Moisture resistant seal for electrical cable assemblies
AssigneeDSM&T Company, Inc.
InventorSergio Corona
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A waterproof seal for electrical assemblies wherein an outer sheath of an electrical cable is removed to expose the wires and the insulation is removed from the wires to form a window of exposed electrical conductor, the electrical conductors being maintain apart from each other and contained in a cover that may comprise a connector, an epoxy applied to the electrical conductors to fill in all the space in and around the electrical conductors and the cover to form a waterproof seal that prevents water from wicking past the waterproof seal via an interior of the electrical cable.
Claims32
A waterproof seal for an electrical assembly comprising:
- an electrical cable having:
- a first conductor comprising a plurality of twisted strands covered with a first insulation, the first conductor having a first length and having first and second ends;
- a second conductor comprising a plurality of twisted strands covered with a second insulation, the second conductor comprising a second length and having first and second ends;
- wherein the insulation is stripped away from the first conductor at a first location along a longitudinal length of the first conductor to form a first window of exposed twisted strands, and wherein the twisted strands are untwisted for at least a portion of the first window;
- wherein at least a portion of the untwisted strands in the first window are solidified into a first unitary conductive portion within the first window;
- wherein the insulation is stripped away from the second conductor at a second location along a longitudinal length of the second conductor to form a second window of exposed twisted strands, and wherein the twisted strands are untwisted for at least a portion of the second window;
- wherein at least a portion of the untwisted strands in the second window are solidified into a second unitary conductive portion within the second window;
- a covering positioned around the first and second windows;
- an epoxy material disposed in and around the first and second windows and filling any spaces between said covering and the first and second unitary conductive portions;
- and
- a bonding agent overlays a portion of an inside surface of the covering such that said epoxy bonds to the inside surface of said covering;
- wherein said covering prevents moisture from penetrating into said electrical cable, and wherein said epoxy material occupies spaces within said first and second windows to prevent water from wicking through said electrical cable.
A method for providing a waterproof seal for electrical assemblies comprising an electrical cable having a first and a second conductor each having a plurality of twisted strands and each surrounded by a first and a second insulation respectively, the method comprising the steps of:
- stripping away the insulation of the first conductor at a first location along a longitudinal length of the first conductor to form a first window of exposed twisted strands without cutting the twisted strands;
- untwisting the twisted strands of the first conductor in the first window;
- solidifying at least a portion of the untwisted strands in the first window to form a first unitary conductive portion within the first window;
- stripping away the insulation of the second conductor at a second location along a longitudinal length of the second conductor to form a second window of exposed twisted strands without cutting the twisted strands;
- untwisting the twisted strands of the second conductor in the second window;
- solidifying at least a portion of the untwisted strands in the second window to form a second unitary conductive portion within the second window;
- positioning a covering around the first and second windows;
- applying an epoxy material to the first and second windows and filling in any spaces between the covering and the first and second unitary conductive portions;
- and
- overlaying a bonding agent on a portion of an inside surface of the covering such that the epoxy bonds to the inside surface of the covering;
- wherein the covering prevents moisture from penetrating into the electrical cable, and wherein the epoxy material occupies spaces within the first and second windows to prevent water from wicking through the electrical cable.
A method for providing a waterproof seal for electrical assemblies comprising an electrical cable having a first and a second conductor each surrounded by a first and a second insulation respectively, the method comprising the steps of:
- stripping away the insulation of the first conductor at a first location along a longitudinal length of the first conductor to form a first window of exposed electrical conductor without cutting the electrical conductor;
- stripping away the insulation of the second conductor at a second location along a longitudinal length of the second conductor to form a second window of exposed electrical conductor without cutting the electrical conductor;
- positioning a covering around the first and second windows;
- applying an epoxy material to the first and second windows and filling in any spaces between the covering and the first and second exposed electrical conductors;
- and
- overlaying a bonding agent on a portion of an inside surface of the covering such that the epoxy bonds to the inside surface of the covering;
- wherein the covering prevents moisture from penetrating into the electrical cable, and wherein the epoxy material occupies spaces within the first and second windows to prevent water from wicking through the electrical cable, and
- providing a two-part assembly with an upper portion and a lower portion that encloses the covering.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.