Patent Publication Number: US-2023132466-A1

Title: Hose joint

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to hoses and, more particularly, to a joint for connection two hoses. 
     2. Related Prior Art 
     For extinguishing fire or gardening, hoses are used to transmit water from sources such as fire hydrants or faucets to sites where water is needed. There are different distances between the sources and the sites where water is needed. Hence, different lengths of hoses are needed. In practice, multiple hoses are used. Some of the hoses are interconnected when the source is at a long distance from the site where water is needed. To interconnect the hoses, quick-release joints are used. 
     Referring to  FIG.  14   , two hoses S 1  and S 2  are interconnected by a conventional quick-release joint including two connectors  91  and  92 . The hose S 1  is connected to the connector  91  so that they are not rotatable relative to each other. The hose S 2  is connected to the connector  92  so that they are not rotatable relative to each other. 
     The connector  91  includes multiple flanges  911  insertable in multiple grooves  922  of the connector  92 . The connector  92  includes multiple flanges  921  insertable in multiple grooves  912  of the connector  91 . Thus, the connector  91  is engageable with the connector  92 . 
     To respectively insert the flanges  911  and  921  in the grooves  922  and  912  or to respectively move the flanges  911  and  921  from the grooves  922  and  912 , the connectors  91  and  92  are translated to each other before they are rotated relative to each other. Accordingly, the hose S 1  must be rotated relative to the hose S 2 . It is inevitable to twist the hoses S 1  and S 2  in an attempt to rotate the hose S 1  relative to the hose S 2  because of their length. 
     In a fire-fighting task, the hoses S 1  and S 2  are made of certain rigidity against twisting and hence considerable weight. Hence, it is troublesome to rotate the hose S 1  relative to the hose S 2  because of their weight and rigidity. It would be more so when there is water in the hoses S 1  and S 2 . Sometimes, it requires more than one person to rotate the hose S 1  relative to the hose S 2 . 
     The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a joint for connecting two hoses to each other without having to rotate the hoses relative to each other. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the joint includes two connectors, an adapter and a ring. The first connector includes an axial channel and a thread formed on a wall of the axial channel. The second connector includes an axial channel and a transverse groove and longitudinal groove in an external face. The transverse groove is in communication with the longitudinal groove. The adapter includes an axial channel, two terminal sections and a middle section. The first terminal section includes a thread engaged with the thread of the first connector so that the axial channel of the adapter is coaxial with the axial channel of the first connector. The second terminal section is insertable in the axial channel of the second connector. The middle section is formed between the first and second terminal sections. The ring includes a central aperture, a central space and a fin. The central aperture receives the middle section of the adapter. The central space receives a section of the second connector when the second connector receives the second terminal section of the adapter. The fin is formed on a wall of the central space. The fin is insertable in the transverse groove via the longitudinal groove to connect the ring to the second connector. 
     Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of three embodiments referring to the drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a hose joint according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional view of the hose joint shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is an exploded view of the hose joint shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is an exploded view of the hose joint at another angle than shown in  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    is another exploded view of the hose joint shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of the hose joint shown in  FIG.  1   , showing how to engage a connector of the hose joint with another connector of the hose joint; 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional view of the hose joint shown in  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional view of the hose joint in another position than shown in  FIG.  7   ; 
         FIG.  9    is a side view of a nozzle connected to a hose by the hose joint shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  10    is a cross-sectional view of a hose joint according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view of a connector of a hose joint according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  12    is a side view of the hose joint shown in  FIG.  11   ; 
         FIG.  13    is a cross-sectional view of a ring of the hose joint shown in  FIG.  11   ; and 
         FIG.  14    is an exploded of two hoses connected to each other by a conventional hose joint. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  through  5   , a hose joint includes two connectors  10  and  30 , a screw  20 , an adapter  40  and a ring  50  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A hose  60  is connected to the connector  30  in operation. 
