Abstract:
A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) assembly comprising an HVAC system having an air box with a wall having an inside, an outside and an opening, a collar extending through the opening in the wall, with the collar including a base flange and a cylindrical wall extending from the base flange, the cylindrical wall including a hook member, the base flange abutting the inside of the wall and the cylindrical wall extending through the opening in the wall, and a flexible hose having a corrugated cylindrical and flexible shell, corrugated cylindrical and flexible shell having an inside and an outside, the flexible hose being connected to the collar by inserting the cylindrical wall of the collar into the inside of the shell, with the hook member of the cylindrical wall of the collar extending into grooves on the inside of the shell.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/862,504 filed on Oct. 23, 2006 and entitled COLLAR FOR FLEXIBLE HOSE ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE HVAC AIR DISTRIBUTION, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention is applicable to a wide range of tubing connections, but is designed for the particularly advantageous use of connecting flexible hoses to HVAC air boxes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0003]     An aspect of the present invention is to provide a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) assembly comprising an HVAC system, a collar and a flexible hose. The HVAC system is for supplying air to a portion of vehicle. The HVAC system has an air box with a wall having an inside, an outside and an opening therein. The collar extends through the opening in the wall of the air box of the air conditioning system. The collar includes a base flange and a cylindrical wall extending from the base flange. The cylindrical wall includes at least one hook member. The base flange abuts the inside of the wall and the cylindrical wall extends through the opening in the wall. The flexible hose has a corrugated cylindrical and flexible shell. The corrugated cylindrical and flexible shell has an inside and an outside. The flexible hose is connected to the collar by inserting the cylindrical wall of the collar into the inside of the corrugated cylindrical and flexible shell, with the at least one hook member of the cylindrical wall of the collar extending into grooves on the inside of the corrugated cylindrical and flexible shell.  
         [0004]     Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a collar for connecting a flexible hose to a system having an opening in a wall comprising a base flange and a cylindrical wall extending from the base flange. The cylindrical wall includes a plurality of hook members, the hook members each comprising a stepped member connected to a remainder of the collar by a living hinge. The stepped member includes at least one hook extending from an outside face of the stepped member, thereby forming steps on the stepped member. The base flange is configured to abut against an inside of the wall, the cylindrical wall is configured to extend through the opening in the wall, and the at least one hook of the hook members is configured to extend into grooves on an inside of the flexible hose to thereby connect the flexible hose to the wall without a need for further fasteners.  
         [0005]     Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of connecting a corrugated flexible hose to a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system comprising providing a collar including a base flange and a cylindrical wall extending from the base flange, with the cylindrical wall including at least one hook member, extending the collar through an opening in a wall of the HVAC system, inserting the cylindrical wall of the collar into the corrugated flexible hose, and engaging the at least one hook member of the collar with the corrugated flexible hose. The collar is connected to both the HVAC system and the flexible hose without any further fasteners.  
         [0006]     These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     The following brief description of the figures, and the related figures themselves, exemplifies a particular preferred embodiment of the invention constituting the best mode presently contemplated. As will be understood, other embodiments of the invention as well as changes and variations in the particular structure shown in these figures are no doubt possible, and may very well suggest themselves to those skilled in the art after studying this disclosure and these figures.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a wall of an air box, flexible hoses and connection devices in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a close-up front perspective view of the wall of the air box, flexible hoses and connection devices in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the connection device and flexible hose in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the connection device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the connection device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the connection device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the connection device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the connection device in accordance with the present invention taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the connection device in accordance with the present invention taken along the line B-B of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the connection device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of the connection device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 12  is a top view of a second embodiment of the connection device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 13  is a side view of a second embodiment of the connection device in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the connection device in accordance with the present invention taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the connection device in accordance with the present invention taken along the line B-B of  FIG. 12 ; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 16  is a bottom view of a second embodiment of the connection device in accordance with the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]     For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as orientated in  FIG. 1 . However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.  
