyl Chloride PVC and preferably has the inside and outside diameters respectively equal to about 6 mm and 8 mm or 12 mm and 14 mm. In a first variant the device (1) further includes valve means (6) to prevent uncontrolled liquid losses in case of bursts and to prevent the liquid backflow. In a second variant, the device (1) has a container (20) laying underground or fixed to a wall.

Description: EXTENSIBLE DEVICE FOR DELIVERING A FLUID. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to devices for delivering a fluid, liquid or gaseous, with different distances from the fluid source. Particularly the invention refers to an extensible device for delivering a fluid, for instance waterworks water, for the domestic irrigation or in greenhouse, or in connection to a hydro-polishing machine for washing or for domestic and industrial cleaning. The device also allows the deliver of gaseous fluid such as compressed air. BACKGROUND ART There are known means consisting in flexible hose whose one end has a fixed- type connector or a quick clutch fitting, for faucets or intakes connected to the waterworks or low pressure water reservoirs. The remaining hose end can be connected to a dispenser eventually adjustable and closeable. The main drawback of the known means consists in their reduced ergonomics and practicality caused by their encumbrance and weight and also by the fact that the hoses of the known means have the tendency to twist, blocking the passage and interrupting the liquid flow and causing the delivery interruption. A further drawback consists in the fact that the hoses of the known means generally do not withstand for long time the hydrostatics pressure of the waterworks and therefore the liquid flow in pressure can not be interrupted in correspondence of the dispenser end but it must be interrupted by means of a faucet connected to the opposite end, otherwise hose bursts and uncontrolled losses of liquid, harmful and expensive, may happen. Another drawback consists in the difficulty and the time needed for storing the known means whose hose must be picked in free coils or wound around a coiler; this latter partially makes easier the retraction of the hose but increases the encumbrance and the general weight of the known means. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to propose an extensible device to deliver a fluid that is extremely easy and comfortable to be used, of small encumbrance and weight and therefore ergonomic. A further object is to propose a device that does not cause interruptions of the fluid flow and the job because of folding, narrowings or similar. Other object is to propose a device withstanding for indefinite time pressures up to over 10 bar and therefore also allowing the flow interruption at the delivery end of the device even during the non-operating periods and also preventing uncontrolled losses of fluid in case of cut or bursts of the same device. Further object is to propose a device that can be stored in orderly coils, of very small dimensions when not extended and that has a pleasant aesthetical aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features of the invention are underlined in the following with particular reference to the attached drawings, in which: - figure 1 shows a schematic axonometric view of the device object of the present invention to including a fitting in a connection condition with a liquid source; - figures from 2 to 4 show longitudinal section views of a fitting body of the device of figure 1, having respective variants of the valve means and the connections of the device, in which some parts have been removed for better underlining the others; - figures from 5 to 7 show respectively a section view according to the plain V- N of figure 4, a partial longitudinal section view and a frontal view of elements of the fitting body of figure 4; - . figures 8 and 9 show partial section side views of respective variants of the device of figure 1 ; - figure 10 shows a top view of a variant of the device of figure 1 ; - figures 11 A and 1 IB show respectively a side view and a top view of a variant of the device in a retract and extended conditions; - the figures 12A and 12B show corresponding views of a variant of the device of the figures 11 A and 1 IB. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to the figures 1 and 2, numeral 1 indicates the extensible device for delivering a fluid including a coiled hose 2 in plastic material. The coiled hose 2 is made of at least one among the following materials: Polyamide PalO or Nylon 6, Polyamide Pall, Pal2 or Rilsan, Polyurethane, Polyethylene, Polypropylene PP, Polyester and Poly vinyl Chloride PVC. The coiled hose 2 can be realized with the coextrusion technique having two concentric layers both made with said plastic materials. The hose 2 can be realized including a layer of composite material containing strengthening fibers, for instance fiberglass or synthetic fibers; the hose 2 can further be knitted-reinforced. The hose 2 has a spiral helical shape, that means with coils of equal diameter hold in a thigh cylindrical surface configuration. In absence of solicitations, the hose preserves or takes back the spiral helical shape because of the elasticity and the memory of said material. The coils of the hose 2 are extended and stretched out when the two ends of the hose 2 are spread apart. The coiled hose 2 has, for instance, an inside diameter between 5 and 13 mm, an outside diameter between 7 and 15 mm and a wall thickness between 0,5 and 1,5 mm. The preferred dimensions of the inside and outside diameters of the hose 2 are respectively about 6 mm and 8 mm or 12 mm and 14 mm. Said coiled hose 2 is fit to withstand inner pressures even higher than 10 bar. A first fitting 3 is fixed to an end of the hose 2 for a source of liquid in pressure, for instance a faucet or an intake connected to the public waterworks or to a pressure reservoir containing for instance a liquid solution for treatments or detergent. The other end of the hose 2 has a second fitting 4 for instance for an adjustable flow dispenser 5 for delivering the source liquid. The fittings, first 3 and second 4, are of quick clutch type used in the hoses for manual irrigation. It is also provided that the fittings, first 3 and second 4, can be fixed or semi-fixed type with plastic hoses such as those used in the watering plants or in the waterworks. The first fitting 3 includes a removable connection 24 having a threaded portion for sources like faucets or connections with threaded intake. The second fitting 4 has a device of the type so-called water-stop, known and not shown, fit to interrupt the liquid flow in correspondence of a removal condition of the dispenser 5. The fittings, first 3 and second 4, include each a body 7 having a clutch portion 25 for the hose 2. The clutch portion 25 has a longitudinal hole 12 for a duct 31 of the liquid flow F flowing from the liquid source to the dispenser. Valve means 6 are associated to the first fitting 3 for stopping the liquid flow F when overcome a predetermined threshold. The valve means 6 include a rod 15 sliding in the duct 31 and having in correspondence of its ends a first head 11 and a second head 26 mating respectively stop means first 13 and second 28 carried out in correspondence of the end of the duct 31. The valve means 6 include elastic means 9, consisting for instance in a conical helical spring, positioned between the first head 11 and a stop housing 10 of an end of the elastic means 9 so working in compression. The housing 10 is carried out downstream the first stop 13 with respect to the flow F. The heads, first 11 and second 26, prevent the unthreading of the rod 15 from the duct 31 and the first head 11 realizes a hydraulic seal when mating the first stop means 13. The first head 11 can have a gasket for the watertight seal. The second head 26 has sealing means 29, for instance an annular gasket, in order to prevent the backflow when these latter mate the second stop means 28. The shape of the second head 26 advantageously realizes a liquid check valve whose presence, obligatory by law in several countries, is always advantageous in order to avoid, for instance, the eddy of contaminated water into the waterworks. The connection between each end portion of the coiled hose 2 and the relative fittings first 3 and second 4 is realized by means of the insertion of the clutch portion 25 into the respective end portion of the coiled hose 2. Said end portion is inserted into a tubular element 33 fit to increase the total thickness of the end portion of the hose 2 for allowing its blocking in the usual quick fittings for manual irrigation that are standardized for hose having a thickness greater than the thickness of the coiled hose 2. The tubular element 33 can have the same length of the clutch portion 25 or can be, for instance, up to 10 times longer. In this last case the tubular element 33 also protects and strengthens the hose 2 in proximity of the fittings first 3 and second 4. It is provided that the tubular element 33 has at least a cylindrical portion and a portion tapered with thickness progressively decreasing with the distance from the fitting. The operation provides that, after the connection of the device 1 to the liquid source, for instance a faucet or the high-pressure connector of an hydro-polishing machine, the user operates the dispenser regulating manually the direction and the flow rate of the spout. In case of shearing or burst of the hose 2 the total resistance of the device 1 to the flow F decreases below the normal operation values and the flow F overcomes the threshold value causing the intervention of the valve means 6 which stop the uncontrolled loss of liquid. With reference to the variant of figure 3, the connection between each fitting, first 3 and second 4, and the respective end of the coiled hose 2 is realized through the insertion of this latter into the hole 12. Into each end of the hose 2 is inserted a tubular block mean 30 having unthreading mean 32, consisting of, for instance, annular nicks, in order to prevent the unthreading of the block mean 30 from the end of the hose 2 and the unthreading of this latter from the fitting first 3 and second 4. In this variant the duct 31 is carried out in the block mean 30. It is also provided that an end of the hose 2 is connected to the respective fitting first 3 and second 4 according to the variant joint of figure 3 and the other end is connected in the way shown in figure 2. The variant of figure 4 refers to a valve mean in which the compression of the elastic means 9 is adjustable in order to vary the intervention threshold of the valve means 6. The housing 10 consists of a flat side of a tubular cylindrical mean 40 externally threaded for the fixing to