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Publication Number
US-11052214-B2
Publication Date
2021-07-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
Helically winding an extruded web to form a wall of a heated hose about a central axis, extruding a bead of plastics material around a heating wire such that the extruded bead comprises the heating wire at a first location within a cross-section of the extruded bead, helically winding the extruded bead onto the wall of the hose to provide a support helix, and exerting tension on the heating wire to draw down the heating wire toward the central axis such that the heating wire migrates radially inward from the first location to a second location within the cross-section of the extruded bead.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a heated respiratory hose assembly that mitigates condensation by forming a heated hose wall using a plastics support helix in which heating wires are incorporated. A continuous web of plastics material is helically wound about a mandrel or rotating rod to form the wall of the heated hose about a central axis.
A heating wire or multiple heating wires are fed into a second extruder, and a continuous bead of plastics material is extruded around the heating wire or heating wires so they are fully surrounded by plastics material. Tension is exerted to draw the heating wire or heating wires radially inward within the bead from an initial location to a second location closer to the central axis and to the hose wall.
In embodiments, the extruded bead is helically wound onto and about the external surface of the wall to provide a support helix that incorporates the heating wire or heating wires. The specification further describes integrating electrical wiring by using unwound or straightened portions of the support helix as cables or external pigtails to connect heating-wire loops to keyed electrical connectors in hose fittings, including Y, T, and through fittings.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent method claims. Each independent claim covers forming a heated hose by helically winding a plastics web to form a hose wall and by extruding one or two heating wires into a plastics bead, with tension-driven radially inward migration of the heating wire or wires within the bead to form a support helix incorporating the heating wire or wires.
Extruding a plastics web and helically winding it to form the hose wall
Extruding a continuous web of plastics material of substantially uniform width from a first extruder, and helically winding the extruded web about a mandrel or at least one rotating rod to form a wall of the heated hose about a central axis.
Extruding a bead around heating wire or wires so they are fully surrounded by plastics material
Feeding a first heating wire into a second extruder and extruding a continuous bead of plastics material around the first heating wire so the bead emerges with the first heating wire fully surrounded by plastics material; for the second independent claim, feeding a first and a second heating wire so both are fully surrounded by the extruded bead.
Helically winding the extruded bead to provide a support helix that incorporates the heating wire or wires
Helically winding the extruded bead onto and about an external surface of the wall of the hose formed from the helical winding of the extruded web to provide a wall support helix that incorporates the heating wire or wires.
Tension-driven radially inward migration of heating wire or wires within the bead toward the hose wall and central axis
Exerting tension on the heating wire or wires as the heating wire is fed into the second extruder and as the extruded bead is wound onto and about the external surface of the wall, to draw down each heating wire toward the central axis so the heating wire migrates radially inward within the bead from an initial location within the cross-section to a second location still within the cross-section and closer to the wall and the central axis.
Across both independent claims, the core claim coverage is the combination of helically winding a plastics web to form the heated hose wall, extruding a plastics bead around one or two heating wires so the wires are fully surrounded, helically winding the bead to form a support helix that incorporates the heating wire or wires, and applying tension so the heating wire or wires migrate radially inward within the bead toward the hose wall and the central axis.
Stated Advantages
Mitigates condensation in a heated respiratory hose assembly.
Documented Applications
A heated respiratory hose assembly for respiratory use where condensation mitigation is desired.
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