The invention relates to a flange for a hose.

It is known to connect hoses, like rubber hoses, with a flange to another hose or to a hydraulic device, such as a valve block or the like. The flanges can be embedded in the rubber hoses to ensure a good connection between the hose and the flange. However, embedding a flange in a rubber hose must be done during the manufacturing of the hose and at such a moment in time it is often not known how the hose will be used .

It is also known to provide hoses on an end with a circumferential groove. The flange is manufactured as two arc shaped elements, which together from an annular flange. The two arc shaped elements have overlapping parts in the axial direction with which the arc shaped elements are bolted together and positioned in the circumferential groove of the hose. The disadvantage of this construction is that the overlapping parts of the arc shaped elements have a reduced thickness, i.e. half of the thickness of the flange, which is the weakest point of the flange.

When such a split flange, composed out of two arc shaped elements, is subjected to unequal forces, the risk is present that the flange will bend at the overlapping parts as the thickness of the flange is reduced at said position. In order to reduce said risk, the flange needs to be excessively thick such that even the overlapping parts are thick enough to withstand the unequal forces.

It is an object of the invention to reduce or even remove the above mentioned disadvantages.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a flange for a hose, which flange comprises:

- an annular flange body having a central hose opening;

- an annular locking element for locking the annular flange body in a circumferential groove of a hose, which annular locking element is composed out of at least two generally arc shaped locking element parts, wherein the annular locking element is concentrically arranged in the central hose opening of the annular flange body; and

- couplings for each of the at least two generally arc shaped locking element parts, wherein each coupling has a first coupling part arranged on the annular flange body and a second coupling part arranged on the respective arc shaped locking element part, which first coupling part couples to the second coupling part.

The flange according to the invention has a single piece annular flange body, which does not have any overlapping parts, which reduce the thickness of the flange. The central hose opening is dimensioned such that a hose can be inserted into the central hose opening without any deformation.

The annular locking element of the flange according to the invention is composed out of at least two arc shaped locking element parts, which can be positioned into a

circumferential groove of a hose end. The annular flange body can be shifted over the annular locking element to keep the annular locking element in position.

The couplings ensure that the annular flange body is coupled to the annular locking element and ensures that the annular flange body and annular locking element can no longer shift relative to each other, resulting in a flange, which extends into the circumferential groove at the hose end.

Because the flange according to the invention extends into the circumferential groove and because the flange has a single piece annular flange body, the flange has an even strength distributed along the circumference of the flange and as a result the thickness of the flange can be optimized.

In a preferred embodiment of a flange according to the invention the first coupling part is a groove extending in axial direction from a first end surface of the annular flange body, wherein the length of the groove is smaller than the thickness of the annular flange body and wherein the second coupling part is a protrusion arranged on the radially outer surface of the respective locking element part, which

protrusion has in axial direction a cross-section

corresponding to the cross-section of the groove.

Because the groove does not extend over the full width of the annular flange body and because the protrusions correspond to the groove in cross-section it is possible to tighten the annular flange body against another flange body or the like, such that the hose end is compressed also against the other flange body, causing a reliable seal.

Preferably, the cross-section of the protrusion and the cross-section of the groove is T-shaped.

With the T-shaped cross-section it is possible to transfer forces as well as torque between the annular flange body and the annular locking element.

In yet another embodiment of the flange according to the invention the outer diameter of the annular locking element corresponds with the diameter of the central hose opening. With corresponding diameters, it is possible to provide a tight fit of the annular locking element in the annular flange body.

In still a further embodiment of the flange according to the invention, the annular flange body has a number of axially extending through holes evenly positioned along the circumference of the annular flange body.

Bolts can be extended through the through holes to tighten the flange according to the invention against another flange .

The invention also relates to a combination of a flange according to the invention and a hose having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the central hose opening and larger than the inner diameter of the annular locking element, which hose has on an end a circumferential groove, in which the annular locking element is at least partially accommodated .

These and other features of the invention will be elucidated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a combination according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an arc shaped locking element part of the combination according to figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the annular flange body of the combination of figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the

combination according to figure 1 in assembled state.

Figure 1 shows a combination 1 according to the invention. The combination 1 has a hose 2 with a

circumferential groove 3 arranged on one end of the hose 2.

An annular flange body 4 is positioned around the hose 2, such that the hose 2 extends through the central hose opening 5.

A number of axially extending through holes 6 are evenly positioned along the circumference of this annular flange body 4 and allow for mounting the flange body 4 to another flange.

The annular flange body 4 furthermore has grooves 7 with T-shaped cross-section, which correspond with T-shaped protrusions 8 arranged on arc shaped locking element parts 9, which together can form an annular locking element.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of an arc shaped locking element part 9 provided with the protrusion 8, which has, in axial direction A, a T-shaped cross-section.

The arc shaped locking element part 9 has a slanting contact surface 10, with which the part 9 abuts a side of the groove 3 of the hose 2.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the annular flange body 4. This flange body 4 has a uniform width w and is provided with four grooves 7 with T-shaped cross-section. The length of the grooves 7 is smaller than the width w, such that a stop 11 is provided against which a T-shaped protrusion 8 can rest. This stop 11 allows for an axial force to be exerted from the annular flange body 4 onto the hose 2, such that the hose end can be pressed sealingly against another flange.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the

combination 1 of figure 1. In this figure the flange is in assembled state such that the annular locking element 8, 9 is coupled to and arranged concentrically within the annular flange body 4.

As can be seen, the diameter D _c of the central hose opening 5 is larger than the outer diameter D _h of the hose 2, while the inner diameter of the annular locking element 8, 9 corresponds to the diameter D _g of the groove 3.