Dynamic contact and fiber optic termini cavity to wire removable seals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11435530-B2
Application number	US-202017113436-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2020
Priority date	Dec 7, 2020
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

Termini assemblies of electrical cable connector assemblies and methods of formation include a termini housing configured to receive an electrical cable and a dynamic seal assembly disposed in the termini housing and including a first portion having an O-ring seal configuration and configured to seal the termini assembly up to a pressure threshold and a second portion having a cup seal configuration and configured to seal the termini assembly at pressures greater than the pressure threshold. Methods of installing the electrical cable connector assemblies include installing the electrical cable connector assembly in a low or high pressure application, wherein installation in the low pressure application results in at least one of the first and second portions of the dynamic seal assembly sealing the termini assembly, and wherein installation in the high pressure application results in the second portion of the dynamic seal assembly sealing the termini assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A termini assembly of an electrical cable connector assembly, the termini assembly comprising:
a termini housing configured to receive an electrical cable;
a dynamic seal assembly disposed in the termini housing, the dynamic seal assembly comprising:
a first portion having an O-ring seal configuration and configured to seal the termini assembly up to a pressure threshold, and
a second portion having a cup seal configuration and configured to seal the termini assembly at pressures greater than the pressure threshold; and

a spring-loaded connector assembly at least partially disposed within the termini housing and configured to electrically connect the electrical cable to a wire assembly distinct from the electrical cable.

2. The termini assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic seal assembly is a single piece and the first and second portions are formed of a same material.

3. The termini assembly of claim 2 , wherein the material is a polymer.

4. The termini assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic seal assembly is removable from the termini housing.

5. The termini assembly of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the first portion of the dynamic seal assembly is tunable for a desired differential pressure.

6. The electrical cable connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical cable connector assembly is a fiber-optic cable connector assembly and the electrical cable is a fiber-optic cable.

7. A method of forming and installing an electrical cable connector assembly, the method comprising:
providing the electrical cable connector assembly, including a termini assembly comprising a termini housing configured to receive an electrical cable;
providing a dynamic seal assembly within the termini housing, the dynamic seal assembly comprising:
a first portion having an O-ring seal configuration and configured to seal the termini assembly up to a pressure threshold, and
a second portion having a cup seal configuration and configured to seal the termini assembly at pressures greater than the pressure threshold;

providing a wire assembly distinct from the electrical cable and at least partially disposed within the termini housing; and
providing a spring-loaded connector assembly at least partially disposed within the termini housing and configured to electrically connect the electrical cable to the wire assembly; and
installing the electrical cable connector assembly in a low-pressure application or a high-pressure application,
wherein installation in the low-pressure application results in at least one of the first and second portions of the dynamic seal assembly sealing the termini assembly, and
wherein installation in the high-pressure application results in the second portion of the dynamic seal assembly sealing the termini assembly.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein providing the dynamic seal assembly comprises providing a single piece with the first and second portions being formed of a same material.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the material is a polymer.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the dynamic seal assembly is removable from the termini housing.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising at least temporarily removing the dynamic seal assembly from the termini housing to replace or repair the dynamic seal assembly or to replace or repair another component of the electrical cable connector assembly.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrical cable connector assembly is a fiber-optic cable connector assembly and the electrical cable is a fiber-optic cable.

13. A method of forming and implementing an electrical cable connector assembly, the method comprising:
providing a housing;
providing an electrical cable at least partially disposed within the housing;
providing a termini assembly disposed within the housing and comprising the electrical cable, the termini assembly being configured to seal and protect the electrical cable within the housing;
providing a dynamic seal assembly within the termini assembly and the housing, the dynamic seal assembly comprising:
a first portion having an O-ring seal configuration and configured to seal the termini assembly up to a pressure threshold, and
a second portion having a cup seal configuration and configured to seal the termini assembly at pressures greater than the pressure threshold;

providing a wire assembly distinct from the electrical cable and at least partially disposed within the housing; and
providing a spring-loaded connector assembly at least partially disposed within the housing and configured to electrically connect the electrical cable to the wire assembly.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein providing the dynamic seal assembly comprises providing a single piece with the first and second portions being formed of a same material.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the material is a polymer.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dynamic seal assembly is removable from the termini housing, and wherein the method further comprises at least temporarily removing the dynamic seal assembly from the termini housing to at least one of (i) replace or repair the dynamic seal assembly and (ii) replace or repair another component of the electrical cable connector assembly.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the electrical cable connector assembly is a fiber-optic cable connector assembly and the electrical cable is a fiber-optic cable, and wherein the method further comprises installing the fiber-optic cable connector assembly in a high-pressure environment.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the high-pressure environment is a high-pressure underwater environment.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the dynamic seal assembly prevents water from entering the housing and damaging the fiber-optic cable connector assembly.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising installing the fiber-optic cable connector assembly proximate to an underwater oil or gas drilling station.

Assignees

• Aptiv Tech Ltd

Inventors

• Smoll Eric James
• Le Bao
• Shuster James L

Classifications

• G02B6/3816 Primary

  for use under water, high pressure connectors (provisionally see G02B6/4428) · CPC title

• H01R13/5221

  having cable sealing means · CPC title

• G02B6/3821

  with axial spring biasing or loading means (G02B6/3847 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/3887

  Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features · CPC title

• G02B6/3869

  Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs · CPC title