Cable splice closure

• US 6,111,201 A
• Filed: 05/22/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Jurado, Camilo H., Drane, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau N.
• Application Number:
  US09/083,619
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 174/91, 174/92, 174/138 F, 174/135, 174/76, 439/399, 439/401, 439/402, 439/407, 439/497, 439/579
• US Class Current: 174/92
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/70 Insulation of connections end caps H01R4/22
• 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

A closure for receipt and storage of a plurality of splice connections and encapsulant. The closure includes first and second cooperating shells defining a bounded region and being telescopically engageable with one another. The closure further includes a living hinge for connecting the first and second shells. The hinge extends continuously across at least one side of each of the closures and is located to allow one of such shells to telescope within the other of the shells when the shells are rotated from an open position to a closed position thus providing a encapsulant-displacing force which continuously directs encapsulant within the bounded region away from the living hinge and toward the splice connections contained therein.

Claims

1. A closure for receipt and storage of a plurality of splice connections and encapsulant, comprising:

first and second cooperating shells defining a bounded region and being telescopically engageable with one another;

a living hinge for connecting said first and second shells, said hinge extending continuously across at least one side of each of said shells thereby defining an axis about which said shells rotate with respect to one another and providing an encapsulant-flow barrier along said living hinge, said hinge located to allow one of said shells to telescope within the other of said shells when said shells are rotated from an open position to a closed position thus providing an encapsulant-displacing force which continuously directs said encapsulant contained within said bounded region away from said living hinge while simultaneously retaining said encapsulant within said bounded region;

at least two passages extending through said shells and communicating with said bounded region whereby electrical cable may be passed therethrough; and

securing means for retaining said shells in said closed position.

2. The closure according to claim 1, wherein said shells include walls having a height H and wherein said shells are configured such that one of said shells telescopes within the other of said shells at least one-half the height of said walls of said one shell to provide said encapsulant-displacing force.

3. The closure according to claim 2, wherein said one of said shells telescopes within the other of said shells substantially the entire height of said walls of said one shell whereby the overall height of said closure in said closed position is substantially equal to the height of the individual shells.

4. The closure according to claim 1, wherein each of said shells has a length L and a width W wherein L is greater than W, each of said shells further including walls extending along both said length and said width thereby defining said bounded region, said bounded region adapted for receipt of said encapsulant, and wherein said splice connections are located in an end of said bounded region opposite said living hinge.

5. The closure according to claim 1, wherein said second shell telescopes within said first shell, and wherein said passages include at least two cable entrances formed in said second shell, and further comprising at least one strain relief clip secured to said second shell and located to cooperate with said cable entrances whereby the electrical cable passing therethrough is gripped by said strain relief clip.

6. The closure according to claim 5, wherein said strain relief clip includes a slot sized for receipt of the cable and further includes a plurality of teeth thereabout configured to bite into an outer sheath of the electrical cable.

7. The closure according to claim 1, wherein said second shell includes opposing first and second sidewalls, and wherein said second shell telescopes within said first shell, and wherein said passages include first and second cable entrances located on said first sidewall of said second shell and a third cable entrance located on said second sidewall of said second shell, and further comprising strain relief clips located to cooperate with said cable entrances whereby the electrical cable passing therethrough is gripped by said clips.

8. The closure according to claim 7, wherein said cable entrances are located proximate said living hinge, and wherein said splice connections are located within said bounded region and are distally spaced from said cable entrances in a direction extending away from said living hinge.

9. The closure according to claim 8, wherein said first shell includes opposing first and second sidewalls and further includes first and second cable relief passages located on said first sidewall and positioned to cooperate with said first and second cable entrances located on said second shell, and wherein said first shell further comprises a third cable relief passage located on said second sidewall and adapted to cooperate with said third cable entrance on said second shell when said shells are rotated to said closed position, and wherein said first shell further includes temporary barriers for closing said cable relief passages prior to rotation of said shells to said closed position.

10. The closure according to claim 9, wherein said shells and said living hinge are integrally molded from an impact-resistant plastic.

11. The closure according to claim 10, wherein said impact-resistant plastic is polypropylene.

12. The closure according to claim 11, further comprising a cable support platform located externally to said second shell and proximate each of said cable entrances.

13. A closure for receipt and storage of a plurality of splice connections and encapsulant, comprising:

first and second cooperating shells, each of said shells including sidewalls defining a bounded region and being telescopically engageable with one another to provide a closed internally located storage site; and

a living hinge for connecting said first and second shells, said hinge located as to allow one of said shells to telescope within the other of said shells when said shells are rotated between an open position which provides access to said bounded regions and a closed position which encloses said bounded regions to provide said storage site, each of said shells including a forward end opposite said living hinge and wherein one of said shells telescopes within the other shell at least one-half the height of said sidewalls of said one shell thus providing an encapsulant-displacing force with continuously directs encapsulant away from said living hinge and said forward end of said storage site.

14. The closure according to claim 13, wherein said one of said shells telescopes within the other shell substantially all of the height of said sidewalls of said one shell whereby the height of said closure in said closed position is substantially equal to the height of the individual shells.

15. A closure for receipt and storage of a plurality of splice connections within an encapsulant, comprising:

first and second cooperating shells, each of said shells having a length L and a width W wherein L is greater than W, each of said shells further including sidewalls extending along both said length and said width thereby defining a bounded region for receipt of said encapsulant, a living hinge for connecting said first and second shells, said hinge located on said sidewalls extending along said width; and

each of said shells having a rearward end located proximate to the living hinge and a forward end located opposite said rearward end, said forward end sized for receipt of said plurality of splice connections therein, said shells including passages adapted to allow a length of electrical cable to communicate with said bounded region, said passages being located on said sidewalls extending along said length and positioned proximate to said hinge whereupon rotation of said shells about said hinge provides an encapsulant displacing force which continuously directs said encapsulant from said rearward end of said shell to said forward end whereby said splice connections contained within said forward end are encapsulated.

16. The closure according to claim 15, wherein said shells are formed with an elongate configuration which channels said encapsulant towards said forward end during rotation of said shells from an open position to a closed position.

17. An assembly, comprising:

a closure for receipt and storage of splice connections and encapsulant; and

a splice block sized for placement within said enclosure and providing common grounding and strain relief capabilities for multiple electrical cables, said block including;

a first clip having multiple receiving slots, each of said slots configured to both secure and electrically contact a length of a grounding shield fitted therewithin;

a first clip holder for supporting said first clip in a predetermined orientation;

second and third clips, each including at least one sheath-receiving slot and at least one grounding shield-receiving slot;

a second clip holder for supporting said second and third clips in a substantially coplanar orientation, and wherein said first and second clip holders are configured to mate with one another whereby said first clip may be located between said second and third clips and oriented substantially coplanar therewith following engagement of said first clip with the grounding shields of the electrical cables.

18. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein said first clip includes three receiving slots each configured to both secure and electrically contact the length of the grounding shield fitted therewithin, and wherein said second clip includes two cable strain relief slots and one centrally-positioned grounding shield-receiving slot, and wherein said third clip includes one centrally-positioned strain relief slot and two grounding shield-receiving slots located on opposing sides thereof whereby said splice block allows the assembly of in line splices, butt splices and three-way splices.