Apparatus and method for protection of a substrate

• US 4,634,207 A
• Filed: 06/13/1983
• Issued: 01/06/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Raychem Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Debbaut, Christian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilinsky, Z. R.
• Application Number:
  US06/504,000
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 339/116 R, 339/116 C, 339/115 R, 339/115 C, 339/143 R, 339/49 B, 29/877, 29/862, 29/863
• US Class Current: 439/521
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 17/60 Composite insulating bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/22 End caps, i.e. of insulating or conductive material for covering or maintaining connections between wires entering the cap from the same end
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/70 Insulation of connections end caps H01R4/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/72 using a heat shrinking insulating sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/003 Filling materials, e.g. solid or fluid insulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/043 with end caps, e.g. sleeve closed at one end
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/10 protected by boxes, e.g. by distribution, connection or junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/18 protected by sleeves, e.g. for communication cable two-part covers H02G15/10 ; preforms having internal stresses B29C61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4921 with bonding

Abstract

An apparatus and method for protection of a substrate, e.g. an electrical contact. The apparatus comprises a support member and an encapsulant which has a cone penetration value of 100 to 350 (10^-1 mm) and an ultimate elongation of at least 200%, and preferably an elastic modulus of less than 10⁷ dynes/cm². The encapsulant and the substrate are pressed together so that the encapsulant is deformed into close and conforming contact with the substrate. Preferably at least part of the deformation is elastic deformation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for protecting a substrate, comprising:

a gel, the gel being cured prior to coming into contact with any part of a substrate to be protected, the gel having a cone penetration value of 100 to 350 (10^-1 mm) and an ultimate elongation of at least 200%; and

means for deforming the gel into close and conforming contact with the substrate.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the deforming means maintaining the gel in compressive contact with the substrate.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the deforming means is secured to said support member.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein the deforming means lies within the gel.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the support member is generally bell-shaped, and the deforming means is a split retaining member that has an internal threaded portion.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, the maintaining means being a dynamic force means.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, the gel being elastic.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the gel has an elastic modulus of less than 10⁷ dynes/cm².

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said elastic modulus is less than 10⁶ dynes/cm².

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said cone penetration value is 150 to 350 (10^-1 mm).

11. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said cone penetration value is 200 to 300 (10^-1 mm).

12. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said gel has an elongation of at least 500%.

13. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a release member which covers an otherwise exposed portion of said gel and which can be removed therefrom preparatory to covering the substrate.

14. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the gel is an oil-extended polyurethane.

15. Apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein the gel has been prepared by gelling a liquid mixture comprising 20 to 40% of curable polyurethane precursor materials and 80 to 60% of a mixture of mineral oil and vegetable oil in which the raio by weight of mineral oil to vegetable oil is 0.7 to 2.4;

the percentages being by weight based on the total weight of the polyurethane precursor materials and the mixture of mineral and vegetable oils.

16. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the gel is a plasticized polyurethane.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, properties of the gel being such that a plane of weakness is formed therein when deformed about the substrate by the deforming means.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a support member, the gel being located on the support member, the gel having an adhesive strength to the substrate which is less than an adhesive strength to the support member.

19. Apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said support member comprises a plurality of individual open containers, which are connected to each other and each of which contains a separate mass of the gel.

20. Apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the individual containers are connected to each other by a flexible connector.

21. Apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said support member is composed of an organic polymeric material and is in the form of a housing that includes side walls, end walls and a bottom wall.

22. Apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein at least part of said support member is heat-recoverable.

23. Apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein the gel has an elastic modulus of less than 10⁷ dynes/cm².

24. Apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein said elastic modulus is less than 10⁶ dynes/cm².

25. Apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein said cone penetration value is 150 to 350 (10^-1 mm).

26. Apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein said cone penetration value is 200 to 300 (10^-1 mm).

27. Apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein said gel has an elongation of at least 500%.

28. Apparatus as recited in claim 18 further comprising a release member which covers an otherwise exposed portion of said gel and which can be removed therefrom preparatory to covering the substrate.

29. Apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein the gel is an oil-extended polyurethane.

30. Apparatus as recited in claim 29 wherein the gel has been prepared by gelling a liquid mixture comprising 20 to 40% of curable polyurethane precursor materials and 80 to 60% of a mixture of minearl oil and vegetable oil in which the ratio by weight of mineral oil to vegetable oil is 0.7 to 2.4;

the percentages being by weight based on the total weight of the polyurethane precusor materials and the mixture of mineral and vegetable oils.

31. Apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein the gel is a plasticized polyurethane.

32. A process for protecting a substrate, comprising the steps of:

pressing together a substrate to be protected and an apparatus comprising a support member, a gel located on the support member, the gel being cured prior to coming into contact with any part of the substrate, the gel having a cone penetration value of 100 to 350 (10^-1 mm) and an ultimate elongation of at least 200%, and means for deforming the gel into close and conforming contact with the substrate, the apparatus and the substrate being pressed together so that the gel contacts the substrate and is deformed into close and conforming contact therewith.

33. A process as recited in claim 32 wherein at least a part of the deformation of the gel is elastic deformation.

34. A process as recited in claim 33 which comprises securing a force member to the substrate, thus maintaining the gel in compressive contact with the substrate.

35. A process as recited in claim 34 wherein the force member becomes secured to the substrate when the substrate and the apparatus are pressed together.

36. A process as recited in claim 32 wherein the substrate comprises at least one electrical contact.

37. A process as recited in claim 32 wherein the gel has an adhesive strength to the substrate which is less than its adhesive strength to the support member and less than its cohesive strength.

38. A process as recited in claim 32 wherein the gel is contained in at least one open container and has a cone penetration value of 200 to 300 (10^-1 mm).

39. A process as recited in claim 32 wherein the gel has an elongation of at least 500%.

40. A process as recited in claim 32 wherein at least a part of the support member is recoverable and the process includes a step in which the support member is recovered.