# US 2017/0288337 A1 · Grommet for a cable connector and a strain relief cable fitting having an insert > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0288337 A1 - Document ID: US20170288337A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/459,105 - Filed: 2017-03-15 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-29 - Assignees: Ipex Technologies Inc. - Applicants: Ipex Technologies Inc. - Inventors: Filippo MARTINO; Jeffrey Vincent Littlefield - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288337A1 ## CPC - H01R 13/5845: {the strain relief being achieved by molding parts around cable and connections} - H01R 13/59: Threaded ferrule or bolt operating in a direction parallel to the cable or wire - B60R 16/0222: {Grommets} - H01B 17/583: {Grommets; Bushings} - H01R 13/5202: {Sealing means between parts of housing or between housing part and a wall, e.g. sealing rings} - H01R 13/5205: {Sealing means between cable and housing, e.g. grommet (H01R13/5221 takes precedence)} - H01R 13/521: {Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert} - H01R 13/5219: {Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal} - H01R 13/5221: {having cable sealing means} - H01R 33/965: Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof holders - H02G 3/0675: {with bolts operating in a direction parallel to the conductors} - H02G 15/007: Devices for relieving mechanical stress - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A grommet for use in a cable fitting, said grommet comprising: a body having a bore substantially therethrough, said bore having a cable opening for receiving a cable to be inserted and an exit opening for the cable to exit from the body; a resilient membrane located within the bore, said resilient membrane elastically deformable from a receiving position, before the cable is inserted into the bore, to an inverted position, after the cable is inserted into the bore. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The grommet as defined in claim 1, wherein, in the receiving position, the resilient membrane extends axially forward towards the cable opening, and, in the inverted position, the resilient membrane extends axially away from the cable opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The grommet as defined in claim 2, wherein, in the receiving position, the resilient membrane is substantially conically shaped having an apex extending forward towards the cable opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The grommet as defined in claim 3, wherein, in the receiving position, the apex is substantially axially coincident with the cable opening, and, in the inverted position, the apex has been elastically deformed towards the exit opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The grommet as defined in claim 3, wherein, in the receiving position, the resilient membrane extends across substantially all of the bore and is completely contained within the bore with the apex substantially flush with the cable opening. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The grommet as defined in claim 1 wherein the resilient membrane comprises at least one thinner membrane portion which extends radially towards the bore to facilitate controlled tearing of the resilient membrane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The grommet as defined in claim 3 wherein the resilient membrane further comprises: at least one thinner membrane portion extending from the apex towards the bore, which thinner membrane is adapted to create a controlled tear as the cable is first inserted into the bore and the resilient membrane elastically deforms from the receiving position to the inverted position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The grommet as defined in claim 1 wherein the exit opening comprises a number of resilient gripping members projecting axially from the body; and a number of resilient foldable membranes, each resilient foldable membrane located between two adjacent resilient gripping members, said resilient foldable membranes folding between the resilient gripping members when the resilient gripping members are radially compressed. ### Claim 9 The grommet as defined in claim I wherein, in the inverted position, the resilient membrane is intermediate the bore and the cable, and, elastically deformed towards the exit opening such that at least a portion of the resilient membrane is axially coincident with at least one resilient gripping members and located intermediate the cable and the at least one resilient gripping members. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A cable fitting comprising a grommet as defined in claim 1. ### Claim 11 A cable connector comprising: a connector nut having an internal engagement surface; a connector body axially movable relative to the connector nut and having an angled engagement surface; a grommet contained within the connector nut and the connector body, said grommet having a bore substantially therethrough, said bore having a cable opening for receiving a cable at a receiving end and an exit opening for the cable to exit at an exiting end, and, a resilient membrane located within the bore, said resilient membrane elastically deformable from a receiving position, before the cable is inserted into the bore, to an inverted position, after the cable is inserted into the bore; and wherein axially moving the connector nut towards the connector body causes the internal engagement surface and the angled engagement surface to apply axial and radial pressure in the grommet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cable connector as defined in claim 11 further comprising: resilient gripping members projecting axially from the grommet at the exit opening, an external portion of the resilient gripping members fittingly engaging the angled engagement surface of the body connector; wherein axial movement of the connector nut towards the connector body causes the angled engagement surface of the body connector to radially compress the resilient gripping members towards the cable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cable connector as defined in claim 12, further comprising at least one resilient foldable membrane extending between adjacent resilient gripping members, wherein the at least one resilient foldable membrane folds between the adjacent resilient gripping members when the resilient gripping members are radially compressed toward the cable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The cable connector as defined in claim 13, wherein said grommet has an engagement surface at the receiving end for fittingly engaging the internal engagement surface of the connector nut, and, a tapered engagement surface at the exiting end for engaging the angled engagement surface of the connector body, said tapered engagement surface comprising the external portion of the resilient gripping members such that axially moving the connector nut towards the connector body causes the internal engagement surface to apply axial and radial pressure on the engagement surface of the receiving end and the angled engagement surface of the connector body to apply axial and radial pressure to the tapered engagement surface of the exiting end causing the gripping members to radially compress about the cable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The cable connector as defined in claim 11, wherein, in the receiving position, the resilient membrane extends axially forward towards the cable opening, and, said resilient membrane is axially displaced during insertion of the cable from the receiving position to the inverted position, which is an inverted orientation with respect to the receiving position and is oriented away from the cable opening. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The grommet as defined in claim 1 wherein, in the inverted position, the resilient membrane is intermediate the bore and the cable, and, elastically deformed towards the exit opening such that at least a portion of the resilient membrane is axially coincident with at least one of said resilient foldable membranes located between adjacent resilient gripping member and located intermediate the cable and the at least one resilient foldable membranes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The cable connector as defined in claim 11 further comprising: an insert contained within the connector nut and the connector body and located intermediate the connector nut and grommet, said insert having a central opening for receiving the cable, a gripping surface located within the central opening for gripping the cable, and a removed radial section facilitating movement of the central opening towards the cable to permit the gripping surface to grip the cable. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The cable connector as defined in claim 17, wherein the insert further includes a radially expanded section substantially longitudinally axially coincident with the gripping surface, said radially expanded section carrying a connector nut engagement surface for fittingly engaging the internal engagement surface of the connector nut; wherein axial movement of the connector nut towards the connector body causes the internal engagement surface of the connector nut to apply axial and radial pressure on the connector nut engagement surface decreasing the removed radial section and facilitating movement of the central opening towards the cable to permit the gripping surface to grip the cable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The cable connector as defined in claim 18, wherein the insert further includes a relief notch located in the radially expanded section and substantially longitudinally axially coincident with the gripping surface, said relief notch increasing along a relief arc as the removed radial section decreases along a corresponding radial arc to facilitate movement of the central opening towards the cable permitting the gripping surface to grip the cable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The cable connector as defined in claim 19 wherein the relief notch of the insert is diametrically opposed from the removed radial section defining a first part and a second part of the insert; wherein axial movement of the connector nut towards the connector body causes resilient relative movement of the first part towards the second part along the radial arc to collapse the central opening permitting the griping surface to grip the cable; and wherein the insert comprises an inserted portion adjacent the radially expanded portion, said inserted portion fitting into an orifice of the nut to orient the insert within the cable connector. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The cable connector as defined in claim 20, wherein said grommet comprises a tapered engagement surface at the exiting end for engaging the angled engagement surface of the connector body and the insert comprises a grommet engagement surface on the radially expanded section for engaging the grommet. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A kit comprising a cable connector as defined in claim 21, with at least one connector nut, at least one connector body, at least one insert, and at least one grommet having a circular opening and at least one grommet having a non-circular opening.