Cable seals and methods of assembly

• US 8,937,245 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Shadel, Bryan James, McMillen, Christopher Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III, William H
• Application Number:
  US13/083,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20110186351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 174/74.R, 174/77.R, 174/78, 174/65.G, 174/153.G, 174/DIG.8
• US Class Current: 174/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5202 Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/726 Making a non-soldered electrical connection simultaneously with the heat shrinking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49178 by shrinking of cover

Abstract

A cable seal includes a heat-shrinkable tubing coupled to a cable outer jacket. An elastic member is positioned about the heat-shrinkable tubing. A cap is positioned about the heat-shrinkable tubing. At least one of the elastic member and the cap has a vertical sealing surface and a horizontal sealing surface. The vertical sealing surface extends substantially coaxially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the cable seal, and the horizontal sealing surface extends substantially radially with respect to the cable seal longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A cable seal comprising:

a heat-shrinkable tubing coupled to a cable outer jacket;

an elastic member positioned circumferentially about said heat-shrinkable tubing; and

a cap positioned circumferentially about said heat-shrinkable tubing such that at least a portion of said heat-shrinkable tubing extends through an open passage defined in said cap, wherein at least one of said elastic member and said cap has a vertical sealing surface extending substantially coaxially with respect to a longitudinal axis of said cable seal and a horizontal sealing surface extending substantially radially with respect to said cable seal longitudinal axis.

2. A cable seal in accordance with claim 1, wherein said heat-shrinkable tubing is chemically bonded to said cable outer jacket.

3. A cable seal in accordance with claim 1 wherein said heat-shrinkable tubing comprises an outer layer having an outer surface that facilitates mitigating surface irregularities on said outer surface.

4. A cable seal in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vertical sealing surface is compressed against a cable penetration.

5. A cable seal in accordance with claim 1, wherein said horizontal sealing surface is compressed against a cable penetration.

6. A cable seal in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said vertical sealing surface and said horizontal sealing surface defines said open passage sized to receive a cable therein.

7. A cable seal in accordance with claim 1 wherein said elastic member comprises a plurality of O-rings.

8. A cable penetration sealing system, said system comprising:

a cable comprising an outer jacket;

a cable seal comprising a heat-shrinkable tubing coupled to said outer jacket, an elastic member positioned circumferentially about said heat-shrinkable tubing, and a cap positioned circumferentially about said heat-shrinkable tubing such that at least a portion of said heat-shrinkable tubing extends through an open passage defined in said cap, wherein at least one of said elastic member and said cap has a vertical sealing surface extending substantially coaxially with respect to a longitudinal axis of said cable seal and a horizontal sealing surface extending substantially radially with respect to the cable seal longitudinal axis; and

a cable penetration having a surface sized to receive said cable seal therein.

9. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said heat-shrinkable tubing is chemically bonded to said cable outer jacket.

10. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said heat-shrinkable tubing comprises an outer layer having an outer surface that facilitates mitigating surface irregularities on said outer surface.

11. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said vertical sealing surface is compressed against the surface of said cable penetration.

12. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said horizontal sealing surface is compressed against the surface of said cable penetration.

13. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 8 wherein at least one of said vertical sealing surface and said horizontal sealing surface defines said open passage sized to receive said cable therein.

14. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said elastic member comprises a plurality of O-rings.