Hose Assembly Process, Device, and Product-by-Process

Abstract

A process for assembling a rigid fitting to a flexible or elastic tube or hose within one of a portable, hand-held and/or mountable assembly device, including the steps of slip-fitting the fitting within a pusher member of the device that includes a torque-producing source capable Of converting input power into linear motion force; b. temporarily restraining a hose open end within the assembly device and; activating the torque-producing source to linearly advance the pusher member and fitting, relative to the restrained hose end, for physically inserting the fitting into the hose open end. Additional steps include: retraction of the pusher member and releasing the now-assemble hose and fitting assembly from the assembly device. Product-by-process claims and article claims, pertaining to the assembly device used in the process for assembling, are also set forth.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, at the initial stage of the assembly, of one end of a flexible hose to a separate, rigid, end fitting, prior to their insertion into the assembly device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view, similar to that of FIG. 1, wherein the fitting (not visible here) is now recessed in a fitting holder and the one end of the hose is now retained in a restraining mechanism, both ready for assembly, within the assembly device.

FIG. 3 is a view, similar to that of FIG. 2, but now showing the completion of the hose-end to fitting assembly, after the actuation of an actuatable power source, still within the assembly device.

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to that of FIG. 3, showing the retraction of the fitting holder, with the completed hose-end to fitting assembly still being held by the restraining mechanism within the assembly device.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, showing the removal of the completed hose-end to fitting assembly, after the release thereof from the restraining mechanism, of the assembly device.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of a typical, conventional, prior art, rigid, end fitting that is adapted to be assembled with one end of a flexible hose via the assembly device of the present invention.

Claims

1. A process for assembling a rigid fitting to a flexible hose or tube within one of a hand-held, portable, and mountable device, wherein an insertable portion of said fitting is interference-fitted into an open end portion of said hose until the latter abuts an inner end of an exposed coaxial portion of said fitting, said process including the steps of: a. axially slip-fitting and centering at least a peripheral segment of said fitting exposed portion in a pusher member, with said insertable fitting portion extending axially outwardly from said pusher member; said pusher member being located within said device and operatively interconnected with a torque-producing source capable of converting input power into linear motion force;b. physically, temporarily restraining and centering said hose open end portion, within a restraining mechanism in said device in an axially spaced position away from but coaxial with said insertable fitting portion; andc. activating said torque-producing source to linearly advance said pusher member and fitting, relative to said restrained and centered hose open end portion, thereby physically inserting, in an interference-fit manner, said fitting insertable portion into said hose open end portion until the latter substantially abuts the inner end of said fitting exposed portion and thereby completing said process for assembling.

2. The process for assembling of claim 1, wherein step b. is performed prior to step a.

3. The process for assembling of claim 1, further including the step of linearly retracting said pusher member at least for a distance sufficient to release said peripheral segment of said fitting exposed portion from said pusher member.

4. The process for assembling of claim 3, further including the step of releasing said now-assembled hose and fitting from said device.

5. The process for assembling of claim 1, further including the steps of retracting and releasing said now assembled hose and fitting from said pusher member and device, respectively.

6. The process for assembling of claim 1, wherein said torque-producing source is one of operator-produced, mechanically produced, electrically produced, electro-mechanically produced and pneumatically produced.

7. A hose and fitting assembly assembled by the process of claim 1.

8. A hose and fitting assembly assembled by the process of claim 2.

9. A hose and fitting assembly assembled, on site, via the device and the process of claim 1.

10. A hose and fitting assembly assembled, on site, via the device and the process of claim 5.

11. One of a hand-held, portable and mountable device for assembling a rigid fitting to a flexible hose or tube via interference-fitting of an insertable portion of said fitting into an open end of said hose until the latter abuts an inner end of an exposed coaxial portion of said fitting, said hand-held device including: a housing including a hand-receiving portion;b. an actuatable power source, capable of converting input power into linear motion force, physically located within said housing, said power source having an axially-directed, retractable, output member;c. a pusher member, attached to an inner end of said output member, for axially retaining and centering, in a slip-fit manner, at least a peripheral segment of said fitting exposed portion, with said insertable fitting portion extending axially outwardly from said pusher member;d. said housing further including an integral generally semi-cylindrical housing extension, having a central cavity, axially aligned, concentric wit, and centering said pusher member at an inner end thereof; andc. a peripheral restraining mechanism, affixed to an outer portion of said generally semi-cylindrical housing extension, for physically, temporarily, restraining and centering said hose open end portion away from but coaxial with said insertable fitting portion, wherein activating said power source linearly advances said pusher member and fitting, relative to said restrained and centered hose open portion, thereby pushing said fitting insertable portion into said hose open end portion.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said pusher member is generally cylindrical and has an open end, remote from said output member.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said pusher member has an interior shape and dimensions that at least approximate the exterior shape and dimensions of said peripheral segment of said fitting exposed portion, thereby providing temporary slip-fit restraining and centering of said peripheral segment.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein said source of torque is one of operator-supplied, mechanical, electrical, electro-mechanical, and fluid-powered.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said operator-supplied source of torque is in the form of hand actuation.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said hand actuation is accomplished via a ratcheting mechanism.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein said source of torque includes electric drills, electric caulking guns and pneumatic caulking guns.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said sources are cordless.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein said peripheral restraining mechanism takes the form of a pneumatic bladder.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein said peripheral restraining mechanism takes the form of self-adjusting multi-jaw hose/tube clamps.

21. The device of claim 11, wherein said housing extension, in the area of said central cavity, is provided with axially-spaced indicia markings indicating the preferred axial positionings, relative to each other, of said hose and fitting during the initial positionings thereof, so as to prevent excessive compression of said hose during the insertion of said fitting.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein said indicia markings are semi-circularly directed and include differing axial positionings depending upon the hose material compositions and/or sizes that can be accommodated within said device.

23. The device of claim 11, wherein said device is hand-held.

24. The device of claim 11, wherein said device is adapted to be mounted.

25. The device of claim 11, wherein said device is portable.