LOW-COST WEATHERPROOF CABLE FEEDTHROUGH
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly for providing a weatherproof feedthrough for data communications cables into a structure. The assembly includes a unique housing having a cavity for removably receiving a connector attached to a terminal end of a cable in a fixed orientation. The cable attached to the connector in the cavity exits the assembly into a protected side of the structure. A cable from the unprotected side of the structure enters the assembly such that a connector disposed on its terminal end may be connected to the connector in the cavity. The assembly is particularly suited to allow off the shelf connectors to be used within the housing. The assembly may include strain relief devices for protecting the cables attached to the connectors.
98 Citations
50 Claims
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1-21. -21. (canceled)
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22. An electrical feedthrough device for passing a data communications path from an unprotected side of a structure to a protected side of the structure through an aperture in the structure, the device comprising:
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a base unit having a proximal end and a distal end;
a cavity formed within the base unit, the cavity being configured and dimensioned for enclosing an electrical connection between a first electrical connector attached to a terminal end of a first cable and a second electrical connector attached to a terminal end of a second cable;
a first passage located within the base unit and extending from an opening located on the proximal end of the base unit to the cavity;
a second passage located within the base unit and extending from the cavity to an opening located on the distal end of the base unit;
a cable sealing assembly located on the base unit for sealing against a cable passing into the first passage from the opening on the proximal end of the base unit; and
a member located on the distal end of the base unit for removably mounting the base unit to the structure such that the second passage is in alignment with the aperture in the structure, the member comprising a male threaded extension, the male threaded extension being sized to fit through the aperture in the structure such that a nut is installable onto the male threaded extension from the protected side of the structure. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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23. (canceled)
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31. An electrical feedthrough device for passing a data communications path from an unprotected side of a structure to a protected side of the structure through an aperture, the device comprising:
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a housing having a proximal end and a distal end;
a pair of openings on the housing, one of the openings disposed on the proximal end of the housing and one of the openings disposed on the distal end of the housing;
a cavity formed within the housing, the cavity being configured and dimensioned for enclosing an electrical connection between a first electrical connector attached to a terminal end of the a first cable and a second electrical connector attached to a terminal end of a second cable;
a threaded bore extending from the opening on the proximal end of the housing towards the cavity;
an exit passage leading from the cavity in the housing to the opening on the distal end of the housing;
a member located on the distal end of the housing for removably mounting the housing to the structure such that the second passage is in alignment with the aperture in the structure; and
a hollow coupler having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the coupler comprising a male threaded extension operable to threadably engage the threaded bore in the housing, and the second portion of the coupler comprising a cable sealing assembly for sealing against a cable. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41-44. -44. (canceled)
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45. A method of installing a cable feedthrough assembly on a structure having an aperture, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a housing having a pair of openings interconnected by a hollow passage extending through the housing;
attaching the housing to an unprotected side of the structure such that the hollow passage is in alignment with the aperture;
threading a terminal end of a first cable through the aperture and the housing from a protected side of the structure;
attaching a first electrical connector to the terminal end of the first cable;
providing a cable sealing assembly having a terminal end of a second cable passing through a hollow passage in the cable sealing assembly, the terminal end of the second cable having a second electrical connector attached thereto;
forming an electrical connection by mating the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector together; and
installing the cable sealing assembly on the housing. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification