Cable and apparatus interconnection close quarters environmental seal

• US 7,453,042 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, Albert, Low, David, Korczak, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chau N
• Application Number:
  US11/733,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20080245547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 174/93, 138/124, 138/140, 138/147
• US Class Current: 174/93
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/013 Sealing means for cable inlets inlets for cables filled with, or surrounded by, gas or oil H02G15/32
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/113 Boxes split longitudinally in main cable direction

Abstract

A sealing assembly for a cable to apparatus electrical interconnection. The assembly having a unitary cylindrical gasket, the outer diameter of the cylindrical gasket provided with an insertion opening to an interconnection cavity; the insertion opening having a generally circle sector shape at a cable end and an apparatus end, the insertion opening extending between the cable end and the apparatus end along the outer diameter. A generally C-shaped outer shell is dimensioned to seat along the outer diameter, the outer shell having outward protruding edge lips aligned with the insertion opening along the outer diameter. The edge lips movable towards one another to a closed position wherein the insertion opening is closed around the electrical interconnection; and means for retaining, such as a locking bar that fits over the edge lips.

Claims

1. A sealing assembly for a cable to apparatus electrical interconnection, comprising:

a unitary cylindrical gasket, the outer diameter of the cylindrical gasket provided with an insertion opening to an interconnection cavity;

the insertion opening having a generally circle sector shape at a cable end and an apparatus end, the insertion opening extending between the cable end and the apparatus end along the outer diameter;

a generally C-shaped outer shell dimensioned to seat along the outer diameter, the outer shell having outward protruding edge lips aligned with the insertion opening along the outer diameter;

the edge lips movable towards one another to a closed position wherein the insertion opening is closed around the electrical interconnection; and

a locking bar with a retaining slot;

the retaining slot dimensioned for longitudinal insertion of the edge lips in the closed position; and

a means for retaining on the locking bar.

2. The sealing assembly of claim 1, wherein the means for retaining is a torsion snap formed integral with the locking bar;

the torsion snap operable to engage a gap in the edge lips.

3. The sealing assembly of claim 1, wherein the edge lips and retaining slot have a longitudinal taper between a minimum width at the cable end and a maximum width at the apparatus end.

4. The sealing assembly of claim 1, further including compensation spikes in the sidewalls at the cable end and the apparatus end, at a transition area where the sidewall(s) change from sealing against the cable or apparatus to sealing against one another.

5. The sealing assembly of claim 1, further including a leakage cavity adjacent the cable end;

the leakage cavity provided with leakage cavity sidewalls that seal against the cable and against one another to isolate the leakage cavity from the interconnection cavity when the sealing assembly is in the closed position.

6. The sealing assembly of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical gasket has outward protruding edges along the sidewall of the outer diameter.

7. The sealing assembly of claim 1, wherein the apparatus end opening is adapted to surround and seal against a connector body of the apparatus.

8. The sealing assembly of claim 1, wherein the circular sector has an arc length of less than 90 degrees.

9. The sealing assembly of claim 1, wherein the cable end circular sector has a central diameter dimensioned to seal around the cable.

10. The sealing assemblies of claim 1, further including an end stop at the cable end of the locking bar.

11. A sealing assembly for a cable to apparatus electrical interconnection, comprising:

a unitary cylindrical gasket with an insertion opening to an interconnection cavity;

the insertion opening having a generally circle sector shape at a cable end and an apparatus end, the insertion opening extending between the cable end and the apparatus end along an outer diameter of the cylindrical gasket;

a generally C-shaped outer shell dimensioned to seat along the outer diameter, the outer shell having outward protruding edge lips aligned with the insertion opening along the outer surface;

a means for retaining the edge lips in a closed position; and

a means for securing on the means for retaining to secure the means for retaining upon the assembly.

12. The sealing assembly of claim 11, wherein the retaining means is a locking bar with a retaining slot dimensioned to mate with the edge lips.

13. The sealing assembly of claim 12, wherein the retaining slot and the edge lips have a taper between a minimum width at the cable end and a maximum width at the apparatus end.

14. The sealing assembly of claim 11, wherein the means for securing is a torsion snap.

15. A method for attaching an environmental seal assembly to a cable and apparatus electrical interconnection, comprising the steps of:

positioning the electrical interconnection through an insertion opening into an interconnection cavity of a unitary cylindrical gasket;

seating a generally C-shaped outer shell around an outer diameter of the cylindrical gasket, a pair of edge lips of the outer shell aligned with an outer diameter sidewall of the insertion opening;

drawing the edge lips towards one another, closing the insertion opening around the electrical interconnection, sealing the sidewalls against the cable at the cable end, against the apparatus at the apparatus end and the remaining sidewalls against one another;

longitudinally inserting a locking bar over the edge lips, to retain the edge lips together; and

engaging a means for securing the locking bar to secure the locking bar upon the edge lips.