Corrugated flexible hose

Claim 2

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of uniform dimension and being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the uniformly dimensioned convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose and retaining relative uniform dimensioning of the hose by utilizing only two different size convolutes along the length of the hose.

Claim 3

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall are shallower than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall.

Claim 4

The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein the depth of the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall is approximately 14 percent of the internal diameter of the hose and the depth of the remainder of the convolutions is approximately 22 percent of the internal diameter of the hose.

Claim 5

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one end of the hose terminates in a hollow open ended cuff to facilitate removable connection of the hose to a member.

Claim 6

The invention in accordance with claim 4 wherein the at least one cuff is flared outwardly toward the open end thereof and contains an annular internal detent adjacent to the convolutions of the hose to receive a corresponding projection on a member and facilitates removable connection of the hose to the member.

Claim 7

The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hose is constructed of a plastic material.

Claim 8

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the wall including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being a larger outside diameter, of greater wall thickness, and shallower than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall thereby providing a stiffer portion of the hose to facilitate removable connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose.

Claim 9

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the wall including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being a larger outside diameter, of greater wall thickness, and shallower than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall thereby providing a stiffer portion of the hose to facilitate removable connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose.

Claim 10

The invention in accordance with claim 7 wherein the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall include a crest wall thickness of approximately 0.020 inches and a trough wall thickness of approximately 0.028 inches and a convolution depth of approximately 16 percent of the internal diameter of the hose, the remaining convolutions of the wall including a crest wall thickness of approximately 0.008 inches and a trough wall thickness of approximately 0.028 inches and a convolution depth of approximately 19 percent of the internal diameter of the hose.

Claim 11

The invention in accordance with claim 7 wherein the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall include troughs with internal radii approximately two-and-a-half times that of the internal radii of the crests thereof, and the remainder of the convolutions including crests with outside radii approximately 0.045 inches and flat troughs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hose.

Claim 12

The invention in accordance with claim 7 wherein there is at least one open ended hollow cuff extending from a terminal end of the hose to facilitate removable connection to a member.

Claim 13

The invention in accordance with claim 10 wherein at least one cuff is flared outwardly toward the open end thereof and includes an annular locking detent therein adjacent to the convolutions of the hose and adapted to receive a corresponding projection on a member removably connected to the hose.

Claim 14

The invention in accordance with claim 15 wherein the hose is constructed of a plastic material.

Claim 15

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose, and the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of larger outside diameter than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall.

Claim 16

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose, and the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of larger outside diameter than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall.

Claim 17

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose, and the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of larger outside diameter than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall having troughs with internal radii approximately two-and-a-half times that of the crests and the remainder of the convolutions having crests with outside radii of approximately 0.045 inches and troughs that are flat and parallel to the axis of the hose.

Claim 18

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose, and the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of larger outside diameter than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall having troughs with internal radii approximately two-and-a-half times that of the crests and the remainder of the convolutions having crests with outside radii of approximately 0.045 inches and troughs that are flat and parallel to the axis of the hose.

Claim 19

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow Tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose, and the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of greater wall thickness than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall.

Claim 20

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow Tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose, and the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of greater wall thickness than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall.

Claim 21

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose, and the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of greater wall thickness than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall, the wall thickness of the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall including a crest wall thickness of approximately 0.020 inches and a trough wall thickness of approximately 0.028 inches and the remainder of the convolutions including a crest wall thickness of approximately 0.008 inches and a trough wall thickness of approximately 0.028 inches.

Claim 22

A corrugated flexible hose comprising: a predetermined length of walled hollow tubular material, the walls including convolutions of alternate crests and troughs along a substantial portion of its length, the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being dimensionally varied from the remainder of the convolutions of the wall so as to provide a stiffer portion at said at least one end of the hose to facilitate connection to a member while retaining flexibility of the hose, and the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall being of greater wall thickness than the remainder of the convolutions of the wall, the wall thickness of the convolutions adjacent at least one end of the wall including a crest wall thickness of approximately 0.020 inches and a trough wall thickness of approximately 0.028 inches and the remainder of the convolutions including a crest wall thickness of approximately 0.008 inches and a trough wall thickness of approximately 0.028 inches.