Clip for forming a branch off seal and method of using the clip

Details Clip for forming a branch off seal and method of using the clip Clip for forming a branch off seal and method of using the clip

1999-08-10

2001-01-30

Kincaid, Kristine (Department: 2831)

Electricity: conductors and insulators

Conduits, cables or conductors

Combined

C174SDIG008, C174S08800C

Reexamination Certificate

active

06180887

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to telecommunications equipment generally, and more specifically, to methods for securing cables.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
A building entrance protector (BEP) enclosure houses the physical interface between the nodes of a local telecommunications network and a telecommunications cable. For example, a BEP enclosure may house the interface hardware between the telephones of an office building and an exterior telephone cable having a number of twisted copper pairs that carry the voice signals for those telephones. A BEP enclosure is typically mounted in the basement or first floor of the office building. A BEP enclosure may also be used to house the interface hardware for systems based on fiber optical communications. Similarly, BEP enclosures may be used with telecommunications systems carrying signals other than just telephone voice signals.
The end cap of a BEP may include one or more cable ports, which extend outwardly from the end cap. The cable port allows a cable to enter into the enclosure. Heat shrink tubing is commonly used to secure the cable to the BEP housing, align the cable, and to provide a seal to protect the enclosure from the outdoor environments.
The end cap of the BEP typically has a limited number of cable ports through which cables may enter the BEP housing. There may be more cables than cable ports. A problem may arise if it is necessary to route two or more cables through a single port. Attempts have been made to address this problem by forming a branch in a single length of shrink wrap tubing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,298,415; 4,400,579; 4,648,924; and 4,734,543 to Nolf are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. These patents describe a device by which a branch-off seal is effected between a heat-recoverable sleeve (such as a tubular or wraparound sleeve made from cross-linked polymeric material) and two or more electrical cables by using one or more clips. The outer legs of the clips are positioned over the outer surface of the sleeve so as to form an appropriate number of conduits, and heat is applied to cause the sleeve to shrink about the cables positioned within the conduits. Nolf teaches that the preferred clips are formed as a trident, the central leg of which extends into the heat-recoverable sleeve and is provided with a layer of a hot-melt adhesive or another sealant so as to enhance the seal formed at the branch-off.
Nolf's method includes positioning a clip having at least two elongate legs over the outer surface of the heat-shrinkable sleeve at the end thereof so as to form at least two terminal conduits. The cables are positioned within the conduits. Heat is applied so as to effect shrinkage and to form the desired seal.
Nolf describes several variations and embodiments of the clip and methods for using the clip.
FIGS. 1A and 1B
of the present application corresponds to
FIGS. 13
a
and
13
b
of each of the above listed patents by Nolf.
FIGS. 1A and 1B
show an adjustable clip having three legs
47
,
48
and
50
. In this clip, two of the outer legs
47
and
48
are rotatably mountable on an extended part of the inner leg
49
, whereas outer leg
50
is fixed to the inner leg
49
. Such a clip can be adjusted according to the nature of the branch-off required. Once adjusted, the leg positions are locked in place by teeth (not numbered).
An improved clip having greater flexibility and adaptability to different branching solutions is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a clip assembly including a pivot pin and a plurality of elongated legs. Each leg has at least one hinge portion at or near a first end of the leg. The hinge portion is substantially shorter than the leg. Each hinge portion has a hole. The holes of the hinge portions are aligned with each other. Each leg has a second end opposite the first end. The pivot pin passes through the hole in each one of the hinge portions, without extending significantly beyond the hinge portions in the direction of the second ends of the legs. Each leg is freely rotatable about the pivot pin.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4298415 (1981-11-01), Nolf
patent: 4400579 (1983-08-01), Nolf
patent: 4413922 (1983-11-01), Nolf
patent: 4648924 (1987-03-01), Nolf
patent: 4734543 (1988-03-01), Nolf
patent: 4913522 (1990-04-01), Nolf et al.
patent: 5155794 (1992-10-01), Nolf et al.
patent: 5249253 (1993-09-01), Franckx et al.
patent: 5602954 (1997-02-01), Nolf et al.

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