Electrical cable connector for use in a nuclear environment
First Claim
1. A cable connector for use in a nuclear environment comprising mateable male receptacle and female plug assemblies, said male receptacle assembly comprising a metallic shell surrounding at least one cable end terminating in a male contact, said female plug assembly comprising a metallic shell surrounding at least one cable end terminating in a female contact, said metallic shells having mateable forward ends and said contacts also having mateable forward ends, the space between each of said metallic shells and its respective cable end and contact being filled by at least one body of heat, steam and radiation resistant insulative material bonded to the inside surface of said shell and the exterior surface of said contact, annular ribs on said inside surface of said shell and annular ribs on said exterior surface of said contact to enhance said bonds and to provide baffles creating pressure drops should said bonds fail, and O-rings mounted on one of said female plug shell and said male receptacle shell to form compression and butt seals therebetween to prevent leakage of steam or moisture through said mateable forward ends thereof.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Mateable receptacle and plug assemblies comprising a cable connector for use in a nuclear environment. The receptacle assembly and the plug assembly comprise mateable metallic shells, each surrounding one or more cable ends terminating in contacts. The contacts of the receptacle assembly and the plug assembly are equal in number and mateable. In each of the receptacle assembly and the plug assembly, the space between the shell and the cable ends and their contacts is filled with one or more heat, steam and radiation resistant insulative elastomeric compounds and/or epoxy compounds to prevent hosing of steam and moisture through the cables. The inside surfaces of the shells are uniquely configured to enhance bonding thereof to the insulative compounds, providing baffles creating pressure drops should the bond fail. O-rings are mounted on the plug assembly shell which cooperate with the receptacle assembly shell to form compression and butt seals to prevent leakage through the shell faces.
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Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A cable connector for use in a nuclear environment comprising mateable male receptacle and female plug assemblies, said male receptacle assembly comprising a metallic shell surrounding at least one cable end terminating in a male contact, said female plug assembly comprising a metallic shell surrounding at least one cable end terminating in a female contact, said metallic shells having mateable forward ends and said contacts also having mateable forward ends, the space between each of said metallic shells and its respective cable end and contact being filled by at least one body of heat, steam and radiation resistant insulative material bonded to the inside surface of said shell and the exterior surface of said contact, annular ribs on said inside surface of said shell and annular ribs on said exterior surface of said contact to enhance said bonds and to provide baffles creating pressure drops should said bonds fail, and O-rings mounted on one of said female plug shell and said male receptacle shell to form compression and butt seals therebetween to prevent leakage of steam or moisture through said mateable forward ends thereof.
Specification