Cable splicing method with reduced waste of cross-linked polymer insulation
AssigneeASEA Aktiebolag
InventorKarl-Gunnar Wiberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electrical cables having cross-linked polymer insulations are spliced by heating the insulations nearest the ends to be joined to a temperature such that the cross-linked polymers become amorphous, then expanding and axially moving the insulations away from the conductors such that they can be joined, then cooling the displaced insulations, then joining the conductors, and then reheating the insulations such that they return to generally their original shape and position around the conductors. The prior art technique of bevelling the insulators nearest the cable ends prior to conductor joining, with concurrent waste of insulating material, is made unnecessary.
Claims9
A method for splicing two electrical cables which have conductors insulated with a cross-linked polymers, the steps comprising
- (a) heating the insulation nearest the ends of the cables to be spliced to an elevated temperature,
- (b) displacing the heated insulations in both a radial and axial direction with respect to the ends of the cables to be spliced so as to expose the conductors to be joined,
- (c) allowing the displaced insulations to cool so they will retain their displaced forms,
- (d) joining the ends of the conductors of the cables to be spliced, and
- (e) reheating the displaced insulations such that they will return to substantially their original shape and position around the respective conductors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.