Connector cover

A seal for a cable and connector interconnection includes a unitary elastic primary body with a primary bore therethrough. The primary bore is provided with a primary cable outer diameter seal portion at a cable end, the cable outer diameter seal portion adjacent a primary connector cavity portion, the primary connector cavity portion adjacent a coupling nut cavity portion, and the coupling nut cavity portion adjacent a connector neck seal portion at a connector end. The coupling nut cavity portion is longitudinally aligned with a coupling nut of the connector and is provided with a greater inner diameter than the cable outer diameter seal portion and the connector neck seal portion.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a device for environmentally sealing and securing the interconnection between cables and/or apparatus, for example between two connector terminated cables or the feed and/or control cables interconnected with an antenna.

2. Description of Related Art

Electrical interconnections are subject to degradation from environmental factors such as moisture, vibration and repeated expansion and contraction from daily temperature changes.

Environmental seals, such as outer sealing enclosures that surround an electrical interconnection, have been used, for example, to surround a cable end connector to cable end connector interconnection.

The prior enclosures typically apply rigid clamshell configurations which, once closed, may be difficult to open, especially when installed in exposed locations such as atop radio towers. Gaskets may be applied at the enclosure ends and/or along a sealing perimeter of the shell. Gel seals are typically not re-usable and/or have only a limited number of re-uses before they must be replaced.

Connections to an apparatus, for example an antenna, are typically made to a connector body or other connection assembly mounted to an exterior surface of the antenna. Because the connector body or other connection assembly is typically a bulkhead type, flush against a surface, a cable to cable interconnection sealing assembly that tapers at either end to the same cable diameter is unusable.

Elastic body interconnection seals are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,838,775, titled “Cover for Cable Connectors”, issued 23 Nov. 2010, discloses a seal of rubber material, with a series of successively larger diameter bore portions from one end to the other, for sealing against a proprietary connector with a neck portion which extends outward farther than the coupling nut of the connector. Thereby, the largest diameter bore portion seals against the enlarged neck portion of the proprietary connector. However, many connectors utilize standardized connection interfaces wherein the coupling nut extends radially outward from the neck portion.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,453,042, titled “Cable and Apparatus Interconnection Close Quarters Environmental Seal”, issued 18 Nov. 2008, discloses a seal with a unitary rubber and/or elastomer body cylindrical gasket with a C-shaped outer shell closed by an additional retaining means. The interconnection may be placed into the outer shell and the outer shell then sealed around it, via the retaining means. Such a configuration enables sealing along neck portions of standardized connection interfaces. However, the seal area along the periphery of the C-shaped body is extensive, which may degrade the long term performance of the resulting seal.

Competition within the electrical interface environmental seal industry has focused attention on reliability, re-usability, ease of use, improved high temperature capabilities and overall reductions in manufacturing and installation costs.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a device that overcomes deficiencies in the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown for example byFIGS. 1 and 2, a seal according to a first embodiment of the invention has a unitary elastic primary body3with a primary bore5therethrough. Sequenced from a cable end7to a connector end9, the primary bore5has: (a) a primary cable outer diameter seal portion11at the cable end7; (b) the cable outer diameter seal portion11adjacent a primary connector cavity portion13; (c) the primary connector cavity portion13adjacent a coupling nut cavity portion15; and (d) the coupling nut cavity portion15adjacent a connector neck seal portion17at the connector end9.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that cable end7and connector end9are provided as position references for both the interconnection and individual elements of the connector and seal portions along a longitudinal axis of the interconnection10. Therefore, each element identified has both a cable end7and a connector end9, these being the sides of each element closest to the cable end7and the connector end9of the interconnection10, along the longitudinal axis of the interconnection10. Where sealing of an interconnection10between two connector terminated cables is described herein below, the cable and connector end7,9positions referenced are with respect to those identified initially with respect to the primary connector19(according toFIG. 1).

The connector neck seal portion17is configured to seal against the neck portion21of the connector interface23, for example, that a coupling nut25of the primary connector19is threaded upon. The connector interface23may be provided as a bulkhead type connection point, as shown for example inFIG. 1, or as the interconnecting portion of a secondary connector27such as the cable terminating connector of another cable29, as shown for example inFIG. 2. The coupling nut cavity portion15is provided with a greater inner diameter than the connector neck seal portion17. Thereby, the coupling nut cavity portion15can surround the coupling nut25and the connector neck seal portion17can engage and seal against the neck21of the selected connector interface23, without requiring a non-standard connection interface with an increased connector neck diameter.

