Cable sealing unit with multiple sealing modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9948082-B2
Application number	US-201314412381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2013
Priority date	Jul 2, 2012
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A sealing unit ( 28 ) that fits within the sealing unit opening ( 26 ) of a housing 22 . The sealing unit ( 28 ) including a sealant arrangement ( 32 ) that define a plurality of cable ports ( 30 ). The sealing arrangement is also configured for providing a peripheral seal between the housing ( 22 ) and the sealing unit ( 28 ). The sealing unit ( 28 ) includes an actuation arrangement ( 31 ) for pressurizing the sealant arrangement ( 32 ) within the sealing unit opening ( 26 ). The sealant arrangement ( 32 ) includes a plurality of sealing modules ( 33 a - 33 e ) each sized to form only a portion of the pressure actuated sealant arrangement ( 32 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An enclosure comprising:
a housing having an end defining a sealing unit opening;
a sealing unit that fits within the sealing unit opening, the sealing unit including a sealant arrangement that defines a plurality of cable ports, the sealant arrangement also being configured for providing a peripheral seal between the housing and the sealing unit, the sealing unit also including an actuation arrangement for pressurizing the sealant arrangement within the sealing unit opening, the actuation arrangement including inner and outer pressurization structures between which the sealant arrangement is positioned, the actuation arrangement including a spring for applying a pressurization force that causes the sealant arrangement to be pressurized between the inner and outer pressurization structures when the actuation arrangement is actuated, the sealant arrangement including a plurality of sealing modules each sized to form only a portion of the pressure actuated sealant arrangement, the sealing modules being individually installable between the inner and outer pressurization structures and being individually removable from between the inner and outer pressurization structures, each sealing module having a total axial length that extends between first and second axial ends of the sealing module along a central axis of the sealing module, the sealing modules each including a volume of sealant at least partially contained between first and second axial containment structures, the first and second axial containment structures forming the first and second axial ends of the sealing modules, the volumes of sealant each including cable sealing surfaces that extend around and define the cable ports, the volumes of sealant each also including exposed outer sealing surfaces that surround peripheries of the sealing modules;
wherein the sealant arrangement includes at least three of the sealing modules; and
wherein portions of the exposed outer sealing surfaces cooperate to form the peripheral seal between the housing and the sealing unit.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the sealant arrangement includes at least four of the sealing modules.

3. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the sealant arrangement includes at least five of the sealing modules.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the sealant arrangement includes at least six of the sealing modules.

5. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the sealing modules define two rows of cable ports, wherein the sealant arrangement is elongated along a major axis, and wherein the rows extend along the major axis, and wherein the sealing modules include lateral end sealing modules that are spaced-apart from one another along the major axis, and wherein intermediate sealing modules are positioned between the lateral end sealing modules.

6. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second axial containment structures of the cable sealing modules define containment structure openings that align with the cable ports.

7. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the volumes of sealant of the sealing modules each include at least first and second sealing parts that can be separated to allow for lateral cable insertion into the sealing modules, and wherein the first and second axial containment structures of the sealing modules each include first and second containment parts corresponding to the first and second sealing parts.

8. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second axial containment structures are configured to respectively interlock with first and second pressurization structures of the actuation arrangement.

9. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second axial containment structures define receptacles for receiving corresponding projections provided on first and second pressurization structures of the actuation arrangement.

10. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein engagement portions of the first and second pressurization structures overlap the first and second axial containment structures of the sealing modules.

11. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second axial containment structures are attached to the volumes of sealant.

12. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a kit and the sealing modules have different port configurations such that an end user can select different sealing modules from the plurality of sealing modules to accommodate different cabling needs.

13. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first axial containment structures are outer axial containment structures and the second axial containment structures are inner axial containment structures, wherein the inner pressurization structure includes retention portions that engage and axially and radially overlap with the inner axial containment structures, and the outer pressurization structure includes retention portions that engage and axially and radially overlap with the outer axial containment structures.

14. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the sealing modules are axially and radially contained by the inner and outer axial pressurization structures.

15. The enclosure of claim 13 , wherein the actuation arrangement is movable to a fully de-actuated position, and wherein an axial overlap exists between the retention portions of the inner and outer pressurization structures and the inner and outer axial containment structures when the actuation arrangement is in the fully de-actuated position such that the sealing modules are retained between the inner and outer pressurization structures.

16. An enclosure comprising:
a housing defining a housing opening that extends along an opening central axis;
a sealing unit that is inserted along the opening central axis into the housing opening, the sealing unit including a sealant ring that surrounds the opening central axis when the sealing unit is positioned within the opening, the sealing unit including an actuation arrangement having inner and outer axial pressurization structures between which the sealant ring is axially pressurized, the sealant ring forming an outer radial seal with an interior surface of the housing that defines the housing opening, the sealant ring forming an inner radial seal with an outward axial extension of the inner pressurization structure, the actuation arrangement also including an actuator accessible from outside the housing, the actuator including an actuator shaft that couples to the outward axial extension of the inner pressurization structure.

17. The enclosure of claim 16 , wherein the outward axial extension of the inner pressurization structure defines a hollow interior chamber around which the sealant ring extends.

18. The enclosure of claim 16 , further comprising a retainer for axially fixing the inner pressurization structure relative to the housing.

19. The enclosure of claim 18 , further comprising an exterior cable anchoring structure secured to the outward axial extension of the inner pressurization structure.

20. The enclosure of claim 19 , further comprising an interior cable anchoring structure secured to the inner pressurizations structure.

21. The enclosure of claim 16 , wherein the actuator includes an exterior handle coupled to the actuator shaft and a spring, wherein the exterior handle is actuated to compress the spring and cause the inner and outer pressurization structures to pressurize the sealant ring.

22. The enclosure of claim 21 , wherein the shaft is threaded and the exterior handle is actuated by threading the exter

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Raychem Bvba
• CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA

Inventors

• Coenegracht Philippe
• Aznag Mohamed
• Claes Paul Joseph
• Van De Weyer Dirk Jozef G
• Michiels Maarten
• Houben Diederik
• Doultremont Pieter
• Maes Eddy
• Van Genechten Geert
• Frederickx Maddy Nadine
• De Groe Emilie

Classifications

• F16J15/104

  characterised by structure · CPC title

• G02B6/4444

  Seals · CPC title

• H02G15/013 Primary

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

• H02G3/22

  Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings · CPC title

• H02G15/04 Primary

  Cable-end sealings · CPC title