| abstract |
Hoses are often reinforced with fabric to improve their performance characteristics, such as burst strength. For instance, radiator hose used in automotive applications is generally reinforced with continuous yarn. However, it is a labor intensive process to manufacture such hoses which include fiber reinforcements. A substantial amount of material waste also generally occurs in the manufacture of such fiber reinforced hose. By utilizing the technique of this invention, hose which has a high level of burst strength can be manufactured without including continuous yarn reinforcement. This invention specifically reveals a process for manufacturing a hose which comprises (1) extruding a rubber composition into the form of a tube, wherein the rubber composition is comprised of (a) an EPDM alloy comprised of (i) standard EPDM rubber, (ii) an EPDM rubber having thermoplastic side chains grafted thereto, and (iii) dispersed thermoplastic wherein the thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of nylons, polyesters, and polyphenylene oxides, (b) an EPDM rubber, (c) carbon black, (d) at least one curative, (e) zinc oxide, (f) a processing oil, and (g) stearic acid; (2) shaping the tube into the geometric form desired for the hose; and (3) curing the rubber composition at a temperature within the range of 130°C to 210°C to produce the hose. |