US 4,849,580 AGranted

Environmental protection closure for wire splices; and method

AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

InventorDonald F. Reuter

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An environmental closure and method are provided, for use in generating an environmental seal about wire splices or the like. The preferred closure comprises a unitary construction having an outer, openable, shell with an internal biasing mechanism. In use, viscous sealant material is positioned within the closure such that the biasing mechanism generally forces sealant material around a junction to be sealed and, in particular, between adjacent wires in such junctions. In one application relatively highly viscous sealant material is utilized in association with junctions in a manner according to the present invention. In another general application, a relatively low viscosity sealant is used; the low viscosity sealant being generally bordered by high viscosity sealant, to inhibit leakage outwardly from a closure during use.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A closure and sealant combination for use in providing an environmental seal about a wire junction or the like;

said combination comprising:
(a) an openable shell having first and second elongate shell sections oriented adjacent one another, along a hinge;
said first and second shell sections being selectively movable about said hinge between open and closed orientations;
said shell, when in said closed orientation, defining an elongate, longitudinal, internal junction-receiving chamber having first and second, opposite, open end portions;
(i) said second shell section having a second longitudinal surface;
and,
(ii) said first shell section having a first longitudinal surface;
said first and second surfaces, when said shell is in said closed orientation, being positioned substantially opposed to one another;
(b) an internal biasing mechanism comprising an elongate, longitudinal, convex spring plate oriented with a convex side thereof projecting generally outwardly from said second shell section second longitudinal surface;
said spring plate extending between said chamber first and second opposite end portions;
(c) clasp means constructed and arranged to selectively retain said shell in said closed orientation;
and,
(d) viscous sealant material disposed within said shell;
said sealant material being oriented in first and second, opposed, sealant fields;
(i) said first sealant field being positioned on said convex spring plate convex side;
and,
(ii) said first sealant field being positioned on said second shell section longitudinal surface;
(e) whereby in use a junction can be engulfed within between viscous sealant first and first fields in a closed shell, and between said spring plate and said second shell section, thereby generating an environmental seal around said junction.

15 more elements

A closure and sealant combination for use in providing an environmental seal about a wire junction or the like;

said combination comprising:
(a) an openable shell having first and second elongate shell sections oriented adjacent one another, along a hinge;
said first and second shell sections being selectively movable about said hinge between open and closed orientations;
said shell, when in said closed orientation, defining an elongate, longitudinal, internal junction-receiving chamber having first and second, opposite, open end portions;
(i) said first shell section having a first longitudinal surface;
and,
(ii) said second shell section having a second longitudinal surface;
said first and second surfaces, when said shell is in said closed orientation, being positioned substantially opposed to one another;
(b) clasp means constructed and arranged to selectively retain said shell in said closed orientation;
and,
(c) viscous sealant material disposed within said shell;
said sealant material being oriented in first and second, opposed, sealant fields;
(i) said first sealant field being positioned on said first section longitudinal surface;
said first sealant field having first and second end portions;
(ii) said second sealant field being positioned on said second shell section longitudinal surface;
said second sealant field having first and second end portions;
(iii) said first and second sealant fields comprising a first viscous sealant having a first viscosity;
and,
(iv) said combination including second sealant border portions oriented along end portions of said first and second sealant fields to substantially inhibit flow of said first viscous sealant outwardly from said shell;
said second sealant border portions comprising flowable sealant material having a second viscosity;
said first viscosity being lower than said second viscosity;
and
(d) whereby in use a junction can be engulfed within between viscous sealant first and second fields in a closed shell, thereby generating an environmental seal around said junction.

20 more elements

A method of providing an environmental seal about a wire junction or the like;

said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a closure comprising:
(i) an openable shell defining, when closed, an internal junction-receiving chamber;
said shell having at least first and second substantially opposed internal surfaces and means for extension of wires from an enclosed wire junction outwardly from said shell, during use;
(ii) an internal biasing mechanism positioned within said closure when closed and constructed and arranged to apply pressure against sealant material, when the sealant material is operably received in said junction-receiving chamber, generally along a direction between said first and second internal surfaces;
said biasing mechanism comprising an elongate, longitudinal, convex spring plate having a convex surface oriented to project outwardly away from said second surface and toward said first surface, when said shell is closed;
(b) providing a first field of viscous sealant material on said spring plate convex surface;
(c) providing a second field of viscous sealant material on said first internal surface;
(d) closing said shell about a junction in a manner engulfing the junction in said viscous sealant;
and,
(e) retaining said shell closed about the junction.

8 more elements

A closure and sealant combination for use in providing an environmental seal about a wire junction or the like;

said combination comprising:
(a) a shell having first and second shell sections;
said shell sections being positionable to define open and closed orientations of said shell;
said shell, when in said closed orientation, defining an internal junction-receiving chamber;
(i) said second shell section having a second longitudinal surface;
and,
(ii) said first shell section having a first longitudinal surface;
said first and second surfaces, when said shell is in said closed orientation, being positioned substantially opposed to one another;
(b) an internal biasing mechanism positioned, in use, within said shell and comprising an elongate, longitudinal, convex spring plate oriented with a convex side thereof projecting generally outwardly away from said second shell section second longitudinal surface;
(c) clasp means constructed and arranged to selectively retain said shell in said closed orientation and,
(d) viscous sealant material disposed within said shell;
said sealant material being oriented in first and second, opposed, sealant field;
(i) said first sealant field being positioned on said convex spring plate convex side;
and,
(ii) said second sealant field being positioned on said first shell section first longitudinal surface;
(e) whereby in use a junction can be engulfed within and between said viscous sealant first and second fields in said shell when closed, and between said spring plate and said first shell section, thereby generating an environmental seal around said junction.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/154,934Filed 11 Feb 1988
Granted: 18 Jul 1989
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H01R 13/5216
Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases: characterised by the sealing material, e.g. gels or resins
G02B 6/4447
Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables: with divided shells
H01R 4/70
Electrically-conductive connections between two or more conductive members in direct contact, i.e. touching one another; Means for effecting or…:…
H02G 15/18
Cable junctions: protected by sleeves, e.g. for communication cable