Abstract:
A hose storage apparatus comprising mainly an accommodating mount and a flexible hose. The accommodating mount has a vertical column thereon, and the flexible hose is a coil of hollow tubing curling in a spiral fashion to allow it to wrap around the vertical column when the hose is not in use, and to pull out directly from the top of the vertical column when the hose is in use. Being flexible, the hose may be pulled to extend to a distance. Alternately, the hose automatically retracts to coil on the vertical column due to the recoiling characteristic of the hose, so as to avoid trouble and inconvenience in coiling/uncoiling the flexile hose.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a hose storage apparatus, and more particularly, to a hose storage apparatus having an accommodating mount and a flexible hose, such that the flexible hose is conveniently pulled out from the accommodating mount for use and retracted automatically to the accommodating mount, in order to avoid trouble and inconvenience for coiling/uncoiling the hose. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Many of European and American houses with yards have flowerbeds or gardens. The flowers and plants in these flowerbeds and gardens are maintained by constant watering to provide sufficient moisture for plant life and growth. For a simple flowerbed, plants may be watered with a simple sprinkler supplied by a short, fixed hose. But for a large garden setting, large-scale watering is usually required using a long hose to ensure all plants in the garden have sufficient water. 
   Typically, while the hose is used to carry out watering, the hose can tangle easily when it is uncoiled and pulled out to a long distance. As the hose is extended out, it can tangle into knots, making it difficult to pull the hose to a distance for watering. Furthermore, the hose can bind so as to restrict water flow in the hose, similarly making watering at a distance difficult. So, it is not convenient to carry out watering using the conventional hose, especially for watering a large garden.  
   After watering is completed, the long hose usually has to be carefully coiled into a coil for storage. However, careless coiling of the hose easily results in tangling when the hose is later uncoiled to be used again. Therefore, it is inconvenient to carry out watering using the hose, and improvements are needed to facilitate better coiling/uncoiling of the hose. 
   To resolve the inconvenience for coiling and uncoiling the hose, a conventional hose reel  6  has been proposed as shown in  FIG. 6  for coiling/uncoiling the hose  5 . The conventional hose reel  6  has a reel body  61  that is formed with a rotatable coiling barrel  62  thereon. On one side of the coiling barrel  62 , a crank handle  63  or a mechanism (not shown) for rotating the coiling barrel  62  is further formed co-axial to the coiling barrel  62 . The hose  5  has one end fixed to the coiling barrel  62 , such that the hose is coiled on the coiling barrel  62  by rotating the coiling barrel  62  with the crank handle  63 . And the hose  5  is uncoiled by simply pulling out the hose  5  from the coiling barrel  62 , making it convenient to water the garden without the trouble associated with directly pulling the hose  5 . It is noted that the conventional hose reel  6  described above is also disclosed in several U.S. patents, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,657,789, 5,704,384, 5,797,424, 5,901,730, and 5,988,552. 
   Although the hose  5  is coiled/uncoiled conveniently with the hose reel  6 , the hose reel  6  is a coiling mechanism having a complex structure. So, cost for the hose reel  6  is usually high for the typical consumers. 
   Also, as the coiling barrel  62  is rotated with the hand-held crank handle  63  for coiling the hose  5 , a large amount of manual labor is expended to coil a long hose  5 . Another mechanism (not shown) that enables rotation of the coiling barrel  62  may be included to substitute for the manual coiling structure. However, an additional  mechanism means the entire structure of the hose reel  6  is made more complex than a simplified structure having simply the crank handle  63 . Accordingly, the cost for fabricating the hose reel  6  with a crank handle  63  and the additional mechanism is further increased, making such a hose reel structure less attractive to the general consumer. 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , a hose rack  7  for easy coiling/uncoiling of the hose  5  is further disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,215, while a similar structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,814. The hose rack  7  is a metal rack body, which is directly attached to a wall or post, so that the hose  5  can be directly coiled on the hose rack  7 . 