         [0025]     The reference number  10  ( FIGS. 1-10 ) generally designates a connection device embodying the present invention. In the illustrated example, the connection device  10  is used to connect a flexible hose  12  to a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system for supplying air (typically hot or cold air) to a portion of vehicle (e.g., motor home, delivery truck, etc.), with the HVAC system having an air box with a wall  14  and with the wall  14  having an inside, an outside and an opening  16  therein. As is well known to those skilled in the art, air is supplied to the air box and then transferred from the air box to different portions of the vehicle through the flexible hose  12 . The wall  14  in  FIG. 1  is shown to represent one of the walls of the air box. In the illustrated example, the wall  14  of the air box includes three openings  16 , with one flexible hose  12  interacting with one of the openings  16 . However, it is contemplated that the air box could include any number of openings (in one or more walls) for engagement with a flexible hose  12 . Furthermore, it is contemplated that the connection device  10  of the present invention could be used to connect any flexible hose to any wall with an opening. The flexible hose  12  is made of a flexible material and includes a plurality of alternating ridges  21  and valleys  23  (as viewed from the outside, with the ridges  21  being valleys and the valleys  23  being ridges when viewed from the inside of the flexible hose  12 ), with at least the material defining the valleys  23  being flexible to allow the flexible hose  12  to compress and bend.  
         [0026]     In the illustrated example, the connection device  10  (see  FIGS. 4-10 ) is used to connect the flexible hose  12  to the air box. The connection device  10  includes a bottom flange  18 , a tubular middle wall  20  and a top flange  22 . The tubular middle wall  20  is between and connected to the bottom flange  18  and the top flange  22 . The bottom flange  18  is substantially planar and includes an annular inside edge  24  and an outside edge  26 . The annular inside edge  24  includes four grooves  28 , with each groove  28  having an arcuate back wall  30 . The four grooves  28  are located at 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . The outside edge  26  includes four straight sections  32  and four curved sections  34 , with each curved section  34  being located between two of the straight sections  32 . The four straight sections  32  substantially define a portion of four sides of a square.  
         [0027]     The illustrated tubular middle wall  20  of the connection device  10  includes an interrupted circular bottom portion  36 , an interrupted frusto-conical middle portion  38 , a circular top portion  40  and a plurality of hook members  42 . The circular bottom portion  36  is connected to the bottom flange  18  at a first end and to the interrupted frusto-conical middle portion  38  at a second end. Furthermore, the circular top portion  40  is connected to a top of the frusto-conical middle portion  38 . The plurality of hook members  42  extend downwardly from the circular top portion  40  and extend into open spaces  44  defined by aligned interruptions in the interrupted circular bottom portion  36  and the interrupted frusto-conical middle portion  38 . Each hook member  42  includes a top angled section  46  and a bottom section  48 . Both the top angled section  46  and the bottom section  48  are arcuate as viewed from above. The top angled section  46  is connected to the circular top portion  40  at an area of thin material  50 . The top angled section  46  includes a pair of outwardly extending hooks  52 . The hooks  52  are used to connect the connection device  10  to the flexible hose  12  as discussed in more detail below. As illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a bottom  54  of the bottom section  48  of the hook members  42  is spaced from a top of the bottom flange  18  to define a wall receiving space  56 . The circular top portion  40  includes an angled outside surface  58  defining a bottom ledge  60  at a bottom of the angled outside surface  58 .  
         [0028]     In the illustrated example, the connection device  10  is connected to the air box by inserting the top flange  22  and the tubular middle wall  20  through the opening in the wall of the air box from inside of the air box as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . As the connection device is inserted through the opening, the hook members  42  will flex inwardly along the area of thin material  50 . Preferably, the interrupted circular bottom portion  36  of the tubular middle wall  20  of the connection device  10  has an outside diameter substantially identical (although slightly smaller) that an inside diameter of the opening  16  in the wall  14  of the air box. Therefore, the interrupted circular bottom portion  36  of the tubular middle wall  20  of the connection device  10  will fit snugly within the opening  16  in the wall  14  of the air box. When the connection device  10  is fully inserted into the opening  16  in the wall  14  of the air box, the bottom flange  18  of the connection device  10  will abut against the inside opening  16  in the wall  14 . Furthermore, the hook members  42  will flex outwardly and cover the wall  14  just outside of the opening  16 , thereby capturing the wall  14  between the bottom  54  of the of the bottom section  48  of the hook members  42  and the top of the bottom flange  18  in the wall receiving space  56  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0029]     The illustrated flexible hose  12  is connected to the connection device  10 , and thereby to the air box, by inserting the top flange  22  and the tubular middle wall  20  of the connection device into an open end of the flexible hose  12 . As the connection device  10  is inserted into the flexible hose  12 , the hook members  42  will flex inwardly along the area of thin material  50  as the hooks of the hook members  42  engage the valleys  23  of the flexible hose  12 . Once the top flange  22  and the tubular middle wall  20  of the connection device are fully inserted into the open end of the flexible hose  12 , the hook members  42  will flex outward, thereby inserting the hooks into the ridges  21  of the flexible hose  12  to connect the flexible hose to the connection device. Furthermore, the angled outside surface  58  of the top flange of the connection device assists in aligning and inserting the connection device into the flexible hose, while also using the bottom ledge to capture one of the valleys  23  of the flexible hose  12  thereunder to assist in connecting the flexible hose  12  to the connection device. In the illustrated example, the connection device  10  can include any diameter for connecting to any diameter flexible hose. For example, the connection device  10  can have the top flange and the bottom section of the middle tubular portion having an outside diameter of approximately 2.495 inches and hooks having an outside diameter of 2.672 inches and 2.705 inches for a flexible hose having a 2.5 inch inner diameter. In another example, the connection device can have the top flange and the bottom section of the middle tubular portion having an outside diameter of approximately 2.995 inches and hooks having an outside diameter of 3.172 inches and 3.205 inches for a flexible hose having a 3.0 inch inner diameter.  
