Composite Hose with a Corrugated Metal Tube and Method for Making the Same

Abstract

A composite hose is constructed to have an outer peripheral portion and an inner peripheral portion. The outer peripheral portion includes an elastic layer and a reinforcing layer provided on an outer periphery of the elastic layer. The inner peripheral portion includes a corrugated metal tube which is provided with a corrugated portion formed with corrugation his and corrugation valleys. A distance between the reinforcing layer and tops of the corrugation hills of the corrugated metal tube is designed 0.27 mm or less.

1 . A composite hose, comprising:
 an outer peripheral portion having flexibility, the outer peripheral portion including an elastic layer and a reinforcing layer provided on an outer periphery of the elastic layer,   an inner peripheral portion provided in an inner periphery of the outer peripheral portion, the inner peripheral portion including a corrugated metal tube provided with a corrugated portion formed with corrugation hills and corrugation valleys, and having fluid impermeability,   a distance between the reinforcing layer and tops of the corrugation hills of the corrugated metal tube being designed 0.27 mm or less,   wherein the distance of 0.27 mm or less between the reinforcing layer and the tops of the corrugation hills of the corrugated metal tube is formed by expanding and plastically deforming the corrugated metal tube, and the corrugation hills have Vickers hardness that is greater than Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys.   
   
   
       2 . A composite hose as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the corrugation hills have the Vickers hardness that is greater than the Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys by 5% or more. 
   
   
       3 . A composite hose, comprising:
 an outer peripheral portion having flexibility, the outer peripheral portion including an elastic layer and a reinforcing layer provided on an outer periphery of the elastic layer,   an inner peripheral portion provided in an inner periphery of the outer peripheral portion, the inner peripheral portion including a corrugated metal tube provided with a corrugated portion formed with corrugation hills and corrugation valleys, and having fluid impermeability,   a distance between the reinforcing layer and tops of the corrugation hills of the corrugated metal tube being designed 0.27 mm or less,   wherein the distance of 0.27 mm or less between the reinforcing layer and the tops of the corrugation hills of the corrugated metal tube is formed by expanding and plastically deforming the corrugated metal tube, the corrugated metal tube is made of SUS304 and has Vickers hardness equal to or greater than Hv170 at positions of the tops of the corrugation hills.   
   
   
       4 . The method for making a composite hose, comprising:
 a first step of preparing a corrugated metal tube including a corrugated portion formed with corrugation hills and corrugation valleys,   a second step of constructing an outer peripheral portion with flexibility on an outer periphery of the corrugated metal tube by forming an elastic layer on an outer periphery of the corrugated metal tube and providing a reinforcing layer on an outer periphery of the elastic layer, and   a third step of plastically deforming the corrugated metal tube outwardly by exerting a deforming pressure beyond a yield point of the corrugated metal tube in an inside of the corrugated metal tube provided with the outer peripheral portion on an outer periphery thereof.   
   
   
       5 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the deforming pressure to be exerted by being prepressurized is higher than a pressure to be exerted by an internal fluid in a service environment. 
   
   
       6 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein in the third step, the deforming pressure is raised in the inside of the corrugated metal tube at a constant pressure raising speed up to a determined pressure, the determined pressure is greater than the yield point of the corrugated metal tube, and the inside of the corrugated metal tube is maintained at the determined pressure during a determined duration time period to plastically deform the corrugated metal tube. 
   
   
       7 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the deforming pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have Vickers hardness that is greater than Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys. 
   
   
       8 . The method as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the deforming pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have the Vickers hardness that is greater than the Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys by 5% or more. 
   
   
       9 . The method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the corrugated metal tube is made of SUS304, and the deforming pressure is applied so that the corrugated metal tube has Vickers hardness that is equal to or greater than Hv170 at positions of the tops of the corrugation hills. 
   
   
       10 . A method for making a composite hose, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated, fluid impermeable, corrugated metal tube having corrugation hills and corrugation valleys;   providing a flexible elastic layer in the corrugation valleys on an outer periphery of the corrugated metal tube; and a reinforcing layer on an outer periphery of the elastic layer, the reinforcing layer being spaced from the corrugation hills by a distance that is greater than 0.27 mm; and   applying pressure to an interior of the corrugated metal tube, the pressure being greater than a radial yield point of the corrugated metal tube, until the corrugated metal tube is deformed outwardly towards the reinforcing layer and the distance between the reinforcing layer and tops of the corrugation hills becomes equal to or less than 0.27 mm.   
   
   
       11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the reinforcing layer comprises a braided reinforcing wire member and the applied pressure tensions the reinforcing layer. 
   
   
       12 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the applied pressure is higher than an intended operation pressure for the composite hose. 
   
