Protection hose arrangement for conductors installed in an aircraft

Abstract

Insulated electrical conductors for installation in a vehicle, such as an aircraft, are further protected by a guard hose or tubular member. Two or more such guard hoses or tubular members are interconnected with each other by at least one spacer preferably, but not necessarily, integrally formed with the guard hoses or tubular member, whereby the separation of different types of electrical conductors and their installation in an aircraft are facilitated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A guard hose arrangement for protecting insulated electrical conductors for installation in a vehicle such as an aircraft, said guard hose arrangement comprising a plurality of guard hoses ( 1 ,  2  . . . n), each guard hose having an inner diameter for receiving at least one of said insulated electrical conductors, each guard hose of said plurality of guard hoses comprising an outwardly facing first contour, and at least one spacer positioned between two neighboring guard hoses of said plurality of guard hoses, said at least one spacer having a second contour matching said first contour of said guard hoses for spacing said plurality of guard hoses from one another.  
     
     
         2 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 1 , comprising a number n of guard hoses, and a number n−1 of spacers arranged between neighboring guard hoses, and wherein each of said spacers is positioned along a straight length of two neighboring guard hoses.  
     
     
         3 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 1 , comprising several spacers arranged in a row between two neighboring guard hoses of said plurality of guard hoses, and spaces (S) between neighboring spacers in said row.  
     
     
         4 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one spacer has top and bottom surfaces opposite each other and side surfaces opposite each other in first and second pairs, each side surface of a pair of said side surfaces having said second contour matching said first contour of a respective guard hose.  
     
     
         5 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein said first contour is convex and wherein said second contour is concave so that said convex first contour partly encircles said convex second contour.  
     
     
         6 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein each of said side surfaces has the same length or different length, whereby said top and bottom surfaces are squares or quadrangles and the side surfaces are rectangles.  
     
     
         7 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein said side surfaces forming said first pair have the same length, and wherein said side surfaces forming said second pair have a length longer or shorter than said same length, and wherein the second contours are provided in said squares or quadrangles.  
     
     
         8 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein said spacer has a V-sectional or U-sectional configuration.  
     
     
         9 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein said V-sectional or U-sectional configuration has legs of equal length.  
     
     
         10 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein said V-sectional or U-sectional configuration has legs of unequal length.  
     
     
         11 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein said spacer has a V-sectional configuration with two legs enclosing an angle (α) between said two legs.  
     
     
         12 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein said angle (α) is within the range of 45° to 90°.  
     
     
         13 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein said spacer has a U-sectional configuration with two legs interconnected by a land, each leg enclosing with said land an angle (β).  
     
     
         14 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein said angle (β) is up to 120°.  
     
     
         15 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one spacer has at least one through-hole.  
     
     
         16 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a first and last guard hose of said plurality of guard hoses has an outwardly positioned surface portion facing away from said at least one spacer, said guard hose arrangement further comprising a protective covering on said surface portion facing away from said at least one spacer.  
     
     
         17 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein said protective covering is a metal foil or fabric adhesively bonded to said surface portion facing away from said at least one spacer.  
     
     
         18 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein said covering is a coating comprising metal particles forming a screen against electromagnetic adverse influences.  
     
     
         19 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein at least one guard hose of said plurality of guard hoses comprises at least one protective ridge ( 11 ) extending externally and helically around said at least one guard hose.  
     
     
         20 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of guard hoses and said at least one spacer are formed as one integral component.  
     
     
         21 . The guard hose arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein said guard hoses and said spacer or spacers are interconnected at a junction ( 6 ,  7 ) by any one of adhesive bonding, welding, and tongue and groove connections.