Cable repair splice

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9537230-B2
Application number	US-201314047889-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2013
Priority date	Oct 7, 2013
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A splice kit is provided for repairing a cable having a central conductor, an insulator surrounding the central conductor, an outer conductive sheath surrounding the insulator, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductive sheath. The splice kit includes a central conductor joint that is electrically conductive and is configured to engage the central conductor of the cable such that the central conductor joint defines a portion of an electrical path of the central conductor. The splice kit also includes a dielectric insert configured to at least partially surround the central conductive joint and the central conductor of the cable, and an outer sheath joint that is electrically conductive and is configured to at least partially surround the dielectric insert. The outer sheath joint is configured to be electrically connected to the outer conductive sheath of the cable such that the outer sheath joint defines a portion of an electrical path of the outer conductive sheath. The splice kit further includes a jacket joint configured to at least partially surround the outer sheath joint and the jacket of the cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A splice kit for repairing a cable having a central conductor, an insulator surrounding the central conductor, an outer conductive sheath surrounding the insulator, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductive sheath, said splice kit comprising:
a central conductor joint that is electrically conductive and is configured to engage the central conductor of the cable such that the central conductor joint defines a portion of an electrical path of the central conductor;
a dielectric insert configured to at least partially surround the central conductive joint and the central conductor of the cable;
a dielectric heat-shrink sleeve configured to surround the dielectric insert and portions of the insulator of the cable disposed axially outside of the dielectric insert along a length of the cable;
an outer sheath joint that is electrically conductive and is configured to surround the dielectric heat-shrink sleeve, the outer sheath joint being configured to be electrically connected to the outer conductive sheath of the cable such that the outer sheath joint defines a portion of an electrical path of the outer conductive sheath; and
a jacket joint configured to at least partially surround the outer sheath joint and the jacket of the cable.

2. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises at least one of an impedance that is within approximately 12% of an impedance of the cable or a dielectric constant that is within approximately 12% of a dielectric constant of the insulator of the cable.

3. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises an impedance that is within approximately one ohm of an impedance of the cable.

4. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the central conductor joint comprises at least one of a crimp contact, a solder joint, or a welded joint.

5. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises a dielectric tape that is wrapped around the central conductive joint and the central conductor of the cable.

6. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the insert is fabricated from the same materials as the insulator of the cable.

7. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the jacket joint comprises a radially inner surface and at least one of solder or adhesive extending on the radially inner surface, the solder being configured to engage the outer sheath joint, the adhesive being configured to engage the jacket of the cable.

8. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the insulator of the cable is severed across a length thereof such that the insulator includes ends that are disconnected from each other, the insert being configured to extend between the ends of the insulator along a length of the cable, the insert overlapping the ends of the insulator.

9. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the central conductor of the cable is severed across a length thereof such that the central conductor includes ends that are disconnected from each other, the central conductor joint being configured to join the ends together such that an electrical connection between the ends is reestablished.

10. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the outer conductive sheath of the cable is severed across a length thereof such that the outer conductive sheath includes ends that are disconnected from each other, the outer sheath joint being configured to join the ends together such that an electrical connection between the ends is reestablished.

11. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the outer conductive sheath of the cable is severed across a length thereof such that the outer conductive sheath includes ends that are disconnected from each other, the dielectric heat-shrink sleeve extending between and abutting the ends of the outer conductive sheath.

12. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric insert has a unitary, one-piece tube-shaped body that defines a central opening extending longitudinally through the body along a length of the body, the body defining a seam between two inner walls of the body, the seam extending from the central opening to an outer surface of the body along the length of the body.

13. The splice kit of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric insert has a tube-shaped body that defines a central opening through the body along a length of the body, the central opening including a central segment and two end segments, the central segment of the central opening being disposed axially between the end segments along the length of the body and having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the end segments, an inner surface of the body along the central segment of the central opening directly engaging the central conductor joint, the inner surface of the body along the end segments of the central opening configured to directly engage the central conductor of the cable.

14. The splice kit of claim 13 , wherein the body of the dielectric insert has an exterior profile that includes two end regions and a central region disposed axially between the two end regions, the central region of the exterior profile aligning with the central segment of the central opening, the end regions of the exterior profile aligning with the end segments of the central opening, the central region of the exterior profile having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the end regions of the exterior profile.

15. A spliced cable assembly comprising:
a cable comprising a central conductor, an insulator surrounding the central conductor, an outer conductive sheath surrounding the insulator, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductive sheath; and
a splice comprising:
a central conductor joint that is electrically conductive and is engaged with the central conductor of the cable such that the central conductor joint defines a portion of an electrical path of the central conductor;
a dielectric insert at least partially surrounding the central conductive joint and the central conductor of the cable;
a dielectric heat-shrink sleeve configured to surround the dielectric insert and portions of the insulator of the cable disposed axially outside of the dielectric insert along a length of the cable;
an outer sheath joint that is electrically conductive and surrounds the dielectric heat-shrink sleeve, the outer sheath joint being electrically connected to the outer conductive sheath of the cable such that the outer sheath joint defines a portion of an electrical path of the outer conductive sheath; and
a jacket joint at least partially surrounding the outer sheath joint and the jacket of the cable.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the insert comprises at least one of an impedance that is within approximately 12% of an impedance of the coaxial cable, a dielectric constant that is within approximately 12% of a dielectric constant of the insulator of the coaxial cable, or an impedance that is within approximately one ohm of an impedance of the cable.

17. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the central conductor of the cable is severed across a length thereof such that the central conductor includes ends that are disconnected from each other, the central conductor joint joining the ends together such that the central conductor joint establishes an electrical connection between the ends of the central conductor.

18. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the outer conductive sheath of the cable is severed across a length thereof such that the outer conductive sheath includes ends that are disconnected from each other, the outer sheath joint joining the ends together such that the outer sheath joint establishes an electrical connection between the end

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp
• Tyco Electronics Ltd Uk
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Pope Martin
• Briere Thomas A
• Moore Robert P
• Przybylska Nina
• Muja Oliviu

Classifications

• H01R4/72 Primary

  using a heat shrinking insulating sleeve · CPC title

• H01R2103/00

  Two poles · CPC title

• H02G1/16

  for repairing insulation or armouring of cables · CPC title

• H01R9/0503

  Connection between two cable ends · CPC title

• H02G15/1806

  Heat shrinkable sleeves (insulation of electrical connections using a heat shrinking insulating sleeve H01R4/72) · CPC title