   However, the hose  5  has to be held by the user&#39;s hand and wrapped around the hose rack  7 . Also, the hose  5  is made of soft material, so it is difficult to coil the hose  5  evenly on the hose rack  7  after the hose  5  is wrapped around the hose rack  7 . Furthermore, if the hose  5  needs to be used again, it has to be uncoiled loop by loop from the rack. When the hose  5  is uncoiled, it is very likely to cause twisting of the hose  5  into a knot. Therefore, it is inconvenient to uncoil the hose  5  as it easily tangles. As a result, the above-mentioned drawbacks are not adequately resolved and require further improvements. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for conveniently coiling/uncoiling a flexible hose on an accommodating mount, so as to avoid trouble and inconvenience for coiling and uncoiling a water hose. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide a hose storage apparatus, comprised mainly of a flexible hose and an accommodating mount, wherein  the flexible hose is a coil of hollow tubing curling in a spiral fashion, such that the flexible hose is flexible in terms of retraction and extension to be conveniently stored on the accommodating mount. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide a hose storage apparatus comprising the flexible hose and the accommodating mount, wherein the flexible hose retracts as a result of its spiral-coiled shape, such that the flexible hose is merely pulled to extend the hose by an applied force without using other mechanical structures, simplifying the structure and reducing the fabrication cost. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide a hose storage apparatus having a flexible hose that retracts and extends as a result of its spiral-coiled structure to prevent tangling of the hose, so as to save trouble when adjusting the hose in use. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide a hose storage apparatus having a flexible hose that retracts and extends as a result of its structure, so as to prevent pinching of the hose caused by tangling of the hose resulting a retarded water flow. 
   In accordance with the above and other objectives, the present invention proposes a hose storage apparatus comprising an accommodating mount and a flexible hose. The accommodating mount has a vertical column, and the flexible hose is a spiral-coiled hollow tube, such that the flexible hose is coiled by its natural curling structure on to the vertical column of the accommodating mount when the flexible hose is not used, and the flexible hose is directly pulled out by pulling the flexible hose from a top of the vertical column to a distance. And, as soon as the flexible hose is released, the flexible hose retracts due to its recoiling characteristic to coil on the vertical column  of the accommodating mount, so as to save time and trouble in coiling/uncoiling the flexible hose. 
   To provide a further understanding of the invention, the following detailed description illustrates embodiments and examples of the invention. It is to be understood that this detailed description is being provided only for illustration of the invention and not to limit the scope of this invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings included herein provide a further understanding of the invention. A brief introduction of the drawings is as follows: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a hose storage apparatus according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the hose storage apparatus of the hose storage apparatus according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an accommodating mount according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the hose storage apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the accommodating mount of the hose storage apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of conventional hose reel according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,789; and 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of conventional hose rack according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,215.  
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a hose storage apparatus comprises an accommodating mount  1  and a flexible hose  2 . The accommodating mount  1  includes a base  11  provided with a vertical column  12  thereon. The flexible hose  2  is a spiral-coiled hollow tube that can coil on the vertical column  12  of the accommodating mount  1  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   Since the flexible hose  2  has a spiral-coiled hollow tube structure, the flexible hose is free to extend and retract. And, when usage for watering is desired, the flexible hose  2  is uncoiled from the accommodating mount  1 , such that one end of the flexible hose  2  is connected to a tap outlet and the other end of the flexible hose  2  can be pulled to a distance. When the flexible hose  2  is elongated by pulling, its appearance changes to a shape similar to an extended spring, so that the flexible hose  2  may be pulled to a distance to carry out watering. When watering is complete, the flexible hose is released to readily recoil into its original shape. Next, the flexible hose  2  is removed from the tap and coiled on the vertical column  12  of the accommodating mount  1  in order to complete the operation of coiling/uncoiling the flexible hose  2 . 
   The flexible hose  2  achieves flexible extension via its spiral-coiled structure. Thus, this property saves time and trouble for storing the flexible hose  2  over using the conventional coiling barrel of the prior art. The flexible hose  2  is automatically recoiled by lightly adjusting the flexible tube by hand, making it convenient and ready for the next usage. 
   Since the flexible hose  2  achieves extension and retraction via its spiral-coiled structure, and the accommodating mount  1  is merely an accommodating structure  without any other moving mechanisms, the entire structure for the hose storage apparatus is simplified, lowering its manufacture cost. And a lower manufacturing cost usually makes the hose storage apparatus more popular and acceptable with general consumers. 
   Further, the flexible hose  2  has a spiral-coiled structure that enables a self-recoiling. So, this prevents tangling of the flexible hose  2 , saving time spent on adjusting the hose employed in the prior art during usage. As a result, it is more practical and convenient to use the flexible hose  2  than the conventional hose. 
   Moreover, as the flexible hose  2  achieves extension by its spiral-coiled structure, the flexible hose  2  needs to be composed of material with sufficient hardness. Since the flexible hose  2  is composed of the hard material, the diameter of the flexible hose  2  is not easily flattened under compression. This prevents retardation of water flow due to tangling of the hose. Therefore, it is more convenient for the user to water at a distance, since the user doesn&#39;t need to continually monitor and adjust for tangling when moving around. 
