INTERCONNECTION SEAL

• US 20150017827A1
• Filed: 07/10/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: VACCARO, Ronald A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,616,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/275
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0001 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/005 LSR, i.e. liquid silicone rubbers, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/046 with closed cells
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/36 Plugs, connectors, or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7278 Couplings, connectors, nipples B29L2031/7274 takes precedence; for pipes or tubes B29L2031/24; electrical B29L2031/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5205 Sealing means between cable and housing, e.g. grommet H01R13/5221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/70 Insulation of connections end caps H01R4/22
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/14 for joining or terminating cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/04 Cable-end sealings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49176 with molding of electrically insulating material

Abstract

A seal for a cable and connector interconnection includes a unitary elastic body with a bore therethrough. The bore is provided with a cable outer diameter seal portion at a cable end, the cable outer diameter seal portion adjacent a connector cavity portion, the connector cavity portion adjacent a coupling nut cavity portion, and the coupling nut cavity portion adjacent a connector neck seal portion with a bulkhead seal at a connector end. The coupling nut cavity portion is longitudinally aligned with a coupling nut of the connector and is provided with a greater inner diameter than the cable outer diameter seal portion and the connector neck seal portion. The bulk head seal is provided with an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the connector neck seal portion.

Claims

1. A seal for a cable and connector interconnection, comprising:

a unitary elastic body with a bore therethrough;

the bore provided with a cable outer diameter seal portion at a cable end, the cable outer diameter seal portion adjacent a connector cavity portion, the connector cavity portion adjacent a coupling nut cavity portion, the coupling nut cavity portion adjacent a connector neck seal portion and a bulkhead seal provided at a connector end;

the coupling nut cavity portion longitudinally aligned with a coupling nut of the connector and provided with a greater inner diameter than the connector neck seal portion; and

the bulk head seal provided with an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the connector neck seal portion.

2. The seal of claim 1, further including a plurality of grip fins protruding radially from an outer diameter of the seal.

3. The seal of claim 2, wherein at least one of the grip fins is aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the seal, extending between the cable end and a connector end of the coupling nut cavity portion.

4. The seal of claim 3, wherein two of the grip fins are aligned at opposing sides along a longitudinal cross section of the seal.

5. The seal of claim 3, wherein the plurality of grip fins is four grip fins, the grip fins arrayed around a circumference of the seal equidistant from one another.

6. The seal of claim 3, further including grip tabs aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis, proximate the cable end, the connector cavity portion, a cable end of the coupling nut cavity portion and a connector end of the coupling nut cavity portion.

7. The seal of claim 2, wherein the grip fins are aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the seal, extending between the cable end and the connector end of the seal.

8. The seal of claim 2, further including grip tabs protruding radially from the seal, the grip tabs aligned transverse to a longitudinal axis of the seal.

9. The seal of claim 8, wherein the grip tabs are proximate the cable end, the connector cavity portion, a cable end of the coupling nut cavity portion and a connector end of the coupling nut cavity portion.

10. The seal of claim 9, wherein there are two grip tabs at opposing sides of the seal proximate each of the connector cavity portion, the cable end of the coupling nut cavity portion and the connector end of the coupling nut cavity portion.

11. The seal of claim 9, wherein there are four grip tabs arrayed around a circumference of the seal equidistant from one another proximate each of the connector cavity portion, the cable end of the coupling nut cavity portion and the connector end of the coupling nut cavity portion.

12. The seal of claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the bulk head seal is equal to or greater than an outer diameter of the coupling nut cavity portion.

13. The seal of claim 1, wherein the cable outer diameter seal portion is provided with a smooth cylindrical inner sidewall.

14. The seal of claim 1, wherein the coupling nut cavity portion is provided with a greater inner diameter than the cable outer diameter seal portion.

15. The seal of claim 1, wherein the connector cavity portion is provided with a single inner diameter between the cable outer diameter seal portion and the coupling nut cavity portion.

16. The seal of claim 1, wherein the connector neck seal portion is provided with a smooth cylindrical inner sidewall.

17. The seal of claim 1, wherein the body is self supporting, maintaining a dimension of the cable outer diameter seal portion, the connector cavity portion and the coupling nut cavity portion prior to installation.

18. A method for manufacturing a seal for a cable and connector interconnection, comprising the steps of:

forming a unitary elastic body with a bore therethrough;

the bore provided with a cable outer diameter seal portion at a cable end, the cable outer diameter seal portion adjacent a connector cavity portion, the connector cavity portion adjacent a coupling nut cavity portion, the coupling nut cavity portion adjacent a connector neck seal portion and a bulkhead seal provided at a connector end;

the coupling nut cavity portion longitudinally aligned with a coupling nut of the connector and provided with a greater inner diameter than the connector neck seal portion; and

the bulk head seal provided with an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the connector neck seal portion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the body is formed from one of a injection molded silicone rubber thermoplastic elastomer and molded closed-cell foam.

20. A method for sealing an interconnection between a cable terminated by a connector and a bulkhead connector, comprising the steps of:

providing a unitary elastic body with a bore therethrough;

the bore provided with a cable outer diameter seal portion at a cable end, the cable outer diameter seal portion adjacent a connector cavity portion, the connector cavity portion adjacent a coupling nut cavity portion, the coupling nut cavity portion adjacent a connector neck seal portion and a bulkhead seal surface provided at a connector end;

the bulk head seal provided with an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the connector neck seal portion;

inserting the cable through the bore and coupling the connector to the cable;

interconnecting the connector and the bulkhead connector to form a connector to bulkhead connector interconnection;

positioning the seal over the connector and bulkhead connector interconnection, the coupling nut cavity portion longitudinally aligned with a coupling nut of the connector, the connector neck seal portion sealing against a neck of the bulkhead connector and the bulk head seal abutting a bulkhead portion of the bulkhead connector.