a corresponding threaded portion 14 of the hole 12. The rod 15 pass through the tubular mean 40 which has internally a set of longitudinal slots 16 engaged by the rod 15, having for instance cross-shaped section. The first head 11 has a slot 17 for tools, for instance screwdrivers or setscrew wrenches. The rotation of the first head 11 by means of a tool causes, in sequence, the rotation of the rod 15, the rotation of the tubular mean 40 and therefore, due to the threaded connection with the hole 12, the axial translation of the housing 10 by varying the compression of the elastic means 9 and, therefore, by varying the force applied to the first head 11. The operation of this last variant, provides at first the disconnection of the first connection 3, in order to reach the slot 17 of the first head 11 in which it is engaged a screwdriver for rotating the tubular mean 40 up to the regulation of the desired intervention threshold of the valve means 6. The first head 11 of each variant can have a longitudinal through hole 18 of small diameter fit to exhaust the pressure differences between the faces upstream and downstream the first head 11 in correspondence of an almost hydrostatics condition in order to avoid the stall of the valve means 6. Obviously the presence of the through hole 18 does not allow the total arrest of a flow caused by the shearing of the hose 2 but reduces said flow at extremely low and controlled levels. The variants of the device 1 shown in the figures 8 and 9, provide a cylindrical shaped container 20 to contain at least a part of the coiled hose 2. The container 20 has an opening 21 and at least a hole 22 for the liquid supply duct. The container 20 of figure 8 has a jointed connection 23 for the wall fixing designed to allow the container orientation in the directions of the outlet and the inlet of the coiled hose 2 and has a wide invitation of the opening 21 fit to facilitate the entry and the exit of the hose 2 avoiding the jam of the coils against the opening. The container 20 of figure 9 is underground-type, and is fit to contain completely at least the hose 2 and the dispenser 5 and has a cover to be trampled closing the opening 21 ; the hose 2 is connected to a underground waterworks 41. In the variant of figure 10 the coils of the hose 2, when not used, are arranged over an almost plain surface describing a plain spiral. Applying a solicitation to progressively remove the ends of the hose 2, the coils of this latter at first are arranged in a conical shape then are stretched designing a curved line, for instance as shown in the figures 11B and 12B. When the solicitation of the ends of the hose 2 stops, this latter reassumes the plain spiral form. The ends of the hose 2 have a first fitting 3 and a second fitting 4 fixed to the hose 2 by means of unthreading elements. The fittings, first 3 and second 4, have threaded portions respectively female, for instance for a source of liquid or pressure gas, and male for instance for a liquid dispenser or for a pneumatic tool. The device variant shown in the figures 11 A and 1 IB differs from the variant of figure 10 because the coils of the hose 2, in correspondence of a retract condition (in absence of solicitations), are plain and arranged on two parallel and adjacent surfaces in such a way that the ends of the hose 2 are in correspondence of the coils of bigger diameter and the two groups of coils are joined in proximity of their center. In this variant, removing the ends of the hose 2, the coils of this latter are approximately shaped as a couple of cones joined at their vertex, as schematically shown in figure 1 IB. In the device variant shown in the figures 12A and 12B, the coils of the hose 2, in correspondence of a retract condition (in absence of solicitations), are plain and arranged on two parallel and adjacent surfaces in such a way that the ends of the hose 2 are in correspondence of the coils center and the two groups of coils are joined in correspondence of the coils of bigger diameter. In this variant, removing the ends of the hose 2, the coils of this latter are approximately shaped as a couple of cones joined at their bases, as schematically shown in the figure 12B. When the solicitation of the ends of the hose 2 stops, this latter reassumes the form of two groups of superimposed plain coils. It is also provided that the plain coils of the hose 2 of the device according to the preceding variants can have more than two parallel plans. The main advantage of the present invention is to provide an extensible device to deliver a fluid, extremely easy and comfortable to use, having small dimensions and weight and therefore ergonomic; a device that do not cause the interruptions of the liquid flow because of foldings, narro wings and twistings or similar. A further advantage is to provide a device withstanding for indefinite time pressures up to over 10 bar and therefore also allowing the flow interruption by closing the delivery end of the device even during the non-operating periods and also preventing uncontrolled losses of liquid in case of cut or bursts of the same device. Further advantage is to provide a device which can be retract in coils into a container and which has small dimensions when is not extended; a device having a pleasant aesthetical aspect and a fast assemblage, a safe and hygienic operation and a long duration.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) Extensible device for delivering a fluid including a first fitting (3) connectable to a pressure fluid source, a second fitting (4) connectable to a dispenser (5) and a hose (2), this latter having each end fixed to a clutch portion (25) of each fitting, first (3) and second (4), provided with a fluid duct (31); said device (1) being characterized in that the hose (2) is shaped as elastic coils and is made of high resistance material plastic including at least one among Polyamide PalO or Nylon 6, Polyamide Pall, Pal2 or Rilsan, Polyurethane, Polyethylene, Polypropylene PP, Polyester and Polyvinyl Chloride PVC. 2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the hose (2) has preferably an inside diameter varying from 5 to 13 millimeters and an outside diameter varying from 7 to 15 millimeters, and is made of two layers of different materials. 3) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the coils of the hose (2) form a helical spiral describing an almost cylindrical surface. 4) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the coils of the hose (2), in correspondence of a retract condition of the device, are arranged on at least plain surface. 5) Device according to claim 4 characterized in that the spiral of the hose (2), in correspondence of retract condition, are arranged on a plurality of parallel and adjacent plain surfaces. 6) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that at least an end of the coiled hose (2) is inserted into the duct (31) of the related fitting, first (3) and second (4); into said end of the hose (2) being inserted a block mean (30) in which the duct (31) is carried out and having unthreading mean (32) to prevent the unthreading of the block mean (30) from the end of the hose (2) and of this latter from the respective fitting first (3) and second (4). 7) Device according to any of the claims from 1 to 5 characterized in that in at least an end of the coiled hose (2) is inserted the clutch portion (25) of the respective fitting first (3) and second (4); said end of the coiled hose (2) being inserted in a respective tubular element (33). 8) Device according to claim 5 characterized in that the tubular element (33) has length between 1 and 10 times the length of the clutch portion (25). 9) Device according to claim 6 or claim 7 characterized in that the tubular element (33) includes a tapered portion. 10) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the first fitting (3) has a body (7) having internally valve means (6) for stopping the liquid flow (F) when overcome a predetermined threshold. 11) Device according to claim 10 characterized in that the valve mean (6) includes a rod (15) sliding in the duct (31) and having in correspondence of its ends a first head (11) and a second head (26) mating respectively stop means, first (13) and second (28), carried out in correspondence of the ends of the duct (31); the valve mean (6) including elastic means (9) interposed between the first head (11) and an housing (10) of an end of the elastic means (9) and carried out downstream the first stop mean (13). 12) Device according to claim 11 characterized in that the second head (26) has seal means (29) to prevent the liquid backflow when said seal means contact the second stop means (28). 13) Device according to any of claims 11 or 12 characterized in that the housing (10) is substantially constituted of an externally threaded tubular mean (40) for joining a related threaded portion (14) of the duct (12); the tubular mean (40) having internally a set of slots (16) engaged by the rod (15). 14) Device according to any of claims from 11 to 13 characterized in that the first head (11) has a longitudinal through hole (18) and a slot (17) for the tool engagement. 15) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that it further includes a container (20) for at least a portion of the coiled hose (2). 16) Device according to claim 15 characterized in that the container (20) completely contains the hose (2) and the dispenser (5) and has at least a hole (22) and a cover; said container (20) being fit for laying underground and the hose (2) being connected to an underground waterworks (41). 17) Device according to claim 15 characterized in that the container (20) has at least a hole (22), a jointed connection (23) for the wall fixing and an opening (21) extending to form an invitation for the hose (2). 18) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the first fitting (3) is quick-type and includes a threaded removable connection (24). 19) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the second fitting (4) is quick-type and has arrest means of the liquid flow in correspondence of a removal condition of the dispenser (5). 20) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the dispenser (5) allows the regulation of the flow (F) from a void value up to a maximum value. 21) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the fluid is water in pressure or compressed air. 22) Device according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the hose (2) is preferably in composite material containing strengthening fibers or is knitted-reinforced.

Inventors: DE NORA PAOLO, DE NORA, PAOLO
Applicants: DEN DI DE NORA PAOLO, NORA PAOLO DE, DE NORA, PAOLO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: F16L11
IPC codes: B65H75, F16L11, F16L37