Abstract:
A brake hose sleeve composed of rigid plastic which has a throat structured to positively (snappingly) interfit with respect to the annular crimp cavity of the fitting into which the brake hose is sealingly attached. The throat is located at an end of the brake hose sleeve, and is characterized by an annular recess defined by an annular recess wall and a plurality of mutually spaced and axially oriented ribs. Each rib has a convex contour which interfits with the concave contour of the annular crimp cavity of the fitting.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to automotive brake systems, and more particularly to a plastic sleeve placed over a brake hose to provide brake hose orientation along a pre-set path. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Automotive braking systems utilize hydraulic lines to ensure proper pressure distribution to the brakes at the wheels of the vehicle. Because the hydraulic pressure is critical, the hydraulic lines are preferably in the form of rigid metallic tubing except in locations where flexibility is required. For example, all the wheels are subject to bounce, and the front wheels are further subject to turning. Accordingly, to accommodate these movements, the hydraulic lines include one or more segments which are composed of a flexible brake hose. Brake hoses typically are composed of a hydraulic grade reinforced elastomeric material which provides long-term flexibility. 
     In that the brake hose runs between an upline location and a downline location, the two locations being movable relative to each other, it is desirable to locate the brake hose so that these movements do not result in the brake hose becoming pinched or interferingly involved with any adjacent vehicular components. In the prior art, it is known to utilize an elastomeric sleeve to provide a pre-set routing for the brake hose which thereby renders the brake hose safe from these concerns. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a conventional brake hose  10  connected to a brake line terminal  12  having an integral fitting  14  into which an end  16  of the bake hose is placed and then crimped sealingly thereover. The crimp  18  is in the form of an annular crimp cavity  20  at the outer surface  22  of the fitting, wherein the trough  24  of the annular crimp cavity oppositionally corresponds to an apex  26  at the inner surface  28  of the fitting which provides a sealed fit between the brake hose and the fitting. In order to keep the brake hose  10 , which is flexible, at a predetermined path even as movement between the upline and downline locations transpire, it is conventional for an elastomeric sleeve  29  to be press fit over the brake hose at the fitting  14  (one of the upline and downline locations), extending from the brake line terminal  12  to a selected location distal therefrom (for example about 2.5 inches). The preferred elastomeric sleeve has a uniform inner through bore  30  and is generally composed of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), which provides a resiliency resistant to flexing in view of its relatively thick sidewall (for example, on the order of one-quarter inch in relation to an outside diameter on the order of one inch). 
     The elastomeric sleeve has a number of drawbacks. Among these, for example, are bending of the elastomeric sleeve in response to lateral stresses, cost of application, piece cost, and lack of rotational freedom. With regard to the latter drawback, when the elastomeric sleeve is pressed onto the fitting, the tight fit creates a high frictional interaction between the elastomeric sleeve and the fitting which prevents the elastomeric sleeve from freely rotating with respect to the brake hose This creates an undesirable coaction therebetween as the various motions between the upline and downline locations transpire over the life of the vehicle. 
     Therefore, what remains needed in the art is a simple, inexpensive, and easily attached brake hose sleeve. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a brake hose sleeve composed of plastic which has a throat structured to positively interfit (that is, to snap onto with a tightly held orientation) with respect to the annular crimp cavity of the fitting into which the brake hose is sealingly attached. 
     The brake hose sleeve according to the present invention has an inner through bore which communicates with a throat located at an end of the brake hose sleeve. The throat is characterized by an annular recess defined by an annular recess wall and a plurality of mutually spaced and axially oriented ribs. Each rib has a convex contour which is reciprocal with respect to the concave contour of the annular crimp cavity of the fitting so that a positive interfit is generated therebetween. 
     In operation, as the throat of the brake hose sleeve is pressed over the wide end of the fitting, the convex shape of the ribs positively interfits into the concave shape of the annular crimp cavity, thereby seating the brake hose sleeve onto the fitting. By the term “positively interfit” is meant that the ribs automatically snap into a seated position on the annular crimp cavity, whereupon the sleeve is retained at a tightly held orientation which has little to no off-axis squirm with respect to the fitting, yet rotation therebetween is allowed. In this regard, the ribs interaction with the annular crimp cavity provides a self-alignment with respect to the fitting, and error-proofs the assembly process. This is because the seating of the brake hose sleeve occurs when the ribs interfit with the annular crimp cavity, independently of whether the end of the brake hose sleeve has abutted the brake line terminal and/or independently of whether the annular recess wall has abutted the end of the fitting. The brake hose sleeve is now able to rotate relative to the fitting and the brake hose, and the plastic supplies a preset path rigidity to the brake hose. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a brake hose sleeve which interfits with the annular crimp cavity of a fitting crimpably connected to a brake hose. 
     This and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a prior art elastomeric brake hose sleeve shown having received a brake hose and resiliently retained on a fitting of a brake line terminal. 
     FIG. 2 is sectional view, taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a brake hose sleeve according to the present invention, shown in operation having received a brake hose and positively interfitted with respect to a fitting of a brake line terminal. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken along line  4 — 4  in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a throat end view of the brake hose sleeve according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a broken-away sectional view, taken along line  6 — 6  in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a partly sectional view, taken along line  7 — 7  in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 8 is a broken-away, partly sectional side view at a rear end of the brake hose sleeve, showing accommodation thereat or brake hose flex. 
     FIG. 9 is a partly sectional view, wherein the brake hose sleeve is shown prestaged with respect to the fitting. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the Drawing, FIGS. 3 through 9 depict an example of a brake hose sleeve  100  according to the present invention. 
     The brake hose sleeve has a cylindrical sidewall  102  which defines an inner through bore  104 . The preferred material of the sidewall  102  is plastic, particularly nylon 6.6, or equivalent. The type of plastic preferred provides sidewall rigidity even though the sidewall is thin. For example, rigidity of the sidewall is provided given an inner through bore diameter of 11 mm and an outside diameter of 17 mm (wherein the sidewall thickness is 3 mm and the length is 65 mm). The dimensions of the sidewall will vary to suit a particular fitting, brake hose and environment of installation. 
     At an end portion  106  of the brake hose sleeve  100  (the subject end being referred to hereafter as the throat end  108 ), the through bore  104  communicates with a throat  110 . The throat  110  is characterized by an annular recess  112  formed in the sidewall  102  at the inner through bore  104  and demarcated by an annular recess wall  114 . Adjacent the annular recess wall  114 , a plurality of ribs  116  are integrally formed at the annular recess  112 . The ribs  116  are oriented axially in relation to a central axis A of the inner through bore  104  and are upstanding in relation to the annular recess  112 . 
     Each of the ribs  116  has a convexly contoured upper surface  118  which is predetermined so as to reciprocally complement concavely contoured annular crimp cavity  120  of a particular fitting  122  to which the brake hose sleeve  100  is intended to mate, as shown best at FIG. 6 (whereat the fitting is shown in phantom). The ribs  116  are preferably arranged in opposing pairs, the number of pairs being preselected to provide a guided interfit to the annular crimp cavity, as for example six, as shown at FIG.  5 . 
     While the convex shape of the upper surface  118  of the ribs may be configured as selected to best positively interfit with th concave shape of a particular annular crimp cavity, FIG. 6 shows an example of a convex shape, wherein the upper surface  118  has forward and rearward bevels  124 F,  124 R which are located at either end of a straight segment  124 S. The height of the upper surface  118  is predetermined to provide a suitably tight and squirm free fit (relative to the center axis) relative to the annular crimp cavity. An example thereof is depicted at FIG. 6, wherein the height of the straight segment  124 S is about one-half the height of the annular recess wall  114 . It is preferred to located the ribs  116  spaced from both the annular recess wall  114  and (more distantly) from the throat end  108  so as to provide a prestage feature  126  (discussed hereinbelow). 
     It will be noticed from FIGS. 4 and 6, when the brake hose sleeve  100  is seated on the fitting  122 , the interaction of the ribs  116  with the annular crimp cavity  120  provides a self-alignment with respect to the fitting  122 , and error-proofs the assembly process (discussed hereinbelow). In this regard, the seating of the brake hose sleeve  100  occurs when the ribs  116  pass over the wide end of the fitting and begin entry into the annular crimp cavity  120 . Now, a positive interfit ensues wherein the ribs  116  automatically snap into the annular crimp cavity  120  independently of whether the throat end  108  of the brake hose sleeve has abutted the brake line terminal  128  and/or independently of whether the annular recess wall  114  has abutted the fitting end  130 . At this mounted location, the sidewall  102  of the brake hose sleeve is now able to rotate relative to the fitting  122  and the brake hose  132 , as shown at FIG.  7 . Further, the plastic of the sidewall  102  supplies a preset path rigidity to the brake hose  132  located within the inner through bore  104 . In this regard, it is preferred to provide a radiused chamfer  134  in the sidewall  102  at the rear end  136  of the inner through bore  104  so as to accommodate thereat pronounced flexing of the brake hose  132 , as for example shown at FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 9 depicts an assembly process. With a brake hose  132  crimpingly sealed to the fitting  122  and the brake hose passing through the inner through bore  104 , the throat end  108  of the sidewall  102  is brought to the fitting end  128 . The prestage feature  126  allows for the fitting end  130  to be easily pressed into the throat  110  until it abuts the ribs  116 . For purposes of assembly, a jig is used to apply force F 1 , to the rear end  136  and an opposite force −F 1  is applied to the brake line terminal  128 , thereby causing the throat to press onto the fitting and positively seating the ribs into the annular crimp cavity. To reinforce the sidewall as it expands over and onto the fitting, and/or to provide an external indication of the ribs placement, riblets  138  may be integrated externally with the sidewall at locations corresponding to each (internally placed) rib  116 . 
     Advantages of the brake hose sleeve  100  in relation to the conventional elastomeric sleeve  28  include: reduced manufacturing cost, easier snap-in assembly, enhanced product quality of nylon 6.6 versus EPDM, reduced weight, much thinner sidewall thickness (which can be critical in tight clearance environments), greater rigidity which provides better brake hose location in spite of lateral force applications and assembly ease, positive interfitting wherein self-centering of the ribs vis-a-vis the annular crimp cavity obviates location gauging, need for over-stroke during assembly and need for retention devices and/or adhesives, friendlier (dissimilar material) contact between the brake hose and the sidewall, lack of rotation drag (the sidewall can rotate relative to the fitting and brake hose), and radiused chamfering at the rear end of the sidewall which helps prevent brake hose fatigue. 
     To those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, the above described preferred embodiment may be subject to change or modification. Such change or modification can be carried out without departing from the scopeof the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.