Multi-part insulating cover

• US 20040262025A1
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Lohmeier, Gerhard, Brandt, Konrad, Kitzer, Peter, Cekic, Seref, Ott, Albrecht
• Application Number:
  US10/489,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20040262025A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/88.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/115 Boxes split perpendicularly to main cable direction
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/182 held in expanded condition in radial direction prior to installation

Abstract

A cold shrink protective cover for a cable junction including a first cable having a first outer diameter and a second cable having a connection to the first cable. The second cable has an outer diameter that differs from the outer diameter of the first cable. When shrunk around a cable junction the protective cover comprises a first shrinkable tubular member, covering a portion of the first cable and a portion of the connection, and a at least a second shrinkable tubular member covering a portion of the second cable and extending over the connection to at least partially cover an end portion of the first shrinkable tubular member to form an overlapped seam between the two tubular members.

Claims

1. A cold shrink cover for a cable junction including a first cable having a first outer diameter joined to a second cable having a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter, the cold shrink cover comprising:

a first elastic tubular member held in expanded condition over a first hollow collapsible support sized to receive a portion of the first cable and a first portion of the cable junction; and

a second elastic tubular member held in expanded condition over a second hollow collapsible support sized to receive a portion of the second cable, a second portion of the cable junction and an end portion of the first elastic tubular member, the first support adapted to collapse during application of force to allow the first elastic tubular member to shrink for covering the portion of the first cable and the first portion of the cable junction, the second support adapted to collapse during application of force to allow the second elastic tubular member to shrink for covering the portion of the second cable, the second portion of the cable junction and the end portion of the first elastic tubular member.

2. The cold shrink cover of claim 1, including a multi-zone support core having the first hollow collapsible support integrally formed with the second hollow collapsible support.

3. The cold shrink cover of claim 2, wherein the multi-zone support core includes a crush resistant transition zone separating the first hollow collapsible support from the second hollow collapsible support.

4. The cold shrink cover of claim 1, wherein the cable junction includes a cable connector.

5. The cold shrink cover of claim 1, wherein the first hollow collapsible support includes a solid terminal extension directly attached to a crushable core section.

6. The cold shrink cover of claim 1, further including a sealing material to seal at least opposing ends of each of the first elastic tubular member and the second elastic tubular member.

7. The cold shrink cover of claim 1, wherein both of the first and second cables are coaxial cables.

8. A cold shrink cover for a cable junction including a first cable having a first outer diameter joined to a second cable having a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter, the cold shrink cover comprising:

an adapter including an inner tubular extension opposite a tubular projection and further including a junction receiving channel sized to surround at least a portion of the cable junction;

a first elastic tubular member held in expanded condition over a first hollow collapsible support sized to receive a portion of the first cable and a portion of the inner tubular extension; and

a second elastic tubular member held in expanded condition over a second hollow collapsible support sized to receive a portion of the second cable, and a portion of the tubular projection, the first hollow collapsible support adapted to collapse during application of force to allow the first elastic tubular member to shrink for covering the portion of the first cable and the portion of the inner tubular extension, the second support adapted to collapse during application of force to allow the second elastic tubular member to shrink for covering the portion of the second cable, and the portion of the tubular projection, thereby holding the adapter between the first elastic tubular member and the second elastic tubular member for covering the cable junction.

9. The cold shrink cover of claim 8, wherein the cable junction includes a cable connector.

10. The cold shrink cover of claim 8, wherein the adapter includes means for forming a connection between the inner tubular extension and the tubular projection.

11. The cold shrink cover of claim 10, wherein the connection includes an “

O-ring”

seal.

12. The cold shrink cover of claim 8, wherein the adapter is crush resistant.

13. The cold shrink cover of claim 8, further including a sealing material to seal at least opposing ends of each of the first elastic tubular member and the second elastic tubular member.

14. The cold shrink cover of claim 8, wherein both of the first and second cables are coaxial cables.

15. A cold shrink cover for a cable junction including a first cable having a first outer diameter joined to a second cable having a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter, the cold shrink cover comprising:

a first elastic tubular member held in expanded condition over a first hollow collapsible support sized to receive a portion of the first cable and a first portion of the cable junction; and

a second elastic tubular member held in expanded condition over a second hollow collapsible support integrally formed with the first hollow collapsible support to provide a multi-zone support core having the second hollow collapsible support sized to receive a portion of the second cable and a second portion of the cable junction, the first support adapted to collapse under pressure to allow the first elastic tubular member to shrink for covering the portion of the first cable and the first portion of the cable junction, the second support adapted to collapse under pressure to allow the second elastic tubular member to shrink for covering the portion of the second cable and the second portion of the cable junction.

16. The cold shrink cover of claim 15, wherein the multi-zone support core includes a solid transition zone separating the first hollow collapsible support from the second hollow collapsible support.

17. The cold shrink protective cover of claim 15, wherein the cable junction includes a cable connector.

18. The cold shrink cover of claim 15, further including a sealing material to seal at least opposing ends of each of the first elastic tubular member and the second elastic tubular member.

19. The cold shrink cover of claim 15, wherein both the first and second cables are coaxial cables.

20. A pre-mounted pre-stretched cover for a cable junction including a first cable having a first outer diameter and a second cable having a connection to the first cable, the second cable having a second outer diameter that differs from the first outer diameter, the pre-mounted pre-stretched cover comprising:

a support including a first crushable portion separated by a non-crushable transition zone from a second crushable portion;

a first shrinkable tubular member substantially covering the first crushable portion and extending into a first portion of the non-crushable transition zone; and

a second shrinkable tubular member substantially covering the second crushable portion, a second portion of the non-crushable transition zone and adapted to overlap the first shrinkable tubular member to form an overlapped seam therewith.

21. A covered cable junction including a first cable having a first outer diameter and a second cable having a connection to the first cable, the second cable having a second outer diameter that differs from the first outer diameter, the covered cable junction having a pre-mounted, pre-stretched cover shrunk into gripping contact with the cable junction, the pre-mounted, pre-stretched cover before shrinking comprising:

a support including a first crushable portion separated by a non-crushable transition zone from a second crushable portion,

a first shrinkable tubular member substantially covering the first crushable portion and extending into a first portion of the non-crushable transition zone; and

a second shrinkable tubular member substantially covering the second crushable portion, a second portion of the non-crushable transition zone and adapted to overlap the first shrinkable tubular member to form an overlapped seam therewith, the pre-mounted, pre-stretched tube shrinking into gripping contact with the cable junction by application of pressure to cause collapse of the first crushable portion and the second crushable portion of the support.