Patent ID: 8889989

Claim:
A cable adapter unit for building up an outer diameter of an electrical cable to facilitate fitment of a cold-shrinkable cover sleeve body on the electrical cable, the cable adapter unit comprising: a cold-shrinkable, tubular, elastomeric cable adapter defining a cable adapter through passage configured to receive the electrical cable, wherein the cable adapter includes: an integral, electrically conductive, tubular stress cone layer; and an electrically insulating, tubular outer layer integral with and surrounding the stress cone layer; wherein the stress cone layer and the outer layer each define a portion of the through passage; and a removable holdout mounted within the through passage and configured to be withdrawn therefrom, wherein the holdout maintains the cable adapter in an expanded state in which the cable adapter is elastically expanded and, when withdrawn from the through passage, permits the cable adapter to radially contract to a contracted state about the electrical cable; wherein: the cable adapter has a front section and a rear section; the through passage includes a front subpassage in the front section and a rear subpassage in the rear section; and when the cable adapter is in a relaxed, non-expanded state, the front subpassage has a first inner diameter and the rear subpassage has a second inner diameter greater than the inner diameter of the front subpassage.