         [0030]     The reference numeral  10   a  ( FIGS. 11-16 ) generally designates another embodiment of the present invention, having a second embodiment for the connection device. Since connection device  10   a  is similar to the previously described connection device  10 , similar parts appearing in  FIGS. 1-10  and  FIGS. 11-16 , respectively, are represented by the same, corresponding reference number, except for the suffix “a” in the numerals of the latter. The second embodiment of the connection device  10   a  is substantially oval and is configured to be connected to a flexible hose having an oval cross section, as well as one with a round cross section compressed to conform to the oval shape of the collar.  
         [0031]     In the illustrated example, the connection device  10   a  is used to connect an oval flexible hose to the air box. As viewed from above (see  FIG. 12 ), the connection device  10   a  includes two parallel straight sections  100  and a pair of end semi-circular sections  102  connected to the straight sections  100 . The connection device  10   a  includes a bottom flange  18   a , a tubular middle wall  20   a  and a top flange  22   a . The tubular middle wall  20   a  is between and connected to the bottom flange  18   a  and the top flange  22   a . The bottom flange  18   a  is substantially planar and includes an inside edge  24   a  and an outside edge  26   a . The inside edge  24   a  is oval and includes two grooves  28   a , with each groove  28   a  having an annular back wall  30   a . The two grooves  28   a  are located in a center of each of the end semi-circular sections  102  as illustrated in  FIG. 16 . The outside edge  26   a  is also oval.  
         [0032]     The illustrated tubular middle wall  20   a  of the connection device  10   a  includes an interrupted oval bottom portion  36   a , an interrupted angled middle portion  38   a , an oval top portion  40   a , a plurality of hook members  42   a  and a plurality of wedge members  106 . The oval bottom portion  36   a  is connected to the bottom flange  18   a  at a first end and to the interrupted angled middle portion  38   a  at a second end. Furthermore, the oval top portion  40   a  is connected to a top of the angled middle portion  38   a . The plurality of hook members  42   a  extend downwardly from the oval top portion  40   a  and extend into open spaces  44   a  defined by aligned interruptions in the interrupted oval bottom portion  36   a  and the interrupted angled middle portion  38   a . The hook members  42   a  are located in a center of each of the end semi-circular sections  102 . Each hook member  42   a  includes a top angled section  46   a  and a bottom section  48   a . Both the top angled section  46   a  and the bottom section  48   a  are arcuate as viewed from above. The top angled section  46   a  is connected to the oval top portion  40   a  at an area of thin material  50   a . The top angled section  46   a  includes a pair of outwardly extending hooks  52   a . The hooks  52   a  are used to connect the connection device  10   a  to the flexible hose in the same manner as discussed above in regard to the first embodiment of the connection device  10  (except that the opening in the wall for use with the second embodiment of the connection device  10  is also oval). As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , a bottom  54   a  of the bottom section  48   a  of the hook members  42   a  is spaced from a top of the bottom flange  18   a  to define a wall receiving space  56   a . The oval top portion  40   a  includes an angled outside surface  58   a  defining a bottom ledge  60   a  at a bottom of the angled outside surface  58   a . The wedge members  106  comprise two wedge members  106 , with a pair of the wedge members  106  being located at one of the straight sections  100  as illustrated in  FIG. 12 . The wedge members  106  each include a ridge  108  and a bottom surface  110 . The ridges  108  are used to connect the connection device  10   a  to the flexible hose in the same manner as the hooks  52   a  of the hook members  42   a  as discussed above, with the wall  14  of the air box being captured between a bottom of the bottom surface  110  of the wedge members  106  and the bottom flange  18   a.    
         [0033]     It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.