Gel sealing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016204591-A1
Application number	US-201615077307-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 22, 2016
Priority date	Dec 3, 2009
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gel sealing device includes a gel sealing block ( 5 ) which provides a sealing section ( 22 ) through which the elongate parts ( 13, 14 ) extend. The gel sealing block ( 5 ) includes an upper flange ( 11 ) and a lower flange ( 12 ) with a support section ( 11 a, 12 a, 12 b ) disposed therebetween. The upper and lower flanges ( 11, 12 ) sandwiches, in direction of extension of the elongate parts ( 13, 14 ), a gel inner ring ( 7 ) supported by said support section ( 2 ) and a gel outer ring ( 6, 10 a ) covering the gel inner ring ( 7 ) in a radial direction extending transverse to said extension direction. The gel inner ring ( 7 ) and the gel outer ring ( 6, 10 a ) are made of a gel sealing material.

First claim

1 . A telecommunications closure comprising:
a housing including an upper housing body having an open end and an opposite closed end, the housing also including a lower housing body that releasably connects to the open end of the upper housing body, the lower housing body defining a hollow sleeve including an interior circumferential surface defining a passage in communication with an interior of the upper housing body; and a gel sealing device that mounts within the passage of the hollow sleeve, the gel sealing device defining a central axis that extends through the passage when the gel sealing device is mounted within the hollow sleeve, the gel sealing device including an upper flange and a lower flange with a support section disposed axially therebetween, the support section including a support ring that projects axially from either the upper flange or the lower flange, the gel sealing device including a sealing section defining cable ports that extend along the central axis, the cable ports being configured for receiving cables and for forming seals about the cables, the sealing section including a gel ring that defines the cable ports, the gel ring being supported on the support ring and including an outer circumferential surface that forms an outer circumferential seal with the interior circumferential surface of the hollow sleeve and an inner circumferential surface that forms an inner circumferential seal with an outer circumferential surface of the support ring, the gel ring being positioned axially between the upper flange and the lower flange, the gel sealing device further including an actuator that when actuated causes the upper and lower flanges to pressurize the gel ring therebetween, the actuator including a tension member that extends axially through an interior of the support ring.

2 . The telecommunications closure of claim 1 , wherein the tension member includes screw threads.

3 . The telecommunications closure of claim 2 , wherein the tension member extends along the central axis and extends at least partially through the lower flange, and wherein the tension member is coupled to the upper flange.

4 . The telecommunications closure of claim 1 , wherein the support ring is provided with the lower flange and projects upwardly from the lower flange.

5 . The telecommunication closure of claim 4 , wherein the upper flange includes a recess for receiving an upper end of the support ring.

6 . The telecommunications closure of claim 1 , wherein the support ring is formed with one of the upper flange and the lower flange, and wherein the other of the upper flange and the lower flange defines a recess for receiving a free end of the support ring.

7 . The telecommunications closure of claim 1 , wherein the gel ring includes an inner gel ring that is supported on the support ring and that includes the inner circumferential surface that forms the inner circumferential seal with the outer circumferential surface of the support ring, and wherein the gel ring also includes an outer gel ring that circumferentially surrounds the inner gel ring and that includes the outer circumferential surface that forms the outer circumferential seal with the interior circumferential surface of the hollow sleeve.

8 . The telecommunications closure of claim 1 , wherein gel ring includes a first circumferential segment and at least one second circumferential segment which is adapted to be detachable from the first circumferential segment to provide a separate accessible sealing section.

9 . The telecommunications closure of claim 8 , wherein the first and second circumferential segments are axially sandwiched between upper and lower containment rings, the upper containment ring including first and second upper containment ring segments respectively corresponding to the first and second circumferential segments, the lower containment ring including first and second lower containment ring segments respectively corresponding to the first and second circumferential segments, the second upper and lower containment ring segments being respectively attached to upper and lower sides of the second circumferential segment, and the second upper and lower containment ring segments being releasably securable to the upper and lower flanges, respectively

10 . The telecommunications closure of claim 9 , wherein the upper containment ring has a downwardly extending outer rim that covers a part of the outer circumferential surface of the gel ring, wherein the lower containment ring has an upwardly extending outer rim that covers a part of the outer circumferential surface of the gel ring, and wherein an axial mid-portion of the outer circumferential surface of the gel ring is not covered by either the upwardly extending outer rim or the downwardly extending outer rim and is configured to form the outer circumferential seal with the interior circumferential surface of the hollow sleeve.

11 . The telecommunications closure of claim 1 , wherein the lower flange is disc-shaped and comprises a plurality of recesses at its outer circumference for exposing lower axial ends of the cable ports.

12 . The telecommunications closure of claim 1 , wherein the recesses are open to a radial outer side of the lower flange.

13 . A telecommunications closure comprising:
a housing a passage for accessing an interior of the housing, the passage being defined by an interior surface of the housing; and a gel sealing device that mounts within the passage of the housing the gel sealing device defining a central axis that extends through the passage when the gel sealing device is mounted within the passage, the gel sealing device including an upper gel pressurization component and a lower gel pressurization component with a support section disposed axially therebetween, the support section including a support ring that projects axially from either the upper gel pressurization component or the lower gel pressurization component, the gel sealing device including a sealing section defining cable ports that extend along the central axis, the cable ports being configured for receiving cables and for forming seals about the cables, the sealing section including a gel ring that defines the cable ports, the gel ring being supported on the support ring and including an outer surface that forms an outer seal with the interior surface of the housing and an inner surface that forms an inner seal with an outer surface of the support ring, the gel ring being positioned axially between the upper gel pressurization component and the lower gel pressurization component, the gel sealing device further including an actuator that when actuated causes the upper and lower gel pressurization components to pressurize the gel ring therebetween, the actuator including a tension member coupled to the upper gel pressurization component, the tension member extending axially through an interior of the support ring.

14 . The telecommunications closure of claim 13 , wherein the tension member includes screw threads.

15 . The telecommunications closure of claim 13 , wherein the support ring is provided with the lower flange and projects upwardly from the lower gel pressurization component.

16 . The telecommunication closure of claim 15 , wherein the upper gel pressurization component includes a recess for receiving an upper end of the support ring.

17 . The telecommunications closure of claim 13 , wherein the support ring is formed with one of the upper gel pressurization component and the lower gel pressurization component, and wherein the other of the upper gel press

Assignees

• CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA

Inventors

• Vanhentenrijk Robert
• Liefsoens Ronnie Rosa Georges
• De Coster Pieter

Classifications

• H02G15/013 Primary

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

• H02G15/117

  for multiconductor cables · CPC title

• G02B6/4444

  Seals · CPC title

• H02G15/076

  for multi-conductor cables · CPC title

• F16J15/102

  characterised by material · CPC title