EP0127457A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Electrically heat-recoverable article
Assignee: Commscope Connectivity Belgium BVBA
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Filing: 1984-05-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-05-25
Abstract
Abstract A branch-off between telecommunications cables (5) may be sealed by means of an electrically heat-recoverable sleeve (1) and a branch-off clip (2) which holds together circumferentially spaced portions of the sleeve (1) between the branching cables (5). The clip (2) has an inner leg of heat-activatable sealing material which in use is positioned in the sleeve (1) between the cables (5). The sealing material is activated by the heat generated in the sleeve (1) during recovery.
Inventors
- 👤 Noel Marcel Michiel Overbergh
- 👤 Jan Vansant
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:03
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02G; H02G15/00; H02G15/08; H02G15/18; H02G15/1806; H02G15/1813; B; B29; B29C; B29C61/00; B29C61/06; B29C61/0608; B29C61/0625; B29C61/0641; B29C61/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S174/00; Y10S174/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
51 words
An assembly for forming a branch-off seal, which comprises: an electrically heat-recoverable sleeve; and a clip which can be positioned at an end of the sleeve so as to form at least two terminal conduits therein, the clip comprising an inner leg of a heat-activatable sealing material and two outer legs.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
51 words
An assembly for forming a branch-off seal, which comprises: an electrically heat-recoverable sleeve; and a clip which can be positioned at an end of the sleeve so as to form at least two terminal conduits therein, the clip comprising an inner leg of a heat-activatable sealing material and two outer legs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
An assembly according to claim 1, in which the sleeve is a wrap-around sleeve having closure members which can be held together to maintain the sleeve in a wrap-around configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An assembly according to claim 2, in which the sleeve is powered through the closure members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
An assembly according to claim 1, in which the sleeve comprises a heat recoverable polymeric material and a discrete electrical heater attached to its surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
An assembly according to claim 4, in which the discrete heater comprises a laminar conductive polymer between two laminar flexible electrodes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
An assembly according to claim 5, in which the laminar conductive polymer exhibits positive temperature coefficient behaviour.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the sleeve has means for heat-regulation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
An assembly according to claim 7, in which the sleeve has self-regulating heating means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
An assembly according to claim 8, in which the self-regulating heating means comprises a polymeric material having a positive temperature co-efficient of resistance as part of an electrical heating circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the sleeve has self-contained heating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An assembly according to claim 10, in which the sleeve comprises a conductive polymeric material which self heats when subjected to electrical power.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
An assembly according to Claim 11, in which the conductive polymeric material has a positive temperature coefficient of resistance such that the sleeve exhibits self-regulation of heating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
An assembly according to claim 11 or 12,, in which the sleeve comprises a laminate of a conductive polymeric material between first and second sheet electrodes such that a potential difference between the first and second electrodes causes current to flow substantially perpendicular to the plane of the material of the sleeve.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
An assembly according to claim 13, in which the sleeve is a wrap-around sleeve having closure members comprising a first elongate conductor adjacent a first edge portion and a second elongate conductor adjacent an opposing edge portion, the first conductor being in electrical contact with the first sheet electrode and the second conductor being in electrical contact with the second sheet electrode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
An assembly according to claim 14, in which the first and second closure members are held together by a third closure member which does not form part of the electrical heating circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
An assembly according to claim 14, in which the first conductor is fixed relative to the first edge portion, and the first and second edge portions are held together by the second conductor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
An assembly according to any of claims 13-16, in which a layer of electrical insulation substantially covers the outwardly facing surface of each of the first and second sheet electrodes except at a region where electrical contact with respectively first and second conductors occurs.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
An assembly according to any of claims 13-15 and 17, in which opposing edge portions of the sleeve are wrapped around elongate conductors, such that the first sheet electrode electrically contacts a first conductor and the second sheet electrode electrically contacts a second conductor; the edge portions and electrodes constituting the closure members.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, having a coating of a heat-activatable adhesive on a surface that is inwardly facing when the sleeve is in a wrap-around configuration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the inner leg comprises a mastic.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the inner leg comprises a hot-melt adhesive.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the clip has a heat conductor dispersed throughout the inner leg.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the inner leg comprises at least two sealing materials.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
12 words
An assembly according to any preceding claim, which additionally comprises a liner.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A branch-off between at least two elongate substrates when sealed by an assembly according to any preceding claim.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
A branch-off according to claim 25, in which the substrates are telecommunications cables.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of forming a branch-off seal between an electrically heat-recoverable sleeve and at least two substrates, which comprises: (a) positioning a clip having an inner leg of a heat-activatable sealing material and two outer legs on the sleeve with the outer legs outside the sleeve and the inner leg within the sleeve, so as to form at least two terminal conduits in the sleeve; (b) positioning the substrates within the conduits; and (c) connecting the sleeve to electrical power to cause the sleeve to recover and the inner leg to become heat-activated.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of forming a branch-off seal between an electrically heat-recoverable sleeve and at least two substrates, which comprises: (a) positioning a clip having an inner leg of a heat-activatable sealing material and two outer legs on the sleeve with the outer legs outside the sleeve and the inner leg within the sleeve, so as to form at least two terminal conduits in the sleeve; (b) positioning the substrates within the conduits; and (c) connecting the sleeve to electrical power to cause the sleeve to recover and the inner leg to become heat-activated.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 27, in which the sleeve is positioned around the substrates, then the clip is positioned on the sleeve, then the sleeve is connected to electrical power.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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