Patent ID: 7857009

Claim:
An apparatus for increasing a bending strength of a tube, the apparatus comprising: an adapter shaped to match a cross-sectional shape of the tube, the adapter being shaped to be fitted to a tube connection of a device and the tube, the adapter including a first cylindrical region that includes a first diameter that fits onto the tube connection and a second cylindrical region that includes a second diameter that fits into the tube, the second diameter being different than the first diameter; and a plurality of spring elements connected to the adapter, each of the spring elements of the plurality projecting out of the second cylindrical region of the adapter in a direction of the tube and having a holding element at a projecting end, the holding elements matching the cross-sectional shape of the tube and describing at least half the periphery of the tube, wherein the holding elements are configured to abut against the tube when the tube is subjected to bending, so that the rigidity of the spring elements increases the bending strength of the tube in a region between the adapter and the holding element.