Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Patent
1996-12-02
1998-07-07
Lorin, Francis J.
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
156 52, 156221, 156 86, 403273, 403298, B65H 6900
Patent
active
057762775
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for sealing between two or more elongate substrates, such as cables or pipes, and a hollow housing surrounding the elongate substrates. Particular applications where the present invention is useful include sealing of cables or pipes within a duct or within a splice case. The invention will be described primarily in terms of a duct seal, (which term includes "feed throughs") but the invention is also applicable to other instances of sealing, including splice cases, pipe protection and grommets. The invention particularly relates to a device for forming a seal between two or more elongate substrates and a housing, particularly where there are a plurality of substrates. Thus the invention is particularly suitable for sealing between multiple cables in a duct, or between cables at a cable branch out in a cable splice.
Where there are a number of elongate substrates extending in a housing, for example, in a duct, or in a splice case, it is necessary not only to seal between the outer facing surfaces of the substrates and the housing within which they sit, but also to seal the gaps between the elongate substrates themselves. In the prior art of splice cases, it is well known to use some kind of thermally responsive material, for example a heat fusible material, positioned between two or more cables exiting a splice case housing to form a seal between the cables.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,044, for example, describes a splice case for receiving a plurality of cables, the splice case comprising two half shells forming an outer housing and an adapter at each end of the housing shaped to accept two or more cables. The adapter comprises a thermally responsive material, e.g. a heat fusible material and includes longitudinal channels to receive incoming cables. It also comprises thermally conductive sheets of e.g. copper which can transfer heat from heaters located in the outer housing to the thermally responsive sealant. A single adapter is used regardless of the number of cables to be sealed, the adapter being differently shaped and sized depending on the number of exiting cables.
Other patent specifications which disclose the use of an adapter, positioned between cables at a branch out, and comprising a thermally responsive material, e.g. a heat fusible material, which fuses to seal around the cables, are GB-A-2198594, GB-A-222737 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,044.
The adapters described above in the prior art specifications are generally used in conjunction with a heat shrinkable sleeve or housing, the heat applied to shrink the sleeve also acting to activate the thermally responsive material.
It is also known to use a flexible hollow inflatable envelope to seal a gap between cables passing through a duct and the duct walls themselves. This is described for example in WO 92/19034 which describes an inflatable envelope, the envelope being inflated in use by introducing a pressurising medium into the envelope through a hole in the walls of the envelope by means of a probe passing through the hole, and a gel material being provided to seal that hole on withdrawal of the probe. This inflatable envelope may be used to form a seal between a single cable passing through a duct by wrapping the envelope around the cable, inserting the envelope-wrapped cable into the duct, and then inflating the envelope. Similarly for two cables in the duct, or in a splice, two of the said envelopes can be wrapped around the cables, and between the cables before inflation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides another device suitable for use for sealing between cables in a duct, or in a splice cable, for example, where there are two or more cables.
The present invention provides a device capable of cooperating with an outer pressure member to form a sealing block between two or more elongate substrates and a hollow housing within which the substrates extend, the device comprising material that (a) is not heat fusible, (b) is secured relative to the support member, and (
REFERENCES:
patent: 4736071 (1988-04-01), Hawkins et al.
patent: 4784707 (1988-11-01), Wefers et al.
patent: 4888070 (1989-12-01), Clark et al.
Burkard Herbert G.
Lorin Francis J.
N.V. Raychem S.A.
LandOfFree
Environmental sealing does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Environmental sealing, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Environmental sealing will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1201466