     The connector  10  includes a circular section  11 , a non-circular section  12 , an axial channel  13 , two threads  14  and  15  and a lateral screw hole  16 . The circular section  11  and the non-circular section  12  are formed at two opposite ends of the connector  10 . An external diameter of the circular section  11  is smaller than an external dimension of the non-circular section  12 . 
     The axial channel  13  extends throughout the connector  10 . The axial channel  13  includes a smaller section in the circular section  11  and a larger section in the non-circular section  12 . A shoulder (not numbered) is formed between the smaller and larger sections of the axial channel  13 . 
     The thread  14  extends on an external face of the circular section  11 . The thread  15  extends on an internal face of the larger section of the axial channel  13 . 
     The lateral screw hole  16  extends throughout the non-circular section  12  in a radial manner. The lateral screw hole  16  is in communication with the larger section of the axial channel  13 . The lateral screw hole  16  receives the screw  20 . 
     The connector  30  includes a smaller circular section  31 , a larger circular section  32 , several transverse grooves  33 , several longitudinal grooves  34 , an axial channel  35  and an anti-skid section  36 . The smaller circular section  31  and the larger circular section  32  are formed at two opposite ends of the connector  30 . An external diameter of the smaller circular section  31  is smaller than an external diameter of the larger circular section  32 . 
     Each of the transverse grooves  33  extends in an external face of the larger circular section  32  in a circumferential direction of the connector  30 . Each of the longitudinal grooves  34  extends in the external face of the larger circular section  32  in a longitudinal direction of the connector  30 . Each of the longitudinal grooves  34  is in communication with a corresponding one of the transverse grooves  33 . Each of the longitudinal grooves  34  includes an open end at a free end of the larger circular section  32 . 
     The axial channel  35  extends throughout the connector  30 . The axial channel  35  includes a larger section  351  and a smaller section  352 . A shoulder (not numbered) is formed between the larger section  351  and the smaller section  352 . Annular protuberances  3521  extend from a wall of the smaller section  532  of the axial channel  35 . 
     The anti-skid section  36  extends on the external face of the larger circular section  32  in a circumferential direction. The anti-skid section  36  is located next to the transverse groove  33 . 
     The adapter  40  includes an end connected to the connector  10  and another end inserted in the larger section  351  of the axial channel  35  of the connector  30  in use. The adapter  40  includes an axial channel  41 , a smaller terminal section  42 , a larger terminal section  43  and a middle section  44 . 
     The axial channel  41  extends throughout the adapter  40 . The axial channel  41  includes a polygonal section for receiving a polygonal section of a tool (not shown). 
     The terminal sections  42  and  43  are formed at two opposite ends of the adapter  40 . The smaller terminal section  42  is formed with a thread  45  for engagement with the thread  15  of the connector  10  to connect the adapter  40  to the connector  10  in use. The screw  20  is inserted in the lateral screw hole  16  of the connector  10  so that a tip of the screw  20  abuts against the smaller terminal section  42  of the adapter  40  to ensure the connection of the connector  10  to the adapter  40 . 
     The middle section  44  of the adapter  40  is formed between the smaller terminal section  42  and the larger terminal section  43 . An external diameter of the middle section  44  of the adapter  40  is larger than an external diameter of the smaller terminal section  42  but smaller than an external diameter of the larger terminal section  43  and the external dimension of the non-circular section  12  of the connector  10 . 
     The ring  50  includes a central aperture  51 , a central space  52  and at least one fin  53 . 
     The central aperture  51  and the central space  52  are made in the ring  50 , at two opposite ends of the ring  50 . The central aperture  51  is in communication with the central space  52 . A diameter of the central aperture  51  is smaller than a diameter of the central space  52 . The fins  53  extend on a wall of the central space  52 . 
     In operation, the ring  50  receives the middle section  44  of the adapter  40 . The central aperture  51  is coaxial with the axial channel  13 . The middle section  44  of the adapter  40  extends through the central aperture  51  of the ring  50 . A diameter of the central aperture  51  of the ring  50  is smaller than the external diameter of the larger terminal section  43  of the adapter  40 . Thus, the ring  50  is confined between the connector  10  and the larger terminal section  43  of the adapter  40  while the ring  50  is allowed to rotate relative to the connector  10  and the larger terminal section  43  of the adapter  40 . The fins  53  of the ring  50  are inserted in the transverse grooves  33  of the connector  30  through the longitudinal grooves  34 . 