   In usage, one end of the flexible hose  2  is mounted with a nozzle  21 . And, depending on the actual situation, different types of nozzles  21  may be used to cause the water to eject in various manners, including a single jet, multiple fine jets, or mist. 
   Alternatively, the flexible hose  2  may be a spiral and cylindrical coiled hollow tube to achieve a similar effect as the spiral-coiled hollow tube previously discussed. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , a bottom of the accommodating mount  1  is a hollow base  13  for securing the vertical column  12  thereon, and the hollow base  13  is further formed with a water inlet  131  and a discharge outlet  132 , so that the hollow base  13  may be filled up with water via the water inlet  131 . As a result, this provides storage stability  to prevent tipping of the accommodating mount  1 . And if the hose storage apparatus is to be moved to other places, water in the hollow base  13  may be discharged from the discharge outlet  132  to reduce the weight of the accommodating mount  1 , making the hose storage apparatus easier to be moved to another place. 
   In another embodiment, referring to  FIG. 4 , a water inlet  133  and a discharge outlet  134  are further formed on the hollow base  13 , wherein the water inlet  133  is connected to a tap (not shown) by another hose  3 , and the discharge outlet  134  is connected to the flexible hose  2 , such that water is introduced into the hollow base  13  to fill up and stabilize the accommodating mount  1 . Then, water is supplied from the hollow base  13  to the flexible hose  2  in such a way that the flexible hose  2  and accommodating mount  1  are integrated as one body, so as to save trouble in connecting the flexible hose  2  to the tap each time the apparatus is used. And, such a structural arrangement is also applicable to the embodiment where the hose storage apparatus is used by fixing it to the ground for use over an extended period. 
   When the hose storage apparatus is used for an extended period, the hose  3  supplying the hollow base  13  is detached from the water inlet  133  after usage, so that water in the hollow base  13  drains from the water inlet  133 . Hence, this makes it easier to move the host storage apparatus after water in the hollow base  13  is emptied. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , a base  11  is formed below the accommodating mount  1 , and a plurality of fastening holes  11   a  are further formed around the perimeter of the base  11  in such a manner that the accommodating mount  1  may be securely staked to the ground via insertion of stakes  4  through the fastening holes  11   a . If the ground is composed of cement, the accommodating mount may be permanently fixed to the ground (permanent fixation of the accommodating mount  1  to the cement ground is not  the key point of the present invention, so the details are omitted herein). And if the ground is a lawn, the accommodating mount  1  may be fixed temporarily so as to prevent tipping of the accommodating mount  1 . 
   It is noted that the present embodiment is also applicable to the accommodating mount  1  having either the base  11  or the hollow base  13  formed at the bottom of the accommodating mount  1 . 
   Again, referring to  FIG. 1 , a carrier base  12   a  is further formed on top of the vertical column  12  of the accommodating mount  1  for receiving the nozzle  21  connected to the end of the flexible hose  2 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , on the base  11  (or hollow base  13 ) of the accommodating mount  1 , a through hole  11   b  is formed, through which the vertical column  12  can be inserted and secured. Thus, the vertical column  12  can be detached from the base  11  (or hollow base  13 ) to minimize the overall size, making it easier for packing and moving the host storage apparatus. 
   Moreover, a protrusion piece  1   c  is formed on an inner circumferential face of the through hole  11   b . Correspondingly, a circumferential groove  12   b  is formed at a bottom end of the of the vertical column  12 , so that the vertical column  12  may be securely fixed on the base  11  (or hollow base  13 ) by engaging the protrusion piece  11   c  
of the through hole  11   b  to the circumferential groove  12   b  of the vertical column  12  when the bottom end of the vertical column  12  is inserted in the through hole  11   b  of the base  11  (or hollow base  13 ). Accordingly, such assembly also facilitates detachment of the vertical column  12  from the base (or hollow base  13 ). 
   Further referring to  FIG. 3 , a detachable top cap  14  is mounted on the top of the vertical column  12  for securing the flexible hose  2  on the accommodating mount  1 .  The detachable top cap  14  is removed from the top of the vertical column  12  before the flexible hose  2  can be uncoiled from the vertical column  12 . And after usage of the flexible hose  2 , the flexible hose  2  is coiled back on the vertical column  12  before mounting the detachable top cap  14  on the top of the vertical column  12 . As a result, the flexible hose  2  is clamped on the vertical column  12  between the base  11  (or hollow base  13 ) and detachable top cap  14  respectively at the bottom end and the top end of the vertical column  12 , so as to prevent the flexible hose  2  from lying loosely on the ground. 
   It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is only illustrative of specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operation of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims.