CABLE SEALS AND METHODS OF ASSEMBLY

• US 20070131444A1
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• 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, McMillen, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,232,955 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/74.R
• 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 method of sealing a cable penetration includes assembling a cable seal and inserting the cable seal into a cable penetration. Assembling the cable seal includes adhering at least a portion of a heat-shrinkable tubing to at least a portion of a cable outer jacket, and positioning a secondary elastic seal over the heat-shrinkable tubing. An example of a secondary elastic seal could be O-rings. A cap or other means provides the outer sealing surface.

Claims

1. A method of sealing a cable penetration, said method comprising:

assembling a cable seal, said assembling comprising adhering at least a portion of a heat-shrinkable tubing to at least a portion of a cable outer jacket, positioning a cap over the heat-shrinkable tubing, and positioning at least one elastic member over at least a portion of the heat-shrinkable tubing; and

inserting the cable seal into a cable penetration.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein adhering at least a portion of a heat-shrinkable tubing to at least a portion of a cable outer jacket comprises positioning the heat-shrinkable tubing over the cable outer jacket by inserting at least one open end of a predetermined length of a multi-layered heat-shrinkable tubing over at least a portion of the cable outer jacket.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein adhering at least a portion of a heat-shrinkable tubing to at least a portion of a cable outer jacket further comprises melting a heat-shrinkable tubing inner layer such that it chemically bonds with the cable outer jacket, thereby increasing the strength of the cable outer jacket and mitigating a potential for cable outer jacket strain and cold flow of at least a portion of the cable outer jacket.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein positioning a cap over the heat-shrinkable tubing comprises inserting a cap open passage over the heat-shrinkable tubing outer surface, thereby mitigating a potential for cable outer jacket strain and cold flow of at least a portion of the cable outer jacket.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein positioning at least one O-ring over at least a portion of the heat-shrinkable tubing comprises inserting at least one O-ring over a heat-shrinkable tubing outer surface, thereby facilitating a seal between at least a portion of an O-ring substantially annular inner surface and at least a portion of the heat-shrinkable tubing outer surface by expanding the O-ring, thereby mitigating a potential for cable outer jacket strain and cold flow of at least a portion of the cable outer jacket.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein inserting the cable seal into a cable penetration comprises inserting at least a portion of the cable seal through at least a portion of a cable penetration and compressing at least a portion of at least one O-ring against a sealing surface within the cable penetration, thereby mitigating stress within at least a portion of the cable outer jacket.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein inserting the cable seal into a cable penetration further comprises inserting the cap into the open passage such that a seal between the cable penetration and an external environment is facilitated.

8. A cable seal comprising:

at least one cable, said cable comprising an FEP outer jacket;

at least a portion of a predetermined length of a heat-shrinkable tubing, said tubing being inserted over at least a portion of said cable outer jacket, said tubing comprising an outer layer comprising a first material and an inner layer comprising a second material that is different from said first material, said first layer is chemically bonded to said cable outer jacket;

a cap, said cap comprising at least one sealing surface, said cap being inserted over at least a portion of said heat-shrinkable tubing; and

at least one elastic member, said member comprising at least one sealing surface, said member inserted over at least a portion of said heat-shrinkable tubing.

9. A cable seal in accordance with claim 8 wherein said inner layer comprises FEP, wherein said chemical bond between said inner layer and said outer jacket facilitates an increase of a strength of said cable outer jacket and facilitates mitigation of a potential for cable outer jacket strain and cold flow of at least a portion of said cable outer jacket.

10. A cable seal in accordance with claim 8 wherein said outer layer comprises PTFE and an outer surface, surface irregularities being mitigated on said outer surface, and said outer surface facilitates seal formation between said at least one elastic member and said cap and facilitates mitigation of a potential of cold flow of said cable outer jacket.

11. A cable seal in accordance with claim 8 wherein said cap sealing surface forms a substantially annular open passage, said open passage facilitates receipt of said cable.

12. A cable seal in accordance with claim 8 wherein said at least one elastic member further comprises a first O-ring and a second O-ring, said first and said second O-rings inserted over at least a portion of an outer surface of said heat-shrinkable tubing such that said first and said second O-rings facilitate mitigation of stress within said heat-shrinkable tubing and facilitate seal formation between said O-rings and an outer surface of said heat-shrinkable tubing.

13. A cable seal in accordance with claim 12 wherein said second O-ring comprises a redundant O-ring.

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

a cable seal for a cable, said cable seal comprising a predetermined length of a heat-shrinkable tubing, a cap, and at least one elastic member, said cable comprising an FEP outer jacket, said tubing being inserted over at least a portion of said cable outer jacket, said tubing comprising an outer layer comprising a first material and an inner layer comprising a second material that is different from said first material, said first layer is chemically bonded to said cable outer jacket, said cap comprising at least one sealing surface, said cap inserted over at least a portion of said heat-shrinkable tubing, said at least one elastic member comprising at least one sealing surface, said elastic member inserted over at least a portion of said heat-shrinkable tubing; and

at least one housing comprising at least one cable penetration, said cable penetration configured to receive said seal and comprises a substantially annular circumferential interior surface that comprises a protrusion.

15. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said substantially annular circumferential interior surface forms an instrumentation/electronics cavity.

16. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said protrusion extends radially and orthogonally inward from at least a portion of said circumferential interior surface, said protrusion comprises at least one annular radially innermost protrusion sealing surface and at least one protrusion sealing surface extending radially and orthogonally inward from at least a portion of said circumferential interior surface, said protrusion sealing surface comprising a predetermined axial length, said sealing surface facilitates a seal between said cable and said housing.

17. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 14 wherein at least a portion of said interior surface and at least a portion of said protrusion form a housing open passage, said open passage facilitates intrusion of said cable into said housing, said open passage comprising radial dimensions sized to facilitate receipt and compression of said at least one elastic member.

18. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said circumferential interior surface and said protrusion sealing surface extend radially and orthogonally inward from said circumferential interior surface to facilitate forming a seal between said cap and said housing.

19. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said inner layer comprises FEP and said outer layer comprises PTFE, said PTFE outer layer comprises an outer surface, said chemical bond between said FEP inner layer and said FEP outer jacket facilitates coupling of said tubing to said cable outer jacket to assemble a tubing-enclosed cable portion, said PTFE outer surface mitigates surface irregularities and facilitates mitigation of cold flow of said cable outer jacket.

20. A cable penetration sealing system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said at least one elastic member further comprises a first O-ring and a second O-ring, said first and said second O-rings inserted over at least a portion of an outer surface of said heat-shrinkable tubing such that said first and said second O-rings facilitate mitigation of stress within said heat-shrinkable tubing and facilitate seal formation between said O-rings and an outer surface of said heat-shrinkable tubing, said second O-ring being a redundant O-ring.