Environmentally protected connection

Abstract

A cable connection is environmentally protected using an assembly which comprises a polymeric sleeve positioned over the coupling nut of the connector and a segment of the cable adjacent the connector, the polymeric sleeve being secured to said coupling nut so as to prevent motion between the sleeve and the nut and a layer of encapsulant positioned between at least a portion of the polymeric sleeve and the underlying cable, the encapsulant providing a circumferential environmental seal between the cable and the sleeve while permitting rotational motion between the cable and the sleeve. A further layer of encapsulant preferable extends from the coupling nut over the hardware mounting the connector receptacle into a bulkhead. This further layer of encapsulant is preferable contained in a cap to which a force is applied by a flange provided in the polymeric sleeve. The encapsulant is preferable a silicone gel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.