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US 10,312,630 B1Granted
Device and method for protecting a connector assembly
AssigneeYazaki North America, Inc.
InventorsAlexander Advey, Kevin Shaheen Pakravan, Jen Vun Ng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector kit includes a housing, a wire-mounted component, and a seal. In various embodiments, the seal is configured to be coupled to the housing and the wire-mounted component. The seal includes a single unitary body, and the seal is structured to provide a seal for the wire-mounted component and a wire to protect an interior of the connector from penetration by foreign substances.
Claims20
A connector kit comprising:
- a housing;
- a wire-mounted component;
- and
- a seal configured to be attached to the wire-mounted component to define a boot assembly;
- wherein the boot assembly, when mounted on a wire, defines:
- a first sealing surface located at a first location along a longitudinal axis about which the boot assembly is centered, the first sealing surface defined between an outer surface of the wire and an inner surface of the seal;
- a second sealing surface located at a second location along the longitudinal axis, the second sealing surface defined between an outer surface of the wire-mounted component and the inner surface of the seal;
- and
- a third sealing surface located at a third location along the longitudinal axis, the third sealing surface defined between the outer surface of the wire and an inner surface of the wire-mounted component, the third location being located in between the first location and the second location with respect to the longitudinal axis.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a wire-mounted component, a wire;
- surrounding, by a seal, at least a portion of the wire and the wire-mounted component to define an integral boot assembly mounted about the wire;
- and
- receiving, by a housing, the seal:
- wherein the boot assembly, when mounted about the wire, defines:
- a first sealing surface located at a first location along a longitudinal axis about which the boot assembly is centered, the first sealing surface defined between an outer surface of the wire and an inner surface of the seal;
- a second sealing surface located at a second location along the longitudinal axis, the second sealing surface defined between an outer surface of the wire-mounted component and the inner surface of the seal;
- and
- a third sealing surface located at a third location along the longitudinal axis, the third sealing surface defined between the outer surface of the wire and an inner surface of the wire-mounted component, the third location being located in between the first location and the second location with respect to the longitudinal axis.
6 more elements
A connector kit comprising:
- a housing having a cavity formed therein;
- a wire-mounted component having a substantially uninterrupted external surface extending circumferentially about a longitudinal axis about which the wire-mounted component is centered;
- and
- a seal configured to be coupled to the housing and the wire-mounted component, the seal being formed of a single elastomeric unitary body, wherein the seal comprises:
- a first end, the first end having a first inner surface that provides a first sealing surface for the wire-mounted component;
- and
- a second end, the second end having a second inner surface that provides a second sealing surface for the wire, and the second end having a first outer surface that provides a third sealing surface for the housing;
- wherein the first end of the seal is configured to be pushed over the wire-mounted component to receive the wire-mounted component therein;
- wherein, when the seal is pushed over the wire-mounted component, the seal expands to accommodate the wire-mounted component and is placed into a state of tension, the state of tension causing the first sealing surface defined by the first inner surface of the seal to exert a radially inward force against the circumferentially extending external surface of the wire-mounted component to create a friction fit between the seal and the wire-mounted component;
- wherein the cavity in the housing is configured to receive the second end of the seal;
- wherein, when the second end of the seal is received in the housing, the seal is placed into a state of compression, the state of compression causing the seal to exert a radially outward force against the housing to create a friction fit between the seal and the housing, and the state of compression causing the seal to exert a radially inward force against a wire about which the seal is mounted to create a friction fit between the seal and the wire.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.