Apparatus and methods for sealing electrical connections

A method of sealing an electrical connection in an electrical connection sealer, the method comprising:

• applying heat to an electrical connection sealing assembly, the electrical connection sealing assembly comprising:
• the electrical connection sealer comprising:
• an outer jacket comprising a first piece of heat-shrinkable tubing, the outer jacket having a pre-sealed end and an open end opposite the pre-sealed end, the pre-sealed end being closed, and the first piece of heat-shrinkable tubing at the open end being heat-recoverable and forming a cavity;
• and
• a low-viscosity sealant in the cavity, said low-viscosity sealant comprising a low-viscosity thermoplastic sealant selected from the group consisting of polyolefin-based sealants where the base polymer is polyethylene, metallocene-formed polyethylene copolymer, metallocene-formed polypropylene copolymer, maleic anhydride functionalized polyethylene;
• polyolefin copolymer based sealants where the base polymer is ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer;
• polyamide based sealants;
• thermoplastic elastomer based sealants;
• polyolefin and polyamide mixture based sealants;
• polyolefin and polyolefin copolymer mixture based sealants;
• polyolefin copolymer and polyamide mixture-based sealants;
• fluoropolymers or combinations thereof;
• a first insulated electrical wiring having a multi-wire configuration comprising a bundle of first wires having a first end extending into the cavity;
• and
• at least one second insulated electrical wiring comprising at least one second wire extending into the cavity;
• wherein a first end of the first wires and the at least one second wire form the electrical connection;
• inserting the electrical connection into the cavity of the electrical connection sealer, and
• wherein the applying heat heat-recovers the portion of the first piece of heat-shrinkable tubing not previously heat-recovered and causes the low-viscosity sealant to flow across and through the first wires and the at least one second wire, such that the first piece of heat-shrinkable tubing shrinks to encapsulate the electrical connection and seal the electrical connection and substantially seal the low-viscosity sealant within the outer jacket.

An electrical connection sealing assembly, comprising:

• an electrical connection sealer comprising:
• an outer jacket comprising a first piece of heat-shrinkable tubing, the outer jacket having a pre-sealed end and an open end opposite the pre-sealed end, the pre-sealed end being closed, and the first piece of heat-shrinkable tubing at the open end being heat-recoverable and forming a cavity;
• and
• a low-viscosity sealant in the cavity, said low-viscosity sealant comprising a low-viscosity thermoplastic sealant selected from the group consisting of polyolefin-based sealants where the base polymer is polyethylene, metallocene-formed polyethylene copolymer, metallocene-formed polypropylene copolymer, maleic anhydride functionalized polyethylene or combinations thereof;
• polyolefin copolymer based sealants where the base polymer is ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer;
• polyamide based sealants, thermoplastic elastomer based sealants;
• polyolefin and polyamide mixture based sealants;
• polyolefin and polyolefin copolymer mixture based sealants;
• polyolefin copolymer and polyamide mixture-based sealants;
• fluoropolymers or combinations thereof;
• a first insulated electrical wiring having a multi-wire configuration comprising a bundle of first wires;
• and
• at least one second insulated electrical wiring comprising at least one second wire;
• wherein a first end of the bundle of first wires and the at least one second wire form an electrical connection, the electrical connection being located in the cavity of the electrical connection sealer,
• wherein the low-viscosity sealant does not flow across and through the first wires and the at least one second wire when they first inserted in the cavity.