# US 12,009,119 B2 · Method for injecting strand-blocked cable > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,119 B2 - Document ID: US12009119B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/192,670 - Filed: 2021-03-04 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: Novinium, Inc. - Applicants: Novinium, LLC - Inventors: Wayne J. Chatterton; James Steele; Norman E. Keitges; David C. Busby; Kevin Laux; Weston Philips Chapin Ford; Nathanael Laurie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009119B2 ## CPC - H01B 13/322: {the material being a liquid, jelly-like or viscous substance} - H02G 1/16: for repairing insulation or armouring of cables - H01B 7/2813: {Protection against damage caused by electrical, chemical or water tree deterioration} - H01B 13/0016: {for heat treatment} - H02G 15/04: Cable-end sealings - H02G 15/046: {with bores or protruding portions allowing passage of cable conductors} - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES ## Abstract A method for rejuvenating a strand-blocked cable having a conductor comprised of a plurality of conductor strands with interstitial volume therebetween blocked by a PIB based mastic, the conductor being surrounded by a polymeric cable insulation. The method comprising installing injection adapters that seal the cable ends of the cable and are usable to inject fluid into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; elastically expanding the polymeric cable insulation through the application of pressure to the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; and injecting at least one injection fluid in which the PIB based mastic is at least partially soluble into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable. To facilitate elastic deformation of the polymeric cable insulation, the cable may be heated to and maintained at a temperature of T1 above ambient during the injection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for rejuvenating a strand-blocked cable having a conductor comprised of a plurality of conductor strands with interstitial volume therebetween blocked by a PIB based mastic, the conductor being surrounded by a polymeric cable insulation, comprising: installing injection adapters that seal the cable ends of the cable and are usable to inject fluid into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; elastically expanding the polymeric cable insulation through the application of pressure to the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; injecting at least one injection fluid in which the PIB based mastic is at least partially soluble into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; and flushing the at least one injection fluid through the interstitial volume of the conductor strands to create at least 10% more interstitial volume by removing PIB based mastic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including heating the cable to a cable temperature of T1 above ambient T0 and maintaining the cable at least at cable temperature T1 during injection of the at least one injection fluid into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable, whereby elastic deformation of the polymeric cable insulation is facilitated. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the cable temperature T1 is at least 20° C. above ambient TO, and pressure P1 is applied to the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable, pressure P1 being less than the elastic limit of the polymeric cable insulation at cable temperature T1 but greater than 25% of the elastic limit of the cable at cable temperature T1. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the cable temperature is increased to cable temperature T2 and the pressure is reduced to pressure P2 once the at least one injection fluid fills the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the conductor, cable temperature T2 being greater than or equal to cable temperature T1 and pressure P2 being less than the elastic limit of the cable at cable temperature T2. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one component of the at least one injection fluid is selected from one of the families of butoxy-silanes, propoxy-silanes, ethoxy-silanes, and methoxy-silanes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one component of the at least one injection fluid is selected from one of the families of diorganodibutoxysilanes, diorganodipropoxysilanes, diorganodiethoxysilanes, or diorganidimethoxysilanes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one injection fluid is comprised of at least one water condensable silane in which PIB is at least partially soluble and a hydrolysis condensation catalyst. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one water condensable silane is one of dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMDM), dimethyldi-n-butoxysilane (DMDB), tolylethylmethyldi-n-butoxysilane (TEMDB), Di-i-propyldimethoxysilane (DPrDM), Di-n-butyldimethoxysilane (DBDM), and tolylethylmethyldimethoxysilane (TEM). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the solubility of the PIB portion of the PIB based mastic in the at least one injection fluid is between 1 and 50 wt % at 55° C. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the solubility of the PIB portion of the PIB based mastic in the at least one injection fluid is between 5 and 20 wt % at 55° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one injection fluid has a viscosity of less than 3 cSt at 20° C. with 0 wt % of the PIB based mastic dissolved. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one injection fluid has a viscosity of less than 20 cSt at 20° C. with 15 wt % PIB base mastic dissolved. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the injection adapters accommodate at least 0.8% radial thermal expansion of the polymeric cable insulation. ### Claim 14 A method for rejuvenating a strand-blocked cable having a conductor comprised of a plurality of conductor strands with interstitial volume therebetween blocked by a PIB based mastic, the conductor being surrounded by a polymeric cable insulation, comprising: installing injection adapters that seal the cable ends of the cable and are usable to inject fluid into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; elastically expanding the polymeric cable insulation through the application of pressure to the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; and injecting at least one injection fluid in which the PIB based mastic is at least partially soluble into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable, wherein the at least one injection fluid contains an organic peroxide. ### Claim 15 A method for rejuvenating a strand-blocked cable having a conductor comprised of a plurality of conductor strands with interstitial volume therebetween blocked by a PIB based mastic, the conductor being surrounded by a polymeric cable insulation, comprising: installing injection adapters that seal the cable ends of the cable and are usable to inject fluid into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; elastically expanding the polymeric cable insulation through the application of pressure to the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; and injecting at least one injection fluid in which the PIB based mastic is at least partially soluble into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable, wherein the at least one injection fluid contains an aryl peroxide. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one injection fluid contains di-cumyl peroxide between 0 and 10% by weight. ### Claim 17 A method for rejuvenating a strand-block cable having a conductor comprised of a plurality of conductor strands with interstitial volume therebetween blocked by a PIB based mastic, the conductor being surrounded by a polymeric cable insulation, comprising: injecting at least one injection fluid in which the PIB based mastic is at least partially soluble into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable, wherein the at least one injection fluid contains an organic peroxide. ### Claim 18 A method for rejuvenating a strand-block cable having a conductor comprised of a plurality of conductor strands with interstitial volume therebetween blocked by a PIB based mastic, the conductor being surrounded by a polymeric cable insulation, comprising: injecting at least one injection fluid in which the PIB based mastic is at least partially soluble into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable, wherein the at least one injection fluid contains an aryl peroxide. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one injection fluid contains di-cumyl peroxide between 0 and 10% by weight. ### Claim 20 A method for rejuvenating a strand-block cable having a conductor comprised of a plurality of conductor strands with interstitial volume therebetween blocked by a PIB based mastic, the conductor being surrounded by a polymeric cable insulation, comprising: injecting at least one injection fluid in which the PIB based mastic is at least partially soluble into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable, further including flushing the at least one injection fluid through the interstitial volume of the conductor strands to create at least 10% more interstitial volume by removing PIB based mastic.