Patent Application
20180313485
Not applicable.
The disclosed subject matter relates generally to hose replacement kits and, more particularly, to an air hose connection device.
Air compressors are commonly used for transmitting power to rock drills, jackhammers, air motors, pumps, and many more types of construction equipment. Air compressors and the tools they power enable workers to bore holes, cut materials, crush rock, pour vibrated concrete, and perform countless other construction applications.
Unfortunately, there are many objects on a construction job site which can damage the hoses on the air compressors. When an air hose has been punctured or springs a leak, often times a brass hose barb and external hose clamps are used to repair the hose. However, the hose is never quite the same as the clamps tend to get hung up on surrounding objects when the hose is moved. In such situations, workers must constantly slow down or retrace their steps to release a wedged air hose when the hose is hung up. Many workers find such tasks annoying.
Most frustratingly, many such circumstances result in a severed air hose. When this occurs, workers must often replace the hose, usually at a significant cost to the company and at a great expense of time and energy. This creates a problem on many job sites: how to splice together two parts of an air hose.
Many attempts to advance the art of air hose repair have been made. One such attempt can be seen with respect to U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,118, incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. While this disclosure does generally provide for a quick-connect air hose adapter, this disclosure fails to disclose a single connector piece that provides for an identical, bi-directional connection means.
Another attempt can be seen with respect to U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,745, incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, which generally discloses a two-piece connection apparatus. While the connector shown in this disclosure does simplify the connection process, it only provides for a two-piece assembly that does not provide for a single piece capable of uniting two hoses.
Yet another attempt can be seen with respect to U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,180, incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, which generally discloses a hose connection device configured to be attached to a hose on one end, and bore into another hose with the other end. While this disclosure does provide for the ability to connect one air hose with another, it fails to provide for a way to connect two independent air hoses using a device having identical connection sides.
Hence, none of these in existence comprise beneficial characteristics described in the following disclosure. Thus, there remains a need for an air hose connection device that may be inserted into the ends of two hoses.
The present invention relates to an air hose connection device. It is contemplated that the present invention may provide an easy and secure way to connect two air hoses on a job site.
For purposes of summarizing, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention are provided herein. It is to be understood that not all such aspects, advantages, or novel features may be provided in any one particular embodiment. Thus, the disclosed subject matter may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one aspect, advantage, or novel feature or group of features without achieving all aspects, advantages, or novel features as may be taught or suggested.
In one embodiment, the present invention may provide for a hollow brass hose barb that slips inside two air hoses, thereby repairing them and splicing them together. In some embodiments, once the present invention has been installed internally, the two hoses will be held together without leaking and will be able to withstand the pressure from the compressor without blowing apart.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides for sharp steps on this brass hose barb that may grab against the interior of an air hose line as the present invention is pushed inside the open ends of two separate pieces of the air hose. The present invention may also provide for grooves that may be cut into the surface of the present invention and that may hold one or more portions of, by way of illustration and not limitation, weld-fast glue. As the present invention slides inside the hose and the present invention's barb makes contact with the interior of the hose, the present invention may provide that the glue is spread evenly between the outside of the present invention, including the present invention's barb, and the inside of the hose creating an airtight, secure internal connection between the two pieces. In preferred embodiments, the present invention may also be hollow on the inside, thereby allowing air to flow unobstructed through the full length of each hose when a compressor is turned on.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying figures where:
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing a new and more effective air hose connection device.
All dimensions specified in this disclosure are by way of example only and are not intended to be limiting. Further, the proportions shown in these Figures are not necessarily to scale. As will be understood by those with skill in the art with reference to this disclosure, the actual dimensions and proportions of any embodiment or element of an embodiment disclosed in this disclosure will be determined by its intended use.
It is to be understood that the drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate potential embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention. Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” is intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least an embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “an embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Throughout the drawings, reference numbers are re-used to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. In addition, the first digit of each reference number indicates the figure where the element first appears.
As used in this disclosure, except where the context requires otherwise, the term “comprise” and variations of the term, such as “comprising”, “comprises” and “comprised” are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.
In the following description, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific detail. Well known features, elements or techniques may not be shown in detail in order not to obscure the embodiments.
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Although the present invention has been described with a degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that other versions are possible. As various changes could be made in the above description without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be illustrative and not used in a limiting sense. The spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained in this disclosure.
All features disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstracts, and drawings, and all the steps in any method or process disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, can be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means” for performing a specified function or “step” for performing a specified function should not be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. § 112.
While the garment and method of using the same has been disclosed in connection with a number of embodiments shown and described in detail, various modifications should be readily apparent to those of skill in the art.
