Connector with sealing boot and moveable shuttle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941622-B1
Application number	US-201715493055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 20, 2017
Priority date	Apr 20, 2017
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Various connectors are disclosed. The connectors include a sealing assembly for providing a seal around a cable extending through the connector. The sealing assembly can include a moveable shuttle, a sleeve, a stop component and a sealing boot. The sealing boot can be compressed between the sleeve and the shuttle as the shuttle moves towards the stop component. The sealing boot can be configured to change shape (e.g., buckle) around the cable in response to movement of the shuttle. The change in shape of the sealing boot can facilitate sealing around the cable. The connector can be configured to inhibit or prevent the sealing boot from being extruded of out of position in response to a pressure gradient between first and second ends of the connector.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. An electrical connector comprising:
a housing comprising a longitudinal axis;
a sealing assembly positioned in the housing, the sealing assembly comprising:
a stop component having an opening extending therethrough, the stop component fixedly positioned in the housing;
a sleeve rigidly connected with the stop component, the sleeve extending between a first end and a second end;
a shuttle configured to move relative to the sleeve along the longitudinal axis, the shuttle comprising a bore extending therethrough, the bore comprising a shoulder, the bore receiving the first end of the sleeve;
a spring positioned in the housing, the spring biasing the shuttle towards the sleeve; and
a sealing boot comprising a first end, a second end, and a channel, the sealing boot positioned within the bore of the shuttle, the first end of the sealing boot abutted against the shoulder of the bore, the second end of the sealing boot abutted against the first end of the sleeve,
wherein the sealing boot is configured to receive a cable through the channel and to form a seal around the cable, the sealing boot configured to buckle in response to the shuttle moving toward the sleeve, thereby increasing the seal around the cable.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve further comprises an aperture, the aperture and the opening configured to receive the cable therethrough such that the cable can pass through the sleeve and the stop component.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the sealing boot comprises one or more ridges and one or more valleys, the one or more ridges or valleys.

4. The connector of claim 1 , wherein, when the sealing boot buckles, an inner diameter of the channel of the sealing boot decreases.

5. The connector of claim 4 , wherein, when the sealing boot buckles, an outer diameter of the sealing boot increases.

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal length of the sealing boot decreases as the shuttle moves toward the sleeve.

7. The connector of claim 1 , wherein, when the shuttle moves along the axis towards the sleeve, the first end of the sleeve is received deeper into the bore of the shuttle.

8. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve further comprises a gasket proximate the first end of the sleeve, wherein the gasket is positioned within the bore of the shuttle.

9. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the sleeve is positioned within an opening of the stop component, and wherein the second end of the sleeve abuts against a lip positioned within the opening.

10. A connector for providing a seal around a cable, the connector comprising:
a moveable shuttle having a bore extending therethrough, the bore configured to receive the cable;
a sealing boot having a channel extending therethrough, the channel configured to receive the cable, the sealing boot positioned within the bore of the shuttle, the sealing boot configured to collapse when compressed along a longitudinal axis; and
a sleeve having an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture configured to receive the cable, the sleeve at least partially received within the bore of the shuttle and contacting the sealing boot;
wherein, when the sealing boot is compressed and collapses, a length of the sealing boot measured along the longitudinal axis decreases and an inner diameter of the channel of the sealing boot decreases.

11. The connector of claim 10 , wherein the sealing boot comprises an elastomeric material.

12. The connector of claim 10 , wherein, when the sealing boot is compressed and collapses, an outer diameter of the sealing boot increases.

13. The connector of claim 10 , wherein the bore includes a shoulder, and wherein the shoulder abuts against a first end of the sealing boot.

14. The connector of claim 13 , wherein a first end of the sleeve abuts against a second end of the sealing boot, and wherein the sealing boot is compressed between the shoulder and the first end of the sleeve as the shuttle moves towards a stop component.

15. The connector of claim 10 , wherein a length of the sealing boot is less than a length of the bore of the shuttle such that the sealing boot is wholly positioned within the bore.

16. The connector of claim 10 , further comprising a spring that biases the shuttle towards a stop component.

17. The connector of claim 10 , further comprising a stop component having an opening extending therethrough, the opening configured to receive the cable, the stop component contacting the sleeve and configured to limit movement of the sleeve along the longitudinal axis.

18. A method of sealing an electrical cable, the method comprising:
receiving a first pressure on a first end of a movable shuttle of an electrical connector;
receiving a second pressure on a second end of the shuttle, the second pressure being about equal to the first pressure;
biasing the shuttle with a biasing member;
at least partly in response to the bias of the biasing member, moving the shuttle within a housing of the electrical connector and toward a sleeve of the electrical connector;
compressing a sealing boot within a bore of the shuttle, wherein compressing the sealing boot comprises compressing the sealing boot between a shoulder of the shuttle and an end of the sleeve that is positioned in the bore of the shuttle;
buckling the sealing boot; and
adjusting a seal around the cable in response to the buckling of the sealing boot.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising increasing an outside diameter of the sealing boot.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising forming, with a gasket, a seal between the bore and the end of the sleeve that is positioned in the bore.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the biasing member comprises a helical spring.

22. A connector for providing a seal around a cable, the connector comprising:
a moveable shuttle having a bore extending therethrough, the bore configured to receive the cable;
a spring that biases the shuttle towards a stop component;
a sealing boot having a channel extending therethrough, the channel configured to receive the cable, the sealing boot positioned within the bore of the shuttle, the sealing boot configured to collapse when compressed along a longitudinal axis; and
a sleeve having an aperture extending therethrough, the aperture configured to receive the cable, the sleeve at least partially received within the bore of the shuttle and contacting the sealing boot.

23. The connector of claim 22 , wherein, when the sealing boot is compressed and collapses, an outer diameter of the sealing boot increases.

24. The connector of claim 22 , wherein the bore includes a shoulder, and wherein the shoulder abuts against a first end of the sealing boot.

25. The connector of claim 22 , wherein a length of the sealing boot is less than a length of the bore of the shuttle such that the sealing boot is wholly positioned within the bore.

26. The connector of claim 22 , further comprising a stop component having an opening extending therethrough, the opening configured to receive the cable, the stop component contacting the sleeve and configured to limit movement of the sleeve along the longitudinal axis.

Assignees

• Itt Mfg Enterprises Llc

Inventors

• Campbell Charles

Classifications

• H01R13/005

  Electrical coupling combined with fluidic coupling · CPC title

• H01R13/533

  Bases, cases made for use in extreme conditions, e.g. high temperature, radiation, vibration, corrosive environment, pressure (H01R13/52 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/5208 Primary

  having at least two cable receiving openings · CPC title

• E21B17/028

  Electrical or electro-magnetic connections · CPC title

• H01R13/5219

  Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal · CPC title