Hinged seal cap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11876320-B2
Application number	US-202217587426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2022
Priority date	Feb 4, 2021
Publication date	Jan 16, 2024
Grant date	Jan 16, 2024

Abstract

A cap for an electrical connector comprises a first cap body defining a first portion of a first circular opening, and a second cap body defining a second portion of a first circular opening. The second cap body is hingedly connected to the first cap body and movable between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, first and second portions of the first cap body and the second cap body define a circular opening sized to receive a conductive cable therethrough.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seal cap for an electrical connector, comprising:
a first cap body including a plurality of first cable receiving slots, each first cable receiving slot defining a first portion of a respective one of a plurality of openings; and
a second cap body hingedly connected to the first cap body and including a plurality of first cable retaining protrusions, each first cable retaining protrusion defining a second portion of a respective one of the plurality of openings, the second cap body pivotable relative to the first cap body between an open position and a closed position, in the closed position:
the first cable retaining protrusions cooperate with the first cable receiving slots for defining the plurality of openings, the plurality of openings are each sized to receive a conductive cable therethrough; and
each first cable retaining protrusion is arranged at least one of under or over one of the first cable receiving slots in an axial direction of one of the plurality of openings defined thereby.

2. The seal cap according to claim 1 , wherein the first cap body further comprises a second cable retaining protrusion and the second cap body defines a second cable receiving slot, the second cable retaining protrusion and the second cable receiving slot defining a second opening with the first and second cap bodies in the closed position.

3. The seal cap according to claim 2 , wherein first cable receiving slots and the second cable retaining protrusion extend in opposite directions from the first cap body.

4. The seal cap according to claim 1 , further comprising a first locking mechanism for selectively fixing first ends of the first cap body and the second cap body in the closed position.

5. The seal cap according to claim 4 , further comprising a second locking mechanism for selectively fixing second ends of the first cap body and the second cap body in the closed position.

6. The seal cap according to claim 1 , wherein a central axis of each opening of the plurality of openings is parallel to a pivoting axis defined by a hinged connection between the first cap body and the second cap body.

7. The seal cap according to claim 6 , wherein the hinged connection comprises a living hinge defined between the first cap body and the second cap body.

8. The seal cap according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of seal retainers extending from at least one of the first cap body and the second cap body, each seal retainer having a central axis coaxially aligned with one of the plurality of openings.

9. The seal cap according to claim 8 , wherein in the closed position, the first cap body and the second cap body define a cavity formed by a continuous perimeter wall extending in an axial direction of the plurality of openings, the seal retainers formed in the cavity.

10. The seal cap according to claim 9 , wherein each seal retainer defines an at least partially cylindrical protrusion extending from an underside of one of the first cap body or the second cap body in a direction away from the plurality of openings, each seal retainer offset from a respective one of the plurality of openings in the axial direction.

11. The seal cap according to claim 10 , wherein each seal retainer defines a slot formed therethrough in a radial direction for receiving a conductive cable in the radial direction.

12. A connector assembly, comprising:
a connector housing including a plurality of cable openings each sized to receive a conductive cable therethrough in an axial direction;
a plurality of seals, each of the plurality of seals arranged within a respective one of each of the plurality of cable openings and sized to create a seal between the cable opening and a conductive cable received therethrough; and
a seal cap removably connected to the connector housing, including:
a first cap half including a plurality cable receiving slots, each cable receiving slot defining a first portion of a respective one of a plurality of first openings each sized to receive a conductive cable therethrough; and
a second cap half hingedly connected to the first seal cap half and including a plurality of cable retaining protrusions, each cable retaining protrusion defining a second portion of a respective one of the plurality of first openings, the second cap half pivotable relative to the first cap half between an open position and a closed position, in the closed position each of the cable retaining protrusions cooperates with a respective one of the cable receiving slots for defining each of the plurality of first openings; and
a plurality of seal retainers, each seal retainer extending into one of the cable openings in the axial direction from an underside of the seal cap and opposing the seal in the axial direction with the seal cap fitted to the connector housing.

13. The connector assembly according to claim 12 , wherein in the closed position, the first cap half and the second cap half define a cavity formed by a continuous perimeter wall extending in an axial direction of the plurality of circular openings, the plurality of seal retainers extending from within the cavity in a direction toward the connector housing, a circumferential wall of the connector housing defining each cable opening extending into the cavity with the seal cap connected to the connector housing.

14. The connector assembly according to claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of seals comprises an annular seal and each of the plurality of seal retainers comprises an at least partially cylindrical protrusion, each of the plurality of seal retainers blocking a respective one of the plurality of seals from being removed from a respective one of the plurality of cable openings in the axial direction with the seal cap fitted to the connector housing.

15. The connector assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the seal cap is removable from the connector housing independently of the plurality of seals such that disconnection and removal of the seal cap from the connector housing does not remove the plurality of seals from the plurality of cable openings of the connector housing.

16. A seal cap for an electrical connector, comprising:
a first body including at least one first cable receiving slot formed therethrough and at least one first cable retaining protrusion, the first cable receiving slot defined into the first body in a first cable receiving direction, the first cable retaining protrusion extending from the first body in a direction opposite the cable receiving direction;
a second body hingedly connected to the first body and defining a second cable receiving slot therethrough and at least one second cable retaining protrusion, the second cable receiving slot defined into the second body in a second cable receiving direction, and the second cable retaining protrusion extending from the second body in a direction opposite the second cable receiving direction, the first body movable relative to the second body between an open position in which the first and second cable receiving slots are open on an end thereof, and a closed position in which the first and second cable retaining protrusions engage with the second cable receiving slot and the first cable receiving slot, respectively, for closing the ends of the first and second cable receiving slots, in the closed position:
the first cable retaining protrusion and the second cable receiving slot define a first closed circular opening sized to receive a first cable;
the first cable receiving slot and the second cable retaining protrusion define a second closed circular opening sized to re

Assignees

• TE Connectivity Services Gmbh
• Te Connectivity Solutions Gmbh

Inventors

• Peterson Kevin John
• Rhodes Clara
• Moll Hurley Chester

Classifications

• H01R13/5208 Primary

  having at least two cable receiving openings · CPC title

• H01R13/5221 Primary

  having cable sealing means · CPC title

• H01R13/501 Primary

  comprising an integral hinge or a frangible part · CPC title

• H01R13/5213

  Covers · CPC title

• H01R13/516

  Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing {, hoods} · CPC title