Grommet for a cable connector and a strain relief cable fitting having an insert

Abstract

A grommet for use in a cable fitting includes a body having a bore substantially therethrough and a resilient membrane located within the bore. The resilient membrane is elastically deformable from a receiving position before the cable is inserted into the bore, to an inserted position, after the cable is fully inserted into the bore. In the receiving position, the resilient membrane is substantially conically shaped having an apex substantially coincident with an insertion opening of the body, and, the resilient membrane is axially displaced during the insertion of the cable to an inverted position with respect to the receiving position where the apex is oriented away from the insertion opening. The resilient membrane has a thinner membrane portion extending from the apex towards the bore to provide a controlled tear during cable insertion. The body has an exit opening which comprises resilient gripping teeth projecting axially from the body with an axially extending resilient foldable membrane located between at least two adjacent resilient teeth and foldable therebetween when they are radially compressed. Once force is applied by the axial movement of the fitting assembly onto a tapered surface of the grommet, the flexible gripping members radially collapse towards an inserted cable. The combination of the resilient membrane and the axially extending teeth separated by a foldable membrane allow for an increased friction fit and sealing interface on the cable. The grommet may be assembled in a strain relief connector having a nut, a connector body and optionally an insert. The insert has a removed section longitudinally coincident with a gripping surface facilitating movement of the gripping surface towards the cable.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.