Cable moisture seal assemblies, systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9786412-B2
Application number	US-201514662509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A sealed cabled assembly includes a cable and a cable moisture seal assembly. The cable includes a cable subcore, a metal shield layer surrounding the cable subcore, and a jacket surrounding the metal shield layer. The cable subcore includes an electrical conductor surrounded by an electrical insulation layer. The cable moisture seal assembly includes a sealant, a electrically conductive jumper member, and an outer sleeve. The cable includes a sealing region section extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, and in which a section of the jacket and a section of the metal shield layer are removed to expose a section of the cable subcore. The insulation layer and the conductor extend through the sealing region section. First and second sections of the jacket extend away from the sealing region section in first and second opposed directions, respectively. First and second sections of the metal shield layer extend away from the sealing region section in the first and second opposed directions, respectively. The outer sleeve surrounds the sealing region section. The sealant is disposed radially between the cable subcore and the outer sleeve, and engages the cable subcore to form a moisture barrier in the sealing region section between the first and second sections of the jacket. The jumper member electrically connects the first and second sections of the metal shield layer.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A sealed cable assembly comprising:
a cable including a cable subcore, a metal shield layer surrounding the cable subcore, and a jacket surrounding the metal shield layer, wherein the cable subcore includes an electrical conductor surrounded by an electrical insulation layer; and
a cable moisture seal assembly including a sealant, an electrically conductive jumper member, and an outer sleeve;
wherein:
the cable includes a sealing region section extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, and in which a section of the jacket and a section of the metal shield layer are removed to expose a section of the cable subcore;
the insulation layer and the conductor extend through the sealing region section;
the jacket includes first and second jacket terminal edges, the first and second jacket terminal edges being axially spaced apart, the sealing region section being disposed between the first and second jacket terminal edges;
a first section of the jacket extends from the first jacket terminal edge in a first direction away from the sealing region section;
a second section of the jacket extends from the second jacket terminal edge in a second direction away from the sealing region section and opposite the first direction;
first and second sections of the metal shield layer extend away from the sealing region section in the first and second opposed directions, respectively;
the outer sleeve surrounds the sealing region section;
the sealant is disposed radially between the cable subcore and the outer sleeve, and engages the cable subcore to form a moisture barrier in the sealing region section between the first and second sections of the jacket;
the jumper member electrically connects the first and second sections of the metal shield layer; and
the conductor and the insulation layer extend fully through the sealing region section and remain intact, continuous and unbroken throughout the sealing region section;
wherein:
the cable subcore includes a semiconductor layer surrounding the insulation layer;
the sealant engages the semiconductor layer to form the moisture barrier; and
the semiconductor layer extends fully through the sealing region section and remains intact, continuous and unbroken throughout the sealing region section.

2. The sealed cable of claim 1 wherein the moisture barrier is impermeable to migration of moisture.

3. The sealed cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the sealant is a flowable, self-adhesive, electrically insulative mastic.

4. The sealed cable assembly of claim 3 wherein the sealant is a butyl rubber-based mastic.

5. The sealed cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the cable moisture seal assembly includes first and second end sealants radially interposed between the outer sleeve and the first and second sections of the jacket, respectively.

6. The sealed cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer sleeve includes an inner adhesive layer.

7. A sealed cable assembly comprising:
a cable including a cable subcore, a metal shield layer surrounding the cable subcore, and a jacket surrounding the metal shield layer, wherein the cable subcore includes an electrical conductor surrounded by an electrical insulation layer; and
a cable moisture seal assembly including a sealant, an electrically conductive jumper member, and an outer sleeve;
wherein:
the cable includes a sealing region section extending from a first axial end to a second axial end, and in which a section of the jacket and a section of the metal shield layer are removed to expose a section of the cable subcore;
the insulation layer and the conductor extend through the sealing region section;
the jacket includes first and second jacket terminal edges, the first and second jacket terminal edges being axially spaced apart, the sealing region section being disposed between the first and second jacket terminal edges;
a first section of the jacket extends from the first jacket terminal edge in a first direction away from the sealing region section;
a second section of the jacket extends from the second jacket terminal edge in a second direction away from the sealing region section and opposite the first direction;
first and second sections of the metal shield layer extend away from the sealing region section in the first and second opposed directions, respectively;
the outer sleeve surrounds the sealing region section;
the sealant is disposed radially between the cable subcore and the outer sleeve, and engages the cable subcore to form a moisture barrier in the sealing region section between the first and second sections of the jacket; and
the jumper member electrically connects the first and second sections of the metal shield layer;
the first section of the metal shield layer includes a first exposed shield section extending axially between the first jacket terminal edge and the exposed section of the cable subcore; and
the second section of the metal shield layer includes a second exposed shield section extending axially between the second jacket terminal edge and the exposed section of the cable subcore;
the jumper member electrically contacts the first and second exposed shield sections to electrically connect the first and second sections of the metal shield layer;
the jumper member includes:
a moisture impermeable midsection overlying the exposed section of the cable subcore; and
first and second flexible end sections extending from opposed ends of the midsection and engaging the first and second exposed sections of the metal shield, respectively;

the end sections of the jumper member are formed of a metal braid; and
the midsection of the jumper member is formed of a solder blocked metal braid.

8. The sealed cable assembly of claim 7 wherein the cable moisture seal assembly includes self-adhesive metal tape securing terminal edges of the first and second exposed shield sections to the cable subcore.

9. The sealed cable assembly of claim 7 wherein the cable moisture seal assembly includes a pair of circumferential clamps securing first and second opposed ends of the jumper member to the first and second exposed shield sections, respectively.

10. The sealed cable assembly of claim 9 wherein the clamps are metal spring clamps.

11. A method for forming a sealed cable assembly, the method comprising:
providing a cable including a cable subcore, a metal shield layer surrounding the cable subcore, and a jacket surrounding the metal shield layer, wherein the cable subcore includes an electrical conductor surrounded by an electrical insulation layer;
removing a section of the jacket and removing a section of the metal shield layer to form a sealing region section extending from a first axial end to a second axial end and wherein a section of the cable subcore is exposed, wherein:
the insulation layer and the conductor extend through the sealing region section;
the jacket includes first and second jacket terminal edges, the first and second jacket terminal edges being axially spaced apart, the sealing region section being disposed between the first and second jacket terminal edges;
a first section of the jacket extends from the first jacket terminal edge in a first direction away from the sealing region section;
a second section of the jacket extends from the second jacket terminal edge in a second direction away from the sealing region section and opposite the first direction; and
first and second sections of the metal shield layer extend away from the sealing region section in the first and second opposed directions, respectively;

applying a sealant to the cable subcore;
electrically connecting the first and second sections of th

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp
• Te Connectivity Corp

Inventors

• Yaworski Harry
• Head James
• Tse Alan
• Contreras Miguel

Classifications

• H01B7/2825 Primary

  using a water impermeable sheath · CPC title

• H02G1/14

  for joining or terminating cables · CPC title

• H01B7/1855

  Sheaths comprising helical wrapped non-metallic layers · CPC title

• H01B13/262

  of an outer metallic screen · CPC title

• H01B13/0026

  Apparatus for manufacturing conducting or semi-conducting layers, e.g. deposition of metal · CPC title