SHRINKABLE CLOSURE

• US 20070284146A1
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Dower, William V., Sjolander, Garry L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,304,242 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/74.R
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/1833 formed of helically wound strip with adjacent windings, which are removable by applying a pulling force to a strip end

Abstract

A tubular housing is provided having an open face and a circumferential perimeter portion adjacent the open face of the housing. An elastomeric film can be mounted on the circumferential perimeter portion of the tubular housing across the open face of the tubular housing. The elastomeric film can be adapted to interface one or more cables when the cables are positioned within the housing to seal the cables from environmental conditions.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a tubular housing having an open face and a circumferential perimeter portion adjacent the open face, at least a portion of the tubular housing comprising a cold shrinkable material; and

an elastomeric film mounted on the circumferential perimeter portion of the tubular housing across the open face of the tubular housing, wherein the elastomeric film is adapted to interface one or more articles when the articles are positioned within the housing.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a support core to hold the cold shrinkable material of the tubular housing in a radially expanded state.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the circumferential perimeter portion of the housing is collapsible.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film comprises a polymeric thermoplastic hydrophobic composition including at least a portion of oil.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the portion of oil comprises about 50% to about 98% of the elastomeric film.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film includes filler particles.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the filler particles comprise polymeric spheres or glass microspheres.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film is an oil, and wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film is selected from the group consisting of:

a polyurethane, a polyester, a polystyrene, a polyepoxy, a polyacrylate, and a polyolefin.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film comprises a copolymer of which at least a portion is selected from the group consisting of:

a polyurethane, a polyester, a polystyrene, an epoxy, an acrylate, and a polyolefin.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more articles, a first portion of each of the articles substantially surrounded by the elastomeric film, and a second portion of each of the articles extending outside of the elastomeric film and the tubular housing.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein each of the articles is configured along a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the open face of the tubular housing.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the one or more articles comprises two or more cables;

and

further comprising a joining component that joins the cables, wherein a portion of the joining component interfaces a portion of at least one of the elastomeric films.

3. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

16. An apparatus comprising:

a tubular housing having an open face, the tubular housing having a circumferential perimeter portion adjacent the open face of the housing;

an elastomeric film mounted on the circumferential perimeter portion of the tubular housing across the open face of the tubular housing, the elastomeric film being mounted to an end portion of the tubular housing that is perpendicular to the axis of the tubular housing; and

one or more articles, a first portion of each of the articles substantially surrounded by the elastomeric film, and a second portion of each of the articles extending outside of the elastomeric film and the tubular housing.

17. A method of use comprising:

providing an apparatus comprising;

a tubular housing having an open face and a circumferential perimeter portion adjacent the open face, and

an elastomeric film mounted on the circumferential perimeter portion of the tubular housing across the open face of the tubular housing;

pressing an article against a portion of the elastomeric film;

deforming the elastomeric film responsive to elastomeric film being pressed by the article, thereby causing both the article and a portion of the elastomeric film to locate inside a portion of the tubular housing.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the tubular housing comprises a cold shrinkable material, and further comprising:

holding the cold shrinkable material of the tubular housing in a radially expanded state with a support core that interfaces with the inner diameter of the cold shrinkable material of the tubular housing;

removing the support core from the tubular housing;

shrinking the diameter of the cold shrinkable material of the tubular housing; and

encasing the elastomeric film and the tubular housing around the article.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, further comprising collapsing the circumferential perimeter portion of the housing around the article when the article is located inside the housing.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film comprises a polymeric thennoplastic hydrophobic composition including at least a portion of oil.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the portion of oil comprises about 50% to about 98% of the elastomeric fihn.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film includes filler particles.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film is an oil, and wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film is selected from the group consisting of:

a polyurethane, a polyester, a polystyrene, a polyepoxy, a polyacrylate, and a polyolefin.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the elastomeric film comprises a copolymer of which at least a portion is selected from the group consisting of:

a polyurethane, a polyester, a polystyrene, an epoxy, an acrylate, and a polyolefin.