Positioning device for cable accessories and methods and assemblies including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9543062-B2
Application number	US-201514683739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2015
Priority date	Apr 10, 2015
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A pre-expanded cover unit for an electrical cable includes a cold-shrinkable, tubular, elastomeric cover sleeve, a removable holdout, and a positioning device. The cover sleeve defines a cover sleeve through passage configured to receive the electrical cable. The holdout is mounted within the cover sleeve through passage and configured to be withdrawn therefrom. The holdout maintains the cover sleeve in an expanded state in which the cover sleeve is elastically expanded and, when withdrawn from the cover sleeve through passage, permits the cover sleeve to radially contract to a contracted state about the electrical cable. The positioning device is secured to the cover sleeve and includes a cable clamp. The cable clamp is configured to secure the positioning device to the electrical cable such that, when the holdout is withdrawn from the cover sleeve, the positioning device axially constrains the cover sleeve relative to the cable to axially align the contracted cover sleeve with the electrical cable.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A pre-expanded cover unit for an electrical cable, the pre-expanded cover unit comprising:
a cold-shrinkable, tubular, elastomeric cover sleeve defining a cover sleeve through passage configured to receive the electrical cable;
a removable holdout mounted within the cover sleeve through passage and configured to be withdrawn therefrom, wherein the holdout maintains the cover sleeve in an expanded state in which the cover sleeve is elastically expanded and, when withdrawn from the cover sleeve through passage, permits the cover sleeve to radially contract to a contracted state about the electrical cable; and
a positioning device secured to the cover sleeve and including a cable clamp;
wherein the cable clamp is configured to secure the positioning device to the electrical cable such that, when the holdout is withdrawn from the cover sleeve, the positioning device axially constrains the cover sleeve relative to the cable to axially align the contracted cover sleeve with the electrical cable.

2. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 1 wherein:
the positioning device has axially opposed proximal and distal ends;
the proximal end of the positioning device is affixed to the cover sleeve; and
the cable clamp is located at the distal end.

3. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 1 wherein the positioning device includes a cover sleeve clamp surrounding the cover sleeve such that the cover sleeve is captured between the cover sleeve clamp and the holdout.

4. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 3 wherein the pre-expanded cover unit is configured to automatically release the cover sleeve from the cover sleeve clamp when the holdout is removed from the cover sleeve.

5. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 1 wherein the cable clamp is adjustable.

6. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 1 wherein the cable clamp includes a flexible cable tie.

7. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 1 wherein the positioning device is formed of a polymeric material.

8. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 1 wherein the positioning device includes:
a cover sleeve clamp surrounding the cover sleeve such that the cover sleeve is captured between the cover sleeve clamp and the holdout;
a connecting strap connecting the cover sleeve clamp to the cable clamp;
wherein the cover sleeve clamp, the cable clamp, and the connecting strap are unitarily formed of a polymeric material.

9. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 1 wherein the holdout is configured to be removed from the through passage by disintegrating and/or collapsing the holdout within the cover sleeve.

10. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 9 wherein the holdout includes a strip helically wound to form a rigid tube, and the holdout is configured to be removed from the through passage by axially progressively unraveling the helically wound strip, which permits the cover sleeve to axially progressively radially contract about the electrical cable.

11. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 1 wherein the cover sleeve includes:
an integral, electrically conductive, tubular stress control layer; and
an electrically insulating, tubular outer layer integral with and surrounding the stress control layer;
wherein the stress control layer and the outer layer each define a portion of the through passage.

12. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 11 wherein the stress control layer includes a stress control cone or a layer of high-K material.

13. The pre-expanded cover unit of claim 11 wherein:
the electrical cable includes:
an exposed section of a cable insulation layer; and
an exposed section of a semiconductor layer surrounding the cable insulation layer and having a terminal edge at the exposed section of the cable insulation layer; and

the pre-expanded cover unit is configured such that when the positioning device is secured to the electrical cable using the cable clamp at a prescribed anchor point and the holdout is withdrawn from the cover sleeve, the stress control element axially overlaps and circumferentially surrounds the terminal edge of the exposed section of the semiconductor layer and adjacent portions of the exposed section of the cable insulation layer and the exposed section of the semiconductor layer.

14. A method for installing a cover sleeve on an electrical cable, the method comprising the steps of:
providing:
a cold-shrinkable, tubular, elastomeric cover sleeve defining a cover sleeve through passage configured to receive the electrical cable;
a removable holdout mounted within the cover sleeve through passage and configured to be withdrawn therefrom, wherein the holdout maintains the cover sleeve in an expanded state in which the cover sleeve is elastically expanded and, when withdrawn from the cover sleeve through passage, permits the cover sleeve to radially contract to a contracted state about the electrical cable; and
a positioning device secured to the cover sleeve and including a cable clamp;

securing the positioning device to the electrical cable using the cable clamp; and
withdrawing the holdout from the cover sleeve, wherein the positioning device axially constrains the cover sleeve relative to the cable to axially align the contracted cover sleeve with the electrical cable.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:
the positioning device includes a cover sleeve clamp surrounding the cover sleeve such that the cover sleeve is captured between the cover sleeve clamp and the holdout; and
the cover sleeve is automatically released from the cover sleeve clamp when the holdout is removed from the cover sleeve.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein securing the positioning device to the electrical cable includes adjustably tightening the cable clamp onto the electrical cable.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein withdrawing the holdout from the cover sleeve includes disintegrating and/or collapsing the holdout within the cover sleeve.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the cover sleeve includes:
an integral, electrically conductive, tubular stress control layer; and
an electrically insulating, tubular outer layer integral with and surrounding the stress control layer;
wherein the stress control layer and the outer layer each define a portion of the through passage.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:
the electrical cable includes:
an exposed section of a cable insulation layer; and
an exposed section of a semiconductor layer surrounding the cable insulation layer and having a terminal edge at the exposed section of the cable insulation layer; and

the method includes securing the positioning device to the electrical cable at a prescribed anchor point using the cable clamp; and
after the holdout is withdrawn from the cover sleeve, the stress control element axially overlaps and circumferentially surrounds the terminal edge of the exposed section of the semiconductor layer and adjacent portions of the exposed section of the cable insulation layer and the exposed section of the semiconductor layer.

20. The method of claim 14 including providing the holdout, the cover sleeve mounted on the holdout in the expanded state, and the positioning device secured to the cover sleeve as a preassembled pre-expanded cover unit prior to the step of securing the positioning device to the electrical cable using the cable clamp.

21. A cover system for an electrical cable, the cover system comprising:
a cold-shrinkable, tubular, elastomeric cover sleeve defining a cover sleeve through passage config

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Yaworski Harry

Classifications

• H01B17/58 Primary

  Tubes, sleeves, beads, or bobbins through which the conductor passes · CPC title

• H01B13/06

  Insulating conductors or cables (H01B13/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02G15/1833 Primary

  formed of helically wound strip with adjacent windings, which are removable by applying a pulling force to a strip end · CPC title