   
       13 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the pressure is raised in an inside of the corrugated metal tube at a constant pressure raising speed up to a determined pressure, the determined pressure is greater than the yield point of the corrugated metal tube, and the inside of the corrugated metal tube is maintained at the determined pressure during a determined duration time period to plastically deform the corrugated metal tube. 
   
   
       14 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have Vickers hardness that is greater than Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys. 
   
   
       15 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have the Vickers hardness that is greater than the Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys by 5% or more. 
   
   
       16 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the corrugated metal tube is made of SUS304, and the pressure is applied so that the corrugated metal tube has Vickers hardness that is equal to or greater than Hv170 at positions of the tops of the corrugation hills. 
   
   
       17 . A method for making a composite hose, the method comprising the steps of
 providing an elongated, fluid impermeable, corrugated metal tube having corrugation hills and corrugation valleys;   providing a flexible elastic layer in the corrugation valleys on the outer periphery of the corrugated metal tube; and   applying pressure to the interior of the corrugated metal tube, the pressure being greater than an radial yield point of the corrugated metal tube, until the corrugation hills plastically deform and comprise a width that is greater than a width of the corrugation valleys.   
   
   
       18 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the applied pressure is higher than an intended operation pressure for the composite hose. 
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the pressure is raised in an inside of the corrugated metal tube at a constant pressure raising speed up to a determined pressure, the determined pressure is greater than the yield point of the corrugated metal tube, and the inside of the corrugated metal tube is maintained at the determined pressure during a determined duration time period to plastically deform the corrugated metal tube. 
   
   
       20 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have Vickers hardness that is greater than Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys. 
   
   
       21 . The method as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have the Vickers hardness that is greater than the Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys by 5% or more. 
   
   
       22 . The method as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the corrugated metal tube is made of SUS304, and the pressure is applied so that the corrugated metal tube has Vickers hardness that is equal to or greater than Hv170 at positions of the tops of the corrugation hills. 
   
   
       23 . A method for making a composite hose, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated, fluid impermeable, corrugated metal tube having corrugation hills and corrugation valleys;   providing a flexible elastic layer in the corrugation valleys on an outer periphery of the corrugated metal tube; and   applying pressure to an interior of the corrugated metal tube, the pressure being greater than a radial yield point of the corrugated metal tube, until the corrugation hills plastically deform and the corrugation hills comprising a radius of curvature that is smaller than a radius of curvature of the corrugation valleys before the pressure is applied.   
   
   
       24 . The method as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the pressure that is applied to the interior of the corrugated metal tube is higher than an intended operation pressure for the composite hose. 
   
   
       25 . The method as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the radius of curvature of the corrugation hills is less than or equal to two-thirds of the radius of curvature of the corrugation valleys before the pressure is applied. 
   
   
       26 . The method as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the pressure is applied to the interior of the corrugated metal tube until the radius of curvature of the corrugation hills is generally equal to the radius of curvature of the corrugation valleys. 
   
   
       27 . The method as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the pressure is raised in an inside of the corrugated metal tube at a constant pressure raising speed up to a determined pressure, the determined pressure is greater than the yield point of the corrugated metal tube, and the inside of the corrugated metal tube is maintained at the determined pressure during a determined duration time period to plastically deform the corrugated metal tube. 
   
   
       28 . The method as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have Vickers hardness that is greater than Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys. 
   
   
       29 . The method as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein the pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have the Vickers hardness that is greater than the Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys by 5% or more. 
   
   
       30 . A method for making a composite hose, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated, fluid impermeable, corrugated metal tube having corrugation hills and corrugation valleys;   providing a flexible elastic layer in the corrugation valleys on an outer periphery of the corrugated metal tube; and   applying pressure to an interior of the corrugated metal tube, the pressure being greater than a radial yield point of the corrugated metal tube, until the corrugation hills plastically deform and comprise a width that is generally equal to the width of the corrugation valleys.   
   
   
       31 . The method as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein the pressure that is applied to the interior of the corrugated metal tube is higher than an intended operation pressure for the composite hose. 
   
   
       32 . The method as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein the pressure is raised in an inside of the corrugated metal tube at a constant pressure raising speed up to a determined pressure, the determined pressure is greater than the yield point of the corrugated metal tube, and the inside of the corrugated metal tube is maintained at the determined pressure during a determined duration time period to plastically deform the corrugated metal tube. 
   
   
       33 . The method as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein the pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have Vickers hardness that is greater than Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys. 
   
   
       34 . The method as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the pressure is applied so that the corrugation hills have the Vickers hardness that is greater than the Vickers hardness of the corrugation valleys by 5% or more.