Cable sealant arrangement with port size reducer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11892696-B2
Application number	US-202217892811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2022
Priority date	Feb 13, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a sealed closure having modular components, enhanced cable sealing, modular connection interfaces, enhanced cable anchoring and enhanced fiber management.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable sealant arrangement comprising:
first and second sealant axial containment structures that are axially fixed relative to one another;
sealant contained between the first and second sealant axial containment structures; and
removable port size reducers that mount to enlarged port locations of the first and second sealant axial containment structures, the removable port size reducers including volume occupying portions that extend between the first and second sealant axial containment structures when the removable port size reducers are mounted to the first and second sealant axial containment structures.

2. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 1 , wherein each removable port size reducer includes a reduced-sized port defining section about an axis, and wherein the volume occupying portion is offset from the axis and not symmetric about the axis.

3. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the volume occupying portion defines a sealant axial containment surface having a surface area larger than or at least two times as large as a cross-sectional area defined by the reduced-sized port defining section.

4. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the volume occupying portion of at least one of the removable port size reducers extends into an interior space between the first and second sealant axial containment structures for an axial distance that corresponds to at least 10 percent of a total axial distance between the first and second sealant axial containment structures.

5. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the volume occupying portion of at least one of the removable port size reducers extends into the interior space between the first and second sealant axial containment structures for an axial distance that corresponds to at least 15 percent of the total axial distance between the first and second sealant axial containment structures.

6. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the volume occupying portion of at least one of the removable port size reducers extends into the interior space between the first and second sealant axial containment structures for an axial distance that corresponds to at least 20 percent of the total axial distance between the first and second sealant axial containment structures.

7. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the sealant includes a pre-defined recess or recesses in which the volume occupying portions are located when the removable port size reducers are mounted to the first and second sealant axial containment structures.

8. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the volume occupying portions include first sections that align with the enlarged port locations and second sections that project outwardly from the first sections in an orientation transverse to an axial orientation.

9. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the second sections overlap the first and second sealant axial containment structures.

10. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 1 , wherein when one of the removable port size reducers is mounted at one of the enlarged port locations, the volume occupying portion prevents sealant from occupying a volume between the first and second sealant axial containment structures that coincides with at least 10 percent of a difference in sealant displacement that occurs between a smallest cable intended to be routed through the port size reducer and a largest cable intended to be routed through the enlarged port location.

11. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the difference in sealant displacement is at least 15 percent.

12. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the difference in sealant displacement is at least 20 percent.

13. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the difference in sealant displacement is at least 30 percent.

14. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 10 , wherein the difference in sealant displacement is at least 40 percent.

15. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the removable port size reducers mount at the enlarged port locations of the first and second sealant containment structures via snap-fit connections.

16. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 15 , wherein each removable port size reducer includes two latches that snap within latch receivers of the first and second sealant axial containment structures.

17. The cable sealant arrangement of claim 15 , wherein each removable port size reducer includes a stabilizing projection that fits within a projection receiver of the first sealant axial containment structure.

18. A port size reducer comprising a body including first and second portions connected by a flexible extension so that the first and second portions are movable relative to each other, the first and second portions cooperating to define a passage forming a reduced port size location extending between a first end and a second end, the body defining a sealant containment surface at the first end of the body, the sealant containment surface extending generally perpendicular to the passage, the body also including a sealant displacement surface extending from the sealant containment surface at an oblique angle relative to the passage.

19. The port size reducer of claim 18 , wherein the flexible extension forms a finger tab configured to facilitate directing the port size reducer.

20. The port size reducer of claim 18 , wherein the body includes two latches, two stabilizing projections, and two side channels having open sides that face laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the port size reducer.

21. A sealed enclosure including the cable sealant arrangement of claim 1 , the sealed enclosure comprising:
a housing defining an opening; and
the cable sealant arrangement being positioned within the opening, the cable sealant arrangement engaging the housing to seal the opening, the sealant of the cable sealant arrangement including a block of gel defining a total gel volume, the cable sealant arrangement including at least first and second gel sections which coincide with at least a portion of the block of gel, the cable sealant arrangement including a cable pass-through location defined at an interface between the first and second gel sections, the first and second gel sections being configured to form seals about cables routed axially through the cable pass-through location, the block of gel having a first outer boundary corresponding to an outer shape of the block of gel when the block of gel is not sealing about cables, wherein open space is provided to accommodate deformation of the block of gel when the block of gel is pressurized while one or more cables are within the cable pass-through location, and wherein the open space has a volume that is at least 10 percent as large as the total gel volume;
wherein the open space is defined between tapered projections between which gel of the block of gel flows when the tapered projections are configured such that a cross-sectional area of the open space reduces as the gel flows into the open space, wherein the tapered projections have free ends at minor ends of the tapered projections and base ends at major ends of the tapered projections, and wherein the base ends of the tapered projections are formed with a plate.

22. A sealed enclosure including the cable sealant arrangement of claim 1 , the sealed enclosure comprising:
a housing that is elongate along a major axis of the housing, the majo

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Geens Johan
• Coenegracht Philippe
• Doultremont Pieter
• Bryan William B
• Carrico William Alan
• Cams Eddy Luc
• Bishop Erik David
• Marmon Thomas Ross
• Claessens Bart Mattie
• Garcia Gonzalez Alan Armando
• Bryon Roel Modest Willy
• Alaerts Roger
• Van De Velde Conny
• Brants Jos
• Ghammam El Moïz Mohammed Michel
• Versleegers Jozef Christiaan Mathieu
• Bervoets Marc Eugène Willem
• Allen Barry Wayne
• Aerts Maarten

Classifications

• G02B6/4452

  Distribution frames · CPC title

• G02B6/3897

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4477

  with means for strain-relieving to interior strengths element · CPC title

• G02B6/44775

  Cable seals e.g. feed-through (cable seals integrated to the box seals G02B6/4444; pulling eyes G02B6/44465) · CPC title

• G02B6/44526

  Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack · CPC title