Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-17
2001-12-25
Nguyen, Chau N. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
C174S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06333463
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to sealing of cables. More particularly, this invention relates to sealing of multicore cables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the electrical utilities industry, maintaining cable integrity may be critical. A loss of cable integrity, for example, a short circuit in a high voltage cable, may result in a crippling power outage, or, even worse, a loss of life. One everyday task that may pose a great threat to cable integrity is the formation of electrical connections.
When electrical connections are formed, a bare metal surface may be exposed, such as a splice connector. These bare metal surfaces may be particularly hazardous when formed in the field where they are exposed to the environment. This environment may include rocks and other sharp objects as well as moisture when the connection is to be buried under ground and rainfall when the connection is to be suspended in the air. Thus, there is a need to protect such electrical connections from the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,005 to Huynh-Ba et al. proposes the use of a gel-filled closure for environmentally protecting a connector forming a connection between a cable and at least one electrical component. The closure may include first and second cavitied bodies, each having two lateral sides and two end sides. The closure may have a hinge joining the first and second bodies along a lateral edge. The closure may be integrally made of a thermoplastic material by injection molding. The thermoplastic material may have a tensile yield strength of at least 3,500 psi. The closure may include reinforcing ribs which decrease the deflection in the closure near fingers as the enclosed gel expands during service at elevated temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,070 to Clark et al. proposes a flexible envelope having therein a sealing material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,580 to Reuter proposes an environmental closure having an outer, openable, shell with an internal biasing mechanism. The shell may contain viscous sealant material. Pressure from the biasing mechanism may operate to force sealant between adjacent wires. The adjacent wires may form a pigtail splice.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,700 to Olsen et al. proposes a closure provided to facilitate an environmental seal about a multi-wire splice or junction.
An additional problem may arise when the cables to be connected are multicore cables. Multicore cables may typically contain two or more wires within an insulating sheath. These wires may, for example, carry different phases of an electrical power signal. When electrical connections arc made to such wires, the connections may not only need to be protected from the environment, but also need to be protected from one another.
JP58224725A proposes a protection cover that is obtained by inserting and coupling tubular structures in which plural wires can be inserted separately inside a heat-shrinkable tube of which both ends are open.
Other closures may provide a separator that separates the wires of the multicore cable from one another.
While gel filled closures that incorporate such separators may protect the wires of a multicore cable from one another, they may not adequately protect the wires from the environment. The orientation of the cables between the end of the sheath and the separator may limit the ability of the gel from the gel filled closure to adequately seal the wires. As a result, a tear in the sheath of the multicore cable may allow moisture to enter the gel filled closure. Water may enter the multicore cable through the tear in the sheath and then move down the interior of the multicore cable into the gel filled closure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, wire separators for separating two or more wires in a multicore cable splice closure are provided. Wire separators of the present invention may promote the positioning of sealant material adjacent a crotch region defined by two or more wires exiting a sheath of a multicore cable. Wire separators of the present invention may form part of a cable splice closure for environmentally sealing a multicore cable and may reduce or prevent entry of moisture into the closure through the crotch region.
According to embodiments of the present invention, a wire separator includes a longitudinally extending side wall. The side wall further extends circumferentially so as to define a sealant material reservoir. At least a portion of the side wall comprises a flexible material. The wire separator includes a first longitudinally extending channel member coupled to the side wall of the sealant material reservoir. The first channel member defines a first channel. The wire separator includes a second longitudinally extending channel member circumferentially spaced from the first channel member. The second channel member is coupled to the side wall of the sealant material reservoir. The second channel member defines a second channel. A sealant material is positioned within the sealant material reservoir.
In embodiments of the present invention, the sealant material reservoir may have a first open end. The sealant material reservoir may have a second open end longitudinally spaced from the first open end. The sealant material reservoir may have a rupturable seal member on at least one end thereof. The entire side wall may comprise the flexible material.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the wire separator may include a third longitudinally extending channel member circumferentially spaced from the first and the second channel members. The third channel member may be coupled to the side wall of the sealant material reservoir and may define a third channel. The wire separator may include a fourth longitudinally extending channel member circumferentially spaced from the first, the second, and the third longitudinal channel members. The fourth channel member may be coupled to the side wall of the sealant material reservoir and may define a fourth channel.
In other embodiments of the present invention, a first portion of the side wall may define a first wall of the first channel member. A second portion of the side wall may define a first wall of the second channel member. A third portion of the side wall may include a first wall of the third channel member. A fourth portion of the side wall may include a first wall of the fourth channel member.
In still other embodiments of the present invention, a portion of the first channel member may define a second wall of the third channel member. A portion of the second channel member may define a second wall of the fourth channel member.
In embodiments of the present invention, the flexible material may have a flexural modulus between about 10,000 psi and about 100,000 psi. The flexible material may include a polymeric material. The sealant material may be a gel.
A cable splice closure for environmentally sealing a multicore cable having at least a first and a second wire is also provided by the present invention. The cable splice closure includes a wire separator and a closure. The wire separator includes a longitudinally extending side wall. The side wall extends circumferentially so as to define a sealant material reservoir. The side wall comprises a flexible material. The wire separator includes a first longitudinally extending channel member coupled to the side wall of the sealant material reservoir. The first channel member defines a first channel configured to receive a first portion of the first wire therein. The wire separator includes a second longitudinally extending channel member circumferentially spaced from the first channel member. The second channel member is coupled to the side wall of the sealant material reservoir. The second channel member defines a second channel configured to receive a first portion of the second wire therein. A sealant material is positioned within the sealant material reservoir. The closure substantially surrounds the wire separator.
In embodiments of the present invention, the closure may have a first body member having a first compression m
Blue Kenton Archibald
Bukovnik Rudolf Robert
Judd Jeffery Craig
Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec P.A.
Nguyen Chau N.
Tyco Electronics Corporation
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