Flexible electrical isolation device

An electrical isolator for providing an electrically insulated linkage between first and second objects, comprising:

• an elongate, dielectric, flexible member including a plurality of strands and having a body extending between first and second opposite ends,
• a flexible, electrically insulating membrane having first and second opposite ends, an interior surface and a cavity extending between the first and second ends, the membrane mounted to the flexible member so as to substantially enclose the body of the flexible member,
• first and second seal assemblies mounted to the membrane so as to fluidically seal each end of the first and second ends of the membrane,
• a dielectric fluid filling the cavity so as to occupy a plurality of voids in the cavity between the interior surface of the membrane and the flexible member and between the plurality of strands of the flexible member,
• first and second couplers mounted to the first and second ends, respectively, of the dielectric member and the membrane.

An electrical isolator comprising:

• a flexible non-electrically conductive membrane having first and second opposite ends,
• an inelastic flexible dielectric member having first and second opposite ends, said dielectric member journaled in said membrane and extending from said first end of said membrane to said second end of said membrane,
• first and second coupling members mounted, respectively, to said first and second ends of said dielectric member, said first and second ends of said membrane mated in sealed engagement with said first and second coupling members so that said first and second coupling members fluidically seal said first and second ends of said membrane and fluidically seal said dielectric member within said membrane,
• said membrane filled with a dielectric fluid so as to displace any air in said membrane and said dielectric member,
• and wherein said first and second coupling members are adapted to couple to objects at opposite ends of said electrical isolator.

A method for electrically isolating an energized power line conductor or static wire from a pulling line comprising:

• providing an electrical isolator comprising:
• an elongate, dielectric, flexible member including a plurality of strands and having a body extending between first and second opposite ends,
• a flexible, electrically insulating membrane having first and second opposite ends, an interior surface and a cavity extending between the first and second ends, the membrane mounted to the flexible member so as to substantially enclose the body of the flexible member,
• first and second seal assemblies mounted to the membrane so as to fluidically seal each end of the first and second ends of the membrane,
• a dielectric fluid filling the cavity so as to occupy a plurality of voids in the cavity between the interior surface of the membrane and the flexible member and between the plurality of strands of the flexible member,
• a first and second coupler mounted to each end of the first and second ends of the dielectric member, whereby the body and first and second ends of the flexible member are substantially encased within a combination of the first and second couplers, the first and second sealing assemblies and the membrane,
• coupling said first coupler to an end of said power line conductor or static wire, and coupling said second coupler to an end of said pulling line.