Expandable and contractible garden hose

What is this patent about?

’870 is related to the field of fluid transport conduits, specifically focusing on a lightweight, expandable hose assembly. Traditional garden hoses are often bulky, heavy, and prone to kinking or tangling during storage and deployment. The background context involves the need for a hose that remains compact and manageable when empty but can significantly increase in length and volume when connected to a pressurized water source, such as a residential faucet.

The underlying idea behind ’870 is the utilization of a pressure-driven mechanical expansion achieved through a dual-layered tube architecture. By nesting a highly elastic inner tube within a longer, non-elastic fabric outer sleeve and anchoring them only at the terminal couplings, the system allows the inner tube to stretch freely. When internal fluid pressure builds, the inner tube elongates and widens until it is physically constrained by the fixed dimensions of the outer sleeve, which acts as a structural limit to prevent the elastomer from bursting.

The claims of ’870 focus on a hose assembly and a method of liquid transport that requires the inner and outer tubes to be unsecured between the first and second ends. This lack of intermediate bonding is critical, as it ensures the outer fabric can move freely along the inner elastic member. The independent claims specifically require a flow restrictor at the outlet to create the necessary backpressure to trigger the longitudinal and lateral expansion of the elastic inner tube from a relaxed state to a fully extended condition.

In practice, the invention functions by using the energy of the pressurized liquid to overcome the elastic memory of the inner rubber material. As the inner tube stretches, the excess length of the outer fabric—which is gathered and bunched in the contracted state—unfolds into a smooth, taut surface. This differential movement between the layers prevents the kinking common in single-layer hoses, as the outer sleeve provides a low-friction guide for the expanding core while protecting it from external abrasions.

This approach differs from prior art by avoiding internal springs, wire reinforcements, or complex bonded laminates that add weight and stiffness. Unlike fire hoses that simply flatten when empty, this invention uses automatic contraction to pull the entire assembly back to a fraction of its working length once pressure is released. By relying on the inherent elasticity of the inner tube rather than mechanical biasing elements, the hose achieves a high expansion ratio while remaining light enough for easy one-handed operation.