Environmentally enclosed cable splice

• US 5,844,171 A
• Filed: 04/22/1997
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MEV Corporation
• Original Assignee: MEV Corporation
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Frank J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau N.
• Application Number:
  US08/837,689
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 174/92, 174/138 F, 174/77 R, 439/367, 439/687
• US Class Current: 174/92
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/113 Boxes split longitudinally in main cable direction
• 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

Abstract

An environmentally enclosed splice is provided for two joined jacketed cables that carry distribution class voltage. The enclosed splice includes a molded elongate housing that has two mirror image clam-type housing halves that are closed over the cable splice around a living hinge. The splice is protected from the environment by a continuous, uninterrupted mastic seal that fully envelops the splice and seals to the jacketed cables extending from each end of the splice.

Claims

1. A cable splice enclosure for environmentally and physically enclosing a splice formed in a jacketed cable, said splice enclosure being characterized in use by the provision of a continuous, uninterrupted mastic seal that fully envelops the splice and seals to the jacketed cable extending from each end of the splice, said splice enclosure comprising:

an elongate clam-type housing comprising two mating, substantially mirror image halves joined together by a hinge, each half defining first and second ends and having an elongate, centrally disposed cavity, a half-cylindrical recess at each end of the elongate cavity as a continuation of the cavity, and an integral flange structure adjacent the cavity formed by a first inner longitudinal flange residing adjacent to the hinge and a second outer longitudinal flange remote from the hinge with the flanges defining opposed planar sealing faces, such that upon closure of the housing by hingedly swinging the two halves together the cavities of the two halves become opposed to form a central splice-encasing chamber, the half cylindrical recesses of the two halves become opposed to form a cable port at each end of the housing and the planar sealing faces abut;

a first amount of mastic seal material located on said planar sealing faces sufficient to provide two uninterrupted mastic seals between the respective inner and outer flanges of the two halves upon closure of the housing;

fasteners for holding the respective inner and outer flanges of the two halves together with the mastic seal material therebetween in compression;

each half-cylindrical recess including at least one semicircular rib protrusion that, in cooperation with a rib protrusion on the other half, encircles the jacketed cable residing in the cable port when the housing is closed;

a second amount of mastic seal material for encircling a jacketed cable portion at each cable port in an area where said semicircular rib protrusions reside;

whereby, in use, the seals between the semicircular rib protrusions and the jacketed cable and the uninterrupted mastic seals at said flanges provide a continuous, uninterrupted mastic seal that fully envelops the cable splice and seals to jacketed cables extending from each end of the splice.

2. The cable splice enclosure of claim 1 wherein at least one of said semicircular rib protrusions includes nipple extensions at the ends thereof for engaging the mastic sealing material on the adjacent inner and outer flanges.

3. The cable splice enclosure of claim 1 wherein each recess includes two of said semicircular rib protrusions.

4. The cable splice enclosure of claim 3 wherein at least some of the rib protrusions include nipple extensions at the ends thereof for engaging the mastic sealing material on the adjacent inner and outer flanges.

5. The cable splice enclosure of claim 1 wherein said housing halves are formed of polypropylene and the mastic material is a cross linked, butyl rubber, resilient mastic.

6. The cable splice enclosure of claim 1 wherein the housing halves are joined by a longitudinally disposed living hinge.

7. An environmentally and physically enclosed splice for two jacketed cables carrying distribution class voltage, said enclosed splice comprising:

two jacketed cables each of which includes a conductor, a neutral wire and a jacket,

a cable splice in which the conductors of the two cables are joined together by a premolded splice and the neutral wires are joined together by a neutral splice located external of the premolded splice;

a molded elongate housing including two mirror image clam-type halves joined together about a longitudinally disposed living hinge, said housing including an elongate centrally disposed splice-encasing chamber formed by opposed cavities in the housing halves, a cable port at each end of said chamber formed by opposed half-cylindrical recesses in the housing halves, each cable port encasing one of the jacketed cables extending from the ends of the cable splice, and a pair of uninterrupted longitudinal seals formed by abutment of opposed flanges in the housing halves, a first pair of said abutted flanges residing adjacent to said living hinge and a second pair of said abutted flanges residing remote from the living hinge;

said uninterrupted longitudinal seals including uninterrupted mastic seal material between the abutted flanges, and fastener means for holding the mastic seal material in compression;

each half-cylindrical recess including at least one semicircular rib protrusion that, in cooperation with the rib protrusion on the opposite recess, encircles the jacketed cables residing in the cable port;

said mastic seal material encircling the jacketed cables at each cable port, and said rib protrusions being sealingly embedded in the mastic seal material;

whereby, the mastic seal material between the semicircular rib protrusions and the enclosed jacketed cables at the two cable ports and the pair of uninterrupted longitudinal mastic seals provide a continuous, uninterrupted mastic seal that fully envelops the premolded cable splice and the neutral splice and seals to the jacketed cables extending from each end of the splice.

8. The enclosed splice of claim 7 wherein at least one of said semicircular rib protrusions at each cable port includes nipple extensions at the ends thereof for engaging the mastic sealing material on the adjacent inner and outer flanges.

9. The enclosed splice of claim 7 wherein each half-cylindrical recess includes two of said semicircular rib protrusions.

10. The enclosed splice of claim 9 wherein at least some of the rib protrusions include nipple extensions at the ends thereof for engaging the mastic sealing material on the adjacent inner and outer flanges.

11. The enclosed splice of claim 7 wherein said housing halves are formed of polypropylene and the mastic material is a cross linked, butyl rubber, resilient mastic.

12. The enclosed splice of claim 7 wherein the housing halves are joined by a longitudinally disposed living hinge.

13. An environmentally and physically enclosed splice for two jacketed cables, said enclosed splice comprising:

two jacketed cables each of which includes a conductor portion;

a cable splice in which the conductor portions of the two cables are joined together;

a molded elongate housing including two mirror image clam-type halves joined together about a longitudinally disposed living hinge, said housing including an elongate centrally disposed splice-encasing chamber formed by opposed cavities in the housing halves, a cable port at each end of said chamber formed by opposed half-cylindrical recesses in the housing halves, each cable port encasing one of the jacketed cables extending from the ends of the cable splice, and a pair of uninterrupted longitudinal seals formed by said abutment of opposed flanges in the housing halves, a first pair of said abutted flanges residing adjacent to said living hinge and a second pair of abutted flanges residing remote from the living hinge;

said uninterrupted longitudinal seals including uninterrupted mastic seal material between the abutted flanges, and fastener means for holding the mastic seal material in compression;

each half-cylindrical recess including at least one semicircular rib protrusion that, in cooperation with the rib protrusion on the opposite recess, encircles the jacketed cables residing in the cable port;

said mastic seal material encircling the jacketed cables at each cable port, and said rib protrusions being sealingly embedded in the mastic seal material;

whereby, the mastic seal material between the semicircular rib protrusions and the enclosed jacketed cables at the two cable ports and the pair of uninterrupted longitudinal mastic seals provide a continuous, uninterrupted mastic seal that fully envelops the cable splice and seals to the jacketed cables extending from each end of the splice.