CABLE CONNECTOR

• US 3,877,775 A
• Filed: 08/27/1973
• Issued: 04/15/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald J. Ruffner, Thomas M. Barlow
• Original Assignee: Donald J. Ruffner, Thomas M. Barlow
• Inventors: Barlow, Thomas M., Ruffner, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frazier, Roy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Staab, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US05/391,086
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 339/60,94,117,177 174/19,21R
• US Class Current: 439/204
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/523 for use under water
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/932 Heat shrink material

Abstract

A connector for electric cables subjected to high-pressure environments and for making electrical connections across highpressure, low-pressure interfaces. The connector includes a reservoir of dielectric liquid which fills space between the cable and the inner wall of the connector body. A rubber boot fitted over the connector body contains the reservoir and transmits the environmental pressure to the liquid thereby providing hydrostatic pressure in opposition to the environmental pressure transmitted into the connector through the cable components.

Claims

1. In a connector for making an electrical connection in a highpressure environment with an electric cable of the type having at least one inner conductor and a mass of solid dielectric around the inner conductor, or conductors, the combination comprising:

a. a longitudinally extending support having a chamber extending longitudinally therethrough for the admission at its rearward end of said electrical cable therewithin, said chamber being larger than said dielectric in the transverse directions at at least one location, b. means for structurally relating said cable to said support, c. an elastomer boot one end of which is sealably fastened onto the outer surface of said support and the other end of which extends rearwardly thereof sealably engaging the outer surface of said cable, said boot and at least a portion of said outer surface being dimensioned to provide a reservoir for a liquid therebetween, d. means for transmitting the pressure of the environment which is applied to said reservoir through said boot to a liquid maintained in said chamber, and said support being of a conducting material and said cable having an outer conductor around said solid dielectric and including means within said chamber for providing a transition between said outer conductor and said support.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said transition means includes a ground strap of a conducting material which is fastened at its rearward end onto said outer conductor and expands radially outwardly across said chamber to make conductive contact with said support at its forward end.

3. The combination of claim 2 including an elastomer grommet in said chamber forward of said transition means for sealing said chamber in the forward direction.

4. The combination of claim 3 including means for loading said grommet in the forward direction which provide compensation for the relative thermal expansion and contraction of said grommet toward and away from said transition means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said means for loading said grommet and compensating for thermal expansion and contraction includes a compression spring.

6. The connector of claim 5 including means forward of said grommet for structurally relating an internal conductor of said cable to said support and connecting said internal conductor to a conductor which extends in the forward direction in a manner to facilitate connection thereof with another connection device.

7. The connector of claim 6 wherein said means forward of said grommet includes a ceramic seal which fits snugly within said chamber and is fastened to said support.

8. The connector of claim 7 wherein the connection between said internal conductor and said forward extending conductor is made within a longitudinally extending chamber in said ceramic seal.

9. The connector of claim 8 wherein said longitudinally extending chamber in said seal is sufficiently large in the transverse directions to leave a space around the internal conductor members making said connection between said internal conductor and said forwardly extending conductor and including liquid filling said space in said seal.