     The components of the hose joint have been described above. The use of the hose joint will be described referring to  FIGS.  1  through  9   . 
     Referring to  FIG.  9   , the thread  14  of the connector  10  is engaged with a thread (not numbered) formed on an internal face of a nozzle G. The connector  30  is connected to a hose  60 . To this end, an end of the hose  60  is inserted in the smaller section  352  of the axial channel  35  of the connector  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  2   , a lining  70  made of metal such as copper is inserted in the smaller section  352  of the axial channel  35 . Thus, a section of the hose  60  is kept between the lining  70  and the connector  30 . The lining  70  is pressed form inside so that the lining  70  is deformed and hence includes annular portions (not numbered) in compliance with the annular protuberances  3521  of the smaller section  352  of the connector  30 . Thus, the section of the hose  60  is kept on the lining  70  and in the smaller section  352  of the axial channel  35  of the connector  30  in a longitudinal direction. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  5  through  9   , to interconnect the connectors  10  and  30 , the larger terminal section  43  of the adapter  40  is inserted in the axial channel  35  of the connector  30 , and the circular section  32  of the connector  30  is inserted in the central space  52  of the ring  50 . The ring  50  is moved to the connector  30  in an axial direction to move the fins  53  in the longitudinal grooves  34 . Then, the ring  50  is rotated to move the fins  53  in the transverse grooves  33  of the connector  30  so that an end of each of the fins  53  reaches a closed end of a corresponding one of the transverse grooves  33 . Thus, the connectors  10  and  30  are interconnected without having to rotate the nozzle G, which is connected to the connector  10 , relative to the hose  60 , which is connected to the connector  30 . 
     The combination of the connector  10  with the adapter  40  is rotatable relative to the ring  50  and the connector  30 . When the nozzle G is rotated, the combination of the connector  10  with the adapter  40  is rotated relative to the connector  30  and the ring  50 . Thus, the connector  30  and the hose  60  are not rotated. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  2  through  4   , to render the ring  50  smoothly rotatable, at least one Teflon ring T is located around the middle section  44  of the adapter  40 . The Teflon ring T keeps the ring  50  from the larger terminal section  43  of the adapter  40 . Friction between the Teflon ring T and the ring  50  plus friction between the Teflon ring T and the larger terminal section  43  of the adapter  40  is smaller than friction between the ring  50  and the larger terminal section  43  of the adapter  40 . 
     At least one conical washer D (or Teflon ring) is located around the middle section  44  of the adapter  40 . The conical washer D (or Teflon ring) is sandwiched between the ring  50  and the larger terminal section  43  of the adapter  40  to preload the ring  50  in rotation and translation relative to the adapter  40 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  10   , a hose joint according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except for two things. Firstly, the connector  30  includes a thread  3522  instead of the annular protuberances  3521 . Secondly, there is an additional ring O located against an internal flange (not numbered) in the smaller section  352  of the second axial channel  35 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  11  through  13    a hose joint according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown. The third embodiment is like the first embodiment except for three things. Firstly, an arched portion of the connector  30  extending along each of the transverse grooves  33  includes a chamfer  331  at a point where the transverse groove  33  meets the corresponding longitudinal groove  34 . The chamfers  331  facilitate movement of the fins  53  into the transverse grooves  33  via the longitudinal grooves  34 . 
     Secondly, the arched portion of the connector  30  extending along each of the transverse grooves  33  includes a recess  332  near the closed end of the transverse groove  33 . 
     Thirdly and accordingly, each of the fins  53  of the ring  50  includes a boss  531 . The bosses  531  are insertable in the recesses  332  to help keep the ring  50  in position relative to the connector  30 . 
     The present invention has been described via the illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.