Liquid epoxy brush barrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11070042-B2
Application number	US-202016925358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2020
Priority date	Jul 12, 2019
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A barrier including an outer edge and a plurality of elements such as bristles projecting inwardly from the outer edge. An electrical fitting including a body having an inner cavity, an aperture within the inner cavity between a first portion and a second portion, and a barrier positioned within or adjacent to the aperture, the barrier including an outer edge and a plurality of bendable elements. A method of assembling an electrical fitting including providing a barrier including an outer edge and a plurality of bendable elements projecting inwardly, placing the barrier within an inner cavity of the electrical fitting, placing a conductor into the second portion of the inner cavity, a distal portion of the conductor extending through the barrier and into a first portion of the inner cavity, and filling the first portion of the inner cavity with a sealing compound.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical fitting, comprising:
a body having an inner cavity for receiving a plurality of conductors;
an aperture within the inner cavity between a first portion of the inner cavity and a second portion of the inner cavity, the first portion having an exterior opening spaced apart from the aperture; and
a brush barrier positioned within or adjacent to said aperture, said brush barrier including an outer rim and a plurality of bristles attached to and extending inwardly from the outer rim, the bristles being displaceable by the conductors,
wherein said electrical fitting is configured to receive a sealing compound within the first portion of said inner cavity between the exterior opening of the first portion and said brush barrier, the sealing compound being at least partially prevented from propagating into the second portion of said inner cavity by said brush barrier.

2. The electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein the bristles have distal ends defining a central opening in said brush barrier, the conductors at least partially passing through the central opening.

3. The electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein said aperture includes an abutment, wherein said brush barrier rests against the abutment.

4. The electrical fitting of claim 3 , further comprising a stop element engaged within the inner cavity and securing said brush barrier against the abutment.

5. The electrical fitting of claim 4 , wherein the stop element is in threaded engagement with an inner surface of the inner cavity.

6. The electrical fitting of claim 4 , wherein the stop element is one of a lock ring or a rubber grommet.

7. The electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein the outer rim of said brush barrier is non-continuous including a gap.

8. The electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein the outer rim of said brush barrier has a helical shape.

9. The electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein the brush barrier is at least partially secured within the inner cavity by friction between the outer rim and an inner surface of the inner cavity.

10. The electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein said body includes an entry component and a potting chamber slidably engaged within the entry component, wherein an interior of the potting chamber defines the first portion of the inner cavity.

11. The electrical fitting of claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the inner cavity, defined in the potting chamber, is tapered such that it has an inner diameter that decreases along a length of the first portion of the inner cavity.

12. The electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein the outer rim of said brush barrier is comprised of at least one of brass, galvanized steel, stainless steel, or a polymer.

13. The electrical fitting of claim 1 , wherein the bristles of said brush barrier are comprised of a synthetic fiber or a natural fiber.

14. An electrical fitting, comprising:
a body having an inner cavity for receiving a plurality of conductors;
an aperture within the inner cavity between a first portion of the inner cavity and a second portion of the inner cavity, the first portion having an exterior opening spaced apart from the aperture; and
a barrier positioned within or adjacent to said aperture, said barrier including an outer edge and a plurality of bendable elements extending inwardly from the outer edge;
wherein the barrier is one of a felt fiber barrier including a plurality of slices, the plurality of bendable elements being wedged sections defined by the slices or a brush barrier including an outer rim at the outer edge, the plurality of elements being bristles attached to and extending inwardly from the outer rim,
wherein said electrical fitting is configured to receive a sealing compound within the first portion of said inner cavity between the exterior opening of the first portion and said barrier, the sealing compound being at least partially prevented from propagating into the second portion of said inner cavity by said barrier.

15. The electrical fitting of claim 14 , wherein said aperture includes an abutment, wherein said barrier rests against the abutment.

16. The electrical fitting of claim 15 , further comprising a stop element engaged within the inner cavity and securing said barrier against the abutment.

17. The electrical fitting of claim 14 , wherein the bristles of the brush barrier are comprised of a synthetic fiber or a natural fiber.

18. A method of assembling an electrical fitting, comprising steps of:
providing a barrier including an outer edge and a plurality of bendable elements extending inwardly from the outer edge;
placing the barrier within an inner cavity of the electrical fitting between a first portion of the inner cavity and a second portion of the inner cavity;
placing at least one conductor into the second portion of the inner cavity, a distal portion of the at least one conductor extending through the barrier and into the first portion of the inner cavity; and
filling the first portion of the inner cavity with a sealing compound, between the barrier and an exterior opening of the first portion spaced apart from the barrier, such that the barrier substantially prevents leakage of the sealing compound into the second portion of the inner cavity.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the barrier is felt fiber barrier including a plurality of slices, the plurality of elements being wedged sections defined by the slices.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the barrier is a brush barrier including an outer rim at the outer edge, the plurality of elements being bristles attached to and extending inwardly from the outer rim.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of placing the barrier in the inner cavity includes placing the barrier against an abutment in the inner cavity.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the barrier includes a first side and a second side, the second side being adjacent to the abutment, the method further comprising the step of securing a stop element within the inner cavity against the first side of the barrier.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the stop element is in threaded engagement with an inner surface of the inner cavity.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the stop element is a rubber grommet.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Santoro Nicholas Adam
• Minski Christopher John
• Schinner Michael Charles

Classifications

• H02G15/013 Primary

  Sealing means for cable inlets (inlets for cables filled with, or surrounded by, gas or oil H02G15/32) · CPC title

• H02G15/003

  Filling materials, e.g. solid or fluid insulation · CPC title

• H02G15/00 Primary

  Cable fittings · CPC title

• H02G1/00

  Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines · CPC title

• B29K2063/00

  Use of {EP, i.e.} epoxy resins {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title