Patents Assigned to Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.
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Patent number: 7775561Abstract: A connection assembly for pipes is provided. The assembly includes a pipe, a corrugated conduit, a circumferentially contractible seal positioned between portions of the conduit and the pipe, a clamp encircling the conduit, seal and pipe, and a plurality of discrete projections on the inside of the seal to limit the extent of overlap between the pipe and the conduit. The seal is circumferentially contractible to secure the conduit and the pipe together with the seal serving to effect a gas-tight seal while filling the annular gap between the conduit and pipe.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2006Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: Scott R. Swank
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Patent number: 7066495Abstract: A flexible bellows tube connecting pipes in a system such as a vehicle exhaust system. Various embodiments are disclosed, with each including two conduit sections having mating corrugations that overlap to provide a seal while allowing the two sections to rotate in response to torsion loading. Different configurations of the interfitting corrugations and related structure are disclosed in the different embodiments.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2003Date of Patent: June 27, 2006Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventors: R. Winfield Thomas, Scott R. Swank
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Patent number: 6893053Abstract: A flexible bellows tube connecting pipes in a system such as a vehicle exhaust system. Various embodiments are disclosed, with each including two conduit sections having mating corrugations that overlap to provide a seal while allowing the two sections to rotate in response to torsion loading. Different configurations of the interfitting corrugations and related structure are disclosed in the different embodiments.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2002Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventors: R. Winfield Thomas, Scott R. Swank
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Publication number: 20040100094Abstract: A flexible bellows tube connecting pipes in a system such as a vehicle exhaust system. Various embodiments are disclosed, with each including two conduit sections having mating corrugations that overlap to provide a seal while allowing the two sections to rotate in response to torsion loading. Different configurations of the interfitting corrugations and related structure are disclosed in the different embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Applicant: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventors: R. Winfield Thomas, Scott R. Swank
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Publication number: 20030047941Abstract: A flexible bellows tube connecting pipes in a system such as a vehicle exhaust system. Various embodiments are disclosed, with each including two conduit sections having mating corrugations that overlap to provide a seal while allowing the two sections to rotate in response to torsion loading. Different configurations of the interfitting corrugations and related structure are disclosed in the different embodiments.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2002Publication date: March 13, 2003Applicant: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventors: R. Winfield Thomas, Scott R. Swank
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Patent number: 6488313Abstract: A flexible connector assembly is provided for an exhaust system. The exhaust system includes first and second rigid exhaust pipes. The flexible connector assembly includes a flexible metal hose section and a liner tube. The liner tube has a first, enlarged-diameter section and a second, reduced-diameter section. The liner tube first section is fixedly secured within the hose section. An annular clearance is formed between the liner tube second section and the hose section. The connector assembly effectively resists vibration and provides a relatively fluid-tight passage for exhaust gasses between the first and second exhaust pipes.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 1999Date of Patent: December 3, 2002Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: R. Winfield Thomas
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Patent number: 6488316Abstract: A sealed coupling system for flexible hose, such as corrugated hose, includes a termination fitting that mounts the sealed system to a static structure, such as a wall or the like. The system uses threaded connections to fix the hose to the fitting and to the structure and thus does not require welding, brazing or the like and has the main components thereof located on one side of the structure.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2001Date of Patent: December 3, 2002Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: Brian K. Bowman
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Patent number: 6378561Abstract: A self-sealing flexible metal hose includes a band adapted for winding on conventional winding equipment. The band includes receiver and insert assemblies adapted for interlocking with adjacent windings or turns of the band. A sealing flange provides continuous contacts and is urged into sealing engagement with the band by exhaust gas pressure within the hose bore. Alternative embodiments include different configurations of the flanges and legs which form the contacts, and accommodate packing material for greater sealing performance.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2001Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: R. Winfield Thomas
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Patent number: 6341805Abstract: An exhaust piping system is provided for a vehicle with an internal combustion engine and an exhaust system including an emission control device. The exhaust piping system includes an exhaust pipe connected to the engine and an emission pipe connected to the emission control device. The exhaust and emission pipes include ends which are tapered to form reduced outside diameters. A flexible hose coupling includes a bore which telescopically receives the exhaust and emission pipe ends. First and second annular clearances are formed between the reduced-diameter pipe ends and the flexible hose coupling bore, which clearances reduce wearing and abrasion of the flexible hose coupling associated with vibration and relative movement between the pipe ends and the flexible hose coupling.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 1998Date of Patent: January 29, 2002Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose CorpInventor: R. Winfield Thomas
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Patent number: 6312021Abstract: An end-slotted flexible metal hose includes a hose section with body and end sections and a hose clamp. The hose section forms a bore therethrough having a relatively constant diameter. The end section includes a plurality of slots which extend through a sidewall of the hose section to the bore and permit the end section to be constricted by the hose clamp to reduce the bore diameter to provide a relatively tight engagement with a tube on which the hose assembly is mounted.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 1998Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: R. Winfield Thomas
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Patent number: 6053212Abstract: A length-controlled flexible hose includes a body formed by spiral-winding a continuous metal band with interlocked leading and trailing edges. A length control adhesive strip is applied to the flexible hose along a surface thereof and minimizes length changes of the flexible hose whereby a design or engineered length can be maintained. A method of manufacturing a length-control flexible hose includes the steps of spiral-winding a continuous metal band, interlocking leading and trailing edges thereof and applying a length control adhesive strip to a surface thereof.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 1998Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Tru--Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: R. Winfield Thomas
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Patent number: 5924282Abstract: A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and an improved exhaust system including an exhaust pipe connected to the internal combustion engine and a flexible hose connected to the exhaust pipe and to an emission control device. A clamp assembly connects ends of the exhaust pipe and the flexible hose and includes a gasket received within a band subassembly.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 1998Date of Patent: July 20, 1999Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: R. Winfield Thomas
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Patent number: 5769463Abstract: A heat and vibration resistant flexible metal hose assembly includes a liner with either spiral or annular corrugations, a medial body section, first and second end sections and first and second tapered, transition sections converging from the body section to the end sections. The corrugations have diameters in the transition sections which decrease from the body section to the end sections. An optional sleeve subassembly receives the liner and comprises a braided woven wire fabric sleeve secured in place on the liner by first and second annular collars welded on sleeve and liner end sections. Vibration is effectively damped by reducing resonance of the piping assembly by covering the liner with the sleeve with contact therebetween, and by providing the tapered transition sections for effectively transmitting vibrational forces from each end to the greater-diameter liner center section.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 1996Date of Patent: June 23, 1998Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: R. Winfield Thomas
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Patent number: 5362113Abstract: A flexible piping and fitting assembly includes a section of flexible piping formed by spiral-winding a band with interlocking leading and trailing edges. The piping includes a bore. A fitting with a generally cylindrical inner section, an annular band an outer section in connected to the piping by spot-welding at multiple locations. The spot-welds can be circumferentially spaced and can extend through multiple layers of the flexible piping and into the fitting.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 1992Date of Patent: November 8, 1994Assignee: Tru-Flex Metal Hose Corp.Inventor: Roy W. Thomas