The primary body3may be formed from a unitary portion of material with an elastic characteristic such as injection molded silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, molded closed-cell foam or the like having suitable sealing, environmental resistance and stability characteristics. Thereby, the primary body3, and similarly the secondary body31(when present), has suitable rigidity to maintain the dimensions of the several portions prior to use while also being provided with an elastic property enabling at least the connector neck seal portion17to be stretched over the coupling nut25of the primary connector19during installation of the seal over the interconnection10, so that the coupling nut cavity portion15is longitudinally aligned with the coupling nut25of the primary connector19.

The primary cable outer diameter seal portion11and/or connector neck seal portion17may be provided with a smooth cylindrical inner sidewall. Thereby, the contact area between the cable outer diameter seal portion11and the outer diameter of the cable29and/or between the connector neck seal portion17and a neck21of the connector interface23is maximized, so that the seal there between has the largest possible contact area to resist leakage, and any leakage that does occur is not provided with areas within which liquid may pool along the extent of the respective sealing surfaces.

The primary connector cavity portion13may be provided with a single inner diameter between the primary cable outer diameter seal portion11and the coupling nut cavity portion15. That is, the coupling nut cavity portion15and the primary cable outer diameter seal portion11may be provided with an essentially constant outer diameter. Thereby, mold requirements may be simplified and/or separation from the mold during seal manufacture may be enhanced.

Where an interconnection encompassing splice seal is desired between a primary connector19and a secondary connector27interconnected to form a cable-to-cable splice between connector terminated cable ends, the primary body3may be applied in combination with a secondary body31configured to enclose the secondary connector27and seal against the outer diameter of the primary body3and the outer diameter of the other portion of cable29, for example as shown inFIG. 2.

The secondary body31may also be provided as a unitary elastic portion of material with a secondary bore33therethrough. The secondary bore33may be provided with a primary body outer diameter seal portion35at the cable end7(with respect to the primary connector19) wherein the primary body outer diameter seal portion35is adjacent a secondary connector cavity portion37and the secondary connector cavity portion37is adjacent a secondary cable outer diameter seal portion39at the connector end9(with respect to the primary connector19). The primary body outer diameter seal portion35is dimensioned to seal against an outer diameter of one or both of the coupling nut cavity portion15and the connector neck seal portion17. Thereby the secondary body31forms an environmental seal against an outer diameter of the primary body3.

As described with respect to the primary cable outer diameter seal portion11hereinabove, the secondary cable outer diameter seal portion39may also be provided with a smooth cylindrical inner sidewall and the primary body outer diameter seal portion35and the secondary cable outer diameter seal portion39may have an inner diameter less than the secondary connector cavity portion37.

To install a seal over a cable and connector interconnection, the primary body3may be applied over the cable29and advanced away from the end of the cable prior to attaching the primary connector19thereto. Alternatively, the primary body3may be stretched to enable insertion of the primary connector19with the cable29already attached through the primary bore5. Once the primary connector19is coupled to the desired connection interface23, such as a bulkhead connector of an antenna (seeFIG. 1), the connector neck seal portion17may be stretched over the coupling nut25of the primary connector19to seal against the neck21of the connection interface23. Thereby the interconnection of the cable29to the connection interface23is environmentally sealed both at the cable29to primary connector19interconnection and also at the primary connector3to connector interface23interconnection via a single primary body3.

Where the desired connection interface23is a secondary connector27of another cable29the primary and secondary connectors19,27may be interconnected and the seal applied as described herein above. The secondary body31, previously applied to the other cable end either before the secondary connector27is attached to the other cable end or the secondary body31is stretched to pass the secondary connector27with cable attached through the secondary bore33, is pulled toward the interconnection and over the secondary body31so that the primary body outer diameter seal portion35seals against the outer diameter of one or both of the coupling nut cavity portion15and the connector neck seal portion17. The portions of the secondary body31are dimensioned longitudinally such that once the primary body outer diameter seal portion35is sealed against the outer diameter of the primary body3, the secondary cable outer diameter seal portion39seals against the outer diameter of the other cable.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that the relative dimensions of the cable29and, for example, primary connector19with respect to the terminating connection interface23are exemplary, only. Alternatively, a larger cable and corresponding connector may terminate upon a comparatively small connection interface23, for example as shown inFIG. 3.

The primary and/or secondary bodies3,31may be manufactured, for example by injection molding, from one of a liquid injection molded silicone rubber, liquid silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomer and molded closed-cell foam. Elastic properties of these materials may enable molding without utilizing cost prohibitive collapsing core mold portions.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the seals bring to the art a seal useful, for example, for re-useable sealing of bulkhead and/or splice type interconnections of standard connector interfaces. The resulting seals may further enable significant manufacturing and/or installation efficiencies.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to ratios, integers, components or modules having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus, methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept. Further, it is to be appreciated that improvements and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as defined by the following claims.