Hose Connector

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed to an improvement in hose connectors for coupling flexible hoses together.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The art of connecting flexible hoses has involved various devices for insertion in the bore of the flexible hose. In some instances the hose connector has embodied a single metallic body having a central bore and an exterior form in which the ends are tapered to an enlarged midposition, and in which the tapered ends have a series of barb rings which grip the surface of the hose bore and create a labyrinth seal to stop leakage of the medium, such as a gas or a fluid, to be conducted through the hose. It is known that metallic hose connectors are heavy, costly to produce, and require excessive waste of metal in order to form tapered ends for the series of barb rings.

In the place of metallic hose connectors, it is known to form connectors of molded plastic materials in two pieces which have a slip fit to unite the pieces to complete a connector. The two-piece connector requires substantial precision in molding the surface which have the slip fit so that a leakproof joint can be created when the pieces are adhesively joined. The problem with two-piece hose connectors is that the mating of the two parts creates a bulky body which is cylindrical for ease of molding, excessive material is required, and the precision required to make a slip fit adds to the cost of production.

There are several additional types of molded plastic hose connectors, one of which is similar to the foregoing two-piece body with the slip fit, except that the two parts have enlarged flanges which are secured in abutment to make the final form of the connector into a single body hose connector. Another hose connector is made into a single body in which one end set of barbs is larger in diameter than the opposite end set of barbs, and these different barbed ends are connected by a small diameter plain tubular portion. This last hose connector is intended to be used for connecting hoses of different diameters.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a hose connector having a configuration that is adapted to low cost injection molding techniques, to overcome the problems in producing a two-piece connector that can be assembled in a leakproof manner, and to allow for increased production with significant reduction in use of material in the final hose connector.

A preferred embodiment of the present hose connector comprises a one-piece injection molded body having a substantially uniform internal bore, tapered end portions formed with a series of barb rings which gradually increase in diameter from ring-to-ring, and at least one midrib having a noncircular periphery so the connector will be prevented from rolling.

Other features and characteristics of the hose connector of this invention will be set forth in the following description.

The presently preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the hose connector to show the tapered configuration imparted to the barbs and the central noncircular rib; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view seen along line 2--2 in FIG. 1 to further show the noncircular configuration of the cental or midrib.

The views in the drawings depict a preferred embodiment for the hose connector which can be produced at low cost and in quantity by injection molding technique with multi-cavity molds. The body of the connector is formed from each end by a series of circular barbs, beginning at the end barbs 11 and continuing toward the midlength with progressively larger circular barbs 12, 13 and 14. There is a larger midring or midrib 15 which has a noncircular form as shown in FIG. 2, and this rib 15 is flanked at each side by slightly smaller rings or ribs 16. The connector body has a substantially constant diameter bore 17 running throughout its length.

A characteristic of the connector can be seen in the arrangement of the series of barb rings 11, 12, 13 and 14 being formed in stacked adjacency so that a secure grip can be created with the interior of a flexibe hose. The series of barb rings are intended to indent into the interior surface of a hose having a flexible wall and form a labyrinth type seal which not only is leakproof for gaseous as well as liquid materials, but establishes a secure connection to resist detachment.

A further characteristic of the connector resides in the formation of the midlocation of the ribs 15 and 16 in spaced relation to reduce the weight of the connector and form support for the wall of the plane tubular portion 18 of the body between the ribs 15 and 16 which has a reduced wall thickness. In addition, the midposition rib 15 has been given a noncircular form so the connector body will not roll if placed on a slope or nonlevel surface before being inserted in a hose. The noncircular form may be a simple rectangle, or a square with clipped corners as seen in FIG. 2, as that appears to be the least expensive to provide.

There are a variety of materials which can be employed for the hose connector. Some can be polypropylene, or nylon, or Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene resin (ABS), but the essential characteristics is that the material lends itself to injection molding technique which results in a one-piece body of uniform consistency of shape with sufficient strength to withstand internal pressures exerted by the gaseous or liquid media being moved through the hose.

In addition to the characteristics in form of the hose connector body 10, it is to be noted that the provision of the spaced midribs 15 and 16 affords a place where the body can be gripped when being installed or removed from a hose.

In the foregoing description of the hose connector, and with reference to the drawings, it can be appreciated that the connector comprises an elongated one-piece body formed of a moldable plastic material having a substantially uniform diameter internal bore extending from end-to-end of the body with first and second series of barb rings on said body surrounding said bore and extending inwardly from the opposite ends of the body toward the midspan of the length of the body, each series of barb rings including small diameter rings adjacent the ends of the body and progressively increasing diameter rings in adjacency such that the series of the barb rings define axially spaced tapered end portions on said body which become progressively larger in diameter or diverge toward the body midspan which has a uniform external diameter between the barb rings, and means formed on the body in the exposed uniform diameter midspan thereof for providing a support for the midspan wall as well as a finger grip when manipulating the connector on a hose, and wherein the finger grip means include an enlarged rib 15 having a non-circular peripheral shape for preventing the connector body from rolling, and flanking ribs 16. The roll prevention feature of the rib is to make the job of handling the hoses and connector more efficient, especially when the connector must be put down while the hose is being brought into position to receive the connector. The hose connector disclosed in the foregoing specification can be easily understood to accomplish its intended purpose, and provide an extremely simple and low cost connector body which is rugged and capable of making a leak-free connection with the interior of a hose. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed form for the hose connector is given by way of illustration and not necessarily by way of limitation.