IP Verse

Expandable And Contractible Garden Hose

Patent No. US11608915 (titled "Expandable And Contractible Garden Hose") was filed by Telebrands Corp on Jan 11, 2021.

What is this patent about?

’915 is related to the field of hoses for carrying liquids, specifically addressing the problem of storage and handling of conventional hoses. Traditional hoses are bulky, heavy, and prone to kinking, making them difficult to store and use. The invention aims to provide a hose that automatically contracts when not in use, reducing its size and weight for easier handling and storage, while also minimizing the risk of kinking.

The underlying idea behind ’915 is to use a combination of an elastic inner tube and a non-elastic outer tube to achieve automatic expansion and contraction. The inner tube, made of a material like latex rubber, expands under pressure, while the outer tube, made of a woven fabric, limits the expansion and provides strength. By securing the two tubes only at their ends, the outer tube can move freely relative to the inner tube, allowing it to bunch up when the inner tube contracts.

The claims of ’915 focus on a garden hose comprising a flexible outer tube and a flexible inner tube. The inner tube has a relaxed length shorter than the outer tube's maximal length. Couplers secure the tubes at their ends, with the inner tube unsecured to the outer tube in between. A flow restrictor is connected to the second coupler. Pressurized water expands the inner tube, extending the hose. Stopping the water flow causes the inner tube to contract, shortening the hose.

In practice, when water pressure is applied, the elastic inner tube expands both in length and diameter, stretching the outer tube until it reaches its maximum length. The non-elastic outer tube prevents the inner tube from over-expanding and bursting. When the water is turned off, the elastic inner tube retracts to its original length, causing the outer tube to fold and compress around it. This results in a significantly shorter and lighter hose that is easier to store.

This design differentiates itself from prior art by not using metal components like springs or wire mesh along the hose's length. This reduces weight and prevents kinking. The ability of the outer tube to move freely and bunch up around the inner tube during contraction is also a key differentiator, as it allows for a more compact and manageable storage configuration compared to traditional hoses that remain relatively rigid even when empty.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the early 2010s when ’915 was filed, hoses for fluid transport were typically implemented using multiple layers of different materials to provide strength and flexibility, at a time when the collapsing or kinking of hoses when not pressurized was a common problem. At this time, the ability to easily store and handle hoses was a known engineering constraint.

Novelty and Inventive Step

Claims 1-18 were rejected. The rejection was based on nonstatutory double patenting over claims 1 and 3-19 of U.S. Patent No. 10,890,278. The examiner stated that the claims were not patentably distinct. The application proceeded to allowance.

Claims

There are 18 claims in total. Claims 1 and 14 are independent. Independent claim 1 focuses on a garden hose apparatus, while independent claim 14 focuses on a method of transporting water through a garden hose. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features, materials, and configurations of the hose and method described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Automatic contraction
(Claim 1, Claim 14)		“A hose which automatically expands longitudinally and automatically expands laterally upon the application of a pressurized liquid within the hose is disclosed. The hose can expand longitudinally up to six times its unexpanded or contracted length and can expand laterally up to six times its unexpanded width. Upon release of the pressurized liquid within the hose, the hose will automatically contract to a contracted condition.”The spontaneous return of the hose to a contracted condition upon stopping the flow of pressurized water and releasing the pressurized water out of the second coupler.
Elastic inner tube
(Claim 14)		“The hose includes an expandable inner tube made from an elastic material and a separate, distinct outer tube made from a non-elastic material, positioned around the outer circumference and length of the inner tube and secured to the inner tube only at the first and second end. The outer tube is unattached, unconnected, unbonded, and unsecured to the inner tube along the entire length of the inner tube, between the first end and the second end, so that the outer tube can move freely with respect to the inner tube along the entire length of the inner tube between the first end and the second end.”A pliable, expandable tube with a hollow interior, positioned within the flexible outer tube.
Flexible inner tube
(Claim 1)		“The hose includes an expandable inner tube made from an elastic material and a separate, distinct outer tube made from a non-elastic material, positioned around the outer circumference and length of the inner tube and secured to the inner tube only at the first and second end. The outer tube is unattached, unconnected, unbonded, and unsecured to the inner tube along the entire length of the inner tube, between the first end and the second end, so that the outer tube can move freely with respect to the inner tube along the entire length of the inner tube between the first end and the second end.”A pliable, elastic tube with a hollow interior and a relaxed length shorter than the outer tube's maximal length, forming the inner layer of the hose.
Flexible outer tube
(Claim 1, Claim 14)		“The hose includes an expandable inner tube made from an elastic material and a separate, distinct outer tube made from a non-elastic material, positioned around the outer circumference and length of the inner tube and secured to the inner tube only at the first and second end. The outer tube is unattached, unconnected, unbonded, and unsecured to the inner tube along the entire length of the inner tube, between the first end and the second end, so that the outer tube can move freely with respect to the inner tube along the entire length of the inner tube between the first end and the second end.”A pliable, non-elastic tube with a hollow interior and a maximal length, forming the outer layer of the hose.
Flow restrictor
(Claim 1, Claim 14)		“A hose which automatically expands longitudinally and automatically expands laterally upon the application of a pressurized liquid within the hose is disclosed. The hose can expand longitudinally up to six times its unexpanded or contracted length and can expand laterally up to six times its unexpanded width. Upon release of the pressurized liquid within the hose, the hose will automatically contract to a contracted condition.”A component that couples to the second coupler and at least partially blocks the flow of pressurized water, causing an increase in water pressure within the inner tube.

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case NumberFiling DateTitle
1:25-cv-00365Mar 27, 2025Cheveux Corp. V. Gideon
1:24-cv-00049Jan 12, 2024Telebrands Corporation v. TheFitLife, LLC
1:23-cv-00631Mar 24, 2023Telebrands Corporation V. Winston Products Llc

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US11608915

TELEBRANDS CORP
Application Number
US17145986
Filing Date
Jan 11, 2021
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Nov 4, 2031
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents