Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-24
2003-04-08
Nguyen, Chau N. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
C174S093000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06545219
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to sealing of cables. More particularly, this invention relates to wrap-around cable sleeves.
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.
While the gel may protect the connection from moisture and the closure may provide protection from rocks and other buried sharp objects, such a solution may ultimately be less than optimal. The reinforcing ribs may need to be designed to withstand a given internal pressure. As a result, valuable engineering resources may need to be expended to create a satisfactory closure. Moreover, standard electrical connectors are typically not used by electrical utilities across the country. Instead, connectors may assume a variety of shapes and sizes. As the above closure may be formed in molds by injection molding, large capital investments may be required to manufacture them. Oftentimes, the ultimate market for these specialty closures may not be large enough to warrant such an investment. Furthermore, the gel may have to be placed in the closures in a discrete step, either in the manufacturing process or in the field, which may be inefficient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,070 to Clark et al. proposes a flexible envelope having therein a scaling material. As noted above, gels may expand when heated causing internal stresses on the flexible envelope. If the flexible envelope is made of an elastomer having sufficient elasticity to absorb the expansion of the gel, the closure may become susceptible to splitting if placed in contact with a sharp object such as a rock. If the flexible envelope is made of a rigid material capable of withstanding such contact, the closure may become susceptible to stresses similar to those encountered by the closure, as noted above. Furthermore, the gel may typically be positioned within the flexible envelope in the field. Providing the gel in a discrete step may be inefficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, wrap-around cable sleeves for environmentally sealing a cable section are provided. The wrap-around cable sleeve may include a longitudinally extending body made from an electrically insulating material and having a longitudinally extending portion that has a corrugated lateral cross-section. The longitudinally extending portion may have a flexural modulus of between about 4,000 and 100,000 psi. The longitudinally extending portion in various embodiments defines a portion of a cable chamber. The cable chamber may extend at least substantially around the cable section when the body is wrapped around the cable section. The cable chamber may have a range taking in a radial direction of at least about 15 percent.
In embodiments of the present invention, the longitudinally extending portion may include a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge laterally spaced from the first longitudinal edge. The wrap-around cable sleeve may further include a connector having a first connecting portion adjacent the first longitudinal edge and a second connecting portion adjacent the second longitudinal edge. The first connecting portion may be positioned adjacent the second connecting portion when the body is wrapped around the cable portion.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the connector may include a connecting member that connects the first connecting portion to the second connecting portion. The connecting member may include longitudinally extending sleeves, spring clamps, and latch members, for example.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the wrap-around cable sleeve may further include a sealant material positioned within the cable chamber. The sealant material may include a silicone gel. The body may further include a first collar portion adjacent a first end of the cable chamber and a second collar portion adjacent a second end of the cable chamber. The first and second collar portions may have a range taking in a radial direction of less than about 10 percent. The cable chamber may have a range taking in the longitudinal direction of less than about 10 percent.
In further embodiments of the present invention, the wrap-around cable sleeve may include a first restraint member positioned over a first end portion of the cable chamber and a second restraint member positioned over a second end portion of the cable chamber. The second end portion may be longitudinally spaced from the first end portion. The first end portion may have a first slot with the first restraint member positioned therein. The second end portion may have a second slot with the second restraint member positioned therein. The first and second restraint members may limit a range taking in a radial direction of the first and tie second cable chamber end portions to less than about 10 percent.
In yet other embodiments of the present invention, the electrically insulating material may include a thermoplastic elastomer. The thermoplastic elastomer may be selected from the group consisting of polypropylene/rubber blends and polyurethanes. The longitudinally extending portion may have a 100% tensile modulus of between about 250 psi and 3000 psi and may have a tension set of less than about 60 percent.
In other embodiments of the present invention, a wrap-around cable sleeve for environmentally sealing a cable section is provided which includes a longitudinally extending body comprising an electrically insulating material and having a longitudinally extending portion. The longitudinally extending portion may have a first longitudinial edge and a second longitudinial edge laterally spaced from the first longitudinal edge. The longitudinally extending portion may define a portion of a cable chamber. The cable chamber may extend at least substantially around the cable section when the body is wrapped around the cable section. The cable chamber may have a range taking in a radial direction of at least about 15 percent and may have a range taking in the longitudinal direction of less than about 10 percent. The wrap-around cable sleeve may include a connector having a first connecting portion adjacent the first longitudinal edge, and a second connecting portion adjacent the second longitudinal edge.
In further embodiments of the present invention, a wrap-around cable sleeve for environmentally sealing a cable section is provided which includes a longitudinally extending body made from an electrically insulating material and having a longitudinally extending portion with a corrugated lateral cross-section. The longitudinally extending por
Blue Kenton Archibald
Bukovnik Rudolf Robert
Fitzgerald Frank J.
Judd Jeffery Craig
Maher Kathryn Marie
Myers Bigel & Sibley & Sajovec
Nguyen Chau N.
Tyco Electronics Corporation
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